JPH01310396A - Electronic percussion instrument - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain a musical sound which is close to that of a natural percus sion instrument and a musical sound which can not be obtained by the natural percussion instrument by controlling modulation according to the strength of percussion and varying its depth. CONSTITUTION:A CPU 26 generates a MIDI signal for controlling a sound source part 46 according to respective digital envelope signals from an A/D converter 30 and parameters set at an operation part 32. Those include note-on information indicating the generation of a musical sound, program change information for setting timbre, control change information for setting the depth of modulation such as a vibrate and a tremolo, panning information, etc., and sends them to the sound source part 46. There are four sound sources 48-54 corresponding to respective pads, plural waveform memories are provided, and the timbre can be varied corresponding to the strength of percussion. Further, the levels of the outputs of the respective sound sources are controlled respectively and a sound image location can be set. Further, the musical sound which can not be obtained by the natural percussion instrument can be obtained according to the control state of the modulation.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION <Industrial Field of Application> The present invention relates to an electronic percussion instrument that generates a musical tone depending on the strength of the impact when an external impact is applied to the percussion surface.

<Prior Art> Conventionally, electronic percussion instruments have been known that generate musical tones by externally striking the striking surface, and are configured to generate musical tones with timbre and volume depending on the strength of the striking. ing.

Natural percussion instruments include drum sets, which have multiple striking surfaces or each with a different tone (bass drum, snare drum, cymbal, etc.), and xylophones (marimba, vibraphone), which have almost the same tone. There are some that have musical scales.

Some electronic percussion instruments constantly modulate the musical tone in order to obtain a musical tone close to that of the above-mentioned natural percussion instruments.

<Problem to be solved by the invention> However, with natural percussion instruments, if the force of the blow is small, no modulation occurs, and even if the force of the blow is large, the depth of the modulation varies depending on the force of the blow. It's different. However, since conventional electronic percussion instruments apply uniform modulation,
There was a problem in that the musical tones obtained were quite different from the musical tones of natural instruments.

<Means for Solving the Problems> The present invention is intended to solve the above-mentioned problems. The apparatus comprises means for generating a musical tone signal, means for detecting the strength of a blow from the electric signal, and means for controlling modulation of the musical tone signal in accordance with the detected strength of the blow. .

Effect> According to the present invention, when the striking surface is hit, an electric signal is generated, and a musical tone signal is generated in response to this. Furthermore, the strength of the impact is detected from the electrical signal, and the modulation of the musical tone signal is controlled in accordance with the strength of the impact.

<Example> In this example, the present invention was applied to a tram set. FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the performance operation section 8. As shown in FIG. In the same figure, 10 to 16 are sensors, which are respectively provided in four pads (not shown) to which a blow is applied from the outside. For example, piezoelectric elements are used as these sensors 10 to 16, and convert vibrations generated by hitting each pad into electrical signals.

The electrical signals from these sensors 10 to 16 are supplied to envelope detection units 18 to 24, respectively, and their envelopes are detected.

These envelopes are sequentially supplied to the A/D converter 30 via the multiplexer 28 controlled by the CPU 26, and are converted into digital envelope signals.
Supplied to the CPU'S.

The CPU 26 includes an operation unit 32, a ROM 34, a RAM
36, a display section 38, and a parallel/serial conversion section 40. The operation unit 32 has operators including a large number of switches, volumes, etc., and is used to set parameters (for example, a threshold level, a modulation threshold level, etc. to be described later) and a mote. In addition to volume controls that are operated by hand, there are also volume controls that are operated by foot.

The ROM 34 stores programs and various constants for the CPU 26,
It stores parameters. RAM36 is
This is for storing parameters and the like set on the operation unit 32. The display section 38 displays the parameters set by the operation section 32, the state of the mode, and the strength of the blow using a light emitting diode or the like. Note that details of the display section 38 will be described later.

