Method for tuning a pipe organ and a reed pipe tuning device

Abstract

The invention provides a method, system and tuning devices for reed and flue pipes for automatically tuning or checking the tuning of a pipe organ. The invention enables the tuning of the reed pipes to the same pitch as flue pipes if the fluctuation of temperature and humidity has caused a change in the pitch of the flue pipes, and to restore the tuning of the reed pipes in case of random loss of tuning. The invention allows to reduce the tuning time and to tune the pipes that require more frequent tuning (i.e. the reed pipes) unobtrusively to the organist and listeners during the playing of the organ. It is possible to employ the method of the invention on all pipes of an organ or only on a selection of them.

Claims

1. A method for tuning a pipe organ, which comprises the following steps, performed at least on one reed pipe of the organ: a) attaching a reed pipe tuning device (113) to a reed pipe (117) of an organ, the reed pipe tuning device (113) comprising an accelerometer (102), a microcontroller (104) and a tuning mechanism configured to move a tuning wire (119) of the reed pipe (117); b) storing a value of a desired vibration frequency of the reed pipe (117) in the microcontroller (104) of the reed pipe tuning device (113); c) making different pipes of the pipe organ sound by a user of the pipe organ; d) by using the accelerometer (102) and the microcontroller (104) of the reed pipe tuning device (113), repeatedly measuring vibration in the reed pipe (117) to which the tuning device (113) is attached and comparing measured amplitudes of frequency components corresponding to the stored vibration frequency with the stored amplitude, until a vibration that has matching amplitude along at least one axis is detected, and measuring the fundamental frequency of the detected vibration; e) based on the difference between the value of the measured vibration frequency of the reed pipe (117) and the value of the desired vibration frequency, controlling the abovementioned tuning mechanism, and adjusting the vibration frequency of the reed pipe (117) to be equal to the value of the desired vibration frequency by moving the tuning wire (119), whereas the tuning mechanism comprises an inertial armature (105), on which at least one electromagnet (106, 107) and two anvils (114, 115) are mounted, the two anvils being attached on different parts of the tuning wire (119) of the reed pipe (117), wherein the inertial armature (105) is configured to move the tuning wire (119) for controlling the vibration frequency of the reed pipe (117) by selectively knocking one of the two anvils (114, 115).

2. The method according to claim 1, where the following additional actions are taken in steps b and e: in step b, storing an actual temperature and/or humidity values together with the value of the desired vibration frequency of the reed pipe (117), in step e, measuring a room temperature and/or humidity, and calculating, as a function of the stored desired vibration frequency of the reed pipe (117) and of the change of room temperature and/or humidity, an actual desired vibration frequency to be used as the value of the desired vibration frequency in step e.

3. The method according to claim 1, which includes the following additional actions in steps a, d, and e: a) installing at least one flue pipe tuning device (112), on at least one flue pipe (116) of the pipe organ, the flue pipe tuning device (112) comprising an accelerometer (102) and microcontroller (104), whereas said flue pipe tuning device (112) is configured to exchange information with at least one reed pipe tuning device (113), and is in touch contact with flue pipe (116) of the pipe organ; b) storing a value of a desired vibration frequency and amplitude of the flue pipe (116) in the microcontroller (104) of the flue pipe tuning device (112); d) by using the accelerometer (102) and the microcontroller (104) of the flue pipe tuning device (112), repeatedly measuring vibration in the flue pipe (116), which is in touch contact with aforesaid at least one flue pipe tuning device (112), comparing measured amplitudes of frequency components corresponding to the stored frequency with the stored amplitude for the flue pipe (116), until a vibration that has matching amplitude along at least one axis is detected, measuring the value of the detected vibration frequency of the flue pipe (116) and calculating a deviation of the detected flue pipe (116) vibration frequency from the nearest note standard frequency; e) before the actions described in step e of claim 1, calculating an actual desired vibration frequency value of the reed pipe by adjusting the value of the stored desired vibration frequency of the reed pipe (117) to make its deviation from the nearest note standard frequency equal to the vibration frequency deviation of flue pipe(s) (116) from the nearest note standard frequency measured and calculated in step d, and using the actual desired vibration frequency value of the reed pipe (117) as the basis for the actions described in step e of claim 1.

