U.S. patent number 3,913,443 [Application Number 05/266,378] was granted by the patent office on 1975-10-21 for musical recording and method and apparatus therefor.
Invention is credited to Aaron R. Jewett.
United States Patent |
3,913,443 |
Jewett |
October 21, 1975 |
Musical recording and method and apparatus therefor
Abstract
Different chordal tones are recorded on the tracks of a tape at
the same tempo and rhythm for producing background music on a tape
player during the playing of a melody on a musical instrument.
Chordal selections are made through a pedal operated keyboard.
Pedal actuations rapidly change the pickup heads of the tape player
made operative to effect reproduction of the chordal tones from the
tracks of the tape.
Inventors: |
Jewett; Aaron R. (Asheville,
NC) |
Family
ID: |
26854844 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/266,378 |
Filed: |
June 26, 1972 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
Issue Date |
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158221 |
Jun 30, 1971 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
84/642;
84/DIG.29; 360/78.02; 360/137; 369/98; 984/303; 360/63;
360/92.1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G10H
1/0033 (20130101); Y10S 84/29 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
G10H
1/00 (20060101); G10H 003/08 () |
Field of
Search: |
;84/1.02,1.03,1.28,DIG.29 ;179/1.41R ;346/1,74M ;360/78,92
;274/11R |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Other References
Ex parte S (Board of Appeals) Aug. 4, 1943 (Case No. 109)..
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Primary Examiner: Tomsky; Stephen J.
Assistant Examiner: Witkowski; Stanley J.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Vestal; Tom R.
Parent Case Text
This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending
application Ser. No. 158,221, filed June 30, 1971, now abandoned.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. Apparatus for reproducing chordal tones of complementary musical
instruments, comprising a continuous-band, multiple-track magnetic
recording tape and cartridge housing therefore, each of said tape
tracks having recorded thereon, continuous throughout the length of
each track, different chordal tones of said musical instruments in
the same key, said chordal tones being synchronized to simulate
background music with no discontinuity when selectively
reproduced.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising magnetic tape
reproducing means capable of receiving said tape cartridge housing
a driving said tape, said reproducing means including magnetic tape
pick-up head means selectively operable with each of said tape
tracks in any sequence.
3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said magnetic tape reproducing
means include a pedal board comprising a plurality of pedals and
electrical switches affixed to said pedal board and latching means
for engaging said pedals when actuated, and magnetic pick-up heads,
the electrical switches operable with said pedals to actuate the
magnetic take-up heads selectively by tape track in any
sequence.
4. A continuous multiple track magnetic recording tape and housing
therefore, said housing and tape insertible in a sound reproducing
means having pickup heads operative when actuated to reproduce
sounds from the tracks of said tape, the improvement comprising,
the individual tracks of said tape having different reproducible
chordal tones of the same tempo and rhythm from complementary
musical instruments the chordal tones being continuous throughout
each track and synchronized with the other tracks of said tape to
simulate background music with no discontinuity when the tracks are
selectively reproduced.
5. A musical instrument adapted to be used as a source of
background music comprising a cartridge tape recording player
having a plurality of pick-up heads and a moving recording medium
with a plurality of tracks on which different chordal tones are
recorded at common tempo and rhythm, a plurality of means including
actuator devices for respectively rendering the pick-up heads
operative when actuated, for reproducing the chordal tones recorded
on corresponding tracks of the recording medium, latch means for
releasably holding a selected one of the actuator devices in an
actuated position for sustained reproduction of a corresponding
chordal tone, and means responsive to actuation of another of the
actuator devices for changing without noticeable pause the pick-up
heads rendered operative.
6. The combination of claim 5 including a keyboard panel having a
plurality of openings through which said actuator devices project,
each of the actuator devices including a lever element having a
pedal formation projecting through one of the openings, a latch
formation engageable by said latch means and pivot means anchoring
the lever element to the panel spaced from said formations, and
switch means engageable by the lever element and connected to one
of the pick-up heads.
7. The combination of claim 6 wherein said switch means includes at
least two cam bars engageable with different groups of said
actuator devices, and means responsive to displacement of each of
said cam bars to a switching position for shifting the pick-up
heads relative to the recording medium into operative alignment
with different groups of the tracks.
8. The combination of claim 5 wherein said responsive means
includes at least two cam bars engageable with different groups of
said actuator devices, and means responsive to displacement of each
of said cam bars to a switching position for shifting the pick-up
heads relative to the recording medium into operative alignment
with different groups of the tracks.
9. A sound reproducing means operable with a cartridge type
recording tape housing, comprising a cabinet, a keyboard panel in
one face of said cabinet having a plurality of openings, pedals
spring-hinge mounted to said cabinet and projecting through said
plurality of openings, latch means for arresting said pedals when
said pedals are depressed and simultaneously releasing prior
arrested pedals, and electric switches affixed to said cabinet and
openable by said pedals when depressed to actuate a magnetic tape
pick-up head relative to tape tracks of said cartridge-type
recording tape housing.
