Abstract: The invention presents a rendition control apparatus that not only reduces processing so that processing is neither complicated nor complex, but also reduces the used storage region. The rendition control apparatus allows for differences in the timing over the passage of time when reproducing and rendering a continuous sound waveform, and renders sound waveforms naturally and with good rhythm, while making it possible to change the reproduction tempo freely.

Abstract: A method for generating a compressed or expanded waveform from original waveform data is disclosed. A plurality of frequency band-divided waveform data is generated from the original waveform data. Phase and amplitude data having periodically changing amplitudes are extracted for each of the plurality of frequency band-divided waveform data. The periodically changing phase data is converted to periodically changing frequency data, and a temporal change rate of the periodically changing amplitude and frequency data is adjusted for each of the plurality of frequency band-divided waveform data. The temporally adjusted amplitude and frequency data for the plurality of frequency band-divided waveform data is then combined to generate the compressed or expanded waveform.

Abstract: Wavetables for a wavetable synthesizer are divided into nonpaged and paged segments. The nonpaged segments are page locked in system memory, so that the wavetable may beginning playing when referenced. The paged segments are paged into memory as needed, and may be paged out of memory when no longer required. The segmentation of the wavetable is determined based on the maximum data rate for the wavetable and a maximum paging delay for the system. Wavetable segmentation is automatically tuned by monitoring actual paging delays and, taking into account a margin for error, updating the value of the maximum paging delay used to determine the required size for a nonpaged wavetable segment. An aggressive margin for error may be employed where an alternative mechanism is provided for handling overruns of the nonpaged wavetable segments.

Abstract: To eliminate the delay time from when a request is made for playing a prescribed tone until it is actually played. Tone data in which the beginning part of the data that generates one effect sound is uncompressed data and the remaining part is compressed data, is stored in a compressed data unit. An arithmetic processing unit reads the data stored in the compressed data unit and decides whether this data is compressed data. If the data is uncompressed data, the data is transferred via multiplexer 9 to speaker 50 and is played. While the uncompressed data is being played, the remaining data is transferred to an expansion unit, where expansion processing is performed on it. If the expansion-processed data requires later-stage processing, it is stored in a post-expansion data unit, and if no such processing is required, it is transferred via a multiplexer to a speaker and is played.

Abstract: A pitch of a tone to be generated is designated, and simultaneously control information to be used for time-axis stretch/compression control is generated. Discrete locations of waveform data to be read out from memory are designated with the time axis of the waveform data controlled to be stretched or compressed in accordance with the control information, and part of the waveform data at the designated locations are read out at a rate corresponding to the designated pitch. For example, virtual read addresses corresponding to the control information and actual read addresses corresponding to the designated pitch are generated, and the actual read addresses are controlled, at the individual discrete locations, to follow the virtual addresses.

Abstract: A music apparatus is constructed for generating a music tone at a specified pitch while freely contracting and expanding the music tone along a time axis. In the music apparatus, a waveform memory memorizes a music tone in the form of waveform data composed of a sequence of waveform units arranged in cycles along the time axis. Each waveform unit has a normalized cycle length. A read address generator generates a read address which successively increments at a rate corresponding to the specified pitch, thereby reading out the waveform data from the waveform memory according to the read address. A tone generator processes the read waveform data to generate the music tone at the specified pitch. A virtual address generator generates a virtual address effective to freely contract and expand the time axis of the waveform data.

Abstract: A signal representation method and apparatus for digital audio provides high quality low cost resampling by transferring the difficult interpolative computations into front-end (off-line) preprocessing, thereby reducing the load on the tone generating synthesis processor. This allows nearly perfect arbitrary-ratio resampling of stored waveforms at a fraction of the cost of prior art resampling. It also allows elimination of the prior art polyphase coefficient table since the waveform reconstruction information is fully contained within the polynomials. This is especially advantageous for execution on general purpose multi-tasking media processors.

