Abstract: A digital multi-media device provides features for a user unskilled in musical arts or sound handling techniques that provides automatic musical score composition in accordance with contained composition instructions. Stored sound samples and interfaces for obtaining external signals provide signals for merger with visual and sound presentations to obtain altered presentations either time shifted or in real time. In this fashion the user can create simulated radio stations for playback of prearranged and composed audio material. Further, the automatically composed musical score may be mixed with synthesized, digitized signals from the stored sound samples and external signals obtained through the device interfaces.

Abstract: Systems and methods for creating, modifying, interacting with and playing music are provided, particularly systems and methods employing a top-down process, where the user is provided with a musical composition that may be modified and interacted with and played and/or stored (for later play). The system preferably is provided in a handheld form factor, and a graphical display is provided to display status information, graphical representations of musical lanes or components which preferably vary in shape as musical parameters and the like are changed for particular instruments or musical components such as a microphone input or audio samples.