Chords Patents (Class 84/613)
  • Publication number: 20090223350
    Abstract: At a time T0, prior read reproduction is started with a volume of 0. Upon starting the prior read reproduction, MIDI events containing note events are sequentially generated. Each time each of the note events is generated, note data is generated based on these note events and sequentially stored in a note pool 123. At a time T1, actual reproduction is started. After the time T1, the actual reproduction and the prior read reproduction are concurrently performed at a same speed. Accordingly, the prior read reproduction precedes invariably two bars ahead of the actual reproduction. Information pertinent to notes contained in apart from a currently played position to a position two bars ahead of the currently played position can be easily obtained from the note pool 123.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2008
    Publication date: September 10, 2009
    Applicant: Nintendo Co., Ltd.,
    Inventor: Junya Osada
  • Publication number: 20090217805
    Abstract: Provided is a music generating device. The device includes a user interface, a lyric processing module, a melody generating unit, a harmony accompaniment generating unit, and a music generating unit. The user interface receives lyrics and melody from a user, and the lyric processing module generates a voice file corresponding to the received lyrics. The melody generating unit generates a melody file corresponding to the received melody, and the harmony accompaniment generating unit analyzes the melody file to generate a harmony accompaniment file corresponding to the melody. The music generating unit synthesizes the voice file, the melody file, and the harmony accompaniment file to generate a music file.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2006
    Publication date: September 3, 2009
    Applicant: LG Electronics Inc.
    Inventors: Jeong Soo Lee, In Jae Lim
  • Publication number: 20090173216
    Abstract: A device and a method for analyzing an audio datum is described, having a semitone analyzer which is implemented to analyze the audio datum with regard to a volume information distribution over an amount of semitones, and a vector calculator which is implemented to calculate a sum vector over two-dimensional intermediate vectors for each semitone or each element of the definition amount and output an analysis signal based on the sum vector, based on the volume information distribution or a distribution derived from the volume information distribution, which includes a definition amount based on the amount of semitones.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 23, 2007
    Publication date: July 9, 2009
    Inventors: Gabriel Gatzsche, David Gatzsche, Michael Beckinger, Frank Melchior
  • Publication number: 20090151547
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an information processing device, an information processing method, and a recording medium for analyzing chord progressions more accurately. A featuring quantity extraction unit 41 extracts respectively a probability of given chords appearing simultaneously, a probability of transition from a given chord to another chord, if the given chord appeared, and a probability of transition of a given chord originating from another chord, if the given chord appeared, from chord progressions of musical compositions by analyzing waveforms of said musical compositions. A chord similarity calculation unit 42 calculates the similarities between the chord progressions of musical compositions and the user-input chord progressions based on those extracted these possibilities. A musical composition retrieving unit 43 retrieves musical composition chord progressions similar to the user-input chord progression based on the calculated similarities.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 5, 2007
    Publication date: June 18, 2009
    Inventor: Yoshiyuki Kobayashi
  • Patent number: 7528317
    Abstract: The invention provides methods and apparatuses for creating a two-dimensional graphical representation of music which has been analysed into a chord sequence, by evaluating a first parameter of each chord, e.g. the harmonic root, determining a first display coordinate for each chord in dependence on the evaluated first parameter, determining a second display coordinate for each chord within the sequence in dependence on the time of occurrence of each chord within the sequence, and displaying the chords graphically at positions defined by the determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2009
    Inventor: Joseph Patrick Samuel
  • Patent number: 7528313
    Abstract: To generate motion data of a motion in synchronization with a melody of music. As an embodiment of the present invention, when motion pattern data corresponding to a predetermined motion pattern is stored, music data is analyzed to detect a beat of music based on the music data, and the music data is divided into a plurality of bar intervals based on the detected beat, the motion pattern data is allocated to the bar intervals of the music data being divided to generate motion data. In this manner, when the motion data is reproduced together with the music data, the motion pattern can be switched in synchronization with switching of first bar intervals and second bar intervals corresponding to a bar when the music based on music data is expressed in a musical score.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2009
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroki Saijo
  • Publication number: 20090107321
    Abstract: An audio signal is processed to extract key information by selecting (102) tonal components from the audio signal. A mask is then applied (104) to the selected tonal components to discard at least one tonal component. Note values of the remaining tonal components are determined (106) and mapped (108) to a single octave to obtain chroma values. The chroma values are accumulated (110) into a chromagram and evaluated (112).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2007
    Publication date: April 30, 2009
    Applicant: KONINKLIJKE PHILIPS ELECTRONICS N.V.
