Abstract: An operational information obtaining section of a music reproduction device obtains operational information which corresponds to a user's operation and represents an instruction on an action of a reproduction section for reproducing data of a musical composition. A selection condition calculation section changes, during the musical composition being reproduced by the reproduction section, relative merits of attribute information relating to the data of the musical composition in accordance with details of the operational information obtained by the operational information obtaining section, and then calculates, based on the relative merits of the attribute information, a condition for selecting the data of the musical composition to be reproduced by the reproduction section.

Abstract: An automatic music transcription apparatus that can automatically transcribe a monophonic or polyphonic signal produced by a single musical instrument is provided. The apparatus includes an input block, an overtone-power-ratio detection block, a storage block, a chromatic-note-power detection block, an overtone elimination block for subtracting the product of the power of the fundamental note and the power ratio of each overtone corresponding to the chromatic note of the fundamental note from the power of the chromatic note of the overtone and adding the product of the power of the fundamental note, a musical-notation-information detection block, and a detection result output block for outputting the detected musical notation information to a file or the like.

Abstract: A tone generating portion has a performance play capability for concurrently generating, on the basis of a set of performance information, musical tone signals having various voices each assigned to one of parts. A performance data setting portion chooses, under user's direction, one of performance data sets stored in a performance data set storage portion and makes settings of the various voices applied to musical tone signals for the parts. A developing portion enables generation of musical tone signals for at least one of the parts and disables generation of musical tone signals for the other parts in response to user's direction in a state where respective settings of various voices to be applied to musical tone signals for the parts have been done. A tone range defining portion defines tone range data of the at least one part as representing a tone range including at least pitches of all the musical tone signals specified by the performance information.

Abstract: A piano roll score, a word input/edit area and a word continuous display area are displayed. Note bars corresponding to notes of a melody are displayed on the piano roll score. The word input/edit area is divided into input cells having a length corresponding to a tempo number of each note. A pointer is moved to the input cell and a mouse is left-clicked to display an editor area. A letter(s) or character(s) is input by using a word processor function. The pointer is moved to the input cell and the mouse is right-clicked to display a command select box. A display command is selected from the command select box and input, the display command controlling a display style of a song-word character train in the word continuous display area. A dictionary database is used to search a song word by using the number of syllables and a part of speech as search keys. A sentence syntax is selected by using a sentence syntax template.

Abstract: A music generation engine automatically generates musical compositions by accessing musical sections and corresponding properties including similarity factors that provide a quantified indication of the similarity of musical sections to one another (e.g., a percentage of similarity). A sequential relationship of the musical sections is then determined according to an algorithmic process that uses the similarity factors to assess the desirability of the sequential relationship. The algorithmically created musical composition may then be stored, such as by rendering the composition as an audio file or by storing a library file that refers to the musical sections. The created musical composition may include layers respectively having different audio elements such that the created musical composition has a first dimension along a timeline and a second dimension that provides a depth based upon the presence of different audio elements.

Abstract: Acceleration data outputted from an acceleration sensor provided in an input device is acquired and a magnitude of an acceleration is calculated. Next, based on the calculated magnitude of the acceleration, at least one piece of track data representing a target music to play is selected from music piece data including a plurality of pieces of track data stored in memory means. Then, based on the selected track data, data for controlling a sound generated from a sound generation device is outputted.

Abstract: When a first bar-division determination section determines that the bass note changes in a bar or when a second bar-division determination section determines that the degree of change in the chord in the bar is large, a chord-name determination section divides the bar and detects chords. This operation allows correct chords to be detected even when the chord changes within a bar, while the bass note is maintained.

Abstract: A method for processing and playing music. The method includes providing a computing system, an input device, and a display. The method provides a selected music composition in a sequence of music notes. A user input is provided at a selected time as the selected music composition is animated on the display. The user input is processed by the computing system and output a sound. A timing accuracy of the user input is also being determined. The method can be adapted to any digital apparatus that provides a display, a sound output, a user input device, and a data processing device.