4. The method according to claim 3, which includes the following additional actions in steps a and d: a) additionally installing three or more flue pipe tuning devices (112), each comprising a microcontroller (104) and an accelerometer (102) connected to the microcontroller (104), in touch connection with corresponding three or more flue pipes (116) of the organ; d) after checking the tuning of each of flue pipes (116) based on the vibration frequencies measured by each of the accelerometer (102) and of the microcontroller (104), and based on a distribution of vibration frequencies, notifying an operator of the need or no need to tune some of the flue pipes (116).

5. The method according to claim 1, where the following additional actions are taken in steps b and d: in step b, storing multiple of amplitudes of harmonics in the spectrum of vibration of the reed pipe (117) along one or several axes and in case there is at least one flue pipe tuning device (112) attached to the organ, the vibration frequency and multiple of amplitudes of harmonics in the spectrum of vibration of the at least one flue pipe (116) in one or several axes together with the desired vibration frequency of the reed pipe (117), and in step d, in the detection of the matching vibration in the reed pipe (117) or flue pipe (116), measuring of multiple amplitudes of harmonics in the spectrum of vibration in the one or several axes, comparing the measurement results with the values stored in step b and establishing the detection of vibration only in case if more than one of the measured vibration frequency and/or amplitude are within predetermined range from the stored values.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein said steps d-e are performed automatically during the playing of the pipe organ.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein sound-producing tuning actions in step e are performed or postponed by the microcontroller (104) based on the general volume produced by the pipe organ.

8. A pipe organ reed pipe tuning device (113), which includes: at least one soundwave oscillation sensor (102); a reed pipe tuning mechanism comprising at least an actuator; and a microcontroller (104), configured to control the reed pipe tuning mechanism and connected to the at least one soundwave oscillation sensor (102), wherein said reed pipe tuning mechanism further comprises an inertial armature (105), on which the at least one actuator (106, 107) and two anvils (114, 115) are mounted, the two anvils being attached on different parts of the tuning wire (119) of the reed pipe (117).

9. The device according to claim 8, wherein said inertial armature (105) is configured to move the tuning wire (119) for controlling the vibration frequency of the reed pipe (117) by selectively knocking one of the two anvils (114, 115).

10. The device according to claim 8, wherein the at least one actuators are one or several electromagnets (106, 107).

11. The device according to claim 8, wherein the at least one soundwave oscillation sensor is an accelerometer (103), configured to measure the vibration of the reed pipe.

12. The device according to claim 8, wherein the reed pipe tuning device (113) is configured to determine if the reed pipe (117) to which it is attached is sounding.

13. The device according to claim 8, wherein it further comprises a room temperature and/or humidity sensor (103) attached to the microcontroller (104) and configured to actualize the value of desired vibration frequency based on the measured room temperature and/or humidity.

Description

LIST OF FIGURES

[0059] FIG. 1 shows the tuning system of a pipe organ according to the first example, where the reed pipe tuning devices 113 have been attached to reed pipes 117.

[0060] FIG. 2 shows the tuning system of a pipe organ according to the second example, where three flue pipe 116 stops and one reed pipe 117 stop have been equipped with flue pipe tuning devices 112 and reed pipe tuning devices 113, accordingly.

[0061] FIG. 3 shows the reed pipe tuning device 113 according to the first example, where the reed pipe tuning device 113 along with the upper electromagnet 106 and the lower electromagnet 107 has been attached to the tuning wire 119 of a reed pipe 117.

[0062] FIG. 4 shows the reed pipe tuning device 113 according to the second example, where the reed pipe tuning device 113 is attached to the tuning wire 119 of a reed pipe 117.

[0063] FIG. 5 shows the method flowchart according to the first example.

[0064] FIG. 6 shows the method flowchart according to the second example.

[0065] FIG. 7 shows the method flowchart according to the third example.

