Abstract: Sets of waveform data of unit waveforms stored in a memory each include first and second loop waveform segments at both ends of a non-loop waveform segment and any one of the unit waveform data sets can be selectively readout from the memory. The waveform data set of a desired one of the unit waveforms is read out from the memory and is connected with another waveform preceding or following the read-out unit waveform using the first or second loop waveform segment in the read-out unit waveform. Thus, a smooth connection between the read-out unit waveform and the other waveform is achieved with ease. This is because the loop waveform can be smoothly connected with any other waveform through cross-fade synthesis or phase-matched connection technique performed at an appropriate point in the loop.

Abstract: A voice replacing method and system that uses the volume of the karaoke user's voice to control the volume of the lead singer's original vocal outputted to the audience. The volume of an original lead singer's voice is determined by the volume or vocal-amplitude level of the karaoke user's voice. The vocal-amplitude of the karaoke user is sensed using a vocal sensor. A vocal-amplitude digital waveform is created corresponding to the vocal-amplitude. A smoothed exponential waveform is created byan amplitudefollower corresponding to the digital waveform. The volume of the original lead singer's voice is adjusted by a sliding balance according to the smoothed exponential waveform. This exponential waveform allows for a continuous and smooth volume adjustment of the original lead singer's voice according to changes in volume of the karaoke user's voice.

Abstract: An initial note series is collected from a real-time source of musical input material such as a keyboard or a sequencer playing back musical data, or extracted from musical data stored in memory. The initial note series may be altered to create variations of the initial note series using various mathematical operations. The resulting altered note series, or other data stored in memory is read out according to one or more patterns. The patterns may have steps containing pools of independently selectable items from which random selections are made. A pseudo-random number generator is employed to perform the random selections during processing, where the random sequences thereby generated have the ability to be repeated at specific musical intervals. The resulting musical effect may additionally incorporate a repeated effect, or a repeated effect can be independently performed from input notes in the musical input material.

Abstract: The present invention describes methods and means for estimating the time-varying spectrum of an audio signal based on a conditional probability density function (PDF) of spectral coding vectors conditioned on pitch and loudness values. Using this PDF a time-varying output spectrum is generated as a function of time-varying pitch and loudness sequences arriving from an electronic music instrument controller. The time-varying output spectrum is converted to a synthesized output audio signal. The pitch and loudness sequences may also be derived from analysis of an input audio signal. Methods and means for synthesizing an output audio signal in response to an input audio signal are also described in which the time-varying spectrum of an input audio signal is estimated based on a conditional probability density function (PDF) of input spectral coding vectors conditioned on input pitch and loudness values.

Abstract: For use in a synthesizer having a wave source that produces a periodic wave, frequency shifting circuitry for frequency-shifting the periodic wave and waveshaping circuitry for transforming the periodic wave into a waveform containing a formant, the frequency-shifting causing displacement of the formant, a circuit for, and method of, compensating for the displacement and a synthesizer employing the circuit or the method. In one embodiment, the circuit includes bias circuitry, coupled to the wave source and the frequency shifting circuitry, that introduces a bias into the periodic wave based on a degree to which the frequency shifting circuitry frequency shifts the periodic wave, the bias reducing a degree to which the formant is correspondingly frequency-shifted.

Abstract: There are provided a tone source for generating tone signals in plural channels independently and effect impartment sections, provided in corresponding relations to the channels, for imparting individual effects to the tone signals of the channels generated by the tone source. Each of the effect impartment sections, in accordance with tone control information unique to the tone signal of the corresponding channel, controls a parameter of the effect to be imparted. In a case where any of the effect impartment sections uses a signal delaying memory to impart an effect, when a damping (or truncating process) is performed in any of the channels, the storage area to be used for the channel is switched to another unused storage area so as to prevent any preceding tone's is delayed signal from being undesirably mixed into the signal of a new tone.

