Electronic musical instrument having multiple performance functions

An electronic musical instrument includes an operator such as a bar-like touch operator having a play position to be designated, which play position is arranged in a predetermined direction thereof, a tone pitch designation circuit for generating tone pitch information corresponding to the play position, a tone generation designation operator such as keys in a keyboard for generating tone generation designation information in accordance with a tone generation designation operation, and a tone generator for generating a tone signal corresponding to the tone pitch information provided by the tone pitch designation operator in response to the tone generation designation information provided by the tone generation designation operator. A tone pitch is designated in response to a play position detected by the operator and a tone signal having the designated tone pitch is generated in accordance with operation of the tone generation designation operator whereby a variety of performance techniques which could not been simulated in conventional electronic musical instruments can be realized.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to a manually playable electronic musical instrument 
and, more particularly, to an electronic musical instrument of this type 
having an improved performance operator. 
According to the invention, there are provided an operator such as a 
bar-like touch operator capable of detecting multiple play positions 
(touch positions) arranged in a predetermined direction (e.g., a 
longitudinal direction) of the operator, and a tone generation designation 
operator such as keys. Tone pitch is designated in response to a play 
position detected by the operator and a tone signal having the designated 
tone pitch is generated in accordance with the operation of the tone 
generation designation operator whereby the degree of freedom in the 
performance of the electronic musical instrument is improved. 
A keyboard has generally been employed as a tone pitch designation means in 
an electronic musical instrument. 
In an electronic musical instrument using a keyboard, one can play a normal 
music piece and glissando but cannot play portamento in which the tone 
pitch changes at a desired speed. For realizing such portamento 
performance, there has been proposed an electronic musical instrument in 
which a bar-like touch operator (called a "portamento bar") is provided 
and a continuous tone pitch change is realized by touching this bar-like 
operator in a sliding manner (e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 3,626,350). 
According to the prior art portamento performance device, a tone is 
produced immediately upon start of touching on the portamento bar and the 
tone pitch of the tone changes as the touch position changes but, when the 
touch on the portamento bar has been released, the tone which has been 
produced starts to decay and it is not possible to start generation of a 
tone of the tone pitch corresponding to the touch release position from 
the beginning. Neither is it possible in the prior art device to start 
generation of a tone corresponding to a desired touch position from the 
beginning while the performer slides the touch position on the portamento 
bar. Expression technique by this prior art device therefore has to be 
limited. 
It is an object of the invention to provide an electronic musical 
instrument having a larger degree of freedom of performance without such 
limitation. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The electronic musical instrument achieving the above described object of 
the invention comprises an operator capable of detecting multiple play 
positions arranged in a predetermined direction thereof, tone pitch 
designation means for generating tone pitch information corresponding to a 
play position defected by said operator, tone generation designation means 
for generating tone generation designation information in accordance with 
a tone generation designation operation, and tone generation means for 
generating a tone signal corresponding to the tone pitch information 
provided by said tone pitch designation means in response to the tone 
generation designation information provided by said tone generation 
designation means. 
According to the invention, a desired tone pitch can be designated by the 
touch operation on the operator and a tone signal having the designated 
tone pitch can be generated in accordance with a tone generation 
designation operation independently of the touch operation on the 
operator. Accordingly, a tone of a tone pitch corresponding to a desired 
play position can be generated from the beginning at any desired timing in 
accordance with the play position on the operator and the tone generation 
designation operation on the tone generation designation means whereby a 
larger degree of freedom in the performance can be obtained and 
performances rich in variety can be realized. 
For example, according to the invention, portamento can be performed in the 
same manner as in the prior art instrument by performing a tone generation 
designation operation substantially simultaneously with start of touching 
on the operator and, besides this performance, it is possible to start 
generation of a tone having a tone pitch corresponding to a desired touch 
position from the beginning by performing a tone generation designation 
operation in the course of sliding the touch position on the-operator or 
to start generation of a tone having a tone pitch corresponding to a touch 
releasing position from the beginning by performing a tone generation 
designation operation immediately before releasing of the touch on the 
operator. 
In one aspect of the invention, a plurality of tone generation designation 
operators are provided for one operator so that a quick tremolo 
performance can be realized by designating a desired tone pitch by the 
operator and repeatedly operating the tone generation designation 
operators alternately. 