LIST OF THE REFERENCES OF FIGURES

[0066] 101 base plate of the tuning device [0067] 102 accelerometer [0068] 103 temperature and humidity sensor [0069] 104 microcontroller [0070] 105 inertial armature [0071] 106 upper electromagnet [0072] 107 lower electromagnet [0073] 108 position sensor of the inertial armature [0074] 109 fastener [0075] 110 axis of the inertial armature [0076] 111 fastener of the flue pipe tuning device [0077] 112 flue pipe tuning device [0078] 113 reed pipe tuning device [0079] 114 upper anvil [0080] 115 lower anvil [0081] 116 flue pipe [0082] 117 reed pipe [0083] 118 vibrating part of the reed pipe's tongue [0084] 119 tuning wire [0085] 120 windchest [0086] 121 spring [0087] 122 motor [0088] 123 threaded spindle [0089] 124 adapter with spindle nut [0090] Steps 200-221 on the flowcharts are illustrating the method of the current invention.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The First Example

[0091] This example describes the tuning of pipe organ that is located in a room with fixed temperature, which means that the room temperature does not change by more than 0.5 centigrade all year round and the pitch of flue pipes 116 remains persistent. Reed pipes 117 need more or less frequent tuning.

a) The pipe organ tuning system (FIG. 1) comprises the reed pipe tuning devices 113 attached to the reed pipes 117 of a single reed pipe stop of the pipe organ (200, FIG. 5). Depending on the construction peculiarities of the reed pipes 117, different tuning mechanisms can be used on the reed pipe tuning devices 113 to move the tuning wire 119: tuning mechanisms with a motor or tuning mechanisms with an inertial armature. All reed pipe tuning devices 113 comprise the accelerometer 102, connected to microcontroller 104.

[0092] The reed pipe 117 tuning wire 119 moving mechanism with a motor 122 has threaded spindle 123, that is attached to the motor 122 shaft and the spindle nut attached with adapter 124 to tuning wire 119. This tuning mechanism is used in some reed pipe tuning devices 113.

[0093] The reed pipe tuning device 113 with tuning wire 119 moving mechanism, that uses an inertial armature, is shown on FIG. 3. It comprises the base plate 101, which forms the base for installing the accelerometer 102, microcontroller 104 and other electronic components. The inertial armature 105, capable of turning around the axis 110, is installed on the base plate 101. The microcontroller 104 is connected by corresponding power circuits (not shown on the figure) to the electromagnets 106, 107 mounted on the base plate 101. The base plate 101 is attached to the tuning wire 119 of the reed pipe 117 with fasteners 109, which serve also as the anvils 114, 115. A spring 121 installed between the reed pipe tuning device 113 and the casing of the reed pipe 117 is compressed during installation to such an extent that the compressing force would roughly be equal to the weight of the reed pipe tuning device 113. The reed pipe tuning device 113 is connected to electric power supply (not shown on the figure). The tuning wire 119 which determines the length of the vibrating part of the reed pipe's 117 tongue 118 is fixed in the casing of the reed pipe by friction and can be moved up or down if the moving force overcomes the friction.

[0094] With smaller pipes, where less force Is required to move the turning wire 119, the reed pipe tuning device 113 with only upper electromagnet 106 is used (FIG. 4).

b) The reed pipe tuning devices 113 are set up by making the selected pipes, that previously have been manually tuned, to sound, measuring their vibration and storing the desired vibration frequency and amplitude of the vibration of the reed pipes 117, to which they are attached. During the setup the vibration frequency is measured in three axes and on each axis the amplitudes of the three lowest vibration frequency harmonics are measured and stored. Said 9 amplitudes are stored for use in determination of the sounding status of the pipe (201).
c) An organist starts to play the organ regularly, making different flue pipes 116 and reed pipes 117 to sound (202).
d) The following actions are performed automatically during the playing of the organ. By using the microcontroller 104 and the accelerometer 102, each of the reed pipe tuning devices 113 detect whether there is any vibration in the reed pipes 117 to which the corresponding tuning devices 113 is attached (203), that has fundamental frequency not more than 50 Cent different from the desired vibration frequency stored in step b and at least three amplitudes out of measured 9 that are not more than 20% different from amplitudes of the vibration stored in step b. If there is no matching vibration in the particular reed pipe 117, the reed pipe tuning device 113 continues to wait until the vibration will be detected in the particular reed pipe 117 that matches the above criteria.
e) After the vibration, meeting the amplitude and frequency criteria described in step d, is detected in a particular reed pipe 117, the microcontroller 104 measures the vibration frequency of that reed pipe by using the Fourier transform (205), and if the difference with the desired vibration frequency stored to the device is more than one Cent, the microcontroller 104 engages the tuning mechanism (207), which move the tuning wire 119 of the particular reed pipe 117 in the required direction (up or down), changing the pitch of the reed pipe 117.

