Apparatus for and method of generating musical tones

• US 5,627,334 A
• Filed: 02/24/1995
• Issued: 05/06/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kawai Musical Instruments Manufacturing Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Kawai Musical Instruments Manufacturing Company Limited
• Inventors: Hirano, Sayoko, Washiyama, Yutaka
• Primary Examiner(s): Shoop, Jr., William M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): FLETCHER, MARLON T
• Application Number:
  US08/394,279
• Time in Patent Office: 802 Days
• Field of Search: 84/602, 84/603, 84/604, 84/623, 84/625, 84/607, 84/627-659, 84/661, 84/624
• US Class Current: 84/623
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2250/485 Formant correction therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2250/491 Formant interpolation therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2250/501 Formant frequency shifting, sliding formants wah-wah spectral modulation G10H2210/231
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 7/105 using Fourier coefficients

Abstract

The content of component waveforms of at least one signal is changed in a variety of ways among the formant center signals that are synthesized with the formant waveform signals, making it possible to arbitrarily change the waveform of a musical tone that is generated. To cope with changes in the formant waveform signals Ffj(t) or the formant carrier signals Gj(t) formed by synthesizing the component waveforms, furthermore, the signals Fj(t) and Gj(t) are weighed and interpolated. This permits the signals Fj(t) and Gj(t) to change smoothly. Moreover, the number or combination of formant waveform signals synthesized to produce a musical tone is controlled depending upon the musical factors, elapsed time of sounding, envelope levels, envelope phases and/or settings instructed by an operator. This enables the form of the synthesized formant to be changed and the content of a musical tone that is generated to he changed in a variety of ways.

Claims

1. An apparatus for generating musical tones comprising:

formant waveform signal generating means for generating at least one formant waveform signal having a waveform obtained by synthesizing frequency components of a formant of a musical tone;

component waveform generating means for generating component waveforms as formant center signals for synthesis as center signals with the formant waveform signal generated by said formant waveform signal generating means;

amplitude coefficient generating means for generating amplitude coefficients for the component waveforms generated by said component waveform generating means;

operation means for operating the amplitude coefficients generated by said amplitude coefficient generating means upon corresponding component waveforms generated by said component waveform generating means;

formant center signal generating means for synthesizing the component waveforms upon which the amplitude coefficients are operated on by said operation means and for outputting the synthesized component waveforms as at least one synthesized formant center signal; and

synthesizing means for synthesizing the formant waveform signal generated by said formant waveform signal generating means with the synthesized formant center signal generated by said formant center signal generating means to generate musical tones.

3. The apparatus for generating musical tones according to claim 1, wherein a frequency of a fundamental wave among the component waveforms generated by said component waveform generating means varies depending upon tone pitch of a musical tone synthesized by said synthesizing means.

5. The apparatus for generating musical tones according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said component waveform generating means determines contents of the component waveforms, frequency of the component waveforms and density of frequency components of a formant of the component waveforms depending upon at least one of musical factors that are generated, lapse of time from a start of sounding of a musical tone, envelope levels that are generated, envelope phase and setting instructed by an operator.

6. The apparatus for generating musical tones according to claim 5, wherein said musical factors vary depending upon the lapse of time, the envelope levels or the envelope phase.

7. The apparatus for generating musical tones according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said amplitude coefficient generating means determines magnitudes of the amplitude coefficients depending upon at least one of musical factors that are generated, lapse of time from a start of sounding of a musical tone, envelope levels that are generated, envelope phase and setting instructed by an operator.

8. The apparatus for generating musical tones according to claim 7, wherein said musical factors vary depending upon the lapse of time, the envelope levels or the envelope phase.

9. The apparatus for generating musical tones according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said operation means determines content of operation depending upon at least one of musical factors that are generated, lapse of time from a start of sounding of a musical tone, envelope levels that are generated, envelope phase and setting instructed by an operator.

