Musical apparatus

A musical apparatus including a novel combination by which a musician may control the output of a musical synthesizer, while playing his own musical instrument in a normal manner. The musical synthesizer may be pre-programmed for many unusual and exciting tonal effects--such as harmonics, dissonances, parallel tracking, electronic sounds, etc. Broadly speaking, the present invention associates individual tone switches with respective tone control elements of the musical instrument. When the instrument is played, its tone-control elements function to "set" the associated tone switches to an active setting that completes associated tone circuits, so that corresponding electric tone signals are produced for application to the musical synthesizer.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates to musical apparatus and, more particularly, 
relates to a novel combination by which a musician may control the output 
of a musical synthesizer, while playing his own musical instrument in a 
normal manner. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
It is well known that musicians and composers are constantly seeking ways 
to make more interesting sounds. 
Recently, the composers have acquired new electronic apparatus known as a 
"synthesizer", this being capable of producing (synthesizing) an enormous 
variety of electric waveforms that may be applied to loudspeakers--thereby 
producing an extremely wide spectrum of "electronic" sounds, some of which 
approximate known sounds, and others of which are entirely new. The basics 
of these synthesizers are discussed in the book entitled "The New World of 
Electronic Music" by Walter Sear, the author making such statements as " . 
. . makes it possible to generate tens of thousands of entirely new 
sounds" (page 69); "It is like inventing a new instrument every time that 
the synthesizer is programmed." (page 71); "The synthesizer can also 
generate many sounds which cannot be produced by the human voice, nor by 
any other instrument." (page 72). 
Many musical composers are enthralled by this new synthesizer; and new 
musical compositions are appearing in ever-increasing numbers. 
Unfortunately for the musical instrumentalist, however, no new musical 
instruments have been introduced in a relatively long time; so that 
instrumentalists have generally been limited to improving their playing 
techniques. While it is true that electronic systems have been developed 
for some instruments--such as the guitar, the drum, the accordian, 
etc.--these electronic systems have generally comprised selective 
amplifiers that merely changed the balance of the musical tones and/or 
provided limited special effects. 
It is, therefore, still desirable to introduce new ways by which an 
instrumentalist can produce new and exciting sounds. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is well known that musical tones are produced by vibrations--the 
"string" instruments causing strings to vibrate in special ways, the 
"percussion" instruments causing selected materials to vibrate in special 
ways, and other instruments causing a column of air to vibrate in special 
ways. 
This latter group of vibrating-air-column instruments includes such diverse 
instruments as the pipe organ, horns, brasses, wind instruments, reed 
instruments, lip-controlled instruments, etc. Some of these 
vibrating-air-column instruments produce different tones by permitting the 
instrumentalist to change the length of the vibrating-air-column--one 
sub-group changing the length of the air column by physically inserting or 
removing selected lengths of tubing, whereas another sub-group changing 
the length of the air column by permitting the instrumentalist to cover or 
uncover (finger) selected tone holes having predetermined sizes and 
locations. 
For clarity of disclosure, the subject invention will be presented in terms 
of a saxophone--which is a member of the fingered sub-group, although the 
invention should not be construed as being limited to use with a 
saxophone--as will be discussed later. 
The saxophone is a vibrating-air-column instrument wherein the 
vibrating-air column extends substantially from the mouthpiece to the 
first open tone hole. When a selected key of the saxophone is fingered, a 
mechanically complex "keyworks" causes that key's associated "pad" to open 
or to close an associated tone hole--in this way, controlling the length 
of the vibrating-air column, and thus controlling the emitted acoustic 
tone. For the purpose of this presentation, each tone hole may be 
considered to have a corresponding acoustic tone associated with it, 
although this is not precisely true, as will be discussed later. Thus, 
"fingering" the various saxophone keys--i.e., covering and uncovering 
their associated tone holes--causes the saxophone to produce a series of 
musical tones. These various tones, as controlled by the tone-control 
keys, may be modified by the instrumentalist--according to his ability and 
to the capabilities of the particular instrument; but, in general, each 
instrumentalist desires to produce still other musical sounds--which are 
presently beyond his scope. 
