US 8,796,529 B2 · Ergonomic electronic musical instrument with pseudo-strings

Abstract

An ergonomic, portable, electronic, string-like instrument that utilizes a pseudo-string interface. The pseudo-string interface is tactile for sightless playability and capable of advanced input such as force and pressure sensitivity. The pseudo-strings function to select a note, trigger a selected note, select and play a note on the instrument or an external peripheral. The instrument is played using the techniques of multiple other stringed instruments and the ergonomics allow the user to hold and handle the device consistent with traditional and non-traditional playing techniques familiar to musicians of various instruments. It is internally or externally powered and connects directly to industry-standard musical hardware such as MIDI devices, amplifiers and multi-track recorders.

Claims14

Dependent claims

A musical device comprising:

an ergonomic, portable, electronic, string-like instrument comprising
a body having a plurality of pseudo-strings, a plurality of sensors, a strum section and a fingerboard wherein each pseudo-string is associated with at least one of the plurality of sensors for user input;
a switch to toggle the device between multiple playing techniques;
and
software that changes the tuning and responsiveness of the instrument to a user's touch input and translates said user input into musical data representing at least one note;
wherein the body of the device is designed and shaped to resemble two or more other stringed instruments and allow the user to play, hold and handle the device in multiple positions and with multiple triggering techniques consistent with multiple playing techniques of said two or more other stringed instruments.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Ergonomic electronic musical instrument with pseudo-strings

Life of this patent

Ergonomic electronic musical instrument with pseudo-strings

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims14