Finger Controller Percussion Instrument with Touch-Sensitive Actuation Regions

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current percussion instruments and technologies require significant aptitude, dexterity, and knowledge of music theory to play complex percussive beats in real-time, limiting accessibility and immediate musical satisfaction for beginners and experienced musicians alike.

Innovation Solution

A hand-controlled musical instrument with a plurality of touch-sensitive finger controllers, each corresponding to a component part of a percussive beat, allowing users to easily vary hit patterns without needing aptitude, dexterity, or music theory knowledge, using a intuitive interface that can be operated with a single hand.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If traditional drum sets are used to play complex percussive beats, then musical complexity and real-time performance capability are improved, but learning difficulty and skill requirement increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepercussive beat complexityVSAvoidlearning difficulty

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The drum set is divided into separate component parts (kick drum, snare drum, tom drums, cymbals), each controlled by an independent finger controller. This segmentation allows users to control each percussion element individually through simple finger presses on corresponding touch-sensitive surfaces, reducing the learning curve while maintaining the ability to play complex multi-component beats simultaneously

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Traditional mechanical drum playing requiring physical striking with drumsticks is replaced by an electronic touch-sensitive interface. The finger controllers with touch-sensitive surfaces detect finger presses and translate them into electronic signals that trigger appropriate drum sounds, eliminating the need for physical dexterity and coordination while enabling complex beat patterns

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Adaptability or versatility

If electronic drum sets with multiple pads are used, then sound variety and beat complexity are improved, but device complexity and skill requirement increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebeat pattern varietyVSAvoidnumber of controllers

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Each finger controller serves multiple functions: it can trigger different drum sounds depending on which pad is pressed, control different beat patterns through the actuation region grid, and operate independently for real-time performance. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate controllers for each function while maintaining beat pattern variety

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

Multiple beat patterns and drum sounds are pre-programmed in the system, with each finger controller having pre-configured actuation regions that correspond to specific beat patterns. Users can immediately access these pre-prepared patterns through simple finger presses without needing to program or learn complex timing patterns from scratch

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Ease of operation

If finger drum sets with grid patterns are used, then ease of operation is improved, but the ability to play real-time complex rhythms is limited

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinterface simplicityVSAvoidreal-time performance capability

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system provides dynamic control where pressing different pads on the same finger controller can trigger different beat patterns in real-time. The actuation region grid allows for dynamic selection of patterns based on finger position, enabling users to change rhythms on the fly while maintaining simple operation through finger presses

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The finger controllers continuously detect finger presses and immediately trigger corresponding drum sounds and beat patterns without delay. This continuous real-time response maintains the flow of music-making, allowing users to play complex rhythms spontaneously without interruption or waiting, bridging the gap between simple interface and complex performance capability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Data Source

PatentUS12106743B1Beat player musical instrument

Publication Date: 2024.10.01 CHORD BOARD LLC

AI summary

A musical instrument operable to play a multi-component percussive beat. The musical instrument includes a plurality of finger controllers, wherein each finger controller is operable to control a component part of the multi-component percussive beat. Each of the plurality of finger controllers has a touch-sensitive range providing a plurality of actuation regions, and each actuation region is operable to play a hit pattern associated with a component percussion track representing a respective component of the multi-component percussive beat.