WO2023156841A1

WO2023156841A1 - Chromatic bass musical instrument played diagonally with the feet

Info

Publication number: WO2023156841A1
Application number: PCT/IB2022/059594
Authority: WO
Inventors: Fafy Iankinana RATSIMAHOLIZANANY
Original assignee: Ratsimaholizanany Fafy Iankinana
Priority date: 2022-02-17
Filing date: 2022-10-07
Publication date: 2023-08-24

Abstract

The present invention relates to a chromatic bass musical instrument, whose format is non-cumbersome and portable, played with the feet diagonally: from left to right and vice-versa, from top to bottom and vice-versa; which musical instrument offers a greater ease of changing keys and many more rhythmic possibilities, thus making it possible to play in slow, moderate and fast tempos; which musical instrument can be played simultaneously with other instruments: harmonica, synthesiser, guitar or cajon, etc.

Description

LOW CHROMATIC MUSICAL INSTRUMENT PLAYED ON FOOT DIAGONALLY

The present invention relates to a portable grave chromatic musical instrument, played on foot diagonally: from left to right and vice versa, from top to bottom and vice versa.

The main current bass instruments being:

- the bass guitar: is played by engaging the two hands of the musician and its bank of sounds is limited;

- the double bass: a large instrument that is played by engaging the musician's two hands and its bank of sounds is limited;

- the bass on an organ stand, in the form of a large keyboard with white and black keys to be played with both feet: coupled with the organ itself, it is not detachable and cannot be carried. In addition, it limits the musician because it is played linearly (the notes vary according to whether one goes from left to right and vice versa). The organ player would have difficulty before he could play the sharp keys: C#, Eb, F#, Ab and Bb. He would also struggle before he could play rather rhythmic pieces.

The serious chromatic musical instrument on foot which is the subject of the present invention offers several major advantages, in particular:

1. it is played diagonally on keys arranged from left to right and from top to bottom, making it easy to play any key from C, D, E, F, G, A, B to C#, Mb, F#, Ab and Bb;

2. it offers more possibilities to play easily on various rhythms: liturgical pieces, gospel, classics, varieties, blues, jazz, country, Latin, traditional Malagasy music (bà gasy), African music and so on;

3. it can be played alone or simultaneously with almost any other musical instrument because only the left foot of the musician is engaged by the instrument which is the subject of the present invention; the musician's other foot, hands and mouth are available for another instrument;

4. weighing less than 4kg, it is portable;

5. small in size, it requires little space;

6. its banks of sounds and options are expandable in an unlimited manner;

7. it may be in software form for desktop or laptop computers or otherwise;

8. it can be in the form of a mobile application for phones, tablets or other;

The appended figures are associated with the description of the present invention; given by way of non-limiting example:

- Figure 1 is a perspective view of the case of the musical instrument that is the subject of the present invention with its main characteristics: (1.1) width and height of the case, (1.2) thickness of the instrument, (1.3) keys and (1.4) spacing between keys;

- Figure 2 is a perspective view of the electronic motherboard of the musical instrument that is the subject of the present invention with the keys and options connected thereto: (2.1) bank of stamps, (2.2) bank of possible options, (2.3) keys, (2.4) motherboard, (2.5) power input, (2.6) JACK input, (2.7) MIDI host input; - Figure 3 includes some non-limiting illustrations presenting the possibilities offered by the present invention: (3.1) the musical instrument which is the subject of the present invention can be played alone, (3.2) the musical instrument which is the subject of the present invention can be played with a harmonica, (3.3) the musical instrument which is the subject of the present invention can be played with a cajon, (3.4) the musical instrument which is the subject of the present invention can be played with a synthesizer, (3.5) the musical instrument which is the subject of the present invention can be played with an acoustic guitar, (3.6) the musical instrument which is the subject of the present invention can be played with a valiha (traditional Malagasy stringed instrument);

- Figure 4 highlights the portable aspect of the musical instrument of the present invention in its cover, which allows easy transport as (4.1) a briefcase or (4.2) a backpack;

- Figure 5 shows the possibilities in (5.1) software version and / or (5.2) mobile application of the musical instrument object of the present invention.

