Automatic performance apparatus and automatic performance program

• US 7,314,993 B2
• Filed: 07/23/2004
• Issued: 01/01/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/23/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
• Original Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
• Inventors: Ishida, Kenji, Nishitani, Yoshiki
• Primary Examiner(s): Donels; Jeffrey
• Application Number:
  US10/898,733
• Publication Number:
  US 20050016362A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,257 Days
• Field of Search: 846/12, 846/00, 846/15
• US Class Current: 84/612
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/0008 Associated control or indicating means
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/201 for movement interpretation, i.e. capturing and recognizing a gesture or a specific kind of movement, e.g. to control a musical instrument
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/056 MIDI or other note-oriented file format
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/211 Wireless transmission, e.g. of music parameters or control data by radio, infrared or ultrasound beam G10H2220/405

Abstract

An automatic performance apparatus which enables expressive ensemble performance to be carried out with a sense of uniformity. Operation signals according to operation by at least one operator, and identification information for identifying a plurality of operating elements are output from these operating elements. Operation-related information indicative of the relationship between respective ones of the plurality of operating elements and respective ones of a plurality of channels, and the master-slave relationship between the plurality of operating elements are stored in a storage. When the operation signals and the identification information are output from the plurality of operating elements, the operation-related information is referred to determine corresponding ones of the channels to the identification information, a sounding event of a musical tone to be sounded next is read out from the performance data for each of the corresponding ones of the channels, and a sounding process on the readout sounding event is carried out by a sounding processing device. The sounding process is controlled such that the position of a sounding event corresponding to at least one of the operating elements as a slave never goes beyond the position of a sounding event corresponding to one of the operating elements as a master, which is to be processed next.

Claims

1. An automatic performance apparatus that carries out ensemble performance by sequentially reading out a plurality of sounding events representative of sounding contents of musical tones for a plurality of channels from performance data in which the plurality of sounding events are associated with the plurality of channels, and processing the readout sounding events, comprising:

a plurality of operating elements that output operation signals according to operation by at least one operator, and identification information for identifying said plurality of operating elements;

a storage that stores operation-related information indicative of a relationship between respective ones of said plurality of operating elements and respective ones of the plurality of channels, and a master-slave relationship between said plurality of operating elements;

a sounding processing device operable when the operation signals and the identification information are output from the respective ones of said plurality of operating elements, to refer to the operation-related information to determine corresponding ones of the channels to the identification information, and read out a sounding event of a musical tone to be sounded next from the performance data for each of the corresponding ones of the channels and carry out a sounding process on the readout sounding event; and

a sounding process control device that controls the sounding process carried out by said sounding processing device such that a position of a sounding event corresponding to at least one of the operating elements as a slave never goes beyond a position of a sounding event corresponding to one of the operating elements as a master, which is to be processed next by said sounding processing device.

2. An automatic performance apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said sounding process control device is operable when an operation signal is output from the operating element as a slave, to determine whether a position of a sounding event corresponding to the operating element as the slave at a time point the operation signal is output has reached a position immediately before a position of a sounding event corresponding to the operating element as the master to be processed next by said sounding processing device, and when a result of the determination is negative, to cause said sounding processing device to proceed the sounding process according to the operation signal within such a range that the position of the sounding event corresponding to the operating element as the slave never goes beyond the position of the sounding event corresponding to the operating element as the slave to be processed next by said sounding processing device.