Abstract: A CPU 10 operates in response to an instruction for starting reproduction of a melody to read out tone color data and tempo data included in selected musical composition data from a RAM 11 or a ROM 12, and transfer the readout data to a musical tone-generating section 15. The CPU 10 then reads out starting position information written in a performance starting point register 36, reads out note data included in the musical composition data from a position indicated by the starting position information from the RAM 11 or the ROM 12, and transfers the readout note data to the musical tone-generating section 15. The musical tone-generating section 15 generates a melody from the transferred note data based on the transferred tone color data and tempo data. As a result, the melody can be listened to from an arbitrary starting position.

Abstract: A music information calculation apparatus recognizing a structure of a piece of music based on an acoustic signal. The apparatus includes: an acoustic signal input for inputting the acoustic signal of the piece of music; an acoustic parameter calculator for calculating, using the acoustic signal, at least a first acoustic parameter indicating a volume of the piece of music; an inflection degree calculator for calculating, using at least the first acoustic parameter, an inflection degree indicating an inflection of the piece of music; a story node calculator for calculating, using at least the first acoustic parameter, a story node representing a time at which a formation of the piece of music changes; and a story information calculator for calculating, as story information indicating at least a correspondence between the story node having been calculated and the inflection degree obtained at the time represented by the story node.

Abstract: On the basis of performance event information, at least two notes to be sounded in succession or in an overlapping relation to each other are detected, and a tone pitch difference between the detected at least two notes is detected. Tone pitch difference limitation ranges are set in corresponding relation to various rendition styles. Rendition style to be imparted to the notes to be sounded in succession or in an overlapping relation is designated, and a comparison is made between a tone pitch difference limitation range corresponding to the designated rendition style and the detected tone pitch difference, so as determine whether the designated rendition style is applicable or not. In this way, whether the designated rendition style is to be applied or not is automatically controlled in accordance with the tone pitch difference of the at least two notes to be imparted with the rendition style.

Abstract: A microprocessor-controlled data-processing system is used to process key strokes from a musical keyboard and output a series of note events (e.g., via midi) to a tone-producing device. The microprocessor runs software which splits the keyboard into at least two zones: A root-select zone which consists of at least one octave of keys, and a strum-trigger zone. Pre-determined notes lists, or chords, are stored in an array in the system's memory. The array classifies the note lists according to (1) chord root (C, C#, D, etc.), and (2) chord type (e.g., major, minor, etc.). Different keys within the strum-trigger zone are pre-assigned to different chord types. Depression of a strum-trigger key as a root-select key is depressed causes the data-processing system to (1) select one of the note lists, and (2) output an arpeggio of the notes contained within the selected list.

Abstract: The invention is a method for transforming image into music, more particularly, is a method for transforming image into sound at first and then editing the sound into music. In the method, the dynamic image or static image is captured by using the image capture apparatus. An image datum is obtained from the dynamic image or the static image and the image datum is compared with a plurality of standards stored in the memory to obtain a first music, wherein the image datum may be a brightness value or a pixel value. Then, the first music is transferred into a plurality of the third music with various styles by performing a function transferring process and a randomly selecting music notes process. The third music is broadcasted.

Abstract: A training apparatus for guiding and independently teaching a user to quickly play a guitar by interpreting stored encoded MIDI music data to guide the user's hands by illuminating sequences of desired finger positions on the frets of a guitar to play the music.

Abstract: A player changes the pitch of tones produced through a trombone by controlling the breath and a slide, and the control of slide is not easy for children, handicapped persons and old players; a supporting system is combined with the trombone, and includes a manipulating board fitted to an appropriate portion of the trombone close to the slide, a driving mechanism connected to the slide and a controlling unit connected to the manipulating board and driving mechanism; when the player wishes to change the pitch of tones through the sliding motion of the slide, he moves a lever on the manipulating board by a distance shorter than a target stroke of the slide, and the controlling unit calculates the target stroke so as to supply a driving signal to the driving mechanism; and the driving mechanism exerts force on the slide so as to assist the player in varying the length of the column of air.

