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US 8,669,458 B2Granted
Stringed instrument with keyboard
OwnerGregory A. Piccionelli, Michael M. Gerardiinventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A musical instrument includes a body, a neck attached to the body, a plurality of strings having first ends secured to the body and second ends secured to the neck, and a keyboard secured to the body. Optionally, each of the strings is associated with a plucker.
Claims15
A musical instrument comprising:
- a) a body, the body comprising an extension,
- b) a neck attached to the body, the neck defining an axis, the neck and body defining a first plane, wherein a second plane is defined that is substantially perpendicular to the first plane, passes through the first plane and contains the axis, and wherein the extension comprises at least a portion that is non-coplanar with the first plane and has a cross-section that is at least partially contained in the second plane,
- c) a plurality of strings having first ends secured to the body and second ends secured to the neck,
- d) a plurality of pluckers, each string being associated with at least one plucker,
- e) a processor in communication with the plurality of pluckers,
- f) a control device in communication with the processor, the control device providing a signal to the processor whereby at least one of the plurality of pluckers is activated, thereby plucking the string associated with the at least one plucker to produce a musical note,
- and
- g) a keyboard secured to the body such that at least a portion of the keyboard is secured to the non-coplanar portion of the extension, the keyboard comprising a plurality of keys for producing sounds,
- the musical notes produced by the pluckers activated by control device f) and the sounds produced by the keys of keyboard g) being produceable substantially simultaneously.
6 more elements
A musical instrument comprising:
- a) a body, the body comprising a lower surface, the body further comprising a curved extension,
- b) a neck attached to the body, the neck defining an axis, the neck and body defining a first plane, wherein a second plane is defined that is substantially perpendicular to the first plane, passes through the first plane and contains the axis, and wherein the curved extension comprises at least a portion that is non-coplanar with the first plane, extends away from the lower surface of the body and has a cross-section that is at least partially contained in the second plane,
- c) a plurality of strings having first ends secured to the body and second ends secured to the neck,
- d) a plurality of pluckers, each string being associated with at least one plucker,
- e) a processor in communication with the plurality of pluckers,
- f) a control device in communication with the processor, the control device providing a signal to the processor whereby at least one of the plurality of pluckers is activated, thereby plucking the string associated with the at least one plucker to produce a musical note,
- and
- g) a keyboard secured to the body, the keyboard such that at least a portion of the keyboard is secured to the non-coplanar portion of the extension, the keyboard comprising a plurality of keys for producing sounds,
- the musical notes produced by the pluckers activated by control device f) and the sounds produced by the keys of keyboard g) being produceable substantially simultaneously.
6 more elements
A musical instrument comprising:
- a) a body, the body comprising a lower surface, the body further comprising an extension,
- b) a neck attached to the body, the neck defining an axis, the neck and body defining a first plane, wherein a second plane is defined that forms an acute angle with the first plane, and wherein the extension comprises at least a portion that is non-coplanar with the first plane, extends away from the lower surface of the body and has a cross-section that is at least partially contained in the second plane,
- c) a plurality of strings having first ends secured to the body and second ends secured to the neck,
- d) a plurality of pluckers, each string being associated with at least one plucker,
- e) a processor in communication with the plurality of pluckers,
- f) a control device in communication with the processor, the control device providing a signal to the processor whereby at least one of the plurality of pluckers is activated, thereby plucking the string associated with the at least one plucker to produce a musical note,
- and
- g) a keyboard secured to the body, the keyboard such that at least a portion of the keyboard is secured to the non-coplanar portion of the extension, the keyboard comprising a plurality of keys for producing sounds,
- the musical notes produced in step f) and the sounds produced in step g) being produceable substantially simultaneously.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.