Yamaha Corporation

Hiromi Hikida

Masao Kondo

Kei Kunisada

An electronic musical instrument such as an electronic piano has a musical tone generation structure that closely simulates and reproduces musical tones with nuances of musical expressions with fidelity to acoustic musical instruments such as acoustic pianos. In the casing of the electronic piano, speakers are attached to a speaker attachment plate, which is placed substantially horizontal, such that front sides of the speakers are directed upwards. The sounds radiated from the front sides of the speakers are reflected by a reflector board which is hinged to close or open at a prescribed angle of inclination with respect to a top board, so that reflected sounds are transmitted towards the audience. Enclosures are provided inside of the casing below the speaker attachment plate and contain mufflers having a relatively small thickness therein. Through holes whose openings are directed downwards are formed to penetrate through a bottom plate of the enclosures, wherein the total area of openings of the through holes is larger than the total area of the speakers. Sounds radiated from the backsides of the speakers propagate through the enclosures and are transmitted towards the floor via the through holes, so that reflected sounds are transmitted towards the audience through the air. Further, the electronic piano as a whole vibrates in response to vibrations caused by the speakers. Thus, the electronic piano produces mixed sounds that reproduce acoustic musical tones having the nuances of musical expression of an acoustic piano.

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Hamamatsu, Japan

Hiromi Hikida