US3775546A - Ladder-like electronic musical instrument - Google Patents

Ladder-like electronic musical instrument Download PDF

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Publication number
US3775546A
US3775546A US00262866A US3775546DA US3775546A US 3775546 A US3775546 A US 3775546A US 00262866 A US00262866 A US 00262866A US 3775546D A US3775546D A US 3775546DA US 3775546 A US3775546 A US 3775546A
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United States
Prior art keywords
rung
tone
ladder
musical instrument
generators
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Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
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US00262866A
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English (en)
Inventor
M Honegger
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Individual
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Individual
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    • G—PHYSICS
    • G10—MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; ACOUSTICS
    • G10H—ELECTROPHONIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; INSTRUMENTS IN WHICH THE TONES ARE GENERATED BY ELECTROMECHANICAL MEANS OR ELECTRONIC GENERATORS, OR IN WHICH THE TONES ARE SYNTHESISED FROM A DATA STORE
    • G10H1/00—Details of electrophonic musical instruments
    • G10H1/02—Means for controlling the tone frequencies, e.g. attack or decay; Means for producing special musical effects, e.g. vibratos or glissandos
    • G10H1/04—Means for controlling the tone frequencies, e.g. attack or decay; Means for producing special musical effects, e.g. vibratos or glissandos by additional modulation
    • G10H1/053—Means for controlling the tone frequencies, e.g. attack or decay; Means for producing special musical effects, e.g. vibratos or glissandos by additional modulation during execution only
    • G10H1/055—Means for controlling the tone frequencies, e.g. attack or decay; Means for producing special musical effects, e.g. vibratos or glissandos by additional modulation during execution only by switches with variable impedance elements
    • G10H1/0551—Means for controlling the tone frequencies, e.g. attack or decay; Means for producing special musical effects, e.g. vibratos or glissandos by additional modulation during execution only by switches with variable impedance elements using variable capacitors

