Performance apparatus and performance apparatus control program

• US 7,536,257 B2
• Filed: 07/07/2005
• Issued: 05/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
• Original Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
• Inventors: Asahi, Yasuhiko, Nishibori, Yu, Iwai, Toshio
• Primary Examiner(s): Beaulieu; Yonel
• Application Number:
  US11/176,645
• Publication Number:
  US 20060005693A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,412 Days
• Field of Search: 701200-202, 701/208, 701/209, 701/211, 701213-215, 340/988, 340/995.1, 340/995.17, 342/357.06, 342/357.12
• US Class Current: 701/208
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/0016 Means for indicating which keys, frets or strings are to be actuated, e.g. using lights or leds
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/34 Switch arrangements, e.g. keyboards or mechanical switches specially adapted for electrophonic musical instruments
• 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 2220/145 Multiplayer musical games, e.g. karaoke-like multiplayer videogames
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/395 Acceleration sensing or accelerometer use, e.g. 3D movement computation by integration of accelerometer data, angle sensing with respect to the vertical, i.e. gravity sensing. conductor baton movement sensing G10H2220/206, angle sensing without reference to gravity G10H2220/391; player body joint angle sensing G10H2220/321
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2250/641 Waveform sampler, i.e. music samplers; Sampled music loop processing, wherein a loop is a sample of a performance that has been edited to repeat seamlessly without clicks or artifacts

Abstract

A performance apparatus which can realize interesting performance with game elements. Coordinates are designated in a matrix display input section, and sounding data corresponding to the designated coordinates are generated. Sounding of musical tones based on the generated sounding data is instructed. Based on the designation of coordinates, a moving route is set, and a moving ball indicating corresponding present position coordinates on the set moving route among coordinates in the matrix display input section is generated. At least when the moving ball has reached predetermined coordinates on the moving route, sounding data corresponding to the predetermined coordinates is generated, and sounding of a musical tone based on the sounding data generated in association with the predetermined coordinates is instructed.

Claims

1. A performance apparatus comprising:

an input device having a plurality of matrix switches arranged in a two-dimensional matrix pattern, each of the matrix switches being designatable as a coordinate in a two-dimensional area;

a sounding data generating device that generates sounding data corresponding to designated coordinates in the two-dimensional area;

a musical tone generation instructing device that instructs sounding of musical tones based on the sounding data generated by said sounding data generating device; and

a moving coordinate generating device that sets a moving route based on the designation of at least two coordinates, and generates moving coordinates indicating corresponding present position coordinates on the set moving route among the coordinates in the two-dimensional area,

wherein at least when the moving coordinates reach predetermined coordinates on the moving route, said sounding data generating device generates sounding data corresponding to the predetermined coordinates, and said musical tone generation instructing device instructs sounding of a musical tone based on the sounding data generated in association with the predetermined coordinates.

2. A performance apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the moving route is set to pass through a plurality of designated coordinates and to extend along a substantially straight line connecting between the designated plurality of coordinates.

3. A performance apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each designated coordinate is cancellable, and the performance apparatus further comprises a route correcting device that corrects the moving route when any of the designated coordinates on the moving route is canceled.

4. A performance apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a route correcting device that, when the moving coordinates reach an outer edge of the two-dimensional area, corrects the moving route so as to cause the moving coordinates to be reflected at coordinates of the outer edge.

5. A performance apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a shifting device that shifts a plurality of coordinates designated by said coordinate designating device while maintaining a relative positional relationship therebetween.

6. A performance apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of visible display sections arranged with respect to respective coordinates in the two-dimensional area; and

a visible display section controller that controls the plurality of visible display sections,

wherein said visible display section controller controls displaying of, at least when the moving coordinates reach the predetermined coordinates on the moving route, a visible display section corresponding to the predetermined coordinates.

7. A performance apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said moving coordinate generating device sets the moving route according to a number of designated coordinates.

8. A method of controlling a performance apparatus having an input device with a plurality of matrix switches arranged in a two-dimensional matrix pattern, each of the switches being designatable as a coordinate in a two-dimensional area, the method comprising:

a coordinate designating step of designating at least two of the matrix switches as individual coordinates in the two-dimensional area;

a sounding data generating step of generating sounding data corresponding to the switches of the designated coordinates in the two-dimensional area;

a musical tone generation instructing step of instructing sounding of musical tones based on the sounding data generated in said sounding data generating step; and

a moving coordinate generating step of setting a moving route based on the coordinates designated in said coordinate designating step, and generating moving coordinates indicating corresponding present position coordinates on the set moving route among the coordinates in the two-dimensional area,

wherein at least when the moving coordinates reach predetermined coordinates on the moving route, the musical tone data generating step generates sounding data corresponding to the predetermined coordinates, and the musical tone generation instruction step instructs sounding of a musical tone based on the sounding data generated in association with the predetermined coordinates.

9. A performance apparatus comprising:

an input device having a plurality of matrix switches arranged in a two-dimensional matrix pattern, each of the matrix switches being designatable as two-dimensional coordinate;

a coordinate moving device that moves designated coordinates in a predetermined direction; and

a musical tone generation instructing device that, when the designated coordinates moved by said coordinate moving device reach predetermined coordinates, instructs sounding of a musical tone corresponding to the predetermined coordinates.

10. A performance apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said coordinate moving device moves the designated coordinates while maintaining relative positional relationship between the designated coordinates.

11. A performance apparatus according to claim 9, wherein each of the matrix switches is designatable as a coordinate in a two-dimensional display area, and the performance apparatus further includes a visible display section controller that controls a plurality of visible display sections in the two-dimensional display area, and an area moving device that moves a designation enable area on a plane relative to the two-dimensional display area, and wherein said visible display section controller controls displaying of at least one of the visible display sections corresponding to the designated coordinates.

12. A performance apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said musical tone generating instructing device, when the designated coordinates moved by said coordinate moving device reach an outer edge position of a predetermined area, instructs sounding of a musical tone corresponding to the outer edge position.

13. A performance apparatus according to claim 9, wherein said coordinate moving device causes the designated coordinates being moved to disappear from a predetermined area after the designated coordinates reach an outer edge position of the predetermined area.

14. A performance apparatus according to claim 9, said coordinate moving device carries out at least one of automatic movement or manual movement of the designated coordinates that have been designated.

15. A computer-readable medium storing a computer program for controlling a performance apparatus having an input device with a plurality of matrix switches arranged in a two-dimensional matrix pattern, each of the switches being designatable as a two-dimensional coordinate, the computer program comprising:

a coordinate designating instruction for designating two-dimensional coordinates;

a coordinate moving instruction for moving the coordinates designated in said coordinate designating step in a predetermined direction; and

a musical tone generation instruction for instructing sounding of a musical tone corresponding to predetermined coordinates when the designated coordinates moved in said coordinate moving instruction reach the predetermined coordinates.