The invention relates to systems for combining inputs from musical instruments (such as electronic and electro acoustic instruments) and similar devices.
Electric and electro-acoustic musical instruments, such as an electric guitar, an acoustic guitar with a pickup, an electric bass, and microphones rely on electronics, such as amplifiers, to amplify and/or modify their sound. In a setting with multiple musicians, such as a band rehearsal, each musician may have an amplifier, and the band as a whole may have mixers to control and monitor the output of the band as a whole. For instance, products such as the Rolls MX41 mixer or the Mackie 1202 accept multiple input channels, allow manipulation of each input, and generate one audio mix.
Often, it is desirable for a band rehearsal to be conducted “silently;” that is, to feed the band's sound into headphones such that the instruments make minimal acoustic sound. Headphone amplifiers can enable silent rehearsals: these devices accept multiple inputs, combine the inputs into one output signal, and feed the output signal into headphones worn by each musician. However, headphone amplifiers do not allow each musician individual control over the constituent parts of a particular mix of inputs that feeds into his headphones. Rather, a common mix is generated by a separate piece of equipment (a “mixer”) and that same mix is directed into each musician's headphones or other listening device. At most, some headphone amplifiers, manufactured for example by Samson and PreSonus, allow a musician to increase the volume of his own input channel (the “More Me” concept) within his own set of headphones. Even with headphone amplifiers, however, a common mix is still created prior to the headphone amplifier so that a change in the overall mix impacts all listeners; individual modifications to other input channels are not possible with headphone amplifiers and mixers used together.
In one general aspect of the invention, an apparatus includes a plurality of audio buses and a plurality of segments. Each segment includes input circuitry configured to receive at least one input signal from at least one electric musical device and to deliver the at least one input signal to one of the plurality of audio buses; a plurality of variable adjustment devices each associated with a corresponding one of the audio buses and each configured to change at least one property of an input signal received by another of the plurality of segments and carried on the corresponding one of the audio buses independent from input signals carried on other of the plurality of audio buses; and a mixer configured to combine the input signals carried on each of the plurality of audio buses into an output signal.
Embodiments may include one or more of the following. The at least one property of the input signal includes the gain of the input signal. The input circuitry includes circuitry for adjusting at least one property, e.g., the gain, of the at least one input signal prior to delivering the at least one input signal to one of the plurality of audio buses. The input circuitry includes circuitry for adjusting the proportion of the at least one first input signal delivered to each of a first channel and a second channel of the first audio bus. The apparatus includes output circuitry configured to adjust the volume of the output signal and to deliver the output signal to an output device, e.g., a set of headphones or a digital recorder. The apparatus includes a phantom power switch. The plurality of audio buses and the plurality of segments are contained within a housing; for example, the plurality of channels are arranged radially within the housing. The housing is portable At least one of the segments is remotely operable. The apparatus includes a docking station.
In another aspect, the invention relates to a method for combining input signals produced by a plurality of electric musical devices. The method includes receiving a plurality of input signals into a corresponding plurality of segments; directing each input signal into an audio bus; and, for each segment, adjusting at least one property of each input signal independently from each other input signal and independently from each other channel and combining the plurality of input signals into an output signal.
Embodiments may include one or more of the following. The at least one property of the input signal includes the gain of the input signal. The method includes adjusting the gain of each input signal before directing each input signal into an audio bus. Directing each input signal into an audio bus includes adjusting the proportion of the input signal sent to each of a first channel and a second channel of the audio bus. The method includes adjusting the volume of the output signal and delivering the output signal to an output device, e.g., a set of headphones.
An apparatus including a plurality of audio buses and a plurality of segments has advantages for groups of musicians who need to rehearse together “silently,” making only minimal acoustic sound, for instance because the noise from a loud rehearsal would disturb neighbors. The apparatus allows each musician to control the combination of channels he or she hears independently of the combination heard by each other musician. This capability enables more productive rehearsals as each musician can generate a combination that best suits his or her musical needs or preferences. The operation of the apparatus is straightforward and can be done by the musicians themselves during the rehearsal or performance of a piece of music without the need for a sound engineer or technician. Furthermore, the apparatus may be connected to devices such as a digital music recorder or a computer, allowing the rehearsal to be recorded and allowing the combination of channels recorded to be adjusted. Currently available devices do not provide each musician with the capability of independently adjusting what he or she hears. The apparatus described above is also light and portable, allowing it to be used easily in a variety of locations, such as in rehearsal studios, homes, schools, dorm rooms, and performance venues.