[0095] Reed pipe tuning device 113 mechanism equipped with motor uses electrical impulses for it control.

[0096] Reed pipe tuning device 113, that has the mechanism equipped with inertial armature 105 performs as following: [0097] 1) Based on the difference between measured vibration and desired vibration frequencies, the microcontroller 104 calculates the required moving direction of the tuning wire 119, the impact force and the number of impacts. [0098] 2) To tune the reed pipe 117 to a lower pitch, the tuning wire 119 must be moved upwards. For that purpose, the upper electromagnet 106 is given an electrical impulse with appropriate length, which makes the inertial armature 105 to move towards the upper anvil 114 and make an impact to it. [0099] 3) The microcontroller 105 uses the position sensor 108 of the inertial armature 105 to control the movement of the inertial armature 105. [0100] 4) The force of impact of the inertial armature 105 to the upper anvil 114 moves the tuning wire 119 upwards. [0101] 5) After the electromagnet turns off, under the force of gravity the inertial armature 105 starts to fall back to its initial position, towards the lower anvil 115. [0102] 6) At the appropriate moment, by using the data from the position sensor 108 of the inertial armature, the microcontroller 104 engages a feedback mechanism between the position sensor 108 and the upper electromagnet 106, that lowers the inertial armature 105 gradually without any significant impact up to the lower anvil 115. [0103] 7) To tune the reed pipe 117 to a higher pitch, the tuning wire 119 needs to be moved downwards. For that purpose, the upper electromagnet 106 is given a shorter impulse, that makes the inertial armature 105 to move towards the upper anvil 114, but with no impact to it. [0104] 8) After the inertial armature 105 reaches the highest point of its movement, as detected by the position sensor 108, the microcontroller 104 gives an electrical impulse to the lower electromagnet 107, forcing the armature 105 to move downwards and make an impact to the lower anvil 115. [0105] 9) The force of the impact of the inertial armature 105 to the lower anvil 115 moves the tuning wire 119 downwards.

[0106] The reed pipe tuning device 113 that has only upper electromagnet 106 (FIG. 4) performs the impact on the lower anvil for moving the tuning wire 119 downwards using the momentum that the inertial armature 105 gets from gravity.

[0107] The tuning steps d-e for all reed pipes 117 are performed automatically during the playing of the organ.

The Second Example

[0108] The second example describes tuning of the pipe organ located in a church hall that is warmer during summer (up to 25° C.) and colder during winter (18° C.). Due to the fluctuation of the room temperature, the average pitch of the flue pipes changes and the reed pipes need retuning according to the changed pitch of the flue pipes. In addition, the reed pipes also need tuning due to random getting out of tune during winter, when the church hall is heated to maintain the temperature of 18° C.

[0109] The pipe organ tuning system similar to the first example, comprising the reed pipe tuning devices 113, is used. In addition to the equipment, described in first example, the reed pipe tuning devices 113 include a temperature and humidity sensor 103.