In another aspect of the invention, a plurality of operators are provided 
and a tone signal is generated by a tone generation designation operation 
independently for each of these operators so that a performance effect 
simulating tones of plural strings as in a guitar or a violin can be 
obtained and a quick trill performance can be realized by designating 
desired tone pitches and repeating the tone generation designation 
operation alternately. In this case, a desired tone color may be set for 
each operator and tone signals may be generated with these set tone 
colors. A performance effect simulating an ensemble of musical instruments 
of different tone colors thereby can be obtained. 
In another aspect of the invention, the tone pitch designation means 
generates a predetermined tone pitch information when-the operator is not 
operated so that a tone signal can be generated by operation of the tone 
generation designation means only and a tone of an open string as in a 
guitar can thereby be simulated. In this case, by setting a desired tone 
pitch and generating tone pitch information corresponding to the set tone 
pitch as the predetermined tone pitch information, a tone of a desired 
tone pitch can be produced as the tone of an open string. 
In another aspect of the invention, interval information corresponding to a 
play position which has been detected by the operator is generated, a 
desired tone pitch is set and tone pitch information corresonding to the 
set tone pitch is generated and tone pitch information corresponding to 
the play position is generated by operating the interval information and 
the tone pitch information corresponding to the set tone pitch so that 
tone pitches which can be designated by the operator can be changed by 
merely changing the set tone pitch and an effect corresponding to 
transposition or tuning of a string can be obtained. 
In another aspect of the invention, holding means for loading tone pitch 
information from the tone pitch designation means in response to load 
command information responsive to an operation on the operator and holding 
the tone pitch information even after release of the operation on the 
operator is provided and a tone signal corresponding to the tone pitch 
information from this holding means is generated in response to tone 
generation designation information and thereafter the generation of the 
tone signal is continued as long as the generation of the tone generation 
designation information is continued. According to this arrangement, a 
sustained tone can be produced by operating the operator for a moment for 
designating a tone pitch and ceasing the operation thereafter so that the 
performance operation can be facilitated. 
In still another aspect of the invention, the operator can detect strength 
of operation at a desired play position in the predetermined direction on 
the operator, tone characteristic (e.g., tone color) control information 
corresponding to the detected strength of operation is generated, and the 
tone characteristic of a tone signal is controlled in accordance with this 
tone characteristic control information so that a tone which is rich in 
variety in its tone characteristics can be generated. In this case, by 
using tone generation designation means which can detect the strength of 
operation in response to a tone generation designation operation and 
controlling a tone characteristic (e.g., tone volume) of the tone signal 
in accordance with the detected strength of operation, a tone which is 
even richer in variety in its tone characteristics can be generated. The 
tone characteristic which is controlled in accordance with the strength of 
operation on the operator and the tone characteristic which is controlled 
in accordance with the strength of operation by the tone generation 
designation means are not limited to tone characteristics of different 
kinds such as tone color and tone volume but these tone characteristics 
may be of the same kind. As other tone characteristic controls, amounts 
of, for example pitch bend, vibrato and attack pitch may be controlled. 
An embodiment of the electronic musical instrument according to the 
invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying 
drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
FIGS. 1A and 1B show an embodiment of the electronic musical instrument 
according to the invention. In the figure, each signal line shown as a 
broad arrow line represents plural signal lines or indicates that the 
signal line transmits data of plural bits. 
Touch bars 10, 12, 14 and 16 are provided in parallel to one another in a 
neck portion of a performance instrument having a shape which resembles, 
for example, a guitar or a violin. Each of these touch bars 10, 12, 14 and 
16 is provided with a position sensor for detecting any of touch positions 
(play positions) arranged in the longitudinal direction of the touch bar 
and also with a pressure sensor for detecting a touch pressure at the 
touch position. 
The four sets of the position-pressure sensors of the touch bars 10 through 
16 are driven by four drive units DV1 through DV4. 
The touch bars 10 through 16 are of the same structure and an example of 
the structure of the touch bar 10 is representatively shown in FIG. 2. 
