Music operator with tension string for sensing action input

An operation apparatus responsive to a physical action for inputting a control parameter of a musical sound into an electronic musical instrument, the apparatus comprising:

• at least one movable member responsive to the physical action to undergo a reciprocal movement;
• a frame that mounts the movable member;
• a first tension member having a length defined between a pair of ends and having an expansion characteristic along the length dependently on an ambient disturbance, and a second tension member having substantially the same length as the first tension member and substantially the same expansion characteristic as the first tension member, each of the first tension member and the second tension member being supported at the ends thereof by the frame to extend along the movable member such that the movable member contacts the first tension member during the course of the reciprocal movement but not in contact with the second tension member;
• a detector being connected to the first tension member for detecting a deflection of the first tension member caused by the contact of the movable member and generating a sensing signal corresponding to the detected deflection as the control parameter, and being connected to the second tension member for generating a reference signal separately from the sensing signal;
• and
• a calibrator connected to the detector for calibrating the sensing signal according to the reference signal so as to cancel out the ambient disturbance from the sensing signal.

An operation apparatus responsive to a physical action for inputting a control parameter of a musical sound into an electronic musical instrument, the apparatus comprising:

• at least one movable member responsive to the physical action to undergo a reciprocal movement for generation of the musical sound;
• a frame that mounts the movable member;
• a sensing tension member having a length defined between a pair of ends and having an expansion characteristic along the length dependently on an ambient disturbance, the sensing tension member being supported at the ends thereof by the frame to extend along the movable member with a bias force such that the movable member contacts the sensing tension member during the course of the reciprocal movement;
• a detector being connected to the sensing tension member for detecting a deflection of the sensing tension member caused by the contact of the movable member and generating a signal corresponding to the detected deflection as the control parameter;
• and
• an additional tension member having substantially the same length as the sensing tension member and substantially the same expansion characteristic as the sensing tension member, the additional tension member being supported by the frame to extend in parallel to the sensing tension member for stabilizing the bias force applied to the sensing tension member.

An operation apparatus responsive to a physical action for inputting a control parameter of a musical sound into an electronic musical instrument, the apparatus comprising:

• an array of keys individually responsive to the physical action to undergo a reciprocal movement for generation of the musical sound;
• a frame that mounts the array of the keys;
• a sensing tension member having a length defined between a pair of ends, and being supported at the ends thereof by the frame to extend along the array of the keys such that the sensing tension member creates a deflection by the reciprocal movement of at least one of the keys;
• a detector that is connected to the sensing tension member for detecting a change of the length of the sensing tension member caused by the deflection under an external disturbance, and generating a signal corresponding to the change of the length as the control parameter;
• and
• a compensating tension member that is supported by the frame to extend in parallel to the sensing tension member for canceling out the external disturbance from the change of the length of the sensing tension member.

An operation apparatus responsive to a physical action for inputting a control parameter of a musical sound into an electronic musical instrument, the apparatus comprising:

• a movable member responsive to the physical action to undergo a reciprocal movement;
• a frame that mounts the movable member;
• a tension member having a length defined between a pair of ends, and being supported at the ends thereof by the frame with a bias force;
• an operating member that is opposed to the tension member in the frame, and that is linked to the movable member to transmit the reciprocal movement thereof with a certain magnification rate to the opposed tension member by a physical contact such that the tension member creates a deflection by the physical contact;
• and
• a detector that is connected to the tension member for detecting a change of the length of the tension member caused by the deflection, and for generating a signal corresponding to the change of the length as the control parameter.

An operation apparatus responsive to a depressing action for inputting a control parameter of a musical sound into an electronic musical instrument, the apparatus comprising:

• a key member responsive to the depressing action followed by a touch action to undergo a first movement;
• a frame member for pivotally supporting the key member to enable the first movement of the key member;
• a mass member supported by the frame member and contactable to the key member for undergoing a second movement in response to the first movement of the key member;
• a stationary base integrated with the frame member;
• a stopper member supported by the stationary base for stopping the second movement of the mass member by a contact with the mass member such that the stopper member receives an impact pressure caused solely by the contact with the mass member;
• and
• a detector coupled to the stopper member and operative in response to the impact pressure received by the stopper member for generating the control parameter indicative of the touch action,
• wherein the detector comprises a transmitting member that is coupled to the stopper member and that is deformed by the impact pressure to create a dimensional variation in a direction different from the direction of the impact pressure, and a sensing element connected to the transmitting member for sensing the dimensional variation of the transmitting member to generate the signal.