Abstract:
Improvements in a microphone system for a musical instrument and more particularly for a percussion instrument such as a drum, marimba or similar musical instrument. The microphone system includes a vibration isolation system. A vertical or horizontal tracking system bridges across supports of a drum or marimba in a vertical or horizontal tracking system. One or more microphones are supported on the first bridging structure. The microphone(s) are positionally secured on the horizontal tracking system. Both the microphones and the horizontal tracking system provide vibration isolation to all of the microphones. A cable managements system is also disclosed to reduce mechanical vibration and eliminate transmission of undesirable sounds.

Description:
This application is a continuation-in-part of applicant&#39;s application Ser. No. 12/540,079 filed Aug. 12, 2009, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,063,297 that issued on Nov. 22, 2011, and Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/088,303 filed Aug. 12, 2008 the entire contents of which is hereby expressly incorporated by reference herein. 
    
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not Applicable 
     THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT 
     Not Applicable 
     INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC 
     Not Applicable 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to improvements in supporting microphones securable to a marimba, xylophone and vibraphone. More particularly, the present supporting microphone(s) that is securable to any mallet pitch percussion instruments includes a vibration isolation structure that suspends a tracking system on the illustrated marimba and a separate vibration isolation structure that isolates each microphone from the tracking system. 
     2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98 
     Several products and patents have been used to receive the musical sound from a marimba, drum or similar percussion instrument. Most of these devices either are secured to each sound bar or secured to a microphone placed over the sound bars or under the drum head. Exemplary examples of patents covering these products are disclosed herein. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,903,563 issued Feb. 27, 1990 to Masaaki Mizuguchi discloses a sound bar electronic musical instrument such as a marimba. At least some of the sound bars have their own microphone. When a sound bar is struck a tone generator makes the sound through a speaker. This patent does not use all the actual sound from the marimba, the sound is produced from a tone generator. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,151,777 issued May 1, 1979 to Keiicki Sugiyama et al., discloses a piano sound pickup method and device. The pickup and device is placed between a wall of a piano case in opposed direction with a sounding board. The location of the microphone is fixed within the piano and can receive mechanical vibration. Since the single microphone is fixed to a single location there is limited ability to adjust the microphone to receive sound from all of the strings equally or from a particular grouping of strings. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,096,955 issued Aug. 1, 2000 to Jan Anno Ter Heide discloses a device for supporting a musical instrument such as a xylophone, marimba or drum. The structure is a frame having supports on the opposing sides of the musical instrument. The frame legs have wheels or casters that allow the structure, and mounted instrument, to be moved. This patent does not include a microphone or sound pick-up device it provides a frame structure for attaching a xylophone or marimba. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 3,653,625 on Apr. 4, 1972 to Gerald W. Plice discloses a microphone shock-mounting apparatus. The mounting apparatus uses a cylindrical shock absorber to hold the body shaft of a microphone. This shock absorber is for a microphone and will hold a microphone; the microphone is mountable on a boom fitting or a desk base. 
     The inventor has also received a number of patents for mounting a drum within a drum shell, namely these patents are U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,168,646, 4,570,522 and 6,121,528. 
     What is needed is an adjustable shock mount base for one or multiple microphones between the resonator tubes. The ideal system would allow a performer to move or adjust the location of the microphones to change the proximity of the microphones to the resonator tubes and the sound bars. This ideal system would isolate mechanical noise and sound from instrument and cable movement. The proposed marimba suspended microphone system satisfies the need with a suspended microphone system that is adjustable by the user. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the mallet pitch percussion instruments suspended microphone system to suspend the microphones from shock mounts that isolate unwanted mechanical energy/frequency from the microphones and from the audible sound from those unwanted mechanicals. This reduces or eliminates the frame noise and or sounds when a performer or other person makes contact with the frame or drum shell where the microphones are mounted to a percussion instrument(s). The shock mounting of the microphone(s) is secured to a mounting system that is secured to the frame or drum shell of the pitch percussion instrument(s). 
