Interactive digital music recorder and player

• US 20070227338A1
• Filed: 02/10/2007
• Published: 10/04/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medialab Solutions LLC
• Original Assignee: Alain Georges
• Inventors: Georges, Alain
• Granted Patent: US 7,504,576 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 84/602
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/0025 Automatic or semi-automatic music composition, e.g. producing random music, applying rules from music theory or modifying a musical piece automatically producing a series of tones G10H1/26
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/0041 in coded form
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2210/151 using templates, i.e. incomplete musical sections, as a basis for composing
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/131 Library retrieval, i.e. searching a database or selecting a specific musical piece, segment, pattern, rule or parameter set
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/2545 CDs
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/41 Flat as opposed to hierarchical combination, e.g. library of tapes or discs, CD changer, or groups of record carriers that together store one title
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 2220/90 Tape-like record carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/024 on tapes G11B27/028, G11B27/029 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/028 with computer assistance
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/029 Insert-editing
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/031 Electronic editing of digitised analogue information signals, e.g. audio or video signals
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/032 on tapes G11B27/036, G11B27/038 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/036 Insert-editing
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/10 Indexing; Addressing; Timing or synchronising; Measuring tape travel
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/107 of operating tapes
• CPC Class Codes: G11B 27/34 Indicating arrangements indicating means incorporated in magazine or cassette G11B23/046 and G11B23/0875; indicating measured values in general G01D

Abstract

A digital multi-media device provides features for a user unskilled in musical arts or sound handling techniques that provides automatic musical score composition in accordance with contained composition instructions. Stored sound samples and interfaces for obtaining external signals provide signals for merger with visual and sound presentations to obtain altered presentations either time shifted or in real time. In this fashion the user can create simulated radio stations for playback of prearranged and composed audio material. Further, the automatically composed musical score may be mixed with synthesized, digitized signals from the stored sound samples and external signals obtained through the device interfaces.

Claims

1-28. -28. (canceled)

29. A method of playing music using an automatic music algorithm, comprising the steps of:

processing a sequence of MDI events, wherein a musical bar timing is determined, wherein the MIDI events are provided to a digital signal processing resource;

processing one or more sound samples, wherein audio sample data is provided to the digital signal processing resource;

synchronizing playback of the audio sample data with the sequence of MIDI events using the musical bar timing.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the digital signal processing resource comprises a first portion associated with the MIDI events and a second portion associated with the audio sample data.

31. The method of claim 29, further comprising providing a MIDI event associated with at least one sound effect to be applied to the audio sample data.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the MIDI event comprises a system exclusive MIDI message.

33. The method of claim 29, wherein the audio sample data is provided from a writable memory resource location.

34. The method of claim 33, wherein the writable memory resource location comprises a flash memory.

35. The method of claim 29, wherein at least one of the sound samples is processed in response to user input.

36. The method of claim 29, wherein the musical bar timing comprises the beginning of a musical bar.

37. The method of claim 29, wherein the digital signal processing resource comprises a hardware digital signal processor.

38. The method of claim 29, further comprising providing a USB interface configured to transfer audio files.

39. The method of claim 29, wherein the automatic music algorithm comprises an automatic composition algorithm.

40. The method of claim 29, further comprising providing a user interface supporting user interactivity with the automatic music algorithm, wherein the user interface is comprised of a display of instrument lanes.

41. The method of claim 29, further comprising providing a user interface supporting user interactivity with the automatic music algorithm, wherein the user interface is comprised of a display of animated sound waves or animated pulses.

42. The method of claim 29, further comprising providing a user interface supporting user interactivity with the automatic music algorithm, wherein the user interface is comprised of colorful patterns having movements or shapes following the beat of specific instruments.

43. A method of automatically processing a melody comprising the steps of:

providing a computing resource for generating or processing a series of MIDI events as part of an automatic music algorithm; and

providing a memory area containing a plurality of sound samples, each comprised of an audio stream;

wherein one or more of the sound samples comprises a speech sentence; and

wherein the automatic music algorithm temporally synchronizes playback of a sound sample to the series of MIDI events in accordance with a musical law.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein the musical law is comprised of starting the playback at a beginning of a musical bar.

45. The method of claim 43 wherein the automatic music algorithm is an automatic music composition algorithm.

46. The method of claim 43, further comprising:

providing a microprocessor executing a microprocessor operating program, wherein the microprocessor comprises part of the computing resource; and

providing a download interface for receiving updates to the microprocessor operating program.

47. The method of claim 46, further comprising providing a music database stored in digital form, wherein the computing resource accesses the music database in accordance with the automatic music algorithm.

48. The method of claim 47, further comprising providing a download interface for receiving updates to the music database.

49. The method of claim 43, wherein the sound sample is processed in response to user input.

50. The method of claim 43 further comprising providing one or more user input resources suitable for user interactivity;

wherein at least one user input resource can affect a pitch changing function.

51. The method of claim 43, further comprising providing one or more user input resources suitable for user interactivity;

wherein at least one user input resource can affect a tempo changing function.

52. The method of claim 43, further comprising providing a graphical user interface for interacting with the automatic music algorithm, comprised of instrument lanes.

53. The method of claim 52, wherein the graphical user interface comprises animated sound waves or animated pulses.

54. The method of claim 43, further comprising providing a digital light show through a TV/video interface.

55. The method of claim 54, wherein the digital light show comprises colorful patterns having movements or shapes following the beat of specific instruments.