An electronic hi-hat 1 has a rod movable up and down with an operation of a player. A top cymbal 2 has a striking surface that can be struck by the player. A bottom cymbal 3 comes into contact with or separates from the top cymbal 2. An optical sensor 7 detects separation dimension between the top cymbal 2 and the bottom cymbal 3. The optical sensor 7 detects separation dimensions of a plurality of areas that are displaced with inclinations of the top cymbal 2 and the bottom cymbal 3 with respect to the rod r. The plurality of areas where the separation dimensions are detected are located on a common circumference of the top cymbal 2 and the bottom cymbal 3 around the rod r as a center.

An electronic drum, comprising: a bottom member; a drum head; a drum sensor comprising: a passive resonant circuit mounted on the drum head and having a resonant frequency; and an active resonant circuit mounted on the bottom member and configured to excite the passive resonant circuit at the resonant frequency; a sensor driver to drive the active resonant circuit with an RF drive signal at the resonant frequency; and a detector to detect a level of RF signal from the driven active resonant circuit for sensing a position and/or velocity of the drum head; and a signal processor, coupled to the detector, configured to process the detected level of RF signal to sense a position and/or velocity of the drum head for determining when the drum head is hit.

A vibrato control device for a guitar, including a body, a rotation mechanism within the body having an axis, and an arm connected to the body so as to allow rotation of the arm relative to the body about the axis. The arm is oriented so as to rotate generally parallel to the side of the body. The arm has particular application to a mechanically operated but electronically sensed vibrato control device.

A sensing system for a computer input device. The sensing system comprises an actuator to attach to a key top or button. The actuator is moveable along an axis or hinged. The sensing system further comprises a biasing element to exert a biasing force on the actuator directed along the axis. The sensing system further comprises an actuator motion sensor associated with the actuator. The actuator motion sensor comprises a passive resonant circuit configured to be moved by the actuator and having a resonant frequency, an active resonant circuit configured to excite the passive resonant circuit at the resonant frequency, a sensor driver to drive the active resonant circuit with an RF drive signal at the resonant frequency, and a detector to detect a level of RF signal from a driven actuator motion sensor for sensing a position and/or velocity of the actuator.

A sound production control apparatus has a position detector that detects, in accordance with a playing operation of a musical instrument, a position of a key displaceable within a movement range from a start position to an end position. The movement range includes a sounding range including a sounding position and a setting range that is closer to the start position than the sounding range. The apparatus causes a played sound associated with the key to be produced upon the detected position of the key reaching the sounding position, while controlling a characteristic of the played sound depending on a displacement characteristic of the key within the setting range before the key is positioned in the sounding range.

A musical keyboard instrument includes a key displaceable in response to a playing operation, a detection system including a magnetic body disposed on or in the key, and a coil facing and spaced from the magnetic body and configured to generate a magnetic field in response to receiving a supply of current, wherein the detection system is configured to generate a detection signal with a level that depends on a distance between the magnetic body and the coil, and an electromagnetic shield configured to block electromagnetic waves emitted from the detection system.

A performance operation apparatus includes a distance sensor, an operating element and a holding portion. The distance sensor includes a first substrate and a second substrate and is configured to measure a distance between the first substrate and the second substrate. A conductor is arranged in each of the first substrate and the second substrate. The operating element is operable by an operator. The holding portion holds the first substrate between the operating element and the second substrate and is configured to move with the operating element integrally. Alternatively, a performance operation apparatus includes a distance sensor, an operating element, a first member and a holding portion. The first member is interlocked with the operating element. The holding portion holds the first substrate between the first member and the second substrate and is configured to move with the first member integrally.

A detection system is used in a musical keyboard instrument that includes a key, the displacement of which changes in accordance with a playing operation. The detection system includes a detectable portion configured to be disposed on the movable member and including a first coil; a signal generator including a second coil configured to be disposed spaced from the first coil and configured to, in a state where the second coil receives a supply of current: generate a magnetic field; and generate a detection signal with a level depending on a distance between the detectable portion and the second coil; and a magnetic body disposed on at least one of the movable member or the signal generator.

A sensing system for a keyboard. Each key sensor comprises passive and active resonant circuits. The passive resonant circuit has a resonant frequency and the active resonant circuit excites the passive resonant circuit at the resonant frequency. A sensor driver drives the active resonant circuit with an RF drive signal, a multiplexing system multiplexes the drive signal such that simultaneously driven key sensors are separated by at least (k−1) keys, and a detector detects a level of RF signal from a driven key sensor for sensing a position and/or velocity of a key.

An intuitive music composition game platform with various modes of operation in a single reader system and a music mash up collectable card game and method using cards with tags and unique identifications. A single reading platform includes a cover for card storage and for supporting a smart device platform for reading many Near Field communication (NFC) embedded cards, with stacking features and colored light indicated input lanes selection for user identification and selection. Various game modes include individual, studio mix, party modes game play features in music mash up collectable card games, which may be used together with or independent of accessory devices as controllers, or smart device user interfaces with Bluetooth™ or Wi-Fi for communicating user selection and operation.