     It is an object of the mallet pitch percussion instruments suspended microphone system to provide a suspended frame for suspending the microphones. The suspended microphone frame is also shock mounted to the frame of the mallet pitch percussion instruments to further reduce or eliminate mechanical vibration from the frame or shell to the microphones. The suspended microphone frame is preferably removably secured to the mallet pitch percussion instruments frame. The suspended frame is removably secured to the mallet pitch percussion instruments frame with plates placed on the opposing ends of the suspended frame and the hook and loop fasteners, pins that rest in a saddles or similar securing means. 
     It is an object of the mallet pitch percussion instruments suspended microphone system for the microphones to be positionable on the mallet pitch percussion instruments. The positioning can be by sliding one or more microphones along the suspended tubing. The microphones can also be positioned by altering the angle of the microphone on the mounting hardware. In a drum installation the distance of the microphone to the drum head alters the tonal characteristics of the amplified sound. 
     It is an object of the mallet pitch percussion instruments suspended microphone system for the microphones to be secured with standard microphone mounting that allows a user to mount standard microphones and standard microphone hardware on the isolate frame tube. 
     It is another object of the mallet pitch percussion instruments suspended microphone system to incorporate a cable management system that retains at least a portion of the microphone cables. The cable management system keeps the cables from moving when the mallet pitch percussion instruments is being moved or played. Movement of the cables creates undesirable mechanical noise that the cable management system significantly reduces or eliminates. 
     It is another object of the mallet pitch percussion instruments suspended microphone system to include a blend module that allows a performer to mix or blend the sound from one or multiple microphones. A performer may wish to actively alter or change the amplified sound to account for playing style, acoustics or preference. The blend module can accommodate a portion of this need without requiring the performer to climb under the mallet pitch percussion instruments while performing. The blender further allows a performer or sound technician to adjust the phasing of sound from multiple microphones. 
     It is still another object of the mallet pitch percussion instruments suspended microphone system to secure the microphones in a structure that is fixedly secured to the mallet pitch percussion instruments. The fixed securing will still need to isolate the microphones from mechanical sounds and unwanted percussion sympathetic vibration. The fixedly securing allows the microphones to be moved with the mallet pitch percussion instruments without disassembly of the microphones and or the mallet pitch percussion instruments. 
     Various objects, features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments of the invention, along with the accompanying drawings in which like numerals represent like components. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S) 
         FIG. 1  shows an isometric view of the mallet pitch percussion instruments microphone suspension system mounted on a mallet pitch percussion instruments. 
         FIG. 2  shows a detailed view of the end support for the isolated frame structure. 
         FIG. 3  shows a microphone suspended from a flexible tightrope type cord. 
         FIG. 4  shows a first preferred embodiment of a microphone mounted into an isolator. 
         FIG. 5  shows a second preferred embodiment of a microphone mounted into an isolator. 
         FIG. 6  shows the microphone from  FIG. 3  mounted between the resonance tubes on the isolation frame. 
         FIG. 7  shows the microphone from  FIG. 4  mounted on a mallet pitch percussion instruments with a cable management system. 
         FIG. 8  shows the microphone suspension structure from  FIG. 6  with a vertically adjustable frame mounting bracket. 
         FIG. 9  shows an alternate view of the vertically adjustable frame mounting bracket from  FIG. 8 . 
         FIG. 10  shows a side view of a microphone mounted on a frame tube. 
         FIG. 11  shows a perspective view of the isolators installed on a drum. 
         FIG. 12  shows a perspective view of the frame rail of  FIG. 10  mounted within the drum from  FIG. 11  with an additional microphone. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       FIG. 1  shows an isometric view of the mallet pitch percussion instruments microphone suspension system mounted on a mallet pitch percussion instruments. While a mallet pitch percussion instruments  10  is shown and described the microphone suspension mounting system is compatible with similarly configured musical instruments including a xylophone. The mallet pitch percussion instruments has a plurality of sound bars  13  with resonance tubes  14  extending under the sound bars  13 . Since the performer moves over the top of the sound bars as they strike the sound bars placing a microphone above the sound bars is difficult. In addition, because there are two rows of resonance tubes located under the sound bars, placement of a microphone under or between the resonance chambers is difficult. 
