Method and apparatus for tracking musical score

• US 7,189,912 B2
• Filed: 05/21/2002
• Issued: 03/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Amusetec Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Amusetec Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Jung, Doill
• Primary Examiner(s): Donovan; Lincoln
• Assistant Examiner(s): Warren; David S.
• Application Number:
  US10/477,042
• Publication Number:
  US 20050115382A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,757 Days
• Field of Search: 844/77.R, 846/10, 844/831, 846/34, 844/70.R
• US Class Current: 84/610
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 15/00 Teaching music metronomes G04F5/02
• CPC Class Codes: G10G 1/00 Means for the representation of music

Abstract

A score tracking method and apparatus are provided. The method detects frequency models of score notes to be performed, compiles a list of frequency models, and generates a matching model composed of frequency components, based on the list. The frequency components are included in audio data to be generated during a performance of the score notes. The method then receives external audio data during an actual performance of the score notes, converts the audio data into digital signal, and detects current performance frequency data from the digital signal. The method then determines whether the matching model matches the current performance frequency data when the current performance frequency data includes a new frequency component other than the frequency components of the matching model, generates synchronized information between the actual performance of the score notes and the score notes, and updates the matching model.

Claims

1. A score tracking method comprising:

detecting frequency models with pitch and length information of score notes to be performed, and compiling a list of frequency models;

generating a matching model, which is composed of frequency components that are included in audio data to be generated during a performance of the score notes, based on the frequency model list;

receiving external audio data during an actual performance of the score notes, converting the audio data into digital signal, and detecting current performance frequency data from the digital signal;

determining whether the current performance frequency data includes a new frequency component;

determining whether the matching model matches the current performance frequency data when the new frequency component is included in the current performance frequency data; and

generating synchronized information between the actual performance of the score notes and the score notes and updating the matching model, when it is determined that the matching model matches the current performance frequency data;

wherein detecting frequency models with pitch and length information of score notes to be performed, and compiling a list of frequency models comprises;

reading information of the score notes to be performed;

determining whether there is audio information about musical instruments to be played according to the score notes;

when it is determined that there is audio information about musical instruments, extracting audio information of each score note, from the audio information about musical instruments and detecting the frequency model list using peak values among frequency components of the audio information of each score; and

when it is determined that audio information about musical instruments does not exist, extracting harmonic frequency components of each score note, which corresponds to each type of musical instrument, and detecting the frequency model list using peak values among the harmonic frequency components.

2. A score tracking in method comprising:

detecting frequency models with pitch and length information of score notes to be performed, and compiling a list of frequency models;

generating a matching model, which is composed of frequency components that are included in audio data to be generated during a performance of the score notes, based on the frequency model list;

receiving external audio data during an actual performance of the score notes, converting the audio data into digital signal and detecting current performance frequency data from the digital signal;

determining whether the current performance frequency data includes a new frequency component;

determining whether the matching model matches the current performance frequency data when the new frequency component is included in the current performance frequency data; and

generating synchronized information between the actual performance of the score notes and the score notes and updating the matching model, when it is determined that the matching model matches the current performance frequency data;

wherein generating a matching model comprises combining a passed notes frequency model, which is a frequency model of a score note that has been performed previously, a current notes frequency model, which is a frequency model of a score note that is performed at the current time, and an expected notes frequency model, which is a frequency model of a score note that is performed next; and

wherein generating a matching model further comprises;

setting the passed notes frequency model and the current notes frequency model to a null value, selecting a frequency model, which is initially performed, from the frequency model list, and setting the frequency model as the expected notes frequency model;

generating the matching model by combining the passed notes frequency model, the current notes frequency model, and the expected notes frequency model; and

setting a matching time for the matching model to an invalid value.

3. A score tracking method comprising:

detecting frequency models with pitch and length information of score notes to be performed, and compiling a list of frequency models;

generating a matching model, which is composed of frequency components that are included in audio data to be generated during a performance of the score notes, based on the frequency model list;

receiving external audio data during an actual performance of the score notes, converting the audio data into digital signal, and detecting current performance frequency data from the digital signal;

determining whether the current performance frequency data includes a new frequency component;

determining whether the matching model matches the current performance frequency data when the new frequency component is included in the current performance frequency data; and

generating synchronized information between the actual performance of the score notes and the score notes and updating the matching model, when it is determined that the matching model, matches the current performance frequency data;

wherein the determining whether the current performance frequency data includes a new frequency component comprises;

comparing the current performance frequency data, which is included in the audio data input at a current time, with previous performance frequency data, which was included in audio data inputted previously, and detecting a frequency component disappearing at the current time;

removing the disappearing frequency component from the frequency components included in the matching model;

comparing the current performance frequency data with the previous performance frequency data in both strength and frequency component value so as to determine whether the new frequency component is included in the current performance frequency data; and

determining that the new frequency component is included in the current performance frequency data either when it is determined that the new frequency component is included in the current performance frequency data or when a matching time for the matching model has lapsed since previous matching was accomplished in a state where the new frequency component does not exist.

