US3277245A - Appliance for recording and/or transducing electric and/or acoustic oscillations of various frequencies - Google Patents

Appliance for recording and/or transducing electric and/or acoustic oscillations of various frequencies Download PDF

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US3277245A
US3277245A US215452A US21545262A US3277245A US 3277245 A US3277245 A US 3277245A US 215452 A US215452 A US 215452A US 21545262 A US21545262 A US 21545262A US 3277245 A US3277245 A US 3277245A
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recording
frequency
strip
filters
electrodes
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Sponga Imre
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    • GPHYSICS
    • G01MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01RMEASURING ELECTRIC VARIABLES; MEASURING MAGNETIC VARIABLES
    • G01R23/00Arrangements for measuring frequencies; Arrangements for analysing frequency spectra
    • G01R23/02Arrangements for measuring frequency, e.g. pulse repetition rate; Arrangements for measuring period of current or voltage
    • GPHYSICS
    • G10MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; ACOUSTICS
    • G10HELECTROPHONIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; INSTRUMENTS IN WHICH THE TONES ARE GENERATED BY ELECTROMECHANICAL MEANS OR ELECTRONIC GENERATORS, OR IN WHICH THE TONES ARE SYNTHESISED FROM A DATA STORE
    • G10H1/00Details of electrophonic musical instruments
    • G10H1/0033Recording/reproducing or transmission of music for electrophonic musical instruments
    • G10H1/0041Recording/reproducing or transmission of music for electrophonic musical instruments in coded form
    • GPHYSICS
    • G10MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; ACOUSTICS
    • G10HELECTROPHONIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; INSTRUMENTS IN WHICH THE TONES ARE GENERATED BY ELECTROMECHANICAL MEANS OR ELECTRONIC GENERATORS, OR IN WHICH THE TONES ARE SYNTHESISED FROM A DATA STORE
    • G10H1/00Details of electrophonic musical instruments
    • G10H1/44Tuning means
    • GPHYSICS
    • G10MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS; ACOUSTICS
    • G10LSPEECH ANALYSIS OR SYNTHESIS; SPEECH RECOGNITION; SPEECH OR VOICE PROCESSING; SPEECH OR AUDIO CODING OR DECODING
    • G10L21/00Processing of the speech or voice signal to produce another audible or non-audible signal, e.g. visual or tactile, in order to modify its quality or its intelligibility
    • G10L21/06Transformation of speech into a non-audible representation, e.g. speech visualisation or speech processing for tactile aids

Definitions

  • This invention relates to a system of transcribing music more particularly the present invention relates to an appliance for recording and/or transducing electric oscillations or acoustic oscillations converted into electric oscillations of various frequencies,
  • the leading feature of the invention is that a set of electric wave filters are tuned to a series of passing frequencies, which follow each other in the ratio of l: /2 the inputs of all filters being connected to a common input amplifier and the output of each filter to its own transducer which is activated by the specific electric oscillation passing through the associated filter thus initiating a certain process to be described hereunder.
  • FIG. 1 is a purely diagrammatic representation of the first embodiment of the invention designed for the automatic recording of the spectrum of electric oscillations varying in time;
  • FIG. 2 shows a sample of the associated recording strip with some recordings
  • FIG. 3 shows another recording strip with a different line pattern and some recordings of oscillations within the acoustic range
  • FIG. 4 shows a similar recording strip with an extended frequency range
  • FIG. 5 represents a scale of semitones in conventional notation
  • FIG. 6 shows the same scale of semitones as transcribed by the appliance in FIG. 1 on two recording strips with different line patterns
  • FIG. 7 shows a sequence of tones in conventional notation
  • FIG. 8 shows the same sequence of tones as transcribed by the appliance in FIG. 1 on two recording strips with different line patterns
  • FIG. 9 shows a modification of the appliance in FIG. 1, which is designed to record the frequency spectra of brain currents
  • FIG. 10 shows a detail of the appliance in FIG. 9
  • FIG. 11 is a schematic perspective view of a concrete embodiment of the appliance in FIG.'9;
  • FIG. 12 is a diagram of an appliance designed to transduce electric oscillations, e.g. those produced by brain currents, into oscillations of different but proportional frequencies, e.g. audio-frequencies.
  • a microphone 10 is connected to an input amplifier 11, which in turn is connected to a set of electric wave filters 12, as shown in the diagram.
  • the inputs of the filters 12 are connected to the output of the amplifier 11.
  • Each of the filters 12 has a different passing frequency. Taken together the passing frequencies form an ascending series following with the ratio of h /2T If the passing frequencies are set within the acoustic range of man, the pitch of each of the audio-frequencies passing through the filters 12 differs by a semitone from the pitch of the preceding and the following frequency.
  • the output of each filter 12 is con- 3,277,245 Patented Oct. 4, 1966 ice nected to an associated rectifier circuit 13, and each of these circuits may be provided with an additional amplifier if necessary.
  • Elements 11 to 13 form a structural unit 14, equipped with one pair of input terminals 1 5 connected to the microphone 10 and several pairs of output terminals 16 in connection with the rectifier circuits 13.
  • the output terminals 16 are connected to a recording unit 18 with several recorders 19, which act as transducers and operate in conjunction with a common recording strip 23.
  • the recording strip 23 can be moved forward at uniform speed in the direction indicated by the arrow V.
  • Each of the recorders 19 has an upper electrode 20, while the lower electrode 21 is common to all recorders. These electrodes 20 and 21 are in connection with the terminals 16.
  • the recording strip 23 passes between the electrodes 20 and 21 and is in contact with those parts of the upper electrodes that serve as recorder heads.
  • the contact surface between the recorder heads and the recording strip is relatively small. All the recorder heads are arranged in parallel and spaced at equal distances in a straight line at right angles to the longitudinal and feed direction of the strip 2 3. A concrete embodiment of the recording unit will be described later with reference to FIG. 1'1.
  • the recording strip 23 may for instance consist of paper prepared with chemicals which change colour when subjected to the action of electric current, so that discolorations are produced wherever current passes between an electrode 20 and the lower electrode 21, the intensity of electric current or the voltage applied being reflected by the intensityof the discoloration.
  • the recording medium could be metal-coated paper or plastic film, with the thin metal coating being burned away where electric current passes through.
  • the appliance described works as follows: When the microphone 10 is exposed to sound waves of different frequencies, it produces electric oscillations, which are amplified by the input amplifier 11 and then fed to the filters 12. In accordance with its specific frequency each oscillation is passed by the appropriate filter 12 and then transmitted to the associated rectifier circuit 13, where a direct current voltage is produced, the magnitude of which is proportional to the intensity of the oscillation passing through its filter 12. The voltage is applied between the appropriate electrode or electrodes 20* and the counterelectrode 21 separated by the running recording strip 23, which is marked by the passage of the electric current. Since the strip 23 moves at uniform speed, e.-g. 1 cm. per second, in the direction indicated by the arrow V, the
  • oscillation passed by the filter is recorded as a line.
  • position of this line indicates the frequency or pitch of the oscillation recorded, its length the duration of the tone, and the intensity of its colour the volume of the tone.
