2291 results about "Musical instrument" patented technology

An improved method for delivery and play back of sound and image files is provided. This new method includes the use of sound and / or image clips, which can be snippets or full files, as alerts for a variety of electronic devices or for playing on a handheld device, and for use as a promotion to sell items associated with the files. A collection or library of uniquely selected and / or edited clips may also be provided to the consumer in a manner far more conveniently on conventional telephone equipment than previously available. Algorithms are provided for the delivery, storage and playback of the sound files, including a delivery method algorithm (500), a parametric optimization and compression algorithm (1500), and an error correction algorithm. In contrast to the conventional ring tones or musical chimes used to ring cellular phones currently on the market, the current invention provides a method for ringing cellular phones and landline telephones with real sound recordings including real music, which may be songs lifted from copyright registered CD tracks, and may comprise human voice, various instrument sounds, and other sound effects of a high quality. A software based system for encoding the hardware of existing cellular phones at the time of manufacturing with delivery, storage, and playback capabilities in accordance with the present invention is provided, such that additional hardware is not required.

A simulated musical instrument may be used to alter the audio of a video game, the video aspects of video game, or both. Use of a controlled simulating a musical instrument allows a rhythm-action game can be enjoyed in a manner closer to a realistic state of playing an instrument.

A multiple function laryngoscope to be used for the safe intubation of a patient's trachea during a respiratory emergency or as an elective procedure. A two section instrument. Proximally, a reusable handle that houses a rechargeable battery, electronic circuits that feed a distal digital image to variable position LCD screen or viewing port, switches and low battery indicator light. Distally, the handle electrically couples with a disposable curved scabbard. The scabbard features a dorsal endotracheal tube channel with a wavy opening which allows preloading and gentle extraction of different size endotracheal tubes once the patient's trachea has been intubated. The scabbard's distal end strategically houses a distal sweeper that engages the epiglottis and exposes the glottis, an opening for the exit of a preloaded endotracheal tube, a LED light, a suction / oxygenation port, and a lens coupled with a digital imaging system (CMOS) to digitize and transport a distant wide field of view. Safe LCD view of one or serial rapid intubations are possible by rapidly replacing for a clean disposable scabbard in case of multiple emergencies.

A speaker system for a musical instrument that detects the displacement of a voice coil of a speaker and provides feedback processing. The speaker system has a preamp that alters the frequency characteristics of the an electrical signal that has been input to an input terminal, and a power amplifier that amplifies the electrical signal. A speaker is driven by the power amplifier and a feedback unit detects the displacement of the speaker and provides a feedback signal to the power amplifier. The power amplifier amplifies the electrical signal in conformance with the output of the preamp and the feedback signal.

A pedal board for releasably retaining a plurality of foot pedal operated sound effect generators used in conjunction with musical instruments, such as guitars. The pedal board comprises an upper plate having a surface constructed to releasably hold a plurality of foot pedal operated sound effect generators. The pedal board is provided with an internal wiring harness and external jacks for connection of the sound effect generators in a desired array and which enable connection to the musical instrument as well as to an auxiliary sound generating component used with the musical instrument.

A simulated musical instrument may be used to alter the audio of a video game, the video aspects of video game, or both. Use of a controller simulating a musical instrument allows a rhythm-action game can be enjoyed in a manner closer to a realistic state of playing an instrument.

An improved method and apparatus are disclosed to permit real time, distributed performance by multiple musicians at remote locations, and for recording that collaboration. The latency of the communication channel is transferred to the behavior of the local instrument so that a natural accommodation is made by the musician. This allows musical events that actually occur simultaneously at remote locations to be played together at each location, though not necessarily simultaneously at all locations. This allows locations having low latency connections to retain some of their advantage. Artifacts resulting from an unreliable communication channel, for instance dropouts and jitter, are eliminated in the recorded performance. Limitations of communications bandwidth are managed in real time, with full fidelity restored in the recording.