Abstract: A digital wavetable audio synthesizer is described. The synthesizer can generate up to 32 high-quality audio digital signals or voices, including delay-based effects, at either a 44.1 KHz sample rate or at sample rates compatible with a prior art wavetable synthesizer. The synthesizer includes an address generator which has several modes of addressing wavetable data. The address generator's addressing rate controls the pitch of the synthesizer's output signal. The synthesizer performs a 10-bit interpolation, using the wavetable data addressed by the address generator, to interpolate additional data samples. When the address generator loops through a block of data, the signal path interpolates between the data at the end and start addresses of the block of data to prevent discontinuities in the generated signal. A synthesizer volume generator, which has several modes of controlling the volume, adds envelope, right offset, left offset, and effects volume to the data.

Abstract: A system and method for creating and composing musical works by selecting existing musical elements and applying modification modules to them. Existing musical selections reside in a database as metrics, or targets for the composition of new pieces. The present invention composes a new piece of music by, for example, specifying component musical features in the selected targets that should be modified or retained in creating the new work. Such musical features include, for example, rhythmic characteristics, harmonic characteristics, and the like. In this manner, a user who is, musically untutored is able to create satisfying, original works having desired characteristics as specified by the user.

Abstract: A sound synthesizer for a plucked string instrument simulates noises and transients produced before and after and during the transitions between notes. A particularly convincing synthesis of a plucked string instrument is produced by combining the transients into the final output. In particular, the transient tap tone and longitudinal vibration of the string resulting from the string pluck, and the damping tap tones resulting from the string damping, are all simulated. In one embodiment, the tap tone created upon attack and plucking of a string, is synthesized, and then used to stimulate a resonant circuit, thereby simulating both the pluck tap tone, and the transverse vibration of the string. In addition, the final damping transients which occur at the end of an articulated note are also simulated, using either an independent transient synthesis section, or by stimulating the resonant circuit with a tap tone, while simultaneously re-tuning that resonant circuit.

Abstract: A musical sound synthesizer generates a predetermined singing sound based on performance data. A compression device determines whether each of a plurality of phonemes forming the predetermined singing sound is a first phoneme to be sounded in accordance with a note-on signal indicative of a note-on of the performance data, and compresses a rise time of the first phoneme when the first phoneme is sounded in accordance with occurrence of the note-on signal of the performance data.

Abstract: A sound engine in a processor-based system utilizing real-time synthesis optimizes synthesis time, maximizes the number of fully-synthesized sound requests and preserves currently excessive sound requests. During synthesis, the sound engine attempts to full-synthesize all requests. If the sound engine determines that remaining sound requests are excessive and cannot be fully-synthesized, it preserves each excessive request by synthesizing a substitute waveform segment. If the sound engine determines that limiting the number of preserved requests is required, it synthesizes a concluding waveform segment for and then discards selected requests during selected synthesis intervals. Both substitute-synthesis and discarding of sound requests are achieved with minimized detrimental impact on ongoing sound performances.

Abstract: A tone generator chip is formed of a semiconductor substrate and is configurable under different operation modes in combination with memories accessible via external buses for generating a tone by using the memories. In the tone generator chip, a sound source block is controllable for generating a tone and includes a reading circuit for reading waveform data to generate the tone and a digital signal processing circuit for processing the waveform data to impart an effect to the tone. A central processing unit is integrated in the semiconductor substrate together with the sound source block for controlling the sound source block. A first access manager manages an access status from each of the reading circuit, the digital signal processing circuit and the central processing unit to a first external bus for access to a memory.

Abstract: In a musical tone control apparatus, musical tones to be generated are controlled according to musical tone control parameters which include an envelope that has been extracted and processed. The range of variation of the extracted envelope may be limited within a predetermined range, so that the musical tones are controlled according to the thus limited envelope. A key-on event of the input signal may be detected, and the timing of delivery of the processed envelope may be changed according to a length of time that elapses from a point of time when the key-on event is detected. The velocity of the input signal may also be detected, so that the musical tones are controlled according to the musical tone control parameters including one or more parameters altered according to the detected velocity and processed envelope.