It should be noted that the disclosed invention is not a prior-art, 
selective amplifier; rather, it is a novel combination that permits an 
instrumentalist to play his musical instrument in a normal manner, and to 
simultaneously activate an electrophone to produce electronic sounds that 
form a new and exciting musical combination with the acoustic tones 
emitted by his acoustic musical instrument. 
OBJECTIVES OF THE INVENTION 
It is the principal objective of the present invention to provide an 
improved musical apparatus. 
It is another objective of the present invention to provide an improved 
musical apparatus that comprises a novel combination of a musical 
instrument and a synthesizer. 
It is still another objective of the present invention to provide an 
improved musical apparatus that permits a synthesizer to be controlled by 
a musical instrument. 
It is a further objective of the present invention to provide an improved 
musical apparatus that permits a synthesizer to be controlled by an 
instrumentalist playing his musical instrument in the normal manner. 
It is a still further objective of the present invention to provide an 
improved musical apparatus that is a novel combination of a musical 
synthesizer and a saxophone. 
It is a still further objective of the present invention to provide an 
improved musical apparatus that comprises a novel combination of a musical 
synthesizer and a trombone. 
It is a still further objective of the present invention to provide an 
improved musical apparatus that permits a musical synthesizer to provide 
tonal effects that correspond to the acoustic tones of a musical 
instrument. 
The characteristics and advantages of the invention are further 
sufficiently referred to in connection with the accompanying drawings, 
which represent one embodiment. After considering this example, skilled 
persons will understand that variations may be made without departing from 
the principles disclosed; and I contemplate the employment of any 
structures, arrangements or modes of operation that are properly within 
the scope of the appended claims.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
As indicated above, the saxophone has a basic fingering pattern whereby a 
key is associated with a given acoustic tone; so that there is an 
essentially one-to-one relationship between each key and an associated 
tone. 
In accordance with the present invention, a plurality of "tone switches" 
(to be shown and discussed later) is mounted on the saxophone 10 of FIG. 
1; so that each of the saxophone keys is associated with a respective tone 
switch. These tone switches are capable of completing or breaking an 
associated respective "tone circuit"; and the electric "tone wires" of the 
various tone circuits are gathered into a "tone cable" 11 of FIG. 1. Cable 
11 may, if desired, be separatable by means of a suitable electric 
connector 12 that may alternatively be affixed to the saxophone 10. 
The various tone wires of the tone cable 11 are directed--through another 
suitable electric connector 12, if so desired--to a synthesizer 14; and 
the output of the synthesizer is applied to a loudspeaker system 16. 
Practically any synthesizer may be used, these ranging from the 
more-complex Moog units to the relatively simple Stylophone manufactured 
by Stylophone House of London, England. 
In use, the saxophone keys are fingered in the manner that is normal to the 
individual instrumentalist, to produce the desired acoustic tones; and the 
disclosed associated tone switches and tone circuits coact to produce 
electric tone signals that are adapted to activate the synthesizer--which 
thereupon produces a desired electronic sound. Most synthesizers have 
provisions for connecting an external keyboard and/or have provisions for 
accepting external signals; so that it is relatively easy to apply the 
above tone signals to the synthesizer. 
Thus, the present invention causes the tone switches--mounted on the 
saxophone, and associated with respective saxophone keys--to function as a 
quasi-keyboard for the synthesizer, and to thus control the synthesizer 
output. 
The Tone-Switch Arrangement 
FIG. 2 shows a schematic wiring diagram illustrating typical electric 
interconnections. In this illustration, the saxophone keys are indicated 
by rectangles, and are identified by reference characters such as 17-2, 
17-3, 17-4, etc.; and the saxophone keys 17 are also identified by having 
the rectangles enclose musical designations that identify the acoustic 
tone associated with that particular saxophone key. While the illustrated 
musical designations are for a saxophone, the disclosed principle also 
applies to other instruments. 
Each saxophone key 17 has an associated tone switch identified by reference 
characters such as 18-1, 18-2, 18-3, 18-4, etc., their suffixes 2, 3, 4, 
etc., corresponding to their associated keys 17. 
