Patent ID: 7491880
Filing Date: 2009-02-17
Classification: G10G,G10H

Abstract:
1. A sound control apparatus for a keyboard-based musical instrument comprising: a swingable key a hammer having a hammer shank and a catcher, and adapted to swing associated with a swinging motion of said key; a plate-shaped shutter integrated with said hammer and disposed between said hammer shank and said catcher, extending along a plane including a swinging path along which said hammer swings, and formed with a cutout in an edge on an opposite side to a direction in which said hammer swings associated with a touch on said key; an optical sensor having a light emitter disposed on one side of the swinging path of said shutter for emitting light, and a light receiver disposed on the other side of the swinging path for receiving the light from said light emitter, for generating a detection signal in accordance with a light receiving state of said light receiver; and sound generation timing setting means for setting a sound generation timing at which music sound should be generated based on the detection signal of said optical sensor responsive to opening and closing of a light path of the light from said light emitter of said optical sensor by said shutter, when said hammer swings.