Abstract: Some of the repetitively generated impulse response signals are inverted for their polarities, and particular harmonics only are erased/attenuated. The rate of generating the impulse response signals remains constant or changes relative to the pitch, and the tones of the fixed formant type or the tones of the moving formant type are selected. Both ends of the impulse response signals are cut off, whereby the impulse response signals are superposed one upon the other in a decreased amount, and the amount of operation decreases. A plurality of impulse response signals are synthesized to generate impulse response signals different from the impulse response signals of before being synthesized. The rate of generating the impulse response signals changes not in proportion to the pitch, and tones of the moving formant type or generated changing more mildly than a change in the pitch.

Abstract: A computerized music apparatus is installed with a program which is executed to perform reproduction of a musical tone by reading out a corresponding waveform. A storage is provided for storing a plurality of waveforms corresponding to different musical tones, each waveform being stored in the form of a sequence of amplitude value data arranged at a given sampling period. Tapping pads are provided for designating at least one of the stored waveforms to command reproduction of a corresponding one of the musical tones. A panel switch is operable by a user for switching the reproduction of the musical tone between a normal mode and an optional mode. A CPU is allotted with relatively high performance under the normal mode for concurrently reading out a number of the designated waveforms from the storage according to the program so as to concurrently reproduce the number of the corresponding musical tones.

Abstract: A pitch/tempo converting apparatus is constructed for concurrently changing a tempo and a pitch of an audio signal according to tempo designation information and pitch designation information. In the apparatus, a memory section memorizes the audio signal composed of original amplitude values sequentially sampled at original sampling points timed by an original sampling rate within an original frame period. A tempo converting section converts the original frame period into an actual frame period by varying a length of the original frame period according to the tempo designation information so as to change the tempo of the audio signal. A pitch converting section converts each of the original sampling points into each of actual sampling points by shifting each of the original sampling points according to the pitch designation information so as to change the pitch of the audio signal.

Abstract: Decimation and interpolation of pulse code modulated (PCM) digital audio samples is performed by periodically skipping or repeating a single PCM value. A random access memory (RAM) acting as a FIFO buffer memory outputs PCM samples in response to an address output from a counter. A predetermined number of PCM samples are output from the FIFO buffer by incrementing the counter at a constant rate. Decimation is performed by doubling the incrementing rate for one read interval, and interpolation is performed by halting the incrementing for one read interval. Modifying the incrementing rate of the counter provides an economical implementation of decimation and interpolation without introducing distortion.

Abstract: A musical tone generation apparatus creates musical-tone-waveform samples based on waveform samples stored in a waveform memory by each sampling period. Herein, a high-speed bus such as a PCI bus is provided for data transfer with regard to the waveform memory. A waveform buffer is provided to temporarily and selectively store the waveform samples which are read from the waveform memory. A sound source operates in accordance with time-division-channel timings which are provided by dividing a sampling period by a number of channels. The sound source performs interpolation calculations on the waveform samples of the waveform buffer to create a musical-tone-waveform sample in accordance with each time-division-channel timing with respect to each channel. The apparatus generates a read address whose value is changed in response to a pitch of a musical tone.

Abstract: An electronic musical instrument comprises a tone generator for generating a plurality of different digital waveform signals corresponding to different timbres, and a device for setting a plurality of ranges defined by two parameters, a first one of the parameters being a pitch parameter and a second one of the parameters being a key touch parameter. The parameters vary according to the musical performance, and a range for the pitch parameter in combination with a range for the key touch parameter respectively designating one of the plurality of different digital waveform signals having different timbres. An input device is provided for inputting the two parameters according to a musical performance.

Abstract: An electronic keyboard musical instrument is responsive to a step-on of a soft pedal so as to impart effects similar to those of a soft pedal of an acoustic piano to an electronic sound; a tone generator incorporated in the electronic keyboard musical instrument causes a series of waveform data codes to be read out at a higher speed so as to slightly increase the pitch of an electronic sound, an envelop generator to give a gentle envelop with a small attack and a long sustain to the electronic sound and a filter circuit to emphasize a certain high frequency component, thereby making the electronic sound to be quite close to the piano sound produced under the step-on of the soft pedal.

