Patent ID: 7465869

Claim:
An apparatus comprising a membrane for use in musical instruments comprising, in combination: a. an acoustically vibrating layer comprising a two dimensional layer of flexible and precisely tensionable material specially formed to be stretched in a controlled manner across an appropriate aperture of a musical instrument and vibrating in response to the playing of said instrument; b. an electrically conducting layer comprising a two dimensional, flexible, precisely tensionable, and electrically conductive material of approximately the same dimensions as said acoustically vibrating surface, where said electrically conducting layer is attached to said acoustically vibrating layer across its entire surface where the attachment is not external to said membrane such that said electrically conducting layer vibrates in unison with said acoustically vibrating layer during the playing of said musical instrument, and; c. an electrical connection, comprising a permanently attached conductor with a suitable connector or a surface appropriately prepared to ensure good electrical connectivity through physical contact with an external conductor, to connect said electrically conducting layer, through a low impedance electrical conductor, to a source of electrical grounding; wherein said membrane is a monolithic construction formed of a single piece of material comprising both said electrically conducting layer and said acoustically vibrating layer; and whereby said apparatus is used to simultaneously emit sound waves characteristic of the sound of said musical instrument during the playing of said instrument, function as a vibrating variable capacitor plate for a capacitive electric musical instrument vibration transducer, and form a portion of an electromagnetic interference shield for electronic devices contained inside said musical instrument.