Automatic musical rhythm system with optional player control

Claim 2

A musical-rhythm-producing sound device comprising: a. a tempo oscillator for producing pulse signals at a predetermined frequency; b. an electronic ring counter having an input connected to said tempo oscillator for receiving said pulse signals, and having a plurality of outputs; c. circuit means connected between said tempo oscillator and said ring counter to change the characteristics of the pulse signals applied to said ring counter for selectively changing the alternate stages of said ring counter between symmetrical and nonsymmetrical count pulse signals; d. a plurality of sound generator means; and e. connecting means connected between certain ones of said plurality of outputs of said ring counter and certain ones of said plurality of sound generator means for rendering said sound generator means sequentially operative in response to said ring counter.

Claim 3

A rhythm-producing sound device according to claim 1 further including a chain of flIp-flop circuits interposed between said tempo oscillator and said ring counter, and wherein said means connected between said tempo oscillator and said ring counter for changing said ring counter includes means for switching said chain of flip-flops from a divide-by-four condition to a divide-by-three condition.

Claim 4

A musical-rhythm-producing rhythm-producing sound device comprising: a. a tempo oscillator for producing pulse signals at a predetermined frequency; b. an electronic ring counter having an input connected to said tempo oscillator for receiving said pulse signals, and having a plurality of outputs; c. a chain of flip-flop circuits interposed between said tempo oscillator and the input of said ring counter; d. a plurality of sound generator means; e. connecting means connected between certain ones of said plurality of outputs of said ring counter and certain ones of said plurality of sound generator means for rendering said sound generator means sequentially operative in response to said ring counter; and f. gate means for gating the output of said tempo oscillator to said sound generator means under the control of at least one of the outputs of said ring counter.

Claim 5

A musical-rhythm-producing rhythm-producing sound device comprising: a. a tempo oscillator for producing pulse signals at a predetermined frequency; b. an electronic ring counter having an input connected to said tempo oscillator for receiving said pulse signals, and having a plurality of outputs; c. a chain of flip-flop circuits interposed between said tempo oscillator and the input of said ring counter; d. a plurality of sound generator means; e. connecting means connected between certain ones of said plurality of outputs of said ring counter and certain ones of said plurality of sound generator means for rendering said sound generator means sequentially operative in response to said ring counter; and f. gate means for gating the output of said tempo oscillator to said sound generator means under the control of at least one of the outputs of said ring counter.

Claim 6

A rhythm-producing sound device according to claim 3 wherein said gate means also receives output signals from said chain of flip-flops interposed between said tempo oscillator and said ring counter.

Claim 7

In a rhythm-producing sound device comprising in combination: a source of player-produced impulses; generator means for generating a series of rhythm instrument drive pulses; circuit means for shifting the time position of said generator means to make the pulse which is nearest in time to one of the player-produced impulses to be substantially coincident therewith; and means for changing the rate of operation of said generator means in response to shifting the time position of said generator means.

Claim 8

In a rhythm-producing sound device comprising in combination: a source of player-produced impulses; generator means for generating a series of rhythm instrument drive pulses; circuit means for shifting the time position of said generator means to make the pulse which is nearest in time to one of the player-produced impulses to be substantially coincident therewith; and means for changing the rate of operation of said generator means in response to shifting the time position of said generator means.

Claim 9

A rhythm-producing sound device according to claim 5 wherein said means for changing the rate of operation of said generator means causes said generator means to be changed by an amount substantially proportional to the fraction of the pulse time cycle over which said circuit means shifts the time position of said generator means.

Claim 10

A rhythm sound-producing device comprising: a time-point generator for developing a plurality of sequentially generated drive pulses and a plurality of sequentially generated gate pulses, said time-point generator including: a tempo oscillator for producing pulse signal information at a predetermined frequency; a beat divider network having four serially connected flip-flop circuits; output terminals connected to the last of said flip-flop circuits for receiving pulse signal information having a frequency which is a whole fraction multiple of said predetermined frequency; a pulse drive circuit connected to the output of at least two of said flip-flop circuits of said beat divider to develop certain ones of said sequentially generated drive pulses; an eight-stage ring counter having input terminals connected to said output terminals of the last of said flip-flop circuits of said beat divider network for receiving the pulse signal information therefrom and sequentially changing the state of operation of each successive stage of said ring counter; first circuit means connected to the output of each stage of said ring counter to develop certain other ones of said sequentially generated drive pulses; second circuit means connected to the output of each stage of said ring counter to develop certain ones of said sequentially generated gate pulses; a bar counter having three serially connected flip-flop circuits, the first of said flip-flop circuits having input terminals connected to the last stage of said ring counter for receiving a count pulse each time the ring counter goes through one complete cycle, third circuit means connected to the output of each of said flip-flopS of said bar counter to develop certain other ones of said gate pulses; an instrument sound generator for producing a plurality of electrical wave forms representative of different sounds, comprising: a plurality of free running multivibrators, each multivibrator operated to generate square waves at a frequency indicative of discrete but different sounds; audiocircuit means having input means connected to the output of each of said multivibrators and further having output means to develop a composite signal of selected ones of said plurality of electrical wave forms; keying means connected to the output of each of said multivibrators; and matrix assembly means for applying selected ones of said drive pulses and selected ones of said gate pulses to selected ones of said keying means to cause the output of corresponding ones of said multivibrators to be delivered to the input of said audiocircuit means.