The tone switches 18 (except 18-1) are illustrated as being single pole, 
double-throw switches. The normally closed "passive" settings of the tone 
switches 18 are used to complete a "grounding" circuit that includes a 
common ground wire 19 electrically connected to the synthesizer; and the 
normally open "active" settings of the tone switches 18 are used in the 
production of tone signals--to be discussed later. 
The Tone Signals 
The saxophone has the characteristic that it is adapted to produce a 
middle-C-sharp-acoustic tone when it is not fingered. In order to provide 
a middle-C-sharp-electric-tone signal, tone switch 18-1 of FIG. 2 may be 
physically positioned next to the thumb hook of the saxophone, so that 
tone switch 18-1 may be conveniently operated by the tip of the right 
thumb. Tone switch 18-1 may be a single-pole, single-throw, normally-open, 
button-type microswitch, or its equivalent; and this is the only manually 
operated switch in the apparatus. 
In use, when the instrumentalist desires to produce a middle-C-sharp 
acoustic tone, he blows into the saxophone--without fingering any of the 
keys; and he simultaneously manually sets tone switch 18-1 to its active 
setting. As may be seen from FIG. 2, there is now a completed electric 
grounding circuit from the common ground wire 19, through the passive 
settings of the tone switches 18-20 to 18-2, and through the active 
setting of the C-sharp tone switch 18-1; so that the tone circuit produces 
a C-sharp-tone signal, indicated by an encircled C sharp. 
In this way, the instrumentalist can produce a C-sharp-acoustic tone and a 
simultaneous C-sharp-electric-tone signal that may be used to activate the 
synthesizer. 
When the instrumentalist desires to produce a D-acoustic tone, he blows 
into the saxophone while using the basic fingering for the D key 17-2; 
and, in a manner to be discussed later, the fingering automatically sets 
the associated tone switch 18-2 to its active setting. As may be seen from 
FIG. 2, there is now a completed electric grounding circuit from the 
common ground wire 19, through the passive settings of the tone switches 
18-20 to 18-3, and through the active setting of the D-tone switch 18-2; 
so that the tone circuit produces a D-tone signal, as indicated by the 
encircled D. 
In this way, the instrumentalist can produce a D-acoustic tone and a 
simultaneous D-electric-tone signal that may be used to activate the 
synthesizer. 
It should be noted (for reasons to be discussed later) that the 
C-sharp-tone switch 18-1, which is "above" the subject D-tone switch 18-2, 
has been disconnected from the grounding circuit by the active setting of 
the D-tone switch 18-2; so that these tone circuits are disabled. 
When the instrumentalist desires to produce an E-flat-acoustic tone, he 
blows into the saxophone while using the basic fingering pattern for the 
E-flat key 17-3; and, the fingering automatically sets the associated tone 
switch 18-3 to its active setting. As may be seen from FIG. 2, there is 
now a completed electric grounding circuit from the common ground wire 19, 
through the passive setting of the tone switches 18-20 to 18-4, and 
through the active setting of the E-flat-tone switch 18-3; so that the 
tone circuit produces an E-flat-tone signal indicated by the encircled E 
flat. 
In this way, the instrumentalist can produce an E-flat-acoustic tone and a 
simultaneous E-flat-electric-tone signal that may be used to activate the 
synthesizer. 
It should be noted that, here too, the tone switches 18-1 and 18-2, which 
are "above" the subject E-flat-tone switch 18-3, have been disconnected 
from the grounding circuit by the active setting of the E-flat-tone switch 
18-3; so that these tone circuits have been disabled. 
When the instrumentalist desires to produce a low-B-flat-acoustic tone, he 
blows into the saxophone while using the basic fingering pattern for the 
B-flat key 17-20; and, the fingering automatically sets the associated 
tone switch 18-20 to its active setting. As may be seen from FIG. 2, there 
is now a completed electric grounding circuit from the common ground wire 
19 through the active setting of the low-B-flat-tone switch 18-20; so that 
the tone circuit produces a low-B-flat-tone signal, indicated by the 
encircled B flat. 
In this way, the instrumentalist can produce a low-B-flat-acoustic tone and 
a simultaneous low-B-flat-electric-tone signal that may be used to 
activate the synthesizer. 