Abstract: An audio apparatus extracts information of a musical performance from an acoustic signal having a frequency and an amplitude, which time-vary during the musical performance. In the audio apparatus, a filtering device has a plurality of filters which are set with different cutoff frequencies so as to pass different frequency ranges of the acoustic signal. A pitch detecting device is connected to the filtering device for processing the acoustic signal to detect therefrom a pitch. A controlling device operates according to the detected pitch fed back from the pitch detecting device for selecting one of the filters set with one of the different cutoff frequencies adapted to the pitch of the acoustic signal so that the pitch detecting device can detect the pitch based on the acoustic signal filtered by the selected filter. Further, the envelope detecting device has a plurality of envelope followers corresponding to the plurality of the filters.

Abstract: An electronic musical apparatus utilizes a central processing unit for working a player module, driver module, sound source module and timing module, while controlling a work load of the central processing unit. The player module provides a sequence of event data indicating an event of a music tone and timing data indicating an occurrence time of the event. The driver module is intermittently triggered to process the event data for creating control parameters reserved for use in generation of the music tone corresponding to the event data, and for determining an envelope of the music tone according to the control parameters, the envelope being also reserved for use in generation of the music tone. The sound source module is routinely triggered to load therein the reserved control parameters and the envelope for generating the music tone according to the timing data.

Abstract: This invention relates to a system and method for altering the harmonic referent of segments of a music composition while maintaining the register of the musical segments and their conformity to a harmonic rule-base. By combining the three novel notions of a "role-preserving" transformation "shape-preserving" transformation, and a "register" preserving transformation, a novel operation enabled by the present invention can be described. Essentially, the invention allows a pitch to be moved from one harmonic context to another. The pitches are then constrained to take on values that have the same harmonic function as their corresponding original pitches, while remaining, as much as possible, within the same register as their corresponding original pitches. Secondly, when a group of pitches are moved together as a melody, the operation can preserve not only the function and register of the pitches but the shape of the melody.

Abstract: A waveform generator LSI generates waveform data in units of time slots corresponding to tone generation channels in accordance with tone control data assigned to the individual channels, and accumulates waveform data for the individual channels to form at least one polyphonic tone data. The tone control data are updated by time division control in units of time slots of the channels. By suspending update of control data in the time slot of an unused channel in accordance with data indicating the used/unused status of each channel, switching of CMOS elements composing the waveform generator LSI is suppressed so that the LSI operates at low power. In a system using a waveform memory outside the waveform generator LSI, the read address to be supplied to the waveform memory in the time slot of an unused channel is fixed at a previous value, thus also attaining power savings of the external memory.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system and a method for tracking parameters of a synthesized ?an! audio signal that reduces the amount of processing time without causing any discernible degradation in the sound quality of the audio signal. An audio signal is intelligently divided into multiple time slices and the parameters of the audio signal are tracked over the duration of the time slice. The time slices are selected so that the actual characteristic of the parameters over the duration of the time slice can be easily approximated by performing simple, non-processor intensive steps. The characteristics of various components of an audio signal such as a volume envelope, pitch envelope, low frequency oscillator, MIDI commands controlling the audio signal, and various other inputs are used to identify control points. Adjacent control points are then selected as the start point and end point of a time slice.

Abstract: A musical tone waveform sample is generated at each sampling time by the use of a processing unit carrying out an arithmetic operation every repetition period that is longer than the sampling time. An envelope characteristic of a waveform of a musical tone to be generated is approximated by a polygonal line formed by a plurality of segments each of which has a length corresponding to the repetition period. An envelope value of a first waveform sample of waveform data of the musical tone to be generated for the repetition period is determined. The envelope value of the first waveform sample is multiplied by a predetermined attenuation factor to obtain an envelope value of a last waveform sample of the waveform data for the repetition period. Each of the segments of the polygonal line is determined by the envelope value of the first waveform sample and the envelope value of the last waveform sample. A difference between the envelope values of the first and last waveform samples is calculated.

Abstract: A tone signal generator includes a tone signal data generating device, a signal data generating device, and a sound effects imparting device, such as a digital signal processor. The sound effects are imparted to the tone signal data based on the signal data in such a way that the digital signal processor processes the tone signal data and the signal data by repeatedly multiplying and adding them. In the process, a signal data supplying device supplies the tone signal data to the signal data generating device so that the tone signal data is used in place of the signal data. The digital signal processor processes the first tone signal data generated by the tone signal generating device and the second tone signal device supplied by the signal data supplying device so that the sound effects are imparted to the first tone signal data based on the second tone signal data.