[0110] According to the method proposed by the invention, the following actions are taken (FIG. 6): [0111] a) Reed pipe tuning devices 113, comprising an accelerometer 102, and temperature and humidity sensor 103 connected to a microcontroller 104, a tuning mechanism comprising inertial armature 105 and anvils 114, 115, which allows microcontroller 104 to move the tuning wire 119, are attached to the tuning wires 119 of all the reed pipes 117 of a single reed pipe 117 stop (221). [0112] b) The reed pipe tuning device 113 is set up by saving the desired vibration frequency of each reed pipe 117 (201), whereas the amplitude of the vibration, and the room temperature and humidity corresponding to the stored desired vibration frequency of the reed pipe 117 are also stored. [0113] c) Organist starts to play the organ regularly, making different flue pipes 116 and reed pipes 117 to sound (202). [0114] d) By using the microcontroller 104 and the accelerometer 102, the reed pipe tuning devices 113 detect whether there is any vibration in the reed pipe 117, to which the corresponding tuning device 113 is attached (203). If there is no vibration in the reed pipe 117, it continues to detect until there will be the vibration that has the frequency not more than 50 Cent different from the vibration frequency stored in step b and the amplitude not more than 20% different from vibration amplitude stored in step b. [0115] e) Once there has appeared sufficient vibration in any of the reed pipes 117, the microcontroller 104 is used to measure the vibration frequency of this reed pipe 117, together with the actual temperature and humidity (209). [0116] f) The actual desired vibration frequency of the reed pipe 117 is calculated as a function of the desired vibration frequency of the reed pipe 117, and actual temperature and humidity by using the following formula:

[00001]$f=f_0\times 2^{\left(\frac{\left(t-t_0\right)\times 2.9+\left(\mathrm{RH}-{\mathrm{RH}}_0\right)\times 0.06}{1200}\right)}$ [0117] f—actual desired vibration frequency of the reed pipe, [0118] f.sub.0—original desired vibration frequency of the reed pipe, [0119] t—actual room temperature, [0120] t.sub.0—room temperature during the set-up of the reed pipe tuning device, [0121] RH—actual relative humidity in percentages, [0122] RH.sub.0—relative humidity in percentages during the set-up of the reed pipe tuning device [0123] g) The microcontroller 104 is used to compare the measured reed pipe 117 vibration frequency against the actual desired vibration frequency (216) and in the case of a difference (at least 1 Cent), the microcontroller engages the tuning mechanism of the reed pipe 117 (207), which moves the tuning wire 119 in the required direction (up or down), changing the pitch of the reed pipe. Moving of tuning wire 119 takes place as described in the first example.

The Third Example

[0124] The third example, similarly to the second one, describes tuning of the pipe organ located in a church hall that is warmer during summer (up to 25 degrees Celsius) and colder during winter (about 18 degrees Celsius). Additionally to the reed pipes that need more frequent tuning, the user of the organ may wish to automatically check the tuning of flue pipes and to receive current information about the loss of their tuning.