10. The apparatus for generating musical tones according to claim 9, wherein said musical factors vary depending upon the lapse of time, the envelope levels and the envelope phase.

11. The apparatus for generating musical tones according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a number of at least one of said formant waveform signals and said formant center signals are plural in instructing sounding of a musical tone.

12. The apparatus for generating musical tones according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said component waveform generating means, said amplitude coefficient generating means, said operation means, said formant center signal generating means, said formant waveform signal generating means and said synthesizing means execute processings for a plurality of signals or a plurality of component waveforms respectively in a time-divisional manner.

13. The apparatus for generating musical tones according to claim 1, wherein said formant waveform signal generating means comprises:

component waveform generation means for generating component waveforms of a formant waveform signal;

amplitude coefficient generation means for generating amplitude coefficients for the component waveforms generated by said component waveform generation means;

operating means for operating the amplitude coefficients generated by said amplitude coefficient generation means upon the corresponding component waveforms generated by said component waveform generation means; and

formant waveform signal output means for synthesizing and outputting the component waveforms upon which the amplitude coefficients are operated on as the at least one formant waveform signal.

2. An apparatus for generating musical tones comprising:

component waveform generating means for generating component waveforms as formant waveform signals having waveforms obtained by synthesizing frequency components of a formant of a musical tone;

amplitude coefficient generating means for generating amplitude coefficients for the component waveforms generated by said component waveform generating means;

operation means for operating the amplitude coefficients generated by said amplitude coefficient generating means upon corresponding component waveforms generated by said component waveform generating means;

formant waveform signal generating means for synthesizing the component waveforms upon which the amplitude coefficients are operated on by said operation means and for outputting the synthesized component waveforms as at least one synthesized formant waveform signal;

formant center signal generating means for generating at least one formant center signal for synthesis with the synthesized formant waveform signals generated by said formant waveform signal generating means; and

synthesizing means for synthesizing the synthesized formant waveform signal generated by said formant waveform signal generating means with the formant center signal generated by said formant center signal generating means to generate musical tones.

4. The apparatus for generating musical tones according to claim 2, wherein a frequency of formant center signals generated by said formant center signal generating means varies depending upon tone pitch of a musical tone synthesized by said synthesizing means.

14. An apparatus for generating musical tones comprising:

formant waveform signal generating means for generating a plurality of formant waveform signals having a waveform obtained by synthesizing frequency components of a formant of a musical tone;

formant center signal generating means for generating at least one formant center signal for synthesis with the formant waveform signals generated by said formant waveform signal generating means;

synthesizing means for synthesizing the at least one formant center signal generated by said formant center signal generating means with a formant waveform signal generated by said formant waveform signal generating means;

musical factor generating means for generating at least one of a musical factor, envelope level, envelope phase, lapse of time from a start of a sounding of a musical tone and setting instructed by an operator;

change detecting means for detecting change in the musical factor, the envelope level, the envelope phase, the lapse of time and the setting generated by said musical factor generating means;

changing means for changing waveforms of signals generated by at least one of said formant waveform signal generating means, said formant center signal generating means and said synthesizing means depending upon changes in the musical factor, the envelope level, the envelope phase, the lapse of time and the setting detected by said change detecting means;

weighting means for weighting the generated signals before the generated signals are changed by said changing means and for weighting the changed signals;

interpolation means for interpolating both of the weighted signals that are weighted by said weighting means; and

weight changing means for determining a section of both of the weighted signals to be interpolated by said interpolation means and for changing the weight of said weighting means from one side of the section to the other side for both of the weighted signals from a start of said determined section toward an and thereof.

15. The apparatus for generating musical tones according to claim 14, wherein the musical factor generated by said musical factor generating means include timbre, touch, tone pitch, tone pitch range, musical tone part, volume of sound, sound image, filter characteristic and effect.

