Abstract: An arrangement method is designed for arranging a target segment of music performance data by means of a template corresponding to an item of music notation to be applied to the target segment. The method is carried out by the steps of displaying music performance data on a monitor for designation of a target segment contained in the displayed music performance data and for selection of a specific item of the music notation to be applied to the target segment among various items of the music notation, retrieving a template corresponding to the specific item of the music notation among a group of various templates provisionally prepared in correspondence to the various items of the music notation, customizing the retrieved template to a pitch and a length of the target segment, and rewriting the target segment of the music performance data based on the customized template to thereby arrange the target segment according to the specific item of the music notation.

Abstract: A method is designed for displaying a visual image of a music system that is constructed to play at least one performance part with a particular timbre and that is applied with an acoustic effect, an accompaniment style and the like.

Abstract: A musical workstation system produces a display presentation in one of a musical composition responsive to musical composition data and responsive to one or both of input variables and a selected operating mode. The system is comprised of (1) means to provide the musical composition data (such as local storage (ROM, RAM, CD-ROM, hard disk etc.), or via a communications interface to an external device (such as another music workstation, a master controller, a computer), a memory, a selection subsystem, a controller, and a display subsystem. The memory selectively stores the received original musical compositions. The selection subsystem determines a selected operating mode and display format. The controller, responsive to the selection subsystem, provides means for selectively controlling the storing of the musical composition data in memory and selectively processing (e.g.

Abstract: In a karaoke apparatus, an audio device is responsive to a request of a music piece for starting karaoke performance of the music piece to accompany a live singing voice of the music piece. A monitor device displays a background image selected from a temporary picture having a short term and a permanent picture having a long term in matching with the music piece to support the karaoke performance. A first video device is enabled initially without a substantial delay time when the audio device starts the karaoke performance for providing the temporary picture corresponding to the requested music piece. A second video device is enabled subsequently to the first video device with a substantial delay time after the audio device starts the karaoke performance for providing the permanent picture corresponding to the requested music piece.

Abstract: An electronic piano includes an electronic keyboard; a graphical user interface, having a video display and a touch responsive overlay, for displaying graphical images representing controllable parameters of the electronic piano and generating control signals; a control system for the electronic piano and the graphical user interface; a piano housing supporting the electronic keyboard and providing a desk surface above the keyboard; and a music stand mounted to the desk surface for supporting sheet material, wherein the graphical user interface forms part of the music stand. The graphical user interface can be mounted in an opening in the music stand and can provide a touch screen flush with the music support surface or recessed.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling a tempo and volume of a MIDI file having a plurality of MIDI instructions stored on a computer-readable medium are disclosed. The method includes the computer-implemented steps of incrementing a counter at a first rate, transferring one or more of the MIDI instructions to a general MIDI-compatible device at the first rate, receiving an input signal from a data input device, determining a first increment value when the input signal is received, determining a first average value from the first increment value and a predetermined number of second increment values; and transferring one or more of the MIDI instructions to the general MIDI-compatible device at a second rate when the first average value has a predetermined logical relationship to a second average value.

Abstract: A disc player is electronically connectable to a foot operated controller and a monitor is electronically connectable to the player. The monitor includes speakers for audio output and a screen for video output. The monitor further includes sheet music clips for attaching sheet music to the monitor and music stand clips for attaching the monitor to a music sheet holder of a music stand.

Abstract: A method for controlling a musical medley function in a karaoke television includes steps for randomly selecting song from a class of songs having similar form or theme, and continuously playing songs from the selected class. The user sets a minimum reference mark and the target number of challenging songs. Each song performed is graded, thus allowing the singer to proceed to a next song only when the graded mark exceeds the reference mark. The method includes a step for providing a celebrator message and fanfare when the number of played songs equals the target number of challenging songs, thereby prompting the user to take added interest in singing. The method is adaptable in karaoke televisions and is particularly useful in household karaoke televisions.

Abstract: A television with a karaoke player has a video function accompanied with music to which a medley function for classifying songs of the same form or theme and successively playing the classified songs by gathering them is added. According to a method for controlling the medley function, a microcomputer controls a display of thematic items of songs in response to a user's selection of the medley function. Upon selection of a thematic item, formational items of the songs are displayed. Songs falling in the selected categories are then played in order.

Abstract: An electronic musical instrument having a searching function of a tone color is provide with a parameter degree memory and a mouse or the like for designating any desired range of a specified parameter degree. When the searching is executed, the tone color whose parameter's degree is included within the designated range of the specified parameter is found out.

Abstract: A system and method for control of so-called KARAOKE equipment whereby the musical key of the pre-recorded accompaniment music may be altered automatically to substantially coincide with the analyzed or given vocal range of the singer, for example, soprano, tenor, mezzo-soprano, baritone, alto or bass, or with the preferred key to be sung entered by the singer, for example, E key, so as to eliminate the trial-and-error manual key adjustments during singing.

Abstract: The disclosed invention provides a music-controlled graphic interface for closely binding musical and graphical information. The invention comprises a digital instrument interface, a computer device for translating digital musical sequences into graphical display information, and one or more displays for presenting the graphical information. Digital musical information is used to access graphical information. The accessing of the graphical information can be accomplished using the digital musical information as an index to a stored look-up table of video/graphic data. Alternatively, the musical information can serve as an input into an algorithm to calculate the video data in real time. The invention can also proceed in the backwards direction. Changing graphical data can be used to access musical or other sound information, to create musical sounds that match closely a changing displayed image. The invention allows accurate and rapid synchronization of sound and image, especially in computer animation.

Abstract: A sound production device has at least one generator for producing a video signal and an analog-to-digital converter if the video signal is not already digital. The video is converted to a plurality p of signals which are representative of P parameters. The device also has a set of digital-to-analog converters equal in number to the number of parameters and a matrix for connecting the P signals to a second plurality of q inputs of a sound synthesizer, the output of which is connected to a loudspeaker.

Abstract: A music information transmission system in which a music symbol on a music sheet is quantized into a digital signal by inputting that music symbol by using a key board. The digital signal is assembled into a packet, which is multiplexed on a blanking period of a television signal, and is transmitted over the air. At a reception side, the packet is separated from a picture signal, and is stored in a memory. A music player reads out the memory, and decodes the digital signal in the memory. The decoded signal operates the music player to play music. Thus, music information may be transmitted in a very narrow frequency band as compared with a conventional PCM system which quantizes an analog sound signal into a digital signal. The present invention is useful for instance for playing background music in a teletext or a character transmission system multiplexed with a television signal.

Abstract: A pattern display system is disclosed which includes a keyboard for the manual entry of data representative of the patterns to be displayed, a microcomputer for accepting the entry data and for controlling the display system, a random access memory for storage of the entered data, audio circuitry controlled by the microcomputer for accepting data to provide audio signals representative of stored data, coding/decoding circuitry for the transfer of stored digital data to or from a tape recorder, and video circuitry utilized under the control of the microcomputer for the visual display on a cathode ray tube (CRT) of the patterns represented by the stored data. Specifically, the video circuitry includes read-only memories which are controlled to provide video pattern information in response to the stored data which represented desired patterns and timing information for the CRT.

Abstract: A signal generating system for an electronic musical instrument utilizing an electronic beam tube with a radiation intercepting structure and means to derive a signal from beam current pulses produced by scanning the structure. The width of pulses is modulated according to the width of individual components of the structure and the pulse width modulated wave is transformed to analog form by a low pass filter. The structure includes several aligned sections and the widths of each section at corresponding points of alignment are representative of the pulse-sampled amplitudes of the tonal qualities of different musical instruments.