Method and apparatus for generating sounds with tremolo and vibrato sound effects

• US 5,781,636 A
• Filed: 04/22/1996
• Issued: 07/14/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: United Microelectronics Corporation
• Original Assignee: United Microelectronics Corporation
• Inventors: Tai, Chiao-Yen
• Primary Examiner(s): Chan, Wing F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHIN, VIVIAN C
• Application Number:
  US08/635,505
• Time in Patent Office: 813 Days
• Field of Search: 381/61, 381/62, 381/63, 84/630, 84/629, 84/626
• US Class Current: 381/62
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2210/191 Tremolo, tremulando, trill or mordent effects, i.e. repeatedly alternating stepwise in pitch between two note pitches or chords, without any portamento between the two notes other common forms of tremolo, e.g. same note repetition, bisbigliando, amplitude tremolo, tremulants, percussion roll G10H2210/161 or G10H2210/205
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 7/02 in which amplitudes at successive sample points of a tone waveform are stored in one or more memories

Abstract

A digital sound generator with tremolo and vibrato sound effects is provided, which comprises: a source memory for storing different types of wave-tables; a first adder for adding a constant frequency and a step-varied frequency waveform to produce a tremulous frequency waveform; a register for storing a frequency address parameter from a central processing unit; an address generator for generating a frequency address in response to the frequency address parameter to said source memory to determine the type of signal waveform being outputted, so that said source memory produces a tremolo by playing the tremulous frequency waveform in the determined signal waveform; an amplitude generator for generating the amplitude of a normal sound; a second adder for adding the amplitude from the amplitude generator and an amplitude-variant signal from the source memory to produce a vibrato; and a synthesizer for synthesizing the tremolo and the vibrato to produce a sound with a special sound effect.

Claims

1. A digital sound generator with tremolo and vibrato sound effects comprising:

a source memory for storing different types of wave-tables;

a first adder for adding a constant frequency and a step-varied frequency waveform to produce a tremulous frequency waveform;

a register for storing a frequency address parameter;

an address generator for generating a frequency address in response to the frequency address parameter to said source memory to determine the type of signal waveform being outputted, so that said source memory produces a tremolo by playing the tremulous frequency waveform in the determined signal waveform;

an amplitude generator for generating the amplitude of a normal sound;

a second adder for adding the amplitude from said amplitude generator and an amplitude-variant signal from said source memory to produce a vibrato; and

a synthesizer for synthesizing the tremolo and the vibrato to produce a sound with a special sound effect.

2. The digital sound generator as claimed in claim 1 wherein said address generator outputs the frequency address with different step values in response to a variable step value.

3. The digital sound generator as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a first ratio selective circuit connected the output terminal of said source memory to said first adder for selecting the degree of the tremolo effect.

4. The digital sound generator as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a second ratio selective circuit connected the output terminal of said source memory to said second adder for selecting the degree of the vibrato effect.

5. The digital sound generator as claimed in claim 3 wherein said first ratio selective circuit is a demultiplexer.

6. The digital sound generator as claimed in claim 4 wherein said second ratio selective circuit is a demultiplexer.

7. A digital sound generator with tremolo sound effects comprising:

a source memory for storing different types of wave-tables;

an adder for adding a constant frequency parameter and a step-varied frequency waveform to produce a tremulous frequency waveform;

a register for storing a frequency address parameter;

an address generator for generating a frequency address in response to the frequency address parameter to said source memory to determine the type of signal waveform being outputted, so that said source memory produces a tremolo by playing the tremulous frequency waveform in the determined signal waveform; and

a synthesizer for synthesizing the tremolo from said source memory and the amplitude from an amplitude generator to produce a sound with a special sound effect.

8. The digital sound generator as claimed in claim 7 wherein said address generator outputs the frequency address with different step values in response to a variable step value.

9. The digital sound generator as claimed in claim 7 further comprising a first ratio selective circuit connected the output terminal of said source memory to said first added for selecting the degree of tremolo effect.

10. A digital sound generator with vibrato sound effects comprising:

a source memory for storing different types of wave-tables;

a register for storing a frequency address parameter;

an address generator for generating a frequency address to said source memory in response to the frequency address parameter, so that said source memory outputs a frequency waveform;

an amplitude generator for generating the amplitude of a normal sound;

an adder for adding the amplitude from said amplitude generator and an amplitude-variant signal from said source memory to produce a vibrato; and

a synthesizer for synthesizing the frequency waveform from said source memory and the vibrato from said adder to produce a sound with a special sound effect.

11. The digital sound generator as claimed in claim 10 wherein said address generator outputs the frequency address with different step values in response to a variable step value.

12. The digital sound generator as claimed in claim 10 further comprising a second ratio selective circuit connected the output terminal of said source memory to said second adder for selecting the degree of vibrato effect.

13. A method for generating sounds with tremolo and vibrato sound effects, comprising the steps of:

storing a plurality of wave-tables including step-varied frequency waveforms and amplitude-variant signals in a source memory;

inputting selective signals to said source memory to address said plurality of wave-tables for outputting a step-varied frequency waveform to a first adder and an amplitude-variant signal to a second adder;

inputting a constant frequency to said first adder so that the constant frequency and the step-varied frequency waveform are added to produce a tremulous frequency waveform to said source memory;

inputting an amplitude of a sound to said second adder so that the amplitude and the amplitude-variant signal are added to produce a vibrato to a synthesizer;

generating a tremolo supplied by said source memory in response to the tremulous frequency waveform, and inputting the tremolo to said synthesizer; and

using said synthesizer to synthesize the vibrato and the tremolo to produce a sound with special sound effects.

14. The method for generating sounds with tremolo and vibrato sound effects as claimed in claim 13 further comprising the step of using a first selective means between said source memory and said first adder to change the tremulous parameter so as to change the magnitude of the tremolo.

15. The method for generating sounds with tremolo and vibrato sound effects as claimed in claim 13 further comprising the step of using a second selective means between said source memory and said second adder to change the amplitude-variant signal so as to change the magnitude of the vibrato.

16. The method for generating sounds with tremolo and vibrato sound effects as claimed in claim 13 further comprising the steps of:

using a first selective means between said source memory and said first adder to change the tremulous parameter so as to change the magnitude of the tremolo; and

using a second selective means between said source memory and said second adder to change the amplitude-variant signal so as to change the magnitude of the vibrato.