    Inventors: Steven Leonardus Josephus Van De Par, Martin Franciscus McKinney
  • Patent number: 7521622
    Abstract: Respective pitch values are estimated for an audio signal. Candidate harmonic segments of the audio signal are identified from the estimated pitch values. Respective levels of harmonic content in the candidate harmonic segments are determined. An associated classification record is generated for each of the candidate harmonic segments based on a harmonic content predicate defining at least one condition on the harmonic content levels. An associated classification record also may be generated for each of the audio signal segments classified into a harmonic segment class based on a classification predicate defining at least one condition on the estimated pitch values. The classification records that are associated with ones of the harmonic segments satisfying the classification predicate include an assignment to a speech segment class. The classification records that are associated with ones of the harmonic segments failing to satisfy the classification predicate include an assignment to a music segment class.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: April 21, 2009
    Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
    Inventor: Tong Zhang
  • Patent number: 7504575
    Abstract: An intonation training device for training musicians in just intonation. As disclosed, the device is a pocket-sized portable device with an audio output and a user interface which includes an LCD display and a device such as a push button for selecting an item from a menu. When the device is turned on, the LCD display indicates a key and the device emits a sustained pure chord in the key. The user can use the menu item selection device to select another key and the training device then continuously emits the chord in the just scale for that key. The selected key appears in the LCD display. Implementations disclosed include an implementation that employs stored samples of the chords, an implementation in which the chords are generated from waveforms, and an implementation in a portable pocket-sized multimedia asset player.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2009
    Inventor: Richard A. Schwartz
  • Patent number: 7485797
    Abstract: When a first bar-division determination section determines that the bass note changes in a bar or when a second bar-division determination section determines that the degree of change in the chord in the bar is large, a chord-name determination section divides the bar and detects chords. This operation allows correct chords to be detected even when the chord changes within a bar, while the bass note is maintained.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2009
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Kawai Gakki Seisakusho
    Inventor: Ren Sumita
  • Publication number: 20090007762
    Abstract: A musical accompaniment system is described including a fretted, stringed electric musical instrument, a floor unit, interface units and connecting cables. Designated frets of the instrument are divided into sections that output to a switching component that sends MIDI note # data to a synthesizer when strings of instrument contact designated fret sections. The floor unit includes actuators that output to the synthesizer when tapped by the user. The user taps on the actuators with his or her feet and thereby actuates accompaniment notes that are generated in the rhythms in which they are tapped. Accompaniment notes generated by the process are designated by notes and chords being fingered on the instrument. Methods are described that facilitate the actuating and generating of accompaniment notes in the musical style of traditional bass accompaniment through the use of the system.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2008
    Publication date: January 8, 2009
    Inventor: Anthony LaBarbera
  • Patent number: 7465866
    Abstract: An assistive music playing apparatus plays a music piece with musically acceptable notes even when the player inputs musically unacceptable notes. The apparatus provides a chord progression pattern, and comprises a note conversion device. A chord progression pattern defines a series of chords, which are presented one after another in time for a music progression. As the player plays music, inputting potentially unacceptable notes, the inputted notes will be converted to musically acceptable notes with reference to the currently presented chord in the chord progression. The note conversion rules are prepared different for a melody note range, a chord note range and a bass note range. Overlap of converted notes are avoided. Depending on the conditions of the player's note input, i.e.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2008
    Assignees: Yamaha Corporation, Yamaha Music Foundation
    Inventors: Kazuhisa Ueki, Tadahiko Ikeya, Masao Ishibashi, Shinichi Ito, Sachiyo Kubo, Masaki Hara, Tetsuya Takagi
  • Publication number: 20080289480
    Abstract: A musical keyboard includes a plurality of white keys and black keys. As a number of keys are depressed simultaneously, a pattern of the depressed keys is judged as categorized in a number of predetermined patterns of depressed keys in view of the white keys and the black keys based on the input note data acquired from the depressed keys. A plurality of types of harmonization are predetermined, from among which a type of harmonization is determined. According to the determined type of harmonization, the input note data representing the notes of the depressed keys are adjusted so that inadequate notes included in the input notes are changed to adequate notes to constitute a chord as permitted by the type of harmonization in view of musical grammar. An unskilled player can play music incorporating improvisation which would need higher musical skill, as the inadvertently erroneous depression of the keys is rectified in the note data processing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 23, 2008
    Publication date: November 27, 2008
    Applicant: YAMAHA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Akio YATSUI
  • Patent number: 7453035
    Abstract: An exemplary embodiment of a method of selecting a portion of an input of a musical instrument within a display window in a graphical user interface for staff-based musical notation and a computer readable medium containing a program code for selecting the portion are summarized here. An octave picker on the input of the musical instrument is displayed within the display window. The octave picker is moved to a desired portion on the input of the musical instrument. An enlarged view of at least the desired portion of the input is displayed. For one embodiment, the octave picker is moved after receiving selection of the desired portion on the input of the musical instrument. For another embodiment, the octave picker is moved to the desired portion after receiving selection and a user manipulation of the octave picker. The octave picker is displayed over the desired portion on the input.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2008
    Assignee: Apple Inc.