  • FIG. 2 also shows some recordings 25.
  • the appliance described can also be used to analyse the frequencies of a single tone or noise, if so desired, by amplifying the overtones .to the required sound level and, if necessary, filtering out the fundamental oscillation of the tone to be analyzed.
  • auxiliary lines which correspond to the conventional staves 124 are set off, for instance by making them thicker than the other auxiliaries 224.
  • the recordings 125 as set within the auxiliary lines 124 (stave lines) and 224 (intermediate lines) will then produce a notation not unlike the conventional notation, which can be read and interpreted by musicians as easily as the conventional notation, if not more so.
  • the intermediate lines 224 clearly indicate the pitch of the recordings or notes situated between the stave lines 124.
  • each tone has its assigned location on one of the stave lines 124 or intermediate lines 224, the new notation is quite unambiguous, and no key signatures are necessary to raise or lower the recorded pitch.
  • the lenth of each tone is clearly shown by the length of its recording 125. No auxiliary symbols are needed to indicate rests, which are evident from the recording.
  • the appliance can also be used to record polyphonic music with any amount of voices.
  • the strip should be lined as shown in FIG. 4 and the number of filters 12 and recorders 19 increased accordingly.
  • the line pattern in FIG. 4 clearly brings out the relationship between bass clef and treble clef. It is no longer a problem to bridge the gap when changing over from one system to the other, since the classical staves represented by the stave lines 124, the intermediate lines 224 and the supplementary lines 324 and 424 all form part of one integrated system, so that clefs could actually be dispensed with; the only reason they are retained is to give musicians their accustomed bearing.
  • the appliance opens up completely new perspectives in the transcription of music, by making it possible to record tones in quite different notation systems, e.g. systems that are specially adapted to specific musical instruments.
  • notation systems e.g. systems that are specially adapted to specific musical instruments.
  • other lines can be brought out, which are specially suited to the instrument in question. Illustrations are given in FIGS. 5 to 8.
  • FIG. 5 represents the scale of semitones within one octave as transcribed in conventional notation
  • FIG. 6 shows the same scale in two recordings produced by the appliance in FIG. 1.
  • the line pattern in the left half of FIG. 6 is the same as the one in FIG. 3 or 4, with the lines corresponding to the conventional staves 124 printed thicker than the others.
  • the same recordings 325 are set in a different pattern of lines 524, 624 and 724, which corresponds to the arrangement of the keys of a piano covering an octave.
  • lines 524 corresponding to notes C are printed thicker than the others, and lines 724, representing notes G and F, are dotted. This notation is therefore particularly suited to the requirements of pianists, singers and beginners, since bearings are the same for every octave.
  • the tone sequence as transcribed in conventional notation in FIG. 7 can be recorded as illustrated in FIG. 8.
  • the recordings 425 are set in a system of lines 124, 324 and 424, with the conventional stave lines 124 clearly set off from the rest.
  • the recordings produced by the appliance are independent of the line pattern used on the recording strip it is possible to transcribe any recording at will into any line pattern, so that the notation which is best suited to any particular instrument can easily be obtained.
  • the tones can also be recorded on a blank strip, on which a transparent film with the pattern required can be superimposed for reading or playing the recorded tones.
  • the appliance which is the subject of the present invention is not necessarily confined to recording oscillations within the audio-frequency range, since the filters 12 and the amplifier 11 can also be designed for electric oscillations in the ultrasonic or infrasonic range, the ratio of the passing frequencies being the same, i.e. 1:12 /Z
  • FIGS. 9 and 10 another embodiment is proposed in FIGS. 9 and 10.
  • the appliance shown in FIG. 9 differs from the appliance in FIG. 1 mainly in having a pair of electrodes instead of the microphone 10 and a differently designed unit 114 instead of the unit 14, which has been described above.
  • the two electrodes 100 are joined to the input of an amplifier 111, which is specially designed for the transmission of electric oscillations in the infrasonic range, e.g. from 1 to 32 cycles.
  • the amplifier should preferably be capable of transmit-ting oscillations in the audiofrequency range (e.g. up to 20 kilocycles) as well.
  • the output of the amplifier 111 is connected to a frequency changer 101, which will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 10.
  • the output of the frequency changer 101 is connected to the inputs of a series of filters 112 of the same design as the filters 12 in FIG. 1, the passing frequencies of which are in the audio-frequency range and follow each other in the ratio of t x/2:
  • the output of each filter 112 is connected to its own rectifier circuit 113, and the outputs of all these rectifier circuits 113 are joined by means of terminals 116 to a recording unit 18 like the one shown in FIG. 1.
  • the frequency changer 101 may be designed as shown in FIG. 10.
  • a pair of input terminals 102 is connected to a frequency discriminator 103, which produces a DC.
  • variable-gain amplifier 108 the voltage of frequencyfi, is transferred to the pair of output terminals 109 of the unit 101.
  • the AC. voltage of infrasonic frequency is also fed into a rectifier circuit 110 producing a DC. voltage which isproportional to the amplitude of the AC. voltage and automatically controls the volume of amplification in the amplifier 108.
  • any changes in the amplitude of the AC. voltage at the input terminals 102 are exactly reproduced in the A.C. voltage at the output terminals 109, so that the dynamic response is maintained.
  • the appliance shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 may, for instance, work in the following way:
  • the electrodes 100 are fixed to the subjects head in the usual way, in order to scan his brain currents. In some cases it may be preferable to use more than one pair of electrodes and connect them to the terminals 115. Brain currents are alternating currents with a low frequency f; ranging between 10 and 30 cycles.
  • the voltage scanned by the electrodes 100 is amplified in the amplifier 111 and fed'into the unit 101, where it is processed as described above.
  • the A.C. voltage is generated at the output of the unit 101 is completely analogous to the input voltage, but has a frequency f; which is, for instance, a hundred times higher, that is 1000 to 3000 cycles in the case considered here.
  • the multiplication factor is determined by adjusting the voltage divider 104.
  • the electric oscillations are then separated according to their frequencies by the filters 112'and rectified by the circuits 113; the DC. voltages obtained are then conducted to the recorder heads in the recording unit 18.
  • the appliance described brain currents can thus be recorded in terms of their frequency and duration, in more or less the same manner as has already been described for the recording of music.
  • the result is a frequency spectrum of the alternating currents of the brain.
  • FIG. 11 shows a structural embodiment of the appliance described.
  • the recording strip 23 winds off a delivery roll 40 and then runs between a conditioning roller 41 and an auxiliary roller 42.
  • the conditioning roller 41 is encased in a container 43, which holds a reagent that changes colour when subjected to the action of electric current.
  • the recording strip 23 runs over a deflecting roller '44 and a guiding table 45 to a drive roller 46, which is driven by the power provided by a motor and gear box 47, e.g. by way of a belt drive 48.
  • the drive roller 46 is associated with an auxiliary roller 49, and the recording strip 23 passes between these two rollers 46 and 49.
  • the advance rate of the recording strip can be adjusted within certain limits by means of a knob 50.
