EP1616147B1 - Pianoforte instrument comprising additional delivery of energy into the sound board, and method for influencing the sound of a pianoforte instrument - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a pianoforte instrument, with a mechanism with keys, with strings that are struck and vibrated via a mechanism upon actuation of the keys, with a soundboard to which the vibrations of the strings are transmitted, with sensors and with a device for feeding additional vibration energy into the soundboard. It also relates to a method for influencing the sound of a piano instrument with a play mechanism with keys, with strings that are struck and vibrated via a mechanism upon actuation of the keys, with a soundboard to which the vibrations of the strings are transmitted, with sensors and with a device for feeding additional vibration energy into the soundboard.

Pianoforte instruments have been known for centuries. These include, first and foremost, pianos and grand pianos. Since the beginning of the development of acoustic piano instruments around 300 years ago, the interest of the musically interested public in high-quality acoustic piano instruments has led to constantly improved piano instruments within the framework of technical intuition and scientifically substantiated development processes. According to the current state of the art, the achieved perfection can no longer be significantly increased on an acoustic-mechanical path.

The pianoforte instruments have a larger number of keys that stimulate strings to vibrate by mechanical action. These string vibrations are then in turn transmitted to a soundboard. The vibrations of this soundboard then lead to the sound that the pianist or his audience hears may be affected by the properties of the room in which the piano instrument is, for example, by reverberation or damping.

From the US PS 4,058,045 For example, a piano is known in which the vibrations of the soundboard are sensed, fed to one amplifier, and then amplified to a different soundboard be reproduced. This is to be a volume control of a piano possible.

A completely different possibility sees the EP 1 278 180 A1 in front. There, a keyboard instrument is described in which a complete mute is possible. The actuation of the keys is decoupled from the strings and the soundboard, and instead provides the user of the apparatus with a synthesized sound determined from the sensed operation of the keys and electronically generated, such as via headphones.

Additional possibilities for the sound reproduction of Pianoforte instruments become for example very successful through the WO 90/03025 A1 proposed by the applicant. Here, an additional energy feed into the soundboard of acoustic piano instruments is used by driver systems. These systems deliver vibrational energy to the soundboard by means of a system of magnets and coils.

Other proposals for so-called digital pianos with similar mechanisms are from the EP 0 102 379 B1 , of the WO 83/03022 A1 , of the U.S. Patent 5,247,129 and the WO 00/36586 A2 known.

Such systems are used in particular to use the soundboard of the piano or other Pianoforteinstruments at the same time as a kind of speaker membrane for the reproduction of music and speech. On the one hand, a time-shifted reproduction of the music played on the pianoforte instrument can take place, on the other hand, the pianist can also be provided with an artificial accompaniment during his playing. While playing a "muting" can alternatively be done to prevent, for example, when practicing unwanted sound and thus noise generation. The recorded sound sequences can later be introduced into the soundboard and used as a loudspeaker diaphragm to produce a relatively "true to the original" sound.

From the US PS 5,262,586 Another application of externally generated vibrational energy is described in the soundboard of acoustic piano instruments is supplied. Serving as the sound source for the generation of the vibrational energy to be added to the sound images played here are the sounds produced acoustically by the piano instrument itself. These are recorded via sound pickups on or near the soundboard of the instrument, for example acoustically or inductively. They are then returned to the soundboard as additional energy. The result is a kind of artificial amplification of the sounds mechanically generated by the keys in a closed system. In this way, an unsatisfactory volume of the game can be compensated for example in very large rooms.

A certain problem is the feedback effect, which can turn out to be too high energy supply, as the resonant ground offset in additional resonance can of course also act on the sound pickup again.

The object of the invention is in contrast to propose pianoforte instruments which have even more possibilities. Another object is to propose methods for influencing the sound of a piano instrument with additional possibilities.

The first object is achieved according to the invention in a generic Pianoforteinstrument in that a sensor is provided for each key that detects the operation of this button of the game that a device for sound extension is present, are supplied to the measured values of the sensors that the Sound extension means comprises a memory for sound samples in that the device is adapted to assign sound samples from the memory to the sounds corresponding to the actuations of the keys registered by the sensors in the playing mechanism of the instrument, a sub-sound spectrum being provided for each sound in that the device for sound extension is equipped with devices which, depending on the measured values of the sensors, assemble data which corresponds to a desired sound characteristic, and in that the device for expanding the sound via the device for feeding in compensates for additional vibration energy reasonably supplying the ascertained data to the soundboard.

