ENSEMBLE SYSTEM

• US 20090151545A1
• Filed: 07/24/2006
• Published: 06/18/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
• Original Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
• Inventors: Usa, Satoshi, Urai, Tomomitsu
• Granted Patent: US 7,888,576 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 84/610
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/0008 Associated control or indicating means
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/0066 using a MIDI interface
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/175 for jam sessions or musical collaboration through a network, e.g. for composition, ensemble playing or repeating; Compensation of network or internet delays therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/325 Synchronizing two or more audio tracks or files according to musical features or musical timings

Abstract

An ensemble system enabling even performer unskilled in playing a musical instrument to easily grasp the difference in tempo from the performance of the facilitator. The circle corresponding to the performance terminal “Facilitator” is indicated fixedly on the center line of the vertical lines. The circle corresponding to the performance terminal (for example, piano (1)) of each user moves horizontally correspondingly to the difference from the performance terminal “Facilitator”. If the press of a key of performance terminal lags behind that of the performance terminal “Facilitator” by one bar, the circle moves left onto the vertical line next to the vertical center line. If the press of a key of the performance terminal lags behind that of the performance terminal “Facilitator” by half the bar (two beats), the circle moves left by half the interval between the vertical lines from the vertical center line. If the press of a key of the performance terminal leads that of the performance terminal “Facilitator”, the circle moves right (FIG. 7).

Claims

1. An ensemble system comprising a plurality of performance terminals each having at least one performance operator unit used for performance operation, at least one tone generator, and a controller connected to the plurality of performance terminals and the at least one tone generator and adapted to control each of the performance terminals, wherein the controller includes:

storage means adapted to store music data for performance including a plurality of performance parts;

operation means adapted to give instructions to start and complete a performance;

performance control means adapted to assign the plurality of performance parts to respective ones of the plurality of performance terminals, read out the performance part assigned to each of the performance terminals in accordance with a way in which the performance operator unit of said each of the performance terminals is operated, and output data representing the read-out performance part to the tone generator;

deviation detecting means adapted to detect a deviation between progression of readout of the performance part assigned to a guiding performance terminal among the plurality of performance terminals and progression of readout of the performance part assigned to each of other performance terminals; and

display means adapted to display the deviation between the progresses.

2. The ensemble system according to claim 1, wherein the tone generator is built in each of the plurality of performance terminals, and

said performance control means of the controller is adapted to output data of the read-out performance part to the tone generator built in the performance terminal to which the performance part is assigned.

3. The ensemble system according to claim 1, wherein said controller further includes fast-forward instruction means adapted to give a fast-forward instruction for at least one performance part assigned to at least one of the performance terminals, and

said performance control means of said controller is adapted to read out at a high speed the performance part assigned to the at least one of the performance terminals when the fast-forward instruction is given by said fast-forward instruction means.

4. The ensemble system according to any one of claim 1, wherein each of said performance terminals includes terminal fast-forward instruction means adapted to give a fast-forward instruction for the performance part assigned to said each of the performance terminals, and

said performance control means of said controller is adapted, when given the fast-forward instruction, to read out at a high speed the performance data assigned to that performance terminal which has the terminal fast-forward instruction means from which the fast-forward instruction has been given.

5. The ensemble system according to any of claim 1, wherein said controller further includes rewind instruction means adapted to give a rewind instruction for at least one performance part assigned to at least one of the performance terminals, and

said performance control means of said controller is adapted, when given the rewind instruction by said rewind instruction means, to read out in a reverse sequence the performance part for the at least one of the performance terminals which was read out in past time.

6. The ensemble system according to any of claim 1, wherein each of said performance terminals includes terminal rewind instruction means adapted to give a rewind instruction for the performance part assigned to said each of said performance terminals, and

the performance control means of said controller is adapted to read out, in a reverse sequence, that performance part for the performance terminal concerned which was read out in past time, when the rewind instruction is given by said terminal rewind instruction means.

7. The ensemble system according to any of claim 1, wherein said controller includes deviation correcting instruction means adapted to give an instruction to eliminate deviation in performance between at least one of the performance terminals and the guiding performance terminal, and

said performance control means of said controller is adapted, when given the instruction to eliminate deviation in performance by said deviation correcting instruction means, to read out the performance part assigned to the at least one of the performance terminals such as to make progress of readout of the performance part assigned to the at least one of the performance terminals to be coincident with progress of readout of the performance part assigned to the guiding performance terminal.

8. The ensemble system according to any of claim 1, wherein each of said performance terminals includes terminal deviation correcting instruction means to give an instruction to eliminate deviation in performance between said each of the performance terminals and the guiding performance terminal, and

the performance control means of said controller is adapted, when given the instruction to eliminate the deviation in performance by one of said terminal deviation correcting instruction means, to read out performance part assigned to the performance terminal concerned such as to make progress of readout of the performance part assigned to the performance terminal concerned to be coincident with progress of readout of the performance part assigned to the guiding performance terminal.