Anthony J Labarbera

US Patent:

8330034, Dec 11, 2012

Filed:

Jun 30, 2008

Appl. No.:

12/164182

Inventors:

Anthony LaBarbera - New Milford NJ, US

International Classification:

G10H 1/40
G10H 3/14

US Classification:

84612, 84734

Abstract:

A musical accompaniment system is described including a fretted, stringed electric musical instrument, a floor unit, interface units and connecting cables. Designated frets of the instrument are divided into sections that output to a switching component that sends MIDI note # data to a synthesizer when strings of instrument contact designated fret sections. The floor unit includes actuators that output to the synthesizer when tapped by the user. The user taps on the actuators with his or her feet and thereby actuates accompaniment notes that are generated in the rhythms in which they are tapped. Accompaniment notes generated by the process are designated by notes and chords being fingered on the instrument. Methods are described that facilitate the actuating and generating of accompaniment notes in the musical style of traditional bass accompaniment through the use of the system. A method is described to facilitate the system that includes string/fret coordinates that designate appropriate MIDI note # data and accompaniment note for fingering formations of traditional guitar chords used in popular music.

US Patent:

6441293, Aug 27, 2002

Filed:

Sep 28, 2000

Appl. No.:

09/672254

Inventors:

Anthony LaBarbera - New Milford NJ 07646

International Classification:

G10H 300

US Classification:

84723, 84290

Abstract:

A music and percussion system is described including a fully functional stringed hollow-body electric musical instrument, a floor unit, an interface unit, and connecting cables. The instrument includes a microphone, a pickup, and a plurality of transducers, also known as acoustic drum triggers, that are mounted on selected interior surfaces within the instrument neck and body. By using a playing technique that combines strumming with tapping on the instrument neck or body, an instrumentalist is able to play the instrument strings and to simultaneously trigger sounds stored within a percussion synthesizer. Two transducers, each within a housing, are included in the floor unit. The instrumentalist may tap his or her feet on the housings to trigger additional sounds stored within the percussion synthesizer. Output signals from the instrument microphone, pickup, instrument transducers and floor unit transducers are transferred by appropriate electrical connections to the interface unit. The interface includes output jacks that provide connections to a mixer, preamp, and percussion synthesizer by standard cables.