    Inventors: Matt Evans, Timothy E. Wasko
  • Patent number: 7435891
    Abstract: Various embodiments are directed to an automated method and system component for generating variations of one or more musical selections directed to particular students or to particular skill-levels into which students may be classified. The method and system component may be included in a wide variety of different music rendering, music display, and music instruction systems. In one embodiment, variations are generated by filtering each layer of a musical selection with respect to a number of common, musical elements, with the filtering chosen to reflect a selected or desired skill-level. In this embodiment, the layers of a musical selection include a melody line, a chord progression, and a bass line, and musical elements include key-signature, rhythm, pitch range, tempo and meter, and technique. Skill-level may be based on a numerically-encoded range of skill-levels, or may include a number of fixed skill-levels, such as beginning, easy, intermediate, and advanced levels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2008
    Inventor: James C. Perla
  • Patent number: 7420116
    Abstract: A music data modifier receives pieces of original music data from a master hybrid piano, and partially modifies the pieces of original music data to pieces of modified music data for a slave hybrid piano; each piece of original music data contains a series of values of a piece of motion data expressing continuous motion of the associated key, a series of values of a piece of time data expressing each expressing a time to obtain the associated value of the motion data and a piece of identification code expressing the key number assigned to the key; even if the music data modifier changes the piece of identification data from the key number to another key number, the piece of motion data still expresses the continuous motion of the key so that the slave hybrid piano exactly reproduce the key motion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2008
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventor: Yuji Fujiwara
  • Patent number: 7420114
    Abstract: A microprocessor-controlled data-processing system is used to process key strokes from a musical keyboard and output a series of note events (e.g., via midi) to a tone-producing device. The microprocessor runs software which splits the keyboard into at least two zones: A root-select zone which consists of at least one octave of keys, and a strum-trigger zone. Pre-determined notes lists, or chords, are stored in an array in the system's memory. The array classifies the note lists according to (1) chord root (C, C#, D, etc.), and (2) chord type (e.g., major, minor, etc.). Different keys within the strum-trigger zone are pre-assigned to different chord types. Depression of a strum-trigger key as a root-select key is depressed causes the data-processing system to (1) select one of the note lists, and (2) output an arpeggio of the notes contained within the selected list.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2005
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2008
    Inventor: Paul B. Vandervoort
  • Publication number: 20080196576
    Abstract: The invention provides methods and apparatuses for creating a two-dimensional graphical representation of music which has been analysed into a chord sequence, by evaluating a first parameter of each chord, e.g. the harmonic root, determining a first display coordinate for each chord in dependence on the evaluated first parameter, determining a second display coordinate for each chord within the sequence in dependence on the time of occurrence of each chord within the sequence, and displaying the chords graphically at positions defined by the determined.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 21, 2007
    Publication date: August 21, 2008
    Inventor: Joseph Patrick Samuel
  • Publication number: 20080190270
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a system, a method, and a computer-readable recording medium, which enable ordinary persons other than professional composers to easily compose music by using a music database provided by an online server. According to one aspect of the present invention, a composition system is provided, which comprises at least one database including a plurality of blocked musical elements and a composition server. The composition server includes a receiving portion for receiving a signal associated with a melody shape inputted from a terminal, a sound standardizing portion for analyzing tones and beats of a sound depicted by the melody shape and standardizing the sound, and a storage device for storing the sound standardized by the sound standardizing portion, wherein the standardized sound is capable of being transmitted, as at least one blocked musical element, to the terminal.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2007
    Publication date: August 14, 2008
    Inventor: Taegoo Kang
  • Patent number: 7385130
    Abstract: A music selecting apparatus and method, which are capable to indicate a music piece matching with the sensitivities of the user. A degree of chord change is stored as data for each of a plurality of music pieces, a sensitivity word for music selection is set in accordance with an input operation, and a music piece having the chord change degree corresponding to the set sensitivity word is detected in accordance with the chord change degree of each of the plurality of music pieces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2008
    Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
    Inventors: Yasunori Suzuki, Yasuteru Kodama, Satoshi Odagawa, Takehiko Shioda, Shinichi Gayama