A virtual reality composer platform and system (VRCPS) includes a plurality of user input / output devices and signal input / output controllers interfaced to a central processing unit complete with plurality of memory means, a butterfly morpheus musical instrument with plurality of manual input means each with a first unique visible indicia interfaced to said central processing unit, a plurality of finger adapters each with a second unique visible indicia donned on respective fingers and at least one custom butterfly morpheus music notation computer interface. The system is particularly suited for composing music for self-learning and teaching for all types of musical instruments for optimal virtual reality multimedia experience. The VRCPS platform and concepts disclosed are vari-dimensional acoustic environments, which are equally suited to all types of electronic learning and composing systems, game systems and computers. It is suitable for all levels of Do-It-Yourself learning from learning Beginners to Virtuoso Levels.

A method for facilitating real-time interaction between a first and second player of a music-based video game via a network having unpredictable delivery latency includes displaying to a first player target musical data associated with a musical composition downloaded from an online venue, receiving music performance input from the first player via a controller resembling a first musical instrument, displaying to a second player, the second player located remotely from the first player, target musical data associated with the musical composition, and receiving music performance input from the second player.

Provided are methods and systems and computer readable media for providing interaction between remote players and one or more local players of a rhythm-action game executed on a game platform. One or more local players is identified to participate in a networked session of a rhythm action game corresponding to a predetermined band template, each local player associated with a type of simulated musical instrument. A first type of simulated musical instrument, represented in the predetermined band template and not associated with any of the one or more local players, may then be identified, along with a remote player associated with the first type of simulated musical instrument. Then, game platforms of the local and remote players communicate to establish a networked session of the rhythm action game with the one or more local players and the identified remote player before initiating a game session where the players play the game.

Aspects of the invention relate to fully automated systems and methods for shuffling and scrambling playing instruments, such as cards, before being dealt to one or more players. In one embodiment, a rotating device is utilized to scramble playing instruments. In yet a further embodiment, the rotating device is coupled with air, vacuum, or combinations thereof to further scramble the cards. The scrambling device may be coupled to an aligning device for realigning the playing instruments upon being adequately shuffled. According to another aspect of the invention, physical cards are utilized in a gaming environment that may be scrambled, shuffled, and / or played remotely over a network. In one embodiment, the physical cards are traditional poker-style gaming cards. The cards include at least one identifier that may be read upon the card being dealt. The identifier may contain information that is remotely communicated to a player.

A apparatus and method for providing enhanced utilization of transponder devices and for creating control embodiments that are particularly suited for use dynamically generating or controlling audio from a remote location. Transponders units are configured with trace buffers, external dynamic inputs, response delays, and other mechanisms to enhance utility. By way of example, the transponders are incorporated within embodiments such as a steering wheel, skateboard, or sensor glove controlled musical instrument, or control system. Other embodiments include a mix-memory audio system and an audio amplitude control solution for automobiles.

A method for facilitating real-time interaction between a first and second player of a music-based video game via a network having unpredictable delivery latency, the first player located remotely from the second player, includes displaying to a first player target musical data associated with a musical composition, receiving music performance input from the first player via a controller resembling a first musical instrument, displaying to a second player, the second player located remotely from the first player, target musical data associated with the musical composition, and receiving music performance input from the second player.

A system and method of instructing a user to read musical notation through interaction with a graphical user interface and an input instrument representative of a stringed instrument comprising a plurality of modes of instruction which progressively direct and alter characteristics of the user interface to more closely resemble standard musical notation. The graphical user interface includes a virtual fingerboard having linear arrays representing frequency ranges and note positions. The note positions and linear arrays may be coded indexed to a chromatic scale and may directly correspond to fingerboard positions on an input instrument. A game object is directed toward the virtual fingerboard in accordance with a music file is incorporated in the graphical user interface which contains data corresponding to notes in sequence that have a rhythmic pattern of arrangement coinciding with the virtual fingerboard. An evaluation of the user's performance is provided based on striking the input instrument.

The present invention discloses a novel method and apparatus for instructing a student how to play a musical instrument. The method includes providing a display device, displaying a staff on the display device, displaying an image on the display device, and instructing the student to focus on the image while preferably using a musical instrument to play the notes on the staff, wherein the image moves generally in the direction of the progression of notes on the staff while the student attempts to play the, notes with the musical instrument. As the image moves, the image preferably moves in a direction generally parallel to the staff.