It should be noted, here too, that the tone switches 18-1 to 18-19, which 
are "above" the subject low-B-flat-tone switch 18-20, have been 
disconnected from the grounding circuit by the active setting of the 
B-flat-tone switch 18-20; so that these tone circuits are inoperative. 
Thus, whenever a selected key 18 is fingered, it adapts the saxophone to 
produce its associated acoustic tone; and the associated tone switch 
automatically causes the tone circuit to produce a simultaneous 
corresponding tone signal. Moreover, the active setting of the 
selected-associated-tone switch also disables the ground circuit of all 
the tone switches that are "above" the selected-key-tone switch. 
The reason for this disabling arrangement is as follows. The fingering 
pattern of a saxophone sometimes requires the fingering of additional 
keys, the additionally-fingered keys being used to modify the acoustic 
tone. However, in the disclosed invention, fingering these other keys 
would produce additional tone signals which may not be desirable. 
Therefore, an actuated tone switch disables all of the 
tone-signal-producing circuitry "above" it; and it retains the grounding 
circuit for all the tone switches below it. 
For convenience, the tone switches "above" the selected-tone switch will be 
called the "supra"-tone switches; and the sequence shown at the left side 
of FIG. 2 serves to clarify the electrical relationship of the tone 
switches. 
The saxophone has another characteristic--namely, certain keys have a dual 
function; that is, when fingered by themselves, they produce a given 
acoustic tone; whereas, when fingered simultaneously with another given 
key, the combination produces a different acoustic tone. 
Referring again to FIG. 2, it will be seen that when the A/C-key 17-8 is 
fingered by itself the active setting of its associated-tone switch 18-8 
produces a C-tone signal in the manner discussed above; while the 
saxophone produces a C-acoustic tone. However, when the A/C-key 17-8 is 
fingered simultaneously with the B key 17-6, a switch-ganging linkage 
indicated by the dotted line 21, causes a duality switch 22 to be set to 
its active setting; and the circuitry now produces an A-tone signal; while 
the saxophone produces an A-acoustic tone. 
A second example of this dual-function-keying arrangement involves the 
E/F-sharp key 17-14 and the F key 17-12, a second linkage indicated at 23 
being used to set a second duality switch 24. 
In this way, the disclosed invention automatically produces tone signals 
corresponding to the acoustic tones produced by the dual-function keys of 
the saxophone. 
In order to handle fast chromatic passages, the saxophone has alternative 
fingering patterns; and two of the most common of these--the side key 
indicated as the C-ALT. key 17-7, and the forked-F-sharp key indicated as 
the F-sharp-ALT. key 17-13--have been included into the circuitry. 
The crossed wires of FIG. 2 are a drawing convenience for converting the 
musically non-chromatic, tone-switch arrangement at the left side of the 
drawing to the musically chromatic arrangement of the tone signals at the 
right side of the drawing. 
The Octave Relay 
The saxophone has another characteristic that certain keys can produce 
normal acoustic tones; and--by the use of an "octave relay"--can produce 
"duplicate" acoustic tones that are one octave higher in pitch. 
In order to incorporate this characteristic into the subject invention, the 
saxophone's octave key 26-1 of FIG. 2 has an associated-octave switch 27-1 
that is electrically connected to actuate an octave relay 28. When the 
octave key 26-1 is not fingered, its associated-octave switch 27-1 is in 
an open state as indicated; its octave circuit is not complete, no octave 
signal is produced, and the octave relay 28 is not actuated. Therefore, 
tone signals from tone switches 18-1 and 18-6 through 18-16 may traverse 
the passive setting (See FIG. 3.) of the octave relay 28, and emerge as 
"normal" tone signals that may be applied to the synthesizer. 
On the other hand, when the octave key 26-1 is fingered, its 
associated-octave switch 27-1 is set to its active setting; the octave 
circuit is completed, an octave signal is produced, and the octave signal 
now actuates the octave relay 28. Therefore, tone signals from tone 
switches 18-1, and 18-6 through 18-16 may traverse the active setting of 
the octave relay 28, and emerge as upper-octave-tone signals that may be 
applied to the synthesizer to produce corresponding 
upper-octave-electronic sounds. 
