Abstract: A chord estimation apparatus includes: frequency-component extraction means for extracting a frequency component from an input music signal; scale-component information generation means for mapping the frequency component extracted by the frequency-component extraction means onto each tone and generating scale-component information including each tone and loudness thereof; folding means for folding the scale-component information generated by the scale-component information generation means for each two octaves to generate scale-component information including 24 tones; and chord estimation means for inputting the scale-component information including 24 tones into a Bayesian network in order to estimate a chord.

Abstract: An intonation training device for training musicians in just intonation. As disclosed, the device is a pocket-sized portable device with an audio output and a user interface which includes an LCD display and a device such as a push button for selecting an item from a menu. When the device is turned on, the LCD display indicates a key and the device emits a sustained pure chord in the key. The user can use the menu item selection device to select another key and the training device then continuously emits the chord in the just scale for that key. The selected key appears in the LCD display. Implementations disclosed include an implementation that employs stored samples of the chords, an implementation in which the chords are generated from waveforms, and an implementation in a portable pocket-sized multimedia asset player.

Abstract: A music selecting apparatus and method, which are capable to indicate a music piece matching with the sensitivities of the user. A degree of chord change is stored as data for each of a plurality of music pieces, a sensitivity word for music selection is set in accordance with an input operation, and a music piece having the chord change degree corresponding to the set sensitivity word is detected in accordance with the chord change degree of each of the plurality of music pieces.

Abstract: An intonation training device for training musicians in just intonation. As disclosed, the device is a pocket-sized portable device with an audio output and a user interface which includes an LCD display and a device such as a push button for selecting an item from a menu. When the device is turned on, the LCD display indicates a key and the device emits a sustained pure chord in the key. In a preferred embodiment, the pure chord is a perfect fifth in the just scale for the key. To train his or her intonation, the user then plays a sequence of notes in the key, adjusting his or her intonation while playing to eliminate beats between the note being played and the chord being emitted by the training device. In other embodiments, the device may emit a third in the just scale for the key. The user can use the menu item selection device to select another key and the training device then continuously emits the chord in the just scale for that key. The selected key appears in the LCD display.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for making music data each perform converting an input audio signal indicative of a music piece into a frequency signal indicative of magnitudes of frequency components at predetermined time intervals; extracting frequency components corresponding to tempered tones respectively at the predetermined time intervals from the frequency signal; detecting two chords each formed by a set of three frequency components as the first and second chord candidates, the three frequency components having a large total level of the frequency components corresponding to the extracted tones; and smoothing trains of the detected first and second chord candidates to produce music data.

Abstract: CPU 31 reads out plural chord data which are stored in external storage device 34 or the like and represent a series of chords, and presents to a user the chords represented by the chord data. In presenting the chords to the user, display 21 or external displayer 53 displays chord names along with a score or a lyric, or energizes key-press lamps 14 corresponding to the chord tones constituting the chords. External storage device 34 or the like is provided with a chord conversion table for converting hard-to-play chords to easy-to-play chords. In presenting the chords, CPU 31 presents the chords converted with the use of the chord conversion table. In this case, the hard-to-play chords may be controlled rank by rank or may be designated by the user. Thus, when chords are presented to a user, the user can perform chord playing smoothly at all times even if the user is a beginner player.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for searching for a music piece which includes a storing device for storing first chord progression music data for a plurality of music pieces representing chronological changes in chords in the music pieces. Second chord progression music data representing chronological changes in at least a part of chords in a music piece is produced, the first chord progression music data for the plurality of music pieces stored and the second chord progression music data are compared on the basis of the amount of change in the root of a chord in a chord transition and the attribute of the chord after the transition in order to calculate a similarity for each of the plurality of music pieces, and a search output corresponding to a result of the calculation for each of the plurality of music pieces is produced.

Abstract: A musical tone signal generating apparatus enabling a user to designate a desired chord in a selected key of a piece of music with a simple operation such as operating a numeric key. A chord assigning section assigns numeric keys with respective ones of numeric keys in a key of a piece of music selected by a key selecting section. When any of the numeric keys is operated, a performance control unit reads out, from a chord table, note numbers of chord tones constituting the diatonic chord assigned to the operated numeric key, and outputs sounding instruction data including tone pitch data. In timing in which the sounding instruction data is inputted, a tone generator generates musical tone signals according to the tone pitch data, and causes via a sound system a speaker to sound musical tones.