     In general a mallet pitch percussion instruments support frame  10  is configured on a frame structure  11 . The frame structure shown has caster(s)  12  mounted to the bottom of the frame structure  11  to allow the mallet pitch percussion instruments to be moved. The frame structure  11  has upright members that support the mallet pitch percussion instruments  10 . The microphone suspension system mounts between the opposing upright legs. A microphone (shown between the resonance tubes) is mounted onto a microphone slide mount  30 . The microphone slide mount allows the microphone to be repositioned along the mounting tube or isolated frame tube  20 . On the opposing sides of the isolated frame tube  20  are end suspension horns  60  that secure the sub assembly to the mallet pitch percussion instruments. The end suspension horn(s) are shown and described in more detail in  FIGS. 2 and 6  herein. 
     Each microphone has a cord  51  and in this figure the microphone cord  51  loops through a cable management clip  50  before connecting to a mixer blender  80 . The mixer blender allows the signal from one or more microphones to be separately amplified and blended before being sent to a power amplifier (not shown). The mixer blender is shown and described in more detail with the inventor&#39;s prior application Ser. No. 11/144,542, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,297,863. 
       FIG. 2  shows a detailed view of the end support for the isolated frame structure. This section of tube  20  can be similarly secured on both ends between the resonance chambers of the mallet pitch percussion instruments. The tube section is fluted or dove tailed  21  to allow elements to slide along the length of the tube without the elements spinning due to gravity or vibration. A portion  22  of the tube has been smoothed to allow dovetailed or fluted elements to be placed onto the flutes or dovetails without requiring a free end of the tube  20 . The tube  20  is isolated from the frame with an isolator(s) that fits around the tube  20  ends. The isolator  61  has a support  62  that extends around the isolator  61 . The support  62  is fitted onto a horn  64  with a fastener  63 . At the end of the horn  64  a pivotable foot  65  (shown exploded from the horn  64 ) is mounted onto a hollow elastomeric bushing  69  that is passed through hole  71  in the horn  64 . The foot  65  is then placed onto the elastomeric bushing  69  and fasteners  67  are threaded into the saddle(s)  68  on the foot  65  where the end of the fastener(s)  67  extends into the hollow elastomeric bushing  69 . Various other vibration isolation securing methods are contemplated that provide similar isolation. Some variation include but are not limited to a custom bushing, turning down the end of the threaded portion of the fasteners  67  and placing an additional elastomeric bushing in the connection between the horn  64  and the support  62 . In the preferred embodiment the foot  65  uses a hook and loop  66  type fastening system to secure the feet  65  to the mallet pitch percussion instruments frame. The mounting of the tube  20  to the frame  10  provides isolation from mechanical vibration that can be detected by the microphone and subsequently an amplifier. 
     It is contemplated that the isolator  61 , horn  64  and the foot  65  could be made from a single isolation member such as a rubber type material that will provide both rigid support and vibration isolation. The horn and or angled pieces does not need to be made from rigid material such as extruded aluminum but could be molding or a hard rubber extrusion then cut to length finished with a fastener for mounting. While a hook and loop securing system is shown and described other mounting systems are contemplated including but not limited to placing the tube  20  unto a supporting channel or using pins that extend into the sides of the mallet pitch percussion instruments frame. 
     The transverse tube  20  could also be secured to the frame of the mallet pitch percussion instruments using bungee cords or a transverse trapeze that isolates the tube from the frame of the mallet pitch percussion instruments. The isolation of the tube  20  from the frame  10  provides more omni-directional energy absorbing to minimize or eliminate mechanical noise to the microphones. The fasteners  63  and or  67  can be adjusted to allow the isolated frame tube  20  to swing or rigidly be secured depending upon desire or requirements. As previously identified, the isolation tube  20  is fluted or dovetailed and a portion of the isolation tube  20  has the flutes removed for placement of the microphones. 
       FIG. 3  shows a microphone suspended from a flexible tightrope type cord. The isolated frame tube  20  and its connection with the horn  64  to the foot  65  is the same as described with  FIG. 2 . In this figure the foot  65  is secured to the bushing and the horn  64  with bolts  67 . The horn  64  is fastened to the support  62  with a fastener  63 . The isolated frame tube  20  extends through an isolator  61 . The tube section of the isolated frame tube  20  is fluted or dove tailed  21  to allow elements to slide along the length of the tube without the elements spinning due to gravity or vibration. A portion  22  of the tube has been smoothed to allow dovetailed or fluted elements to be placed onto the flutes or dovetails without requiring a free end of the tube  20 . 