  • Publication number: 20080127811
    Abstract: In an automatic performance system, song and style data DAi and DCj (i:1 through n, j:1 through m) contains tempo and meter data TPa, TMa; TPc, TMc, respectively, so that the style data DCj whose tempo and meter data matches with those of the song data DAi is reproduced concurrently with the song data DAi. On the basis of user's settings, furthermore, style setting data SS (DBi) indicating style data DCk (k: 1 through m) to be concurrently reproduced and tone color setting data VS (DBi) for setting a manual tone color are stored in association with the song data DAi. Based on the style setting data SS, the style data DCk associated with the song data DAi is reproduced concurrently with the song data DAi, or a manual performance is conducted, during the reproduction of the song data DAi, on the basis of tone color data derived from the tone color setting data VS. As described above, settings of a style and tone color for manual performance suitable for a song is achieved.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2008
    Publication date: June 5, 2008
    Applicant: YAMAHA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tadahiko IKEYA
  • Patent number: 7365263
    Abstract: An intonation training device for training musicians in just intonation. As disclosed, the device is a pocket-sized portable device with an audio output and a user interface which includes an LCD display and a device such as a push button for selecting an item from a menu. When the device is turned on, the LCD display indicates a key and the device emits a sustained pure chord in the key. In a preferred embodiment, the pure chord is a perfect fifth in the just scale for the key. To train his or her intonation, the user then plays a sequence of notes in the key, adjusting his or her intonation while playing to eliminate beats between the note being played and the chord being emitted by the training device. In other embodiments, the device may emit a third in the just scale for the key. The user can use the menu item selection device to select another key and the training device then continuously emits the chord in the just scale for that key. The selected key appears in the LCD display.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2008
    Inventor: Richard A. Schwartz
  • Patent number: 7351903
    Abstract: There is provided a musical composition data editing apparatus which enables the generation of musical composition data using which a user can cause his/her own musical image to be reflected to a high degree in a musical composition performance through simple operations, whereby a wide variety of users from beginners having no knowledge of musical composition data such as MIDI data to experts who want to arrange musical compositions in their own manner can be satisfied. A standard musical composition data generating section 230 of a contents server CS refers to musical composition reproduction control codes for controlling reproduction of a musical composition contained in source musical composition data, to determine whether or not a musical image in the musical composition reproduction changes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2008
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Kenji Ishida, Kenichi Miyazawa, Yoshitaka Masumoto, Yoshiki Nishitani
  • Patent number: 7335834
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method for making music data each perform converting an input audio signal indicative of a music piece into a frequency signal indicative of magnitudes of frequency components at predetermined time intervals; extracting frequency components corresponding to tempered tones respectively at the predetermined time intervals from the frequency signal; detecting two chords each formed by a set of three frequency components as the first and second chord candidates, the three frequency components having a large total level of the frequency components corresponding to the extracted tones; and smoothing trains of the detected first and second chord candidates to produce music data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2008
    Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
    Inventor: Shinichi Gayama
  • Publication number: 20080034947
    Abstract: When a first bar-division determination section determines that the bass note changes in a bar or when a second bar-division determination section determines that the degree of change in the chord in the bar is large, a chord-name determination section divides the bar and detects chords. This operation allows correct chords to be detected even when the chord changes within a bar, while the bass note is maintained.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2007
    Publication date: February 14, 2008
    Applicant: Kabushiki Kaisha Kawai Gakki Seisakusho
    Inventor: Ren SUMITA
  • Publication number: 20080000345
    Abstract: The system comprises an amplified speaker, an input sensing device, a sound synthesizer, and a programmable computer storing and executing a program containing a user input analysis algorithm, a melody composing algorithm associated with a chord supplying algorithm, and a sound conversion algorithm. Audio noises caused by tap dancing, for instance, are detected through the input sensing device and analyzed by the user input analysis algorithm. Based on the analysis result along with reference to the chord supplying algorithm, the melody composing algorithm generates a set of pitch and velocity values which is converted by the sound conversion algorithm for playback by the sound synthesizer through the amplified speaker. The entire process is carried out in real time so that each melody note newly generated is heard virtually at the same time as the original signal being input by a human performer through the input sensing device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2006