  • the delivery roll 40 and the container 43 with its rollers 41 and 42 are situated underneath the guiding table 45 and so are the structural unit 114 (shown in detail in FIG. 9) and an electric power supply unit 51.
  • the recorder electrodes 20 are metal laminae embedded between layers of insulating material 52 thus forming a laminated unit which canbe moved sideways (i.e. at right angles to the recording strip 23) by means of a lead screw 53 and a knob 54 to position the recording heads in relation to the printed lines on the recording strip 23 and to transpose musical recordings into any key or tonality desired.
  • the lower electrode 21 is a roller which presses the recording strip against the recorder electrodes 20 by means of a spring (not shown).
  • the laminated unit described in the preceding paragraph contains two more such laminar electrodes 55 and 56, which also operate in conjunction with the common roller electrode 21.
  • Electrode 55 serves for an automatic time marking 57 by means of pulses, which may for instance follow at the rate of one per second.
  • the other electrode 56 makes it possible to record beat markings 58 by tapping a lever 59 by hand.
  • the system is so designed that the voltage applied to the electrode 56 with relation to the lower electrode 21 depends on the pressure exerted on the lever 59, which makes it possible to stress some of the beat markings more than the others.
  • the electric connections of the electrode plates 20, 55 and 56 are preferably designed as a printed circuit on a sheet of insulating material 60, which may be connected with the laminated unit by means of screws not shown on the drawing.
  • the knobs 50 and 54 which have already been mentioned, as well as the lever 59 are arranged on a front panel 61, which also includes a switch 62 to turn the apparatus on or off, a knob 63 to control the volume of amplification in the amplifier 111 (of. FIG. 9) and a knob 64 to control the multiplication factor by adjusting the voltage divider 104 (FIG. 10).
  • a multistage selector switch 65 to adapt the appliance for different purposes. In one position of the switch 65 the appliance works as described with reference to FIGS. 9 and 10, i.e. it can be used to record the frequency spectrum of brain currents. In a second position of the switch 65 the appliance works as described in connection with FIG.
  • the frequency changer 101 is by-passed, and the output of the amplifier 111 (FIG. 9) is directly connected to the inputs of the filters 112. This is the position for recording music.
  • the gain of amplifier 111 is increased to such an extent that not only the fundamental oscillation of a tone but also its overtones (upper partials) can be recorded, thus making it possible to analyse the timbre of individual tones.
  • the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 12 is also provided with a pair of electrodes 100, which is connected to a structural unit 14, as described under FIG. 1, with the difference that the filters will pass fresuencies between 1 and 32 cycles.
  • the recording unit 18 is replaced by another unit 82, which contains as many relays 83 as there are filters 12 in the structural unit 14.
  • Each of the exciting circuits of the relays 83 is connected to one of the pairs of terminals 16 of unit 14.
  • the relays 83 act as transducers which initiate predetermined processes, i.e. starting or stopping electric sound frequency oscillators 84, each of which is associated to one of the relays 83 and thus to one of the filters 12.
  • the frequencies of the sound waves which can be produced by the oscillators 84 are chosen in proportional relationship to the passing frequencies of the filters 12; consequently the frequencies of the sound frequency oscillators 84 also form a series with a progressive ratio of l: /2. Thus each of the frequencies of the oscillators 84 differs from the frequency of the preceding oscillator by a semitone pitch.
  • the outputs of all oscillators 84 are connected to a common pair of terminals 85, which in turn is connected to a loudspeaker 87 by way of an amplifier 86.
  • a pair of earphones can be connected to the terminals instead of the amplifier and loudspeaker.
  • the appliance shown in FIG. 12 works as follows: The alternating currents of the brain are scanned by the electrodes and then selected by the filters 12 in unit 14. Whenever an electric oscillation passes through one of the filters it energizes the associated relay 83, which in turn switches on the corresponding sound frequency oscillator 84, which then produces its specific sound oscillation as long as oscillations pass through the associated filter 12. Consequently each alternating brain current gives rise to another current of acoustic frequency, which is made audible by means of the loudspeaker 87. Since the frequencies of brain currents are constantly varying the audible tones changes in the same proportion, thus producing a kind of music, which could be termed brain music.
  • unit 82 is basically an elec tric Or electronic organ, which is automatically played by the subjects brain currents.
  • This brain music can be expanded into a kind of integral organic music by making the action currents of the sympathetic and vegetative nervous system (e.g. muscular action currents, electrocardiogram) audible as well.
  • the sympathetic and vegetative nervous system e.g. muscular action currents, electrocardiogram
  • the appliance according to FIG. 12 opens up a wide range of new approaches to psychoanalysis and psychotherapy; in particular, it will be possible to literally confront a patient with his own ego, by letting him hear his own organic music. The wider the split in the patients personality the more dramatic results can be expected from this new therapy. In psychotics this treatment may produce emotional chain reactions which could have a similar effect on the patient as the currently used shock therapy. In neurotics the effect will probably be less striking and mainly of a cathartic nature and if the treatment is repeated in several sessions it should be equivalent to a condensed meditation training which progressively leads to self-recognition, self-awareness and self-integration.
  • the appliance shown in FIG. 12 can also be adapted to produce vibrations other than sound waves or to generate electric or magnetic fields, to which the subject whose brain-currents produce these vibrations can be exposed.
  • FIGS. 2, 3, 4, 6 and 8 are ideally suited to be read .by machine scanning with photo-electric transducers.
  • a device designed for this purpose could for instance comprise unit 82, amplifier 86 and loudspeaker 87 in FIG. 12.
  • the exciting circuits of the relays 83 are not connected to unit 14, but each is joined through its own amplifier to an associated photo-electric transducer, which scans the recording strip along its appropriate auxiliary line and responds whenever it detects a recording within its range.
  • the recorded music can be played in any desired key.
  • FIGS. 1 slightly modified embodiment of the applicance shown in FIGS.
  • the output of the frequency changer 101 is connected, either directly or by way of an additional power amplifier to a pair of earphones or to a loudspeaker, which makes the sound frequencies corresponding to the electric oscillations of the brain currents audible to the human ear.
  • the brain currents can be transcribed by the recording unit 18.
