Polyphonic electronic music system

A polyphonic electronic music system for an electronic musical instrument having at least one manual of keys corresponding to the notes of the musical scale comprising:

• Multiplexer means for producing time division logic data signals representative of the octave and semitone of the notes of the keys played on the at least one manual;
• Logic means for receiving said time division logic data signals and producing first logic signals corresponding to the number of keys played and second logic signals corresponding to the notes of the keys played on the at least one manual;
• Programmable counter means for producing in response to said second logic signals a plurality of tone signals on separate outputs corresponding to the notes of the keys played;
• Voicing means responsive to the first logic signals for producing a diffferent pattern of voices to be assigned to the tone signals selected depending upon number of keys played;
• and
• Audio means for converting said tone signals to audible sound.

A polyphonic electronic music system for an electronic musical instrument comprising:

• a clock means for providing a plurality of clock outputs;
• counter and decoder means for generating from the clock outputs a first set of time division logic signals representative of twelve notes of an octave, a second set of time division logic signals representative of two or more octaves, and a third set of time division logic signals representative of at least two manuals of keys of the electronic musical instrument;
• means for transmitting representative ones of the first set of time division logic signals to corresponding ones of the key switches of the at least two manuals;
• multiplexer means for receiving the logic signals corresponding to actuated key switches, the second set of logic signals, and the third set of logic signals and providing a serial train of time division multiplex signal identifying the actuated key switches;
• memory means for storing the serial train of logic signals representative of the then actuated key switches during the next cycle of the counter and decoder means and providing a hold signal when the stored serial train does not correspond to the next serial train;
• priority selector means for providing time division logic signals representative of the three lowest notes and the highest note of the actuated key switches;
• monostable and enable logic means for receiving the hold signal from the memory means, and the logic signals from the priority selector means and providing in response thereto output logic signals representative of the number of actuated keys and logic signals representative of the lowest three notes and the highest note of the actuated keys;
• programmable counter means for receiving the logic signals from the monostable and enable logic means representative of the actuated keys, the first set of logic signals representative of the twelve notes of an octave, and logic signals representative of the two or more octaves and in response thereto, and producing output tone signals corresponding to the notes of the actuated key switches and voltages representative of the notes of the actuated key switches;
• voltage controlled gate and filter means for wave shaping the output tone signals from the programmable counter means to produce desired voicing characteristics;
• an output system for converting the wave shaped tone signals into audible sound.

In an electronic organ including key switches operable by keys on a keyboard corresponding to the notes of the musical scale, tone generators for producing tone signals corresponding to the notes of the key switches, means for applying the tone signals of actuated key switches to a primary audio output system;

• an improved accompaniment system comprising;
• a secondary audio output system;
• means for simultaneously producing a plurality of secondary tone signals corresponding to certain preselected simultaneously actuated ones of said key switches;
• means for wave shaping said secondary tone signals so that individual ones of said secondary tone signals are wave shaped to have individual distinct voices, said wave shaped tone signals being applied to said secondary audio output system to provide an orchestral accompaniment for tone signals sounded by the primary audio output system.

A polyphonic electronic music system for an electronic musical instrument having at least one manual of keys corresponding to the notes of the musical scale comprising:

• means for producing tone signals of frequencies corresponding to the notes of keys contemporaneously played on the manual of keys;
• means for gating and filtering the tone signals to produce at least first, second, third, and fourth voices depending upon the number and sequence of keys played at any given time;
• and
• means for determining the number of notes contemporaneously played in a multiple note chord and for assigning voices to the played notes so that if one note is played, that note is sounded in the third and fourth voices;
• if two notes are played in a chord, the first note is sounded in the first and second voices and the second note is sounded in the third and fourth voices;
• if three notes are played in a chord, the first note is sounded in the first voice, the second note is sounded in the second voice, and the third note is sounded in the third and fourth voices;
• and if four notes are played, the first note is sounded in the first voice, the second note is sounded in the second voice, the third note is sounded in the third voice, and the fourth note is sounded in the fourth voice.

A polyphonic electronic music system for an electronic musical instrument having at least one keyboard of keys corresponding to the notes of a musical scale comprising:

• means for producing tone signals at frequencies corresponding to the notes of one or more keys simultaneously played on the keyboard;
• a plurality of means for gating and filtering the tone signals in a manner to produce the attack and voice characteristics of a plurality of predetermined musical instruments further comprising at least a first, second, third, and fourth means for wave shaping said tone signals into first, second, third, and fourth voices, respectively;
• means for causing individual ones of said tone signals to be passed through respective predetermined individual ones of said plurality of means for gating and filtering depending upon the number of keys played at any given time and wherein if one note is played, said means for causing causes that note to be sounded in the third and fourth voices;
• if two notes are simultaneously played said menas for causing causes the first note to be sounded in the first and second voices and the second note in the third and fourth voices;
• if three notes are simultaneously played, said means for causing causes the first note to be sounded in the first voice, the second note to be sounded in the second voice, and the third note to be sounded in the third and fourth voices;
• and if four notes are simultaneously played, the first note is sounded in the first voice, the second note is sounded in the second voice, the third note is sounded in the third voice, and the fourth note is sounded in the fourth voice;
• and
• audio output means for audibly sounding the notes passed by the means for gating the filtering.