    Publication date: January 3, 2008
    Inventors: Tsutomu Hasegawa, Mami Nakamura
  • Patent number: 7297859
    Abstract: An assistive music playing apparatus is provided for playing a music piece with musically acceptable notes even when the player inputs musically unacceptable notes. The apparatus provides a chord progression pattern, and comprises a note conversion device. A chord progression pattern defines a series of chords, which are presented one after another in time for a music progression. As the player plays music, inputting potentially unacceptable notes, the inputted notes will be converted to musically acceptable notes with reference to the currently presented chord in the chord progression. The note conversion rules are prepared different for a melody note range, a chord note range and a bass note range. Overlap of converted notes are avoided. Depending on the conditions of the player's note input, i.e.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2007
    Assignees: Yamaha Corporation, Yamaha Music Foundation
    Inventors: Kazuhisa Ueki, Tadahiko Ikeya, Masao Ishibashi, Shinichi Ito, Sachiyo Kubo, Masaki Hara, Tetsuya Takagi
  • Patent number: 7288711
    Abstract: CPU 31 reads out plural chord data which are stored in external storage device 34 or the like and represent a series of chords, and presents to a user the chords represented by the chord data. In presenting the chords to the user, display 21 or external displayer 53 displays chord names along with a score or a lyric, or energizes key-press lamps 14 corresponding to the chord tones constituting the chords. External storage device 34 or the like is provided with a chord conversion table for converting hard-to-play chords to easy-to-play chords. In presenting the chords, CPU 31 presents the chords converted with the use of the chord conversion table. In this case, the hard-to-play chords may be controlled rank by rank or may be designated by the user. Thus, when chords are presented to a user, the user can perform chord playing smoothly at all times even if the user is a beginner player.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 8, 2006
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2007
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventor: Yutaka Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 7288710
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method for searching for a music piece which includes a storing device for storing first chord progression music data for a plurality of music pieces representing chronological changes in chords in the music pieces. Second chord progression music data representing chronological changes in at least a part of chords in a music piece is produced, the first chord progression music data for the plurality of music pieces stored and the second chord progression music data are compared on the basis of the amount of change in the root of a chord in a chord transition and the attribute of the chord after the transition in order to calculate a similarity for each of the plurality of music pieces, and a search output corresponding to a result of the calculation for each of the plurality of music pieces is produced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2007
    Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
    Inventor: Shinichi Gayama
  • Patent number: 7250567
    Abstract: An automatic musical composition classification device and method that allow a plurality of musical compositions to be automatically classified based on the melody similarity. Chord progression pattern data representing a chord progression sequence for each of the plurality of musical compositions are saved, chord-progression variation characteristic amounts are extracted for each of the plurality of musical compositions in accordance with the chord progression pattern data, and the plurality of musical compositions are grouped in accordance with the chord progression sequence represented by the chord progression pattern data of each of the plurality of musical compositions and with the chord-progression variation characteristic amounts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2007
    Assignee: Pioneer Corporation
    Inventor: Shinichi Gayama
  • Patent number: 7205470
    Abstract: A play data editing device edits play data according to a characteristic of a speaker. The play data editing device includes a dividing unit (301) for dividing first play data into second play data per channel; a classifying unit (302) for classifying the second play data into a rhythm part, a melody part, and a base part; a chord processing unit (303) for converting a number of chords of the second play data corresponding to the melody part according to the characteristic of the speaker; a velocity processing unit (304) for converting a velocity of the second play data corresponding to the rhythm part according to the characteristic of the speaker; and a sound range processing unit (305) for shifting a sound range of the second play data corresponding to the base part according to the characteristic of the speaker.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2007
    Assignee: Oki Electric Industry Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kaoru Tsukamoto, Tomohiro Iwanaga, Hiroto Miyahara
  • Patent number: 7196260