A method and system of teaching and / or studying music theory and for aiding the practice of musical instruments according to the integration of the color spectrum with notes of the circle of fifths and rearrangement of those notes into the musical chromatic scale. This rearrangement is accomplished by rotating either set of notes (spaced at whole-tone intervals) in the circle of fifths by 180 degrees. The musical chromatic scale arrangement of colors is then applied to various instruments. Diagrams representing the various note / color patterns as they appear on the various color-coded instruments are also provided. Scale and / or chord charts or diagrams for various instruments are also provided. The inventive color code is also applied to tablature, as well as to inventive forms of music notation.

A generally rectangular shaped universal pickup cradle (50, 154 or 156 ) for an electric musical stringed instrument (20 or 150) allows a plurality of different pickups (50, 154, 156) to be interchangeably inserted into the stringed musical instrument. In addition, there are one or more receptacle cavities (36, 38, 40, 152) in the stringed musical instrument (20, 150) so that any of the universal pickup cradles (50, 154, 156) may be placed within any of the receptacle cavities. The universal pickup cradles (50, 154, 156), in combination with a separate electronics module (177, 200), provide a flexible and upgradeable system for an electric stringed instrument.

A system, computer readable storage medium, and method for communicating musical data over a network, comprising: connecting one or more player modules to a network; providing an unassigned channel of prerecorded music data; providing an assigned channel of prerecorded music data; displaying the assigned channel; playing the unassigned channel while not playing the assigned channel; converting musical performance to music performance data; evaluating the music performance data in regard to the assigned channel; and simultaneously delivering a representation of the evaluation over the network. There may also be a graphical user interface, including a virtual instrument positioned substantially at a top portion of the graphical interface. Additionally, included are pluralities of musical notes in sequence, having a rhythmic pattern, each note being represented by a game object, wherein the game objects are directed upward, in substantially straight trajectories, toward the virtual keys on the virtual musical instrument corresponding to the musical notes.

An electronic keyboard simulates the keyboard action of one or more acoustic pianos and / or organs. Sensors associated with each key capture the force exerted on the key, the speed of the key and the position of the key to compute an amount of force to apply in feedback to the depressed key. An actuator associated with each key provides the computed feedback value as a counter-force to the player's finger pressure. Feedback may be computed in one or more processors by applying the sensor readings to a system model of the desired instruments mechanical key action. Also, feedback may be determined through a lookup table containing feedback values defining a particular instrument's action. The player can switch between different instrument action definitions as desired, and may tune certain parameters to achieve a customized action.

A simulated musical instrument may be used to alter the audio of a video game, the video aspects of video game, or both. Use of a controller simulating a musical instrument allows a rhythm-action game can be enjoyed in a manner closer to a realistic state of playing an instrument.

An apparatus and method is disclosed for storing, editing, deleting and visually displaying personal information within a stringed musical instrument. A hand-held type computer (34) located in and forming a portion of the envelope or housing of the stringed musical instrument displays personal information to a user from a display screen (44). For example, a user can store, retrieve, edit and delete information such as complete song tablature, contact names, phone numbers, play lists for performance, schedules of shows etc. from within the instrument.

A system and method for instrument placement using an image based navigation system is disclosed. A target of interest is identified in a medical image of a patient. An image plane is displayed that goes through a center of the target. The image plane has a configurable orientation. The image plane is used to select a path for an instrument from a position on the patient's skin to the center of the target. A trajectory plane is viewed from a tip of the instrument to the center of the target. The trajectory plane reflects an orientation of the instrument. A particular trajectory plane is selected that is representative of a desired orientation of the instrument. An image of the particular trajectory plane is frozen. The instrument can then be inserted using a virtual guide and is navigated toward the target.

Disclosed is a stringed instrument that includes a plurality of strings and a pickup to which each of the plurality of strings is respectively coupled that is connectable to a computer to implement DSP modeling. A serial interface circuit is coupled to the pickup and to a digital connector that formats each digital string vibration signal received from the pickup into a digital serial protocol. A computer is coupled by a serial link to the digital connector such that the computer receives each serially formatted digital string signal (SFDSS). The computer operates at least one audio DSP-based software module to process each received SFDSS wherein each SFDSS is processed in order to emulate a corresponding string tone of one of a plurality of stringed instruments to create an emulated digital string tone signal (EDSTS). Each EDSTS is then transmitted back over the serial link to the stringed instrument for playback.

