IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,367,855
Granted Patent B2
US 12,367,855 · App. 17/701,094 · Granted Jul 22, 2025

Stringed musical instrument and acoustic effect device

Inventors: Peter Lupini (Victoria, CA); Glen Rutledge (Victoria, CA); Norm Campbell (Victoria, CA); Dan Godlovitch (Victoria, CA); Satsuki Kawahashi (Hamamatsu, JP); Motoi Nishio (Hamamatsu, JP); Hidenari Kim (Hamamatsu, JP); Shingo Ekuni (Hamamatsu, JP); Kenta Hori (Hamamatsu, JP); Kenji Iwamoto (Iwata, JP); Hidehisa Yasuno (Hamamatsu, JP); Max Lettau (Hamamatsu, JP)
Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
G10H3/18G10D1/085G10H1/18
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,367,855
App. No.
17/701,094
Granted
Jul 22, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A stringed musical instrument includes: a musical instrument body configured such that a string is attached thereto; a pickup configured to: i) detect vibration of the string and ii) output a string vibration signal according to the vibration; a detection sensor that is: i) attached to the musical instrument body and ii) configured to output a detection signal according to a force applied to the musical instrument body; and a controller that is attached to the musical instrument body, and is configured to output, based on the detection signal, a control signal configured to control an operation of an effector configured to impart an effect to the string vibration signal.

Claims (33)

1. A stringed musical instrument comprising:

a musical instrument body configured such that a string is attached thereto;

a pickup configured to: i) detect vibration of the string and ii) output a string vibration signal according to the vibration;

a detection sensor that is: i) attached to the musical instrument body and ii) configured to output a detection signal according to a force applied to the musical instrument body; and

a controller that is attached to the musical instrument body, and is configured to output, based on the detection signal, a control signal configured to control an operation of an effector configured to impart an effect to the string vibration signal, wherein

the musical instrument body includes a hollow part that has a front plate, a back plate, and a side plate,

the detection sensor is attached to an inner surface of the front plate, inside the hollow part, and

the detection sensor is also configured to detect a deflection in the musical instrument body.

2. The stringed musical instrument according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a vibrator that is attached to the hollow part of the musical instrument body,

wherein the vibrator is configured to vibrate the hollow part based on a sound signal output from the effector according to the string vibration signal.

3. The stringed musical instrument according to claim 1 , wherein the effector is attached to the musical instrument body.

4. The stringed musical instrument according to claim 1 , further comprising:

an external output unit configured to output the control signal to the effector provided outside the musical instrument body.

5. The stringed musical instrument according to claim 1 , wherein

the effector includes a looper, and

the control signal output from the controller includes a signal configured to switch between a start and a stop of sound recording performed by the looper.

6. The stringed musical instrument according to claim 1 , wherein

the stringed musical instrument further comprises a sticker that is provided on an outer surface of the hollow part and that indicates a position of the detection sensor.

7. An acoustic effect device used for a stringed musical instrument, comprising:

a pickup configured to: i) detect vibration of a string of the stringed musical instrument and ii) output a string vibration signal according to the vibration;

a detection sensor configured to be attached to a musical instrument body of the stringed musical instrument and output a detection signal according to a force applied to the musical instrument body; and

a controller configured to output, based on the detection signal, a control signal configured to control an operation of an effector configured to impart an effect onto the string vibration signal, wherein

the musical instrument body includes a hollow part that has a front plate, a back plate, and a side plate,

the detection sensor is attached to an inner surface of the front plate, inside the hollow part, and

the detection sensor is also configured to detect a deflection in the musical instrument body.

8. A stringed musical instrument comprising:

a musical instrument body configured such that a string is attached thereto;

a pickup configured to: i) detect vibration of the string and ii) output a string vibration signal according to the vibration;

a detection sensor configured to output a detection signal according to a player's operation performed with respect to a front plate or a back plate of a hollow part of the musical instrument body; and

a controller that is attached to the musical instrument body, and is configured to output, based on the detection signal, a control signal configured to control an operation of an effector that is configured to impart an effect onto the string vibration signal, wherein

the detection sensor is attached to an inner surface of the front plate, inside the hollow part, and

the detection sensor is also configured to detect a deflection in the musical instrument body.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Apr 27, 2022
From: LUPINI, PETER; RUTLEDGE, GLEN; CAMPBELL, NORM; GODLOVITCH, DAN; KAWAHASHI, SATSUKI; NISHIO, MOTOI; KIM, HIDENARI; EKUNI, SHINGO; HORI, KENTA; IWAMOTO, KENJI; YASUNO, HIDEHISA; LETTAU, MAX
To: YAMAHA CORPORATION
Reel/Frame 059806/0418 →
Priority Claims (2)
JP 2021-049408 · Mar 24, 2021 · national
JP 2022-024166 · Feb 18, 2022 · national
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20220310052A1 · Sep 29, 2022
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