  • a system for transcribing music comprising an electro-responsive recording strip, means for moving said recording strip lengthwise at a given rate including means for adjusting the recording strip at right angles to the said lengthwise movement, a plurality of electrical recorder heads arranged adjacent said recording strip for co-operation therewithin, said recorder heads being arranged in a line extending perpendicular to the lengthwise direction of said recording strip, a plurality of electric-wave filters tuned to a series of passing frequencies which follow each other in the ratio of 1: /2 whereby each filter passes a musical tone one semitone apart from its adjacent filters, the outputs of said filters each being connected with one of said recorder heads, the input ofsaid filters being connected to the output of a common amplifier, and means for feeding the input of said amplifier with electrical signals corresponding to the music tones to be musically transcribed, said recording strip having thereon a plurality of reference lines running parallel to the longitudinal direction of the strip, said reference lines representing a scale of semitones and each of the reference lines corresponding to one of the record

Abstract

1,021,202. Recording music. I. SPONGA and H. J. EBERSTARK. Aug. 8, 1962 [Aug. 8, 1961], No. 30399/62. Heading G5X. [Also in Divisions A5, G1 and H3] Apparatus for graphical recording and/or analysing of electrical alternating current signals of various frequencies comprises plural electric wave filters tuned to a series of pass frequencies and having inputs arranged for connection to the output of a common amplifier fed with A.C. signals; plural electrical recording heads being coupled through rectifiers each to the output of one of such filters and an electroresponsive recording strip moved adjacently to the recording heads; each of which is actuated by a signal through its associated filter to produce a linear recording mark on the strip parallel to the direction of motion thereof to indicate frequency of the input signal by its lateral position amplitude by its intensity, and duration by its length. In Fig. 1 sounds are received by microphone 10 and are amplified to feed a set of parallel filters 12 having pass frequencies in an ascending series with frequency ratios 1: <SP>12</SP># 2 so that for sounds in the aural range the successive pass frequencies are spaced by one semitone pitch. The filter outputs are severally rectified to D.C. energization for a series of electrodes 20 spaced laterally across a uniformly moving recording strip 23 in opposition to a single common lower electrode 21; the strip being of paper impregnated with chemicals producing discoloration on passage of current between the electrodes of intensity dependent on the current amplitude. Alternatively the recording strips may be metallized paper or plastic film marked by burning of the metallization on passage of current between the electrodes. The several frequency components of the received sound are recorded as parallel interrupted lines on the recording strip; frequency or pitch being represented by lateral displacement, amplitude by intensity of marking and duration by length along the direction of motion of the strip, which may be marked with auxiliary lines corresponding to the several recording electrodes and to frequency or pitch (Fig. 2). Harmonic content of a single frequency received sound may be analysed by amplifying he input to the set of filters and removing herefrom the fundamental tone. The auxiliary lines may be more heavily marked on the recording strip where they correspond to the lines of the musical staff (Fig. 4). It is stated that key transposition may be achieved in recording by displacing the auxiliary lines relatively to the recorded traces, and that the auxiliary lines may be disposed to correspond e.g. to the keys of a piano or the unstopped strings of a guitar. A transparent template inscribed with the auxiliary lines appropriate to any stringed instrument may overly the recording strip. In a modification (Fig. 9) a pair of electrodes 100 may be applied e.g. to the brain of a subject and the resultant infrasonic potentials amplified to feed a frequency changer 101 (Fig. 10) whose output is applied to a range of filters 112 and rectifiers 113 feeding a recorder 18 as shown in Fig. 1. The frequency changer comprises a discriminator 103 producing a unidirectional voltage representing an input frequency f 1 , a proportion of which is derived from a variable potentiometer 104 to modulate at 105 a frequencyf 2 from a source 106 to yield a frequency f 3 , which is heterodyned by f 2 in converter 107 to give a frequency f 4 = f 3 - f 2 related' to f 1 by a constant ratio set by potentiometer 104. The output at 109 is derived from the output of converter 107 through variable-gain amplifier 108 controlled by rectification of the input voltage at 110, so that the output amplitude varies in correspondence with the input amplitude. In addition to brain potentials, muscular and cardiac potentials and the rate of respiration of a subject may be similarly recorded. Alternatively the recorded outputs of the several filters may be photo-electrically scanned to operate respective relays keying a range of corresponding audio oscillators whose frequencies are spaced in the ratio 1:<SP>12</SP># 2 feeding an amplifier and loud-speaker. Muscular, cardiac, and respiratory potentials may similarly be rendered audible. Structurally, the recording apparatus comprise (Fig. 11) a paper strip 23 winding from a delivery roll 40 over a conditioning roll 41 impregnating it with a current-sensitive reagent from a bath 43, and over a deflecting electrode roll 44, and guide table 45 to drive roll 46 rotated by motor and gear-box 47, speed adjustable by knob 50. Parallel electrode laminae 20 embedded in insulation 52 press the impregnated paper against electrode roll 44 and the electrode assembly to laterally traversable by leadscrew 53 and knob 44 e.g. for key transposition. Additional electrodes 55, 56 are respectively energized from a pulse generator to produce e.g. second time markings 57, and from a manually operated lever 59 applying a variable current, so that beat markings of variable stress may be applied at will. The electrode connections may be printed on an insulating sheet 60 and the panel 61 may carry controls 50, 54, 59; on/off switch 62, control 63 for the input amplifier (Fig. 9), control 64 for frequency multiplication factor (potentiometer 104 in Fig. 10) and selector switch 65 enabling the apparatus to operate to record physiological currents with frequency transposition, to record acoustical sounds without transposition, or to analyse harmonics of acoustical sounds.

Description

Oct. 4, 1966 SPONGA 3,277,245
APPLIANCE FOR RECORDING AND/OR TRANSDUCING ELECTRIC AND/OR ACOUSTIC OSCILLATIONS OF VARIOUS FREQUENCIES Filed Aug. '7, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 y a f M ZMZW W5 2 Oct. 4, 1966 SPONGA 3,277,245
APPLIANCE FOR RECORDING AND/OR TRANSDUCING ELECTRIC AND/OR ACOUSTIC OSCILLATIONS OF VARIOUS FREQUENCIES Filed Aug. '2, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 5 Fig.7
Oct. 4, 1966 I. SPONGA 3,277,245
APPLIANCE FOR RECORDING AND/OR TRANSDUCING ELECTRIC AND/OR ACOUSTIC OSCILLATIONS OF VARIOUS FREQUENCIES Filed Aug. '7, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Fig. 70
'1 g (5' Q A I ms/m. J rn-noo cow. I
l H i 103 106 2}; 109 1 i 4 w i 110 I L. i
Fig. 12 if. 4 Wi T '1 Us 83 j I W M. Mk
Oct. 4, 1966 l. SPONGA APPLIANCE FOR RECORDING AND/OR TRANSDUCING ELECTRIC AND/OR ACOUSTIC OSGILLATIONS OF VARIOUS FREQUENCIES Filed Aug. '7, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 I/? v6??? for i777 F6 Spa 7291 5y United States Patent 3,277,245 APPLIANCE FOR RECORDING AND/0R TRANS- DUCING ELECTRIC AND/ OR ACOUSTIC OSCIL- LATIONS OF VARIOUS FREQUENCIES Imre Sponga, Gartnerstr. 14, Zurich, Switzerland Filed Aug. 7, 1962, Ser. No. 215,452 Claims priority, application Switzerland, Aug. 8, 1961, 9,327/ 61 7 Claims. (Cl. 179100.2)
This invention relates to a system of transcribing music more particularly the present invention relates to an appliance for recording and/or transducing electric oscillations or acoustic oscillations converted into electric oscillations of various frequencies,
The leading feature of the invention is that a set of electric wave filters are tuned to a series of passing frequencies, which follow each other in the ratio of l: /2 the inputs of all filters being connected to a common input amplifier and the output of each filter to its own transducer which is activated by the specific electric oscillation passing through the associated filter thus initiating a certain process to be described hereunder.