Abstract: An automatic musical composition classification device and method that allow a plurality of musical compositions to be automatically classified based on the melody similarity. Chord progression pattern data representing a chord progression sequence for each of the plurality of musical compositions are saved, chord-progression variation characteristic amounts are extracted for each of the plurality of musical compositions in accordance with the chord progression pattern data, and the plurality of musical compositions are grouped in accordance with the chord progression sequence represented by the chord progression pattern data of each of the plurality of musical compositions and with the chord-progression variation characteristic amounts.

Abstract: A play data editing device edits play data according to a characteristic of a speaker. The play data editing device includes a dividing unit (301) for dividing first play data into second play data per channel; a classifying unit (302) for classifying the second play data into a rhythm part, a melody part, and a base part; a chord processing unit (303) for converting a number of chords of the second play data corresponding to the melody part according to the characteristic of the speaker; a velocity processing unit (304) for converting a velocity of the second play data corresponding to the rhythm part according to the characteristic of the speaker; and a sound range processing unit (305) for shifting a sound range of the second play data corresponding to the base part according to the characteristic of the speaker.

Abstract: The computer-implemented system stores user performance data representing multiple parts. The system also stores style data representing various different musical accompaniments that are displayed in a style data window. The user selectively copies constituent parts of the style data into a user performance data window, thereby incorporating the copied parts into the performance data. Tone pitches and musical length of the copied parts are automatically modified to suit the chord information and timing represented in the existing performance data. As the user records performance data, the on-screen start switch is displays differently (e.g., different color) to show whether the specific part corresponds to a recording part or a non-recording part.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for detecting the structure of a music piece which produces partial music data pieces each including a predetermined number of consecutive chords starting from a position of each chord in chord progression music data; compares the partial music data pieces with the chord progression music data to calculate degrees of similarity for each of the partial music data pieces; detects a position of a chord in the chord progression music data where the calculated similarity degree indicates a peak value higher than a predetermined value for each of the partial music data pieces; and calculates the number of times that the calculated similarity degree indicates a peak value higher than the predetermined value for all the partial music data pieces for each chord position in the chord progression music data to produce a detection output representing the structure of the music piece.

Abstract: In a music video game, a player's performance is digitally sampled while the player performs a musical composition. The player's performance is compared with a reference performance of the musical composition provided by the music video game. Performance feedback is presented to the player based on the results of the comparison. In some embodiments, sample times associated with digital samples of the player's live vocal performance are compared against timestamps of data records embedded or otherwise accompanying the reference performance audio track. Pitch and rhythm information is retrieved from the data record having a timestamp that most closely matches the sample time of interest. The pitch and rhythm data is used to compute pitch and rhythm errors, which are used to generate performance evaluation data. The performance evaluation data is used to present performance feedback to the player while the player is performing the musical composition.

Abstract: CPU 31 reads out plural chord data which are stored in external storage device 34 or the like and represent a series of chords, and presents to a user the chords represented by the chord data. In presenting the chords to the user, display 21 or external displayer 53 displays chord names along with a score or a lyric, or energizes key-press lamps 14 corresponding to the chord tones constituting the chords. External storage device 34 or the like is provided with a chord conversion table for converting hard-to-play chords to easy-to-play chords. In presenting the chords, CPU 31 presents the chords converted with the use of the chord conversion table. In this case, the hard-to-play chords may be controlled rank by rank or may be designated by the user. Thus, when chords are presented to a user, the user can perform chord playing smoothly at all times even if the user is a beginner player.

Abstract: This device (1) enables the user to personalize the call signal (ringing) which it is called on to deliver. This personalization consists of transforming a melody (FIG. 1) which the user hums into his microphone in order to transform it into a polyphonic melody (FIG. 8). Application: Ringing for mobile telephones.