16. The apparatus for generating musical tones according to claim 14, wherein said weighting means comprises:

before change storage means for storing the generated signals before the generated signals are changed by said changing means;

after change storage means for storing the changed signals;

before change writing means and after change writing means for respectively writing the generated signals before the generated signals are changed and the changed signals into said before change storage means and said after change storage means;

before change reading means and after change reading means for respectively reading the stored signals from said before change storage means and said after change storage means; and

weight means for weighting the stored signals that are read out by said before change and after change reading means.

17. The apparatus for generating musical tones according to claim 14, wherein said weighting means comprises:

storage/shift means for receiving and storing the changed signals that are changed by said changing means and for outputting the changed signals in a sequentially shifted manner; and

weight means for weight the signals output from said storage/shift means before the signals are changed and the changed signals after being changed by said changing means and input to said storage/shift means.

18. The apparatus for generating musical tones according to claim 16, wherein said before change storage means and said after change storage means, respectively, store signals of a plurality of cycles which contain component waveforms of harmonic waves of non-integral ratios, the signals of the plurality of cycles being corrected in phase with respect to each other at the head portions and at end portions thereof.

19. The apparatus for generating musical tones according to claim 18, wherein the signals of a plurality of cycles stored in said before change storage means and in said after change storage means have different phases, one of said before change reading means and said after change reading means comprising:

correction data generating means for generating correction data for correcting the phase difference; and

correction means for correcting reading speed based upon the correction data.

20. The apparatus for generating musical tones according to claim 16, comprising at least three storage means for respectively storing the changed signals, the generated signals before the generated signals are changed, and generated signals generated before the changed signals, respectively, and while the changed signals are being written, the generated signals before the generated signals are changed and the generated signals generated before the changed signals are read out and are interpolated.

21. The apparatus for generating musical tones according to claim 14, wherein said interpolation means effects interpolation by additionally synthesizing both of the weighted signals.

22. The apparatus for generating musical tones according to claim 14, wherein at least one of said formant waveform signal generating means, formant center signal generating means and synthesizing means execute processings for a plurality of signals or component waveforms in a time-divisional manner.

23. The apparatus for generating musical tones according to claim 14, wherein a frequency of the at least one formant center signal determines tone pitch of a musical tone that is synthesized.

24. The apparatus for generating musical tones according to claim 15, wherein the musical factor changes depending upon either one of lapse of time and envelope data.

25. An apparatus for generating musical tones comprising:

formant waveform signal generating means for generating a plurality of formant waveform signals having a waveform obtained by synthesizing frequency components of a formant of a musical tone;

formant center signal generating means for generating at least one formant center signal for synthesis with the formant waveform signals generated by said formant waveform signal generating means;

synthesizing means for synthesizing the at least one formant center signal generated by said formant center signal generating means with the formant waveform signals generated by said formant waveform signal generating means;

musical factor generating means for generating at least one of a musical factor and setting instructed by an operator;

number determining means for determining at least one of a number and a combination of formant waveform signals generated by said formant waveform signal generating means depending upon the musical factor and the setting generated by said musical factor generating means; and

formant waveform signal control means for respectively controlling the number and the combination of the formant waveform signals generated by said formant waveform signal generating means depending upon the number and the combination determined by said number determining means.

28. The apparatus for generating musical tones according to claim 25, 26 or 27, wherein the number of formant waveform signals controlled by said formant waveform signal control means is a number of formant waveform signals obtained by reading a stored formant waveform signal at a plurality of reading speeds.

29. The apparatus for generating musical tones according to claim 25, 26 or 27, wherein the formant waveform signals of which at least one of the number and the combination is controlled by said formant waveform control signal means are synthesized with a single formant center signal generated by said formant center signal generating means.

30. The apparatus for generating musical tones according to claim 25, 26 or 27, wherein the formant waveform signals of which at least one of the number and combination is controlled by said formant waveform control signal means are synthesized with a plurality of formant center signals which are generated by said formant center signal generating means and have nearly the same timing as starting times of soundings of musical tones.