Other features of the invention will follow from the claims, the specification and the accompanying drawings. In, the following pages, by way of example only, several embodiments of the invention are described in greater detail with reference to the drawing.
FIG. 1 is a purely diagrammatic representation of the first embodiment of the invention designed for the automatic recording of the spectrum of electric oscillations varying in time; i
FIG. 2 shows a sample of the associated recording strip with some recordings;
FIG. 3 shows another recording strip with a different line pattern and some recordings of oscillations within the acoustic range;
FIG. 4 shows a similar recording strip with an extended frequency range;
FIG. 5 represents a scale of semitones in conventional notation;
FIG. 6 shows the same scale of semitones as transcribed by the appliance in FIG. 1 on two recording strips with different line patterns;
FIG. 7 shows a sequence of tones in conventional notation;
FIG. 8 shows the same sequence of tones as transcribed by the appliance in FIG. 1 on two recording strips with different line patterns;
FIG. 9 shows a modification of the appliance in FIG. 1, which is designed to record the frequency spectra of brain currents;
FIG. 10 shows a detail of the appliance in FIG. 9;
FIG. 11 is a schematic perspective view of a concrete embodiment of the appliance in FIG.'9;
FIG. 12 is a diagram of an appliance designed to transduce electric oscillations, e.g. those produced by brain currents, into oscillations of different but proportional frequencies, e.g. audio-frequencies.
In the appliance shown in FIG. 1, a microphone 10 is connected to an input amplifier 11, which in turn is connected to a set of electric wave filters 12, as shown in the diagram. The inputs of the filters 12 are connected to the output of the amplifier 11. Each of the filters 12 has a different passing frequency. Taken together the passing frequencies form an ascending series following with the ratio of h /2T If the passing frequencies are set within the acoustic range of man, the pitch of each of the audio-frequencies passing through the filters 12 differs by a semitone from the pitch of the preceding and the following frequency. The output of each filter 12 is con- 3,277,245 Patented Oct. 4, 1966 ice nected to an associated rectifier circuit 13, and each of these circuits may be provided with an additional amplifier if necessary. Elements 11 to 13 form a structural unit 14, equipped with one pair of input terminals 1 5 connected to the microphone 10 and several pairs of output terminals 16 in connection with the rectifier circuits 13.
The output terminals 16 are connected to a recording unit 18 with several recorders 19, which act as transducers and operate in conjunction with a common recording strip 23. By means of mechanical devices which are not shown in the diagram, the recording strip 23 can be moved forward at uniform speed in the direction indicated by the arrow V. Each of the recorders 19 has an upper electrode 20, while the lower electrode 21 is common to all recorders. These electrodes 20 and 21 are in connection with the terminals 16. The recording strip 23 passes between the electrodes 20 and 21 and is in contact with those parts of the upper electrodes that serve as recorder heads. The contact surface between the recorder heads and the recording strip is relatively small. All the recorder heads are arranged in parallel and spaced at equal distances in a straight line at right angles to the longitudinal and feed direction of the strip 2 3. A concrete embodiment of the recording unit will be described later with reference to FIG. 1'1.
The recording strip 23 may for instance consist of paper prepared with chemicals which change colour when subjected to the action of electric current, so that discolorations are produced wherever current passes between an electrode 20 and the lower electrode 21, the intensity of electric current or the voltage applied being reflected by the intensityof the discoloration. In a modified form the the recording medium could be metal-coated paper or plastic film, with the thin metal coating being burned away where electric current passes through.
The appliance described works as follows: When the microphone 10 is exposed to sound waves of different frequencies, it produces electric oscillations, which are amplified by the input amplifier 11 and then fed to the filters 12. In accordance with its specific frequency each oscillation is passed by the appropriate filter 12 and then transmitted to the associated rectifier circuit 13, where a direct current voltage is produced, the magnitude of which is proportional to the intensity of the oscillation passing through its filter 12. The voltage is applied between the appropriate electrode or electrodes 20* and the counterelectrode 21 separated by the running recording strip 23, which is marked by the passage of the electric current. Since the strip 23 moves at uniform speed, e.-g. 1 cm. per second, in the direction indicated by the arrow V, the
. oscillation passed by the filter is recorded as a line. The
position of this line indicates the frequency or pitch of the oscillation recorded, its length the duration of the tone, and the intensity of its colour the volume of the tone.
It is advisable to use a horizontally lined recording strip 23, as shown in FIG. 2, with equidistant auxiliary lines 24, each of which corresponds to one of the recorder heads of the electrodes 20. The auxiliary lines 24 can also be marked with the corresponding frequencies, if so required. FIG. 2 also shows some recordings 25.
It should be noted that in the procedure outlined above generally only the fundamental oscillations of the tones are recorded, while their overtones (upper partials) are too low in amplitude to produce an effect. However, the appliance described can also be used to analyse the frequencies of a single tone or noise, if so desired, by amplifying the overtones .to the required sound level and, if necessary, filtering out the fundamental oscillation of the tone to be analyzed.
Ifas it was assumed so far-the oscillations recorded are within the acoustic range of man and thus correspond to musical tones, it will be preferable in some cases to make use of the arrangement shown in FIG. 3, where those auxiliary lines which correspond to the conventional staves 124 are set off, for instance by making them thicker than the other auxiliaries 224. The recordings 125 as set within the auxiliary lines 124 (stave lines) and 224 (intermediate lines) will then produce a notation not unlike the conventional notation, which can be read and interpreted by musicians as easily as the conventional notation, if not more so. The intermediate lines 224 clearly indicate the pitch of the recordings or notes situated between the stave lines 124. Since each tone has its assigned location on one of the stave lines 124 or intermediate lines 224, the new notation is quite unambiguous, and no key signatures are necessary to raise or lower the recorded pitch. The lenth of each tone is clearly shown by the length of its recording 125. No auxiliary symbols are needed to indicate rests, which are evident from the recording. To transpose a composition from one key (say D major) to another key, all that has to 'be done is to raise or lower the auxiliary lines 124 and 224 in relation to the recordings 125, which need not be altered in any Way. This is a considerable simplification and improvement over the conventional notation.
Since the filters 12 and the recorders 19, which are coupled with them, are quite independent of each other, the appliance can also be used to record polyphonic music with any amount of voices. For this purpose the strip should be lined as shown in FIG. 4 and the number of filters 12 and recorders 19 increased accordingly. The line pattern in FIG. 4 clearly brings out the relationship between bass clef and treble clef. It is no longer a problem to bridge the gap when changing over from one system to the other, since the classical staves represented by the stave lines 124, the intermediate lines 224 and the supplementary lines 324 and 424 all form part of one integrated system, so that clefs could actually be dispensed with; the only reason they are retained is to give musicians their accustomed bearing.
Furthermore the appliance opens up completely new perspectives in the transcription of music, by making it possible to record tones in quite different notation systems, e.g. systems that are specially adapted to specific musical instruments. Instead of setting oil? the lines corresponding to the staves of the conventional five-stave notation, other lines can be brought out, which are specially suited to the instrument in question. Illustrations are given in FIGS. 5 to 8.