The second object is achieved according to the invention in a generic method in that by means of the sensors, the operation of the individual keys of the game is detected that a device for sound extension, the measured values of the sensors are supplied to that supplied from a memory Tonsamples the device for sound expansion with a sub-tone spectrum being provided for each tone, means will assemble data corresponding to a desired sound characteristic depending on the measurements of the sensors and the sound samples from the memory, and the means for sound extension via the means for feeding additional vibrational energy corresponding to those determined Feed data to the soundboard.

The inventive equipment of keyboard instruments with acoustic sound generation, especially of piano instruments, allows the extension and / or amplification of the existing sound spectra both of each individual sound as a whole, as well as the change of individual or a plurality of selected partials from the sound spectra of the individual tones and thereby also allows the change of the sound phases of individual tones. This is accompanied in each case by an extended resonance behavior of the harmonically resonating tones / partials of other tone ranges of the instrument and also by increased and / or prolonged natural oscillations of the vibrating sound strings of the respective tone. This allows significant changes in the sound phases of individual tones, a variety or all sounds and thus the extension, amplification, modification and / or expansion of the sound and the sound character of the instrument, even with individual tones, complex sound sequences, in selected pitches or over the entire range of the inventively equipped instrument.

The additional vibration energy is fed virtually in real time without delay.

The sound expansion is effected by the additional supply of externally generated vibration energy which is preferably supplied to the soundboard via sound board drivers. The additional vibrational energy serves to counteract the usual consumption of the energy absorbed by the vibrating sound strings in the freely determinable extent in the resonant ground, which is common in the membrane-like oscillating sounding plate according to the prior art. The additional vibration energy thus accumulates in the membrane-like vibrating soundboard with the vibrational sound strings acoustically generated vibration energy and mixes in the soundboard to the thus expanded sound images (sound spectra) of the individual tones and in consequence to extended sound images.

Unlike as with the US PS 5,262,586 Not the already generated sound on the vibrating soundboard is tapped by the sensors, but the "cause" of the sound, namely the operation of the piano key, for example by observation of the hammerhead unit and its behavior. But this can already be intervened much earlier in time, namely in the sound-forming phase, the emergence of the vibrations of the soundboard. Due to the system, unwanted feedbacks are avoided and, of course, completely different sound modifications are possible. According to the invention can be worked in quasi "real time".

The present invention does not extract the information or data inputs from secondary sources. Of course, the expert has previously assumed that a vibrating string, a vibrating soundboard, etc. is exactly the sound that he would like to have reproduced in a separation and subsequent use of the information. The expert wants to reproduce exactly the original sound of the vibrating string. In his view, the vibrating string has been the primary source so far. This seems logical and consistent at first. Only the invention in the present application recognizes that this is wrong and uses the truly primary source of information: the key movement.

It is not the actual interesting sound, but the basis, so the origin of the sound used, namely by sensors that tap the speed or position of the keys and the information about these sensors is then further processed. This leads to a completely different fundamental treatment of the "causes" of the music and also to the behavior of the entire system. So not only sounds can be reproduced or perhaps reproduced by simple amplification in a larger volume, but the desire and will of the pianist in the operation of his keys can be used completely different and just as desired by the pianist to produce a musical sound, according to a plant of the US-PS 5,262,586 not possible at all. With the measures according to the invention and described in the application, for example, information about the place of installation and the hall of an auditorium can be taken into account in the reproduction of the sound or also the use of the data that was not even present in the original recording.

Unlike in the prior art, the single tone or the single key is taken into account, each treated differently can be. In the US PS 5,262,586 yes, the entire resulting sound impression is undifferentiated as a whole after the emergence as a basis for then only following modifications.

The intensity of the impact of the hammer heads on the sound strings determines the degree of energy transfer to the sound strings and is therefore determining for the vibration behavior of the sound strings.