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Input section 50 may contain one or more mono input channels 52 and one or more stereo input channels 54, or may contain only one mono input channel or one stereo input channel. Mono input channel 52 contains a first mono input 56 and a second mono input 58. First mono input 56 is an XLR input for a microphone, and requires a preamp and a trim control 62 to set the gain. An LED 60 associated with mono inputs 56 and 58 illuminates green when an input signal is detected above a minimum threshold, yellow when the gain level of the input signal approaches preamp clipping (e.g., when the input signal is 10 dB below clipping), and red when the gain level of the input signal reaches preamp clipping. LED 60 may be replaced with an LCD screen to communicate information about the gain level of the input signal. Second mono input 58 is a ¼″ TRS jack designed to accept TR and TRS cables. Second mono input 58 accepts input from electronic musical instruments such as an acoustic guitar, an electric guitar amp modeler, a keyboard, a bass guitar, a bass guitar amp modeler, a piezoelectric pickup, or electronic drums. Second mono input 58 may have a trim control and an LED light (not shown) similar to LED 60 associated with first mono input 56. Second mono input 58 may also have a high impedance switch (not shown) to improve impedance matching of direct input (i.e., input without a preamp) from an acoustic guitar or a bass guitar. Stereo input channel 54 has two stereo inputs 66 and 68, which are TRS jacks that accept balanced or unbalanced inputs. In another embodiment, a single stereo TRS jack is used. Stereo input 66 is wired to act as a mono input if needed. Stereo input channel 54 also has a gain control 70 and an LED 72 with an operation similar to that of LED 60. A +4 dbu −10 dbV switch 64 may be incorporated on stereo input channel 54 to allow for varying the nominal (RMS) input voltage of the channel. A similar +4 dbu −10 dbV switch may also be incorporated on mono input channel 52.
Channel control section 74 contains a location control 76 that controls the distribution of input signal between a right and a left channel of the output signal in order to create a pan effect. Channel control section 74 also contains an effects level control 78 for adjusting the levels of the input signal of the channel. For instance, effects level control 78 may adjust the degree of reverberation effects applied to the channel. The channel control may have other controls to affect the input signal of the channel, including equalization controls 77, an effects type select and level control (not shown), a 75 Hz “high pass” EQ switch (not shown), and other controls.
Band control section 80 contains five controls for adjusting the level of the mono input channels and stereo input channels of each channel 12, 14, 16, 18, and 20 of rehearsal system 10. For instance, if the exploded section of
Output section 86 contains a ¼″ output jack 88 for connecting the mix to an output device and a gain level knob 90 for adjusting the gain of the output. In other embodiments, the output jack may be a ⅛″ TRS, RCA, USB, mini-DIN structure, or other type of connector.
Global controls section 102 contains controls that affect all channels equally. A phantom power switch 104 provides 48 V DC power to all mono inputs to power condenser microphones, Direct Input boxes, and devices requiring phantom power. An effects control 106 determines the types of effects, such as reverberation, used by the channels.
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Each of the input signals 200, 210 passes to a channel control section 204, 208 in channels 12 and 14, respectively. The channel control section 204, 208 generates a modified signal 205, 209, respectively, by applying pan control, reverberation, equalization and other effects. Modified signals 205, 209 may be identical to input signals 200, 210 if a user does not desire modification. The modified signal 205, 209 is delivered to an audio bus 212, 214, respectively. Similarly, audio buses 216, 218, 220 receive modified signals from channels 16, 18, and 20.
The modified signals carried by each audio bus 212, 214, 216, 218, and 220 enter a band control section 222, 224 in channels 12 and 14, respectively. Band control section 222 creates an individual mix 223 for channel 12 by providing control over the level of signal from each audio bus 212, 214, 216, 218, and 220 contained in mix 223. For example, band control section may set the level of the signal from audio bus 212 at 100%, the level of the signal from audio bus 214 at 75%, and the level of the signals from audio buses 216, 218, and 220 at 50%. Likewise, band control section 224 creates an individual mix 225 for channel 14. The levels of the signals from audio buses 212, 214, 216, 218, and 220 may be different in mix 225 than they are in mix 223. Similarly, channels 16, 18, and 20 also have band control sections that create individual mixes of the signals in audio buses 212, 214, 216, 218, and 220.
