Music play apparatus with advance resetting for subsequent playing

• US 5,753,844 A
• Filed: 05/16/1997
• Issued: 05/19/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 05/20/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
• Original Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
• Inventors: Matsumoto, Shuichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Witkowski, Stanley J.
• Application Number:
  US08/857,695
• Time in Patent Office: 368 Days
• Field of Search: 84/609-625, 84/634-638, 84/645, 434/307 A, 348/7, 370/437
• US Class Current: 84/609
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/0041 in coded form
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/183 Channel-assigning means for polyphonic instruments

Abstract

A music play apparatus has a data supply unit for providing performance data and initialization data associated to a desired music piece, and a sound source unit for reproducing the music piece according to the performance data and the initialization data. The data supply unit has a sequencer device that time-sequentially processes a plurality of performance data according to a predetermined order of music pieces, and a transmitter device that transmits each of the processed performance data. The transmitter device is operative when transmitting the performance data of a preceding music piece to interlace the initialization data of a succeeding music piece into the performance data of the preceding music piece by multiplexing operation. The sound source unit has a receiver device that successively receives the performance data in the predetermined order. The receiver device operates when receiving the performance data of the preceding music piece to separate therefrom the initialization data of the succeeding music piece by demultiplexing operation. A memory device temporarily stores the separated initialization data of the succeeding music piece while the preceding music piece is being reproduced. A tone generator device is customized to the succeeding music piece by the stored initialization data immediately after the reproduction of the preceding music piece is finished, and then readily starts the reproduction of the succeeding music piece according to the performance data thereof which is fed from the receiver device to thereby ensure substantially non-interruptive reproduction of the preceding music piece and the succeeding music piece.

Claims

1. A music play apparatus comprising a data supply unit for providing performance data and initialization data associated to a desired music piece, and a sound source unit for reproducing the music piece according to the performance data and the initialization data, wherein;

the data supply unit comprises a sequencer device that time-sequentially processes a plurality of performance data according to a predetermined order of music pieces, and a transmitter device that transmits each of the processed performance data, the transmitter device being operative when transmitting the performance data of a preceding music piece to interlace the initialization data of a succeeding music piece into the performance data of the preceding music piece by multiplexing operation, and wherein;

the sound source unit comprises a receiver device that successively receives the performance data in the predetermined order, the receiver device being operative when receiving the performance data of the preceding music piece to separate therefrom the initialization data of the succeeding music piece by demultiplexing operation, a memory device that temporarily stores the separated initialization data of the succeeding music piece while the preceding music piece is being reproduced, and a tone generator device that is customized to the succeeding music piece by the stored initialization data immediately after the reproduction of the preceding music piece is finished, and then readily starts the reproduction of the succeeding music piece according to the performance data thereof which is fed from the receiver device to thereby ensure substantially non-interruptive reproduction of the preceding music piece and the succeeding music piece.

2. A music play apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sound source unit further comprises a selector device that operates when the reproduction of the preceding music piece is finished for switching the memory device from one memory bank which stores the initialization data of the preceding music piece to another memory bank which stores the initialization data of the succeeding music piece, and for resetting the tone generator device upon switching of the memory device to customize the tone generator device to the succeeding music piece.

3. A music play apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the selector device includes a bank selector that connects said one memory bank to the receiver device when the same receives the performance data of the succeeding music piece so as to load said one memory bank with new initialization data which is separated from the performance data of the succeeding music piece by the receiver device.

4. A music play apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the tone generator device is customized to the succeeding music piece for generating musical tones having a timbre adapted to the succeeding music piece.

5. A music play apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the tone generator device is further customized to the succeeding music piece for imparting an effect to the musical tones in matching with the succeeding music piece.

6. A music play apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sequencer device processes the performance data of the preceding music piece to form a train of segments of the performance data, and processes the initialization data of the succeeding music piece to form another train of segments of the initialization data, and wherein the transmitter device interlaces the segments of the initialization data into the segments of the performance data to form a composite train which alternately contains the segments of the performance data of the preceding music piece and the segments of the initialization data of the succeeding music piece.

7. A music play apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the sequencer device affixes a header to each segment of the performance data of the preceding music piece to indicate that each segment is associated to the preceding music piece, and affixes another header to each segment of the initialization data of the succeeding music piece to indicate that each segment is associated to the succeeding music piece, and wherein the sound source unit discriminates the performance data and the initialization data from each other according to the headers affixed thereto.

8. A music play apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the transmitter device concurrently transmits last segments of the performance data of the preceding music piece and top segments of the performance data of the succeeding music piece with each other so that the sound source unit can cross-fade the preceding music piece and the succeeding music piece during the non-interruptive reproduction of the preceding music piece and the succeeding music piece.