4. A score tracking method comprising:

detecting frequency models with pitch and length information of score notes to be performed, and compiling a list of frequency models;

generating a matching model which is composed of frequency components that are included in audio data to be generated during a performance of the score notes, based on the frequency model list;

receiving external audio data during an actual performance of the score notes, converting the audio data into digit signal, and detecting current performance frequency data from the digital signal;

determining whether the current performance frequency data includes a new frequency component;

determining whether the matching model matches the current performance frequency data when the new frequency component is included in the current performance frequency data; and

generating synchronized information between the actual performance of the score notes and the score notes and updating the matching model, when it is determined that the matching model matches the current performance frequency data;

wherein generating synchronized information comprises;

generating a new passed notes frequency model by combining a passed notes frequency model and a current notes frequency model which are included in the matching model;

generating a new current notes frequency model using an expected notes frequency model included in the matching model;

selecting a frequency model, which is performed next, from the frequency model list and generating it as a new expected notes frequency model;

generating a new matching model by combining the new passed notes frequency model, the new current notes frequency model, and the new expected notes frequency model; and

determining a current performance tempo by comparing the matching time for the matching model with time information from a time point when the matching model is generated to a time point when a real matching is accomplished and detecting a matching time for the new matching model based on the current performance tempo.

5. A score tracking method comprising:

detecting frequency models with pitch and length information of score notes to be performed, and compiling a list of frequency model;

generating a matching model, which is composed of frequency components that are included in audio data to be generated during a performance of the score notes based on the frequency model list;

receiving external audio data during an actual performance of the score notes, converting the audio data into digital signal, and detecting current performance frequency data from the digital signal;

determining whether the current performance frequency data includes a new frequency component;

determining whether the matching model matches the current performance frequency data when the new frequency component is included in the current performance frequency data; and

generating synchronized information between the actual performance of the score notes and the score notes and updating the matching model, when it is determined that the matching model matches the current performance frequency data;

wherein when the matching model does not match the current performance frequency data, further comprising;

sequentially selecting matching models, which remain without being matched since being generated, starting from a matching model that was generated first and determining whether they match the current performance frequency data; and

when a selected matching model matches the current performance frequency data, generating synchronized information between the actual performance of the score notes and the score notes, removing the remaining matching models other than the selected matching model, and updating the matching model.

6. The score tracking method of claim 5, wherein when a selected matching model matches the current performance frequency data, generating synchronized information between the actual performance of the score notes and the score notes, removing the remaining matching models other than the selected matching model, and updating the matching model comprises:

generating a new passed notes frequency model by combining a passed notes frequency model and a current notes frequency model, which are included in the matching model;

generating a new current notes frequency model using an expected notes frequency model included in the matching model;

selecting a frequency model, which is performed next, from the frequency model list and generating it as a new expected notes frequency model;

generating a new matching model by combining the new passed notes frequency model, the new current notes frequency model, and the new expected notes frequency model; and

determining a current performance tempo by comparing the matching time for the matching model with time information from a time point when the matching model is generated to a time point when a real matching is accomplished and detecting a matching time for the new matching model based on the current performance tempo.

7. A score tracking method comprising:

detecting frequency models with pitch and length information of score notes to be performed, and compiling a list, of frequency models;

generating a matching model, which is composed of frequency components that are included in audio data to be generated during a performance of the score notes, based on the frequency model list;

receiving external audio data during an actual performance of the score notes, converting the audio data into digital signal, and detecting current performance frequency data from the digital signal;

determining whether the current performance frequency data includes a new frequency component;

determining whether the matching model matches the current performance frequency data when the new frequency component is included in the current performance frequency data; and

generating synchronized information between the actual performance of the score notes and the score notes and updating the matching model, when it is determined that the matching model matches the current performance frequency data;

wherein when the matching model does not match the current performance frequency data until a matching time for the matching model lapses, further comprising adding a new matching model that includes a frequency model, which is included in the frequency model list and is to be performed at a next time point after performance of an expected notes frequency model; and

wherein adding a new matching model comprises;

generating a new passed notes frequency model using a passed notes frequency model that is included in the matching model;

generating a new current notes frequency model using a current notes frequency model that is included in the matching model;

selecting a frequency model, which is performed at the next time point, from the frequency model list and generating the selected frequency model as a new expected notes frequency model;

generating a new matching model by combining the new passed notes frequency model, the new current notes frequency model, and the new expected notes frequency model; and

detecting a matching time for the new matching model based on tempo information with respect to the existing matching model.

8. The score tracking method of claim 7, wherein the adding a new matching model ends without adding a new matching model when the number of matching models that have not been matched since being generated exceeds a predetermined limit value.