Abstract: A synthesizer system includes a CPU and host memory operating a software routine. The software routine stores a first part of each waveform signal in a sample pool of host memory and provides remaining portions of selected musical sounds from the hard drive to a stream cell array without an audio perceivable delay. The synthesizer system utilizes a caching system which allows low cost, high storage devices to be utilized in an audio synthesizer system. MIDI control signals are provided to an audio processor for selecting appropriate digital waveform signals.

Abstract: An electronic sound source comprises an adder which calculates a sum of volume data and differential volume data in response to each clock signal supplied at equal intervals of time and transfers it to a limiter and a volume register. The sum volume data is then limited to a predetermined value by the limiter and passed across a volume register to a volume controller where it is multiplied by an output of a mute processor.

Abstract: A digital signal processing for, e.g., tone synthesis or tone control is performed by reading a microprogram from a microprogram memory and executing a digital signal processing algorithm according to this microprogram using necessary coefficients. A first coefficient to be used in this digital signal processing is supplied by a coefficient supply section but this first coefficient is not used directly for execution of the algorithm. A second coefficient which is actually used is generated as a result of a predetermined interpolation operation by a coefficient interpolation section using the first coefficient as a target value. The second coefficient which is used for execution of the algorithm, therefore, changes timewise toward the first coefficient. This coefficient interpolation section is provided independently from the microprogram.

Abstract: A variable sample rate approximation technique is used for coding and recreating musical signals in a wavetable synthesizer. Many sounds inherently include one large fast transfer of energy followed by vibrations that dampen over time so that the bandwidth requirement of a musical sound is reduced with passing time. Using the variable sample rate approximation technique, musical sounds are classified into two categories, sustaining sounds and percussive sounds. A sustaining instrument creates a noisy stimulus then sustains the sound created by the noisy stimulus. A percussive instrument is also a noisy source and generates a sound signal having high frequencies that decay rapidly while sustaining instruments sustain at all frequencies nearly equally. The sustaining and percussive instruments have substantially different waveform characteristics but present similar conditions with respect to memory reduction.

Abstract: An electronic musical instrument comprises a tone generator for generating a plurality of different digital waveform signals corresponding to different timbres, and a device for setting a plurality of ranges defined by two parameters, a first one of the parameters being a pitch parameter and a second one of the parameters being a key touch parameter. The parameters vary according to the musical performance, and a range for the pitch parameter in combination with a range for the key touch parameter respectively designating one of the plurality of different digital waveform signals having different timbres. An input device is provided for inputting the two parameters according to a musical performance.

Abstract: A music system has a main system and a subsystem. The subsystem has a RAM which is capable of having waveform data read therefrom and written thereinto in a parallel manner. Waveform data are sequentially read from the RAM in an order in which the waveform data have been written into the RAM. Musical tones are synthesized based on the read waveform data. The main system has an external memory device storing waveform data, and determines packets into which waveform data to be transferred from the external memory device to the RAM for generation of musical tones is to be divided, based on a writing time period required for a unit data to be written into the first memory means and a reading time period required for the unit data to be read from the RAM. Waveform data are sequentially read from the external memory device in the determined packets. The read waveform data are sequentially written into the RAM at areas thereof from which previously stored waveform data have been read.

Abstract: A method for shifting the timbre and/or pitch of an input signal samples the input signal at a first rate and stores the samples in a memory buffer. A digital signal processor resamples the stored input signal at a rate that differs from the first rate at which the input note is originally sampled and stores the resampled input signal in a second memory buffer. A pitch shifter shifts the pitch of the input signal by periodically scaling the resampled input signal by a window function to create an output signal. The rate at which the resampled data is replicated by the window function determines the pitch of the output signal.