A polyphonic electronic musical system for an electronic musical instrument having at least one manual of keys corresponding to the notes of the musical scale comprising:

• Multiplexer means for producing time division logic data signals representative of the octave and semitone of the notes of the keys played on the at least one manual;
• Logic means for receiving said time division logic data signals and producing first logic signals corresponding to the number of keys played and second logic signals corresponding to the notes of the keys played on the at least one manual;
• Programmable counter means comprising first, second, third, and fourth programmable counters controlled by said second logic signals and divider means controlled by said time division logic signals representative of the octave of notes played to produce first, second, third and fourth tone signals corresponding to the notes of the keys played, and wherein said logic means causes said first, second, third and fourth programmable counters to produce first, second, third, and fourth tone signals such that if one key is played on the at least one manual, the first and second programmable counters are disabled and the third and fourth programmable counters produce third and fourth tone signals corresponding to the note of the key played;
• if two keys are played on the at least one manual, the first and second programmable counters produce first and second tone signals corresponding to the lowest note and the third and fourth programmable counters produce third and fourth tone signals corresponding to the highest note played;
• and if three or more keys are on the at least one manual, the first programmable counter produces a first tone signal corresponding to the lowest note played, the second programmable counter produces a second tone signal corresponding to the next higher note played, the third programmable counter produces a third tone signal corresponding to the third higher note played, and the fourth programmable counter produces a fourth tone signal corresponding to the highest note played;
• Gates and filter means for receiving said tone signals and wave shaping said tone signals to produce desired timbre and voicing characteristics;
• and
• Audio means for converting said tone signals to audible sound.

A polyphonic electronic music system for an electronic musical instrument comprising:

• a clock means for providing a plurality of clock outputs;
• counter and decoder means for generating from the clock outputs a first set of time division logic signals representative of twelve notes of an octave, a second set of time division logic signals representative of two or more octaves, and a third set of time division logic signals representative of at least two manuals of keys of the electronic musical instrument;
• means for transmitting representative ones of the first set of time division logic signals to corresponding ones of the key switches of the at least two manuals;
• multiplexer means for receiving the logic signals corresponding to actuated key switches, the second set of logic signals, and the third set of logic signals and providing a serial train of time division multiplex signal identifying the actuated key switches;
• memory means for storing the serial train of logic signals representative of the then actuated key switches during the next cycle of the counter and decoder means and providing a hold signal when the stored serial train does not correspond to the next serial train;
• priority selector means for providing time division logic signals representative of the three lowest notes and the highest note of the actuated key swtiches;
• monostable and enable logic means for receiving the hold signal from the memory means, and the logic signals from the priority selector means and providing in response thereto output logic signals representative of the number of actuated keys and logic signals representative of the lowest three notes and the highest note of the actuated keys;
• programmable counter means comprising first, second, third, and fourth programmable counters for receiving the logic signals from the monostable and enable logic means representative of the actuated keys, the first set of logic signals representative of the twelve notes of an octave, and logic signals representative of the two or more octaves, wherein said monostable and enable logic means provided logic signals to the first, second, third, and fourth programmable counters such that if only one key switch is actuated, the third and fourth programmable counters receive logic signal representative of the note of that key switch;
• if two key switches are actuated, the first and second programmable counters receive logic signals representative of the lowest note and the third and fourth programmable counters receive logic signals representative of highest note of the actuated key switches;
• if three or more key switches are actuated, the first programmable counter receives a logic signal representative of the lowest note, the second programmable counter receives a logic signal representative of the second lowest note, the third programmable counter receives a logic signal representative of the third lowest note, and the fourth programmable counter receives a logic signal representative of the highest note of the actuated key switches;
• voltage controlled gate and filter means for wave shaping the output tone signals from the programmable counter means to produce desired voicing characteristics;
• and
• an output system for converting the wave shaped tone signals into audible sound.

A secondary accompaniment system for an electronic musical instrument having key actuated keyswitches corresponding to the notes of a musical scale comprising:

• means for providing first signals representative of the notes of the actuated key switches and second signals representative of the number of keys actuated;
• a plurality of tone signal producing means for providing tone signals;
• means for causing respective ones of said plurality of tone signal producing means to produce tone signals corresponding to respective ones of said actuated key switches in response to said first and second signals, said means for causing being arranged so that if three or more key switches are actuated, a first tone signal producing means is caused to provide a tone signal corresponding to the lowest note, a second tone signal producing means is caused to provide a tone signal corresponding to the second lowest note, a third tone signal producing means is caused to provide a tone signal corresponding to the third lowest note, and a fourth tone signal producing means is caused to provide a tone signal corresponding to the highest note;
• if two key switches are actuated, the first and second tone signal producing means are caused to provide tone signals corresponding to the lowest note, and the third and fourth tone signal producing means are caused to provide tone signals corresponding to the highest note;
• and if one key switch is actuated, the third and the fourth tone signal producing means are caused to provide tone signals corresponding to the note of the actuated key switch.

A polyphonic electronic music system for an electronic musical instrument having at least one manual of keys corresponding to the notes of the musical scale comprising:

• multiplexer means for producing signals representative of the individual respective notes of a multiple note chord contemporaneously played on the at least one manual;
• means to determine the number of notes played in a multiple note chord and to assign a different pattern of voices to the notes of the chord depending upon the number of notes played;
• and
• means responsive to said signals for sounding the said individual respective notes.