Abstract: An automatic accompaniment apparatus includes: a storage unit for storing accompaniment style data including basic accompaniment data for automatic accompaniment and replacement accompaniment data to be reproduced in place of the basic accompaniment data; and a reproducing unit for reading the stored accompaniment style data and reproducing the read accompaniment style data, the reproducing unit reproducing the read accompaniment style data by replacing a portion thereof with the replacement accompaniment data. The automatic accompaniment apparatus can generate derivative accompaniment style data from original accompaniment data with ease.

Abstract: For both an automatic chord correction and an automatic composition, it is required to correct a part of a series of given chords in order to have a musically natural connection between adjacent chords. A series of chords “a”, “b”, “c”, “d”, “e”, “f” (each letter means one kind of chords) for a music is selected by a user. If two chords “c” and “d” among the series of chords “a”, “b”, “c”, “d”, “e”, “f” are changed into different ones, according to the user's preference or to make them more appropriate to the motif melody, the chord “b” adjacent to the changed “c” is automatically corrected into “b*” so that both chord connections from “a” to “b*” and from “b*” to the changed “c” can be more musically natural.

Abstract: A musical instrument and a method of operating it. An instrument and method which retunes and adjusts volumes in response to the chord being sustained and the way that chord is voiced. The instrument is capable of producing tones, the intervals between which are equal tempered intervals of a twelve note octave, and tones, the intervals between at least some of which are determined by identifying at least selected ones of the notes the instrument is being commanded to produce. The method includes identifying the at least selected ones of the notes the instrument is being commanded to produce, providing a map for mapping the identified notes to a chord type, identifying a note in that chord type, and substituting a frequency closer to a harmonic of the identified note for the frequency of at least one harmonic of at least one other note the instrument is being commanded to produce.

Abstract: CPU 31 reads out plural chord data which are stored in external storage device 34 or the like and represent a series of chords, and presents to a user the chords represented by the chord data. In presenting the chords to the user, display 21 or external displayer 53 displays chord names along with a score or a lyric, or energizes key-press lamps 14 corresponding to the chord tones constituting the chords. External storage device 34 or the like is provided with a chord conversion table for converting hard-to-play chords to easy-to-play chords. In presenting the chords, CPU 31 presents the chords converted with the use of the chord conversion table. In this case, the hard-to-play chords may be controlled rank by rank or may be designated by the user. Thus, when chords are presented to a user, the user can perform chord playing smoothly at all times even if the user is a beginner player.

Abstract: An automatic accompaniment apparatus includes: a storage unit for storing accompaniment style data including basic accompaniment data for automatic accompaniment and replacement accompaniment data to be reproduced in place of the basic accompaniment data; and a reproducing unit for reading the stored accompaniment style data and reproducing the read accompaniment style data, the reproducing unit reproducing the read accompaniment style data by replacing a portion thereof with the replacement accompaniment data. The automatic accompaniment apparatus can generate derivative accompaniment style data from original accompaniment data with ease.

Abstract: A musical instrument and a method for automatically playing a musical accompaniment by guiding smoother and easier chord patterns to play. The present invention indicates chord forms which realize smoothest fingering after analyzing a chord following the present chord to determine whether the present chord should employ a root position or an inverted position for the smoothest fingering. Another feature of the present invention is to indicate chord forms which are selected to realize less movement of the player's hand after analyzing the former chord to determine a chord position (root position or inverted position) of the present chord which is the closest to the former position.

Abstract: A chord detection apparatus for an electronic musical instrument has a hand keyboard for hand operation, a foot keyboard for foot operation, a hand-keyboard detection unit for detecting a temporary hand-keyboard chord root and a temporary hand-keyboard chord type in accordance with operation of the hand keyboard, a foot-keyboard detection unit for detecting a temporary foot-keyboard bass root in accordance with operation of the foot keyboard, and a determination unit for determining a true chord root and a true chord type, and the presence/absence of a bass root in accordance with the temporary hand-keyboard chord root, the temporary hand-keyboard chord type, and the temporary foot-keyboard bass root.

