Stringless electronic musical instrument

Abstract

Disclosed is an electronic musical instrument resembling a guitar that is played like a guitar and sounds like a guitar; however, it is stringless and has a plurality of flexible actuator blade type members which are mounted on edge and are adapted to be strummed or picked. Flexing of each actuator blade in either direction closes one or more leaf type switches which controls the amplified output of an electronic oscillator whose fundamental operating frequency is further varied in accordance with finger actuation of a plurality of fret-board switches. Although the invention in its preferred embodiment is directed to a guitar-like instrument, it is also applicable to other types and classes of musical string instruments such as a violin.

I claim: 
     
       1. In an electronic musical instrument for simulating a stringed instrument having a .[.body portion adapted to carry.]. tone generating means .[.and a neck portion adapted to carry a finger-board assembly coupled to said tone generator means.]. and being operable to vary the tonal output thereof, the improvement comprising: tone generator means including an electrical oscillator circuit .[.for each fundamental frequency desired to be simulated and.]. including switch operated circuit means .[.operable from said fingerboard assembly.]. for selectively changing .[.the.]. tonal .[.output.]. frequency .[.of said oscillator circuit.].;   .[.a respective.]. .Iadd.an .Iaddend.output amplifier circuit coupled to said oscillator circuit and being energized in accordance with the operative state of a player actuated switch device; and   said player actuated switch device .[.consisting of.]. .Iadd.comprising .Iaddend.a relatively thin .[.flexible blade-type.]. switch actuator member .[.mounted on edge in a substantially upright position on the outer surface of said body portion adjacent said fingerboard assembly,.]. .Iadd.having a pair of sides and .Iaddend.being adapted .[.thereby.]. to be deflected bi-directionally .[.transverse.]. .Iadd.transversely .Iaddend..[.to said upright position.]. when strummed, struck, picked or plucked or bowed by a player, and at least one pair of electrical switch contacts located on each side of said actuator .[.element.]. .Iadd.member.Iaddend., wherein deflection of said actuator .[.element.]. .Iadd.member .Iaddend.in either direction operates one of said pair of switch contacts to energize said output amplifier circuit.   
     
     
       2. The musical instrument as defined by claim 1 wherein said tone generator means comprises a plurality of electrical oscillator circuits and respective output amplifier circuits for a plurality of fundamental frequencies and wherein the respective .[.flexible blade-type.]. switch actuator members therefor are mounted side by side .[.such that their respective upper edges are.]. substantially parallel and oriented generally in line with the longitudinal axis of the instrument. 
     
     
       3. The musical instrument as defined by claim 2 wherein said .Iadd.switch actuator members are .Iaddend.blade-type switch actuator elements .[.are.]. generally rectangular in shape with their lengthwise dimensions oriented substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the instrument. 
     
     
       4. The musical instrument as defined by claim 3 wherein the lengthwise dimension of said actuator members spans a region of .[.said body portion.]. .Iadd.the instrument .Iaddend.wherein a stringed instrument is normally played. 
     
     
       5. The musical instrument as defined by claim 4 .[.wherein the.]. .Iadd.including .Iaddend.outer edges .[.of.]. .Iadd.on .Iaddend.said generally rectangular switch actuator members .[.are.]..Iadd., said outer edges being .Iaddend.substantially co-planar to simulate the multiple strings of a lute type instrument. 
     
     
       6. The musical instrument as defined by claim 4 .[.wherein the.]. .Iadd.including .Iaddend.outer edges .[.of.]. .Iadd.on .Iaddend.said generally rectangular switch actuator members .[.lie.]..Iadd., said outer edges lying .Iaddend.in selective different planes to simulate the strings of a viol type instrument. 
     
     
       7. The musical instrument as defined by claim 4 wherein said generally rectangular actuator members have substantially the same length and width dimensions. 
     
     
       8. The musical instrument as defined by claim .[.7.]. .Iadd.4 .Iaddend.wherein the length dimension is greater than the width dimension. 
     
     
       9. The musical instrument as defined by claim 1 wherein said output amplifier is energized by the application of a supply potential to generate an audio output signal and wherein said at least one pair of switch contacts is connected intermediate said supply potential and said output amplifier circuit. 
     
     
       10. The musical instrument as defined by claim 9 wherein said output amplifier circuit additionally includes .[.a compensated balanced bridge.]. .Iadd.an .Iaddend.attenuator network coupled intermediate said switch contacts and said amplifier circuit for coupling said supply potential thereto. 
     
     
       11. The musical instrument as defined by claim 10 wherein said output amplifier circuit comprises a transistor amplifier circuit having a base input circuit and additionally including variable base bias voltage means coupled to said base input circuit for providing harmonic control of said audio output signal. 
     
     
       12. The amplifier circuit as defined by claim 11 wherein said .[.compensated.]. attenuator network comprises at least two resistive impedances and at least two capacitors coupled together in a bridge circuit arrangement to the collector circuit of said transistor amplifier, and wherein said switch device includes plural electrical switch contacts located on each side of said switch actuator element and being operable consecutively by deflection of said actuator element to apply said supply potential to selective circuit points of said .[.compensated.]. attenuator network.   
     
     
       13. The musical instrument as defined by claim 11 wherein said transistor amplifier comprises a class C type transistor amplifier. 
     
     
       14. The musical instrument as defined by claim 9 wherein said electrical oscillator circuit comprises a programmable unijunction transistor oscillator having an RC time control circuit which is adapted to be controlled by means of a set of fret-board switches .[.located on said fingerboard assembly.].. .Iadd. 15. The musical instrument as defined in claim 1 wherein said instrument includes a body portion and a neck portion adapted to carry a fingerboard assembly connected to said body portion, said fingerboard assembly being coupled to said tone generator. .Iaddend..Iadd. 16. The musical instrument as defined in claim 3 wherein said switch actuator member is mounted in a vertical direction. .Iaddend. .Iadd. 17. The musical instrument of claim 2 wherein said switch actuator members are flexible. .Iaddend..Iadd. 18. An electronic musical instrument for simulating a stringed instrument comprising: (a) tone generating means,   (b) an output amplifying means connected to said tone generating means,   (c) player actuated switch means operatively connected to said amplifying means,   (d) an attenuator network coupled intermediate said switch means and said amplifying means,   (e) means including said amplifying means, said network and said switch means for: (1) producing an attack portion of an audio frequency envelope upon initial actuation of said switch means from a normal state,   (2) sustaining a sound produced by said tone generating means for as long as said switch is actuated, and   (3) dampening the sound gradually as said switch is allowed to return to a normal state;     (f) said amplifying means comprising a transistorized amplifier circuit, said network comprising at least two resistive impedances and at least two capacitors coupled together in a bridge circuit arrangement to a collector circuit of said transistor amplifier. .Iaddend..Iadd. 19. An instrument as defined in claim 18 wherein said switch means includes an actuator, a plurality of electrical contacts being operable consecutively by movement of said actuator to apply a supply potential to selective circuit points of said network. .Iaddend..Iadd. 20. The musical instrument of claim 10, 12 or 18 wherein said attenuator comprises a compensated balanced bridge attenuator.