Said instrument itself

The musical instrument of the present invention is composed of a box with two distinct parts:

1. an interior part comprising an electronic motherboard where the sound bank and options are stored. Keys, option buttons and power, JACK and MIDI port inputs are connected to said motherboard. Remember that the JACK input is for amplifying said instrument while the MIDI port makes it possible to make the computer "host" of said instrument;

2. a visible part of width and height less than 60 cm, thickness less than 8 cm, net weight less than 4 kg, composed of several keys arranged from left to right and from top to bottom. Each of the keys is 1 to 25 cm ² and generates sound when touched and/or pressed. The spacing, both horizontal and vertical, between the keys is between 0 and 11 cm.

How to play said instrument

The instrument object of the present invention is chromatic. All notes (i.e. all keys) can be played on it: C, C#, D, Eb, E, F, F#, G, Ab, A, Bb and B.

The musician plays the instrument which is the subject of the present invention from left to right and vice versa, and from top to bottom and vice versa. In other words, the sound generated by the instrument which is the subject of the present invention is less and less serious as the musician actuates keys lower and lower and further and further to the right.

Possible options of said instrument

Unlimited options can be added to the instrument object of the present invention. Here are some data by way of non-limiting example:

The bank of sounds also called timbres or registers of the instrument which is the subject of the present invention is infinitely expandable: acoustic/fretless/slap bass guitar, double bass, but also possibly timbres for pianos, electric pianos, organs, wind, strings, drums and percussion et cetera.

It is possible to integrate into the instrument which is the subject of the present invention predefined chords at each key or at each key combination: major chords (1+3+5), minor chords (l+3b+5), 7th chords (l+3+5+7b) and so on.

It is possible to integrate into the instrument which is the subject of the present invention low sounds but possibly medium and high tones at each key.

It is possible to integrate responsive key options into the instrument that is the subject of the present invention, that is to say that the volume of the key played is proportional to the force applied to the key. It is possible to integrate into the instrument which is the subject of the present invention reverberation and panoramic options: sustain (sound maintained for a few milliseconds after release of the played key), reverb (cathedral or stage effect or other), chorus (effect repetition), dual (combination of timbres) and so on. It is possible to integrate into the instrument which is the subject of the present invention various options of (pre) recording of musical theme.

Claims

1. Low musical instrument played mainly with the left foot, diagonally:

- chromatic between 1 and 2 octaves;

- width and height less than 60 cm, thickness less than 8 cm, net weight less than 4 kg;

- composed of several keys arranged from left to right and from top to bottom, each of the keys measuring 1 to 25 cm ² and generating sound when touched and/or pressed;

- the spacing, both horizontal and vertical, between the keys is between 0 and 11 cm;

- which instrument has an electronic motherboard where the sound bank and options are stored. Keys, option buttons and power, JACK and MIDI port inputs are connected to said motherboard;

2. Which instrument according to claim 1 is played diagonally, vertically and/or horizontally along its two horizontal and vertical axes, with notes varying as one plays from left to right and/or from right left and/or top to bottom and/or bottom to top;

3. Which instrument according to claim 1 makes it possible to play with the same simplicity all the tones (both C, D, E, F, G, A, B and C#, Eb, F#, Ab and Bb), with great flexibility and speed;

4. Which instrument according to claim 1 offers a strong potential to play several pieces at slow, moderate or fast tempo: liturgical pieces, gospel, classics, varieties, blues, jazz, country, Latin, traditional Malagasy music, African music and so on;

5. Which instrument according to claim 1 is playable alone, but also has the advantage of being playable with almost any other instrument, because the other foot, both hands and the mouth of the musician remain free; said instrument can then be played simultaneously, among others, with a synthesizer, a guitar, a valiha (traditional Malagasy string instrument), a harmonica, a cajon and so on;

6. Which instrument according to claim 1 is portable and easy to set up during any event as it requires very little space;

7. To which instrument according to claim 1 can be added unlimited options:

- infinitely expandable sound banks and registers: acoustic/fretless/slap bass guitar, double bass, but also possibly timbres for pianos, electric pianos, organs, wind, strings, drums and percussion and so on;

- possibility of integrating predefined chords to each key or to each combination of keys;

- possibility of integrating low sounds but possibly medium and high to each key; - possibility of integrating responsive key options;

- possibility of integrating reverberation and panning options: sustain, reverb, chorus, dual and so on;

- possibility of integrating various options of pre-recording of musical theme;

- possibility of MIDI hosting;

- and so on ;

8 . Which instrument according to claim 1 can be presented in digital version, in software or other form, on desktop or portable computers or other devices;

9. Which instrument according to claim 1 can be presented in digital version, in the form of applications on telephones or tablets or others.