Musical systems and methods

• US 9,111,518 B2
• Filed: 08/08/2014
• Issued: 08/18/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/27/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Little, Alexander Harry, Manjarrez, Eli T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Donels, Jeffrey
• Application Number:
  US14/455,565
• Publication Number:
  US 20150114209A1
• Time in Patent Office: 375 Days
• Field of Search: 846/13, 846/34, 846/45
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/0066 using a MIDI interface
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/38 Chord
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/096 using a touch screen touch screen note input, e.g. using a displayed keyboard G10H2220/241; personal digital assistant [PDA] G10H2230/015
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/121 for graphical editing of a musical score, staff or tablature mere score display G10H2220/015; score transcription G10H2210/086

Abstract

Musical performance/input systems, methods, and products can accept user inputs via a user interface, generate, sound, store, and/or modify one or more musical tones. The user interface can present one or more regions corresponding to related chords. A set of related chords and/or a set of rhythmic patterns are generated based on a selected instrument and a selected style of music. The related chords can be modified via one or more effects units.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

displaying a virtual musical instrument (VMI) on a touch-sensitive graphical user interface (GUI),

wherein the VMI has one or more adjacent swipe regions associated with an assigned chord of a predefined set of chords, and

wherein the VMI has one or more virtual strings crossing the one or more swipe regions, the virtual strings being associated with a note of the assigned chord;

receiving an input corresponding to a swipe gesture along a swipe region, the swipe gesture crossing at least one of the virtual strings; and

playing one or more notes corresponding to the virtual strings crossed by the swipe gesture,

wherein the played notes are determined by the swipe region that the swipe gesture originated in.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the swipe regions are parallel to one another, and wherein the virtual strings are configured in a perpendicular arrangement with respect to the swipe regions.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the predefined set of chords correspond to a musical key.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the assigned chords and predefined set of chords are programmable.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the played notes correspond to an audio file.

6. A computer-implemented system comprising:

one or more processors; and

one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage mediums containing instructions configured to cause the one or more processors to perform operations including;

displaying a virtual musical instrument (VMI) on a touch-sensitive graphical user interface (GUI),

wherein the VMI has one or more adjacent swipe regions associated with an assigned chord of a predefined set of chords, and

wherein the VMI has one or more virtual strings crossing the one or more swipe regions, the virtual strings being associated with a note of the assigned chord;

receiving an input corresponding to a swipe gesture along a swipe region, the swipe gesture crossing at least one of the virtual strings; and

playing one or more notes corresponding to the virtual strings crossed by the swipe gesture,

wherein the played notes are determined by the swipe region that the swipe gesture originated in.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the swipe regions are parallel to one another, and wherein the virtual strings are configured in a perpendicular arrangement with respect to the swipe regions.

8. The system of claim 6 wherein the predefined set of chords correspond to a musical key.

9. The system of claim 6 wherein the assigned chords and predefined set of chords are programmable.

10. The system of claim 6 wherein the played notes correspond to an audio file.

11. A non-transitory computer-program product tangibly embodied in a machine-readable non-transitory storage medium, including instructions configured to cause a data processing apparatus to:

display a virtual musical instrument (VMI) on a touch-sensitive graphical user interface (GUI),

wherein the VMI has one or more adjacent swipe regions associated with an assigned chord of a predefined set of chords, and

wherein the VMI has one or more virtual strings crossing the one or more swipe regions, the virtual strings being associated with a note of the assigned chord;

receive an input corresponding to a swipe gesture along a swipe region, the swipe gesture crossing at least one of the virtual strings; and

play one or more notes corresponding to the virtual strings crossed by the swipe gesture,

wherein the played notes are determined by the swipe region that the swipe gesture originated in.

12. The computer-program product of claim 11 wherein the swipe regions are parallel to one another, and wherein the virtual strings are configured in a perpendicular arrangement with respect to the swipe regions.

13. The computer-program product of claim 11 wherein the predefined set of chords correspond to a musical key.

14. The computer-program product of claim 11 wherein the assigned chords and predefined set of chords are programmable.

15. The computer-program product of claim 11 wherein the played notes correspond to an audio file.