US 4,072,078 A · System for automatically producing tone patterns

Abstract

A tone pattern generating system for use with an electronic musical instrument, such as an electronic organ, responds to depression of a pedalboard key and a preselected rhythm and chordal pattern in an ROM memory to produce a "walking bass" automatically in response to continued depression of the selected pedal key. The ROM memory may be programmed to produce different tonal and rhythm effects in accordance with the wishes of the musician. In addition, provision is made for starting each rhythm and tonal pattern controlled by the ROM memory at the beginning of the pattern each time a new pedal key is played or released and replaying of the same pedal key is effected by the musician. The system also operates to immediately play the note selected by depression of the pedal key and prevents the production of tones under control of the ROM memory for a predetermined time interval following initial depression or operation of a pedal key. This permits the musician, in effect, to override the automatic tone pattern generation and play tone patterns of his own selection when desired.

Claims13

Dependent claims

A tone pattern generating system for use with an electronic musical instrument including, in combination:

a continuously running clock means for producing clock output pulses on an output thereof at a predetermined frequency;
rhythm pattern generating circuit means coupled with said clock means for producing at least one predetermined rhythm pattern for use in said musical instrument;
downbeat divider circuit means having an output, and having an input coupled with the output of said clock means and reset by a predetermined rhythm pattern from said rhythm pattern generating means to produce output pulses on the output of said downbeat divider circuit corresponding to downbeat measures synchronized with the operation of said rhythm pattern generating means;
and
tone pattern control means coupled with the output of said clock means and with the output of said downbeat divider circuit means for producing predetermined tone patterns in synchronism with the downbeat pulses obtained from said downbeat divider circuit means.

2 more elements

A tone pattern generating system for use with an electronic musical instrument including in combination:

a continuously running clock means for producing clock output pulses on an output thereof at a predetermined frequency;
pattern control means coupled with the output of said clock means and having at least one first output for supplying signals thereon indicative of chordal tone relationships and having a second output for supplying thereon signals in a predetermined rhythm pattern, the signals of such rhythm pattern corresponding with predetermined ones of the clock pulses from said clock means;
switch means operated to initiate the playing of a note in said instrument;
output means coupled with said switch means and with the first and second outputs of said pattern control means for producing varying musical tones in a predetermined rhythm pattern;
and
means responsive to operation of said switch means for preventing signals on the second output of said pattern control means from being applied to said output means for a predetermined time interval after operation of said switch means.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

System for automatically producing tone patterns

Life of this patent

System for automatically producing tone patterns

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims13