A percussion instrument with a plurality of sound zones comprising a main body defining an inner space containing a volume of air, the main body including an upper surface and a lower surface that are joined along their perimeters by a side wall, the upper surface including a sound hole and functioning as a soundboard, and an inner bracing attached directly to an inner face of the soundboard, the inner bracing configured to define a plurality of sound zones across the soundboard, each sound zone having a specific tonal quality related to the surface area comprising the sound zone.

A method and a device provides a user with the ability to freely improvise or play around with a selection of different chords and be provided with visual guidance assisting the improvisation of melody, while also providing accompaniment consistent with the selection of chords. Sound files consistent with a user selection of a chord and/or a dynamic level are selected from an audio library and played, while the user is given visual cues on a user interface keyboard assisting the user to select notes that are consistent with the chord selected for the accompaniment.

Indicating what should be played in a piece of music with a music document, including: displaying a part of the music document when a user plays the piece; receiving a real-time audio signal of the playing; automatically determining a playing position within the piece of music based on the real-time audio signal; automatically scrolling the music document on a display depending on the playing position; estimating at least the following from the real-time audio signal: activity; tonality; and tempo used in automatically determining the playing position determined from playing speed of the user. The estimating of the activity includes detecting whether the user is producing any sounding notes. The estimating of the tonality is based on an array of chord models that represent different chords that appear in the music document and allow calculating the probability that the corresponding chord is being played in various real-time audio signal segments.

A method for interfacing tones with a computer enables a music device to emulate the functions of a computer keyboard. The method includes receiving a digital signal representing one or more note events and identifying a group of concurrent notes from the one or more note events, wherein the one or more note events each have a pitch, a velocity and an initiation. In accordance with a pitch class of a base note of the group of notes and intervals computed between pitch classes of the notes of the group as ordered by the pitch of the note events, the group of notes are translated into a computer input signal representative of one or more keystrokes on a computer keyboard and the computer input signal is sent to a computer for output or further processing.

The object of the invention is a device for digital control of analogue sound processing, the purpose of which is an upgrade of a classic analogue sound processing device. The device comprises at least one external regulation element, an analogue effect, at least one digital regulation element, at least one control button, at least one memory location for storing positions of the external regulation elements, and a control circuit with a pre-downloaded software. The device according to the invention digitally controls analogue sound processing, wherein the external appearance of the device and its handling are as similar to the existing known devices as possible and the sound processing is identical, analogue, as with the existing devices. It has additional options enabled: a) the device may be set from pre-set memory locations that contain combinations of positions of the regulation elements which determine sound alteration; b) storage of combinations of positions of the regulation elements into the memory for subsequent use; c) remote control of the device by an external device, for instance by an adequate application downloaded onto a phone, tablet or computer; d) downloading of combinations of positions of the regulation elements to the memory of the device according to the invention by an external device.

/

A step sequencer with a four by sixteen grid of buttons is disclosed. The sequencer is used to generate patterns of sounds on different channels. The sequencer can be used as a hardware controller to control music production software. The grid of the sequencer emulates the virtual grid generated in a graphical user interface by the music production software. The grid of the hardware controller is used to control the corresponding grid on the graphical user interface.

Described herein are embodiments of electronic sensorized spherical input and output devices, systems, and methods for capturing gestural input from a user's physical interactions with a spherical device. In one embodiment, the spherical input and output device includes a number of sensors along the surface area of the sphere in a configuration conforming to a user's fingers and hands. A microprocessor receives sensor input and transmits the sensor signals to receiving devices which include computer software to translate the sensor signals to audio output, visual output, or various functions on receiving devices. Additional embodiments of the invention include binary modifier functions which allow the user to trigger a number of different outputs for the sensorized sphere, such as volume control, tempo, sample playback, LED lights, game modes, and other functions. Other embodiments include the integration of inertial measurement units (IMUs), which may include a combination of accelerometers, gyroscopes and magnetometers to capture complex user gestures involving motion, direction and spin of the sensorized sphere to provide unique output signals.

A method and a device provides a user with the ability to freely improvise or play around with a selection of different chords and be provided with visual guidance assisting the improvisation of melody, while also providing accompaniment consistent with the selection of chords. Sound files consistent with a user selection of a chord and/or a dynamic level are selected from an audio library and played, while the user is given visual cues on a user interface keyboard assisting the user to select notes that are consistent with the chord selected for the accompaniment.

A system for the upgrade of an electric stringed instrument for enhancing the musical or artistic performance of a user is provided. The system includes a varying number of potentiometers to be used to control the volume and tone of the instrument in combination with other electrical components such as switches and connecting output jack to be part of the system. Each of the potentiometers have the capably of multiple resistance values. The installer of the system will have the ability to choose the value of their volume and tone potentiometers from one of the multiple values obtained from each of the potentiometers to obtain the best tone option for their instrument. In addition, the system provides the user the option to operate the instrument's multiple magnetic pickups at different resistance values with the same multiple resistance potentiometer. All components are to be solderless connected together with wires to terminals. Terminals may be color coded for identification purposes.

Apparatuses, systems, and methods are presented for creation of musical compositions based on radio frequency identification (RFID) tags placed on a spot on the surface of a base. The RFID tags transmit a unique identifier (UID) to an RFID reader situated beneath the spot. The UID can be used to play music loops associated with the UID. An on-line database can be queried to determine whether a default music loop set or a new music loop set is to be played. If the default music loop set is retained, then context data can be applied to the music loop set to harmonize the resulting musical composition.