Description
Various methods and apparatus have been devised for reproducing
particular musical passages as an accompaniment for a melody player
on a conventional instrument such as a guitar, organ or the like.
However, such prior methods and apparatus have been limited in use,
and difficult if not impossible for even an accomplished soloist to
properly operate. It is therefore an important object of the
present invention to provide a method and apparatus of greater
flexibility and relative ease of use by a soloist as an
accompaniment to a melody.
In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention,
different chordal tones are pre-recorded on a conventional eight
track tape by any combination of instrumental selections. Each
chordal tone recorded on one multi-track tape, will be of the same
tempo, rhythm and beat; i.e., the chordal tone recorded on one tape
track will be positioned on that track to coincide beatwise with
the remaining tracks of the tape. The tape, stored in a cartridge
housing, may be plugged into a commercially available type of tape
player associated with a novel pedal-operated keyboard apparatus.
According to the present invention, the track selecting mechanism
in the conventional cartridge tape player is replaced by pedal
actuated means described more fully herein. By means of the pedals,
a soloist may select and change the chordal tones that are
reproduced from the tape while a melody is being played. Thus,
soloists, whether instrumental, vocal, or a combination of both,
could by utilization of the invention, create an entertainment
presentation similar to that of a large number of musicians and
vocalists by utilizing the multi-track capability of pre-recorded
background music. Further the change in chordal tones is effected
in accordance with the present invention in a rapid fashion so that
there is no discontinuity or missing of beats.
These, together with other objects and advantages which will become
subsequently apparent, reside in the details of construction and
operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed,
reference being had to be accompanying drawings forming a part
hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and
in which:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing apparatus constructed in
accordance with the present invention as seen from the front.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the apparatus as seen from the
rear.
FIG. 3 is a partial side elevational view of the apparatus with
parts broken away and shown in section.
FIG. 4 is a partial sectional view of the apparatus as shown in
FIG. 3 in a different operational condition.
FIG. 5 is an electrical circuit diagram associated with the
apparatus.
Referring now to the drawings in detail, FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a
typical apparatus or accessory music instrument constructed in
accordance with the present invention and generally denoted by
reference numeral 10. In the illustrated embodiment, the apparatus
10 is of the foot-pedal operated type and comprises a housing or
cabinet generally referred to by reference numeral 12 adapted to
rest on the floor and provided with a keyboard panel portion 14
sloping downwardly from a front panel portion 16. The rear side of
the cabinet 12 is protectively enclosed by a mesh 16 forming the
sound outlet of a speaker arrangement housed within the
cabinet.
As more clearly seen in FIG. 3, the keyboard panel portion 14 is
provided with a plurality of openings 18 through which pedal
formations 20 project upwardly. In the illustrated embodiment,
there are eight pedal formations. Also mounted within the cabinet
is a commercially available type of tape player 22 into which a
tape cartridge 24 is adapted to be inserted through a slot 26
formed in the front portion 16 of the cabinet. Suitable controls 28
for operating the volume and tone of the tape player; are shown
mounted on the front panel portion 16 in FIG. 1.
Referring once again to FIG. 3, each of the pedal formations 20 is
identical in construction and is associated with a lever element 30
from which the pedal formation extends upwardly in spaced relation
to a pivot formation 32. Thus, the lever element is pivotally
anchored by the pivotal anchoring facility 34 below the keyboard
panel portion 14. A latch formation 36 is formed on the end of the
lever element remote from the pivot formation 32 for engagement by
a releasable pedal latch bar generally referred to by reference
numeral 38.
As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the pedal formation 20 is in the form of
an inverted hollow cup and is continuously urged upwardly by a
spring 40 anchored at its lower end on an anchor formation 42
formed on the base 44 of the cabinet 12 while the upper end of the
spring is achored by means of the formation 46 to the underside of
the pedal formation. A microswitch 48 is fixedly mounted on the
underside of the keyboard panel portion for engagement by the lever
element 30. In the illustrated embodiment eight microswitches 48
are provided, each separately associated with one of the pedal
formations 20.
Also shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, cam bar 37, extending upwardly from
pivot 39, is positioned for operable engagement by latch formation
36 in its actuated position. Cam bar 37 is urged clockwise by
conventional spring means (not shown). When pedal 20 is actuated
downward, cam bar 37 is forced counterclockwise, as viewed in FIG.
3, into contact with a switch 52 mounted within the housing
adjacent front end 50. In the embodiment shown, two cam bars 37 are
each actuated by four pedals 20, and, in turn, actuate a single
switch 52. Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 7, the lower switch 52 and
the lower group of four switches 48 are controlled in sequence by
the four rightmost pedals 20, which, in turn, also actuate a mutual
cam bar 37. The upper switch 52 and the upper group of four
switches 48 are controlled in sequence by the four leftmost pedals
20, which in turn actuates a mutal cam bar 37 separately from the
rightmost pedals.