The degree of energy transfer can be influenced within wide limits by the way the keys are touched, the coordination of the lever systems (regulation) and the characteristics of the hammer heads (weight, size, shape, material and intonation). That means:
Extreme pianissimo (ppp) is a consequence of the minimal possible acceleration of the hammer heads on their way to the sound strings, so that the hammer heads transmit only a minimal amount of energy to the sound strings when they hit the sound strings. This minimal possible energy transfer causes the sound strings are excited to minimum vibrations and thus a minimum of vibration energy passes through the sound bars in the soundboard so that it vibrates only in a minimal way and thus extremely quiet sounds, sound sequences or sound images are audible.

Extreme Fortissimo (fff) is a consequence of the maximum possible acceleration of the hammer heads on their way to the sound strings, so that the hammer heads transmit a maximum amount of energy to the sound strings when they hit the sound strings. This maximum possible energy transfer causes the sound strings to be excited to their maximum possible vibrations and thus a maximum of vibration energy passes through the sound bars in the soundboard so that it vibrates in its maximum possible way and thus extremely loud sounds, sound sequences or sound become audible.

At all volume levels are the shape and weight of the hammer heads, the quality of the hammerhead felt, the tension within the felt layers and the Type of intonation of importance with regard to the partial tone build-up of individual tones, wherein this partial tone build-up forms in the first milliseconds immediately after impact of the hammer head on the sound strings and thus for the sound production phase is of crucial importance.

Thus, an observation of the movement of the hammerhead unit by the sensors is of considerable advantage.

Externally stored preferably digital sound samples, which can be supplied to the soundboard in arbitrary mixing and in any desired energy, are preferably used as the source of the additionally supplied energy, so that each individual sound can be shaped in its sub-tone spectrum and in its individual sound phases. At the same time, the use of the sound samples as an external energy source avoids any feedback effect, so that the amount of additional vibrational energy that can be supplied to the soundboard is not tied to the limits of a feedback effect, but rather its limits exclusively in the mechanical load capacity of the vibrating components of the sound body, in particular the Soundboard finds. The word "energy source" is here to be understood in the transmitted, not in the physical sense: The memory with the sound samples contains the data for the vibration energy, not the energy itself, which is coupled for example via an amplifier.

For the musician, especially the pianist, it is possible through the invention to extend his influence on the music he played even further: In addition to the piece of music and its interpretation of the same, he can practically "fix" any sound, whether in a large or small space plays, which type of piano he uses, after which Fasson this is tuned and which special accents he wants to set, and that also varies from piece to piece of music. Also volume and speed are no longer unnecessarily limited by the instrument.

Unlike the one from the WO 90/03025 A known mute pianos with later relatively faithful reproduction is a targeted and In particular, almost no time-delayed sound optimization and adaptation to certain conditions possible, for example, a balancing of unfavorable space and reverberation, simulating another piano model or a very specific desired gain or attenuation about only the 500 Hz vibration of a particular tone - without the 500 Hz vibrations of other sounds are influenced.

The concept according to the invention can also be retrofitted to existing pianoforte instruments - a significant advantage especially for valuable specimens.

Figur 1

ein typisches Schwingungsbild eines auf akustischem Weg erzeugten Grundtones eines Musikinstrumentes;

Figur 2

ein Schwingungsbild mit Details der Klangbildungsphase und der Abklingphase eines Tones;

Figur 3

die Phasen aus Figur 2 in schematischer Darstellung mit vier der hörbaren Teiltöne;

Figur 4

die schematische Darstellung aus Figur 3 mit einer Verstärkung der Klangbildungsphase;

Figur 5

die schematische Darstellung aus Figur 3 mit einer Verstärkung und Verlängerung der Klangbildungsphase;

Figur 6

die schematische Darstellung aus Figur 3 mit einer Verlängerung und Verstärkung der Abklingphase;

Figur 7

die schematische Darstellung aus Figur 3 mit einer Verlängerung und Verstärkung sowohl der Klangbildungs- als auch der Abklingphase;

Figur 8

die schematische Darstellung aus Figur 3 mit einer gezielten Verstärkung der Klangbildungsphase nur bei ausgewählten Teiltönen;

