Music delivery, control and integration

• US 6,686,531 B1
• Filed: 12/27/2001
• Issued: 02/03/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/29/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Harman International Industries Incorporated (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Harman International Industries Incorporated (Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.)
• Inventors: Urry, Robin M., Pennock, James D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Donels, Jeffrey
• Application Number:
  US10/034,128
• Time in Patent Office: 768 Days
• Field of Search: 846/09, 846/12, 846/15
• US Class Current: 84/615
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/0058 Transmission between separate instruments or between individual components of a musical system G10H1/0083 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2210/381 Manual tempo setting or adjustment tempo setting by interpretation of conducting movements G10H2220/206
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/015 Musical staff, tablature or score displays, e.g. for score reading during a performance. graphical musical score editing G10H2220/121; musical score displays resulting from a transcription G10H2210/086
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/061 MP3, i.e. MPEG-1 or MPEG-2 Audio Layer III, lossy audio compression
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/305 Internet or TCP/IP protocol use for any electrophonic musical instrument data or musical parameter transmission purposes

Abstract

This invention provides a system capable of delivering recorded music pieces to users and empowering the users with control features allowing for customization of the music. Recorded music pieces may be stored and recalled when selected by a user. Each musical piece may include one or more music modules corresponding to one or more musical instruments of The piece. Through a selection menu, the user may select one or more of the modules for inclusion in a customized version of The selected recorded music piece. The user may further adjust the pitch and/or tempo of the musical piece. Once customized by the user, the recorded musical piece may be integrated with sounds created by the user performing a selected musical instrument or instruments. The user may also select predefined special effect setup information module(s) that may be loaded into the signal processor capable of emulating the sonic characteristics of the recording of the recorded music piece. This integrated sound may thus mimic the original recorded music piece.

Claims

1. A method for modifying recorded music comprising the steps of:

selecting a recorded music piece comprising at least one individually recorded music track played by a musical instrument;

selecting from a musical instrument selection menu at least one of the individually recorded music tracks to omit from the recorded music piece thereby specifying a customized version of the recorded music piece; and

delivering the customized version of the recorded music piece to a user.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of selecting a pitch adjustment for the customized version of the recorded music piece.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of selecting a tempo adjustment for the customized version of the recorded music piece.

4. The method of claim 1 where the step of selecting an individually recorded music track comprises the step of omitting a selected track and a selected musical instrument playing the selected track in the recorded music piece.

5. The method of claim 4 further comprising the step of selecting special effect setup information modules comprising setup information for programming a signal processor to simulate a sonic characteristic of the selected musical instrument playing on the selected track.

6. A method for modifying recorded music comprising the steps of:

providing a recorded music repository comprising a plurality of recorded music pieces each comprising at least one individually recorded music tracks played by a musical instrument;

obtaining a piece selection specifying a selected recorded music piece chosen from the plurality of recorded music pieces;

obtaining an instrument selection specifying a selected musical instrument to omit from the selected recorded music piece;

providing a customized version of the selected recorded music piece that omits the selected musical instrument by omitting an individually recorded music track played by the selected music instrument.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising the steps of obtaining a pitch selection and responsively adjusting the pitch of the customized version of the selected recorded music piece.

8. The method of claim 6 further comprising the step of obtaining an effect selection specifying a special effect setup information modules comprising setup information for a programming a signal processor to simulate a sonic characteristic of the selected musical instrument.

9. A method for modifying recorded music comprising the steps of:

storing separate recorded music tracks Played by individual instruments, the separate recorded music tracks comprising a musical piece;

obtaining track selection input that identifies each separate recorded music track as one of an included recorded music track and an omitted recorded music track;

preparing a customized musical piece that includes each of the included recorded music tracks and that excludes each of the omitted recorded music tracks;

obtaining a control input that identifies a special effect to apply to the customized musical piece;

applying the special effect to the customized musical piece to obtain a modified customized musical piece; and

delivering the modified customized musical piece.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising the step of displaying a musical score for at least one of the omitted recorded music tracks.

11. The method of claim 9 further comprising the steps of:

displaying a signal processing device library comprising a plurality of musical instrument signal processor indicia;

obtaining a setup information module selection specifying a signal processor represented by at least one of the signal processor indicia; and

delivering setup information for setting up the signal processor to simulate a sonic characteristic of at least one of the individual instruments that played at least one of the omitted recorded music tracks.

12. A music modification system, comprising:

a memory storing a recorded music piece comprising individually recorded, music tracks played by individual musical instruments;

a user interface supported by the music modification system, the user interface including;

a track selection section for selecting at least one of the individually recorded music tracks to omit from the recorded music piece to specify a customized version of the recorded music piece; and

a delivery selection input for initiating delivery of the customized version of the recorded music piece.

13. The system of claim 12 where the user interface further comprises a Ditch selection input for specifying a Ditch modification applied to the customized version of the recorded music piece.

14. The system of claim 12 where the user interface further comprises a tempo selection input for specifying a temp modification applied to the customized version of the recorded music piece.

15. The system of claim 12 where the user interface further comprises a special effect selection section comprising a plurality of musical instrument signal processor indicia for obtaining input selecting a signal processor and associated setup information for setting up the signal processor to simulate a sonic characteristic of at least one of the musical instruments that Played at least one of the omitted recorded musical tracks.

16. A music modification system, comprising:

a repository comprising a plurality of recorded music pieces, each comprising a plurality of individually recorded music tracks played by individual musical instruments;

a user access device for providing access to the repository, selecting a recorded music piece, and selecting at least one of the musical instruments to omit from a customized copy of the selected recorded music piece; and

a transport interface for delivering the customized copy of the selected recorded music piece to a user.

17. The system of claim 16 further comprising a pitch adjustment device.

18. The system of claim 16 further comprising a tempo adjustment device.

19. The system of claim 16 further comprising an instrument selection input.

20. The system of claim 16 further comprising a database comprising a plurality of special effect setup information modules, each comprising setup information for setting up a pre-determined signal processor to simulate a sonic characteristic of at least one of the musical instruments that played at least one of the omitted recorded musical tracks.

21. A method for learning to play a musical instrument, the method comprising the steps of:

accessing a recorded music repository storing a recorded music piece as a plurality of separately recorded tracks, the tracks individually played by pre-determined musical instruments;

choosing from the pre-determined musical instruments a selected musical instrument to omit from the music piece;

receiving a customized music piece from the repository, the customized music piece including each separately recorded track except that played by the selected musical instrument; and

playing the musical instrument in accompaniment with the customized music piece.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising the step of receiving a musical score for the selected instrument for the music piece.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising the steps of:

selecting from the repository a special effect setup information module for a signal processor connected to the musical instrument being played;

receiving the special effect setup information module from the repository; and

setting up the signal processor in accordance with the special effect setup information so that he signal processor simulates a sonic characteristic of the selected musical instrument omitted from the customized music piece.

24. The method of claim 21, further comprising the step of:

selecting a pitch adjustment for the customized music piece, and where the step of receiving additionally comprises receiving the customized music piece adjusted by the pitch adjustment.

25. The method of claim 21, further comprising the step of:

selecting a tempo adjustment for the customized music piece, and where the step of receiving additionally comprises receiving the customized music piece adjusted by the tempo adjustment.