    Abstract: Within a mobile communication device (100), a method (300) of specifying two or more musical notes for substantially concurrent playback can include receiving (302) an input specifying a root note (FIG. 2 ) indicating a position on a neck of a stringed instrument and associating (308) at least one column of input keys such as numeric keys (115) of the mobile communication device with a string of the stringed instrument (130). Numeric keys next to one another and within a same column can specify notes which vary by approximately a half-step (130). The method also can include detecting (312) at least one activation of the numeric keys specifying at least one additional note to be played substantially concurrently or in a defined sequence with the root note (FIG. 5 ), thereby specifying a musical chord.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2007
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventor: Charles P. Schultz
  • Patent number: 7189914
    Abstract: In the field of music, good practice in the writing of harmony has been encapsulated in an extensive set of formal rules. It is a difficult and tedious mental task to check music for compliance. However, music so harmonized almost always sounds pleasing. In the present invention, a Harmonizer harmonizes a melody in accordance with the rules using an iterative technique of chord selection, permutation and submission to the rules until solutions are found. At difficulties, the Harmonizer can compromise preferences, in order to produce an optimum solution. The process is characterized by advances and retreats along the melody and is therefore suited to subsequent performance and not to real-time applications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2007
    Inventor: Allan John Mack
  • Patent number: 7179981
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method for detecting the structure of a music piece which produces partial music data pieces each including a predetermined number of consecutive chords starting from a position of each chord in chord progression music data; compares the partial music data pieces with the chord progression music data to calculate degrees of similarity for each of the partial music data pieces; detects a position of a chord in the chord progression music data where the calculated similarity degree indicates a peak value higher than a predetermined value for each of the partial music data pieces; and calculates the number of times that the calculated similarity degree indicates a peak value higher than the predetermined value for all the partial music data pieces for each chord position in the chord progression music data to produce a detection output representing the structure of the music piece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2007
    Assignee: Pioneer Corpoartion
    Inventor: Shinichi Gayama
  • Patent number: 7161080
    Abstract: This electronic musical instrument has an extremely simple user-interface that can be played with only three fingers, one at a time. A user selects from among a small set of chords, and chooses a music-ending. This enables novices to extemporaneously produce good, simple rhythm-guitar and rhythm-banjo music to accompany singing. Strummed-guitar, finger-picked guitar, and finger-picked banjo music is composed by replaying pre-recorded elemental chording-phrases and music-ending phrases. The chording selectors also provide limited notes between strummed chords for embellishment. Optional music-endings automatically match the selected voice, key, beat, tempo and volume, nearly precluding musical errors. Common musical keys and chord types are provided to accommodate all voice ranges, and the majority of songs common to the western world. Persons capable of singing on tune can play this instrument after a brief familiarization without any practice, playing guide, or prior musical education.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2007
    Inventor: William J. Barnett
  • Patent number: 7119268
    Abstract: A sound control apparatus is provided in a portable terminal for sounding a music tone in association with operation of the portable terminal, which is controlled by a main CPU. In the sound control apparatus, a memory memorizes music information representing a music tone and configuration information associated to a timbre of the music tone. An information acquiring section acquires the music information and the configuration information from the memory. A tone generating section is configured by the acquired configuration information to create a timbre specified by the configuration information. The tone generating section operates according to the acquired music information to generate the music tone being represented by the music information and having the specified timbre. A dedicated CPU is provided separately from the main CPU for controlling the memory, the information acquiring section and the tone generating section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2006
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Futamase, Yasushi Kurakake, Kensuke Ide, Shigehiko Mizuno, Shuzo Karakawa, Kosei Terada, Yutaka Hasegawa, Takashi Kunii
  • Patent number: 7109407
    Abstract: CPU 31 reads out plural chord data which are stored in external storage device 34 or the like and represent a series of chords, and presents to a user the chords represented by the chord data. In presenting the chords to the user, display 21 or external displayer 53 displays chord names along with a score or a lyric, or energizes key-press lamps 14 corresponding to the chord tones constituting the chords. External storage device 34 or the like is provided with a chord conversion table for converting hard-to-play chords to easy-to-play chords. In presenting the chords, CPU 31 presents the chords converted with the use of the chord conversion table. In this case, the hard-to-play chords may be controlled rank by rank or may be designated by the user. Thus, when chords are presented to a user, the user can perform chord playing smoothly at all times even if the user is a beginner player.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2006