Abstract: To simulate sympathetic resonances for an electronic musical instrument, during the playing of free notes an excited notes, updating takes place of a first list (26) of free notes and their harmonics and of a second list (28) of excited notes ans their harmonics. At each activation of a free note, for each harmonic of said free note, is sought at least one identical harmonic of a note of the second list (28) and the playing of a sympathetic note is controlled with the pitch of each identical harmonic, and at each activation of an excited note, for each harmonic of said excited note, is sought at least one identical harmonic of a free note of the first lest (26) and the playing of a sympathetic note is controlled at the pitch of each identical harmonic.

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 linear approximation to an exponential decay function exploits the characteristic of an exponential function that, at equal time intervals, the ratio of a parameter value at the beginning of the interval to the parameter value at the end of the interval remains constant. The technique for linear approximation of an exponential decay includes selection of a constant period or interval of time and selection of a constant ratio between the parameter value at the beginning of the constant period and the parameter value at the end of the constant period. In one embodiment, the selected ratio is one-half to exploit a binary arithmetic implementation. For a ratio of one-half, the exponential decay has a "half-life" in which only half the parameter value at the beginning of a period is left at the end of the selected "half-life time period".

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for establishing a structured timbre base with a sound wave table and, more particularly, to a method for establishing a structured timbre data file provided for data of sound waves of every kind of instrument stored in a musical synthesizer with a sound wave table to achieve an effect of reducing memory allocation and simplifying hardware complexity, having the steps of: determining a fixed total length; specifying a keynote and obtaining a plurality of sound waves according to the characteristics of different instruments to proceed recording; setting a fixed loop length; searching for a complete sampling loop wave; deleting the end portion of every timbre data file; repeating the complete sampling loop wave several times and adding to the above deleted end portion; adding a mute signal in front of every timbre data file.

Abstract: In order to change an electronic sound between a piano sound generated without manipulation of a damper pedal and a piano sound generated under manipulation of the damper pedal, an electronic keyboard musical instrument assigns two tone generating channels to a depressed key for generating a fundamental tone signal representative of the piano sound generated by striking the set of strings and a resonating tone signal representative of a resonating sound generated through the resonance, and the resonating sound signal is mixed with the fundamental tone signal under manipulation of a pedal corresponding to the damper pedal, thereby making the electronic sound close to the piano sound.

Abstract: A musical sound producing device in an electronic musical instrument of stereophonic sampling system, including: an oscillator using status memory for storing each order of right and left oscillators which are being used for sound production, in accordance with an order of the sound production; a number-of-produced-sound memory register for storing each number of stereophonic sounds and a monophonic sound which are being produced at the same time by the oscillators memorized in the oscillator using status memory; and an oscillator assigning section for performing calculation in accordance with the numbers of the stereophonic sounds and the monophonic sound stored in the number-of-produced-sound memory register, switching at least one stereophonic sounds being produced over to monophonic sound, by damping an oscillator, when a musical sound is newly keyed on under a condition that the number of oscillators which are being used reaches a total number of oscillators, and assigning an oscillator damped by switchi

Abstract: A music system including a musical instrument, such as a keyboard strummer, in which the musical notes produced by the playing of the instrument are controlled by musical assistance data mapped unto the instrument keys and strum vanes from tracks specially prepared and synchronized with a prior performance of the piece. Modified mass media, such as CD ROM, TV signals and video cassettes are provided including synchronized note assist data and additional media, such as ROM packs or tone encoded audio cassettes or CDs, are provided with synchronizable note assist data for use with unmodified mass media.

Abstract: A performance information transmission system includes a performance information transmitter device and a performance information receiver device which are capable of correcting transmission errors in event information transmitted from the performance information transmitter device to the performance information receiver through a wire or radio communication. This correction does not require another transmission passes, cause a delay of the generation of the musical tone, or cause difficulties in restoring the burst error. The performance information transmitter device is equipped with state information generating device which generates state information for indicating the control state of a musical tone of a predetermined musical tone after a change has occurred in the event information. A transmit device transmits sequentially the event information and the state information generated by the state information generating device.

