Performance apparatus and tone generation method therefor

• US 7,371,957 B2
• Filed: 04/06/2006
• Issued: 05/13/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
• Original Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
• Inventors: Nishibori, Yu
• Primary Examiner(s): Donovan; Lincoln
• Assistant Examiner(s): MILLIKIN, ANDREW R
• Application Number:
  US11/398,979
• Publication Number:
  US 20060236846A1
• Time in Patent Office: 768 Days
• Field of Search: 846/01, 846/02, 846/03, 846/04, 844/64.A, 844/64.R, 847/44, 847/45
• US Class Current: 84/604
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/34 Switch arrangements, e.g. keyboards or mechanical switches specially adapted for electrophonic musical instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2210/066 for pitch analysis as part of wider processing for musical purposes, e.g. transcription, musical performance evaluation; Pitch recognition, e.g. in polyphonic sounds; Estimation or use of missing fundamental
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/221 Keyboards, i.e. configuration of several keys or key-like input devices relative to one another details of individual keys or key-like devices G10H2220/265; continuous keyboards or keyboards implementing specific musical scales, e.g. quartertone G10H2210/395; switch matrix keyboards, e.g. on guitar necks G10H2220/295
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/236 representing an active musical staff or tablature, i.e. with key-like position sensing at the expected note positions on the staff active keyboard representation on a touchscreen G10H2220/241
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/295 Switch matrix, e.g. contact array common to several keys, the actuated keys being identified by the rows and columns in contact

Abstract

A plurality of key switches are disposed in a predetermined arrangement, such as a matrix arrangement, and a tone generator includes a memory for storing tone (waveform) data corresponding to the key switches. Sampling section acquires an audio signal from an external source, cuts out tone data from the acquired audio signal and writes the cut-out tone data into the memory in association with the key switches. Any one of the key switches is designated on the basis of switch operation by a user or on the basis of automatic performance information, so that, of the tone data stored in the memory, the tone data corresponding to the designated key switch is sounded, i.e. audibly reproduced.

Claims

1. A performance apparatus comprising:

a plurality of key switches disposed in a predetermined arrangement;

a memory that stores a plurality of tone data corresponding to the key switches;

a controller that samples an audio signal containing phonemes for a predetermined period, detects breaks between the phonemes contained in the sampled audio data, extracts a plurality of random sections, each containing a phoneme, from the sampled audio signal, detects the frequencies of the extracted random sections of tone data and associates the extracted random sections to the plurality of key switches in order of the frequencies, and writes the extracted plurality of random sections as the plurality of tone data into said memory;

a tone generation section that audibly sounds any one of the tones corresponding to the stored tone data with a corresponding designated one of the key switches,

wherein each of the random sections is extracted from a start position of the respective phoneme for a predetermined length.

2. A performance apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said controller detects and deletes any silent section of the audio signal before extracting the random sections.

3. A performance apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said plurality of key switches are disposed in a matrix arrangement.

4. A performance apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein individual X-coordinate locations in the matrix arrangement of the key switches are generated at mutually exclusive times by said tone generation section.

5. A performance apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein individual Y-coordinate locations in the matrix arrangement of the key switches correspond to mutually-different tone pitches.

6. A performance apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the individual Y-coordinate locations in the matrix arrangement of the key switches correspond to mutually-different tone data.

7. A performance apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a note table storing correspondence between said plurality of key switches and notes based on pitches of the tone data associated with the key switches.

8. A performance apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein said tone generation section audibly sounds any one of the tone data corresponding to one of the switches designated in response to activation thereof.

9. A performance apparatus as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

a storage section that stores ON/OFF states of said plurality of key switches in correspondence with a desired music performance; and

a readout control section that reads out the ON/OFF states of said plurality of key switches from said storage section in response to a reproductive performance instruction,

wherein said tone generation section audibly sounds the tone data corresponding to the key switches designated in accordance with the ON/OFF states read out via said readout control section.

10. A method of generating audible sounds with a performance apparatus that includes a plurality of key switches disposed in a predetermined arrangement, a memory that stores a plurality of tone data corresponding to the key switches, and a tone generation section that audibly sounds any one of the tones corresponding to the stored tone data with a designated one of the key switches, said method comprising the steps of:

sampling an audio signal containing phonemes for a predetermined period;

detecting breaks between the phonemes contained in the sampled audio data;

extracting a plurality of random sections, each containing a phoneme, from the sampled audio signal, wherein each of the random sections is extracted from a start position of the respective phoneme for a predetermined length;

detecting the frequencies of the extracted random sections and associating the extracted random sections to the plurality of key switches in order of the frequencies;

writing the extracted plurality of random sections as the plurality of tone data into said memory; and

audibly sounding via said tone generation section any one of the tones corresponding to the stored tone data with the corresponding designated key switch.

11. A computer-readable medium storing a computer program for controlling a performance apparatus to generate audible sounds, said performance apparatus including a plurality of key switches disposed in a predetermined arrangement, a memory that stores a plurality of tone data corresponding to the key switches, and a tone generation section that audibly sounds any one of the stored tone data with a designated one of the key switches, the program including instructions for:

sampling an audio signal containing phonemes for a predetermined period;

detecting breaks between the phonemes contained in the sampled audio data;

extracting a plurality of random sections, each containing a phoneme, from the sampled audio signal, wherein each of the random sections is extracted from a start position of the respective phoneme for a predetermined length;

detecting the frequencies of the extracted random sections and associating the extracted random sections to the plurality of key switches in order of the frequencies;

writing the extracted plurality of random sections as the plurality of tone data into said memory; and

audibly sounding via said tone generation section any one of the tones corresponding to the stored tone data with the corresponding designated key switch.