With reference to FIG. 7a the present invention relates to transducer apparatus (200) for use with a reed instrument (201) having an air chamber (15) forming a resonant cavity whose resonance characteristics are controlled by opening and closing of tone holes (17A, 17B) connecting the air chamber to the exterior of the reed instrument. The transducer apparatus comprises attachment means (202) for releasably securing the transducer apparatus to a mouthpiece (201) of the reed instrument in place of a reed. A reed replacement section (203) has a housing with an abutment surface for abutting a surface part of the mouthpiece which would be abutted by a reed secured to the mouthpiece. An air passage extends through the housing of the reed replacement section (203) from an air inlet (211) through which a player of the instrument can blow to an air outlet (213) through which air blown by the player is delivered to atmosphere, without passing through the air chamber (15) within the reed instrument. A speaker (208) is supported by the housing and delivers sound to the air chamber (15). An air chamber microphone (209) is supported by the housing and receives sound in the air chamber (15). An electronic processing unit (204) has: an excitation unit (101) which produces an excitation signal for driving the speaker (208); a processor (102) for receiving a measurement signal produced by the microphone and for detecting from the measurement signal a musical note played by the instrument; a synthesizer (220) for generating an electronic signal embodying a musical note which corresponds to the detected musical note; and output means (103) for transmitting the musical note generated by the synthesizer to a receiver external of the transducer apparatus. The invention also relates to a system for representing the sounds of a reed instrument having the components of the transducer apparatus, to an electronic system for determining a musical note played by a reed instrument having the components of the transducer apparatus and to a method of practising playing of a reed instrument comprising use of the components of the transducer apparatus.

An electronic wind instrument is provided with a processor (CPU 5) and plural touch sensors (a detecting unit 12s and detecting units 13s) disposed along a first direction. A first output variable da/dt is obtained, representing a variation per unit time of an output value from a first sensor (detecting unit 12s) in the plural touch sensors disposed on the side close to first end (tip side) in the first direction. A second output variable dS/dt is obtained, representing a variation per unit time of a sum of output values from second sensors (detecting units 13s) disposed between a second end (heel side) and the first sensor in the first direction. The processor judges based on the first output variable da/dt and the second output variable dS/dt whether a tonging process should be performed.

With reference to FIG. 7a the present invention relates to transducer apparatus (200) for use with a reed instrument (201) having an air chamber (15) forming a resonant cavity whose resonance characteristics are controlled by opening and closing of tone holes (17A, 17B) connecting the air chamber to the exterior of the reed instrument. The transducer apparatus comprises attachment means (202) for releasably securing the transducer apparatus to a mouthpiece (201) of the reed instrument in place of a reed. A reed replacement section (203) has a housing with an abutment surface for abutting a surface part of the mouthpiece which would be abutted by a reed secured to the mouthpiece. An air passage extends through the housing of the reed replacement section (203) from an air inlet (211) through which a player of the instrument can blow to an air outlet (213) through which air blown by the player is delivered to atmosphere, without passing through the air chamber (15) within the reed instrument. A speaker (208) is supported by the housing and delivers sound to the air chamber (15). An air chamber microphone (209) is supported by the housing and receives sound in the air chamber (15). An electronic processing unit (204) has: an excitation unit (101) which produces an excitation signal for driving the speaker (208); a processor (102) for receiving a measurement signal produced by the microphone and for detecting from the measurement signal a musical note played by the instrument; a synthesizer (220) for generating an electronic signal embodying a musical note which corresponds to the detected musical note; and output means (103) for transmitting the musical note generated by the synthesizer to a receiver external of the transducer apparatus. The invention also relates to a system for representing the sounds of a reed instrument having the components of the transducer apparatus, to an electronic system for determining a musical note played by a reed instrument having the components of the transducer apparatus and to a method of practising playing of a reed instrument comprising use of the components of the transducer apparatus.

A detection device including n number of sensors arrayed in a direction, in which n is an integer of 3 or more and from which (n1) pairs of adjacent sensors are formed, and a processor which determines one specified position in the direction based on output values of the n number of sensors, in which the processor calculates (n1) sets of difference values each of which is a difference between two output values corresponding to each of the (n1) pairs of sensors, and determines the one specified position based on the (n1) sets of difference values and correlation positions corresponding to the (n1) sets of difference values and indicating positions correlated with array positions of each pair of sensors.

