Music synthesizer
OwnerMark Edwin Faulhaberinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A music synthesizer produces pitch-proportional voltages in a novel resistor network, uses these voltage via keyboard control to generate in a voltage-controlled oscillator a high frequency signal, being a multiple of all the harmonic frequencies desired, separates the individual harmonics, converts them to sine waves with voltage-controlled tunable tracking filters, blends the waves in desired proportions, introduces transients of attack, decay, sustain, and release of key into each note, and introduces appropriate vibrato. An alternate apparatus accepts an external signal and converts it to voltages proportional to frequency, whereby accompaniment on pitch, in "close harmony" or more distantly related, is provided.
Claims14
In a music synthesis apparatus having associated music signal utilization means, the improvement comprising in combination,
- a. a source of variable control voltage,
- b. at least one voltage controlled oscillator receiving input voltage from said source, each oscillator generating an output signal of frequency that is a multiple of each and every one of the harmonics desired in the synthesizer output, said frequency being varied by the said variable voltage source,
- c. digital dividing means receiving input from said oscillator, and producing pulsating signals as output on separate harmonic output lines for each of the said harmonics, each signal having a repetition frequency equal to that of the desired harmonic,
- d. individual tracking filter means each receiving input signal from one of said harmonic output lines, and converting its input signal into an output sine wave of the same fundamental frequency, each said tracking filter means being provided with tuning means responsive to an input of control voltage whereby the filtration characteristic of each tracking filter means may be tuned over the range of frequency of its input signal, the said control voltage being tapped from the output of the aforesaid control voltage source,
- e. mixing means providing for preselection of any desired fraction of the signal strength of the sine wave output from each said tracking filter means, and for summing all such preselected fractions,
- f. voltage control means operable to select a particular voltage at the said voltage source, and to apply said particular voltage as input to the said voltage controlled oscillator.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.