Sound effects control system for musical instruments2010-03-10 00:00:00for adjustment. That is, such devices have not proven to be sufficiently sensitive in that they do not provide a fine range of adjustment in the volume and other sound effects which can be easily and accurately assessed by the artist.
Thus, there is a need for a device which allows a guitarist or other musician to dynamically control sound effects without interrupting play.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The sound effects control system of the present invention solves the problems associated with prior devices by providing a tactile controller with enhanced sensitivity performance, thus giving the musician accurate and sensitive adjustment capabilities without interrupting play. The controller may be used with an electrical guitar or other musical instrument, and can be adjustably applied to the instrument according to the style and needs of the artist. The controller can be easily accessed by the artist, thus avoiding the need to remove his or her hands from the instrument in order to adjust the sound effects. The controller is preferably manually manipulated, but can also be operated by other parts of the body, such as the feet, etc., compressed by bodily manipulation, or even blown into by the mouth. Thus, a wide range of possible uses in applications of the control system of the present invention are possible.
The tactile controller of the present invention preferably interfaces with a control box which receives a control
signal generated by the controller. The control box uses this control signal to process, in any suitable manner well within the abilities of one of ordinary skill in the art, the
signal generated by the electrical guitar or other musical instrument. The control box thus produces a resultant output signal which is relayed, either by direct wire or a wireless mechanism, to a typical amplifier containing a speaker for musical output. Thus, the control
signal generated by the tactile controller of the present invention can be used to modify the typical sound of an electrical guitar or other musical instrument to produce a wide variety of sound effects, such a volume variations, reverberations, tremolo, and the like. These variations in sound effects, and the switching from one effect to another, can be achieved without musical interruption.
In one embodiment, the controller of the present invention comprises a compressible tube having an inner lumen filled with suitable fluid, such as air, liquid, gel, etc. The tube fluid, when its static pressure is increased or decreased, provides a control signal which is relayed to the control box for modifying the output of the instrument. Thus, the tactile controller of the present invention, in this compressible tube embodiment, provides a pneumatic or hydraulic control signal responsive to manipulation of the tube by the musician.
The tube is constructed from a material which can be readily compressed, either manually or by other mechanisms, resulting also in the collapsibility of the inner lumen and resultant increase in fluid static pressure within. Thus, for example, if the tube is compressed by a thumb or finger, the musician will have enhanced tactile sensitivity to a wide range of movement in the tube as, first, the tube wall is compressed and, sec...