In FIG. 2, a case 20 made of an insulating material such as plastics is 
formed with a groove 20A in which a uniform resistance sheet 22, a 
pressure sensitive conductive sheet 24, a conductive film 26, an 
insulating film 28, a conductive film 30, a pressure sensitive resistance 
sheet 32, a conductive film 34 and a cover 36 of an insulating material 
are superposed one upon another from the bottom upwardly. 
The uniform resistance sheet 22, pressure sensitive conductive sheet 24 and 
conductive film 26 constitute a position sensor 10A. A drive terminal a is 
connected to one end of the sheets 22 and 26 and an earth terminal e is 
connected to the other end of the sheet 22 and an output terminal x is 
connected to the other end of the sheet 26. As electric conductivity 
increases at any touch position arranged in the longitudinal direction of 
the touch bar 10, the pressure sensitive conductive sheet 24 provides a 
conductive path corresponding to the touch position between the uniform 
resistance sheet 22 and the conductive film 26. 
The conductive film 30, pressure sensitive resistance sheet 32 and 
conductive film 34 constitute a pressure sensor 10B. The pressure sensor 
10B is electrically insulated from the position sensor 10A by the 
insulating film 28. A drive teriminal b is connected to an-end of the 
conductive film 34 and an output terminal y is connected to the other end 
thereof. An earth terminal e is connected to the end of the conductive 
film 30 corresponding to the other end of the conductive film 34. In the 
pressure sensitive resistance sheet 32, the value of resistance decreases 
as the touch pressure increases at any touch position. 
The drive units DV1 through DV4 of the sensor drive circuit 18 are of the 
same structure and an example of the structure of the drive unit DV1 is 
representatively shown with an equivalent circuit of the touch bar 10 in 
FIG. 3. 
In FIG. 3, to the drive terminal a of the position sensor 10A is connected 
to one terminal of a constant current source 11 of a variable current 
value through a resistance R1. The other terminal of the constant current 
source 11 is connected to a reference potential. The earth terminal e of 
the touch bar 10 is also connected to a reference potential. 
To the drive terminal b of the pressure sensor 10B is connected to one 
terminal of a constant current source 12 of a variable current value and 
the other terminal of the constant current source 12 is connected to a 
reference potential. 
When the touch bar 10 is touched by a finger or the like at any of 
positions arranged in the longitudinal direction of the touch bar 10, a 
portion 24T of the pressure sensitive conductive sheet 24 in the position 
sensor 10A corresponding to the touch position is brought into conduction. 
A voltage corresponding to the resistance value from the portion 24T to 
the terminal e therefore is provided from the output terminal x as a touch 
position signal PS1. 
In the pressure sensor 10B, the resistance value in a portion of the 
pressure sensitive resistance sheet 32 corresponding to the touch position 
is reduced in response to the touch pressure and a voltage corresponding 
to the resistance value between the terminals y and e is provided from the 
output terminal y as a touch pressure signal PR1. 
Likewise, touch position signals PS2 through PS4 and touch pressure signals 
PR2 through PR4 are provided from the other touch bars 12 through 16 in 
the same manner as in the touch bar 10. 
Reverting to FIG. 1A, the touch pressure signals PR1 through PR4 provided 
by the touch bars 10 through 14 are supplied to a touch detection and tone 
color control data forming circuit 40. The circuit 40 detects, for 
example, that the value of each of the signals PR1 through PR4 has reached 
a predetermined value and thereupon generates ON signals PON1 through PON4 
representing presence of touch on the corresponding touch bar respectively 
for the signals PR1 through PR4. The circuit 40 generates also tone color 
control data PD1 through PD4 respectively for the signals PR1 through PR4 
by analog-to-digital converting these signals PR1 through PR4 and 
subjecting them to a tone color control data conversion processing. 
The touch position signals PS1 through PS4 are applied to a multiplexer 42 
as its inputs 1 through 4. The multiplexer 42 outputs the signals of the 
inputs 1 through 4 sequentially and repeatedly in response to a channel 
timing signal CHT which designates, as shown in FIG. 4, the first through 
fourth channels sequentially and repeatedly. The outputs of the 
multiplexer 42 is supplied to an analog-to-digital conversion circuit 44 
as an analog input. 