Signals representative of mixes 223 and 225 generated in band control sections 222 and 224 are directed into output sections 226 and 228, respectively. Each output section contains controls to adjust the level of an output signal. For example, a user listening to channel 12 through a set of headphones 230 can hear mix 223 and can vary the overall level of mix 223 using the controls in output section 226. Similarly, a user listening to channel 14 through a set of headphones 232 can hear and control mix 225. Each output section also contains various types of external connections, such as a ¼″ TRS jack, a ⅛″ TRS jack, and a USB port for connection to output devices such as set of headphones, a computer, a digital recorder, an ear monitor, or speakers.
In some embodiments of rehearsal system 10, a global controls section 102 is integrated into two or more channels. In this example, global controls section 102 is connected only to channels 12 and 14; in other embodiments, global controls section 102 may be connected to some or all of channels 12, 14, 16, 18, and 20. Global controls section 102 provides effects such as reverberation to input signals 200, 210 and provides non-audio functions such as 48 V phantom power 238. The input signal 200, 210 from each channel 12, 14 is sent to global controls section 102, where a given effect is applied to the signal. Each signal is then directed 236 to the channel control section 204, 206 corresponding to its channel of origin, where the level of the signal can be adjusted as described above. In general, effects processors may allow control over all channels equally, such as through global controls section 102, or through each individual channel, such as through channel control sections 204 and 206.
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Other features of rehearsal system 10 are as follows. Input section 50 may contain a built-in drum machine (or MIDI sequencer) with its own channel control section 74 and a dedicated audio bus. Each channel 12, 14, 16, 18, and 20 may then have a control in the band control section 80 for controlling signal on the drum machine's audio bus. Likewise, a band control section may be connected to a built-in multi-channel audio recording device in its output section 86 to enable recording of a performance or rehearsal. Electric and bass guitar amplifier modeling capabilities or a MIDI sound module for electronic drums or keyboards may be incorporated into channel control section 74. A guitar tuner may be included in one or more channel control sections 74 or in global controls section 102. A cabled or wireless remote control could be used to allow, for example, drummers who are seated far from rehearsal system 10 to access controls of their channel remotely. A gain boost control and foot switch could be included in channel control section 74 to temporarily increase the output of a given channel's signal, for example to allow for a change in volume for a solo. Rehearsal system 10 could include a power distribution system separate from audio circuitry so that devices requiring AC power could use rehearsal system 10 as a power source.
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In the rehearsal systems described herein, the channels are embodied as segments of a main body of the rehearsal system. For instance, referring again to
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When multiple remote controls are used, each remote control is associated with one channel. In the example shown, channels 712 and 718 are controlled by remote controls 722 and 728, respectively, and channels 714, 716, and 720 are not remotely operable. In other embodiments, other combinations of channels are controlled by remote control. Channel 712 is controlled by remote control 722 which is physically separate from a main body 704 of the rehearsal system 700 and connected to main body 704 via a wired connection 706. Channel 718 is controlled by remote control 728 which is removable from the main body 704 and which docks into a space 710 in main body 704 where channel 718 would be located. Remote control 728 is also connected to main body 704 via a wired connection 708. In another embodiment, remote controls 722 and 728 are wirelessly connected to main body 704. Remote controls 722 and 728 manage the functions of any or all of the input section, channel control section, band control section, and output section of channels 712 and 718, respectively. For instance, in the embodiment shown in
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In another embodiment, using audio feedback and data logging, the rehearsal system provides user feedback to musicians using the rehearsal system, for instance to help the musicians improve their playing. Algorithms track, log, and report to the musicians the degree of coupling of the musicians or the consistency in beats per minute of a drummer. In one example, in response to a performance that satisfies a selected threshold of consistency, audio feedback is provided in the form of a tone meaning “good” or the sound of applause from an audience.
It is to be understood that the foregoing description is intended to illustrate and not to limit the scope of the invention, which is defined by the scope of the appended claims. Other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims.
This application is a continuation of and claims the priority of U.S. application Ser. No. 12/466,311 filed on May 14, 2009, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/053,391 filed on May 15, 2008, the contents of the applications are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.
Number | Date | Country | |
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61053391 | May 2008 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 12466311 | May 2009 | US |
Child | 13347314 | US |