FIG. 5 represents the scale of semitones within one octave as transcribed in conventional notation; FIG. 6 shows the same scale in two recordings produced by the appliance in FIG. 1. The line pattern in the left half of FIG. 6 is the same as the one in FIG. 3 or 4, with the lines corresponding to the conventional staves 124 printed thicker than the others. In the right half of FIG. 6 the same recordings 325 are set in a different pattern of lines 524, 624 and 724, which corresponds to the arrangement of the keys of a piano covering an octave. To guide the eye, lines 524 corresponding to notes C are printed thicker than the others, and lines 724, representing notes G and F, are dotted. This notation is therefore particularly suited to the requirements of pianists, singers and beginners, since bearings are the same for every octave.
With the appliance shown in FIG. 1, the tone sequence as transcribed in conventional notation in FIG. 7 can be recorded as illustrated in FIG. 8. In the left half of FIG. 8 the recordings 425 are set in a system of lines 124, 324 and 424, with the conventional stave lines 124 clearly set off from the rest. In contrast, the right half of FIG. 8
villustrates a line pattern specially adapted to a six-chord guitar. All lines 824 corresponding to the pitches of the untouched chords are thicker than the other lines 924. This notation is so simple that even a beginner will have no trouble in finding the recorded notes on his instrument.
Since the recordings produced by the appliance are independent of the line pattern used on the recording strip it is possible to transcribe any recording at will into any line pattern, so that the notation which is best suited to any particular instrument can easily be obtained. Alternatively, the tones can also be recorded on a blank strip, on which a transparent film with the pattern required can be superimposed for reading or playing the recorded tones.
The appliance which is the subject of the present invention is not necessarily confined to recording oscillations within the audio-frequency range, since the filters 12 and the amplifier 11 can also be designed for electric oscillations in the ultrasonic or infrasonic range, the ratio of the passing frequencies being the same, i.e. 1:12 /Z However, to meet the difiiculty of building filters sufficiently selective for the infrasonic range, another embodiment is proposed in FIGS. 9 and 10.
The appliance shown in FIG. 9 differs from the appliance in FIG. 1 mainly in having a pair of electrodes instead of the microphone 10 and a differently designed unit 114 instead of the unit 14, which has been described above. By means of the connecting terminals 115 the two electrodes 100 are joined to the input of an amplifier 111, which is specially designed for the transmission of electric oscillations in the infrasonic range, e.g. from 1 to 32 cycles. However, the amplifier should preferably be capable of transmit-ting oscillations in the audiofrequency range (e.g. up to 20 kilocycles) as well. The output of the amplifier 111 is connected to a frequency changer 101, which will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 10. The output of the frequency changer 101 is connected to the inputs of a series of filters 112 of the same design as the filters 12 in FIG. 1, the passing frequencies of which are in the audio-frequency range and follow each other in the ratio of t x/2: The output of each filter 112 is connected to its own rectifier circuit 113, and the outputs of all these rectifier circuits 113 are joined by means of terminals 116 to a recording unit 18 like the one shown in FIG. 1.
The frequency changer 101 may be designed as shown in FIG. 10. A pair of input terminals 102 is connected to a frequency discriminator 103, which produces a DC.
voltage proportional to the frequency f of the incoming of the frequency modulator 105 has the actual frequency f and is fed to a converter 107. The degree of frequency modulation of said output voltage of the modulator 105 can be varied by adjusting the controls of the voltage divider 104. In the converter 107 a constant high-frequency-voltage of frequency f supplied by-the oscillator 106 is heterodyned with the frequency modulated voltage of frequency i thus producing a voltage of frequency f.,, which is equivalent to the difference between 3 and f and lies within the acoustic range. Frequency 1, is higher than frequency f by a constant factor, the quantity of which can be regulated by means of the voltage divider 104. Through a variable-gain amplifier 108 the voltage of frequencyfi, is transferred to the pair of output terminals 109 of the unit 101. Through the input terminals 102 the AC. voltage of infrasonic frequency is also fed into a rectifier circuit 110 producing a DC. voltage which isproportional to the amplitude of the AC. voltage and automatically controls the volume of amplification in the amplifier 108. As a result, any changes in the amplitude of the AC. voltage at the input terminals 102 are exactly reproduced in the A.C. voltage at the output terminals 109, so that the dynamic response is maintained.
The appliance shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 may, for instance, work in the following way:
The electrodes 100 are fixed to the subjects head in the usual way, in order to scan his brain currents. In some cases it may be preferable to use more than one pair of electrodes and connect them to the terminals 115. Brain currents are alternating currents with a low frequency f; ranging between 10 and 30 cycles. The voltage scanned by the electrodes 100 is amplified in the amplifier 111 and fed'into the unit 101, where it is processed as described above. As has already been mentioned with reference to FIG. 10 the A.C. voltage is generated at the output of the unit 101 is completely analogous to the input voltage, but has a frequency f; which is, for instance, a hundred times higher, that is 1000 to 3000 cycles in the case considered here. The multiplication factor is determined by adjusting the voltage divider 104. The electric oscillations are then separated according to their frequencies by the filters 112'and rectified by the circuits 113; the DC. voltages obtained are then conducted to the recorder heads in the recording unit 18. By means of the appliance described brain currents can thus be recorded in terms of their frequency and duration, in more or less the same manner as has already been described for the recording of music. The result is a frequency spectrum of the alternating currents of the brain.
Such a recording will give physicians and psychologists a profound insight into a persons character, his state of mind, his emotions, his personal rhythm, etc. Analyses of this kind may also provide valuable information with respect to the problem which persons are suited to each other.
While recording the alternating currents of the brain, one may at the same time record the electric potentials produced by muscular tension of selected muscles, cardiac currents and/or the rate of respiration, preferably on the same recording medium and with or without the aid of already existing devices. In this way one can obtain a complete personal score.
FIG. 11 shows a structural embodiment of the appliance described. The recording strip 23 winds off a delivery roll 40 and then runs between a conditioning roller 41 and an auxiliary roller 42. The conditioning roller 41 is encased in a container 43, which holds a reagent that changes colour when subjected to the action of electric current. Subsequently the recording strip 23 runs over a deflecting roller '44 and a guiding table 45 to a drive roller 46, which is driven by the power provided by a motor and gear box 47, e.g. by way of a belt drive 48. The drive roller 46 is associated with an auxiliary roller 49, and the recording strip 23 passes between these two rollers 46 and 49. The advance rate of the recording strip can be adjusted within certain limits by means of a knob 50. The delivery roll 40 and the container 43 with its rollers 41 and 42 are situated underneath the guiding table 45 and so are the structural unit 114 (shown in detail in FIG. 9) and an electric power supply unit 51.
The recorder electrodes 20 are metal laminae embedded between layers of insulating material 52 thus forming a laminated unit which canbe moved sideways (i.e. at right angles to the recording strip 23) by means of a lead screw 53 and a knob 54 to position the recording heads in relation to the printed lines on the recording strip 23 and to transpose musical recordings into any key or tonality desired. The lower electrode 21 is a roller which presses the recording strip against the recorder electrodes 20 by means of a spring (not shown).