31. The apparatus for generating musical tones according to claim 25, 26 or 27, wherein said formant waveform signal generating means of which at least one of the number and the combination of the formant waveform signals is controlled by said formant waveform signal control means comprises a plurality of music tone generating systems for generating a plurality of musical tones in parallel.

32. The apparatus for generating musical tones according to claim 31, wherein said plurality of musical tone generating systems are formed in a single circuit as channels by time-divisional processing, and musical tones synthesized from the formant waveform signals and the at least one formant center signal are assigned to each of said channels.

33. The apparatus for generating musical tones according to claim 31, wherein said plurality of musical tone generating systems are formed in a plurality of circuits, and musical tones synthesized from the formant waveform signals and the at least one formant center signal are assigned to each of said circuits.

34. The apparatus for generating musical tones according to claim 25, 26 or 27, wherein a plurality of formant waveform signals which are generated by said formant waveform signal generating means and of which at least one of the number and the combination is controlled by said formant waveform signal control means, are additionally synthesized by said synthesizing means, and the thus synthesized formant waveform signals are multiplicationally synthesized with a single formant center signal generated by said formant center signal generating means.

35. The apparatus for generating musical tones according to claim 25, 26 or 27, wherein the formant waveform signals generated by said formant waveform signal generating means and of which at least one of the number and the combination is controlled by said formant waveform signal control means, are multiplicationally synthesized with the at least one formant center signal generated by said formant center signal generating means, and the thus synthesized signals are further multiplicationally synthesized with the at least one formant center signal generated by said formant center signal generating means.

36. The apparatus for generating musical tones according to claim 25, 26 or 27, wherein the formant waveform signals generated by said formant waveform signal generating means and of which at least one of the number and the combination is controlled by said formant waveform signal control means, are multiplicationally synthesized with the at least one formant center signal generated by said formant center signal generating means, and the thus synthesized signals are multiplicationally synthesized with each other.

37. The apparatus for generating musical tones according to claim 34, wherein the synthesis by said synthesizing means is one in which the additional synthesis is entirely replaced by the multiplicational synthesis.

46. The apparatus for generating musical tones according to claim 25 or 38, wherein the frequency of the at least one formant center signal determines a tone pitch of a musical tone that is synthesized.

47. The apparatus for generating musical tones according to claim 25, wherein the musical factor generated by said musical factor generating means includes timbre, touch, tone pitch, tone pitch range, musical tone part, volume of sound, sound image, filter characteristic and effect, and can be further set depending upon settings instructed by an operator.

48. The apparatus for generating musical tones according to claim 47, wherein the musical factor changes depending upon a lapse of time or envelope data.

26. An apparatus for generating musical tones comprising:

a formant waveform signal generating means for generating a plurality of formant waveform signals having a waveform obtained by synthesizing frequency components of a formant of a musical tone;

formant center signal generating means for generating at least one formant center signal for synthesis with the formant waveform signals generated by said formant waveform signal generating means;

synthesizing means for synthesizing the at least one formant center signal generated by said formant center signal generating means with the formant waveform signals generated by said formant waveform signal generating means;

lapse-of-time generating means for determining a lapse of time from a start of sounding of a musical tone;

number determining means for determining at least one of a number and a combination of formant waveform signals generated by said formant waveform signal generating means depending upon the lapse of time determined by said lapse-of-time generating means; and

formant waveform signal control means for respectively controlling the number and the combination of the formant waveform signals generated by said formant waveform signal generating means depending upon the number and the combination determined by said number determining means.

27. An apparatus for generating musical tones comprising:

formant waveform signal generating means for generating a plurality of formant waveform signals having a waveform obtained by synthesizing frequency components of a formant of a musical tone;

formant center signal generating means for generating at least one formant center signal for synthesis with the formant waveform signals generated by said formant waveform signal generating means;

synthesizing means for synthesizing the at least one formant center signal generated by said formant center signal generating means with the formant waveform signals generated by said formant waveform signal generating means;

envelope generating means for generating data that represents one of an envelope level and an envelope phase of a musical tone;

number determining means for determining at least one of a number and a combination of formant waveform signals generated by said formant waveform signal generating means depending upon the envelope level or the envelope phase generated by said envelope generating means; and

formant waveform signal control means for respectively controlling the number and the combination of the formant waveform signals generated by said formant waveform signal generating means depending upon the number and the combination determined by said number determining means.

