Abstract: In a method for providing musical accompaniment in response to the playing of an accompaniment-type musical instrument, accompaniment chord voicing is randomly selected from a pluraltiy of stored possibilities and the chord is sounded according to the selected voicing. In a preferred embodiment, the voicings may be stored separately from rhythm information according to which the chord is to be sounded, and the selection of chord voicings is constrained by a pre-selected range of chord tones. In another method for providing musical accompaniment having at least one stored melodic figure, melodic information is represented as a plurality of tokens independent of chord type and the tokens are subsequently converted to note parameters appropriate for a preselected chord type. The tokens are preferably related to the scale functions of the melodic information and may also contain information for each of a plurality of chord sub-types.

Abstract: In a method for providing musical accompaniment in response to playing of a processor-controlled musical instrument, a plurality of processes corresponding to different musical components of the accompaniment are executed in a pseudo-concurrent manner. Each component includes a plurality of musical events related according to a tempo at which the accompaniment is to be sounded. A portion of one of the processes is executed to perform at least one of the musical events, whereupon the process is suspended for a musically appropriate period of time substantially equal to the time before the next event of the process. While the first process is suspended, a portion of at least one other process is executed to perform another musical event. The other process is then suspended for another musically appropriate period of time. Execution of the processes is continued in this manner, one portion of a process at a time, such that the processes overlap to produce a coherent musical accompaniment.

Abstract: In a method for providing musical accompaniment in response to the playing of a musical instrument, wherein the accompaniment has a plurality of musical components performing different musical functions, a preselected number of virtual channels implementing the musical components of the accompaniment are mapped into a smaller number of physical channels such that the allocation of physical channels between the musical components fluctuates over time. In another embodiment, one of the musical components of the accompaniment is a fill note component, and the allocation of physical channels between it and at least one other component of the accompaniment may be either static or dynamic.

Abstract: Musical accompaniment is provided in different musical styles to the playing of an instrument, upon selection of one of the styles. A preferred tempo rate, or a range of acceptable tempo rates, are provided in response to selection of the musical style, causing the accompaniment to be sounded at or near a musically correct tempo in all cases. In one embodiment, a preferred tempo rate and a range of acceptable deviation from that rate are provided for each style, causing the accompaniment to be played at the preferred rate unless altered within the acceptable range by a performer.

Abstract: A method and associated apparatus for sounding music played by a performer according to a preselected style. Accompaniment notes having a harmonious tonal relationship to preselected melody and chord information are arranged into a plurality of groups. Appropriate accompaniment notes are selected from the groups in accordance with musically derived sequences and sounded for preselected periods of time so that the melody and chord chosen by the performer are sounded in accordance with a derived playing style.

Abstract: A method and associated apparatus for embellishing the melody played on an electronic musical keyboard instrument. A set of musically-derived tables relates harmonious accompaniment notes to the melody in accordance with the chosen harmony and is addressed to generate a signal that represents at least one appropriate accompaniment note. The latter signal causes sounding of selected accompaniment notes to produce the desired musical harmony. A choice of voicing style and an orchestration option are additionally provided within the scope of the apparatus and method herein.

Abstract: An electronic musical instrument by which a performer can provide a musical accompaniment in different musical styles. The performer selects a desired musical style and plays on a standard keyboard in order to express a desired harmony. The instrument translates the keyboard playing into a chord type and root that defines the harmony expressed by the performer. A processor generates parameter signals defining a segment of music including a plurality of accompaniment notes arranged in the selected musical style and related harmonically to the selected chord type and root. Output circuitry converts the parameter signals to sound so that a performer of limited skill or musical knowledge can play an appropriately-styled accompaniment to a melody written in any one of a variety of musical keys.