3. An automatic performance apparatus that carries out ensemble performance by sequentially reading out a plurality of sounding events representative of sounding contents of musical tones for a plurality of channels from performance data in which the plurality of sounding events are associated with the plurality of channels, and processing the readout sounding events, comprising:

a plurality of operating elements that output operation signals according to operation by at least one operator, and identification information for identifying said plurality of operating elements;

a storage that stores operation-related information indicative of a relationship between respective ones of said plurality of operating elements and respective ones of the plurality of channels, and a master-slave relationship between said plurality of operating elements;

a sounding processing device operable when the operation signals and the identification information are output from the respective ones of said plurality of operating elements, to refer to the operation-related information to determine corresponding ones of the channels to the identification information, and read out a sounding event of a musical tone to be sounded next from the performance data for each of the corresponding ones of the channels and carry out a sounding process on the readout sounding event; and

a sounding process control device operable when a position of a sounding event corresponding to at least one of the operating elements as a slave is delayed by a predetermined amount or more behind a position of a sounding event corresponding to one of the operating elements as a master to be processed next by said sounding processing device, to cause the position of the sounding event corresponding to the operating element as the slave to skip to the position of the sounding event corresponding to the operating element as the master.

4. A computer-readable medium encoded with an automatic performance program executable by a computer for carrying out ensemble performance by sequentially reading out a plurality of sounding events representative of sounding contents of musical tones for a plurality of channels from performance data in which the plurality of sounding events are associated with the plurality of channels, and processing the readout sounding events, comprising:

a storage module storing operation-related information indicative of a relationship between respective ones of a plurality of operating elements that output operation signals according to operation by at least one operator and identification information for identifying said plurality of operating elements and respective ones of the plurality of channels, and a master-slave relationship between the plurality of operating elements;

a sounding processing module operable when the operation signals and the identification information are output from the respective ones of the plurality of operating elements, to refer to the operation-related information to determine corresponding ones of the channels to the identification information, and read out a sounding event of a musical tone to be sounded next from the performance data for each of the corresponding ones of the channels and carry out a sounding process on the readout sounding event; and

a sounding process control module for controlling the sounding process carried out by said sounding processing module such that a position of a sounding event corresponding to at least one of the operating elements as a slave never goes beyond a position of a sounding event corresponding to one of the operating elements as a master to be processed next by said sounding processing module.

5. A computer-readable medium encoded with an automatic performance program executable by a computer for carrying out ensemble performance by sequentially reading out a plurality of sounding events representative of sounding contents of musical tones for a plurality of channels from performance data in which the plurality of sounding events are associated with the plurality of channels, and processing the readout sounding events, comprising:

a storage module storing operation-related information indicative of a relationship between respective ones of a plurality of operating elements that output operation signals according to operation by at least one operator and identification information for identifying said plurality of operating elements and respective ones of the plurality of channels, and a master-slave relationship between the plurality of operating elements;

a sounding processing module operable when the operation signals and the identification information are output from the respective ones of the plurality of operating elements, to refer to the operation-related information to determine corresponding ones of the channels to the identification information, and read out a sounding event of a musical tone to be sounded next from the performance data for each of the corresponding ones of the channels and carry out a sounding process on the readout sounding event; and

a sounding process control module for, when a position of a sounding event corresponding to at least one of the operating elements as a slave is delayed by a predetermined amount or more behind a position of a sounding event corresponding to one of the operating elements as a master to be processed next by said sounding processing module, causing the position of the sounding event corresponding to the operating element as the slave to skip to the position of the sounding event corresponding to the operating element as the master.

6. An automatic performance apparatus that carries out automatic performance by sequentially reading out sounding events representative of contents of musical tones from performance data containing the sounding events, comprising:

at least one operating element that outputs an operation signal according to operation by at least one operator;

a sounding processing device operable when the operation signal is output, to read out a sounding event of a musical tone to be sounded next from the performance data, and carry out a sounding process on the readout sounding event;

a time interval calculating device that detects an output time at which the operation signal is output, and calculates a time interval between the detected output time and a previously detected output time;

a tempo updating device that updates a tempo according to the time interval calculated by said time interval calculating device and a length of a note of the sounding event on which the sounding process has been carried out in a time period between the detected output time and the previously detected output time; and

a sounding length control device that controls a sounding length of a sounding event to be processed next by said sounding processing device to a length corresponding to the tempo updated by said tempo updating device.