38. An apparatus for generating musical tones comprising:

formant waveform signal generating means for generating a plurality of formant waveform signals having a waveform obtained by synthesizing frequency components of a formant of a musical tone;

formant center signal generating means for generating at least one formant center signal for synthesis with the formant waveform signals generated by said formant waveform signal generating means;

first additionally synthesizing means for additionally synthesizing either the at least one formant center signal generated by said formant center signal generating means or the formant waveform signals generated by said formant waveform signal generating means;

first multiplicationally synthesizing means for multiplicationally synthesizing either the at least one formant center signal generated by said formant center signal generating means or the formant waveform signals generated by said formant waveform signal generating means;

second additionally synthesizing means for additionally synthesizing the signals that are additionally synthesized by said first additionally synthesizing means with the signals that are multiplicationally synthesized by said first multiplicationally synthesizing means, or for additionally synthesizing the additionally synthesized signals synthesized by said first additionally synthesizing means or the multiplicationally synthesized signals with the at least one formant center signal generated by said formant center signal generating means or the formant waveform signals generated by said formant waveform signal generating means; and

second multiplicationally synthesizing means for multiplicationally synthesizing the signals that are additionally synthesized by said first additionally synthesizing means with the signals that are multiplicationally synthesized by said first multiplicationally synthesizing means, or for multiplicationally synthesizing the additionally synthesized signals synthesized by said first additionally synthesizing means or the multiplicationally synthesized signals with the at least one formant center signal generated by said formant center signal generating means or the formant waveform signals generated by said formant waveform signal generating means.

39. The apparatus for generating musical tones according to claim 38, wherein said first additionally synthesizing means and said first multiplicationally synthesizing means respectfully synthesize a plurality of formant center signals additionally and multiplicationally, or respectfully synthesize a plurality of formant waveform signals additionally and multiplicationally.

40. The apparatus for generating musical tones according to claim 38, further comprising combination selection means for selecting a combination of signals that are synthesized in said first additionally synthesizing means, in said first multiplicationally synthesizing means, in said second additionally synthesizing means and In said second muliplicationally synthesizing means.

41. The apparatus for generating musical tones according to claim 40, wherein said combination selection means determines the combination of signals to be synthesized relying upon at least one of musical factors that are generated, a lapse of time from a start of a sounding of a musical tone, a generated envelope level, a generated envelope phase and data input by an operator.

42. The apparatus for generating musical tones according to claim 38, wherein the additionally synthesized signals or the multiplicationally synthesized signals respectively output from said second additionally synthesizing means and said second multiplicationally synthesizing means are fed as formant waveform signals or formant center signals back to said first additionally synthesizing means and said first multiplicationally synthesizing means.

43. The apparatus for generating musical tones according to claim 38, wherein the additionally synthesized signals or the multiplicationally synthesized signals output from said first additionally synthesizing means, said first multiplicationally synthesizing means, said second additionally synthesizing means or said second multiplicationally synthesizing means are fed back again to the corresponding synthesizing means that have outputted the signals.

44. The apparatus for generating musical tones according to claim 40, wherein said first additionally synthesizing means and said second additionally synthesizing means are formed by the same means relying upon time-divisional processing, or said first multiplicationally synthesizing means and said second multiplicationally synthesizing means are formed by the same means relying upon time-divisional processing.

45. The apparatus for generating musical tones according to claim 44, wherein said combination selection means determines a combination of signals to be synthesized by determining a time-serial combination of said first and second additionally synthesizing means or said first and second multiplicationally synthesizing means formed by the same means.