SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENT EDUCATION

• US 20060196343A1
• Filed: 03/04/2005
• Published: 09/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Playnote Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricamy Technology Limited
• Inventors: Yung, Chi Wai
• Granted Patent: US 7,332,664 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 84/470.00R
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 15/00 Teaching music metronomes G04F5/02

Abstract

System and method for musical instrument education are provided. The system includes a lesson terminal which has a processor unit configured to evaluate performance musical data inputted from an electronic musical instrument, to enable a user feedback, and to enable determining new music training materials for a next lesson. The lesson terminal also has a data-receiving unit for receiving music training materials from an external music data source. The data-receiving unit may be a network connection port, such as an Internet connection port, for connecting to a server, or a local receiving port for connecting to a removable data storage. An electronic musical instrument and a method for evaluating performance musical data are also provided.

Claims

1. A music instrument education apparatus comprising:

a processor unit configured to evaluate performance musical data inputted from an electronic musical instrument, to enable a user feedback, and to enable determining a training content for a next lesson; and

a data-receiving unit for receiving new music training materials from an external music data source.

2. The musical instrument education apparatus of claim 1 wherein the data-receiving unit includes a network connection port for connecting to a computer or a server.

3. The musical instrument education apparatus of claim 1 wherein the data-receiving unit includes an Internet connection port for connecting to a remote server.

4. The musical instrument education apparatus of claim 1 comprising the electronic musical instrument, wherein the processing unit and the electronic musical instrument are integrated.

5. The musical instrument education apparatus of claim 1 configured to send a feedback signal to the electronic musical instrument.

6. The musical instrument education apparatus of claim 1 wherein the processor unit comprises a CPU of a personal computer system.

7. The musical instrument education apparatus of claim 1 wherein the data-receiving unit includes a connection port for connecting to a removable data storage unit.

8. The musical instrument education apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a data storage for storing music teaching programs.

9. A method for evaluating musical instrument performance by comparing performance musical data for a plurality of performed musical notes with model musical data for a plurality of model musical notes, the method comprising:

forming a plurality of alternative musical note match lineups, wherein in each alternative musical note match lineup each model musical note is matched with one of the performed musical notes to form a pair unless a corresponding performed musical note is missing, and wherein the alternative musical note match lineups are different from one another by at least one pair of matching model musical note and performed musical note;

for each alternative musical note match lineup, calculating a set of note deviations, each note deviation being calculated from the data for one of the model musical notes and the data for the matching performed musical note; and

for each alternative musical note match lineup, calculating an overall performance deviation of the performance musical data from the model musical data;

selecting an optimum musical note match lineup from the plurality of musical note match lineups based on the overall performance deviations; and

evaluating against a preset criterion the overall performance deviation calculated from the optimum musical note match.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the optimum musical note match lineup results in the smallest overall performance deviation among the plurality of alternative musical note match lineups.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein at least one of the plurality of alternative musical note match lineups allows for an empty match which either has one of the model musical notes unpaired with any of the performed musical notes or has one of the performed musical notes unpaired with any of the model musical notes.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein the performance musical data for each of the plurality of performed musical notes and the model musical data for each of the plurality of model musical notes each comprise values of several musical attributes including frequency, duration, and amplitude.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein each note deviation is calculated using a predetermined formula to combine deviations with respect to the several musical attributes.

14. An electronic musical instrument simulating a conventional musical instrument and outputting performance musical data, the electronic musical instrument comprising:

a power supply;

an input sensor;

a volume sensor;

a microcontroller for generating music based on signals from the input sensor and the volume sensor; and

a connection port for connecting to a musical instrument education system.

15. The electronic musical instrument of claim 14 further comprising a feedback device.

16. The electronic musical instrument of claim 14 further comprising a string element to simulate a string instrument.

17. The electronic musical instrument of claim 16, wherein the input sensor comprises a press button connected to the string element, the press button being switchably and electronically connected to the microprocessor to send a signal to the microprocessor when a related portion of the string element is pressed.

18. The electronic musical instrument of claim 16 further comprising a sensor assembly to detect a bow pressure and bow movements exerted on the string.

19. The electronic musical instrument of claim 14 further comprising a plurality of string elements and a fingerboard area, wherein each string element is connected to a press button which is located in the fingerboard area and is switchably and electronically connected to the microprocessor, whereby the press button sends a signal to the microprocessor when a related portion of the string element in the fingerboard area is pressed.

20. The electronic musical instrument of claim 14 further comprising a plurality of string elements, wherein each string element is connected to a sensor assembly, the sensor assembly having a touch sensor placed on a side of the respective string element to detect a string movement and a pressure sensor placed under the respective string element to detect a string pressure.