Abstract: A musical sound generating device has a waveform memory to store musical sound waveform data to be read-out repeatedly between a loop-top address (integral address) and a loop-end address (integral address). The same musical sound waveform data is stored at the loop-top address and the loop-end address. An address computing circuit computes a read-out address, including a decimal part, to repeatedly read out the musical sound waveform data stored between the loop-top address and the loop-end address in the waveform memory. An interpolating circuit carries out interpolation if the read-out address generated by the address computing circuit includes a decimal part. Interpolation is carried out by dividing in proportion the musical sound waveform data read out from the waveform memory using an integral part of the read-out address and the musical sound waveform data read out from the waveform memory using a value obtained by adding 1 to the integral part of the read-out address according to the decimal part.

Abstract: A method for shifting the timbre and/or pitch of an input signal samples the input signal at a first rate and stores the samples in a memory buffer. A digital signal processor resamples the stored input signal at a rate that differs from the first rate at which the input note is originally sampled and stores the resampled input signal in a second memory buffer. A pitch shifter shifts the pitch of the input signal by periodically scaling the resampled input signal by a window function to create an output signal. The rate at which the resampled data is replicated by the window function determines the pitch of the output signal.

Abstract: An electronic musical instrument comprises a tone generator for generating a plurality of different digital waveform signals corresponding to different timbres, and a device for setting a plurality of ranges defined by two parameters, a first one of the parameters being a pitch parameter and a second one of the parameters being a key touch parameter. The parameters vary according to the musical performance, and a range for the pitch parameter in combination with a range for the key touch parameter respectively designating one of the plurality of different digital waveform signals having different timbres. An input device is provided for inputting the two parameters according to a musical performance.

Abstract: While a sound waveform is reproductively read out from a waveform memory in accordance with a readout rate designated in correspondence to a desired pitch, scratch control data for controlling readout rate and readout direction are generated using a manual controller or an envelope function generator. In accordance with the scratch control data, the readout rate is changed. The thus-changed readout rate is of a positive or negative value depending on a factor that controls the readout direction. Readout from the waveform memory of the waveform data is controlled on the basis of the changed readout rate so that, when the changed rate is of a positive value, the waveform data are read out from the memory in the forward direction at a readout speed corresponding to the rate value, and when the changed rate is of a negative value, the waveform data are read out from the memory in the reverse direction. Further, when the changed rate is zero, the waveform data readout is stopped.

Abstract: A device for reading sound waveform data has a waveform ROM for storing waveform data represented as an amplitude in a time series. Sound waveform data is repeatedly read from the waveform ROM. The reading of a single waveform corresponds to a single period. A scale ROM stores a plurality of frequency dividing ratios. A programmable counter divides a signal having a predetermined frequency in correspondence with a frequency dividing ratio output by the scale ROM and outputing a clock pulse. A counter counts the clock pulses and indicates the addresses of the waveform ROM. The scale ROM changes the frequency dividing ratio data during an arbitrary divided period of intervals in the period for reading the waveform data. During the period for reading the waveform by the counters, the sound waveform read out has a single frequency and accordingly a single period. The waveform reading period is divided into m number of intervals.

Abstract: A waveform-forming device has a waveform memory storing a plurality of blocks of waveform samples representative of a waveform of a musical tone. Each block is formed of at least one non-compressed waveform sample and a plurality of compressed waveform samples. A pitch of a musical tone to formed is taken in. The waveform samples are read out block by block from the waveform memory, based on the pitch taken in. The compressed waveform samples contained in each block are converted into non-compressed waveform samples. The waveform of the musical tone is formed from the at least one non-compressed waveform sample of each block and the non-compressed waveform samples obtained by the conversion.

Abstract: The position of a connecting portion between waveforms can be arbitrarily set when a plurality of waveform data is obtained by changing pitch widths of stored external sound waveform data, when a read rate of the waveform data is increased or decreased and the readout waveform data is synthesized, or when the waveform is changed from one waveform to another waveform. In addition, a plurality of loop reproduction cycles can be arbitrarily set when the waveform data is to be read out. In loop reproduction, two items of waveform data having different phases between the preset start and end addresses can be repeatedly read out and synthesized, and their mixing ratios can be changed as a function of time, thereby performing loop reproduction so as not to abruptly change amplitude values of the waveforms.

