A percussion device includes a drumstick assembly and a sleeve. The drumstick assembly includes a drumstick having a base and a tip end, and a drumstick tip secured to the tip end of the drumstick, the drumstick tip including a sensor. The sleeve is disposed about at least a portion of the drumstick including the base thereof, and includes at least one control button, a communication element, and a processor in communication with the at least one control button, the drumstick tip and the communication element. The processor is configured to receive a signal from the drumstick tip and to generate output to the communication element. The output so generated includes a signal that specifies a sound file selected by operation of the at least one control button.

A percussion instrument comprising an energy harvesting device is disclosed, embodiments take the form of a percussion shaker and a drum, various implementations are disclosed for harvesting kinetic energy from motion imparted to the instrument and converting it to electrical energy for later use and for transfer to an external device.

A voice synthesizing apparatus includes a first receiver configured to receive first utterance control information generated by detecting a start of a manipulation on a manipulating member by a user, a first synthesizer configured to synthesize, in response to a reception of the first utterance control information, a first voice corresponding to a first phoneme in a phoneme sequence of a voice to be synthesized to output the first voice, a second receiver configured to receive second utterance control information generated by detecting a completion of the manipulation on the manipulating member or a manipulation on a different manipulating member, and a second synthesizer configured to synthesize, in response to a reception of the second utterance control information, a second voice including at least the first phoneme and a succeeding phoneme being subsequent to the first phoneme of the voice to be synthesized to output the second voice.

A device is provided as part of a system, the device being for capturing vibrations produced by an object such as a musical instrument. Via a fixation element, the device is fixed to a drum. The device has a sensor spaced apart from a surface of the drum, located relative to the drum, and a magnet adjacent the sensor. The fixation element transmits vibrations from its fixation point on the drum to the magnet. Vibrations from the surface of the drum and from the magnet are transmitted to the sensor. A method may further be provided for interpreting an audio input, such as the output of the sensors within the system, the method comprising identifying an audio event or grouping of audio events within audio data, generating a model of the audio event that includes a representation of a timbre characteristic, and comparing that representation to expected representations.

An electronic musical instrument comprising a lower frame member having a first end and a second end, and above the handle portion of the first end are a plurality of apertures extending through the lower frame member towards the second end, pins mounted within the plurality of apertures in predetermined locations, jingles loosely mounted to the pins, so that when the instrument is shaken a tambourine sound is emitted, an upper frame member having a first end and a second end wherein the first end of the upper frame member is attached distal to the first end of the lower frame member, at least one strip attached to the lower frame member, and an activation switch attached to the upper frame member, so that when the second end of the upper frame member and the second end of the lower frame member come in contact the strip is activated.

A device is provided as part of a system, the device being for capturing vibrations produced by an object such as a musical instrument. Via a fixation element, the device is fixed to a drum. The device has a sensor spaced apart from a surface of the drum, located relative to the drum, and a magnet adjacent the sensor. The fixation element transmits vibrations from its fixation point on the drum to the magnet. Vibrations from the surface of the drum and from the magnet are transmitted to the sensor. A method may further be provided for interpreting an audio input, such as the output of the sensors within the system, the method comprising identifying an audio event or grouping of audio events within audio data, generating a model of the audio event that includes a representation of a timbre characteristic, and comparing that representation to expected representations.

A percussion instrument comprising an energy harvesting device is disclosed, embodiments take the form of a percussion shaker and a drum, various implementations are disclosed for harvesting kinetic energy from motion imparted to the instrument and converting it to electrical energy for later use and for transfer to an external device.

A percussion device includes a drumstick assembly and a sleeve. The drumstick assembly includes a drumstick having a base and a tip end, and a drumstick tip secured to the tip end of the drumstick, the drumstick tip including a sensor. The sleeve is disposed about at least a portion of the drumstick including the base thereof, and includes at least one control button, a communication element, and a processor in communication with the at least one control button, the drumstick tip and the communication element. The processor is configured to receive a signal from the drumstick tip and to generate output to the communication element. The output so generated includes a signal that specifies a sound file selected by operation of the at least one control button.

A device is provided as part of a system, the device being for capturing vibrations produced by an object such as a musical instrument. Via a fixation element, the device is fixed to a drum. The device has a sensor spaced apart from a surface of the drum, located relative to the drum, and a magnet adjacent the sensor. The fixation element transmits vibrations from its fixation point on the drum to the magnet. Vibrations from the surface of the drum and from the magnet are transmitted to the sensor. A method may further be provided for interpreting an audio input, such as the output of the sensors within the system, the method comprising identifying an audio event or grouping of audio events within audio data, generating a model of the audio event that includes a representation of a timbre characteristic, and comparing that representation to expected representations.

A percussion surface apparatus includes: a head which is formed by rubber, and which includes a front surface and a back surface, the front surface which functions as a percussion surface; a cushion member which includes: a first layer that is butted against the back surface of the head, and that is formed by a fiber-based non-woven fabric; and a second layer that is adjacent to the first layer, and that is formed by a porous urethane material; and a supporting unit which is configured to fix and support the cushion member in a state where the cushion member is butted against the back surface of the head at a pressure.