JPH079575B2 - Air flow responsive electronic musical instrument - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an airflow responsive electronic musical instrument that generates a desired musical sound based on an airflow state such as intake air or intake air.

[Conventional technology]

As a conventional electronic musical instrument of this type, for example, a strain detecting element is provided in a cylindrical case, and a desired musical sound is obtained based on a change in resistance value according to the strength of breath pressure with respect to the strain detecting element. It is known that the
-26795, JP-A-57-42094).

By the way, in the case of such an electronic musical instrument, since the volume of the musical tone to be generated is merely variably controlled based on the change in the resistance value from the distortion detecting element, the volume of the musical tone to be generated is set to a numerical value. It was impossible to control freely based on the digitized data.

Therefore, recently, a so-called digital control type electronic musical instrument using digital technology has been developed. This digitally controlled electronic musical instrument is disclosed, for example, in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 59-15099. This electronic musical instrument detects the state of the air fluid that has flowed into the air outlet, that is, the fluid pressure or the fluid velocity, by an air flow detection element, and responds to the analog voltage signal output from this air flow detection element. After being converted into a digital signal by an analog / digital converter, the start of the generation of a musical sound and the volume of the generated sound are variably controlled by this digital signal.

[Problems of conventional technology]

However, in the case of this conventional electronic musical instrument, the musical tone generation is started and the volume is controlled only by the digital signal corresponding to the analog voltage signal output from the airflow detecting element. As a result, it cannot fully exhibit its function.

That is, in the case of this conventional electronic musical instrument, the output value of the digital signal output in response to the blowing operation is a set value that determines the start of sounding a musical sound (hereinafter referred to as "key-on level")
When the output of the digital signal reaches a set value (hereinafter referred to as "key-off level") that determines the start of muting of the sound that is being generated, the sound is being generated. Although the mute of the musical tone is started, when the output value of the digital signal becomes the key-off level,
Since the process immediately shifts to the execution of the muffling process, the process immediately shifts to the execution of the muffling process even when the output value of the digital signal becomes the key-off level instantaneously due to a breathing during playing. Therefore, there is a problem that a sound break occurs suddenly during the playing and gives an unnatural feeling to the player.

Further, in the case of the conventional electronic musical instrument, the key-on level and the key-off level are set to the same level, so setting adjustment of these levels is troublesome.

For example, if the key-on level and the key-off level, which are the same level, are set to high values, a large breath pressure is required at the start of the wind performance, which is not suitable for a long-time wind performance, and the musical sound being generated reaches the key-off level. The sound is suddenly muted, which may give the player an unnatural feel. On the other hand, if the key-on level and the key-off level are set to a considerably low value, not only can a musical sound be generated with a relatively small breath pressure at the start of playing, but also the musical sound that is being generated suddenly starts when the key-off level is reached. Although it is possible to prevent the inconvenience of being muted, a musical sound starts to be generated even when an unnecessary air flow is introduced, which is not suitable for use.

[Object of the Invention]

The present invention has been made in order to solve such a conventional problem, and not only can prevent the generation of a musical sound unnecessarily due to a minute change in the airflow, but also can It is an object of the present invention to provide an airflow responsive electronic musical instrument that can naturally mute a musical sound without giving a feeling of strangeness to a performer and a listener.

[Main points of the invention]

According to the present invention, in order to achieve such an object, there is no output value of the detection signal corresponding to the air-fluid state in the second set value used for the sound deadening process at the sound deadening time of the sound being generated. The main point is to carry out after a lapse of a predetermined time from the time when this is detected.

Further, the main point of the present invention is to set the second set value at the time of muting the sound being generated to a value smaller than the first set value at the start of the generation of the music [Examples] An embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a circuit configuration diagram showing an embodiment of an airflow responsive electronic musical instrument according to the present invention.