The analog-to-digital conversion circuit 44 converts the analog input 
supplied thereto to digital data and supplies the digital data to 
position-interval conversion memory 46. 
As shown in FIG. 1, fret positions indicated by numbers 0 through N are 
determined on the touch bars 10 through 16. 
The touch position signals PS1 through PS4 provided by the touch bars 10 
through 16 are time division multiplexed by the multiplexer 42 and applied 
to the analog-to-digital conversion circuit 44 at each touch bar time 
channel (see FIG. 4) to be converted to digital position data. The digital 
position data corresponds linearly to touch positions on each touch bar. 
Assuming, for example, that the digital position data consists of 12 bits, 
it assumes a value from 0 to 4095 on the touch bar between ends thereof. 
The position data thus obtained is applied on a time shared basis to the 
position-interval conversion memory 46 as address signals and this 
converson memory 46 thereupon provides corresponding interval data on a 
time shared basis. The conversion memory 46 stores a smooth curve which 
rises by a semitone at each fret position 0, 1, . . . . 
The data read from the memory 46 is supplied to a demultiplexer 48. The 
demultiplexer 48 distributes its input data to latch circuits 50, 52, 54 
and 56 sequentially and repeatedly in response to the channel timing 
signal CHT. In the latch circuits 50 through 56, as shown in FIG. 4, their 
input data are latched in synchronism with falling of latch command 
signals .phi.1 through .phi.4 corresponding to the first through fourth 
channels. Since the multiplexer 42 and the demultiplexer 48 are operated 
in synchronism with each other at each channel, interval data PT1 through 
PT4 corresponding to the touch bars 10, 12, 14 and 16 are respectively 
latched by the latch circuits 50, 52, 54 and 56. These interval data PT1 
through PT4 are supplied to corresponding addition circuits 58, 60, 62 and 
64 in FIG. 1B. 
In FIG. 1B, a bar-specific reference tone pitch setting device 66 is 
provided for setting, for each touch bar independently, a desired 
reference tone pitch corresponding to the fret position 0 by a switch 
operation or the like operation. 
A reference tone pitch code generation circuit 68 generates reference tone 
pitch code data representing the reference tone pitch set for each touch 
bar by the reference tone pitch setting device 66. Tone pitch code data 
KC1 through KC4 corresponding to the touch bars 10 through 16 are supplied 
to the addition circuits 58, 60, 62 and 64 and added to the interval data 
PT1 through PT4. 
Assuming, for example, that a reference tone pitch C2 has been set for the 
touch bar 10, the outputs of the addition circuit 58 have tone pitches C2, 
C2#, D2, D2# . . . in correspondence to the fret numbers 0, 1, 2, 3 . . . 
. Assuming, for another example, that a reference tone pitch G2 has been 
set, tone pitches G2, G2#, A2, A2# . . . are obtained in correspondence to 
the fret numbers 0, 1, 2, 3 . . . . This operation which corresponds to 
tuning of a string can be applied to the other touch bars. 
The bar-specific tone generation designation device 70 performs the tone 
designation operation for each of the touch bars 10, 12, 14 and 16 and is 
constructed, for example, as shown in FIGS. 5A through 5E. 
FIG. 5A shows an example of the device 70 which employs a keyboard having 
keys KY1 through KY8. In this keyboard, a key switch and a touch sensor 
are provided for each key. The key switch detects presence or absence of 
depression of a corresponding key (i.e., tone generation designation) and 
the touch sensor detects a touch amount, i.e., strength or speed of touch 
in the depression of a key by means of a system which is well known. In 
this example, one key may be provided in correspondence for each touch bar 
or, alternatively, plural keys may be provided in correspondence to each 
touch bar in such a manner that, for example, the keys KY1 and KY2 are 
provided for the touch bar 10, the keys KY3 and KY4 are provided for the 
touch bar 12 and so on. The latter arrangement is convenient for realizing 
a quick tremolo performance or a quick trill performance. For example, by 
depressing the keys KY1 and KY2 quickly and alternately in a state in 
which a desired tone pitch has been designated on the touch bar 10, 
tremolo can be performed much faster than in a conventional keyboard 
musical instrument. For another example, by depressing the keys KY2 and 
KY3 quickly and alternately in a state in which desired two tone pitches 
have been designated on the touch bars 10 and 12, a trill performance of 
the two desired tones can be made at a high speed. 