Figur 9

die schematische Darstellung aus Figur 3 mit einer gezielten Verlängerung und Verstärkung der Abklingphase nur bei ausgewählten Teiltönen;

Figur 10

die schematische Darstellung aus Figur 3 mit einer Verlängerung und Verstärkung der Klangbildungs- und Abklingphasen bei nur ausgewählten Teiltönen;

Figur 11

die schematische Darstellung aus Figur 3 mit einer unterschiedlichen Verlängerung und Verstärkung der Klangbildungs- und Abklingphasen unterschiedlicher Teiltöne; und

Figur 12

eine schematische Darstellung des technischen Aufbaues einer Ausführungsform der erfindungsgemäßen Anordnung.

In the following, the principles of the invention and some embodiments will be explained in more detail with reference to the drawing. Show it:

FIG. 1

a typical vibration image of an acoustically generated fundamental sound of a musical instrument;

FIG. 2

a vibration image with details of the sounding phase and the decay phase of a sound;

FIG. 3

the phases out FIG. 2 in a schematic representation with four of the audible partials;

FIG. 4

the schematic representation FIG. 3 with an amplification of the sound formation phase;

FIG. 5

the schematic representation FIG. 3 with a reinforcement and extension of the sound-forming phase;

FIG. 6

the schematic representation FIG. 3 with an extension and strengthening of the decay phase;

FIG. 7

the schematic representation FIG. 3 with an extension and amplification of both the sounding and the decaying phases;

FIG. 8

the schematic representation FIG. 3 with a specific enhancement of the sound formation phase only with selected partials;

FIG. 9

the schematic representation FIG. 3 with a deliberate extension and strengthening of the decay phase only with selected partials;

FIG. 10

the schematic representation FIG. 3 with an extension and amplification of the sound-forming and decay phases in only selected partials;

FIG. 11

the schematic representation FIG. 3 with a different extension and amplification of the sound formation and decay phases of different partials; and

FIG. 12

a schematic representation of the technical structure of an embodiment of the inventive arrangement.

FIG. 1 shows the typical oscillation pattern of an acoustically generated fundamental H of a grand piano (top) or a piano (bottom). The fundamental H has a variety of so-called harmonic or partials. These harmonic or partial tones of each fundamental tone form the respective sound spectrum or partial tone spectrum of the corresponding tone.

The sounds of good acoustic Pianoforte instruments can have a variety of partials. It is believed that up to about 13 audible partials are built up for the human ear in good acoustic piano instruments.

In FIG. 1 Of these, 8 partials are now represented with their oscillation pattern, in an implied three-dimensional form in their time course.

From left to right, the spectrogram shows the number of partials with their frequency f in hertz and from top to bottom the course of the decay phases of the partials shown, ie the time axis t in seconds. Rising upwards from the time axis, the relative sound pressure level is plotted in dB. The sound phase is omitted here for clarity. The waveform of the individual partials is subject to constant variations. He is constantly changing in composition and intensity of the individual partials to each other, so that it creates the typical piano sound. In other musical instruments, the same root H for this reason sounds different to the human ear, so that the listener can easily distinguish a root H from a piano from a root H of a guitar. The trained ear of a musician, music lover and expert can also distinguish the typical sound of one and the same basic tone played on different piano models, since the typical time sequence of the individual partials deviates more or less from one piano to another.

The sub-tone structure with its oscillation images changes continuously in varying forms during the sound-forming phase and the decay phase. It is also dependent on the way the pianist plays (loud, quiet, staccato, legato, with / without damper pedal, with / without tone control, etc.).

The mentioned changes in the time course of the individual partials and the resulting different sound of the composition extend over the entire time period from the moment of impact of a hammer head on the sound strings during the clearing phase not shown in the spectrogram and during the duration of the entire decay phase shown in the spectrogram until the final decay of the sound sides. The changes are also in constantly changing interaction with the other partials of the same fundamental note and also in interaction with the fundamental and partials of other tones within the entire range of the instrument, which are in harmonic relationship to the broken tone and its partials.