In addition to the electrodes that record the oscillation spectrum, the laminated unit described in the preceding paragraph contains two more such laminar electrodes 55 and 56, which also operate in conjunction with the common roller electrode 21. Electrode 55 serves for an automatic time marking 57 by means of pulses, which may for instance follow at the rate of one per second. The other electrode 56 makes it possible to record beat markings 58 by tapping a lever 59 by hand. The system is so designed that the voltage applied to the electrode 56 with relation to the lower electrode 21 depends on the pressure exerted on the lever 59, which makes it possible to stress some of the beat markings more than the others.
The electric connections of the electrode plates 20, 55 and 56 are preferably designed as a printed circuit on a sheet of insulating material 60, which may be connected with the laminated unit by means of screws not shown on the drawing.
The knobs 50 and 54, which have already been mentioned, as well as the lever 59 are arranged on a front panel 61, which also includes a switch 62 to turn the apparatus on or off, a knob 63 to control the volume of amplification in the amplifier 111 (of. FIG. 9) and a knob 64 to control the multiplication factor by adjusting the voltage divider 104 (FIG. 10). Finally there is a multistage selector switch 65 to adapt the appliance for different purposes. In one position of the switch 65 the appliance works as described with reference to FIGS. 9 and 10, i.e. it can be used to record the frequency spectrum of brain currents. In a second position of the switch 65 the appliance works as described in connection with FIG. 1: the frequency changer 101 is by-passed, and the output of the amplifier 111 (FIG. 9) is directly connected to the inputs of the filters 112. This is the position for recording music. In a third position of the switch 65 the gain of amplifier 111 is increased to such an extent that not only the fundamental oscillation of a tone but also its overtones (upper partials) can be recorded, thus making it possible to analyse the timbre of individual tones.
The embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 12 is also provided with a pair of electrodes 100, which is connected to a structural unit 14, as described under FIG. 1, with the difference that the filters will pass fresuencies between 1 and 32 cycles. The recording unit 18 is replaced by another unit 82, which contains as many relays 83 as there are filters 12 in the structural unit 14. Each of the exciting circuits of the relays 83 is connected to one of the pairs of terminals 16 of unit 14. The relays 83 act as transducers which initiate predetermined processes, i.e. starting or stopping electric sound frequency oscillators 84, each of which is associated to one of the relays 83 and thus to one of the filters 12. The frequencies of the sound waves which can be produced by the oscillators 84 are chosen in proportional relationship to the passing frequencies of the filters 12; consequently the frequencies of the sound frequency oscillators 84 also form a series with a progressive ratio of l: /2. Thus each of the frequencies of the oscillators 84 differs from the frequency of the preceding oscillator by a semitone pitch. The outputs of all oscillators 84 are connected to a common pair of terminals 85, which in turn is connected to a loudspeaker 87 by way of an amplifier 86. Alternatively a pair of earphones can be connected to the terminals instead of the amplifier and loudspeaker.
The appliance shown in FIG. 12 works as follows: The alternating currents of the brain are scanned by the electrodes and then selected by the filters 12 in unit 14. Whenever an electric oscillation passes through one of the filters it energizes the associated relay 83, which in turn switches on the corresponding sound frequency oscillator 84, which then produces its specific sound oscillation as long as oscillations pass through the associated filter 12. Consequently each alternating brain current gives rise to another current of acoustic frequency, which is made audible by means of the loudspeaker 87. Since the frequencies of brain currents are constantly varying the audible tones changes in the same proportion, thus producing a kind of music, which could be termed brain music. Thus unit 82 is basically an elec tric Or electronic organ, which is automatically played by the subjects brain currents.
This brain music can be expanded into a kind of integral organic music by making the action currents of the sympathetic and vegetative nervous system (e.g. muscular action currents, electrocardiogram) audible as well.
The appliance according to FIG. 12 opens up a wide range of new approaches to psychoanalysis and psychotherapy; in particular, it will be possible to literally confront a patient with his own ego, by letting him hear his own organic music. The wider the split in the patients personality the more dramatic results can be expected from this new therapy. In psychotics this treatment may produce emotional chain reactions which could have a similar effect on the patient as the currently used shock therapy. In neurotics the effect will probably be less striking and mainly of a cathartic nature and if the treatment is repeated in several sessions it should be equivalent to a condensed meditation training which progressively leads to self-recognition, self-awareness and self-integration.
The appliance shown in FIG. 12 can also be adapted to produce vibrations other than sound waves or to generate electric or magnetic fields, to which the subject whose brain-currents produce these vibrations can be exposed.
Finally it should be noted that the recordings illustrated in FIGS. 2, 3, 4, 6 and 8 are ideally suited to be read .by machine scanning with photo-electric transducers. A device designed for this purpose could for instance comprise unit 82, amplifier 86 and loudspeaker 87 in FIG. 12. In that case the exciting circuits of the relays 83 are not connected to unit 14, but each is joined through its own amplifier to an associated photo-electric transducer, which scans the recording strip along its appropriate auxiliary line and responds whenever it detects a recording within its range. By moving the recording strip at right angles to itsfeed direction in relation 'to the scanning transducers, the recorded music can be played in any desired key. .A slightly modified embodiment of the applicance shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 can also be used to make brain music directly audible. To this end the output of the frequency changer 101 is connected, either directly or by way of an additional power amplifier to a pair of earphones or to a loudspeaker, which makes the sound frequencies corresponding to the electric oscillations of the brain currents audible to the human ear. At the same time the brain currents can be transcribed by the recording unit 18.
What I claim is:
1. A system for transcribing music, comprising an electro-responsive recording strip, means for moving said recording strip lengthwise at a given rate including means for adjusting the recording strip at right angles to the said lengthwise movement, a plurality of electrical recorder heads arranged adjacent said recording strip for co-operation therewithin, said recorder heads being arranged in a line extending perpendicular to the lengthwise direction of said recording strip, a plurality of electric-wave filters tuned to a series of passing frequencies which follow each other in the ratio of 1: /2 whereby each filter passes a musical tone one semitone apart from its adjacent filters, the outputs of said filters each being connected with one of said recorder heads, the input ofsaid filters being connected to the output of a common amplifier, and means for feeding the input of said amplifier with electrical signals corresponding to the music tones to be musically transcribed, said recording strip having thereon a plurality of reference lines running parallel to the longitudinal direction of the strip, said reference lines representing a scale of semitones and each of the reference lines corresponding to one of the recorder heads and being alined therewith.
2. A system according to claim 1 wherein the recorders are combined into a laminated structural unit, with .as many electrically conductive laminae as there are filters, the laminae being arranged in parallel and insulated from each other, each lamina having a portion which acts as a recorder head, said recording strip being sensitive to the passage of electric current and passing between the recorder head portions of the laminae and a counter-electrode extending over the entire width of the unit.
3. A system according to claim 1, wherein the recorders are combined into a laminated structural unit, with as many electrically conductive laminae as there is filters, the laminae being arranged in parallel and insulated from each other, each lamina having a portion which acts as a recorder head, said recording strip being sensitive to the passage of electric current and passing between the recorder head portions of the laminae and a counter-electrode extending over the entire width of the unit, the counter-electrode being a rotating movable roller which presses the recording strip against the recorder head portions of the laminae.