As shown in FIGS. 1A to 2C, a large number of strain detecting elements 1 ... Which deform and deform in response to the air pressure of exhaled air or inhaled air and output a resistance value change corresponding to the strain change as shown in FIGS. It is provided in a large number of blowout portions 3 ... Formed in the main body 2 of the electronic harmonica. In order to obtain a favorable resistance value change depending on the strength of breath pressure, the strain detecting elements 1 ...
The elastic thin film body 4 is elastically deformable and attached at a predetermined position inside the ... One end of each of the elastic thin film members 4 is fixed to each of the air outlets 3 and the other end is a free end. In addition, since the protrusions 3a are provided at the positions of the air outlets 3 corresponding to the other ends of the elastic thin film bodies 4 ...
The elastic thin film bodies 4 allow only the flow of the exhaled air from the opening end 3b of the blower port 3 to the back side outlet 3c, and conversely prevent the flow of the exhaled air flow from the back side outlet 3c to the opening end 3b. It is supposed to do.

The output signals from the strain detection elements 1 ... Are input to the voltage conversion circuits 5. These voltage conversion circuits 5 ... Include a first output buffer 8 connected to the strain detection element 1 via a resistor 6 and a variable resistor 7, and a second output buffer 9 connected to the strain detection element 1. And a third output buffer 12 connected to each of the first and second output buffers 8 and 9 via resistors 10 and 11. The resistor 10,1
1, the third output buffer 12, this third output buffer 12
Of the strain detecting element 1 by a resistor 13 that connects the output terminal and the negative input terminal of the third output buffer 13 and a resistor 14 that is connected to the positive input terminal of the third output buffer 13 and the resistor 11. An amplifier circuit 15 that amplifies the output signal is configured. The output terminal of the variable resistor 7 is grounded via the resistor 16.

The output signals input to these voltage conversion circuits 5 ...
These voltage conversion circuits 5 ... Output as voltage signals (see FIG. 3A) having a predetermined waveform shape corresponding to the strength of the expiratory pressure (breath pressure) for each strain detection element 1. These voltage signals are input to an analog / digital converter (hereinafter referred to as “A / D converter”) 17, and this A / D converter 17
It is converted into a digital signal corresponding to the voltage signal. This digital signal is input to the microcomputer 18,
The microcomputer 18 controls so that a desired musical sound is generated.

That is, the microcomputer 18 is the A / D converter 1
The level value of the digital signal output from 7 is a fixed value, that is, it is detected whether the key-on level (level value "5" in this embodiment) or more is distorted. 3B), the level value of the digital signal is detected a plurality of times (in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3B, and twice).
While controlling to generate a musical sound based on the digital signal at the time when the level value first becomes a certain value or more, the level value of the digital signal from the A / D converter 17 is then a certain value. That is, when the key-off level of a value smaller than the key-on level (level value “4” in the present embodiment) or a value slightly smaller than a constant value is reached, from this point (point of time in FIG. 3B) After a lapse of a predetermined period (t), control is performed so as to mute the musical tone being generated based on a key-off command signal from a timer 19 provided inside. This is when the level value of the digital signal reaches the constant value (key-off level),
This is because if the key-off command signal is immediately sent out, the musical sound that is being generated suddenly will be muted from that point, and the player or listener will feel uncomfortable. This is to prevent this.

The microcomputer 18 is provided with a random access memory (RAM) 20 for storing each level value of the digital signal from the A / D converter 17, and the random access memory (RAM) 20 stores the digital signal into the random access memory 20. Each level value,
For example, writing "6", "11", and "20" is sequentially performed at each timing in FIG. 3B. Further, the level values “6”, “11”, “20” stored in the random access memory 20 are regarded as the strength of the expiratory pressure applied to the strain detection element 1. The musical tone generating device 21 generates musical tones with a volume and tone color corresponding to these intensities. In addition, inside the microcomputer 18,
Arithmetic for executing various arithmetic processes and transmitting gate control signals G _{1 to} G _n for sequentially controlling the opening and closing of the gates 21 provided at the output stages of the voltage conversion circuits 5 in a time division manner. A processing circuit (ALU) 22, a read-only memory (ROM) 23 that fixedly stores programs for controlling the entire apparatus, and the like are provided.