Claim 11

A rhythm sound-producing device comprising: a time-point generator for developing a plurality of sequentially generated drive pulses and a plurality of sequentially generated gate pulses, said time-point generator including: a tempo oscillator for producing pulse signal information at a predetermined frequency; a beat divider network having four serially connected flip-flop circuits; output terminals connected to the last of said flip-flop circuits for receiving pulse signal information having a frequency which is a whole fraction multiple of said predetermined frequency; a pulse drive circuit connected to the output of at least two of said flip-flop circuits of said beat divider to develop certain ones of said sequentially generated drive pulses; an eight-stage ring counter having input terminals connected to said output terminals of the last of said flip-flop circuits of said beat divider network for receiving the pulse signal information therefrom and sequentially changing the state of operation of each successive stage of said ring counter; first circuit means connected to the output of each stage of said ring counter to develop certain other ones of said sequentially generated drive pulses; second circuit means connected to the output of each stage of said ring counter to develop certain ones of said sequentially generated gate pulses; a bar counter having three serially connected flip-flop circuits, the first of said flip-flop circuits having input terminals connected to the last stage of said ring counter for receiving a count pulse each time the ring counter goes through one complete cycle, third circuit means connected to the output of each of said flip-flopS of said bar counter to develop certain other ones of said gate pulses; an instrument sound generator for producing a plurality of electrical wave forms representative of different sounds, comprising: a plurality of free running multivibrators, each multivibrator operated to generate square waves at a frequency indicative of discrete but different sounds; audiocircuit means having input means connected to the output of each of said multivibrators and further having output means to develop a composite signal of selected ones of said plurality of electrical wave forms; keying means connected to the output of each of said multivibrators; and matrix assembly means for applying selected ones of said drive pulses and selected ones of said gate pulses to selected ones of said keying means to cause the output of corresponding ones of said multivibrators to be delivered to the input of said audiocircuit means.

Claim 12

An instrument sound generator according to claim 7 wherein said matrix assembly means provides a direct current coupling for said drive pulses and said gate pulses to said keying means.

Claim 13

An instrument sound generator according to claim 8 further including means connected between the last stage of said ring counter and the third stage of said ring counter for selectively changing the numerical size of said ring counter from eight to six.

Claim 14

An instrument sound generator according to claim 9 further including means connected between the output of the fourth of said flip-flops of said beat divider to the input of the third of said flip-flops of said beat divider to selectively change the count capacity of said third and fourth flip-flops from a divide-by-four count to a divide-by-three count.

Claim 15

A rhythm sound-producing device comprising: clock generator means for producing symmetrical pulse signal information of a predetermined frequency; counting means having input terminals connected to said clock generator means for receiving said pulse signal information, and including a plurality of output stages; a plurality of sound generator means; connecting means connected between said output stages of said counting means for rendering certain ones of said sound generator means sequential operative in response to outputs of said counting means; and the improvement therein comprising, means connected in circuit with said clock generator for changing said symmetrical pulse signal information to nonsymmetrical pulse signal information.

Claim 16

A rhythm sound-producing device comprising: clock generator means for producing symmetrical pulse signal information of a predetermined frequency; counting means having input terminals connected to said clock generator means for receiving said pulse signal information, and including a plurality of output stages; a plurality of sound generator means; connecting means connected between said output stages of said counting means for rendering certain ones of said sound generator means sequential operative in response to outputs of said counting means; and the improvement therein comprising, means connected in circuit with said clock generator for changing said symmetrical pulse signal information to nonsymmetrical pulse signal information.

Claim 17

A rhythm sound-producing device according to claim 11 wherein said clock generator is formed by a tempo oscillator and a flip-flop circuit connected to the output of said tempo oscillator, and means connected from the output of said flip-flop circuit to the input of said tempo oscillator for changing the period of one-half cycle of oscillation from said oscillator.

Claim 18

A rhythm sound-producing device according to claim 11 wherein said clock generator is formed by a free-running multivibrator having two symmetrical transistor circuits for producing symmetrical square wave signals, and further including resistor and switch means connected in circuit with one of said transistors for unbalancing the circuit to produce nonsymmetrical square wave pulses.

Claim 19

A rhythm sound-producing device according to claim 11 further including means for selectively changing the numerical size of said counting means.