In FIG. 2 is the audible sound history of a selected sound without the supply of additional vibration energy shown, so the course without application of the invention. The overall tone is reproduced without a representation of the sub-tone spectrum contained therein. Time is plotted to the right, and the intensity or sound pressure level to the top.

As in FIG. 2 can be clearly seen, the sound-forming phase B begins with the moment A of the impact of a hammer head on the sound strings and thus the vibrations of the sound strings and ends at the time C, at which the sound strings have converted the impact energy into the maximum of the vibration energy and the decay phase D begins.

During the sound-forming phase - also called transient period - every single sounding string begins to vibrate in its fundamental tone and the corresponding partials. The decay phase smoothly joins the end of the sound-forming phase and ends with the moment E, as the vibration energy in the sound strings is consumed.

The depiction shows, among other things, that the decay phase by no means only takes a purely declining course, but that the audible sound course has quite turning points and maxima. It is precisely these effects that influence the sound impression that a certain tone produces on a particular musical instrument. The progressions shown here are chosen purely as examples, that is quite different for different sounds.

In the FIG. 3 Now the sound-forming phases and decay phases are shown in a simplified schematic representation on the example of only four of the abovementioned up to 13 audible partials. FIG. 3 The following is a reference image for the changes that occur with appropriate influence.

The following figures now show that various forms of change and influence on the sound are possible through the inventive conception. The representations are done in a quasi-three-dimensional form. From left to right, however, the time is plotted, from bottom to top the intensity of a particular partial tone and from front to back are successively four selected partials applied. This results in a simplified representation of the partial tone spectrum of a tone. The audible sound progression of the four-tone tones is shown in each case. With the solid line L of the vibrating sound strings of a Pianoforteinstrumentes without feeding additional Vibrational energy generated sound. With the strongly dotted line M, the sound profile of the same partials results when, in addition to the sound curve generated by the vibrating sound strings, there is still a supply of additional vibrational energy, the nature and form of this feed being explained in more detail in the following descriptions.

The thin dotted line N takes into account that now also an amplified resonating of the sound strings themselves takes place.

FIG. 4 shows how vibration energy is additionally injected in the sounding phase and thus an amplification of the entire sound over all partials occurs. When this change is made, the impression of hardness and volume of the stop changes primarily for the listener.

FIG. 5 shows in a similar way that the sound-forming phase is both amplified and extended, in which vibration energy is fed in here.

FIG. 6 shows an unchanged sounding phase, but the decay phase is prolonged and amplified, again for the entire sound. The sound duration is increased.

FIG. 7 shows an extension and amplification of both the sound-forming and decay phases, which now complement the two effects.

FIG. 8 and the subsequent representations show that the sound character of individual tones or entire pitches is deliberately changed and enriched. This is done by a targeted supply of vibrational energy based on individual or a plurality of selected partials of the sounding sound.

at FIG. 8 This is done by a targeted amplification of two partials in the sound formation phase.

In FIG. 9 This is done by a specific extension and amplification of individual partials in the decay phase.

In FIG. 10 This is done by extending and amplifying individual partials both in the sound formation and decay phases.

FIG. 11 Finally, there is an extension and amplification of different partials in different forms in both the sounding and the decay phases.

The result of in the FIGS. 4 to 11 Thus, the possibilities of influencing the audible sound phases, which have been described and described accordingly, can optionally be extended and / or amplified and / or amplified and, as a matter of principle, the sound images of individual sounds or optionally selected partials of individual sounds in respectively variable forms.

1. a) es ist eine Anpassung an verschiedene Formen der musikalischen Ausdrucksweise möglich, die beispielsweise aus unterschiedlichen musikalischen Perioden stammen.
2. b) es ist eine Anpassung an unterschiedliche akustische Raumverhältnisse möglich, in denen das Pianoforteinstrument steht. So können nach Wahl und Wunsch des Pianisten kleine und große, leere und volle Hallen berücksichtigt und die dadurch entstehenden Klangdefizite oder Klangveränderungen kompensiert werden. Auch Nachhallzeiten oder akustische Eigenschaften bestimmter Räume können ausgeglichen oder aber wunschgemäß auch andernorts simuliert werden.
3. c) die besonderen Erwartungen und Ansprüche von Pianisten und Klavierspielen an das Klangverhalten des Instrumentes oder dessen Klangwirkung im Raum können individuell eingestellt werden.
4. d) musikalisch differenzierte Ansprüche und auch Anforderungen an das Instrument können wesentlich besser berücksichtigt werden als bisher. So können Pianoforteinstrumente ja zu ganz unterschiedlichen Zwecken eingesetzt werden, etwa zur Liedbegleitung, zur Kammermusik oder auch als Soloinstrument, während andererseits eine Heraushebung oder vielleicht auch Reduzierung des Pianoforteinstrumentes bei bestimmten Orchestersituationen sehr gewünscht ist und dies bei bestimmten Tönen auch sehr unterschiedlich sein kann.