From the microcomputer 18, the A / D
Send a start command signal (A / D, START) to the converter 17 to start execution of A / D conversion. Conversely, from the A / D converter 17, a process of converting the voltage signal into a digital signal is performed. An end command signal (EAD) indicating completion is output and given to the microcomputer 18.

Further, the musical tone generating device 21 is the microcomputer 18
The musical tone generating device 21 is connected to an amplifier 24, a speaker 25, and the like. The musical tone generating device 21 is connected to an amplifier 24 and a speaker 25.

Next, the operation of the present invention will be described.

Now, a plurality of blower parts 3 formed in the electronic harmonica main body 2
If an expiratory pressure of a predetermined strength is applied to the inside, the elastic thin film body 4 in the blower opening 3 depending on the strength of the expiratory pressure,
As shown in Fig. 2c, it is elastically deformed and the opening end of the blower opening 3 ...
Allows the exhalation airflow to flow from 3b to the rear outlet 3c. At this time, the strain detecting element 1 attached on the elastic thin film body 4 is deformed by the elastic deformation of the elastic thin film bodies 4 ... And outputs a resistance value change according to the strain deformation. The output signal from the distortion detecting element 1 is supplied to each voltage conversion circuit 5 ...
., And a voltage signal having a waveform as shown in FIG. 3A is extracted from this voltage conversion circuit 5. Each extracted voltage signal is a gate control signal from the microcomputer 18.
The signals are sequentially sent to the A / D converter 17 in a time division manner by the gates 21 ... Which are controlled to open and close by G _{1 to} G _n . A / D converter
The voltage signal input to 17 is the A / D start command signal (see FIG. 3B) periodically output from the timer 19 provided in the microcomputer 18 in the A / D converter 17. It is converted into a digital signal at each output timing. Immediately after the output timing of the A / D start command signal, the A / D converter 17 causes the microcomputer 1 to
An EAD signal is sent to 8 indicating the end of the analog / digital conversion operation (see Figure 3C). The digital signal output from the A / D converter 17 is sent to the microcomputer 18
The process is carried out in accordance with the flow chart shown in FIG. That is, the microcomputer 18 starts the process from step S-1, and when it reaches step S-2, in step S-2, it jumps to the subroutine M shown in FIG. 19
When the predetermined time is measured, A /
The D start command signal is sent to the A / D converter 17. In the next step A-2, the completion of the conversion processing to the digital signal executed by the A / D converter 17 based on the A / D start command signal is detected by the input of the end command signal (EAD), and When such a command signal is input, YES is determined, and then the process proceeds to step M-3 to fetch the data of the digital signal into the microcomputer 18. Step M-
When the operation of fetching the digital signal data into the microcomputer 18 is completed in 3, the flow returns to the flow shown in FIG. 4 (jump back), and in this case, in the next step S-3, it is fetched by the microcomputer 18. It is determined whether the level value of the inserted digital signal is the key-on level of "5" or more or distortion. If YES, the microcomputer 18 sends a note-on signal ( Tone generation start instruction signal) and at the same time, at step S-5, the level value V ₁ of the digital signal from the A / D converter 17 is sent.
(In the case of the present embodiment, the level value "6") is stored in the random access memory (RAM). Then, step S-6
In, the control signal of the volume and timbre corresponding to the level value (V ₁ = “6”) stored in the random access memory (RAM) is sent to the musical tone generating device 21 and predetermined based on the control signal. Amplifies the musical sound of the volume and tone
Sound is emitted via 24 and speaker 25. Then,
Moving to the next step S-7, in this step S-7, the process of the above-mentioned subroutine M (M-1 to M-3)
Timing of the next A / D start command signal (3B
Similarly, the voltage signal at the timing (in the figure) is converted into a digital signal, and in step S-8, the level value V ₂ (level value “11” in this embodiment) of the digital signal and the previous digital signal are converted. The level value (V ₁ = “6”) is compared and judged. In the case of the present embodiment, since the level values of both digital signals are not equal (V ₁ ≠ V ₂ ), the process proceeds to step S-9.
If, in step S-8, it is determined that both level values are equal (V ₁ = V ₂ ), the process returns to step S-7, the operation of the subroutine is performed again, and step S-8
, The previous digital signal level value (V ₁ =
Until it is judged that the level value (V ₂ ) of the digital signal this time is not equal to “6”), the operation of the subroutine (M-
1 to M-3) are repeated.

