Music – Instruments – Electrical musical tone generation
Reexamination Certificate
2003-04-22
2004-11-09
Fletcher, Marlon T. (Department: 2837)
Music
Instruments
Electrical musical tone generation
C084S723000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06815604
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to electronic percussion instruments such as electronic drums that electronically produce sounds simulating sounds of acoustic drum sets including drums and cymbals.
2. Description of the Related Art
In electronic drums representing electronic percussion instruments, when pads (e.g., drumheads) having striking surfaces are struck with sticks (or striking rods) so that striking intensities are detected by percussion sensors (or impact sensors) such as piezoelectric sensors attached to backs of pads, electronic sound sources are activated in response to detection signals so as to produce electronic sounds simulating sounds of acoustic drums. An electronic drum set includes a variety of pads, which arc arranged around a player (or a user) and which are respectively set in different tone colors to produce different sounds from electronic sound sources, thus simulating sounds of different types of acoustic drums such as a bass drum and a snare drum when struck. Therefore, the player (or user) can play such an electronic drum set similarly to an acoustic drum set.
By the way, hi-hat cymbals (simply referred to as hi-hats) are essential in performance of acoustic drum sets having bass drums and snare drums, so that electronic drum sets also include hi-hats simulating hi-hat cymbals of acoustic drum sets.
In general, a hi-hat of an acoustic drum set is constituted by a pair of cymbals, which are operated to open or close in response to depression of a foot pedal (or a hi-hat controller), wherein different sounds may be produced when struck with a stick in response to different values of depression applied to the foot pedal. There are provided various playing techniques, called a closed hi-hat and an open hi-hat, wherein a sharp sound is produced in a closed hi-hat by depressing the foot pedal to the lowest position in a stroke in order to keep rhythm in performance, and sustained sound, whose duration is sustained longer, is produced in an open hi-hat by not depressing the foot pedal. That is, it is possible to realize accents or stresses in playing drums and cymbals by combining these techniques. In addition, there is also provided another playing technique called a foot hi-hat in which a pair of cymbals mutually collide with each other to produce sound by simply depressing the foot pedal without using a stick for striking the hi-hat. That is, a variety of techniques are available to the player (or user) in playing a hi-hat of an acoustic drum set.
In order to realize various techniques in a hi-hat included in an electronic drum set similarly to a hi-hat of an acoustic drum set, it is necessary to arrange various electronic sound sources having different tone colors, which are selectively used as necessary. That is, it may be possible to actualize various examples of electronic percussion instruments realizing various types of hi-hat sounds.
For example, it is possible to actualize an electronic percussion instrument that can selectively produce different electronic sounds upon striking of a struck member (e.g., a hi-hat) in response to results of detection as to whether or not a foot pedal is operated by a player (or a user); therefore, it is possible to selectively produce so-called “closed hi-hat sound” and “open hi-hat sound”.
In addition, it is possible to actualize another electronic percussion instrument that can produce desired sound upon selection of three types of sound source circuits under the control of a CPU receiving a signal representing a striking intensity of a hi-hat struck with a stick and a signal representing a depressed position of a foot pedal, which is detected by a membrane switch attached to the foot pedal.
In the aforementioned electronic percussion instrument, when a hi-hat is struck with a stick under conditions in which the foot pedal is depressed to the lowest position, a sound source circuit realizing closed hi-hat sound is activated to produce closed hi-hat sound in response to a striking intensity applied to the hi-hat using the stick. Under conditions in which the foot pedal is not depressed to the lowest position, a sound source circuit realizing open hi-hat sound is activated to produce open hi-hat sound in response to a striking intensity and a depressed position of the foot pedal. When the foot pedal is depressed to the lowest position but a hi-hat is not struck with a stick, a sound source circuit realizing foot hi-hat sound is activated to produce foot hi-hat sound in response to the velocity at which the foot pedal is depressed.
In the former electronic percussion instrument for selectively producing different electronic sounds upon detection, whether or not the foot pedal is depressed, it is possible to selectively produce closed hi-hat sound or open hi-hat sound; however, it is impossible to produce intermediate sounds whose property lies between the closed hi-hat sound and open hi-hat sound, and it is impossible to produce foot hi-hat sound.
In the latter electronic percussion instrument for selectively activating three types of sound source circuits, it is possible to selectively produce closed hi-hat sound, open hi-hat sound, and foot hi-hat sound, wherein a membrane switch is attached to a foot pedal, which should be arranged independently of a pad having a striking surface. That is, it is very difficult for the player (or user) to experience real performance feelings as if the player actually plays a hi-hat of an acoustic percussion instrument. When playing a hi-hat of an acoustic percussion instrument, the player operates a foot pedal to control a pair of cymbals, which approach each other or depart from each other. In contrast, the electronic percussion instrument is designed in such a way that a hi-hat is arranged independently of a foot pedal; therefore, the player may have difficulties in experiencing real performance feelings as if the player actually controls movement of the hi-hat by operating the foot pedal.
Electronic percussion instruments are frequently used as replacements of acoustic percussion instruments, wherein electronic percussion instruments may be played similarly to acoustic percussion instruments in orchestras and bands. Therefore, it is necessary to realize various playing techniques on electronic percussion instruments similarly to acoustic percussion instruments. That is, it is very important that electronic percussion instruments not only simulate sounds of acoustic percussion instruments but also provide players with real performance feelings similar to those of acoustic percussion instruments,
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to provide an electronic percussion instrument having a hi-hat that can produce a variety of sounds using a foot pedal similarly to a hi-hat of an acoustic percussion instrument, wherein it is possible to provide a player (or a user) in playing an electronic percussion instrument with real performance feelings similar to those of an acoustic percussion instrument.
An electronic percussion instrument is constituted by a hi-hat, a stand, and a foot pedal, which are integrally interconnected together in a vertical direction, wherein the hi-hat is composed of a lower portion and an upper portion, which is interlocked with the foot pedal via a movable shaft penetrating through a main pipe of the stand. The upper portion has a core plate (and a core) whose weight substantially equals to weight of a cymbal of a hi-hat of an acoustic percussion instrument. Membrane switches having contacts are arranged on the surface of the lower portion and are covered with a rubber block, which is normally floating above membrane switches but is gradually brought into contact with membrane switches when depressed by the core plate, which is moved downwards upon depression of the foot pedal. In response to depressed positions of the foot pedal controlled by a player's foot, contacts of membrane switches are sequentially turned on or off, thus producing a control signal whose value is varied to control
Dickstein Shapiro Morin & Oshinsky LLP.
Fletcher Marlon T.
Yamaha Corporation
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