     The microphone slide support  30  has dovetail inwardly turned edges that engage into corresponding dovetail edges or grooves that are in the isolated frame tube  20 . The dovetail edges or grooves maintain the orientation of the microphone and provide a sliding surface for the microphone sub assembly to slide along the isolated frame tube. A lock  33  secures the position of the microphone sub assembly on the isolated frame tube. A horn  31  is secured to the microphone slide mount  30  with a fastener  32  such as a screw, bolt or similar securing means. 
     Two separate microphone support slides  30  with horns  31  are shown with flexible tightropes  46  stretched between the horns  31  and secured with a clamp or fasteners  34 . The tightropes  46  are flexible to dampen unwanted vibration of the frame to the microphones  35 . A clamp  47  is secured to the tightropes  46  and a fastener  37  secures the clamp  47  to the isolator  36 . The microphone handle slides through the isolator  36  and the cable for the microphone suspension connects to the end  41  of the microphone handle. 
       FIG. 4  shows a first preferred embodiment of a microphone suspension mounted into an isolator.  FIG. 5  shows a second preferred embodiment of a microphone mounted into an isolator. In both embodiments the base of the sub assembly is a microphone slide support  30 . This slide support is similar in construction to the slide support that is used in the instrument carrier disclosed by the inventor in patent application Ser. No. 11/021,596 now U.S. Pat. No. 7,326,842. The slide support  30  engages onto the isolated frame tube  20  in  FIGS. 1 ,  2 ,  5  and  6 . The microphone slide support has dovetail inwardly turned edges that engage into corresponding dovetail edges or grooves that are in the isolated frame tube  20 . The dovetail edges or grooves maintain the orientation of the microphone and provide a sliding surface for the microphone sub assembly to slide along the isolated frame tube. A lock  33  secures the position of the microphone sub assembly on the isolated frame tube. A horn  31  is secured to the microphone slide mount  30  with a fastener  32  such as a screw, bolt or similar securing means. The horn  31  is similar in construction to the horn shown and described in the inventor in patent application Ser. No. 11/021,596 now U.S. Pat. No. 7,326,842. Two different types of supporting hardware secure the microphone. 
     In  FIG. 4  an isolator  36  secures the microphone clamp in a microphone stand that is similar in construction to how a microphone would be mounted on a microphone stand. The isolator  36  is secured with a threaded shaft  42  on one end and a thumbnut  39  that thread into the microphone stand base. The microphone mount is secured through the isolator  36  with a threaded shaft  42 . A washer  43  and thumb nut  44  is threaded onto the threaded shaft  42 . Tightening or loosening the thumbnut down  45  onto the isolator will alter the rigidity of the isolator  36  thereby altering the dampening of mechanical sounds and unwanted percussion sympathetic vibration. The microphone has a screen  35  that covers the pick-up area and a shaft or handle  40  for mounting. The cord would connect to the end  41 . 
     In  FIG. 5  the shaft or handle  40  of the microphone is directly mounted into the isolator  36 . An extension  38  connects the horn  31  to the isolator  36  using securing hardware  34  and  37  at each end of the extension. The connection cable for the microphone would extend out the end  41  of the shaft or handle of the microphone. While fasteners such as screws are shown and described other types of securing hardware are contemplated including clips, springs, pins, glues, adhesives, snaps or frictional engagement. It is also contemplated that the horn and the microphone holding mechanism can all be made from a rubber material that provides both structural strength and isolation of mechanical vibration. 
       FIG. 6  shows the microphone from  FIG. 3  mounted between the resonance tubes on the isolation frame. This figure shows the placement of the microphone  35  between the resonance tubes  14  of the mallet pitch percussion instruments. The microphone  35  is mounted onto the isolated frame tube  20  using the microphone slide mount  30  with horn  31 . The microphone slide mount  30  can be locked in place on the isolated frame tube  20  with lock  33 . Various fasteners  32 ,  34  and  37  hold the microphone  35  in position. One or more of these fasteners  32 ,  34  and  37  can be loosened to alter the position and angle of the microphone  35  between the resonance tubes  14 . Isolator  36  isolates any mechanical vibration of the mallet pitch percussion instruments frame to the microphone. The microphone cord  51  connects from the back of the microphone through a cable management clip shown in  FIG. 7  and then to an amplifier or to a level compensator mixer as shown and described with  FIG. 1 . 