9. A music play apparatus comprising a data supply for providing performance data and initialization data associated to a desired music piece, and a sound source for reproducing the music piece according to the performance data and the initialization data, wherein;

the data supply comprises sequencer means for time-sequentially processing at least a pair of performance data corresponding to a first music piece and a second music piece, and transmitter means for transmitting each of the processed performance data, the transmitter means being operative when transmitting the performance data of the first music piece for multiplexing the initialization data of the second music piece with the performance data of the first music piece, and wherein;

the sound source comprises receiver means for successively receiving the performance data of the first music piece and the second music piece, the receiver means being operative when receiving the performance data of the first music piece to demultiplex therefrom the initialization data of the second music piece, memory means for temporarily storing the demultiplexed initialization data of the second music piece while the first music piece is being reproduced, and tone generator means customized to the second music piece by the stored initialization data immediately after the reproduction of the first music piece is finished for readily starting the reproduction of the second music piece according to the performance data thereof which is fed from the receiver means to thereby ensure substantially non-interruptive reproduction of the first music piece and the second music piece.

10. A music play apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the sequencer means processes the performance data of the first music piece to form a train of segments of the performance data, and processes the initialization data of the second music piece to form another train of segments of the initialization data, and wherein the transmitter means interlaces the segments of the initialization data into the segments of the performance data to form a composite train which alternately contains the segments of the performance data of the first music piece and the segments of the initialization data of the second music piece.

11. A music play apparatus according to claim 9, wherein the sequencer means affixes a header to each segment of the performance data of the first music piece to indicate that each segment is associated to the first music piece, and affixes another header to each segment of the initialization data of the second music piece to indicate that each segment is associated to the second music piece, and wherein the sound source discriminates the performance data and the initialization data from each other according to the headers affixed thereto.

12. A method of operating a music play apparatus having a data supply for providing performance data and initialization data associated to a desired music piece, and a sound source for reproducing the music piece according to the performance data and the initialization data, the method comprising the steps of:

time-sequentially processing at least a pair of performance data corresponding to a first music piece and a second music piece in the data supply;

transmitting each of the processed performance data from the data supply to the sound source;

multiplexing the initialization data of the second music piece with the performance data of the first music piece when the same is transmitted to the sound source;

successively receiving the performance data of the first music piece and the second music piece in the sound source;

demultiplexing the initialization data of the second music piece from the performance data of the first music piece when the same is received by the sound source;

temporarily storing the demultiplexed initialization data of the second music piece while the first music piece is being reproduced; and

customizing the sound source to the second music piece by the stored initialization data immediately after the reproduction of the first music piece is finished for readily starting the reproduction of the second music piece according to the performance data thereof to thereby ensure substantially non-interruptive reproduction of the first music piece and the second music piece.

13. A method according to claim 12, wherein the step of time-sequentialy processing comprises processing the performance data of the first music piece to form a train of segments of the performance data and processing the initialization data of the second music piece to form another train of segments of the initialization data, and wherein the step of multiplexing comprises interlacing the segments of the initialization data into the segments of the performance data to form a composite train which alternately contains the segments of the performance data of the first music piece and the segments of the initialization data of the second music piece.

14. A method according to claim 13, wherein the step of time-sequentialy processing comprises affixing a header to each segment of the performance data of the first music piece to indicate that each segment is associated to the first music piece and affixing another header to each segment of the initialization data of the second music piece to indicate that each segment is associated to the second music piece, so as to enable the sound source to discriminate the performance data and the initialization data from each other according to the headers affixed thereto.

15. A machine readable media containing instructions for causing a music play machine having a data supply for providing performance data and initialization data associated to a desired music piece and a sound source for reproducing the music piece according to the performance data and the initialization data, to perform a method comprising the steps of:

time-sequentially processing at least a pair of performance data corresponding to a first music piece and a second music piece in the data supply;

transmitting each of the processed performance data from the data supply to the sound source;

multiplexing the initialization data of the second music piece with the performance data of the first music piece when the same is transmitted to the sound source;

successively receiving the performance data of the first music piece and the second music piece in the sound source;

demultiplexing the initialization data of the second music piece from the performance data of the first music piece when the same is received by the sound source;

temporarily storing the demultiplexed initialization data of the second music piece while the first music piece is being reproduced by the sound source; and

customizing the sound source to the second music piece by the stored initialization data immediately after the reproduction of the first music piece is finished for readily starting the reproduction of the second music piece according to the performance data thereof to thereby ensure substantially non-interruptive reproduction of the first music piece and the second music piece.

16. A machine readable media according to claim 15, wherein the step of time-sequentialy processing comprises processing the performance data of the first music piece to form a train of segments of the performance data and processing the initialization data of the second music piece to form another train of segments of the initialization data, and wherein the step of multiplexing comprises interlacing the segments of the initialization data into the segments of the performance data to form a composite train which alternately contains the segments of the performance data of the first music piece and the segments of the initialization data of the second music piece.

17. A machine readable media acording to claim 16, wherein the step of time-sequentialy processing comprises affixing a header to each segment of the performance data of the first music piece to indicate that each segment is associated to the first music piece and affixing another header to each segment of the initialization data of the second music piece to indicate that each segment is associated to the second music piece, so as to enable the sound source to discriminate the performance data and the initialization data from each other according to the headers affixed thereto.