Abstract: Sine waves are generated by a port circuit processor of a telephone switching office by accessing a look-up table stored in a memory associated with the port circuit processor. Entries in the look-up table are accessed by using table steps or .DELTA.'s which correspond to the frequencies of the sine waves to be generated. The table steps or .DELTA.'s are changed for different sine wave frequencies and may be changed each bit period. Whether changed or not, a first fractional portion of the table step or .DELTA. for the previous frequency is combined with a second fractional portion of the table step or .DELTA. for the current frequency with the first and second fractional portions adding up to one. In this way, an X sample per second data stream, X equaling the base sample rate of the look-up table, that precisely matches a Y bits per second rate, Y equaling the transmission rate of the data stream, is generated.

Abstract: In a waveform memory, data representing a silent state, e.g., zero value data, is stored in a predetermined first address area and waveform data is stored in a second address area. In response to designation of tone generation, the data representing a silent state is read from a desired number of address locations and, thereafter, tone waveform data is read from a second address area. By this control, time during which the data representing a silent state is read out, i.e., delay time, is determined by the number of address locations and, therefore, absolute time of the delay time is not constant but corresponds to an amount progress of the address signal, i.e., its phase amount. Accordingly, phase relation in a key-on delay can be made independent from tone pitch.

Abstract: In an apparatus capable of generating a tone by a plurality of different tone generation processing modes, the respective tone generation processing modes are arbitrarily assigned in units of tone generation channels so as to efficiently utilize the tone generation channels. In particular, as one of the tone generation processing modes, a waveform readout processing such as a PCM method is used. As another processing mode, a tone generation processing mode for converting an output obtained by mixing a modulation signal in a carrier signal at an arbitrary ratio in accordance with a predetermined functional relationship to generate a tone signal is used. In this mode, when the mixing ratio is set to be a predetermined value, the tone signal has a sine or cosine wave. Various tones such as a tone including a single sine or cosine wave component, a tone including harmonic components of high orders, and the like can be widely synthesized, and can be desirably assigned to the tone generation channels.

Abstract: A tone signal generator utilizing ancillary memories for an electronic musical instrument system has a source memory storing a long and continuous waveform data and two ancillary memories each capacity of which is smaller than that of the source memory. A portion of the continuous waveform data from the source memory is written into one of the ancillary memories. After completion of the writing operation, the written waveform data is read out for tone production, and simultaneously another portion of the continuous waveform data is written into the other of said ancillary memories. The repetition of such operation make it possible to reproduce a long and continuous tone waveform in spite of the small capacity of the ancillary memories.

Abstract: An acoustic data output device comprises an addressable memory for storing acoustic data. A plurality of clock signals are coupled to count separate address counters of a number corresponding to the number of clock signals. A signal selector is responsive to the clock signals for providing an address counter selection signal, whereby at any given time the selection signal corresponds to a separate one of the address counters. An addressing device is responsive to the address counter selection signal for selectively addressing the addressable memory with the count of the corresponding address counter. A separate data latch corresponds to each address counter and the data latches are coupled to receive the output of said addressable memory. The outputs of the data latches are synchronized with the clock signal corresponding thereto.

Abstract: A waveform generating device applicable to musical tone generating circuitry employed in electronic musical instruments is disclosed. The device digitally stores sampled waveform data. The data is read out and the musical tone having a different pitch is generated according to a pitch-sampling rate asynchronous system.

Abstract: The position of a connecting portion between waveforms can be arbitrarily set when a plurality of waveform data is obtained by changing pitch widths of stored external sound waveform data, when a read rate of the waveform data is increased or decreased and the readout waveform data is synthesized, or when the waveform is changed from one waveform to another waveform. In addition, a plurality of loop reproduction cycles can be arbitrarily set when the waveform data is to be read out. In loop reproduction, two items of waveform data having different phases between the preset start and end addresses can be repeatedly read out and synthesized, and their mixing ratios can be changed as a function of time, thereby performing loop reproduction so as not to abruptly change amplitude values of the waveforms.

