A system is described for an enhanced bow piece of a stringed musical instrument. The enhancement includes a visual display element attached to the bow. The appearance of the display changes in response to bow motion, bow position, and one or more user-supplied inputs (e.g. buttons). The system can be entirely self-contained and used as a normal instrument bow, providing a light-up/responsive effect while the user plays their instrument in an otherwise normal way. There is some capability for multiple self-contained units to be locally synchronized, providing group-based visualizations. Alternatively, these devices can be monitored and controlled by an external control system.

The present disclosure is directed at methods, apparatus and systems for implementing an improvised guitar playing feature on a rhythm-action game. The improvised guitar playing feature allows players to manipulate a guitar controller to produce a pleasing, musical-sounding improvised play even if the players have little experience or skill at improvising music. This feature uses quantized 8.sup.th and 16.sup.th note musical phrases, or “licks”, strung together to form authentic, melodic, and rhythmically musical and impressive guitar lines, regardless of the player's ability. The improvised guitar playing feature can also display cues directing the player to improvise in a certain manner, while still providing players a degree of musical freedom in selecting how to play. In some embodiments, the present disclosure is also directed at scoring mechanisms for evaluating improvised guitar play.

A hand-held controller (100) for a computer is disclosed. The controller is substantially U-shaped and has front and IN rear sections (110, 130) spaced apart by a link section (140). The controller fits onto the user's hand in use so that the rear section (130) lies over the back of the hand and the front section (110) lies in the palm of the hand. The front section includes a user interface, such as a keypad, touchpad or touch area (120), to receive inputs from the user's fingers. The controller may also include a gyroscope and an accelerometer to determine the orientation and movement of the controller. The controller further comprises a transmitter for transmitting data relating to the user inputs to the computer, the data causing the computer system to carry out one or more pre-assigned actions. The pre-assigned action may comprise playing or altering an audio sound, or changing the key, pitch, tone, sound quality or volume of the audio sound. A control system for a computer comprising two hand-held controllers is also disclosed. The hand-held controllers may be the same, or one may be configured to receive only orientation and movement user inputs. A computer system comprising two hand-held controllers and a computer is also disclosed. In preferred embodiments, the computer system is a musical instrument emulator.

A keyboard with strum string apparatus for creating accurate guitar sounds with an electronic keyboard includes a microcontroller is coupled within a keyboard body. A power source, a pair of speakers, a plurality of control buttons, and a plurality of piano keys are coupled to the keyboard body and are in operational communication with the microcontroller. A plurality of piano keys is coupled to the keyboard body. A strum board is coupled to the keyboard body. The strum board has a strum base coupled to the keyboard body, a pair of bridges coupled to the strum base, a plurality of strings extending between the pair of bridges, and a pickup coupled to the strum base. The pickup is in operational communication with the microcontroller.

A wearable pressure sensor coupled to a controller and transmitter/receiver that when activated sends a control signal.

Embodiments are directed to a musical instrument having buttons, where the buttons determine the magnitude of the interval by which the melody will jump from the last note played. With a small number of interval buttons and an up/down strum bar, embodiments can play almost any melody and more notes than a piano. One embodiment is directed to an interval-based guitar including fret buttons whose input signals are used to calculate the interval by which to change the pitch of the prior note. Providing input via a strum bar or a sensor, a new note is generated by adding or subtracting the interval to/from the prior note to generate a new note.

A keyboard with strum string apparatus for creating accurate guitar sounds with an electronic keyboard includes a microcontroller is coupled within a keyboard body. A power source, a pair of speakers, a plurality of control buttons, and a plurality of piano keys are coupled to the keyboard body and are in operational communication with the microcontroller. A plurality of piano keys is coupled to the keyboard body. A strum board is coupled to the keyboard body. The strum board has a strum base coupled to the keyboard body, a pair of bridges coupled to the strum base, a plurality of strings extending between the pair of bridges, and a pickup coupled to the strum base. The pickup is in operational communication with the microcontroller.

A hand-operated device for use with a guitar to operate an external or internal sound signal processing device, wherein the hand-operated device can be actuated by a hand used in the strumming of the guitar. The device can be mounted to the body of the guitar and in proximity to the strings of the guitar. The device includes a switch or lever that can be actuated by the guitarists and the actuation of the switch results in a signal to operate the external or internal sound signal processing device, wherein the signal is sent by a transmitter also disposed within a housing of the device.

The present invention relates to a novel device and related method for a musician, performer in a band, or an ensemble, to stop, shut-off and/or disengage the signals created by their instrument electronically through grounding or disconnecting the instrument's connection to an audio generation device such as an amplifier, speaker, or other digital interface. The invention is exemplified by reference to an electric guitar connected to an amplifier, with the control device disrupting the electrical connection therebetween and incorporating a guitar pic for the control of the connection disruption. The control device may be implemented either by grounding the connection between the instrument or by disconnecting it completely using an electrical switch.

A system is described for an enhanced bow piece of a stringed musical instrument. The enhancement includes a visual display element attached to the bow. The appearance of the display changes in response to bow motion, bow position, and one or more user-supplied inputs (e.g. buttons). The system can be entirely self-contained and used as a normal instrument bow, providing a light-up/responsive effect while the user plays their instrument in an otherwise normal way. There is some capability for multiple self-contained units to be locally synchronized, providing group-based visualizations. Alternatively, these devices can be monitored and controlled by an external control system.