Electronic musical instruments

• US 7,812,242 B2
• Filed: 08/29/2008
• Issued: 10/12/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Roland Corporation (Taiyo Pacific Partners LP)
• Original Assignee: Roland Corporation (Taiyo Pacific Partners LP)
• Inventors: Yasunaga, Hiroyuki, Yamabata, Toshio, Umemoto, Taro
• Primary Examiner(s): Warren; David S.
• Application Number:
  US12/201,336
• Publication Number:
  US 20090056527A1
• Time in Patent Office: 774 Days
• Field of Search: 846/15, 846/24, 846/26, 846/29, 846/53, 846/62
• US Class Current: 84/629
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/053 during execution only voice controlled instruments G10H5/005
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2210/211 Pitch vibrato, i.e. repetitive and smooth variation in pitch, e.g. as obtainable with a whammy bar or tremolo arm on a guitar
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2210/225 Portamento, i.e. smooth continuously variable pitch-bend, without emphasis of each chromatic pitch during the pitch change, which only stops at the end of the pitch shift, as obtained, e.g. by a MIDI pitch wheel or trombone

Abstract

Various embodiments of the present invention are directed to providing a musical tone control device for carrying out appropriate control in user-performed operations. A pitch parameter value PB set by a pitch bend wheel may be loaded and a determination may be made whether the pitch parameter value PB is within a specified range. If the pitch parameter value PB is within the specified range, a time t may advance by 1, and a determination may be made whether the time t has reached t1. If the time t has reached t1, an amplitude value from a low frequency oscillator (LFO) table corresponding to the time t may be read out from the LFO table. The vibrato value VI may be calculated by multiplying the amplitude value and the vibrato depth. The pitch parameter value PB and the vibrato value VI may be added and transmitted to the sound source.

Claims

1. A musical tone control device comprising:

an input means for inputting a pitch parameter value corresponding to an operation of an operation terminal;

a period signal generation means for generating a periodic signal;

a modulation signal generation means for generating a modulation signal based on the pitch parameter value input by the input means and the periodic signal generated by the period signal generation means, the modulation signal for modulating a musical tone;

an output means for outputting the modulation signal generated by the modulation signal generation means;

a determination means for determining whether the pitch parameter value input by the input means is within a specified parameter range; and

a control means for suppressing the periodic signal when the determination means determines that the pitch parameter value input by the input means is out of the specified parameter range, the control means for cancelling the suppressing of the periodic signal when the determination means determines that the pitch parameter value input by the input means is within the specified parameter range.

2. The musical tone control device of claim 1, the device further comprising:

a timing means for measuring a length of time from when the pitch parameter value input by the input means changes from a value that was out of the specified parameter range to a value that is within the specified parameter range;

wherein the control means cancels the suppressing of the periodic signal when the length of time measured by the timing means equals or exceeds a predetermined length of time.

3. The musical tone control device of claim 2,

wherein the pitch parameter value input by the input means and the modulation signal generated by the modulation signal generation means are for making a pitch change in the musical tone;

and

wherein the specified range is predetermined based on a pre-set interval of musical notes.

4. The musical tone control device of claim 2,

wherein the pitch parameter value input by the input means corresponds to a position of one or more controls of the operation terminal;

and

wherein the specified range is predetermined based on the position of the one or more controls.

5. The musical tone control device cited in claim 4,

wherein the pitch parameter value input by the input means corresponds to a pitch parameter operation range of the one or more controls, the pitch parameter operation range having one end and an other end;

and

wherein the specified range is predetermined based on one of the one end of the pitch parameter operation range, the other end of the pitch parameter operation range, and a center point between the one end of the pitch parameter operation range and the other end of the pitch parameter operation range.

6. The musical tone control device of claim 1,

wherein the pitch parameter value input by the input means and the modulation signal generated by the modulation signal generation means are for making a pitch change in the musical tone;

and

wherein the specified range is predetermined based on a pre-set interval of musical notes.

7. The musical tone control device of claim 1,

wherein the pitch parameter value input by the input means corresponds to a position of one or more controls of the operation terminal;

and

wherein the specified range is predetermined based on the position of the one or more controls.

8. The musical tone control device cited in claim 1,

wherein the pitch parameter value input by the input means corresponds to a pitch parameter operation range of the one or more controls, the pitch parameter operation range having one end and an other end;

and

wherein the specified range is predetermined based on one of the one end of the pitch parameter operation range, the other end of the pitch parameter operation range, and a center point between the one end of the pitch parameter operation range and the other end of the pitch parameter operation range.

9. A tone control device, the device comprising:

an input terminal configured to receive a pitch parameter value corresponding to an operation of an operation terminal;

a processor configured to determine whether the pitch parameter value is within a specified range;

a first signal generator configured to generate a first signal;

a second signal generator configured to generate a second signal based on the pitch parameter value modulated by the first signal in response to the determination of the processor, the second signal for modulating a musical tone; and

an output terminal configured to output the second signal.

10. The tone control device of claim 9, the device further comprising:

a signal suppression circuit configured to suppress the first signal when the pitch parameter value is out of the specified range of the pitch parameter value.

11. The tone control device of claim 10, wherein the signal suppression circuit is configured to cancel the suppression of the first signal when the pitch parameter value is within the specified range of the pitch parameter value.

12. The tone control device of claim 10, the device further comprising:

a timer configured to measure a length of time starting when the pitch parameter value is within the specified range of the pitch parameter value;

the signal suppression circuit configured to cancel the suppression of the first signal when the length of time measured by the timer equals or exceeds a predetermined length of time.

13. The tone control device of claim 9,

wherein the pitch parameter value and the second signal are for making a pitch change in the musical tone;

and

wherein the specified range of the pitch parameter value is predetermined based on tonal intervals of musical notes.

14. The tone control device of claim 9, wherein the first signal comprises a periodic signal.

15. The tone control device of claim 9, wherein the second signal comprises a modulation signal for the musical tone.

16. A tone control method, the method comprising:

receiving a pitch parameter value corresponding to an operation of an operation terminal;

determining whether the pitch parameter value is within a specified range of the pitch parameter value;

generating a first signal;

modulating the pitch parameter value with the first signal;

generating a second signal based on the pitch parameter value modulated by the first signal in response to the determination, the second signal for modulating a musical tone; and

outputting the second signal.

17. The tone control method of claim 16, wherein the first signal comprises a periodic signal.

18. The tone control method of claim 16, wherein the second signal comprises a modulation signal.

19. A tone control device, the device comprising:

an input terminal configured to receive input data;

a processor configured to determine whether the input data is within a specified range;

a first signal generator configured to generate a first signal;

a second signal generator configured to generate a second signal based on the input data and the first signal, the second signal for modulating a musical tone;

an output terminal configured to output the second signal; and

a signal suppression circuit configured to suppress the first signal when the input data is out of the specified range of the input data, the signal suppression circuit further configured to cancel the suppression of the first signal when the input data is within the specified range.

20. The tone control device of claim 19, wherein the input data comprises a pitch parameter value corresponding to an operation of an operation terminal.