Stringed musical instrument performance information composing apparatus and method

• US 6,046,396 A
• Filed: 08/24/1999
• Issued: 04/04/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
• Original Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
• Inventors: Miyamoto, Hiromu
• Primary Examiner(s): Nappi, Robert E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fletcher, Marlon T.
• Application Number:
  US09/382,213
• Time in Patent Office: 224 Days
• Field of Search: 84/611-613, 84/635-637, 84/650-652, 84/667-669, 84/713-715, 84/DIG. 22
• US Class Current: 84/613
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/0008 Associated control or indicating means
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/38 Chord
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2210/185 Arpeggio, i.e. notes played or sung in rapid sequence, one after the other, rather than ringing out simultaneously, e.g. as a chord; Generators therefor, i.e. arpeggiators; Discrete glissando effects on instruments not permitting continuous glissando, e.g. xylophone or piano, with stepwise pitch variation and on which distinct onsets due to successive note triggerings can be heard
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/231 Alphanumeric, used for musical purposes or with additional musical features, e.g. typewriter or pc-type keyboard reconfigured such that letters or symbols are assigned to musical notes
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/271 Serial transmission according to any one of RS-232 standards for serial binary single-ended data and control signals between a DTE and a DCE
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/285 USB, i.e. either using a USB plug as power supply or using the USB protocol to exchange data
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/311 MIDI transmission G10H2240/056 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/315 Firewire, i.e. transmission according to IEEE1394
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 84/22 Chord organs

Abstract

The apparatus and method composes performance information which represents a musical performance on a stringed instrument having a plurality of strings, each string being capable of generating a tone having a pitch which is selectively assigned to each string from among plural pitches available on each string. Upon designation of a chord to be played, the pitches of tones to be respectively assigned to the plurality of strings are determined such that the tones of the determined pitches constitute the designated chord. Then the strings to be assigned for tone generation are designated from among the plurality of strings, and the timing at which the assigned tone is to be generated is designated for each of the designated strings. The data of the tones having the determined pitches are generated, in which the data of each tone represents the tone generation on the designated string and at the designated timing. The designation of the strings and the timings for tone generation may be done by means of individual designating keys or sample templates having predetermined designation parameters.

Claims

1. A musical performance information composing apparatus for composing performance information which represents a musical performance on a stringed instrument having a plurality of strings, each string being capable of generating a tone having a pitch which is selectively assigned to said each string from among plural pitches available on said each string, said apparatus comprising:

a chord designating device which designates a chord;

a tone pitch determining device which determines pitches of tones to be respectively assigned to said plurality of strings such that the tones of said determined pitches constitute said designated chord;

a string and timing designating device which designates strings to be assigned for tone generation from among said plurality of stings and designates a timing for each of said designated strings at which timing the assigned tone is to be generated; and

a tone data generating device which generates tone data of the tones having said determined pitches, the data of each tone representing the tone generation on the string and at the timing as designated by said string and timing designating device.

2. A musical performance information composing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein

said string and timing designating device comprises a plurality of manipulating elements, each of which is individually assigned to each of said plurality of strings.

3. A musical performance information composing apparatus as claimed in claim 2, wherein

said string and timing designating device further comprises a plurality of manipulating elements, each of which is assigned to a manner of playing plural strings in combination.

4. A musical performance information composing apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein

said string and timing designating device comprises a storage device which stores at least one template defining a generation timing of each tone assigned to each of said strings.

5. A method for composing performance information which represents a musical performance on a stringed instrument having a plurality of strings, each string being capable of generating a tone having a pitch which is selectively assigned to said each string from among plural pitches available on said each string, said method comprising the steps of:

designating a chord;

determining pitches of tones to be respectively assigned to said plurality of strings such that the tones of said determined pitches constitute said designated chord;

designating strings to be assigned for tone generation from among said plurality of strings, and designating a timing for each of said designated strings at which timing the assigned tone is to be generated; and

generating tone data of the tones having said determined pitches, the data of each tone representing the tone generation on the string and at the timing as designated by said step of designating strings and a timing.

6. A machine readable medium for use in an apparatus for composing performance information which represents a musical performance on a stringed instrument having a plurality of strings, each string being capable of generating a tone having a pitch which is selectively assigned to said each string from among plural pitches available on said each string, said apparatus being of a data processing type comprising a computer, said medium containing program instructions executable by said computer for executing:

a process of designating a chord;

a process of determining pitches of tones to be respectively assigned to said plurality of strings such that the tones of said determined pitches constitute said designated chord;

a process of designating strings to be assigned for tone generation from among said plurality of strings, and designating a timing for each of said designated strings at which timing the assigned tone is to be generated; and

a process of generating tone data of the tones having said determined pitches, the data of each tone representing the tone generation on the string and at the timing as designated by said process of designating strings and a timing.