     The isolation frame tube  20  is shown in two pieces with a joiner  23  connecting the two isolated frame tube pieces  20 . The joiner  20  engages into the dovetail grooves or recesses. This joiner is similar in construction to the joiner shown and described in the inventor&#39;s prior patent Ser. No. 11/450,697. Locks  24  secure the position of the joiner  20  onto each of the two isolated frame tube pieces  20 . 
       FIG. 7  shows the microphone from  FIG. 5  mounted on a mallet pitch percussion instruments with a cable management system. The microphone and the microphone mounting are similar to previously described configuration where like number correspond to like components. The end suspension horn is similar to previously described configuration where like numbers correspond to like components. The major addition in this figure is the cable management clip  50 . In this figure the cable management system is clipped to the dovetail grooves or tabs in the isolated frame tube  20  with clip tabs  53  located at the ends of the cable management clip. The cable management clip  50  prevents or reduces mechanical noise from cable movement from being picked-up or heard in the microphones. An extended tab on the cable management clip  50  has a slot  52  where cables are placed through to capture the cable and to offset gravity and sway of the microphone cable(s)  51 . 
       FIG. 8  shows the microphone suspension structure from  FIG. 6  with a vertically adjustable frame mounting bracket and  FIG. 9  shows an alternate view of the vertically adjustable frame mounting bracket from  FIG. 8 . In these figures the foot  65  is shown inserted into the foot retentions hanger  90 . The foot is slid into the recess  94  where it is retained. The foot retaining hanger  90  is secured to a frame hook  91  that fits around an existing mallet pitch percussion instruments support frame  11 . One or more slots  90  allows the microphone suspension structure to be moved 92 vertically to adjust the height of the microphones between the resonance tubes  14 . 
       FIG. 10  shows a side view of a microphone mounted on a frame tube,  FIG. 11  shows a perspective view of the isolators installed on a drum and  FIG. 12  shows a perspective view of the frame rail of  FIG. 10  mounted within the drum from  FIG. 11  with an additional microphone. The supporting structure of this embodiment used similar or the same components as on the marimba. The major difference is that the support  62  and isolators  61  are mounted on a foot  55  that allows the sub assembly to mount within the shell  100  of a drum between the drum heads or under the drum head  101 . The microphone slide mount  48  allows the horn  31  and the microphone  49  to translate along the isolated elongated supporting rail  20 . The ends of the  54  of the isolated frame tube are secured within the isolators  61 . 
     These figures shows the placement of the microphone  35  or microphones as shown in  FIG. 12  within the drum shell  100  of the percussion instruments. The microphone(s)  35  and  49  is mounted onto the isolated frame elongated supporting rail  20  using the microphone slide mount  30  with horn  31 . The microphone slide mount  30  can be locked in place on the isolated frame elongated supporting rail  20  with lock  33 . Various fasteners  25 ,  32 ,  34   37 , and  63  hold the microphone  35  in position. One or more of these fasteners  25 ,  32 ,  34 ,  37  and  63  can be loosened to alter the position and angle of the microphone  35  between the ends of the drum or without the drum heads. Isolator  36  isolates any mechanical vibration of the mallet pitch percussion instruments frame to the microphone. The microphone cord  51  connects from the back of the microphone through the horn  31  or with a cable management clip shown in  FIG. 7  and then to an amplifier or to a level compensator mixer as shown and described with  FIG. 1 . 
     In  FIG. 12 , the shaft or handle  40  of the microphone is directly mounted into the isolator  36 . An extension  38  connects the horn  31  to the isolator  36  using securing hardware  34  and  37  at each end of the extension. The connection cable for the microphone would extend out the end  41  of the shaft or handle of the microphone. 
     Thus, specific embodiments of an isolated mallet pitch percussion instruments microphone system have been disclosed. It should be apparent, however, to those skilled in the art that many more modifications besides those described are possible without departing from the inventive concepts herein. The inventive subject matter, therefore, is not to be restricted except in the spirit of the appended claims.