Leland Stanford Junior University

Interval Research Corporation

Max V Mathews

William L Verplank

Robert S Shaw

Thomas E Oberheim

In a music synthesis system, a scanning apparatus repeatedly scans a physical attribute of a vibrating object at a sequence of points of the vibrating object so as to repeatedly generate corresponding sequences of values. The music synthesis system generates an audio frequency waveform whose shape corresponds to the sequences of values. The vibrating object may be a physical object or a simulated object. The system may include a sensor for receiving user input, and means for mapping the user input into a stimulus signal that is applied to the vibrating object. In a preferred embodiment, the object vibrates and is manipulated by the user at haptic frequencies (0 to 15 hertz), while the sequences of scanned values are cyclically read at an audio frequencies so as to generate an audio frequency waveform whose timbre varies at the haptic frequencies associated with the object's vibration.

System and method for synthesizing music by scanning real or simulated vibrating object

A position sensor is used in conjunction with one or more batons, each baton having a transmitter that transmits a distinct radio frequency signal at a position in space. The position sensor determines the current position of each baton transmitter in terms of X, Y, and Z coordinates. The position sensor includes a tablet having a flat support member, with at least two pairs of electrodes coupled to the flat support member. Each of the electrodes is a separate antenna. A first pair of the electrodes is shaped so that the amount of capacitive coupling between each baton transmitter and the first pair of electrodes corresponds to the position of the baton transmitter with respect to the X axis. A second pair of the electrodes is shaped so that the amount of capacitive coupling between each baton transmitter and the second pair of electrodes corresponds to the position of the baton transmitter with respect to the Y axis. The regions forming the first pair electrodes are preferably interleaved with the regions forming the second pair of electrodes. The X, Y position of the baton can be computed with uniform accuracy anywhere in the X-Y plane by measuring the capacitance values between the baton and the four antennae.

Baton and X, Y, Z, position sensor

An electronic drum has two or more batons, each baton having a transmitter which transmits a distinct radio frequency signal at a position in space. The electronic drum determines the current X, Y, and Z coordinates of each baton transmitter. To determine the position of each baton transmitter, the drum includes a tablet which has a flat support member at a predefined position, with at least two pairs of electrodes coupled to the flat support member. A first pair of the electrodes is shaped so that the amount of capacitive coupling between each baton transmitter and one of the first pair of electrodes corresponds to the position of the baton transmitter with respect to the X axis. A second pair of electrodes is shaped so that the amount of capacitive coupling between each baton transmitter and one of the second pair of electrodes corresponds to the position of the baton transmitter with respect to the Y axis. The electrodes pairs are shaped and positioned so that neither electrode pair shields the other, which allows for accurate X and Y position measurements. The drum also has a CPU which receives signals from the electrodes, and uses those signals to compute the X, Y and Z coordinates of each baton. The CPU also predicts when each baton transmitter will hit the drum's flat support member and generates a signal at the predicted time so that a music synthesizer can generate a sound at the appropriate time.

Three dimensional baton and gesture sensor

A pickup is disclosed for a stringed musical instrument having a plurality of strings. The pickup includes a bridge member having a surface which supports the strings at predefined positions along the surface, a plurality of bimorphic piezoelectric elements embedded in the bridge member at locations corresponding to the predefined positions along the surface of the bridge member, and connection wires for conveying the electric signals generated by said bimorphic piezoelectric element. Each bimorphic piezoelectric element has two oppositely polarized piezoelectric layers, separated by a metallic layer. The bimorphic piezoelectric elements are embedded in the bridge member so that the principal direction of vibrations of the corresponding string is normal to the metallic layer which separates the two piezoelectric layers of the bimorphic element. As a result, the vibrations of each string bend the corresponding bimorphic element imbedded in the bridge, so that the pickup is directly responsive to vibrations of the strings of the musical instrument. In the preferred embodiment, the bridge includes separate support beams, separated by notches or slots, for each string so as to isolate each bimorphic element from the vibrations of the other strings, thereby providing distinct electrical signals corresponding to the vibrations of each string.

Growing community of inventors

Stanford, CA, United States of America

Max V Mathews