Abstract: A chord performance training system is realized on a personal computer having a display and a keyboard in accordance with music application software. The display provides a user with three types of windows on a screen, namely a main window for displaying chord progression, a select window for displaying a list of genre names for selection and a score window for displaying a score. On the select window, the user selects a specific single genre name to activate model performance information containing chord parts, a percussion part, a chord text and a song text, so that the main window shows chord progression representing chord names and generation timings of chords which are to be sequentially played by the user. Multiple sets of model performance information are provided to suit to different levels, namely a beginners' level and an expert level, which are set to the user in playing chord performance on the keyboard.

Abstract: A chord detection apparatus for an electronic musical instrument has a hand keyboard for hand operation, a foot keyboard for foot operation, a hand-keyboard detection unit for detecting a temporary hand-keyboard chord root and a temporary hand-keyboard chord type in accordance with operation of the hand keyboard, a foot-keyboard detection unit for detecting a temporary foot-keyboard bass root in accordance with operation of the foot keyboard, and a determination unit for determining a true chord root and a true chord type, and the presence/absence of a bass root in accordance with the temporary hand-keyboard chord root, the temporary hand-keyboard chord type, and the temporary foot-keyboard bass root.

Abstract: A chord performance training system is realized on a personal computer having a display and a keyboard in accordance with music application software. The display provides a user with three types of windows on a screen, namely a main window for displaying chord progression, a select window for displaying a list of genre names for selection and a score window for displaying a score. On the select window, the user selects a specific single genre name to activate model performance information containing chord parts, a percussion part, a chord text and a song text, so that the main window shows chord progression representing chord names and generation timings of chords which are to be sequentially played by the user. Multiple sets of model performance information are provided to suit to different levels, namely a beginners' level and an expert level, which are set to the user in playing chord performance on the keyboard.

Abstract: An automatic accompaniment apparatus has a storage unit (53) for storing information on a variation pattern selection state and the mute setup state of each part of each variation, and a control unit (55) for controlling to make each part in a tone generation state or a mute state in accordance with the mute setup state of the part of the selected variation pattern in playing an insert pattern such as an introduction pattern, a fill-in pattern, and an ending pattern. The mute setup state set for the selected variation pattern is applied without change also to the insert pattern, thus preventing the mute setup state of each part from changing at the time of switching between the variation pattern and the insert pattern, and obtaining smooth automatic accompaniment tones.

Abstract: A music apparatus is constructed for receiving an input signal composed of either of a voice signal and a tone signal and for processing the input signal based on a timbre change command signal to generate at least one channel of an output signal. In the music apparatus, a reference pitch designation section designates a reference pitch. An output signal generation section receives the input signal, the timbre change command signal and the reference pitch designated by the reference pitch designation section for changing a timbre of the input signal in accordance with the timbre change command signal, and for changing a pitch of the input signal above or below the reference pitch in accordance with the timbre change command signal, thereby generating the output signal having the changed timbre and the changed pitch.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to realize a musical instrument and a method for automatically playing a musical accompaniment with guiding smoother and easier chord patterns to play. One of significant features of the present invention is to indicate chord forms which realize smoothest fingering after analyzing a chord following to the present chord to determine whether the present chord should employ a root position or an inverted position for the smoothest fingering. Another feature of the present invention is to indicate chord forms which are selected to realize less movement of the player's hand after analyzing the former chord to determine a chord position (root position or inverted position) of the present chord which is the closest to the former position.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for performing music on an electronic instrument in which individual chord progression chords can be triggered in real-time, while various individual notes of the chord, and/or possible scale notes and non-scale notes to play along with the chord, can be generated from separate fixed locations on the instrument, and in different octaves. The method of performance involves the designation of a chord progression section on the instrument, then assigning chords or individual chord notes to this chord progression section according to the defined customary scale or customary scale equivalent of a song key. Further, as each chord is played in the chord progression section, various individual notes of the currently triggered chords can be generated from separate fixed chord locations on the instrument, and in different octaves. Fundamental and alternate notes of each chord can be generated from separate fixed chord locations on the instrument for composing purposes, and in different octaves.

