Arpeggio generating system and method
First Claim
1. In an electronic musical instrument having an array of playing keys, an apparatus for generating arpeggios from one or more musical notes, said apparatus comprising:
- a plurality of stored musical voice related patterns of tones, each pattern having a controlled number of sequential progressions;
musical voice priority means for selecting a dominant musical voice-related pattern of tones from said plurality of musical voice-related patterns of tones;
means for selecting a rhythm synchronization variation;
up/down flag means included in each musical voice-related pattern for controlling the upward or downward sequential progression of the pattern;
first memory means for storing data representing notes of the keys played and notes in higher octaves corresponding to the keys played;
second memory means for storing data representing the lowest note and highest note stored in said first memory means, the selected musical voice-related pattern, the selected rhythm synchronization variation, and the condition of the up/down flag means;
sequencing means for placing data representing the selected musical voice-related pattern for a current progression into said second memory means;
third memory means for receiving data from said first memory means;
selector means for scanning said first and second memory means and for placing one or more selected notes from the played and higher octave notes available in said first memory means into said third memory means in a progression controlled by the data stored in said second memory means;
processing means for generating from the data in said third memory means ouput pulses in said controlled progression; and
audio output means for generating and sounding the notes of the selected musical voice-related pattern corresponding to said output pulses generated by said processing means, whereby an arpeggio commences upon the playing of one or more keys and continues until all the keys are released.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In an electronic musical instrument, an apparatus and method are described for automatically generating arpeggios from selected chords while requiring only a minimum amount of performance sophistication and dexterity. In the preferred embodiment, a plurality of voice priority switches are included, each of which corresponds to a voice-related rhythmic pattern or an arpeggio variation of tones played. The desired variation of the voice-related rhythmic pattern of tones is implemented as selected notes are played. The played notes and corresponding notes in higher octaves are stored in a random access memory and subsequently accessed by a microprocessor which searches up or down in frequency to find the available notes in the random access memory. Subsequently, the microprocessor converts chosen notes to audible tones. The system of the subject invention, under certain predetermined conditions, reverses the order of search whenever the highest or lowest notes are reached or exceeded, stops the search, and produces a five-note trill. Further, the system of the subject invention, under certain predetermined conditions, skips one or more active notes during a search and immediately searches for another note in the chord or changes the direction of search in the middle of the chord or sequence.
12 Citations
32 Claims
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1. In an electronic musical instrument having an array of playing keys, an apparatus for generating arpeggios from one or more musical notes, said apparatus comprising:
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a plurality of stored musical voice related patterns of tones, each pattern having a controlled number of sequential progressions; musical voice priority means for selecting a dominant musical voice-related pattern of tones from said plurality of musical voice-related patterns of tones; means for selecting a rhythm synchronization variation; up/down flag means included in each musical voice-related pattern for controlling the upward or downward sequential progression of the pattern; first memory means for storing data representing notes of the keys played and notes in higher octaves corresponding to the keys played; second memory means for storing data representing the lowest note and highest note stored in said first memory means, the selected musical voice-related pattern, the selected rhythm synchronization variation, and the condition of the up/down flag means; sequencing means for placing data representing the selected musical voice-related pattern for a current progression into said second memory means; third memory means for receiving data from said first memory means; selector means for scanning said first and second memory means and for placing one or more selected notes from the played and higher octave notes available in said first memory means into said third memory means in a progression controlled by the data stored in said second memory means; processing means for generating from the data in said third memory means ouput pulses in said controlled progression; and audio output means for generating and sounding the notes of the selected musical voice-related pattern corresponding to said output pulses generated by said processing means, whereby an arpeggio commences upon the playing of one or more keys and continues until all the keys are released. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. In an electronic musical instrument having an array of playing keys, an apparatus for generating arpeggios from one or more played keys, said apparatus comprising:
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a plurality of stored musical voice-related patterns of tones, each pattern having a controlled number of sequenctial progressons; musical voice means for selecting one of said plurality of musical voice-related patterns of tones; means for selecting a rhythm synchronization variation; first memory means for storing data representing notes of the keys played and notes of the same nomenclature in higher octaves; second memory means for storing data representing the lowest note and highest note stored in said first memory means, said selected musical voice-related pattern, and the selected rhythm synchronization variation; selector means for scanning said first and second memory means and for detecting in a controlled progression data repressenting a first note in said first memory means and then data repressenting additional notes from the notes stored in said first memory means; up/down flag means included in each musical voice-related pattern for controlling the direction of said selector means; processing means for rearranging and storing the data detected by said selector means in said first memory means and generating output pulses in a controlled progression , said up/down flag means controlling the direction of said controlled progression; and audio output means for generating and sounding the notes of the selected musical voice-related pattern corresponding to said output pulses generated by said processing means, whereby an arpeggio commences upon the playing of one or more keys and continues until all the keys are released.
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15. A method for automatically generating arpeggios from an array of playing keys in an electronic musical instrument comprising the steps of:
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selecting at least one musical voice-related pattern of tones from which tonal sequences will be sounded; selecting a rhythm synchronization variation; selecting an upward or downward sequential progression for the arpeggio; storing data in a first random access memory representing the notes of keys played and the notes in higher octaves corresponding to the keys played; storing data in a second random access memory representing the lowest note and highest note stored in said first random access memory, the selected musical voice-related pattern, and the direction of a current progression of the arpeggio; scanning said first and second random access memories and selecting the stored data representing the note of the lowest played key from said first random access memory and storing said data in a third random access memory, then selecting additional notes from the notes available in the first random access memory according to the data stored in the second random access memory and storing those notes in said third random access memory ; and sounding each note stored in said third random access memory in accordance with the selected musical voice-related pattern. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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Specification