Since the tone signals from tone switches 18-1 and 18-6 through 18-16 may 
be replicated in a higher octave, the tone signals from these tone 
switches will be designated as "replicate" tone signals; and the output of 
the octave relay 28 will be designated as normal tone signals and 
upper-octave tone signals--depending upon the setting of the octave relay. 
The octave relay, being physically quite small, may be mounted at any 
convenient location--one satisfactory mounting being attachment to the 
synthesizer. 
The Staccato Effect 
For certain musical compositions, it is desirable to have an 
acoustic-staccato effect--which is also known as a "re-attack and 
release"; and this effect may be achieved in a number of different 
ways--as, for example, by tonguing, by throat closure, by breath control, 
etc. The staccato effect is produced while the fingering pattern is 
maintained--which, in the present invention, would produce a 
continuous-non-staccato-tone signal for the synthesizer. 
Most synthesizers can be programmed to produce a staccato effect; but this 
effect would then be produced continuously, which might be undesirable 
from a musical point of view. On the other hand, a staccato-tone signal 
might be produced by tapping the saxophone key in order to break up an 
otherwise-continuous-tone signal; but this might be undesirable from an 
acoustic point of view. 
In order to achieve a staccato-tone signal, FIG. 2 shows the present 
invention to incorporate a normally closed "phone jack" 29 that is 
inserted into the common ground wire 19; and a foot-operated "pedal" 
switch 31 may be plugged into jack 29. In operation, a tapping movement of 
the foot causes the pedal switch 31 to rapidly open and close, this 
introducing an electric-staccato effect into the tone signal being 
produced at that particular time. 
In this way, the pedal switch 31 produces an electric-staccato effect into 
the tone signal in correspondence with the acoustic-staccato effect 
produced by the saxophone. 
An alternative way to obtain a staccato effect is shown in FIG. 1, this 
indicating a pressure-sensitive pickup 32, preferably positioned in the 
throat of saxophone 10; but it may alternatively be positioned in the bell 
portion of the saxophone. Pickup 32 senses pressure variations produced by 
the acoustic-staccato effect; and the pressure signal from pickup 32 may 
be applied (through an amplifier 33, if so desired) to a relay 34 that may 
be plugged into the phone jack 29. 
In this way, the acoustic-staccato effect is converted by the pickup 32 
into a staccato signal, the amplifier 33 serving to amplify and control 
the sensitivity, and the relay 34 functioning to control the on/off 
intervals of the synthesizer. 
It has been found that the pressure-sensitive pickup 32 may be a microphone 
that is equally responsive to all frequencies, being thus 
pressure-sensitive, rather than frequency-sensitive. 
The Tone-Switch Arrangement 
FIG. 4 shows a view of a typical tone-switch arrangement for a saxophone. 
Here, the tone hole 36 comprises a hole collar 37; and a pad cup 38 has an 
internal pad 39 that is adapted to seat itself onto the hole collar 37--to 
thus open or to seal the tone hole 36. 
When the instrumentalist fingers the proper key (not shown), the 
mechanically complex keywork pivots the key arm 41 to raise or lower the 
pad cup 38 as indicated by the double-ended arrow. 
In FIG. 4, the illustrated tone-switch assembly comprises a magnetic-reed 
switch 42--such as model E2-100 manufactured by GC Electronics of 
Rockford, Ill.--such magnetic-reed switches being available in a wide 
variety of sizes from a number of different manufacturers. These 
magnetic-reed switches, in general, comprise a small sealed glass tube 
that contains two or more longitudinally positioned reeds--at least one of 
them, the switching reed, being adapted to flex under the influence of a 
magnetic field. The magnetic-reed switch may be of the single-pole, 
single-throw type; of the single-pole, double-throw type; etc.--depending 
upon the design and the number of reeds. A suitable number of electric 
lead wires are incorporated into the magnetic-reed switch. In the present 
case, it has been advisable to use single-pole, double-throw, 
magnetic-reed switches--for the reasons previously mentioned; so that the 
normally closed setting of the magnetic-reed switch becomes the passive 
setting, and the normally open setting becomes the active setting. 