Claim 20

A rhythm sound-producing device comprising: clock generator means for producing symmetrical pulse signal information of a predetermined frequency; counting means having input terminals connected to said clock generator means for receiving said pulse signal information, and including a plurality of output stages; a plurality of sound generator means; connecting means connected between said output stages of said counting means for rendering certain ones of said sound generator means sequentially operative in response to outputs of said counting means; aNd the improvement therein comprising means connected in circuit with said counting means for selectively changing the numerical size of said counting means.

Claim 21

A rhythm sound-producing device comprising: clock generator means for producing symmetrical pulse signal information of a predetermined frequency; counting means having input terminals connected to said clock generator means for receiving said pulse signal information, and including a plurality of output stages; a plurality of sound generator means; connecting means connected between said output stages of said counting means for rendering certain ones of said sound generator means sequentially operative in response to outputs of said counting means; aNd the improvement therein comprising means connected in circuit with said counting means for selectively changing the numerical size of said counting means.

Claim 22

A musical-rhythm-producing sound device comprising: a. a tempo oscillator for producing pulse signals at a predetermined frequency; b. an electronic ring counter having an input connected to said tempo oscillator for receiving said pulse signals, and having a plurality of outputs; c. a plurality of sound generator means; d. a plurality of groups of resistors, the resistors of each group having one end thereof connected to certain ones of said outputs of said ring counter, and the other end thereof connected together to a common circuit point; and e. switch means for selectively connecting the common circuit point of certain groups of resistors to certain ones of said sound generator means for rendering said sound generator means sequentially operative in response to said ring counter.

Claim 23

A musical-rhythm-producing sound device comprising: a. a tempo oscillator for producing pulse signals at a predetermined frequency; b. an electronic ring counter having an input connected to said tempo oscillator for receiving said pulse signals, and having a plurality of outputs; c. a plurality of sound generator means; d. a plurality of groups of resistors, the resistors of each group having one end thereof connected to certain ones of said outputs of said ring counter, and the other end thereof connected together to a common circuit point; and e. switch means for selectively connecting the common circuit point of certain groups of resistors to certain ones of said sound generator means for rendering said sound generator means sequentially operative in response to said ring counter.

Claim 24

A musical-thythm-producing sound device comprising: a. a tempo oscillator for producing pulse signals at a predetermined frequency; b. an electronic ring counter having an input connected to said tempo oscillator for receiving said pulse signals, and having a plurality of outputs; c. means for changing the electronic numerical size of said ring counter; d. a plurality of sound generator means; and e. connecting means connected between certain ones of said plurality of outputs of said ring counter and certain ones of said plurality of sound generator means for rendering said sound generator means sequentially operative in response to said ring counter.

Claim 25

A musical-thythm-producing sound device comprising: a. a tempo oscillator for producing pulse signals at a predetermined frequency; b. an electronic ring counter having an input connected to said tempo oscillator for receiving said pulse signals, and having a plurality of outputs; c. means for changing the electronic numerical size of said ring counter; d. a plurality of sound generator means; and e. connecting means connected between certain ones of said plurality of outputs of said ring counter and certain ones of said plurality of sound generator means for rendering said sound generator means sequentially operative in response to said ring counter.

Claim 26

An instrument sound-generating device comprising: a. a tempo oscillator for producing pulse signals; b. a ring counter connected to said tempo oscillator, said ring counter comprising a plurality of single-transistor stages so interconnected in a ring that all but one of the transistors of the ring counter are conductive, and the pulse signal from the tempo oscillator renders the nonconductive transistor conductive which, in turn, renders the following transistor nonconductive, each stage of said ring counter including an output terminal; and c. a plurality of sound generators respectively connected to the output terminals of said stages to produce sequential sounds of different frequencies in response to the sequence of said ring counter.

Claim 27

An instrument sound-generating device comprising: a. a tempo oscillator for producing pulse signals; b. a ring counter connected to said tempo oscillator, said ring counter comprising a plurality of single-transistor stages so interconnected in a ring that all but one of the transistors of the ring counter are conductive, and the pulse signal from the tempo oscillator renders the nonconductive transistor conductive which, in turn, renders the following transistor nonconductive, each stage of said ring counter including an output terminal; and c. a plurality of sound generators respectively connected to the output terminals of said stages to produce sequential sounds of different frequencies in response to the sequence of said ring counter.

Claim 28

An instrument sound generator according to claim 18 further including circuit means connected between one stage of said ring counter and some other stage thereof for decreasing the number of effective stages in said ring counter.

Claim 29

An instrument sound generator according to claim 18 further including means for changing the frequency of the pulse signals produced by said tempo oscillator, and further including means connected between one stage of said ring counter and some other stage thereof for decreasing the number of effective stages in said ring counter.