The CPU 26 uses an MI for controlling the sound source section 46, which will be described later, based on each digital envelope signal from the A/D converter 30 and parameters set on the operation section 32.
Generate DI signal. This MIDI signal includes a note-on for instructing the generation of musical tones, a program change for setting the timbre, a control change for setting the depth of modulation such as vibrato and tremolo, and pan information (sound image localization information). This MIDI signal is converted into a serial signal by a parallel/serial converter 40, and transmitted to a serial/parallel converter 42 of a tone generator 46 shown in FIG.

This serial/parallel converter 42 converts the supplied serial signal into a parallel MIDI signal, and converts the supplied serial signal into a parallel MIDI signal.
6 of the CPU 44.

This sound source section 46 has four sound sources 48, 50, 52, and 54 corresponding to each putt. Each sound source 48.50.
52 and 54 are of a type in which musical tone signals stored in respective built-in waveform memories (not shown) are read out, and one sound source is provided with a plurality of waveform memories. The musical tone signals stored in the waveform memory of one sound source have different tones. The strength with which you hit the bat is
When the tone color switching level (this level is also set by the operation unit 32) or higher is reached, the waveform memory to be read out is switched, and the mixing ratio of musical tone signals read out from a plurality of waveform memories is changed. Therefore, it is possible to change the tone depending on the strength of the blow. Further, the output level of each sound source 48.50.52.54 is controlled as described later, and the output level of each sound source 48.50.52.54 is controlled as described later.
The sound image localization of the output of 54 can be set.

FIGS. 3 and 4 show portions of a routine executed by timer interoperation approximately every 2 msec to generate MIDI signals from the CPU 26, which are relevant to the present invention. Figure 3 shows whether or not there has been a hit on the hitting surface by comparing the envelope with the threshold level, and if it is determined that there has been a hit, the maximum value of the envelope is detected and the velocity corresponding to the maximum value is determined. Sends a note-on (signal to start sounding) together with a value (this example is an electronic percussion instrument, so a value representing the strength of the strike);
Further, by comparing the detected maximum value with a modulation threshold level, it is determined whether or not to apply modulation.

Therefore, first, the bad variable (i) is set to 0 (step S2). Next, the envelope level D(i) of the first bad is input from the A/D converter 30 by controlling the multiplexer 28 (step S4).

It is determined whether the input envelope level D(i) exceeds the threshold level L(i) (step S6
). Note that this threshold level L(i) is set on the operating section 32 so that it differs depending on the percussion instrument (for example, bass drum, snare drum, cymbal) assigned to each pad.
is set.

If the answer to step S6 is YES, it becomes clear that the bat (i) is being hit, so next it is determined whether the envelope level D(i) or the maximum value MAX is reached (step S
8). This judgment is based on the current envelope level D(i)
This is done by comparing the previous envelope level D(i) with the previous envelope level D(i). That is, the previous envelope level D(
If the current envelope level D(i) is larger than i), it is determined that the envelope is rising (that is, it is not the maximum value), and if it is the same or smaller, it is determined that it is the maximum value, and the maximum value DM is stored. do. Therefore, when it is determined that it is not the maximum value, that is, when the answer to this step S8 is NO,
The envelope level D(i) at that time is stored in the memory (i) for use in determining whether it is the next maximum value or not (step 510). Note that for the same purpose, step StO is also executed when the answer to step S6 is No.

If the answer to step S8 is YES, that is, if the maximum value DM is detected, it is determined whether the maximum value DM is greater than the modulation threshold level M L (i) (step S12). This modulation threshold level ML(i) is also set by the operation unit 32 to a different value depending on the percussion instrument assigned to each pad.

If the answer to step S12 is YES, the flag MJ(i) instructing to apply modulation is set to 1 (step 51
4).

Then, the note-on signal is transmitted with a velocity corresponding to the maximum value DM attached (step 516).

Moreover, if the answer to step S12 is No, that is, the maximum value D
If M has not reached the level to apply modulation, step S
14 and executes step S16.