Definitions

  • Geometric-type elements are arranged in a regular assembly departing from a keyboard.
  • the elements are designed and arranged in a manner encouraging the use of the sense of touch.
  • Each element is assigned to a particular tone and capable of triggering said contact switches or proximity switches. re-
  • the elements may have the form of the rungs of a ladder, or the steps of a stairway, or of mosaic components of a flooring.
  • lt is an object of the presentinvention to provide an electronic music instrument suitable for the music edufcatiOn of 'small'children' as well1as for the performance of: musically accompanied rhythmics.
  • the electronic instrument comprises separate tone generators whichassigned to the various tones and which are ener- Jgizableby contact switches orproximity switches, and
  • a regularassembly which consists of equal/geometrical elementsandwhich departs'from a' keyboard andwhose: elementsare designed in a manner encouraging the use of the sense of touch and are each assigned to a particular tone and capable of trig- -:gering said contact switches or proximity switches.
  • theaelements may'be designedas the rungs of a ladder or as steps of astairway. Instead, they may havethe form of mosaic components of a flooring.
  • the simple geometrical form of the assembly emphasizes the relation takes a walkable form, such as stair or floor surfacings, the rhythmic instruction goes alongwith music instruc-
  • Another aspect 'of the invention consists in using the electronic music instrument in conjunction with a sound and/or picture storage device as an aid to music instruction. This presentsentirely'new perspectives for 7 music in'struction notablyin conjunction ,with audiovisual instruction methods.
  • FIG. 1 shows a ladder with' removable rungs which when touched or pressed trip theparticular tones
  • FIGJZ shows'a section along lineA- A in FIG. 1;
  • FIG. 3 showsa sectionalong-line 3-8 in FIG.- 1;
  • FIG. 1 shows in section the fastening of a rung to the frame by means of a permanent magnet 3 which, in a preferred version, has the form of a pot "magnet.
  • a permanent magnet 3 which, in a preferred version, has the form of a pot "magnet.
  • Suchrnagnets can be arranged on both sides of the ladder frame, so' that the rungs are relatively firmly fastened to the frame.
  • the ladder frame 1 is preferably made of wood or some other electrically nonconductive material, while the rungs 2 may be made of ferromagnetic material, for instance. Where permanent magnets are arranged on both sides of the ladder frame.
  • each pair of magnets can be electrically connected to the input of a succeeding proximity switch.
  • the rungs 2 then act as electrodes which when touched develop an input signal in'the proximity switch owing to the persons body capacity increasing the effect of the space field, so that the particular tone generator is switched on.
  • FIG. 3 shows an especially simple version in which a simple pressure switch 4 is imbedded in the ladder frame 1.
  • the pressure switch may be designed in such a manner that slight pressure on the .whose input'is actuated by an element as described above, such as a ladder rung, and whose output acts by various manual switches ll, 12 and 13 to select a tone generator 14 for the full tone or one of two tone generators l5 and 16 for the lower and upper half-tones, respectively.
  • the switch 11 serves to cutoff all three tone generators, while the change-over switch 12 is designed alternatively to connect the full-tone.generator"14 or either of the two half-tone generators.
  • the change-over switch 13 serves to select the half-tone generator 15 or 1 16 required.
  • change-over switches can be dispensed with if the instrument is designed for one tonalty only.
  • a terminal 17 Fitted into the line between theswitch 10. and the tone generators is a terminal 17 designed for the connection together with other generators, such as generators of different tonality, or for the connection of another electronic music instrument, such as an organ.
  • the terminal 17 can also be used toswitch a signal lamp for tone indication, preferably with different colours identifying the various tones.
  • All'tone generators are connected by a common busbar to an amplifier 18 which is followed by a speaker 19.
  • the tone generators may be either known separate analogue generators or known digital devices operating by harmonic synthesis.
  • a noise generator 20 which is designed for a specific noise spectrum and which superimposes an adjustable percentage of desirable distortion on the generally sinusoidal signal of the tone generators.
  • the said noise generator can be used to simulate the wind effect of flutes or other wind instruments, for instance. The sound pattern thus produced is more pleasing than that of the plain sinusoidal signal of the tone generators.
  • the switch may be designed in a variety of manners, the simplest version here being that of a resilient step acting on a pressure switch.
  • the step may be fixed, but made of electrically conductive material or coated with such a material so as to form an interception electrode for an electronic proximity switch.
  • the third embodiment in which various tone generators selected by the switches 12 and 13 according to the tone desired are energized by a person stepping on various floor tiles is preferably intended for ballet or rhythmic'instruction.
  • the feature common to all embodiments is that their simple and regular geometrical form encourages the touching of the various elements or the stepping thereon, so that various tones and even melodies can be sounded according to the selection of the elements.
  • Such an instrumnt is eminently suitable as an aid to audiovisual instruction and programmed courses using sound and/or picture storage devices.
  • the elements can be colour-coded, preferably with different colours identifying different tones.
  • an electronic musical instrument in the form of a ladder-like structure comprising. in combination, a pair of side members produced from electrically nonconductive material, said side members being provided with substantially uniformly spaced securing means disposed in transversely aligned pairs; a removable rung received in each pair of said securing means, said rung being produced from ferro-magnetic material and at least one of each pair of spaced securing means including a magnet retaining the associated rung in mounted position; a plurality of tone generators, each of which is assigned to a different tone, at least one tone generator being provided for each rung; and separate electrical switch means associated with each rung and having electrical connection with an associated tone generator whereby said tone generator is switched on responsive to a signal received from its associated rung.
  • An electrical musical instrument as set forth in claim 1 including a amplifier and a speaker, all of the tone generators being electrically connected to the amplifier through a common busbar and the musical tones itive proximity switches.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Power Engineering (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Acoustics & Sound (AREA)
  • Multimedia (AREA)
  • Electrophonic Musical Instruments (AREA)
US00262866A 1971-06-17 1972-06-14 Ladder-like electronic musical instrument Expired - Lifetime US3775546A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CH883971A CH542490A (de) 1971-06-17 1971-06-17 Elektronisches Musikinstrument

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3775546A true US3775546A (en) 1973-11-27

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ID=4345327

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US00262866A Expired - Lifetime US3775546A (en) 1971-06-17 1972-06-14 Ladder-like electronic musical instrument

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US (1) US3775546A (de)
CH (1) CH542490A (de)
DE (1) DE2141010A1 (de)