[0125] The pipe organ tuning system, comprising the flue pipe tuning devices 112 and the reed pipe tuning devices 113, is used (FIG. 2). The following actions are taken to tune the pipe organ (FIG. 7): [0126] a) The tuning system of the pipe organ is installed so that flue pipe tuning devices 112 are in contact with all of the flue pipes 116 and the reed pipe tuning devices 113 are attached to the tuning wires 119 of all the reed pipes 117 (211). All tuning devices include an accelerometer 102, connected to a microcontroller 104. In the case of the reed pipes 117, the reed pipe tuning devices 113 include the tuning mechanism comprising inertial armature 105, anvils 114, 115, and electromagnets 106, 107, which allow the microcontroller 104 to move the tuning wire 119. The flue pipe tuning device 112 (FIG. 2) comprises a base plate 101, which forms a base for the installation of the accelerometer 102, microcontroller 104, and other electronic components. The base plate is attached on the windchest 120 with a leaf spring 111. Leaf springs 111 are configured to be compatible with the flue pipe 116 to which it is meant to be attached and to allow the movement of the flue pipe tuning device 112, as minimum, in the direction, parallel to the longitudinal axis of the flue pipe 116, but preferably in all three directions. The flue pipe tuning device 112 is connected to electric power and data network (not shown on the figure). [0127] b) The reed pipe tuning devices 113 are set up by saving the desired vibration frequency of the reed pipe 117 and the amplitude of the vibration, as it was described in the first example. Similarly, the flue pipe tuning devices 112 are set up by saving the desired vibration frequency of the flue pipe 116 and the amplitude of the vibration (204). [0128] c) An organist starts to play the organ normally, making different flue pipes 116 and reed pipes 117 sound (202). [0129] d) By using the microcontroller 104 and the accelerometer 102, the flue pipe tuning devices 112 detect if there is any vibration in the flue pipe 116 with which the corresponding tuning device 112 is in contact (212). All the flue pipe tuning devices 112 that have not determine the existence of vibration will continue to wait for it by repeating the step d until the sufficient vibration has appeared. In case the sufficient vibration is determined, its frequency and amplitude are measured by using the accelerometer 102 and microcontroller 104. Measurement results are compared to vibration frequency and amplitude values stored about this pipe in step b and in case the difference in frequency is not more than 20 Cents and amplitude not more than 20% different, the vibration positive detection is fixed. In case detected vibration amplitude or frequency difference from stored values is higher than the predetermined range, the waiting of the vibration continues by repeating the detection as stated in the beginning of this step. [0130] e) Once there appears a vibration, the vibration fundamental frequency of the flue pipe 116 is measured (213) and used to calculate the relative frequency deviation from the nearest note of standard frequency. The deviations of flue pipe 116 vibration fundamental frequencies are saved to a database, and based on those deviations in the database, the median of the deviations of vibration frequencies is calculated (214). [0131] f) Every deviation of the vibration frequency of the flue pipe 116 is compared to the median of all the deviations of the flue pipes 116. The user receives information concerning every flue pipe 116 whose vibration frequency's deviation from the median of all the deviations of flue pipes 116 is higher than 1 Cent (217). [0132] g) By using the microcontroller 104 and the accelerometer 102, the reed pipe tuning devices 113 detect whether there is vibration in the reed pipe 117 to which the corresponding tuning device 113 is attached (203). Every reed pipe tuning device 113 that do not detect vibration in the reed pipe 117 to which it is attached, continues to repeat step g. In case the vibration is detected its frequency and amplitude are measured using the accelerometer 102 and microcontroller 104. Measurement results are compared to reed pipe desired vibration frequency and amplitude values stored about this pipe in step b and in case the difference in frequency was not more than 50 Cents and amplitude not more than 20 percent different the vibration positive detection is fixed. In case detected vibration amplitude or frequency difference from stored values is higher than the predetermined range, the waiting for the vibration will continue by repeating the detecting as stated in the beginning of this step. [0133] h) If there is a positively detected vibration in any reed pipe 117, the microcontroller 104 is used to measure the vibration frequency of that reed pipe (205). [0134] i) The desired vibration frequency of the reed pipe 117 is adjusted accordingly to get the actual desired frequency value, so that its deviation from the nearest standard frequency would be equal to the flue pipes vibration deviation median from the nearest standard frequency calculated in step e (215). [0135] j) The following actions are taken based on the actual desired frequency value of reed pipes 117. The microcontroller 104 is used to compare the measured vibration frequency of a reed pipe 117 against the actual desired vibration frequency of the reed pipe 117 (216) and in the case of a difference (at least 1 Cent), the microcontroller engages the tuning mechanism (207), which move the tuning wire 119 of the reed pipe 117 in the required direction (up or down), changing the vibration frequency of the reed pipe 117. [0136] The tuning steps d-g are automatically performed during the regular playing of the organ, constantly repeating steps c-g. The microcontroller 104 decides, based on the volume of the organ, whether to perform the tuning actions, that may create some audible sound, or to postpone them until the general sound volume of the organ is sufficient to mask them from the listener (219).

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

[0137] The pipe organ tuning system and pipe organ tuning devices of all the embodiments can be industrially produced and installed on the pipe organ permanently. Following installation and saving the desired vibration frequency, the pipe organ tuning system or the pipe organ tuning devices are capable of working autonomously, only requiring an electric power supply. To use the advanced features, the device may communicate with other devices belonging to the network, the central device or mobile phone.