This makes it possible to selectively change the overall sound of the instrument or even just the sound images and the sound characteristics of individual tones of tone sequences or selected pitches and influence. This results in previously unknown possibilities for sound design. The following examples of the sound-producing effects of the instruments are by no means exhaustive. There are also other possibilities of adaptation:

1. a) An adaptation to different forms of musical expression is possible, for example, come from different musical periods.
2. b) it is possible to adapt to different acoustic spatial conditions in which the pianoforte instrument stands. Thus, at the choice and desire of the pianist, small and large, empty and full halls can be taken into account and the resulting sound deficits or sound changes compensated. Also reverberation times or acoustic Properties of certain rooms can be compensated or, if desired, simulated elsewhere.
3. c) the particular expectations and demands of pianists and piano playing on the sound behavior of the instrument or its sound effect in the room can be adjusted individually.
4. d) musically differentiated claims and requirements for the instrument can be considered much better than before. Pianoforte instruments can indeed be used for very different purposes, such as song accompaniment, chamber music or as a solo instrument, while on the other hand a salience or perhaps reduction of the piano instrument in certain orchestral situations is very desired and this may also be very different for certain sounds.

In FIG. 12 the components are shown, which are included in an embodiment of an inventive arrangement for a pianoforte instrument.

A pianoforte instrument 10 has a play mechanism 11 with a number of keys (in FIG. 12 not shown in detail). The keys of the playing mechanism 11 act on strings by means of a lever construction and a hammerhead unit and the strings in turn bring a soundboard 20 to vibrate. The soundboard 20 is a membrane-like stretched surface, which is stored around stable on or in Pianoforte instrument 10.

According to the invention, the keys of the game mechanism 11 are now equipped with sensors 15. These sensors do not necessarily have to be located on the button itself. It is also possible to record the movements of individual lever elements in the playing mechanism 11 of the pianoforte instrument. The sensors 15 may be located below, above or behind the buttons, within, in front of or behind the lever system of the game mechanism 11, above, below or behind the keys Hammerhead unit or be arranged in other places. As sensors 15 are mechanical, optical, inductive, magnetic or acting in other form sensor systems for recording the corresponding movements within the game mechanism 11 into consideration.

For example, the sensors 15 record the acceleration of the lever elements of the game mechanism 11 selected for the measurement. From the measured accelerations can then be determined in further discussed below, the attack intensity or the momentum of the hammer heads on the sound strings and thus the sound strength, ie, whether the player currently plays pianissimo or fortissimo or what sound strength in between. In other embodiments, sensors 15 may also be used for position, velocity, or other data.

The sensors 15 can individually individually record, for each individual tone, the mechanical movements of one or more selected parts within the playing mechanism 11. They then provide information that is preferably in MIDI format (musical instrument digital interface). This information includes information about, for example, the beginning of the downward movement of a key and the end of the downward movement of a key. Also, the tone duration can be given as information, so the period over which the key is held down by the pianist and / or entered through the damper pedal or the tone holding pedal. Also, information about the upward movement of the key or a button located in the rest position can be transmitted.

These detected by the sensors 15 and generated in an appropriate format MIDI data are now transmitted to a device 30. In this device 30 is inter alia a device 33 for sound control. This device may also be tapped from a memory for Tonsamples data. Depending on the transmitted data of the sensors 15 are from a memory 31 respectively those tones or Partials of a tone taken, which correspond in their pitch to each played sound. This memory 31 thus serves as an external source of data which will become the basis for the supply of additional vibrational energy into the soundboard 20.