Abstract: A performance engine selects note patterns from a pattern style containing a plurality of note patterns. The note patterns are categorized by embellishment type and by ranges of playback levels. In addition, a beat pattern is specified for each note pattern, indicating the chord rhythm with which the style can be used. The beat pattern is a bit array, with bits corresponding to every beat of one or more contiguous measures. In response to selection of a particular embellishment type and playback level, the performance engine selects a note pattern that meets the following qualifications: (a) it is of the selected embellishment type; (b) its designated range of playback levels includes the selected playback level; and (c) its beat pattern indicates that it can accommodate chord changes at the beats at which such changes occur in the currently selected chord progression. If there are no qualifying note patterns, these conditions are gradually relaxed until at least one of the note patterns qualifies.

Abstract: A system for processing music events includes a plurality of different music sources that provide music events to a performance manager. In response to receiving a music event, the performance manager calculates a time sequence of individual MIDI commands to implement the music event, and places a first of these events in a command queue. The performance manager monitors the command queue, and removes and processes individual commands from the command queue at the times indicated by their timestamps. Upon removing a non-concluding individual command of particular time sequence from the command queue, the music processing component determines a subsequent individual command of the particular time sequence and places it in the command queue. Upon receiving a flush instruction for a particular music source, the performance manager identifies any individual commands in the command queue corresponding to the music source, processes any of the commands that are off commands, and discards any other commands.

Abstract: Key information designating a key for a tune to be composed and chord information designating chords for respective chord spans to constitute a chord progression for the tune are inputted to a melody generating apparatus. In the chord span to which a diatonic chord such as C major chord is designated, melody notes are generated using the scale notes of the inputted key, while in the chord span to which a nondiatonic chord such as DbM7 chord is designated, an available note scale is determined based on the key information and the chord information, and then melody notes are generated using the notes such as Ab Bb of the available note scale. As the notes which are neither the scale notes of the key nor the chord tones may be employed for a melody, the generated melody will have musical naturalness and fits the nondiatonic chords also.

Abstract: A method of generating music includes steps of specifying a note sequence and a chord progression against which the note sequence is played. The notes of the note sequence are defined relative to chord elements, and melodic runs are identified within the note sequence. Each melodic run consists of a series of notes. Inversion conditions are specified in terms of inversion boundaries and in terms of legal inversion notes relative to the individual chords of the chord progression. When interpreting the note sequence in conjunction with the chord progression to generate output notes, the output notes are compared against the inversion conditions and inverted if appropriate. If a note belongs to an identified melodic run, the run is evaluated against the inversion conditions as a whole. More specifically, one note of the melodic run is compared against the inversion conditions. If the one note satisfies the inversion conditions, the entire run is inverted.

Abstract: Conversion of input notes to a scale corresponding to a desired chord may be achieved using dynamic conversion apparatus and methods and possibly including overrides for non-chordal tones, instead of fixed, dedicated tables for each chord type. Conversion of input notes to output notes corresponding to a desired conversion map may also be achieved using dynamic conversion apparatus and methods instead of fixed, dedicated tables for each map. Both result in a savings of memory and effort, and greater diversity of control.

Abstract: A time fraction or short duration of a musical sound wave is first analyzed by the FFT processing into frequency components in the form of a frequency spectrum having a number of peak energy levels, a predetermined frequency range (e.g. 63.5-2032 Hz) of the spectrum is cut out for the analysis of chord recognition, the cut-out frequency spectrum is then folded on an octave span basis to enhance spectrum peaks within a musical octave span, the frequency axis is adjusted by an amount of difference between the reference tone pitch as defined by the peak frequency positions of the analyzed spectrum and the reference tone pitch used in the processing system, and then a chord is determined from the locations of those peaks in the established octave spectrum by pattern comparison with the reference frequency component patterns of the respective chord types. Thus, the musical chords included in a musical performance are recognized from the sound wave of the musical performance.

Abstract: The apparatus and method composes performance information which represents a musical performance on a stringed instrument having a plurality of strings, each string being capable of generating a tone having a pitch which is selectively assigned to each string from among plural pitches available on each string. Upon designation of a chord to be played, the pitches of tones to be respectively assigned to the plurality of strings are determined such that the tones of the determined pitches constitute the designated chord. Then the strings to be assigned for tone generation are designated from among the plurality of strings, and the timing at which the assigned tone is to be generated is designated for each of the designated strings. The data of the tones having the determined pitches are generated, in which the data of each tone represents the tone generation on the designated string and at the designated timing.