Abstract: An electronic musical instrument having fewer note generators than notes stores in a sequentially addressable memory different waveform segments corresponding to different sounds. The note generators are time multiplexed by a processor, and use end addresses of current waveform segments to determine whether each current sample to be read is within the desired waveform segment. This limits the ability to noiselessly and rapidly move between segments. It is accommodated by storing a copy of the waveform segments in a readily shifted direction for immediate playout and subsequent shift to the destination waveform segment while reading the copy. This allows for cluster switching and scanning of waveform cycles to control a modulation of the base note, such as attack or tremulant, independently of the base note pitch.

Abstract: An electronic musical instrument capable of generating a musical tone sounded from a string instrument played with bow provides a memory and a bowing control for inputting bowing operation information indicative of a bowing direction, i.e., up-bow and down-bow. The memory pre-stores musical tone waveform data representative of musical tone waveforms generated by playing the string instrument with bow. Then, by reading out the musical tone waveform data by the speed corresponding to pitch information, a musical tone signal corresponding to the read musical tone waveform data is to be generated. Based on the bowing direction, the tone color of the musical tone signal is to be controlled.

Abstract: This invention realizes a musical instrument, automatically transposing the pitches of the sounds reproduced from the musical instruments played by a performer, based on the pitch changes of the reproduced sounds caused by the changes in the reproduction speeds of audio equipment.Thus, this invention enables a performer to play an electronic musical instrument at a desired speed without having to retune it, when performer play musical instrument accompanying music sound reproduced by audio equipment.

Abstract: A music tone pitch shift apparatus which converts an original audio signal into digital data by way of pulse code modulation (PCM), shifting the pitch, and converting the pitch shifted digital data into an analog signal. The PCM digital data is stored in a ring memory at a given sampling speed, and is read out of the memory by a pair of identical read circuits at a common read addressing speed corresponding to the desired pitch. One of the read circuits starts reading from the opposite address location to the other on the ring memory. Since the read addressing speed is set faster than the write addressing speed when increasing the pitch, and vice versa, overtaking or lapping between the addresses could occur.

Abstract: The position of a connecting portion between waveforms can be arbitrarily set when a plurality of waveform data is obtained by changing pitch widths of stored external sound waveform data, when a read rate of the waveform data is increased or decreased and the readout waveform data is synthesized, or when the waveform is changed from one waveform to another waveform. In addition, a plurality of loop reproduction cycles can be arbitrarily set when the waveform data is to be read out. In loop reproduction, two items of waveform data having different phases between the preset start and end addresses can be repeatedly read out and synthesized, and their mixing ratios can be changed as a function of time, thereby performing loop reproduction so as not to abruptly change amplitude values of the waveforms.

Abstract: A device for changing and controlling the rate of generating waveform data wherein rate changing data such as phase angle step data corresponding to steps, wherein each pair of contiguous steps has an interval smaller than a preset interval, are necessary. The necessary rate changing data of interval other than the preset rate changing data is obtained by effecting an interpolation from the preset rate changing data. Accordingly, it becomes unnecessary to store the rate changing data obtained by performing the interpolation, and thus, the quantity of the phase angle step data SD to the stored can be greatly reduced.

Abstract: The position of a connecting portion between waveforms can be arbitrarily set when a plurality of waveform data is obtained by changing pitch widths of stored external sound waveform data, when a read rate of the waveform data is increased or decreased and the readout waveform data is synthesized, or when the waveform is changed from one waveform to another waveform. In addition, a plurality of loop reproduction cycles can be arbitrarily set when the waveform data is to be read out. In loop reproduction, two items of waveform data having different phases between the preset start and end addresses can be repeatedly read out and synthesized, and their mixing ratios can be changed as a function of time, thereby performing loop reproduction so as not to abruptly change amplitude values of the waveforms.