Abstract: A music content playback apparatus includes: a selection section that selects a piece of music content out of a plurality of pieces of music content; a recognition section that recognizes playback elapse state about a previous piece of music content played immediately before the piece of music content is selected; and a playback section that plays back the selected piece of music content from a playback point corresponding to the playback elapse state.

Abstract: In connection with a classification system for classifying media entities that merges perceptual classification techniques and digital signal processing classification techniques for improved classification of media entities, a system and methods are provided for automatically classifying and characterizing tempo properties of media entities. Such a system and methods may be useful for the indexing of a database or other storage collection of media entities, such as media entities that are audio files, or have portions that are audio files. The methods also help to determine media entities that have similar, or dissimilar as a request may indicate, tempo(s) by utilizing classification chain techniques that test distances between media entities in terms of their properties. For example, a neighborhood of songs may be determined within which each song has similar tempo characteristics.

Abstract: MIDI compression and decompression methods that reduce the size of a standard MIDI file and maintains information to play the MIDI music. The exemplary method of the invention makes use of the high correlation and repetitions between a look-ahead MIDI event and previous set of MIDI events. An adjustable size Lempel-Ziv-like MIDI Event Search Window (MESW) is created during the compression and decompression process to allow searching of matched events or event elements in previous window size of MIDI events. Further reduction of the MIDI events can be made by discarding the matched events in the event search window. Therefore, with 4-bit of MIDI event search window, the number of MIDI events stored in the window can be more than 16.

Abstract: A time-series signal input section 205 inputs a time-series signal whose on state and off state are repeated alternately. A similar rhythm search section 206 searches a plurality of pieces of rhythm data stored in a data storage section for rhythm data having the same fluctuation pattern as or a similar fluctuation pattern to the time-series signal input to the time-series signal input section 205. A music-associated information storage section 204 stores music-associated information associated with the piece of music corresponding to the rhythm data in association with the rhythm data. A search result generation section 207 generates the search result using the music-associated information (information of title, etc.,) stored in association with the found rhythm data and outputs the search result through a search result output section 208.

Abstract: A nibble stream containing MIDI music data words and synchronous nibbles and an external audio signal are selectively converted to an audio-frequency signal, which in turn is converted to a set of PCM codes for storing it in a compact disc; and the audio frequency signal, which is demodulated from the PCM data codes, is analyzed to see which is the origin of the audio frequency signal on the basis of the signal level and what sort of modulation technique was employed on the basis of features of the audio frequency signal such as peak-to-peak intervals and similarity to reference waveforms so that the nibble stream or the external audio signal is exactly reproduced from the audio frequency signal.

Abstract: Multiple kernel-mode audio processing modules or filters are combined to form a module or filter graph. The graph is implemented in kernel-mode, reducing latency and jitter when handling audio data (e.g., MIDI data) by avoiding transfers of the audio data to user-mode applications for processing. A variety of different audio processing modules can be used to provide various pieces of functionality when processing audio data.

Abstract: A system and method for creating a ring tone for an electronic device takes as input a phrase sung in a human voice and transforms it into a control signal controlling, for example, a ringer on a cellular telephone. Time-varying features of the input signal are analyzed to segment the signal into a set of discrete notes and assigning to each note a chromatic pitch value. The set of note start and stop times and pitches are then translated into a format suitable for controlling the device.

Abstract: An encoded rhythmic pattern has several groups of velocity values, wherein the velocity values are sorted, such that the groups are included in sequence in an encoded rhythmic pattern. Now, the velocity values concentrated at the beginning of the encoded rhythmic pattern have a higher importance for characterizing the rhythmic gist of a piece of music than velocity values included in additional groups of velocity values. By using such an encoded rhythmic pattern, an efficient database access can be performed.

Abstract: Title information on music composition data recorded on a reproduction CD is acquired from a title information providing site and recorded on a recording MD together with composition data. A recording/reproducing apparatus (100) transmits TOC information acquired from the reproduction CD to a title information providing server (500) through a communication device (200), a wireless public communication network (WNET), a communication exchange (400), and the Internet (INET). The title information providing server (500) creates an inquiry code corresponding to the received TOC information and transmits it to a title information database (600). The title information database (600) sends a response code corresponding to the inquiry code as a reply to the title information providing server (500).