These data may include individual frequencies stored for each tone, part tone characteristics, and parameters of the tone formation and decay phases.

The sound control device 33 now provides output values to a further device 34 for sound modification from the data of the sensors 15 and data corresponding thereto taken from the memory 31 for the volume and the tone length of the respectively played sound.

This device 34 for sound modification can now selectively enhance, increase or extend the structure, the structure, the composition of the sub-tone spectrum of each individual tone. For this purpose, the data taken over by the device 33 for sound control data are extended accordingly, supplemented, amplified and otherwise changed. This allows you to sound according to the tone FIGS. 4 to 11 and the associated descriptions are individually designed, expanded and shaped.

The correspondingly selectively selected tonal completion parameters thus allow for each individual tone, with regard to its entire partial tone spectrum or selected partials of arbitrary composition during the tone formation phase, during the decay phase and / or during both phases by adding, amplifying and extending, significant influences and enrichments in the soundboard 20 occurring sound formation too.

In addition, in the illustrated embodiment, a control module 35 is provided. This control module 35 may include default circuits, presets, controls, and / or screen-driven software that may be used by the pianist or others in the performance while playing Persons can be served or influenced. It is thus possible to influence, for example, a particular piece in a manner during a musical performance, but a later one, quite differently. As a result, completely different characteristics of the individual pieces of music can be taken into account. For example, Baroque compositions can be presented in a completely different sub-composition, that is, with a completely different sound image than, for example, pieces composed with other sound ideas in the 20th century.

If desired, changes can also be made during the individual piece of music in order, for example, to influence different passages of a piece of music differently. Thus, for example, for certain moments within a piece of music, the impression can be produced that the performance would take place in a cathedral in which, for example, corresponding reverberation effects are artificially caused by partial sound extensions, while this does not happen for the rest of the music piece.

An amplifier unit 36 then amplifies the signals acquired by the sound modification device 34 and the control module 35. The amount of amplification of the signals can also be determined via the control module 35 optionally via default circuits, presets, controllers and / or screen-oriented control software.

The amplifier unit 36 ultimately provides the required energy so that the modified data from the previous devices can also be energetically fed into the soundboard 20.

This feeding of the additional vibration energy into the soundboard 20 is effected by means of electromagnetically acting driver systems 25, 26. Depending on the size of the musical instruments and the volume of additional energy to be fed in, one or more of them are optionally used Driver systems 25, 26 installed on a musical instrument or on his soundboard 20.

The driver systems 25, 26 have coils attached to the soundboard 20, furthermore, in three dimensions, freely adjustable in space special magnet systems and driver magnets. It is advantageous if the driver systems 25, 26 have coils with a minimum weight, while at the same time having the highest possible efficiency in the piano-specific frequency ranges. The adjustable magnet systems used to drive the coils should be of high quality and the driver magnets should have as heavy a mounting base as possible to minimize energy losses.

In summary, the sensors 15 record the movements of the keys or the hammer heads or other moving parts in the playing mechanism 11 of the pianoforte instrument 10. From this midi data are generated. These serve to retrieve the corresponding sound samples recorded in the memory 31 for the sound samples, with the aid of which selected additional sound energy is then fed into the soundboard 20. This additional sound energy supplements the vibrational energy introduced in each case by the vibrating sound sides into the soundboard 20 and expands it in detail.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

10

Pianoforte instrument

11

plaything

15

sensor

20

sounding board

25

Soundboard driver system

26

Soundboard driver system

30

Device for sound extension

31

Memory for sound samples

33

Device for sound control

34

Device for sound modification

35

control module

36

amplifier unit

f

Frequency in Hertz (Hz)

t

Time in seconds (s)

rS

relative sound pressure level in decibels (dB)

A

Impact moment of the hammer head

B

Sound education phase

C

End of the sounding phase

D

decay

e

End of the decay phase

L

solid line

M

strongly dotted line

N

thin dotted line

Claims (12)