Abstract: An apparatus for processing the speech information includes a first execution device and a second execution device for executing operations at respective different execution cycles, and a first memory unit for reading and recording the speech information. The first execution device and the second execution device exploit the first memory unit in common for processing the speech information. The processing apparatus further includes a second memory unit for storage of the speech information from the first execution means or the speech information read out from the first memory unit. The first execution device records the speech information on or reads the speech information from the second memory unit during the execution cycle of the first execution device. The second execution device accesses the first memory unit during the execution cycle of the second execution device for outputting the special information to outside.

Abstract: A plurality of digital signal processors are provided in parallel relation to each other, and a series of operations for desired sound signal synthesis or processing is divided into a plurality of operation groups to be allocated to the signal processors. First and second buses are connected to each of the signal processors so that parameters necessary for the operations are distributively supplied to the signal processors via the first bus and the operation result of each of the signal processors is transferred to another digital signal processor or an output port via the second bus. One digital signal processor receives the output data from another digital signal processor via the second bus so as to perform a predetermined operation using the received data. The desired sound signal processing is thus executed by combinations of the operations performed by such signal processors.

Abstract: A tone signal generator including a memory for storing tone signal data, a parameter generation device for generating parameter data, and a tone signal data generation device for generating the tone signal data by reading it from the memory, according to the parameter data. The generator includes also a level monitor device for monitoring a level of the tone signal data, and access control device to the memory. The access control device inhibits an access of the tone signal generation device to the memory when the level monitor device detects that the level of the tone signal data monitored is less than a specified value.Because the access control device inhibits the access of the tone signal generation device when the level of the tone signal data reaches the specified value, any other devices, such as a cpu, can access to the memory device in place of the tone signal generation device.

Abstract: A wavetable audio synthesizer with means for eliminating zipper noise caused by large volume increments, especially at slower rates of volume increment. The wavetable audio synthesizer includes shift circuitry which stores the value of volume increment in binary format and shifts the value right when the shift circuitry is enabled. Shifting the increment value right divides the value by an amount based on the number of bit positions shifted. For example, in the preferred embodiment, the volume increment value is shifted right three positions, thereby dividing it by three and effectively reducing the increment value. When the synthesizer is programmed to increment the volume at a slow rate, preferably the shift circuitry is automatically enabled. Those volume increment bits which are shifted right may be added to the current value of the volume to provide more resolution to this value.

Abstract: A method of generating musical tones is provided. Data indicative of waveforms including at least a first predetermined waveform and a second predetermined waveform are stored in a first storage device such as a RAM. Data indicative of the first predetermined waveform and the second predetermined waveform are sequentially read from the first storage device, in response to a tone-generating command. The data indicative of the first predetermined waveform is read from the first storage device and stored in a second storage device, such as a cache memory, which is operable at a higher speed than the first storage device. The data indicative of the first predetermined waveform stored in the second storage device is repeatedly read from the second storage device, following the reading of the data indicative of the first predetermined waveform from the first storage device. Musical tones are generated based on the data read out by the first and second reading steps.

Abstract: A tone signal generator includes a plurality of tone generation channels, and a tone generation control data memory for storing instruction data for instructing tone generation or tone release and execution data for instructing execution thereof, for each tone generation channel. The tone signal generator also includes an execution device for executing the tone generation. The execution device executes the tone generation or the tone release for each tone generation channel at an assigned timing in the sampling cycle to the tone generation channel when the instruction data is written in the tone generation control data memory corresponding to the tone generation channel, and then the execution data is written in the memory corresponding to any tone generation channel. After the writing of the instruction data, the executing data is written into the memory. This executing data triggers the tone generation of channels where the instruction data has already been written.

Abstract: A start portion of sampled sound data is cleared, and the resultant sound data free from the start portion is modified into data increasing gradually from level "0". Thus, noise in the start portion of the recorded sound data is removed, and also sound data gradually increasing from level "0" at the start can be obtained, that is, a discontinuous point after the noise removal is precluded.