7. An automatic performance apparatus according to claim 6, wherein when there are a plurality of sounding events to be sounded at a same time, said sounding processing device reads out all of the plurality of events from the performance data, and carry out sounding processes on the readout events.

8. An automatic performance apparatus that carries out ensemble performance by sequentially reading out a plurality of sounding events representative of sounding contents of musical tones for a plurality of channels in parallel from performance data in which the plurality of sounding events are associated with the plurality of channels, and processing the readout sounding events, comprising:

at least one operating element that outputs an operation signal according to operation by at least one operator;

a specific channel sounding processing device operable when the operation signal is output, to read out a sounding event of a musical tone to be sounded next from the performance data for a predetermined specific channel, and carry out a sounding process on the readout sounding event;

a time interval calculating device that detects an output time at which the operation signal is output, and calculates a time interval between the detected output time and a previously detected output time;

a tempo updating device that updates a tempo according to the time interval calculated by said time interval calculating device and a length of a note of the sounding event on which the sounding process has been carried out in a time period between the detected output time and the previously detected output time;

a sounding length control device that controls a sounding length of a sounding event to be processed next by said sounding processing device to a length corresponding to the tempo updated by said tempo updating device; and

an other channel sounding control device that sequentially reads out at least one sounding event for at least one other channel, which exists in an time interval from the sounding event being processed by said specific channel sounding processing device to a next sounding event, from the performance data at a velocity corresponding to the tempo updated by said tempo updating device, carries out a sounding process on the readout at least one sounding event according to sounding contents represented by the readout at least one sounding event, and controls a sounding length of the at least one sounding event for the at least one other channel to a length corresponding to the updated tempo.

9. An automatic performance apparatus according to claim 8, wherein when there are a plurality of sounding events to be sounded at a same time, said sounding processing device reads out all of the plurality of events from the performance data, and carry out sounding processes on the readout events.

10. A computer-readable medium encoded with an automatic performance program executable by a computer, comprising:

a sounding processing module operable when a sounding instruction signal is output, to read out a sounding event of a musical tone to be sounded next from performance data, and carry out a sounding process on the readout sounding event according to sounding contents represented by the readout sounding event;

a time interval calculating module for detecting a reception time at which the sounding instruction signal is received, and calculates a time interval between the detected reception time and a previously detected reception time;

a tempo updating module for updating a tempo according to the time interval calculated by said time interval calculating module and a length of a note of the sounding event on which the sounding process has been carried out in a time period between the detected reception time and the previously detected reception time; and

a sounding length control module for controlling a sounding length of a sounding event to be processed next by said sounding processing module to a length corresponding to the tempo updated by said tempo updating module.

11. A computer-readable medium encoded with an automatic performance program executable by a computer, comprising:

a specific channel sounding processing module operable when a sounding instruction signal is output, to read out a sounding event of a musical tone to be sounded next from performance data, and carry out a sounding process on the readout sounding event according to sounding contents represented by the readout sounding event;

a time interval calculating module for detecting a reception time at which the sounding instruction signal is received, and calculates a time interval between the detected reception time and a previously detected reception time;

a tempo updating module for updating a tempo according to the time interval calculated by said time interval calculating module and a length of a note of the sounding event on which the sounding process has been carried out in a time period between the detected reception time and the previously detected reception time;

a sounding length control module for controlling a sounding length of a sounding event to be processed next by said sounding processing module to a length corresponding to the tempo updated by said tempo updating module; and

an other channel sounding control module for sequentially reading out at least one sounding event for at least one other channel, which exists in an time interval from the sounding event being processed by said specific channel sounding processing module to a next sounding event, from the performance data at a velocity corresponding to the tempo updated by said tempo updating module, carrying out a sounding process on the readout at least one sounding event according to sounding contents represented by the readout at least one sounding event, and controlling a sounding length of the at least one sounding event for the at least one other channel to a length corresponding to the updated tempo.

