Saxophone mouthpiece with built-in microphone

Abstract

A device for facilitating the recording of sound emitted by a saxophone. The invention relates to a saxophone mouthpiece with an integrated microphone. The geometry of the saxophone is designed to accommodate the microphone, and the microphone is installed during manufacturing. The microphone can be a piezo type or a miniaturized condenser type. Integrating the microphone into the mouthpiece during the design ensures homogeneity of sound across the entire register, isolates the sound from other sound sources, and simplifies sound reinforcement setup. The microphone is integrated into the mouthpiece so that it is in contact with the air column to optimize sound capture, but does not obstruct it to avoid altering the instrument's acoustics. The device according to the invention is particularly intended for amplifying saxophones for live performance or studio recording. Figure 1

Description

Title of the invention: Saxophone mouthpiece with integrated microphone

[0001] The present invention relates to a device for facilitating the recording of the sound emitted by a saxophone.

[0002] Recording the sound emitted by a saxophone presents several difficulties such as the homogeneity of the sound recording throughout the register, the isolation of the recording from other instruments, or the fixing of the microphone on the instrument.

[0003] To address the problems described in paragraph

[0002] , solutions such as an internal microphone inserted into the neck or a microphone inserted into the mouthpiece after drilling it have been proposed. In the case of the internal microphone, it must be inserted each time it is used, and its position in the middle of the neck's air column can alter the instrument's response. In the case of drilling the instrument, amplifying the sound requires a luthier to adapt the mouthpiece. Since a mouthpiece drilled using this method was not designed to be modified, its performance can be irreversibly altered.

[0004] The invention presented here proposes a saxophone mouthpiece with an integrated microphone that solves the problems described in paragraphs

[0002]

[0003] . The mouthpiece's geometry is designed to accommodate a microphone, which is integrated into the mouthpiece during its manufacture. Since the geometry is designed taking the presence of the microphone into account, the saxophone's sound is not altered by any modification to the mouthpiece. The microphone is positioned as close as possible to the air column without disturbing it, thus allowing for optimal sound capture. Because it is integrated directly into the mouthpiece, the microphone requires no assembly or disassembly during installation.

[0005] To meet the different acoustic requirements, different types of microphones can be integrated into the mouthpiece: the piezo microphone in the form of a rod (5) like those used under guitar bridges, the piezo microphone in the form of a disc (6), or even a miniaturized condenser microphone (9).

[0006] The attached drawings illustrate the invention: Figure [1] shows in cross-section the inclusion of the rod-shaped piezo microphone (5). Figure [Fig.2] shows in cross-section the inclusion of the disc-shaped piezo microphone (6) placed in a cylinder (7) connected to the bore by a channel (8). Figure [Fig. 3] shows in cross-section the inclusion of the disc-shaped piezo microphone (6) in direct contact with the bore (2). Figure 4 shows a cross-section of the inclusion of the miniaturized condenser microphone (9).

[0007] In the case of the piezo microphone in the form of a rod (5), the microphone is placed lengthwise, just in contact with the air column without any part of the microphone protruding into the bore (2). A cavity shaped like the microphone is therefore provided to accommodate it ([Fig. 1]).

[0008] In the case of the disc-shaped piezo microphone (6), the microphone is either placed directly in contact with the air column without obstructing it, i.e. without any part protruding into the bore (2) ([Fig.2]), or placed in a cylindrical cavity (7) located above the bore (2) and connected to the bore (2) of the mouthpiece by a channel (8) consisting of a cylinder with a diameter smaller than the microphone ([Fig.3]).

[0009] In the case of the miniaturized condenser microphone (9), the microphone is positioned so that the airflow does not interfere with the microphone's sound pickup. The microphone is placed in an oblique cylinder (10) opening onto the bore (2) and oriented towards the mouthpiece outlet to limit the effects of breath within the microphone ([Fig. 4]).

[0010] The manufacture of the mouthpiece can be carried out either in two parts with installation of the microphone and then gluing, or by direct inclusion of the microphone during casting or additive manufacturing.

[0011] In the case of two-part manufacturing, the entire part containing the chamber (1) and the bore (2) must be made in one piece, and only the upper part of the mouthpiece receiving the microphone is cut into two pieces.

[0012] In the case of additive manufacturing, the manufacturing process can be paused to allow the inclusion of the microphone, then completed to obtain a one-piece beak containing the microphone.

[0013] The microphone is connected to a mini-jack socket (3) by a connector (4) integrated into the beak.

[0014] The device according to the invention is particularly intended for the amplification of saxophones in the context of live performance or studio recording.

Claims

Claims

1.

2. Saxophone mouthpiece designed to integrate a microphone. Device according to claim 1 characterized by an internal geometry of saxophone mouthpiece optimized to receive a microphone without modifying the sound and optimizing sound pickup. Multiple geometries tested and selected with a microphone in place so as to maintain a pitch and timbre equivalent to a saxophone mouthpiece without a microphone.

3. Device according to claim 1 characterized by a microphone placed in a saxophone mouthpiece and in contact with a column of air without obstructing it.

4.

5. Saxophone mouthpiece equipped during manufacture with a microphone. Saxophone mouthpiece equipped with one of the following different types of microphones to meet acoustic requirements: • a) In-line piezo microphone (5) • b) Disk piezo microphone (6) • c) Miniaturized condenser microphone (9)

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