Vocal effect for musical instrument

In an electronic musical instrument of the type having a keyboard comprising a plurality of key switches each of which upon depression actuates a means which develops a tone signal whose frequency is determined by the particular operated one of said key switches, the improvement comprising:

• means responsive to the operation of said key switches for developing an indexing signal characterized by a logic transition which occurs for each change in the operational status of said keyswitches;
• control means having a plurality of outputs sequentially actuated in response to successive logic transitions of said indexing signal;
• and
• filter means comprising a plurality of series connected programmable bandpass filters each having a programmable input and scaling means coupling each of said control means ouptuts to each of said programming inputs for independently programming the center frequency of each of said bandpass filters for modifying the harmonic content of said tone signal to simulate a different vowel-like sound in response to each of said actuated control means outputs.

In an electronic musical instrument of the type including means for developing a tone signal, the improvement comprising:

• means for producing an indexing signal having first and second states and transitions therebetween;
• control means having a plurality of outputs and being responsive to the transitions of said indexing signal for sequentially developing a control signal on said plurality of outputs;
• a plurality of interconnected programmable bandpass filter means each having a programming input;
• and
• scaling means coupling each of said control means outputs to the programming input of each of said bandpass filter means for independently programming the center frequency of each of said bandpass filter means in response to each of said control signals for modifying the harmonic content of said tone signal to simulate a differently voiced sound.

In an electronic musical instrument of the type including means for developing a tone signal, the improvement for imparting a vocal effect to said tone signal comprising:

• means for producing an indexing signal having first and second states and transitions therebetween;
• control means having a plurality of outputs and being responsive to the transitions of said indexing signal for sequentially developing a control signal on said plurality of outputs;
• a plurality of interconnected programmable bandpass filter means each having a programming input;
• and
• scaling means coupling each of said control means outputs to the programming input of each of said bandpass filter means for independently programming the center frequency of each of said bandpass filter means in response to each of said control signals for modifying the harmonic content of said tone signal to simulate a different vowel-like sound for producing said vocal effect.