The Thumb Bar Controller is a bar that runs the width of the electronic musical keyboard playing area, (plus whatever is needed for the lever attachment), connected by two armsrests just below the top, and approximately one inch away from the keys. It gives the performer control over two (or more) functions with the thumb of the playing hand, that would otherwise require the other hand or foot pedals, allowing a person with the disability of one arm/hand, to be as proficient as a person with two. It can be used for controlling pitch bend, modulation, MIDI specification controllers, various electronic controls, and product specific controls. The bar can be attached in numerous ways, could use a variety of spring type mechanisms to control it. It can be mounted externally or made as an integral part of the keyboard, with openings for the bar connections and movement required.

A control device (1) for controlling the sound of an electric musical instrument has a tread plate (2) and a signal generator (3). The tread plate (2) is mounted pivotally about a first axis (4a) and is mounted pivotally about a second axis (4b). The signal generator is configured such that it generates a first electrical signal for controlling the sound and a second electrical signal for controlling the sound, the first electrical signal being the result of a rotation of the tread plate (2) about the first axis (4a) and the second electrical signal being the result of a rotation of the tread plate (2) about the second axis (4b). A control system comprises a control device of this type and the electric musical instrument.

A handheld musical instrument for playing a variety of audio program, the handheld musical instrument comprising a body portion with one or more sensors and a handle portion coupled to said body part, wherein said handle portion includes one or more operational buttons to control the operation of said handheld musical instrument. The buttons being operated with a finger or thumb trigger.

A handheld musical instrument for generating percussion sounds, the handheld musical instrument includes a body part with one or more sensors, a set of control buttons to select a type of audio output to be generated by said handheld musical instrument, and a handle part coupled to said body part, the handle part including the set of control buttons and operable between a first position and a second position.

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 video game includes an audio-video stream combined with game graphics and game sounds. The game graphics are overlaid on the video stream and updated in synchronization with the stream. Update of the game graphics and sounds depends on inputs received from a game player. The game player may provide input using a game controller coupled to the video game by an adapter. The video game may play on a Blu-ray player.

A digital multi-media device provides features for a user unskilled in musical arts or sound handling techniques that provides automatic musical score composition in accordance with contained composition instructions. Stored sound samples and interfaces for obtaining external signals provide signals for merger with visual and sound presentations to obtain altered presentations either time shifted or in real time. In this fashion the user can create simulated radio stations for playback of prearranged and composed audio material. Further, the automatically composed musical score may be mixed with synthesized, digitized signals from the stored sound samples and external signals obtained through the device interfaces.

A touch sensitive audio-visual input/output device comprising an internal core comprising a controller, the controller associated with at least one processor and at least one memory store, at least one light emitter associated with the controller, at least one audio output component associated with the controller, at least one actuator provided relative to the housing and associated with the controller and configured to transmit touch inputs to the controller to control operation of the device, and a flexible, translucent outer casing for at least partially enclosing the internal core.

A control device (1) for controlling the sound of an electric musical instrument has a tread plate (2) and a signal generator (3). The tread plate (2) is mounted pivotally about a first axis (4a) and is mounted pivotally about a second axis (4b). The signal generator is configured such that it generates a first electrical signal for controlling the sound and a second electrical signal for controlling the sound, the first electrical signal being the result of a rotation of the tread plate (2) about the first axis (4a) and the second electrical signal being the result of a rotation of the tread plate (2) about the second axis (4b). A control system comprises a control device of this type and the electric musical instrument.

The Thumb Bar Controller is a bar that runs the width of the electronic musical keyboard playing area, (plus whatever is needed for the lever attachment), connected by two armsrests just below the top, and approximately one inch away from the keys. It gives the performer control over two (or more) functions with the thumb of the playing hand, that would otherwise require the other hand or foot pedals, allowing a person with the disabilty of one arm/hand, to be as proficient as a person with two. It can be used for controlling pitch bend, modulation, MIDI specification controllers, various electronic controls, and product specific controls.

The bar can be attached in numerous ways, could use a variety of spring type mechanisms to control it. It can be mounted externally or made as an integral part of the keyboard, with openings for the bar connections and movement required.