12. A method for carrying out ensemble performance by sequentially reading out a plurality of sounding events representative of sounding contents of musical tones for a plurality of channels from performance data in which the plurality of sounding events are associated with the plurality of channels, and processing the readout sounding events, comprising:

storing operation-related information indicative of a relationship among respective ones of a plurality of operating elements and outputting operation signals according to operation by at least one operator and identification information for identifying said plurality of operating elements and respective ones of the plurality of channels, and a master-slave relationship between the plurality of operating elements;

operating a sound processing module when the operation signals and the identification information are output from the respective ones of the plurality of operating elements;

to refer to the operation-related information, to determine corresponding ones of the channels to the identification information, and to read out a sounding event of a musical tone to be sounded next from the performance data for each of the corresponding ones of the channels and carry out a sounding process on the readout sounding event; and

controlling the sound processing module such that the position of a sounding event corresponding to at least one of the operating elements as a slave never goes beyond the position of a sounding event corresponding to one of the operating elements as a master to be processed next by said sounding processing module.

13. A method for carrying out ensemble performance by sequentially reading out a plurality of sounding events representative of sounding contents of musical tones for a plurality of channels from performance data in which the plurality of sounding events are associated with the plurality of channels, and processing the readout sounding events, comprising:

storing operation-related information indicative of a relationship among respective ones of a plurality of operating elements that output operation signals according to operation by at least one operator and identification information for identifying said plurality of operating elements and respective ones of the plurality of channels, and a master-slave relationship between the plurality of operating elements;

operating a sounding processing module when the operation signals and the identification information are output from the respective ones of the plurality of operating elements;

to refer to the operation-related information, to determine corresponding ones of the channels to the identification information, and to read out a sounding event of a musical tone to be sounded next from the performance data for each of the corresponding ones of the channels and carry out a sounding process on the readout sounding event; and

controlling the sounding process module such that when the position of a sounding event corresponding to at least one of the operating elements as a slave is delayed by a predetermined amount or more behind the position of a sounding event corresponding to one of the operating elements as a master to be processed next by said sounding processing module, the position of the sounding event corresponding to the operating element as the slave is caused to skip to the position of the sounding event corresponding to the operating element as the master.

14. A sound processing method, comprising:

controlling a sounding processing module operable when a sounding instruction signal is output, to read out a sounding event of a musical tone to be sounded next from performance data, and to carry out a sounding process on the readout sounding event according to sounding contents represented by the readout sounding event;

detecting a reception time at which the sounding instruction signal is received, and calculating a time interval between the detected reception time and a previously detected reception time;

updating a tempo according to the calculated time interval and updating a length of a note of the sounding event on which the sounding process has been carried out in a time period between the detected reception time and the previously detected reception time; and

controlling a sounding length of a sounding event to be processed next by said sounding processing module to a length corresponding to the tempo updated by said tempo updating module.

15. A sound processing method, comprising:

controlling a specific channel sounding processing module operable when a sounding instruction signal is output, to read out a sounding event of a musical tone to be sounded next from performance data, and carry out a sounding process on the readout sounding event according to sounding contents represented by the readout sounding event;

detecting a reception time at which the sounding instruction signal is received, and calculating a time interval between the detected reception time and a previously detected reception time;

updating a tempo according to the calculated time interval and updating a length of a note of the sounding event on which the sounding process has been carried out in a time period between the detected reception time and the previously detected reception time;

controlling a sounding length of a sounding event to be processed next by said sounding processing module to a length corresponding to the tempo updated by said tempo updating module; and

causing an other channel sounding control module;

to sequentially read out at least one sounding event for at least one other channel, which exists in an time interval from the sounding event being processed by said specific channel sounding processing module to a next sounding event, from the performance data at a velocity corresponding to the updated tempo,

to carry out a sounding process on the readout at least one sounding event according to sounding contents represented by the readout at least one sounding event, and

to control a sounding length of the at least one sounding event for the at least one other channel to a length corresponding to the updated tempo.