4. A system according to claim 1, wherein the recorders are combined into a laminated structural unit, with as many electrically conductive laminae as there are filters, the laminae being arranged in parallel and insulated from each other, each lamina having a portion which acts as a recorder head, said recording strip being sensitive to the passage of electric current and passing between the recorder head portions of the laminae and a counter-electrode extending over the entire width of the unit, the laminated structural unit being adjustable, so that it can be moved up and down at right angles to the recording strip.
5. A system according to claim 1, in which an additional recorder head is provided for recording time markings on the recording strip, said additional recorder head being in line with the other recorder heads.
6. A system according to claim 1, in which an additional recorder head is provided for recording beat markings on the recording strip, said additional recorder head being in line with the other recorder heads.
7. A system according to claim 1, wherein the input amplifier is connected to a microphone.
References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,951,454 3/1934 Tiefenbacher 24674 2,379,744 7/ 1945 Pfleger 33329 X 2,492,160 12/ 1949 Lekas 34633 X 2,779,654 1/ 1957 Williamson 346--33 BERNARD KONICK, Primary Examiner.
IRVING SRAGOW, Examiner.
M. S. GITIES, G, LIEBERSTEIN, Assistant Examiners.

Claims (1)

1. A SYSTEM FOR TRANSCRIBING MUSIC, COMPRISING AN ELECTRO-RESPONSIVE RECORDING STRIP, MEANS FOR MOVING SAID RECORDING STRIP LENGTHWISE AT A GIVEN RATE INCLUDING MEANS FOR ADJUSTING THE RECORDING STRIP AT RIGHT ANGLES TO THE SAID LENGTHWISE MOVEMENT, A PLURALITY OF ELECTRICAL RECORDER HEADS ARRANGED ADJACENT SAID RECRODING STRIP FOR CO-OPERATION THEREWITHIN, SAID RECORDER HEADS BEING ARRANGED IN A LINE EXTENDING PERPENDICULAR TO THE LENGTH WISE DIRECTION OF SAID RECORDING STRIP, A PLURALITY OF ELECTRIC-WAVE FILTERS TUNED TO A SERIES OF PASSING FREQUENCIES WHICH FOLLOW EACH OTHER IN THE RATIO OF 1:12$2 WHEREBY EACH FILTER PASSES A MUSICAL TONE ONE SEMITONE APART FROM ITS ADJACENT FILTERS, THE OUTPUTS OF SAID FILTERS EACH BEING CONNECTED WITH ONE OF SAID RECORDER HEADS, THE INPUT OF SAID FILTERS BEING CONNECTED TO THE OUTPUT OF A COMMON AMPLIFIER, AND MEANS FOR FEEDING THE INPUT OF SAID AMPLIFIER WITH ELECTRICAL SIGNALS CORRESPONDING TO THE MUSIC TONES TO BE MUSICALLY TRANSCRIBED, SAID RECORDING STRIP HAVING THEREON A PLURALITY OF REFERENCE LINES RUNNING PARALLEL TO THE LONGITUDINAL DIRECTION OF THE STRIP, SAID REFERENCE LINES REPRESENTING A SCALE OF SEMITONES AND EACH OF THE REFERENCE LINES CORRESPONDING TO ONE OF THE RECORDER HEADS AND BEING ALINED THEREWITH.
US215452A 1961-08-08 1962-08-07 Appliance for recording and/or transducing electric and/or acoustic oscillations of various frequencies Expired - Lifetime US3277245A (en)

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US3381300A (en) * 1965-07-20 1968-04-30 Thomson Medical Telco Chart recorder for use with metallized paper
US3438713A (en) * 1963-03-27 1969-04-15 Zeiss Stiftung Device for measuring or testing the image forming quality of lens systems
US3474194A (en) * 1966-02-03 1969-10-21 Sidney Lees Printed phonotrack system with bandwidth reduction
US3634596A (en) * 1969-08-27 1972-01-11 Robert E Rupert System for producing musical tones
US3647929A (en) * 1970-10-08 1972-03-07 Karl F Milde Jr Apparatus for reproducing musical notes from an encoded record
US3868882A (en) * 1972-11-17 1975-03-04 Pioneer Electronic Corp Automatic musical performance method and apparatus for a keyed instrument
US3895554A (en) * 1974-07-10 1975-07-22 Joseph Maillet Tape activated keyboard-type instruments
US4022097A (en) * 1974-07-15 1977-05-10 Strangio Christopher E Computer-aided musical apparatus and method
US4276802A (en) * 1978-04-03 1981-07-07 Keio Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha Electronic keyboard instrument
US4633748A (en) * 1983-02-27 1987-01-06 Casio Computer Co., Ltd. Electronic musical instrument
US5101220A (en) * 1990-03-29 1992-03-31 Astro-Med, Inc. Chart recorder with thermal print head and sound generator

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GB2139405B (en) * 1983-04-27 1986-10-29 Victor Company Of Japan Apparatus for displaying musical notes indicative of pitch and time value
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US2379744A (en) * 1942-03-31 1945-07-03 Bell Telephone Labor Inc Electric circuit arrangement employing delay networks
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US1951454A (en) * 1930-01-16 1934-03-20 Tiefenbacher Rudolf Method for the representation in print of spoken sounds
US2379744A (en) * 1942-03-31 1945-07-03 Bell Telephone Labor Inc Electric circuit arrangement employing delay networks
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US2779654A (en) * 1949-11-08 1957-01-29 Ferranti Ltd Graphical recording systems

Cited By (12)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3438713A (en) * 1963-03-27 1969-04-15 Zeiss Stiftung Device for measuring or testing the image forming quality of lens systems
US3381300A (en) * 1965-07-20 1968-04-30 Thomson Medical Telco Chart recorder for use with metallized paper
US3474194A (en) * 1966-02-03 1969-10-21 Sidney Lees Printed phonotrack system with bandwidth reduction
US3634596A (en) * 1969-08-27 1972-01-11 Robert E Rupert System for producing musical tones
US3647929A (en) * 1970-10-08 1972-03-07 Karl F Milde Jr Apparatus for reproducing musical notes from an encoded record
US3868882A (en) * 1972-11-17 1975-03-04 Pioneer Electronic Corp Automatic musical performance method and apparatus for a keyed instrument
US3895554A (en) * 1974-07-10 1975-07-22 Joseph Maillet Tape activated keyboard-type instruments
US4022097A (en) * 1974-07-15 1977-05-10 Strangio Christopher E Computer-aided musical apparatus and method
US4276802A (en) * 1978-04-03 1981-07-07 Keio Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha Electronic keyboard instrument
US4633748A (en) * 1983-02-27 1987-01-06 Casio Computer Co., Ltd. Electronic musical instrument
USRE33739E (en) * 1983-02-27 1991-11-12 Casio Computer Co., Ltd. Electronic musical instrument
US5101220A (en) * 1990-03-29 1992-03-31 Astro-Med, Inc. Chart recorder with thermal print head and sound generator

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