Multitimbre bagpipe

Details Multitimbre bagpipe Multitimbre bagpipe

2000-03-21

2001-05-01

Donels, Jeffrey (Department: 2837)

Music

Instruments

Wind

Reexamination Certificate

active

06225540

ABSTRACT:

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a system for multitimbre bagpipe designed to obtain all the possible musical scales by means of electronic devices controlled by an electronic card, being that card controlled by a microprocessor, thus avoiding the continuous inflating of the bellows and thus allowing to play the instrument even to people physically disabled to play wind instruments.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Until now, there is only a main type of bagpipe composed of a bellows, a blowpipe, an air outlet device, one or more drones and a pointer pipe, such that the bellows is positioned under the left arm and the drone is positioned over the left shoulder. Playing then starts by air-blowing through the blowpipe so air comes into the bellows and this is inflated; the player then smoothly presses the bellows with his arm and the air starts to get out through the drone, thus producing a husky sound, and through the air outlet device and the pointer pipe holes, thus producing a sound that is modulated by the player by using his fingers, finally producing the different notes of the musical scale and the melody intended to be played. With these current bagpipes, difficulties to play arise for that people that is not familiar with this type of instrument and also for disabled people; moreover, a very accurate play is needed if unclear notes are to be avoided because of a wrong positioning of the fingertips that may result in a defective plugging of the pointer pipe holes.
To prevent these problems the system for multitimbre bagpipe has been created, that substantially improves the performance of the manual bagpipes that are currently known, specially by avoiding the problems related with the different sizes of the air outlet device that make more difficult to play accurately. Moreover, the system for multitimbre bagpipe can be played by persons with finger motility difficulties, as it will be explained, and furthermore prevents the mistuning completely.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The system for multitimbre bagpipe is composed of:
A semi-rigid, ergonomic, bellows-type support, with a flexible tubular structure at one end, where the pointer pipe is housed.
A pointer pipe with a series of sensors that the player must press according to the note he wants to be played.
A user interface, in the outside of the bellows-type support, provided with an alphanumeric display or viewer that shows all the menu possible options; and some press buttons that allow the relation system-user in what refers to programs, volumes and any other variables, and allow as well to select options like the type of bagpipe sound to produce, i.e. Galicia, Ireland, Bretagne, Scotland, etc.
Some sensors, located on the widest section of the inside wall of the bellows-type support. Said sensors detect the player's arm pressure on the bellows-type support; when this pressure starts, a metal strap located on the inside wall opposite to the sensors wall makes contact with the first sensor, thus producing the drone sound; by increasing the prssure, the metal strap makes contact with the second sensor and the sound comes out from the pointer pipe and produces different musical notes according to the player's fingers position; by progressively increasing the pressure, the metal strap makes contact with the third sensor which allows the obtention of the notes of the second octave. Although a type of digital pressure sensor is being described, other different types of sensors can be used, i.e., analogic pressure sensors such as strain gages, potentiometers, piezoelectric, magnetic, inductive and capacitive sensors, among others present in the marketplace.
An electronic card, located in the inside wall of the bellows-type support, and controlled by means of a microprocessor; said card is provided with a program memory, an operating system, AID (analogic/digital) converters, digital inputs/outputs, noise suppressor filters and user's memory, among others. The said electronic card, controlled by means of a microprocessor, undertakes the transformation of digitized messages transmitted by the player by pushing the pointer pipe sensors and, according to the previously selected interface option, sends these messages through a digital outlet in midi (musical instruments digital interface) language, that is a universally known system. This so created information is sent via cable to any apparatus able to understand the midi language, such as a computer with all its technical possibilities; a sound board to obtain a high-fidelity sound, etc., being also possible to establish a wireless transmission. The said microprocessor controlled electronic card accepts any change in the digitization of the instrument so different bagpipe sounds (Galicia, Asturias, Bretagne, Ireland, Scotland) as well as any other wind instrument sound can be imitated; non-current digitizations can also be adapted, including systems with a reduced number of sensor combinations, suitable to allow a disabled person to play this type of instrumental music.
The pointer pipe, the display and the sensors are connected to the electronic card by means of the corresponding cables.
The bellows-type support is provided with a cloth cover with a zipper in its back side that allows access to the inside parts.


REFERENCES:
patent: 2 025 680 (1980-01-01), None
patent: 1 600 284 (1981-10-01), None
“O'Neill's Electronic Bagpipe Page,” http://www.california.com/~oneill/epipe.htm, Jun. 25, 1999.*
“The Techno-Chanter,” Anders Fagerstorm, http://member.austasia.net/~barprint/chanter.htm.*
“Deger Pipes Operating Manual,” Manfred Deger, pp. 1-11, Jan. 1999.*
A. Kramer, “Piping Can Electronic Musical Instrument,” Dec. 1980, pp. 12.42-12.43,Elektor, vol. 6.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

Rating

Multitimbre bagpipe does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Multitimbre bagpipe, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Multitimbre bagpipe will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2481937