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: A performance control apparatus which can actually reproduce performance information without a long sounding blank time period being produced even if the performance information includes information indicative of a long sounding blank time period. Performance data md-A including at least key-on event data KON and time data TIME that defines sounding timing is read out and output. When the time data TIME in the readout performance data md-A is indicative of a longer sounding blank time period than a predetermined time period, the sounding blank time period is reduced or eliminated in outputting the performance data md-A.

Abstract: An automatic musical performance system stores musical data such as performance patterns and pattern sequences. During performance, the user provides input indicating tones to be added to or deleted from the musical performance, and the stored musical data is updated in accordance with the user input by adding or deleting the specified tones from the performance at the locations within the performance at which the user input for each tone was received.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for the creation and playback of music, audio and sound; such that each time a composition is played back, a different sound sequence is generated in the manner previously defined by the artist. During composition creation, the artist's definition of how the composition will vary from playback to playback is embedded into the composition data set. During playback, the composition data set is processed by a playback device incorporating a playback program, so that each time the composition is played back a unique version is generated. Variability occurs during playback per the artist's composition data set, which specifies: the spawning of group(s) from a snippet; the selection of snippet(s) from each group; editing of snippets; flexible and variable placement of snippets; and the combining and/or mixing of multiple snippets to generate each time sample in one or more channels.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a system and method for customizing media (e.g., songs, text, books, stories, video, audio . . . ) via a computer network, such as the Internet. A system in accordance with the invention includes a component that provides for a user to search for and select media to be customized. A customization component receives data relating to modifying the selected media and generates a customized version of the media incorporating the received modification data. A distribution component delivers the customized media to the user. The present invention solves a unique problem in the current art by enabling a user to alter media in order to customize the media for a particular subject or recipient. This is advantageous in that the user need not have any singing ability for example and is not required to purchase any additional peripheral computer accessories to utilize the present invention.

Abstract: A system is described to allow musicians to collaborate over a network such as the Internet.

Abstract: A performance information display apparatus which makes it possible to easily check whether or not automatic performance based on performance data is carried out in accordance with the creator's intention. Performance data includes sounding designation data which designates sounding starting timing and sounding ending timing of each of musical tones constituting a musical composition, and is stored in a performance data storage section 302. A generation time period calculating section 308 calculates a generation time period of a musical tone signal indicative of each of the musical tones corresponding to the sounding designation data in the performance data to be generated by a musical tone generating device when the musical tone generating device is instructed to generate the musical tone signal.

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 music player has sequencers each including a reading and restoring function unit for reading music information including header information, a delta time, and a message and restoring running status of the message; a message analyzing and processing function unit for analyzing the header information, consuming a period of time according to the delta time, and processing the message to generate sound source drive information; a writing function unit for writing the sound source drive information into an output memory; and a sequencer controlling function unit for controlling the reading and restoring function unit to read and restore the music information, controlling the message analyzing and processing function unit to analyze the header information, and controlling the message analyzing and processing function unit and the writing function unit to consume the period of time, generate the sound source drive information, and write the sound source drive information.

Abstract: For characterizing a tone signal a sequence of quantized entry times for each of at least two tone sources over time is provided on the basis of a quantization raster. Hereupon, a common period length underlying the at least two tone sources is determined using the sequences of entry times. Hereupon, the sequence of entry times is divided into respective sub-sequences, wherein a length of a sub-sequence is equal to the common period length. Finally, the sub-sequences for the first tone source are combined into a first combined sub-sequence and for the second tone source into a second combined sub-sequence, i.e. for example using a pattern histogram, in order to characterize the tone signal by the first combined sub-sequence and by the second combined sub-sequence, e.g. with regard to rhythm, speed or genre.

Abstract: A computer-aided learning system to facilitate a human to control the pitch and rhythm of their voice. In a preferred embodiment for learning how to sing a song in tune, a display provides visual, real-time depiction of the singer's actual pitch compared to the “target” pitch they should be singing, thereby allowing the singer to interactively raise or lower the pitch of their voice.