Abstract: A musical performance assisting system includes a key designating section for designating a key of music, a chord designating section for designating a chord in the music, a chord file storing pointers in a manner so as to correspond to keys of music, and a chord tone file storing the pointers in a manner so as to correspond to chord groups, each of the chord groups including chord tone data of chords belonging thereto. The system further includes a chord tone selecting section for selecting one of the pointers from the chord file based on the key designated by the key designating section and further selecting, from the chord tone file, chord tone data of one of the chords which belongs to one of the chord groups designated by the selected pointer and which is designated by the chord designating section. The system further includes a musical tone generating section for producing a musical tone corresponding to the chord tone data selected by the chord tone selecting section.

Abstract: A system and method for generating new musical improvisations, based on a database of existing improvisations. An automated method for converting the existing improvisations to a database and generating a new improvisation from the database. Musical improvisations are performed by musicians and stored in MIDI Data format. The Chord symbols used and key signature are input, and added to the improvisation. The system analyzes the performances, and information about sections and phrases of the solo are stored in a "Riffs" file. The musicians' original performances, the chord symbols and the Riffs files are combined into a Soloist Database File, consisting of one or more improvisations. An Options file is created by the user to control parameters about the solo to be generated. The system then generates a new improvisation based on any input chord progression and key, and the Options file, by choosing portions of the Soloist Database to construct the new improvisation.

Abstract: A chord detecting apparatus includes a computer which, by executing a program, detects chords as designated by player's operation on a keyboard or by key data inputted from an external source. The program includes two kinds of chord detection algorithms, the one for a single finger mode and the other for a fingered chord mode. The apparatus conducts the processing of chord detection under the single finger mode algorithm in preference to the fingered chord mode algorithm, namely the apparatus first tries to detect a chord by the single finger mode rule, and if a chord is detected, such a chord is used for succeeding processes, and if no chord is detected by the single finger rule, the apparatus next tries to detect a chord by the fingered chord mode rule.

Abstract: An automatic accompaniment apparatus stores a plurality of chord variety progression patterns corresponding to the respective types of chords. Each chord variety progression pattern is constituted by a subprogression of plural chords provided for the corresponding chord type. When a player designates chords in progression to be used for an automatic accompaniment performance, the chord type of each designated chord is detected, and each single chord will be substituted by a chord variety progression pattern for the chord type which is the same as such a designated single chord, under the condition that the chord variety progression function is made operative for such a designated chord and that such a designated chord is of a type for which a chord variety progression pattern is provided correspondingly. As the player performs a chord progression of a slower change, the apparatus realizes a modified complex chord progression with a faster chord change to enhance the variousness in chord progressions.

Abstract: A system and a method for the notes of one track to move in a harmonically separate manner from the notes of another track when the notes of each track are played against a chord progression. Each track is associated with a chord function. The notes of the tracks are then played against a progression of polychords, where each polychord consists of one or more chords. In addition, each chord of a polychord is associated with one or more chord functions. During operation, each note of a track is mapped against a chord of the currently playing polychord. The chord for each track is selected by identifying the chord of the polychord that is associated with the same chord function as the track. Furthermore, individual tracks, groups of notes, or single notes can be assigned to one of several playback modes. Each note includes a field that identifies a playback mode. In addition, each track is associated with a playback mode.

Abstract: A music composition system, comprising receiving a first harmony including a first melody, analyzing the first harmony to derive in real-time a rule relating the first melody to the first harmony, receiving a second melody, and applying the rule in real-time to the second melody to produce a second harmony relating to the second melody.

Abstract: It is determined which one of a plurality of predetermined attributes each component note of accompaniment pattern data belongs to, and there is generated information to control at least one tonal factor of the component note in accordance with the determined attribute. Thus, the accompaniment pattern data is controlled or modified for each of the component notes with the determined attributes. Also, for any of the component notes, of the accompaniment pattern data, corresponding to at least one given place in a relative tone pitch order, control information is set which controls at least one tonal factor such as tone pitch. Thus, the component note corresponding to the given place in the relative tone pitch order is controlled in accordance with the control information.