Abstract: According to the invention, formant waveform signals which are waveforms synthesized from frequency components corresponding to formants of musical tones, are stored and read out or generated. When such formant waveform signal is read out or generated, the density of frequency components of the formant of the formant waveform signal is controlled and also the frequency of a formant center signal which is to be synthesized is a center signal with the formant waveform signal is controlled. In this way, the formant waveform signal is synthesized on the formant center signal. Thus, the density of formant frequency components and the formant center signal frequency can be controlled separately and independently. Further, the kind of formant waveform signal is switched according to musical factors of musical tone. Thus, different kinds of formant waveform signals to be output are switched according to musical factors of musical tones.

Abstract: A frequency modulation (FM) tone signal generator for generating a FM tone signal is disclosed. The tone signal generator includes a waveform generator having a plurality of wave tables, a selector and an enveloper. The waveform generator furnishes a waveform signal in response to a phase angle address signal. Each wave table stores a different waveform. The selector selects one of the wave tables in response to a plurality of selection signals such that the selected wave table largely provides the waveform signal upon being addressed largely by the phase angle address signal. Selection of the selected wave table varies with each selection signal. The enveloper impresses an envelope signal on the waveform signal. The envelope signal is used as a carrier or modulator for generating the FM tone signal.

Abstract: Ratios of frequencies of frequency components of formant waveform signals are changed, and consonance of frequency components of a musical tone is controlled. Moreover, amplitudes, frequencies or numbers of formants are controlled depending upon the musical factors, making rich the contents for changing the musical tones.

Abstract: An apparatus for processing the speech information includes a first execution device and a second execution device for executing operations at respective different execution cycles, and a first memory unit for reading and recording the speech information. The first execution device and the second execution device exploit the first memory unit in common for processing the speech information. The processing apparatus further includes a second memory unit for storage of the speech information from the first execution device or the speech information read out from the first memory unit. The first execution device records the speech information on or reads the speech information from the second memory unit during the execution cycle of the first execution device. The second execution device accesses the first memory unit during the execution cycle of the second execution device for outputting the speech information to outside.

Abstract: An electronic musical instrument has a waveform memory, a CPU, a tone generator and a keyboard. The waveform memory stores a plurality of waveforms corresponding to musical parameters such as tone colors. The CPU controls the tone generator to generate musical tone signals in response to key-on and key-off events detected from the keyboard. The CPU detects legato performance when a plurality of keys of the keyboard are consecutively depressed and a key-on event is detected prior to a key-off event of the other key which has been previously depressed. When the legato performance is detected, under the control of the CPU, the waveform data except for the attack portion of the waveform are read out from the waveform memory in response to the key-on events which follow the first key-on event, and the musical tone signals are generated by the tone generator based on the read out waveform data.

Abstract: An electronic musical instrument has pedals, such as a damper pedal and a sostenuto pedal, and controls a read out musical tone in consonance with the position of a depressed pedal, thereby to provide the same effects as those provided by half pedal playing with an acoustic piano. The electronic musical instrument includes: a detector for detecting the position of a pedal; a memory for storing tone data that is selectable in consonance with the pedal position; a reading circuit for selecting and reading the tone data from the memory in consonance with the pedal position detected by the detector; and a tone generator for generating a musical tone by employing the tone data that are read by the reading circuit.

Abstract: An envelope extracting circuit extracts an envelope from the waveform sampled by a musical tone sampling circuit, and stores the envelope data into a memory. An envelope approximating circuit approximates the envelope data as stored in the memory by the function data such as linear or exponential function data. The original envelope is approximated by a limited number of function waveforms whose characteristics change at switching points.

Abstract: Analysis data are provided which are indicative of plural components making up an original sound waveform. The analysis data are analyzed to obtain a characteristic concerning a predetermined element, and then data indicative of the obtained characteristic is extracted as a sound or musical parameter. The characteristic corresponding to the extracted musical parameter is removed from the analysis data, and the original sound waveform is represented by a combination of the thus-modified analysis data and the musical parameter. These data are stored in a memory. The user can variably control the musical parameter. A characteristic corresponding to the controlled musical parameter is added to the analysis data. In this manner, a sound waveform is synthesized on the basis of the analysis data to which the controlled characteristic has been added. In such a sound synthesis technique of the analysis type, it is allowed to apply free controls to various sound elements such as a formant and a vibrato.