The latch bar 38 rotates about pivot means 54 and is supported by
spring means 56 attached to the keyboard panel portion 14. A stop
(not shown) in pivot means 54 prevents latch bar 38 from rotating
counterclockwise beyond the horizontal position as shown. The latch
bar is free to rotate clockwise, however. The latch bar 38 is also
engageable with the front of the latch formation 36 associated with
each of the pedal formations 20 as shown in FIG. 4. Accordingly,
when one of the pedal formations is actuated or depressed
downwardly, the latch bar is cammed or displaced by a slight amount
in a clockwise direction, thereby releasing the actuated pedal
formation to pass beneath the latch bar. When the depressing force
is removed, spring 40 urges the pedal 20 upward but the pedal is
arrested by the latch bar 38, which has been returned to its normal
position by spring means 56 after latch formation 36 has passes in
its downward direction. The newly actuated pedal formation will
then be held in its actuated position by the spring latch bar 38.
When another pedal 20 is depressed, latch bar 38 will be cammed or
displaced again in a clockwise direction, releasing the originally
arrested pedal to return to its normal position. Thus, the latch
bar 38 is operative to not only releasably hold an actuated pedal
in its actuated position, but will also release the actuated pedal
when another pedal is actuated and hold the newly actuated pedal in
its actuated position. Cam bar 37 as shown in FIG. 3, is in one of
its operative positions since engaged with one group of four
pedals, one of which is actuated. The cam bar 37 as shown in FIG.
4, is in the other operative position inasmuch as its associated
group of pedals are all released.
As mentioned earlier, each latch bar 54 is associated with one of
two microswitches 52 by means of which the operative position of
the switch is sensed in order to control the position of a group of
four pickup heads 62 associated with the tape player 22 as
diagrammatically shown in FIG. 5. The pickup heads 62 are
accordingly shifted between two operative positions by means of a
pair of oppositely wound solenoids 64 and 66 respectively connected
to the two microswitches 52. As an arrested pedal is released
automatically by latch bar 38, only one switch 52 will be actuated
at any given time when another pedal is depressed. Accordingly,
only one of the switches 52 will be closed at any time in order to
select the solenoid 64 or 66 to be energized. The four
interconnected pickup heads 62 will therefore occupy one of two
operative positions aligned with four of the eight recording tracks
68 on the recording medium or tape 70 associated with the tape
player 22. The tape 70 will, of course, be housed within the tape
cartridge 24 aforementioned and will have different chordal tones
recorded on its eight tracks.
With continued reference to FIG. 5, it will be noted that the eight
microswitches 48 aforementioned are interconnected with the pickup
head 62 through circuits established through the two microswitches
52 in order to render the respective pickup heads operative for
reproducing the background chordal tones on the tape tracks 68
through the speaker arrangement 72 associated with the tape player.
By means of the two microswitches 52, the four pickup heads 62 may
be shifted by means of the solenoids 64 and 66 between the two
operative positions in order to provide reproduction from the eight
recording tracks in accordance with selections made by a soloist
actuating one of the eight pedal formations 20 and associated
microswitches 48.
It will also be appreciated that eight pick-up heads may be used in
a manner that each pick-up head will be associated with a single
recording track. The need for switches 52 and solenoids 64 and 66
will be eliminated. Each pick-up head can be actuated directly by
the switch 48 associated with that particular pick-up head. In this
embodiment, one or more pedals may be depressed simultaneously,
thereby being arrested by the latch bar 38. In such a case, chordal
tones may be superimposed on each other. Other variations of track
selection are anticipated by the present invention, the sole
criteria being that the pick-up heads are to be operable
selectively in any sequence.
In accordance with the present invention, a plurality of different
tape cartridges will be available to a soloist. Each tape cartridge
will have pre-recorded chordal tones on the eight tracks of its
tape. The pre-recordings may be made by musicians playing such
instruments as rhythm guitars, bass guitars, piano, drums and other
combos. However, every chordal tone on the eight tracks will be
recorded at the same tempo and rhythm and the beats synchronized so
that rapid changing from one track to another does not miss a beat.
Rapid switching from one track to another is effected as
hereinbefore, indicated by actuation of the foot pedal formations
20. By the proper selection of a tape cartridge, the soloist will
obtain the desired rhythm and tempo for accompanying the particular
melody to be played on a conventional instrument which the solist
is free to play as he actuates the pedal formations with the feet.
The chordal tone outputs of the tape player while being primarily
useful as background music, could also be utilized to automatically
play during intermissions or as an accompaniment for a
vocalist.
In constructing the tape of the present invention, a master tape is
prepared by recording a single chord of constant rhythm and beat on
a track until the track is filled. The track is then sprinkled with
iron oxide particles on the tape in the area to be spliced and the
tape is subjected to a magnetic field. The iron particles highlight
the beat nodal points. The tape is then spliced so that the nodal
points coincide. The remaining tracks are similarly processed. When
all tracks are completed, they are matched relative to each other
and recorded simultaneously onto the master tape. Subsequent tapes
may be prepared from the master.
The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles
of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes
will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired
to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation
shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications
and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the
invention.
* * * * *