FIGS. 5B and 5C show examples of the device 70 which employ self-return 
type push-button switches. FIG. 5B shows an example in which switches SW1 
through SW4 are provided in correspondence to the touch bars 10 through 
16. FIG. 5C shows an example in which switches SW11 and SW12 through SW41 
and SW42 are provided for the touch bars 10 through 16 with a ratio of two 
swithces for one touch bar. In these cases, a touch sensor may be provided 
for each switch. 
The keyboard or the switch group shown in FIGS. 5A through 5C may be 
provided in a part of the performance instrument which is easy for 
manipulation, e.g., a body portion of the performance instrument having a 
shape resembling a guitar or a violin. 
FIGS. 5D and 5E show examples in which strings L1 through L4 are stretched 
along the corresponding touch bars 10 through 16 in a neck portion of the 
performance instrument having a shape resembling a guitar or a violin. 
In the example of FIG. 5D, the tone generation designation operation is 
made by using a bow B. By constructing the bow B utilizing the principle 
of the pressure sensor shown in FIG. 2, both the tone generation 
designation information and the touch amount information can be detected. 
In case the tone generation designation information only needs to be 
detected, the bow may be constructed by utilizing the principle of the 
position sensor shown in FIG. 2 or, alternatively, a detection switch may 
be composed of each string and the bow. 
Touch amount information may be produced by forming velocity information by 
differentiating the position information provided by the position sensor 
and multiplying this velocity information with the pressure information 
provided by the pressure sensor and the tone generation designation 
information may be generated when the touch amount information has 
exceeded a predetermined level. 
In the example of FIG. 5E, finger-rings F1 and F2 are employed for 
performing the tone generation designation operation. These finger-rings 
may be constructed in the same manner as in the example of FIG. 5D or, 
alternatively, a switch may be composed of each string and each 
finger-ring. By using two finger-rings, performance of tremolo or trill 
can be facilitated but only one finger-ring may be used instead of two. 
Reverting to FIG. 1, a designation and touch amount detection circuit 72 
detects the tone generation designation operation by the tone generation 
designation device 70 and the-touch amount in the tone generation 
designation operation and generates a tone generation designation signal 
and a touch amount signal for each of the touch bars 10 through 16. The 
circuit 72 supplies tone generation designation signals KON1 through KON4 
corresponding to the respective touch bars 10 through 16 to an on-off 
pulse generation circuit 74 and a tone signal generation circuit 92. 
The on-off pulse generation circuit 74 includes a rise differentiation 
circuit and a fall differentiation circuit for each tone generation 
designation signal and generates an ON pulse KONP1 and an OFF pulse KOFP1 
in response to a tone generation designation signal KON1 as shown in FIG. 
6. The circuit 74 likewise generates ON pulses KONP2 through KONP4 and OFF 
pulses KOFP2 through KOFP4 in response to tone generation designation 
signals KON1 through KON4. 
OR gates 76, 78, 80 and 82 receive the ON signals PON1, PON2, PON3 and PON4 
from the circuit 40 as one input thereof and the ON pulses KONP1, KONP2, 
KONP3 and KONP4 from the circuit 74 as another input thereof and provide 
respective output signals corresponding to these input signals to 
registers 84, 86, 88 and 90 as load signals L. To the registers 84, 86, 88 
and 90 are also supplied the OFF pulses KOFP1, KOFP2, KOFP3 and KOFP4 from 
the circuit 74 as reset signals R. 
Output data RD1 through RD4 of the registers 84 through 90 are supplied to 
the first through fourth tone forming channels in the tone signal 
generation circuit 92. These first through fourth tone forming channels 
are provided for generating tone signals in correspondence to the touch 
bars 10 through 16. These tone forming channels may be either provided in 
parallel or constructed in a time sharing fashion. 
To the first through fourth tone forming channels are supplied the tone 
generation designation signals KON1 through KON4 and the touch amount 
signal TCH corresponding to the touch bars 10 through 16 from the circuit 
72. 