Then, the bad variable (i) is incremented by 1 (step 518), and it is determined whether the bad variable (i) is equal to the total number of bads n (4 in this embodiment) (step 5ho);
If the answer is No, step S4 is executed again and the same judgment is made for other bads. If the answer to step S20 is YES, this routine ends.

Figure 4 shows the sound source 48.50.52 to which modulation was applied.
．． This is for determining the depth modulation to be applied to 54. First, the bat variable (i) is set to 0 (step 522), and it is determined whether MJ(i) or l (step 524). If the answer is YES, since modulation is to be applied, the value of the foot pedal, volume, or other operator corresponding to this bat (i) is read (step 526). Determine whether this read value has changed from the value read last time (Step 528)
, is changing (the answer to step 328 is YES), the modulation depth signal set by that operator is transmitted (step 530). And the bat variable (i
) (step 532) and determine whether the value of the bat variable (i) is equal to n (step 5
34). If the answer is No, steps S24 and subsequent steps are executed again. If the answer to step S34 is YES,
Exit this routine.

If the answer to step S24 is NO, that is, if no modulation is to be applied, steps 326, 28, and 30 are jumped and step S32 is executed. Similarly, if the answer to step S28 is NO, that is, if modulation is applied or if the depth of modulation is unchanged from the previous time, step S30 is jumped and step S32 is executed.

When the sound source section 46 receives the MIDI signal transmitted in this way, it generates a musical tone signal at a volume corresponding to the timbre, pitch, and velocity specified by the MIDI signal, and performs modulation according to the modulation depth signal. Add. Note that the CPU 26 counts the time corresponding to the time from the start of sound generation until the musical tone decays, and sets the flag MJ(i) to O after the elapse of that time.

The above method applies modulation when the maximum value of the impact is greater than the modulation threshold level, and does not apply modulation when the maximum value of the impact is smaller than the modulation threshold level. Ta. However, as shown in FIG.
The velocity value and modulation depth corresponding to the strength of the impact may be read out from the ROM 34 or the like, and after the note-on signal is transmitted, the velocity value and modulation depth signal may be transmitted. This kind of thing can also be done with keyboard instruments. In that case, the speed of key depression is detected, and a velocity value and a modulation depth signal corresponding to the detected speed are read out. Transmission is performed in the same manner as above.

FIG. 6 shows a part of the display section 38, and there are four level indicators 56, 58, 60 corresponding to each bat.
．． 62. These level indicators display the strength of the impact and the level at which the tone changes. They use light emitting diodes that can switch between two colors, and the strength of the impact is indicated by red (hatched in Figure 6). ), and the switching level is shown in green (shown in black in Figure 6). With this configuration, the performer can visually confirm the level at which the tone changes, and when setting the level at which the tone changes, the performer can also visually confirm the level. Therefore, settings can be easily made. Note that as the switching level displayed on the level indicator, in addition to the level at which the timbre is switched, a modulation threshold level for determining whether or not to apply modulation can also be used.

The MIDI signal transmitted from the performance operation section 8 also includes panning information. This panning information can control sound image localization using a 7-bit numerical value (0-127). For example, the smaller the numerical value, the more leftward the localization is, and the larger the numerical value is, closer to 127, the more rightward the localization is performed. In this embodiment, the performance operation section 32 is configured to store a plurality of sets of panning information, select one of them, and transmit it to the sound source section 46. This transmission is performed every time the pad is hit.
You can also store it in your 50I. In other words, with one setting, the bass drum is preset to the left, the snare drum to the center, and the cymbal to the right, and with another setting, the position is the opposite of the above. It is only necessary to select one of the presets. As the selection signal, a program change of MIDI signal may be used. On the other hand, by the performer's operation,
For example, after hitting the hitting surface with the stick, it would be interesting to have the sound image move from left to right, or vice versa, by controlling the foot volume, etc. Sound effects can be obtained. In this case, panning information is transmitted to the sound source section 46 each time the pad is hit.