When the process proceeds to step S-9, that step S-
In 9, it is determined whether the level value (V ₂ ) of the digital signal this time is equal to or less than the key-off level “4” or the distortion, and the level value (V ₂ ) is temporarily set to “11” as described above. In the case of, the level value (V ₂
= "11"), a control signal having a volume and a tone color corresponding to "11") is sent to the tone generator 21, and a tone having a predetermined volume and tone is emitted from the speaker 25 based on the control signal. Then, in the next step S-12, the level value (V ₂ ) of the current digital signal is transferred to the random access memory (RAM) instead of the level value (V ₁ ) of the previous digital signal, and the step S- Go to 7. If step S-8
In, it was determined that the previous digital signal level value (V ₂ ) was not equal to the current digital signal level value (V ₃ ), and the latter level value (V ₃ ) was "4" or less. In this case, after a lapse of a predetermined time (t), in step S-10, a note-off signal (a musical tone mute starting instruction signal) is sent to the musical tone generating device 21 to stop the musical tone generation.

As described above, in this embodiment, the analog signals from the strain detecting elements 1 ...
After converting to a digital signal at 7, the tone generator 21 outputs it as a tone, so unlike the conventional electronic musical instrument in which the tone volume is determined by the characteristics of the distortion detection element, distortion detection is performed. Regardless of the characteristics of the elements 1 ..., it is possible to freely generate a musical tone of a desired volume and timbre based on the digital signal from the A / D converter 17, so that a wide variety of performance sounds can be obtained. .

Further, in this embodiment, a note-off signal is sent to the tone generator 21 after a predetermined time (t) has elapsed since the level value of the digital signal became equal to or less than the value of "4" which is the key-off level. Since the mute processing of the musical tone being generated is executed, for example, even when the level value of the digital signal becomes a momentarily low value due to breathing or the like during blowing, the mute processing is immediately performed. Can be prevented in advance.

Furthermore, since the key-off level at the time of mute of the sound being generated is set to a value smaller than the key-on level at the start of the generation of the music, if there is an unnecessary inflow of air flow It is possible to prevent the occurrence of the occurrence of the sound, and to prevent the sound being generated from being abruptly muted when the key-off level is reached, and thus to prevent the player and listener from feeling uncomfortable. be able to.

In the above-described embodiment, the case where the strain detecting element 1 which is strain-deformed according to the expiratory pressure is provided in the suction port 3 formed in the electronic harmonica main body 2 is described, for example, as shown in FIG. In addition, strain detecting elements 1A and 1B that are strain-deformed according to the expiratory pressure and the inspiratory pressure may be provided in the upper and lower rows of the mouthpieces 3 formed in the electronic harmonica main body 2, and the illustration thereof is omitted. However, a strain detecting element that is strain-deformed in accordance with the air pressure in either case of the expiratory pressure or the inspiratory pressure may be provided in one suction port.

Further, in the above-described embodiments, the case where the present invention is applied to the electronic harmonica has been described, but the present invention is not limited to this, and can be applied to various musical instruments such as a vertical flute and a reed instrument.