A bar-specific tone color setting device 94 sets a desired tone color for 
each of the touch bars 10 through 16 by a switch operation or the like 
operation and supplies tone color data TC indicating a set tone color for 
each of the touch bars 10 through 16 to the first through fourth tone 
forming channels of the tone signal generation circuit 92. To the first 
through fourth tone forming channels are also supplied the tone color 
control data PD1 through PD4 from the touch detection and tone color 
control data forming circuit 40 so that the set tone color can be changed 
in accordance with the touch pressure with respect to each touch bar. 
The tone color setting device 94 may set a single tone color such as a 
guitar tone color for all of the touch bars 10 through 16 or may set 
different tone colors such as violin, viola, cello and bass tone colors 
respectively for the touch bars 10, 12, 14 and 16. By setting such 
different tone colors, a performance simulating an ensemble of these 
musical instruments can be realized. 
A tone signal from the circuit 92 is supplied to a sound system including 
an output amplifier and loudspeakers and propagated therefrom as a sound. 
Since the tone signal generation operation in the first through fourth tone 
forming channels is the same through these channels, the tone signal 
generation operation in the first tone forming channel will be 
representatively described with the operation of the register 84 in 
conjunction with FIG. 6. 
As the touch bar 10 is touched at any desired position in the longitudinal 
direction thereof, the ON signal PON1 rises from the low level to the high 
level and tone pitch data (KC1+PT1) representing tone pitch corresponding 
to the touch position is provided from the addition circuit 58 at, for 
example, a time point t1. This tone pitch data is loaded in the register 
84 in response to the ON signal PON1. Thereafter, upon release of the 
touch on the touch bar 10 at a time point t3, for example, the ON singal 
PON1 falls to the low level but the register 84 holds the previously 
loaded tone pitch data even after this time point t3. 
On the other hand, upon performing the tone generation designation 
operation for the touch bar 10 in the tone generation designation device 
70 in association with the touch on the touch bar 10 at a time point t2, 
for example, the tone generation designation signal KON1 rises from the 
low level to the high level and the ON pulse KONP1 is generated in 
response thereto. This ON pulse KONP1 is supplied to the register 84 but 
the contents of the register 84 remains unchanged. 
In the first tone forming channel, generation of a tone signal having tone 
pitch corresponding to the tone pitch data (KC1+PT1) is started in 
synchronism with rising of the tone signal designation signal KON1. The 
tone signal generated at this time is controlled in its tone color in 
response to the tone color data TC from the tone color setting device 94 
and the tone color control data PD1 from the touch detection and tone 
color control data forming circuit 40 and is controlled in its tone volume 
in response to the touch amount signal TCH from the designation and touch 
amount detection circuit 72. Even after start of generation of the tone, 
its tone color can be subtly changed in response to the data PD1 by 
changing the touch pressure on the touch bar 10 and its tone volume can 
also be subtly changed in response to the signal TCH by changing the touch 
amount in the tone generation designation device 70. Accordingly, a 
sustained tone which is rich in variety can be generated. 
Then, when the tone generation designation operation in the tone generation 
designation device 70 has ceased, the tone generation designation signal 
KON1 falls from the high level to the low level at a time point t4, for 
example, and the OFF pulse KOFP1 is generated in response thereto. This 
OFF pulse KOFP1 resets the register 84. The tone signal generation circuit 
92 starts decaying of the tone signal with the tone pitch at the time 
point t4 in synchronism with falling of the signal KON1. 
By providing the register 84 for holding the tone pitch data during the 
period TH from release of the touch till stop of the tone generation 
designation, the generation of the tone signal can be continued during the 
tone generation designation operation without continuing touching on the 
touch bar whereby the performance operation can be facilitated. 
The foregoing description has been made about the tone generation operation 
which is performed when the tone generation designation operation has been 
made in association with touching on the touch bar. In a case where the 
tone generation designation operation has been made without touching on 
the touch bar, the tone generation operation will be performed in the 
following manner. 