FIG. 4 indicates that the magnetic-reed, tone switch 42 is mounted to the 
body of the saxophone 10; and FIG. 4 further indicates that a small 
permanent magnet 43 is mounted to the pad cup 38--although the 
magnetic-reed switch and the permanent magnet may alternatively be mounted 
at other coacting locations, or at suitable locations of the keywork. 
The illustrated magnetic-reed, tone-switch-and-magnet assembly has several 
advantages--it is extremely lightweight, it is quite small, it is very 
reliable, it has practically no effect on normal saxophone usage, each 
component is readily mounted at its desired location, suitable adhesives 
provide a substantially permanent installation, etc. 
In operation, the fingering action moves the pad cup 38, as discussed 
above; and the magnet 43, therefore, moves, as indicated by the 
double-ended arrow, into closer or more-remote relation to the 
magnetic-reed switch 42--which thereupon responds by flexation of its 
switching reed and thus interrupting or completing its associated tone 
circuit. 
Each of the other saxophone keys has a similar tone-switch arrangement; so 
that, as the various keys provide acoustic tones, their associated tone 
switches automatically provide corresponding tone signals. 
As is known to those skilled in the art, some of the saxophone tone holes 
are normally open (as illustrated and discussed in connection with FIG. 
4), and are closed by the fingering pattern and the keyworks; whereas 
other tone holes are normally closed (not illustrated), and are opened by 
the fingering pattern and the keyworks. 
In these latter cases, the plurality of a tone switch and its associated 
permanent magnet cause the switching reed of the magnetic-reed switch to 
flex; so that the normally open setting of the magnetic-reed switch is now 
closed--thus becoming the passive setting of the magnetic-reed switch; 
whereas the normally closed setting of the magnetic-reed switch is now 
open--becoming the active setting of the tone switch. 
This reversed operation of the magnetic-reed switch has proved to be 
completely satisfactory, and has not caused any problems. 
While the above-described, magnetic-reed-switch assemblies have proved 
eminently satisfactory, the tone-switching arrangement may alternatively 
use other or newly developed switches--such as microswitches, capacitive 
switches, pressure switches, logic switches, or the like. 
These magnetic-reed switches have the desirable characteristic that they 
interrupt and complete the tone circuits without introducing any 
objectionable electric transient signals that show up as popping sounds; 
but it may be necessary under some conditions to utilize electric networks 
to minimize such transients. 
In this way, a quasi-keyboard for a synthesizer is provided; the 
quasi-keyboard is not fingered in the usual manner, but is operated by the 
playing patterns of the musical instrument. 
The Switch-Ganging Linkage 
It was pointed out in connection with the duality switches 22 and 24 of 
FIG. 2 that switch-ganging linkages 21 and 23 were required. These 
linkages may take a number of forms--depending upon the switches, their 
spatial relation to each other, etc. 
The use of magnetic-reed switches and permanent magnets permits the use of 
an unusual linkage, as illustrated in FIG. 4. Here, a duality-switch 
assembly comprises a magnetic-reed switch 44 and a permanent magnet 46. It 
will be realized that, when the pad cup 38 moves downward, the tone-switch 
assembly 42 and 43, and the duality-switch assembly 44 and 46, are both 
simultaneously set to their active settings; in this case, the linkage is 
the mechanical structure of the tone-hole-and-pad-cup assembly. 
Alternatively, the duality-switch assembly may be mounted on convenient 
portions of the keyworks, or at other suitable locations. 
Tonal Effects 
The present invention discloses a quasi-keyboard that permits a musical 
instrument to activate an electronic device to produce electric waveforms 
that may then be converted to electronic sounds. While a number of 
different musical instruments and electronic devices may be used, the 
specific exemplification has been presented in terms of an acoustic 
saxophone and a musical synthesizer; and the exemplified combination can 
provide a wide variety of tonal effects that an instrumentalist was 
previously unable to produce. 
As a first example, the saxophone may be played alone; and the electronic 
sounds introduced whenever desired--as by the use of the described pedal 
switch. 
As a second example, the synthesizer may be used as an accompaniment, being 
programmed for desired tonal effects. 
As a third example, the combination may be used to play "double stops"--a 
characteristic not feasible for the saxophone alone. To do this, the 
saxophone is played acoustically in one acoustic range; and the fingering 
of a selected key--that does not affect the acoustic sound--produces a 
simultaneous electronic sound. 
