The present disclosure provides a portable music production apparatus which a USB interface for connecting to a computer device, the apparatus comprises a first control element which is configured to provide a pitch bend functionality and a second control element which can be assigned to modulate any parameter a user desires like a modulation wheel. The apparatus can also be provided with additional programmable control elements.

A system for generating a signal includes a touchpad including touch cells and a touch detection device for detecting the location and intensity of a pressure exerted on the touchpad; a first computer generating a first instruction based on the location and intensity of the pressure; an optical detection device for detecting a movement and/or a position, including optics for capturing images; a second computer for determining a motion parameter based on the captured images and for generating a second instruction based on the parameter; and a signal generator for producing a second signal based on the first instruction or on a first signal extracted from the first instruction, to which there is applied a special effect extracted from the second instruction; or on the second instruction or on a first signal extracted from the second instruction, to which there is applied a special effect extracted from the first instruction.

An electronic percussion instrument capable of simulating a rendition of an acoustic percussion instrument is provided. The electronic percussion instrument includes a housing, a percussion surface attached to the housing, a pressure sensor disposed on a central section of the percussion surface on a side of the back surface and configured to detect pressing against the central section, a head vibration sensor disposed on a peripheral section of the percussion surface on the side of the back surface and configured to detect vibrations of the peripheral section, and a rim vibration sensor disposed at a position overlapping the head vibration sensor when seen in a plan view of the percussion surface and configured to detect vibrations of the housing.

An electronic percussion instrument capable of simulating a rendition of an acoustic percussion instrument is provided. The electronic percussion instrument includes a housing, a percussion surface attached to the housing, a pressure sensor disposed on a central section of the percussion surface on a side of the back surface and configured to detect pressing against the central section, a head vibration sensor disposed on a peripheral section of the percussion surface on the side of the back surface and configured to detect vibrations of the peripheral section, and a rim vibration sensor disposed at a position overlapping the head vibration sensor when seen in a plan view of the percussion surface and configured to detect vibrations of the housing.

The invention generates progressive music in real-time for video games using random, seeded random, and manually input variables to affect melody, phrase length, harmonic chords and complexity, and percussive accompaniment. As the game is played, variables may be passed in that change the music to increase or decrease complexity and tension levels and to interpolate between styles. The generated music then progresses from stable, simple, and consonant to more tense, dissonant, and complex melodies, harmonies and rhythms, and back to the original stage as a musical resolution. Through variables controlling musical parameters, music may progressively change from the atonal region where there is no clear resolution or stability, to tonal, where there is only consonance and stability, and anywhere in between. These variables are assigned through a middleware or a game-engine setup that uses the current device as an audio source plugin, or manually coded into the individual video game.

Systems, devices, media, and methods are presented for playing audio sounds, such as music, on a portable electronic device using a digital color image of a note matrix on a map. A computer vision engine, in an example implementation, includes a mapping module, a color detection module, and a music playback module. The camera captures a color image of the map, including a marker and a note matrix. Based on the color image, the computer vision engine detects a token color value associated with each field. Each token color value is associated with a sound sample from a specific musical instrument. A global state map is stored in memory, including the token color value and location of each field in the note matrix. The music playback module, for each column, in order, plays the notes associated with one or more the rows, using the corresponding sound sample, according to the global state map.

A new and improved Digital Musical Instrument includes a hardware segment that electronically detects the physical inputs of a musicians musical playing style or articulated intent; a Software segment that interprets and formulates the data output from the hardware segment, to be applied to any digitally modulated synthesizer or recording sampler; and an optional expanded method of sampling or digitally recording articulated sounds of acoustic instruments.

An integrated transducer-processor unit for use with a stringed instrument having one or more strings. When the instrument is played, the unit produces electrical output signals for conversion into musical sounds. A transducer converts mechanical vibrations of each of the strings into corresponding electrical signals, and a processor processes the electrical signals to produce selected analog or digital output signals for conversion into musical sounds. The unit processor is integrated with the transducer into a pickup, for mounting on the instrument in proximity to the strings without modification of the instrument. In addition, a gesture pad-processor system provides an interface for a user to send control signals to a device to control at least one function of the device. A touch pad receives positional and pressure inputs entered by the user making a selected predefined manual gesture for conversion into a control signal by the system processor.

A polyphonic multi-dimensional controller (PMC) provides for independently expressing multiple concurrently sounding musical notes. The PMC includes rows and columns of force-sensing potentiometers (FSPs) that define an array of single-touch zones (STZs). Using a z-axis switch configuration, touches are detected and the forces associated with the touches are measured. For STZs for which a touch is detected, a fine x position and a fine y position are determined respectively using an x-axis switch configuration and a y-axis switch configuration. By repeatedly scanning the STZs, the x-axis position, the y-axis position, and the z-axis force can be tracked and translated into 3-axis note expression data. The PMC is multi-touch so that the 3-axis note expression data can be polyphonic.

A single axis position transducer uses an elongate permanent three pole magnet having a radial magnetic field at a spot along the magnet in which the magnetic field has radial field lines that decay as 1/R. R is the distance from the center of the magnet along a radial field line perpendicular to the axis of the magnet. The spot has a first pole of one polarity, and the magnet has poles of the opposite polarity spaced along the magnet on opposite sides of the first pole of the radial magnetic field located at the spot. At least one magnetic field sensor is positioned proximal to the spot along the elongate member that detects the motion of the spot and electrically amplifies the sensor output.