When the tone generation designation signal KON1 has risen at a time point 
t2, for example, in accordance with the tone generation designation 
operation and the ON pulse KONP1 has been generated, the tone pitch data 
KC1 corresponding to the fret 0 of the touch bar 10 supplied to the 
register 84 from the addition circuit 58 is loaded in the register 84. In 
the first tone forming channel, therefore, generation of a tone signal 
having tone pitch corresponding to the tone pitch data KC1 is started in 
response to the tone generation designation signal KON1. At this time, the 
tone color of the tone signal is controlled in accordance with the tone 
color data TC and the tone color control data PD1 and the tone volume of 
the tone signal is controlled in accordance with the touch amount signal 
TCH in the same manner as previously described. 
Upon stopping of the tone generation designation operation at a time point 
t4, for example, the signal KON1 falls and the tone signal starts to decay 
in response thereto. Simultaneously, the register 84 is reset by the OFF 
pulse KOFP1. 
By adopting the above described arrangement according to which tone pitch 
data is provided from the circuit 58 without touching on the touch bar 10, 
generation of an open string tone in a string instrument such as a guitar 
can be simulated. Since the tone pitch of the reference tone pitch data 
KC1 can be determined as desired by the tone pitch setting device 66, a 
tone can be generated at any desired tone pitch. 
As an operation different from the above described operations, the tone 
generation operation in a case where the touch bar has been touched after 
performing the tone generation designation operation will be as follows. 
When the tone generation designation signal KON1 has risen at a time point 
t2, for example, in accordance with the tone generation designation 
operation and the ON pulse KONP1 has been generated, a tone signal having 
tone pitch corresponding to the fret 0 on the touch bar 10 is generated in 
the same manner as described above. Thereafter, upon rising of the ON 
signal PON1 at a time point t1', for example, in accordance with the touch 
operation on the touch bar 10, tone pitch data (KC1+PT1) corresponding to 
the touch position is loaded in the register 84 in response to the signal 
PON1. Assuming that the touch bar has been touched at the position of fret 
1, the tone pitch of the tone signal which is being generated rises by a 
semiton from the time point at which the tone pitch data (KC1+PT1) has 
been loaded in the register 84. The subsequent decay start operation upon 
stopping the tone generation designation operation is the same as the one 
described above. 
Portamento can be performed by touching at the position of fret 1 on the 
touch bar 10, for example, and simultaneously performing the tone 
generation designation operation by the tone generation designation device 
70 and thereafter sliding the touch position from fret 1 to fret 2. By 
this operation, the tone pitch of a generated tone rises smoothly from one 
corresponding to fret 1 to one corresponding to fret 2. The tone pitch can 
be caused to fall by reversing the direction of sliding of the touch 
position. 
By sequentially performing the tone generation designation operation in the 
tone generation designation device 70 while sliding the touch position on 
the touch bar 10, tones having tone pitches corresponding to current touch 
positions at the respective tone generation designation operations are 
generated from the beginning at each tone generation designation 
operation. Further, by performing portamento by sliding the touch position 
from fret 1 to fret 2, for example, and stopping the tone generation 
designation operation immediately before the end of the portamento 
performance and then immediately starting the tone generation designation 
operation again, a tone corresponding to fret 2 can be generated from the 
beginning. 
The invention is not limited to the above described examples but may be 
implemented in numerous ways including the following modified forms: 
(1) As the tone pitch designating operator, not only the touch bar but 
other operators such as a slide volume which can obtain position 
information corresponding to positions may be used. 
(2) Instead of resetting the registers 84 through 90 of FIG. 1 by the OFF 
pulse KOFP, tone pitch after release of the tone generation designation 
operation may be changed by operating the operator such as the touch bar. 
By this modification, a portamento effect can be imparted also to a tone 
after release. 
(3) As the tone generation designation means, devices other than the 
devices shown in FIGS. 5A through 5E, e.g., a press sensor, drum pad or 
foot switch may be used. 
(4) As the position-interval conversion memory 46 of FIG. 1, a stepwise 
characteristic having a flat portion of a predetermined width at each fret 
position in the relation between the operation position and the output may 
be employed instead of the characteristic in which the operation position 
corresponds linearly to the output. 
(5) When the signal PON generated by the operation of the touch bars 10 
through 16 of FIG. 1 has become 0, the tone pitch immediately before this 
time point may be held in the registers 84 through 90 and the tone color 
may be changed. By this arrangement, a characteristic according to which 
the tone color changes subtly when a string has been opened in a string 
instrument can be simulated.