DYNAMIC MUSICAL PART DETERMINATION

• US 20100300265A1
• Filed: 05/29/2009
• Published: 12/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Harmonix Music Systems Incorporated (Epic Games, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Harmonix Music Systems Incorporated (Epic Games, Inc.)
• Inventors: Foster, Christopher Joseph, Applewhite, Douglas Robert
• Granted Patent: US 8,017,854 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 84/610
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/0016 Means for indicating which keys, frets or strings are to be actuated, e.g. using lights or leds
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/368 displaying animated or moving pictures synchronized with the music or audio part
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2210/091 for performance evaluation, i.e. judging, grading or scoring the musical qualities or faithfulness of a performance, e.g. with respect to pitch, tempo or other timings of a reference performance
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/145 Multiplayer musical games, e.g. karaoke-like multiplayer videogames

Abstract

Described are methods, systems, and apparatuses, including computer program products, for dynamically determining a musical part performed by a player of a rhythm-action game. In one aspect of a rhythm-action game, microphones are not tied to a particular part and therefore any player can play any of a number of parts, e.g., melody or harmony, lead or rhythm, guitar or bass, without switching instruments. This is accomplished by displaying, on a display, a plurality of target music data associated with a musical composition, receiving a music performance input data via the input device, determining which of the plurality of target music data has a degree of matching with the music performance input data, and assigning the music performance input data to the determined target music data.

Claims

1. A method executed on a game platform in signal communication with a display and an input device, the method comprising:

displaying, on the display, a plurality of target music data associated with a musical composition;

receiving, by the game platform, a music performance input data via the input device;

determining which of the plurality of target music data has a degree of matching with the music performance input data; and

assigning the music performance input data to the determined target music data.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising generating a score based on the degree of matching between the music performance input data and the target music data.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein determining the degree of matching is based on a score assigned to the music performance input data with respect to the target music data.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein determining the degree of matching is based on the music performance input data being within a tolerance threshold of the target music data.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein determining the degree of matching is based on a proximity of a visual representation of the music performance input data to a visual cue associated with the target music data.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising associating a pitch arrow with the music performance input data.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the pitch arrow points up if the music performance input data is flat compared to the assigned target music data and the pitch arrow points down if the music performance input data is sharp compared to the assigned target music data.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the pitch arrow points towards the assigned target music data and the arrow is positioned above the target music data if the music performance input data is sharp compared to the assigned target music data and the arrow is positioned below the target music data if the music performance input data is flat compared to the assigned target music data.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the determined target music data is a vocal part of the musical composition.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the determined target music data is an instrumental part of the musical composition.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the determined target music data is a guitar part of the musical composition.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein the determined target music data is a keyboard part of the musical composition.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the determined target music data is a drum part of the musical composition.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein the determined target music data is a bass guitar part of the musical composition.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein the input device is a microphone.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein the music performance input data is assigned to only one of the plurality of target music data at a time.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein each of the plurality of target music data can have only one music performance input data assigned to it at a time.

18. The method of claim 1 further comprising preventing a second music performance input data from being assigned to the determined target music data while the music performance input data is assigned to the determined target music data.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein the determining the degree of matching comprises ignoring an octave difference between the music performance input data and the target music data.

20. The method of claim 1 wherein the determining the degree of matching comprises:

determining a first number based on the music performance input data;

determining a second number based on the target music data;

performing a modulo operation on the first and second numbers to determine a difference between the music performance data and the target music data.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the modulo operation comprises:

determining an above-number based on the first number that is within an octave above the second number;

determining an above-difference between the above-number and the second number;

determining a below-number based on the first number that is within an octave below the second number;

determining a below-difference between the below-number and the second number;

determining the minimum of the above-difference and the below-difference.

22. The method of claim 1 further comprising determining that the music performance input data is within a tolerance threshold of each of at least two target music data of the plurality of target music data.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein determining the degree of matching comprises assigning a score to each of the at least two target music data.

24. The method of claim 22 wherein determining the degree of matching is based on determining that the music performance input data is no longer within the tolerance threshold of one of the at least two target music data.

25. The method of claim 1 wherein assigning the music performance input data to either the first or second target music data alters a visual property of the assigned target music data.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein the assigned target music data glows or flashes.