A novel system and method of video assisted music instrument collaboration over distance. The system and method enable a musician to play a music instrument at one location and have the played music recreated by a music instrument at another location is provided. The system and method can be used to provide distance education for musical instrument instruction and, in this case, each student and instructor of the system has an end point which can connect to other end points in the system to exchange music data, preferably MIDI data, and videoconferencing data through a data network such as the Internet. The system and method can also be used for performances wherein a musician at a first end point plays an instrument and music data, representing the music played, is transferred to a second end point where the music played at the first end point is reproduced and one or more other musicians at the second end point play with the reproduced music in a musical performance. Preferably, each end point includes a music processing engine which buffers data received from another end point to remove the effects of transmission delays and jitter and to discard overly delayed data and to prevent damage to the music instrument at the end point due to undue network delays. Further, the music processing engine can inform the users when network performance is responsible for improper and / or undesired music playback by the instrument at the end point. This buffering by the music processing engine can also allow the synchronization of a video conferencing system between the end points with the playing of music by the instruments at the end points.

A method facilitating the learning of music by matching coded note symbols (38) of musical compositions to coded note location and formation identifiers (32) of instruments. Colors, each having a name beginning with one of the letter names of the musical alphabet (45), are combined with pitch marks (39), enabling the coding of musical notes. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the colors are paired with stylized animal images (50, 52, 54, 56, 58, 60, 62). These animal images' names are coupled with the color names of the invention via reiteration of the first letter of the names (50, 52, 54, 56, 58, 60, 62) to enhance the remembering of the relationship between color and note. The invention's color coding system is also applied to musical composition structures (31, 40, 41, 43, 44, 46, 92, 93, 94, 95) for easy identification of musical elements such as compositional keys and key signature (92).

An exercise unit (20) and system (104) comprising a target (22) having at least one area (24) to be stuck by a user and at least one sensor (26) located at the area (24) is disclosed. The sensor (26) generates an electrical signal in response to being struck by the user. A processor (48) is in operative communication with the sensor (26) and a musical instrument digital interface (MIDI) converter (50) is disposed between the sensor (26) and the processor (48). The MIDI converter (50) converts the electrical signal from the sensor (26) to a MIDI signal and transmits the MIDI signal to the processor (48) for generating a MIDI strike track (52). The MIDI strike track (52) is used to determine an accuracy and a force of the strike by the user to provide interaction and feedback to the user to continue to help motivate the user.

Disclosed is a computing device to allow for the selection and display of a multimedia presentation of an audio file to a user. An interface device couples the musical instrument to the computing device by performing A / D conversion of the musical instrument's analog audio signal to create a digitized audio signal. The computing device includes a communication device and a processor. The communication device transmits a user's request for the selection of a musical piece to a server. In turn, the communication device receives a session file associated with the musical piece from the server. The processor processes the session file such that the computing device presents a multimedia presentation of the audio file to the user. Moreover, the processor processes the digitized audio signal of the musical instrument so that the user can play the musical instrument in conjunction with the multimedia presentation of the audio file.

An electronic percussion instrument that allows for a performance sensation that is similar to that of an acoustic HiHat cymbal. A sliding mechanism of a top cymbal pad section and a bottom cymbal pad section of an electronic HiHat cymbal where the top cymbal pad section and the bottom cymbal pad section are both fixed so that they can swing together when the top cymbal pad section is struck. Even when the first cymbal pad is struck and swings coming into contact with the second cymbal pad, the gliding contact between the first pad and the second pad is carried out smoothly and allows for a natural striking sensation comparable to that of an acoustic HiHat cymbal.

An audio / video processing system combines a locally generated audio signal with pre-recorded audio / video programming to produce combined audio / video output. The audio / video system allows users to generate sound locally, mix them with the audio content of a pre-recorded audio / video program, and allows combined output to be presented by home audio / video system video displays and the speakers. The audio / video system provides independent sound characteristic control capability, such as volume control settings and voice and tone alterations settings and the equalization settings, for the various sound components produced in the process of mixing locally generated sounds. The sound components produced in the process of mixing include locally generated sound components, such as the voice sound component, the musical instrument sound components, and the sound components of the pre-recorded audio program such as voice, musical instrument and the background sound components. The pre-recorded audio / video programs may be obtained on the pay-per-view basis.