FIG. 7 is an example of a circuit for setting sound image localization based on panning information in the sound source unit 46, and outputs from each sound source 48, 50, 52, 54 are applied to multipliers 64, 66, 68, respectively. .70, multiplied by coefficients αl, α2, α3, α4 determined based on the panning information,
An adder 72 adds these together to provide an L channel output. Similarly, the output from each sound source 48.50.52.54 is applied to a multiplier 74.76.78.80 using a coefficient β1. The signals are multiplied by β2, β3, and β4, and then added by an adder 82 and outputted to the R channel.

FIG. 8 also shows a circuit for setting sound image localization based on banning information in the sound source section 46, and one circuit shown in FIG. 8 is provided for one sound source. In the same figure, 84 is a demultiplexer that converts the output signal from a certain sound source, for example, the sound source 48, into 0 to 10 outputs based on the value of a 3-bit control signal generated based on panning information.
This causes any of the following to occur. The output signal from the sound source 48, developed at output 0, is supplied to the inverting input terminal of an operational amplifier 86 via a resistor rmoL and to the inverting input terminal of an operational amplifier 88 via a resistor rtoR. Similarly, resistors r,
L to "1.L" are connected respectively, and the output terminal l is connected as well.
Resistors r1□R to rzyR are connected between the resistors r1□R to rzyR and the non-inverting input terminal of the operational amplifier 88. Further, feedback resistors RrL and RrR are connected between the output terminal and the non-inverting input terminal of the re-operational amplifiers 86 and 88, respectively. The values of both these resistors RfL and RrR are set to the same value. And r*oL/'goRt
r＊IL/ rg□R""・"r, yL/ r, y
The value of R is set to increase in order. Therefore, when the output of the sound source 48 occurs at the output 0 of the demultiplexer 84, the output of the operational amplifier 86 is output to the operational amplifier 88.
, and the output of the sound source 48 is localized to the right. When the output l of the sound source 48 occurs,
Compared to when the output is O, the output of the operational amplifier 86 or the output of the operational amplifier 88 becomes larger, and the localization moves slightly to the left. Thereafter, similarly, each time an output occurs in outputs 2 to 7, the localization moves to the right. In this way, each sound source 48.50
．． After determining the localization every 52.54, these are combined and output.

<Effects of the Invention> As described above, according to the electronic percussion instrument according to the present invention, the modulation is not applied uniformly but is controlled according to the strength of the blow. It is possible to control the instrument so that no modulation is applied when the percussion is weak, or to change the depth of modulation depending on the strength of the percussion, making it possible to obtain a musical sound close to that of a natural percussion instrument. Furthermore, depending on the modulation control state, it is possible to obtain musical tones that would be impossible to obtain with natural percussion instruments.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of the performance operation section of an embodiment of the electronic percussion instrument according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the sound source section of the same embodiment, and FIG. 3 is an operation flowchart of the performance operation section of the embodiment. 4 is a diagram showing the remaining part of the same flowchart, FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of a modification of the same embodiment,
FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of the display section of the same embodiment, FIG. 7 is a block diagram of a sound image localization control device used in the sound source section of the same embodiment, and FIG.
The figure is a block diagram of another example of the same sound image localization control device. lO to 16: means for converting a blow into an electrical signal;
18 to 24...Means for detecting the strength of the blow, 26
. . . Means for controlling modulation; 46 . . . Means for generating musical tone signals. Patent Applicant Roland Co., Ltd. Managing Director Tetsu Shimizu Idiot 2 Multitalented L
Fig.'1'2 Fig. 3 Fig. 4 Fig. Z6 Fig. 5 Fig. 11 Kidney / 1 strength

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) means for converting a blow to the hitting surface into an electrical signal;
means for generating a musical tone signal with a tone or pitch corresponding to the hitting surface; means for detecting the strength of a strike from the electrical signal; and controlling modulation of the musical tone signal in accordance with the detected strength of the strike. An electronic percussion instrument equipped with a means for