27. A computer program product, tangibly embodied in a computer-readable storage medium, the computer program product including instructions operable to cause a data processing apparatus to:

display, on a display in signal communication with the data processing apparatus, a plurality of target music data associated with a musical composition;

receive the music performance input data via an input device in signal communication with the data processing apparatus;

determine which of the plurality of target music data has a degree of matching with the music performance input data; and

assign the music performance input data to the determined target music data.

28. A system comprising:

a data processing apparatus configured to;

display, on a display in signal communication with the data processing apparatus, a plurality of target music data associated with a musical composition;

receive the music performance input data via an input device in signal communication with the data processing apparatus;

determine which of the plurality of target music data has a degree of matching with the music performance input data; and

assign the music performance input data to the determined target music data.

29. An apparatus comprising:

means for displaying, on a display in signal communication with the apparatus, a plurality of target music data associated with a musical composition;

means for receiving the music performance input data via an input device in signal communication with the apparatus;

means for determining which of the plurality of target music data has a degree of matching with the music performance input data; and

means for assigning the music performance input data to the determined target music data.

30. A method executed on a game platform in signal communication with a display and an input device, the method comprising:

displaying, on the display, a plurality of target music data associated with a musical composition;

receiving a music performance input data via the input device;

determining that none of the plurality of target music data has a degree of matching with the music performance input data; and

preventing assignment of the music performance input data to any of the plurality of target music data until the music performance input data has a degree of matching with one of the plurality of target music data.

31. A computer program product, tangibly embodied in a computer-readable storage medium, the computer program product including instructions operable to cause a data processing apparatus to:

display, on a display in signal communication with the data processing apparatus, a plurality of target music data associated with a musical composition;

receive a music performance input data via an input device in signal communication with the data processing apparatus;

determine that none of the plurality of target music data has a degree of matching with the music performance input data; and

prevent assignment of the music performance input data to any of the plurality of target music data until the music performance input data has a degree of matching with one of the plurality of target music data.

32. A system comprising:

a data processing apparatus configured to;

display, on a display in signal communication with the data processing apparatus, a plurality of target music data associated with a musical composition;

receive a music performance input data via an input device in signal communication with the data processing apparatus;

determine that none of the plurality of target music data has a degree of matching with the music performance input data; and

prevent assignment of the music performance input data to any of the plurality of target music data until the music performance input data has a degree of matching with one of the plurality of target music data.

33. An apparatus comprising:

means for displaying, on a display in signal communication with the apparatus, a plurality of target music data associated with a musical composition;

means for receiving a music performance input data via an input device in signal communication with the apparatus;

means for determining that none of the plurality of target music data has a degree of matching with the music performance input data; and

means for preventing assignment of the music performance input data to any of the plurality of target music data until the music performance input data has a degree of matching with one of the plurality of target music data

34. A method executed on a game platform in signal communication with a display and an input device, the method comprising:

displaying, on the display, a plurality of target music data associated with a musical composition;

receiving a music performance input data via the input device;

determining that the music performance input data is within a tolerance threshold of one of the plurality of target music data; and

assigning the music performance input data to the determined target music data.

35. A computer program product, tangibly embodied in a computer-readable storage medium, the computer program product including instructions operable to cause a data processing apparatus to:

display, on a display in signal communication with the data processing apparatus, a plurality of target music data associated with a musical composition;

receive a music performance input data via an input device in signal communication with the data processing apparatus;

determine that the music performance input data is within a tolerance threshold of one of the plurality of target music data; and

assign the music performance input data to the determined target music data.

36. A system comprising:

a data processing apparatus configured to;

display, on a display in signal communication with the data processing apparatus, a plurality of target music data associated with a musical composition;

receive a music performance input data via an input device in signal communication with the data processing apparatus;

determine that the music performance input data is within a tolerance threshold of one of the plurality of target music data; and

assign the music performance input data to the determined target music data.

37. An apparatus comprising:

means for displaying, on a display in signal communication with the apparatus, a plurality of target music data associated with a musical composition;

means for receiving a music performance input data via an input device in signal communication with the apparatus;

means for determining that the music performance input data is within a tolerance threshold of one of the plurality of target music data; and

means for assigning the music performance input data to the determined target music data.