Cited By (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3956958A (en) * 1974-08-08 1976-05-18 Nash Daniel T Device for producing a signal in response to a movement thereon
US4121488A (en) * 1976-03-08 1978-10-24 Nep Company, Ltd. Step-on type tone scale play device
US4438674A (en) * 1980-04-11 1984-03-27 Lawson Richard J A Musical expression pedal
US4504933A (en) * 1979-06-18 1985-03-12 Christopher Janney Apparatus and method for producing sound images derived from the movement of people along a walkway
US5589654A (en) * 1996-03-07 1996-12-31 Konwiser; Kern T. Electronic dance floor system
GB2306749A (en) * 1995-10-16 1997-05-07 Shogo Tanaka Desk-mat with keyboard instrument
US5803835A (en) * 1996-12-09 1998-09-08 Moton; James M. Musical hop scotch game kit
US7244165B2 (en) 2002-09-06 2007-07-17 Mattel, Inc. Entertainment toy having multiple configurations
US8852058B1 (en) * 2011-07-14 2014-10-07 Paul J. Hamberis Interactive finger ladder

Citations (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1772394A (en) * 1929-11-20 1930-08-05 Charles F Hanselmann Toy
US2879685A (en) * 1955-05-31 1959-03-31 Page Mark Musical squeeze blocks
US2888849A (en) * 1955-09-14 1959-06-02 Humphrey Electronic musical instruments
US3253352A (en) * 1965-08-31 1966-05-31 Mc Graw Edison Co Expandable keyboard
US3298012A (en) * 1964-09-23 1967-01-10 Weller Newton Ladder warning device
US3342094A (en) * 1966-11-04 1967-09-19 Ervin M Wilson Musical instrument keyboard
US3468209A (en) * 1966-02-14 1969-09-23 Clodoveo Guillermo Gonzalez Ba Apparatus for facilitating the playing of musical instruments
US3477332A (en) * 1967-09-11 1969-11-11 Hulda E Kreiss Percussion instrument with vertically stepped scale

Patent Citations (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1772394A (en) * 1929-11-20 1930-08-05 Charles F Hanselmann Toy
US2879685A (en) * 1955-05-31 1959-03-31 Page Mark Musical squeeze blocks
US2888849A (en) * 1955-09-14 1959-06-02 Humphrey Electronic musical instruments
US3298012A (en) * 1964-09-23 1967-01-10 Weller Newton Ladder warning device
US3253352A (en) * 1965-08-31 1966-05-31 Mc Graw Edison Co Expandable keyboard
US3468209A (en) * 1966-02-14 1969-09-23 Clodoveo Guillermo Gonzalez Ba Apparatus for facilitating the playing of musical instruments
US3342094A (en) * 1966-11-04 1967-09-19 Ervin M Wilson Musical instrument keyboard
US3477332A (en) * 1967-09-11 1969-11-11 Hulda E Kreiss Percussion instrument with vertically stepped scale

Cited By (10)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3956958A (en) * 1974-08-08 1976-05-18 Nash Daniel T Device for producing a signal in response to a movement thereon
US4121488A (en) * 1976-03-08 1978-10-24 Nep Company, Ltd. Step-on type tone scale play device
US4504933A (en) * 1979-06-18 1985-03-12 Christopher Janney Apparatus and method for producing sound images derived from the movement of people along a walkway
US4438674A (en) * 1980-04-11 1984-03-27 Lawson Richard J A Musical expression pedal
GB2306749A (en) * 1995-10-16 1997-05-07 Shogo Tanaka Desk-mat with keyboard instrument
GB2306749B (en) * 1995-10-16 1997-10-29 Shogo Tanaka Desk-mat with keyboard instrument
US5589654A (en) * 1996-03-07 1996-12-31 Konwiser; Kern T. Electronic dance floor system
US5803835A (en) * 1996-12-09 1998-09-08 Moton; James M. Musical hop scotch game kit
US7244165B2 (en) 2002-09-06 2007-07-17 Mattel, Inc. Entertainment toy having multiple configurations
US8852058B1 (en) * 2011-07-14 2014-10-07 Paul J. Hamberis Interactive finger ladder

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
CH542490A (de) 1973-09-30
DE2141010A1 (de) 1972-12-21

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