Abstract: A musical instrument produces nineteen tones in each octave, and the nineteen tones have respective fundamental frequencies regulated to a geometrical series of .sup.19 .sqroot.2 so as to be highly harmonized without difficult in performance.

Abstract: An envelope waveform producing circuit includes a ROM for storing a plurality of groups of parameter data, each group of parameter data defining a waveform of an envelope which includes data representing at least one of an attack rate and an attack level and data representing at least one of a decay rate and a sustain level, an address designator, connected with the ROM, for reading out a desired group of parameter data from the ROM to cause an envelope waveform to be produced in accordance with the parameter data read out, an UP/DOWN counter for selectively counting up and down from a preset value, a coincidence detector, connected with the UP/DOWN counter, for detecting coincidence between a counted value of the UP/DOWN counter and a predetermined value, a control circuit, connected with the UP/DOWN counter and the address designator, for controlling the address designator to read out desired parameter data and for controlling the UP/DOWN counter to count up or down from the preset value, and activation or

Abstract: A technique for digitally processing a counterpart of a musical sound first transforms a set of time-domain samples of the sound into frequency-domain counterparts, gradually coerces the frequency-domain counterparts into integer multiples of a fundamental frequency of the sound, and then, in each of a plurality of amplitude transition portions, gradually changes the amplitudes of the frequency-domain counterparts from the beginning to the end of each amplitude transition portion.

Abstract: According to the invention, a plurality of pieces of frequency modulation information are weighted independently and then synthesized. The individual pieces of synthesized frequency modulation information are weighted independently, and individual pieces of sound data that have been generation speed controlled according to the individual pieces of frequency modulation information are synthesized. In this way, the individual pieces of frequency modulation information are weighted independently. Thus, the individual weighting processes may be changed in various ways without mutual restriction to produce for various changes in the frequency modulation.

Abstract: A musical tone forming apparatus employed by an electronic musical instrument, comprises an external storage unit, a transfer DMA, a waveform RAM and a sound-source circuit. The external storage unit stores data representing a waveform of a musical tone, wherein the waveform comprises an attack portion and its remaining portion. The waveform RAM provides an attack-waveform storage area, exclusively used for storing attack-waveform data representing the attack portion, and a buffer storage area exclusively used for storing other waveform data representing the remaining portion. Before the production of the musical tone, the transfer DMA transfers the attack-waveform data to the waveform RAM, so that the attack-waveform data is stored in the attack-waveform storage area in advance.

Abstract: A electronic keyboard instrument for producing an artificial sound, including a plurality of keys; waveform-forming structure for generating a signal indicative of a waveform of an artificial sound corresponding to one of the keys, when the one of the keys is depressed; at least one operating element; detecting structure for detecting whether or not the at least one operating element is being operated; and waveform-modifying structure for modifying the signal indicative of the wave form depending on results of detection by the detecting structure, the waveform-modifying structure including envelope-determining structure for determining an envelope of the wave form of the artificial sound, and envelope-modifying structure for outputting a modification value used in changing an output from the envelope-determining structure depending on results of detection by the detecting structure.

Abstract: A circuit for adding a resonance tone to a tone signal to be generated is provided. When a damper operator is not operated, the resonance tone is not added but an ordinary tone signal is generated. When the damper operator has been operated, the resonance tone is added so that a tone signal including the resonance tone is generated. An effect of a damper operator, i.e., loud pedal, in a piano, a natural musical instrument, is thereby simulated with high fidelity. The resonance tone may be produced by passing an ordinary tone signal through a filter. Alternatively, data obtained by sampling an actually produced tone of a piano, a natural musical instrument, when a damper operator, i.e., loud pedal, is ON may be stored in a memory and a resonance tone may be generated by reading out the stored data from the memory. The signal of the generated resonance tone may be sounded by itself or after mixing with an ordinary tone signal at a suitable mixing ratio.