An electronic wind instrument is provided with a processor (CPU 5) and plural touch sensors (a detecting unit 12s and detecting units 13s) disposed along a first direction. A first output variable da/dt is obtained, representing a variation per unit time of an output value from a first sensor (detecting unit 12s) in the plural touch sensors disposed on the side close to first end (tip side) in the first direction. A second output variable dS/dt is obtained, representing a variation per unit time of a sum of output values from second sensors (detecting units 13s) disposed between a second end (heel side) and the first sensor in the first direction. The processor judges based on the first output variable da/dt and the second output variable dS/dt whether a tonging process should be performed.

An electronic wind instrument is provided, which is capable of representing a wide range of performances using a tonguing operation. The electronic wind instrument has at least one sensor, a sound source for generating a tone, and a controller. The controller controls a tonguing performance detecting process for detecting a tonguing performance played by the player based on the output value from the one sensor, and a tone muting process for muting the tone output from the speaker in accordance with the lip position of the player determined in the lip position determining process, while the tonguing performance is being detected in the tonguing performance detecting process.

An electronic wind instrument is provided, which is capable of representing a wide range of performances using a tonguing operation. The electronic wind instrument has at least one sensor, a sound source for generating a tone, and a controller. The controller controls a tonguing performance detecting process for detecting a tonguing performance played by the player based on the output value from the one sensor, and a tone muting process for muting the tone output from the speaker in accordance with the lip position of the player determined in the lip position determining process, while the tonguing performance is being detected in the tonguing performance detecting process.

An electronic wind instrument includes: a breath pressure detector that detects a breath pressure developed in the instrument by breath blown into the instrument and that outputs a signal corresponding to the detected breath pressure; an adjustment unit providing an air exhaust passage for the breath blown into the instrument, the air exhaust passage being configured to have a variable conductance for air so that a sensitivity of the breath pressure detector relative to an input pressure of the breath blown into the instrument varies; and a controller that sets one or more among a tone, a volume, and a pitch of a sound to be generated by a sound source in accordance with the signal outputted from the breath pressure detector.

A reed (10) for a reed musical instrument has (with reference to FIG. 2) a reed body (129) having a reed tip (114) adapted for engagement by a mouth of a player and a ligature engagement section adapted for engagement by a ligature of the reed musical instrument. A cantilever arm (117) is formed integrally with or affixed to the reed body (129) and extends from the reed body (129). A reflector (20) is supported by the cantilever arm (117) spaced apart from the reed body (129). Motion of the reed tip (114) is transmitted via the cantilever arm (117) to the reflector (20). The cantilever arm (117) is shaped and configured such that the transmitted motion is amplified so that any movement of the reed tip (114) results in a greater movement of the reflector (20). The reed (10) in use is mounted on a mouthpiece (11) and has a distal end (119) which is illuminated by an LED (26), whereby the reflector (20) reflects light back to a light sensor (27), which measures the intensity of the light incident on the sensor (27).

With reference to FIG. 7a the present invention relates to transducer apparatus (200) for use with a reed instrument (201) having an air chamber (15) forming a resonant cavity whose resonance characteristics are controlled by opening and closing of tone holes (17A, 17B) connecting the air chamber to the exterior of the reed instrument. The transducer apparatus comprises attachment means (202) for releasably securing the transducer apparatus to a mouthpiece (201) of the reed instrument in place of a reed. A reed replacement section (203) has a housing with an abutment surface for abutting a surface part of the mouthpiece which would be abutted by a reed secured to the mouthpiece. An air passage extends through the housing of the reed replacement section (203) from an air inlet (211) through which a player of the instrument can blow to an air outlet (213) through which air blown by the player is delivered to atmosphere, without passing through the air chamber (15) within the reed instrument. A speaker (208) is supported by the housing and delivers sound to the air chamber (15). An air chamber microphone (209) is supported by the housing and receives sound in the air chamber (15). An electronic processing unit (204) has: an excitation unit (101) which produces an excitation signal for driving the speaker (208); a processor (102) for receiving a measurement signal produced by the microphone and for detecting from the measurement signal a musical note played by the instrument; a synthesizer (220) for generating an electronic signal embodying a musical note which corresponds to the detected musical note; and output means (103) for transmitting the musical note generated by the synthesizer to a receiver external of the transducer apparatus. The invention also relates to a system for representing the sounds of a reed instrument having the components of the transducer apparatus, to an electronic system for determining a musical note played by a reed instrument having the components of the transducer apparatus and to a method of practising playing of a reed instrument comprising use of the components of the transducer apparatus.