Abstract: Disclosed is a musical tone signal generating apparatus for an electronic musical instrument. When waveforms are switched to change a tone color in correspondence with a change in pitch, waveforms are switched not simultaneously with a change in pitch but when waveform data corresponding to a loop end address is read out, and a peak value of the waveform falls within a predetermined range or a zero-crossing point is detected, thereby smoothly switching waveforms. The pitch is also changed at the above-mentioned timing to prevent generation of an unnecessary tone color upon switching. Furthermore, waveforms are switched by cross-fade control to more smoothly switch output waveforms.

Abstract: An electrical waveform generator and a method for electrical waveform generation are provided which includes a central processing unit (13) to first provide sequential points of a selectable waveform in digital form and store them in digital memory (15). A memory controller (14) then generates the waveform by sequencing those points through a digital to analog converter (17). Previous instruments required large memory capacity to handle all of the data points necessary to produce a wide variety of waveforms. The present invention uses mathematical notation to define and store selectable waveforms and calculates the data points when a curve is selected or defined for use. Memory controller (14) uses concatenated looping during the sequencing of points to the converter (17) for the purpose of making the data memory (15) more efficient.

Abstract: A tone generation control unit has four waveform read/write channels for selectively the reading or writing data in a waveform memory. A plurality of waveform signals stored in the waveform memory are converted into analog signals to be subjected to timbre and tone volume control through voltage-controlled filters and voltage-controlled amplifiers before being fed to a mixing adder. An output signal of the mixing adder is converted into a digital signal which is stored in the waveform memory again through processing of the tone generation control unit. The stored converted output from the mixing adder is later used again as a new sound source waveform which is operated on to produce tones.

Abstract: An instrument which automatically generates plucking sounds responsive a player's manual fingering operation performed on an electronic stringed instrument, and also to a memory instrument which stores plucking data for generating the plucking sounds. When fingering operation is performed on a fingerboard, an output section thereof outputs pitch data. Plucking data are sequentially read out from a memory section thereof. On the basis of the pitch data and the plucking data, a musical tone generating section automatically and sequentially generates plucking sounds each having a tone pitch corresponding to the pitch data, without a manual plucking operation of the player.

Abstract: A frequency number corresponding to the frequency of a tone intended to be sounded is accumulated in an accumulator at every calculation timing of a constant interval to produce values progressing at a rate corresponding to the tone frequency. At this rate, waveform amplitude value samples are sequentially produced one after another in a tone producing section using the output of the accumulator as phase angle data. A reset circuit is provided in connection with the accumulator and this circuit functions to compulsorily reset the progressing values in the accumulator to its initial value in response to a carry out signal generated at the calculation timing when the phase angle data has reached its predetermined modulo value. Thus the period of progress of the phase angle data is harmonized with the calculation timing, i.e., the sampling timing.

Abstract: An electronic musical instrument includes a plurality of address generators for producing address signals corresponding to different tones each varying at a rate synchronous with the frequency of each of the different tones, a waveform memory device including a plurality of addresses for storing at respective addresses a plurality of waveform sample values that constitute a waveform, a circuit for sequentially supplying one after another of the address signals to the waveform memory device to read out the waveform in different rates in a time division multiplexed manner for different tones, and musical tone forming circuits for forming musical tones in accordance with the time division multiplexed waveform outputs of the waveform memory device.

Abstract: An electronic musical instrument includes circuitry for modifying an ordinary address signal which changes at a uniform rate over one cycle of a waveform, into a modified address signal whose rate varies in one cycle of the waveform by the use of a modification signal.The modified address signal accesses a storage device such as a ROM in which waveform data is stored, thereby producing the modified waveform data from the storage device. The modification signal is obtained from the ordinary address signal through a predetermined logic circuit.

Abstract: In a keyboard musical instrument employing waveform memory, a user may program the number and order of waveforms to be sequentially read out from a waveform memory containing a plurality of different waveforms.