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US 4,794,838 AGranted
Constantly changing polyphonic pitch controller
OwnerJames F. Corrigau, IIIinventor
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OwnerJames F. Corrigau, IIIinventor
Estimating the term…
A real-time polyphonic pitch controller and process for controlling notes or tones emanating from signal synthesizers such as used in the performance of music. The controller comprises a body with key controllers, each of which activates a pre-programmed note; a strumming controller which automatically activates selected key controlled notes in a pre-programmed sequence and rate; and controls and displays used for programming and performance. Extending longitudinally from the body is a guitar-like neck graduated by fret markings and over which slides a hand controller incorporating finger levers. Sliding the hand controller creates portamento, vibrato or glissando effects on the notes activated by the key controllers. Also, each finger lever of the hand controller when depressed raises and/or lowers its own peculiar, pre-programmed combination of individually voiced notes by pre-programmed amounts. Some note pitches may be raised, others lowered, and still others unaffected by the movement of a lever, and the finger levers may be operated separately or in combination. When only partially depressed, a lever alters the pitch of the pre-selected combination of individually voiced notes fractionally, in porportion to the lever's depression. The controllers may further operate in conjunction with a computer program which interprets and processes the controller's pitch altering signals and teaches the musician how to perform on the instrument expressively. In an alternative embodiment, the controller incorporates a sliding fretted hand controller with finger pads rather than levers.
A device for controlling electrical signals comprising:
A process for producing polyphonic pitch altering control signals in real-time, comprising the following steps:
A process for producing polyphonic pitch altering control signals in real-time, comprising the following steps:
In an electronic musical instrument of the type having a body with a plurality of key controller switches each of which activates a predetermined electronically synthesized note, and in which translucent key controller switches resembling "white" piano keys are illuminated from behind by a light source such that each key controller switch may be easily seen in the dark, an improved key controller wherein each key controller switch is illuminated according to a spectral color scheme such that the key controller switch activating the lowest frequency note is illuminated by a color closest to the red end of the optical spectrum, and each other key controller switch activating successively higher frequency notes is illuminated by a proportionally higher frequency optical light, thereby allowing the user to determine, at a glance, the relative pitch of each predetermined electronically synthesized note activated by the key controller switches.
An electronic musical instrument comprising:
A strum controller of an electronic musical instrument having a body, a neck extending from the body, and a fingerboard on the neck for producing a desired sequence of selected musical tones through an electronic tone generating means, comprising:
A pitch controller for use with a sound generator, comprising:
A pitch controller for use with a sound generator, comprising:
A method for producing polyphonic pitch control signals in real-time, comprising the steps of:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.