1. Pianoforte instrument
   comprising an action (11) with keys,
   comprising strings which are struck via a mechanism when the keys are actuated and are made to vibrate,
   comprising a sound board (20), to which the vibrations of the strings are transmitted, comprising sensors (15) and
   comprising a device (25, 26) for delivering additional vibration energy into the sound board (20),
   characterised in that a sensor (15) is provided for each key, the sensor detecting the actuation of this key of the action (11),
   in that there is provided a sound-augmenting device (30), to which the measured values of the sensors (15) are supplied,
   in that the sound-augmenting device (30) comprises a tone sample memory (31), in that the device (30) is configured so that it associates with the tones, which correspond with the actuations of the keys registered by the sensors (15) in the action (11) of the instrument (10), tone samples from the memory (31), a partial tone spectrum being provided for each tone,
   in that the sound-augmenting device (30) is equipped with units (31, 33, 34, 35) which compile data corresponding to a desired sound characteristic in dependence on the measured values of the sensors (15), and
   in *that the sound-augmenting device (30) supplies the sound board (20) with additional vibration energy, corresponding to the data obtained, via the delivering device (25, 26).
2. Pianoforte instrument according to claim 1,
   characterised in that the vibration energy that is generated externally by the sound-augmenting device (30) is delivered in real time into the sound board (20) via the delivering device (25, 26), in addition to the vibration energy entering the sound board (20) mechanically from the vibrating acoustic strings.
3. Pianoforte instrument according to claim 1 or 2,
   characterised in that the sound-augmenting device (30) comprises a tone modification device (34) and
   in that the tone modification device (34) modifies the tone data originating from the sensors (15) and from the memory (31).
4. Pianoforte instrument according to claim 3,
   characterised in that the tone sample memory (31) is configured as an external data source for the supply of combinations of partial tones of each individual tone for further processing, and
   in that the further processing is performed by means of the tone modification device (34), and
   in that the modified tones are supplied by the device (25, 26) for delivering additional vibrational energy to the sound board (20).
5. Pianoforte instrument according to any one of the preceding claims,
   characterised in that there is provided a control module (35), which controls the tone modification device (34), for example by means of presets, regulators and/or screen-controlled software, such that individual sound design is facilitated by selectively influencing the tones.
6. Pianoforte instrument according to claim 5,
   characterised in that there is provided an amplifier module (36), which amplifies the signals received from the control module (35).
7. Pianoforte instrument according to claim 6,
   characterised in that the signals issuing from the amplifier module (36) are supplied to the device (25, 26) for delivering vibration energy, where they are converted into mechanical vibrations and introduced into the sound board (20).
8. Pianoforte instrument according to any one of the preceding claims,
   characterised in that the device (25, 26) for delivering vibration energy comprises one or more driver systems.
9. Pianoforte instrument according to claim 8,
   characterised in that each driver system (25, 26) comprises a ring magnet, in the core of which there is arranged a coil, which is fixed to the sound board (20) and drives the sound board (20).
10. Pianoforte instrument according to either claim 8 or claim 9,
    characterised in that the driver magnet is adjustable in all 3 dimensions using specific adjustment devices, and can thus be aligned precisely with the position of the coil former fastened to the sound board (20).
11. Pianoforte instrument according to claim 10,
    characterised in that the adjustable driver magnet is mounted in a solid base element, which is in turn fastened to a locking element of the pianoforte instrument.
12. Method for influencing the sound of a pianoforte instrument comprising an action (11) with keys,
    comprising strings which are struck via a mechanism when the keys are actuated and are made to vibrate,
    comprising a sound board (20), to which the vibrations of the strings are transmitted,
    comprising sensors (15) and
    comprising a device (25, 26) for delivering additional vibration energy into the sound board (20),
    characterised in that the actuation of the individual keys of the action (11) is detected by means of the sensors (15),
    in that the measured values of the sensors (15) are supplied to a sound-augmenting device (30),
    in that tone samples are supplied from a memory (31) to the sound-augmenting device (30), a partial tone spectrum being provided for each tone,
    in that units (31, 33, 34, 35) compile data corresponding to a desired characteristic sound as a function of the measured values of the sensors (15) and the tone samples from the memory (31), and
    in that the sound-augmenting device (30) supplies the sound board (20) with additional vibration energy, corresponding to the data obtained, via the delivering device (25, 26).

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