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventor: Yutaka Hasegawa
  • Patent number: 7094964
    Abstract: Performance data processing apparatus includes a memory for storing settings input by a user and a processor for performing various control in accordance with the settings stored in the memory. Performance data are displayed in one or more display forms desired by the user. Marker or repeat mark is displayed in response to an instruction for displaying the marker or repeat mark. The performance data are reproduced in accordance with the input mark indicating that a performance should be repeated within a predetermined range. Further, a chord name is converted in accordance with a designated type of transposing instrument, and the converted chord name is displayed or stored in memory. Because the various control is performed in accordance with the memory-stored user settings, the user is allowed to change convenience-of-use or operability of the performance data processing apparatus in creating/editing of the performance data, by just changing the settings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2006
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventor: Hiromu Miyamoto
  • Patent number: 7053292
    Abstract: This device (1) enables the user to personalize the call signal (ringing) which it is called on to deliver. This personalization consists of transforming a melody (FIG. 1) which the user hums into his microphone in order to transform it into a polyphonic melody (FIG. 8). Application: Ringing for mobile telephones.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 30, 2006
    Assignee: Koninkijke Philips Electronics N.V.
    Inventor: Laurent Lucat
  • Patent number: 6984781
    Abstract: A method for formulating music, methods for formulating individual musical elements for utilization in formulating music, and methods for expanding and/or modifying the musical elements for utilization in formulating music. The musical elements are mathematically derived from origination elements as non-limitedly exemplified by intervals, chords, chord progressions, arpeggios, and instruments, thereby providing a vast array of new elements as attained from mathematical manipulations of such origination elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2006
    Inventor: Stephen M. Mazzoni
  • Patent number: 6846980
    Abstract: An electronic battery operated and self contained acoustic guitar allowing playing back high quality prerecorded notes through its own soundboard electromechanically activated by a piezoelectric vibrating means. The guitar allows to play chords or melody with simplified fingering and provides trigger events (note ON, Off, velocity of the note played) with less than 15 ms delay. When the guitar is not powered it can be played as a normal high quality musical instrument.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2005
    Inventor: Paul D. Okulov
  • Publication number: 20040255759
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method for detecting the structure of a music piece which produces partial music data pieces each including a predetermined number of consecutive chords starting from a position of each chord in chord progression music data; compares the partial music data pieces with the chord progression music data to calculate degrees of similarity for each of the partial music data pieces; detects a position of a chord in the chord progression music data where the calculated similarity degree indicates a peak value higher than a predetermined value for each of the partial music data pieces; and calculates the number of times that the calculated similarity degree indicates a peak value higher than the predetermined value for all the partial music data pieces for each chord position in the chord progression music data to produce a detection output representing the structure of the music piece.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2003
    Publication date: December 23, 2004
    Applicant: Pioneer Corporation
    Inventor: Shinichi Gayama
  • Publication number: 20040244567
    Abstract: An electronic musical instrument displays a musical score including lyric character strings on a displayer 21, using music data stored in a storage device 43, by program-processing by a computer main unit 42. The music data includes a series of data representative of a lyric character string separated by break of lyrics, word, or segment of a sentence, the series of data stored in associated relation with data representative of a timing indicative of progression of a musical piece. The computer main unit 42 displays, on the displayer 21, a lyric character string which is not provided with enough display space in a display style different from a display style used for a lyric character string provided with enough display space. For example, part or the whole of characters of either of adjacent overlapping character strings is omitted, with a mark representative of being omitted attached. Alternatively, part or the whole of a preceding character string is displayed in a reduced size or in rows.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2004
    Publication date: December 9, 2004
    Applicant: YAMAHA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Tatsumi Asakura
  • Patent number: 6791021