〔The invention's effect〕

As is apparent from the above description, the present invention provides the mute instructing means after a lapse of a predetermined time from the time when it is detected that the output value of the detection signal output from the airflow detecting means reaches the second set value. Since it is configured to instruct to mute the musical sound that is being generated, even if the output value of the detection signal instantaneously becomes a value lower than the second set value due to breathing, for example, during blowing, Not only is it possible to prevent the muffling process from being immediately executed, but the muffling process is not executed abruptly from the time when it is detected that the output value of the detection signal has reached the second set value, which is aurally audible. Since the muffling process is performed in a natural state, it is possible to prevent a situation in which the player or the listener feels strange.

Further, according to the present invention, the instruction means instructs the start of the generation of the musical sound on the condition that the output value of the detection signal output from the airflow detection means exceeds the predetermined first set value. On the other hand, on the condition that it is detected that the output value of the detection signal has reached the second set value which is smaller than the first set value after the start of the generation of the musical sound, the mute of the musical sound being generated is instructed. Therefore, when there is an unnecessary inflow of an airflow, it is possible to prevent the unnecessary generation of the musical sound in response to the inflow of the airflow, and the musical sound being generated is It is possible to prevent the sound deadening process from being suddenly performed from the time when the second set value is reached, and thus it is possible to prevent a situation in which the player or the listener feels strange.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a circuit configuration diagram showing an embodiment of an air flow responsive electronic musical instrument according to the present invention, FIG. 2A is a perspective view showing an electronic harmonica used in the present invention, and FIG. 2B is a II in FIG. 2A.
-II line cross-sectional view, FIG. 2C is a cross-sectional view showing the strain deformation state of the strain detection element, FIG. 3A is a waveform diagram showing the waveform of the voltage signal generated along with the strain deformation of the strain detection element, FIG. Timing chart of A / D start command signal from computer to A / D converter, Figure 3C shows timing chart of end command signal from A / D converter to microcomputer, and Figure 3D shows note-on Timing charts showing the timings of the command and the note-off command, FIGS. 4 and 5 are flowcharts showing the processing of the microcomputer until the musical tone is generated from the musical tone generator based on the digital signal from the A / D converter, FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing another embodiment of the electronic harmonica used in the present invention. 1 ... Distortion detection element, 5 ... Voltage conversion circuit, 17 ... A / D converter, 18 ... Microcomputer.

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. An air flow detecting means for detecting a state of an air fluid and outputting a detection signal corresponding thereto, and an output value of the detection signal output from the air flow detecting means exceeds a predetermined first set value. First detecting means for detecting whether or not there is sound, and a sounding instruction for instructing the start of generation of music, on condition that the output value of the detection signal exceeds the first set value by the first detecting means. Whether the output value of the detection signal sequentially detected by the detection means after the musical tone is started to be generated by the instruction means and the instruction of the sound generation instruction means becomes a second set value smaller than the first set value. Second detecting means for detecting whether or not there is a musical tone being generated after a lapse of a predetermined time from the time when the output value of the detection signal is detected to be the second set value by the second detecting means. Mute instructing means to instruct mute of An air flow responsive electronic musical instrument characterized by comprising: 2. The air flow responsive electronic musical instrument according to claim 1, wherein said air flow detecting means comprises a fluid pressure detecting means for detecting the fluid pressure of the inflowing air stream. 3. The air flow detecting means sequentially detects the state of the air fluid, sequentially outputs analog signals corresponding to the analog signal output means, and digital signals sequentially corresponding to the analog signals sequentially output from the analog signal output means. The airflow responsive electronic musical instrument according to claim 1, comprising an analog / digital converting means for converting into a signal and outputting as the detection signal. 4. The air flow responsive electronic musical instrument according to claim 1, wherein said air flow detecting means comprises a fluid pressure detecting means for detecting at least one of the exhalation pressure and the inspiratory pressure.