As a fourth example, the quasi-keyboard may be used to produce electronic 
sounds while the saxophone remains unblown. 
As another example, the saxophone and the synthesizer may be played 
alternately. 
As still another example, the combination can produce continuous acoustic 
tones and staccato electronic sounds, or can produce continuous electronic 
sounds and staccato acoustic tones. 
As still another example, the synthesizer may be programmed to produce 
"parallel tracking", wherein it produces electronic sounds that retain a 
predetermined musical interval above or below the acoustic tone produced 
by the saxophone. 
As still another example, the synthesizer may be programmed for a variety 
of electronic effects--percussion, decay, sustention, echo, tremolo, 
balance, etc. 
As still another example, the synthesizer may be made to produce staccato 
effects whenever desired. 
Most synthesizers have the capability of transposing the tonal output 
either up or down in pitch, the control being known as the transposing 
knob. The use of this knob permits the synthesizer to be adapted to 
different types of saxophones, to control the musical intervals of the 
parallel-tracking capability discussed earlier, etc. 
The above-foregoing explanation has been presented in terms of a monophonic 
synthesizer--that is, a synthesizer adapted to accept a single input 
signal, and to produce a single output. However, a polyphonic synthesizer 
may also be used. In such a case, the tone signals may be split, and 
applied to the polyphonic synthesizer in such a way that the synthesizer 
can use the split signals. Such an arrangement may, for example, produce 
an accompanying sound and a contrasting chord. 
In the foregoing presentation, the synthesizer has been of the type wherein 
a predetermined voltage is directed to suitable circuits of the 
synthesizer; and the disclosed quasi-keyboard functions as a set of 
switches that achieves this result. 
However, some synthesizers are of the type wherein different voltages are 
provided for the circuits of the synthesizer. The disclosed quasi-keyboard 
may--instead of completing a tone circuit, as discussed--tap off suitable 
different voltages from a voltage divider. These different voltages may 
then be applied to the circuits of the synthesizer, the different voltages 
thus functioning as tone signals. 
There are quite a number of electronic devices that produce various types 
of electric waveforms, the exemplified musical synthesizer being only one 
of these--others being the Novachord, the Theramin, various waveform 
generators, etc. The publication "Harper's Dictionary of Music", published 
by Harper and Row, and authored by Christine Ammer defines the term 
"electrophone"as " any musical instrument that produces sound by electric 
or electronic means"; and this term will be used as being generic to the 
musical synthesizer and other electronic devices of that general type. 
Other Instruments 
It was pointed out above that the disclosed invention is adaptable to 
musical instruments having a substatially one-to-one relationship between 
the emitted acoustic tone and the positions of the tone-control elements, 
this being the case in a saxophone wherein the tone-control elements are 
the saxophone keys. 
Other musical instruments have similar one-to-one relationships, these 
instruments including flutes, trombones, basoons, piano, and some woodwind 
and brass instruments--although, in some cases, these instruments depart 
from the one-to-one relationship because of the instrumentalist's playing 
techniques. 
The trombone has an essentially one-to-one relationship between the 
position of its tone-control-slide element and the emitted tone. In this 
case, a tongue or tab on the slide element may be adapted to set selected 
tone switches that produce tone signals corresponding to the acoustic 
tones--in accordance with the above teachings. 
Alternatively, as illustrated in FIG. 5, the trombone 44 may comprise a 
resistor 46 such as a rotatable potentiometer or rheostat whose angular 
orientation is controlled by a cable 47 attached to the slide element 48. 
Thus, as the slide element 48 moves, the potentiometer assumes 
corresponding angular orientations, a spring urging the potentiometer back 
to its quiescent orientation. 
In this way, different voltages--corresponding to the position of the slide 
element--are produced; and these function as tone signals to activate the 
synthesizer. 
The invention and its attendant advantages will be understood from the 
foregoing description; and it will be apparent that various changes may be 
made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts of the 
invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof or 
sacrificing its material advantages, the arrangement hereinbefore 
described being merely by way of example; and I do not wish to be 
restricted to the specific form shown or uses mentioned, except as defined 
in the accompanying claims.