    Abstract: For both an automatic chord correction and an automatic composition, it is required to correct a part of a series of given chords in order to have a musically natural connection between adjacent chords. A series of chords “a”, “b”, “c”, “d”, “e”, “f” (each letter means one kind of chords) for a music is selected by a user. If two chords “c” and “d” among the series of chords “a”, “b”, “c”, “d”, “e”, “f” are changed into different ones, according to the user's preference or to make them more appropriate to the motif melody, the chord “b” adjacent to the changed “c” is automatically corrected into “b*” so that both chord connections from “a” to “b*” and from “b*” to the changed “c” can be more musically natural.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 14, 2004
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventor: Eiichiro Aoki
  • Patent number: 6777606
    Abstract: In an electronic musical instrument, a key operation detecting section detects a key operation on a keyboard, and the hand key operation contains a key pushing operation and a key releasing operation. A control unit detects a chord of a chord part in response to the key pushing operation and the key releasing operation. Then, the control unit generates chord control data for a re-trigger operation based on the detected chord of the chord part, when the key operation is the key pushing operation. A sound generating section generates a new accompaniment sound based on the chord control data and automatic accompaniment data stored in a memory section in the re-trigger operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2004
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Kawai Gakki Seisakusho
    Inventor: Yoshifumi Kira
  • Patent number: 6777607
    Abstract: A musical instrument and a method of operating it. An instrument and method which retunes and adjusts volumes in response to the chord being sustained and the way that chord is voiced. The instrument is capable of producing tones, the intervals between which are equal tempered intervals of a twelve note octave, and tones, the intervals between at least some of which are determined by identifying at least selected ones of the notes the instrument is being commanded to produce. The method includes identifying the at least selected ones of the notes the instrument is being commanded to produce, providing a map for mapping the identified notes to a chord type, identifying a note in that chord type, and substituting a frequency closer to a harmonic of the identified note for the frequency of at least one harmonic of at least one other note the instrument is being commanded to produce.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: August 17, 2004
    Assignee: Paul Reed Smith Guitars, Limited Partnership
    Inventor: Jack W. Smith
  • Publication number: 20040144238
    Abstract: An apparatus and a method for searching for a music piece which includes a storing device for storing first chord progression music data for a plurality of music pieces representing chronological changes in chords in the music pieces. Second chord progression music data representing chronological changes in at least a part of chords in a music piece is produced, the first chord progression music data for the plurality of music pieces stored and the second chord progression music data are compared on the basis of the amount of change in the root of a chord in a chord transition and the attribute of the chord after the transition in order to calculate a similarity for each of the plurality of music pieces, and a search output corresponding to a result of the calculation for each of the plurality of music pieces is produced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2003
    Publication date: July 29, 2004
    Applicant: Pioneer Corporation
    Inventor: Shinichi Gayama
  • Publication number: 20040112203
    Abstract: An assistive music playing apparatus is provided for playing a music piece with musically acceptable notes even when the player inputs musically unacceptable notes. The apparatus provides a chord progression pattern, and comprises a note conversion device. A chord progression pattern defines a series of chords, which are presented one after another in time for a music progression. As the player plays music, inputting potentially unacceptable notes, the inputted notes will be converted to musically acceptable notes with reference to the currently presented chord in the chord progression. The note conversion rules are prepared different for a melody note range, a chord note range and a bass note range. Overlap of converted notes are avoided. Depending on the conditions of the player's note input, i.e.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2003
    Publication date: June 17, 2004
    Inventors: Kazuhisa Ueki, Tadahiko Ikeya, Masao Ishibashi, Shinichi Ito, Sachiyo Kubo, Masaki Hara, Tetsuya Takagi
  • Publication number: 20040025671
    Abstract: Field Music editing and harmonizing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2003
    Publication date: February 12, 2004
    Inventor: Allan John Mack
  • Publication number: 20040003707
    Abstract: A method for formulating music, methods for formulating individual musical elements for utilization in formulating music, and methods for expanding and/or modifying the musical elements for utilization in formulating music. The musical elements are mathematically derived from origination elements as non-limitedly exemplified by intervals, chords, chord progressions, arpeggios, and instruments, thereby providing a vast array of new elements as attained from mathematical manipulations of such origination elements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 10, 2003
    Publication date: January 8, 2004
    Inventor: Stephen M. Mazzoni