Abstract: A plurality of display units are provided in corresponding relations to individual performance keys. A table stores, for each of a plurality of chords, information which defines plural groups of notes that are always available for the chord, temporarily available (e. g., a tension note) for the chord and unavailable for the chord. In response to designation of a chord according to a chord progression, the information is read out from the table and the display units are controlled according to the read-out information so as to dislay in different forms, depending on which one of the groups the performance keys corresponding to the display units correspond to. A performer can operate a desired key in consideration of different display forms. Thus, there is provided a music performance assisting system which is suited for use in executing an adlib performance with notes well conforming to a designated chord.

Abstract: Optional accompaniment patterns are created on the basis of a plurality of parameters. Thus, by changing the values of the parameters to be supplied as necessary, accompaniment patterns can be created in an unconstrained manner. By time-varying at least one of the parameters, an optional accompaniment pattern can be created in such a manner that a desired accompaniment tone is sounded at a desired time point, and an accompaniment pattern can be changed freely. A performance state of an performance operator such as a keyboard may be detected, so as to change the parameters on the basis of performance states detected at least for a current time and a given past time. This permits parameter control reflecting a changing real-time performance state. Alternatively, a parameter may be prepared in accordance with input performance information so that an accompaniment pattern is created on the basis of the prepared parameter.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system and a method for intelligently controlling note inversions during a computer based musical performance. During a musical performance, notes of a track are transposed against a chord. In some instances, the resulting pitch of the transposed note may fall outside of an upper-pitch boundary or a lower-pitch boundary defined for the track. Two additional control mechanisms are examined to determine if the note should be inverted. One mechanism includes a chord inversion mask used for managing the inversion of notes within the context of the chord. Another mechanism includes a track inversion mask defining one or more series of ranges where inversions are allowed. If the pitch of a transposed note exceeds the upper-pitch boundary or the lower-pitch boundary, the chord inversion mask and the track inversion mask are scanned to determine if the note can be inverted.

Abstract: An automatic accompaniment apparatus includes a storage section for storing a plurality of accompaniment patterns. Each of the plurality of accompaniment patterns corresponds to an automatic accompaniment data. One of the plurality of accompaniment patterns is selected by a selecting section based on an input specifying data, and then one of the plurality of accompaniment data corresponding to the selected accompaniment pattern is selected. An accompaniment sound signal generating section generates an accompaniment sound signal based on the selected automatic accompaniment data by the selecting section.

Abstract: A chord analysis apparatus which includes a table memory for memorizing a plurality of sound timing patterns in a performance section of a predetermined number of beats, a plurality of tone pitch difference patterns corresponding with the sound timing patterns and a plurality of harmonic tone information data corresponding with the tone pitch difference patterns. In the tone pitch difference patterns, each difference in tone pitch between adjacent tones is represented by the number of semitones. After a performance information data of a desired musical tune has been divided each at two times, a pattern corresponding with the sound timing and tone pitch difference patterns in each divided section is searched at the table memory to read out a harmonic tone information data corresponding with the searched pattern thereby to detect each chord of the divided sections based thereon.

Abstract: In an automatic arrangement apparatus having an accompaniment information memory for memorizing an accompaniment pattern, a specific basic part such as a melody part for arrangement of a musical tune, a chord progression and an arrangement condition are applied to select an accompaniment pattern conformed with the arrangement condition from the accompaniment information memory thereby to produce musical information in the form of a pattern sequence of plural parts relative to the basic part, and the pattern sequence of the plural parts is converted in tone pitch in accordance with the chord progression.

Abstract: A system and process for comprising a musical section in response to a user's interaction with a multimedia presentation is disclosed. The system includes a composition engine, performance engine, and arbitrator. The arbitrator provides an interface with an application program running a multimedia presentation. The arbitrator receives parameters from the application program indicative of a user's interaction and the type of music the application program requests in response to the interaction. The parameters are passed to the composition engine which composes a musical section having a chord progression and other data therein. The musical section and a style provided by the arbitrator are used by the performance engine to generate music sequence data for driving a musical instrument. The performance of the musical sequence data by the musical instrument occurs substantially contemporaneously with the user's interaction which caused the musical section composition.