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: There are provided a musical tone-generating apparatus which neither requires hardware having an increased circuit size nor imposes a heavy burden on a CPU thereof, and a mobile terminal apparatus including the musical tone-generating apparatus, as well as a musical tone-generating method, and a storage medium storing a program for executing the method. A CPU converts music contents data stored in a RAM to hardware tone generator control data, stores the resulting data into the RAM. In reproduction, the CPU reads out and sends the hardware tone generator control data to a hardware tone generator. A data decoder circuit of the hardware tone generator sequentially reads out the hardware tone generator control data from a FIFO and separates the read data into time management information and data of a parameter for generation of a musical tone, and sets the time management information to a counter.

Abstract: A song selection device stores song characteristic quantities of a plurality of songs. A user operates the song selection device to enter personal properties and a sensibility word. The song selection device selects a song having a song characteristic quantity corresponding to the personal properties and the sensibility word. The song selection device may select a plurality of songs.

Abstract: In a server apparatus, a storage section stores musical composition data representing a plurality of musical compositions. A transmission section transmits musical composition data which represents a first musical composition to an electronic musical apparatus via a communication network in a streaming manner, such that the electronic musical apparatus can reproduce the first musical composition in realtime basis. A reception section receives operation data from the electronic musical apparatus, the operation data representing a user operation of the electronic musical apparatus performed in response to realtime reproduction of the first musical composition.

Abstract: In one aspect thereof this invention provides a method to estimate pitch in an acoustic signal. The method includes initializing a function ƒt and a time t, where t=0, x?0=ƒ0(F0), x?0 is a pitch estimate at time zero and F0 is a frequency of the acoustic signal at time zero; determining at least one pitch estimate using the function x?t=ƒt(Ft) by an iterative process of creating ƒt+1(Ft+1) based at least partly on pitch estimates x?t, x?t?1, x?t?2, x?t?3, . . . , and functions ƒt(Ft), ƒt?1(Ft?1), ƒt?2(Ft?2), ƒt?3(Ft?3) . . . and incrementing t; and calculating at least one final pitch estimate. Embodiments of this invention can be applied to pitch extraction with various different input acoustic signal characteristics, such as just intonation, pitch shift in the frequency domain, and non-12-step-equal-temperament tuning.

Abstract: A system and method for determining the similarity of music files based on a perceptual metric is disclosed. In accordance with one aspect of the invention, harmonic, rhythmic, and melodic components are generated for each of the music files. The dimensionality of the components is then reduced to six by a mapper. This reduction is part of what allows the present invention to process large collections of music files very quickly. The mapper maps the components to positions on two-dimensional feature maps. The feature maps are trained by a trainer. The top N positions in each feature map, along with their amplitudes, are taken as the representative vectors for the music files. To compare the similarity between two music files, the distance between the two representative vectors are calculated.

Abstract: A transport control, e.g., for use with an audio content playing device, the transport control for initiating play of dynamically rendered audio content selections that are rarely, if ever, played the same way twice is provided. The transport control includes a play indicator, e.g., a play button or the like, and a control indicator, for instance, a rotatable knob. The control indicator is linearly mapped to an interactive music engine having a plurality of component engines, each of which is controlled by the control indicator. Accordingly, the control indicator is referred to herein as a “multi-purpose” indicator. Upon altering this single multi-purpose control indicator, multiple components and music elements of the output can be affected. Thus, a transport control that permits a user to initiate play of dynamically rendered music selections with little input and/or decision-making is also provided.

Abstract: A music apparatus is provided in a portable terminal set having a plurality of controls. In the music apparatus, a storage stores a plurality of performance patterns. An allocating section allocates the plurality of the performance patterns to the plurality of the controls. A reproducing section is responsive to operation of the controls for reproducing the performance patterns allocated to the operated controls. In case of creating music, a setting section is operated for setting timings of reproducing the performance patterns while operating the controls. A composing section operates based on the selecting of the performance patterns and the setting of the timings for composing a sequence of the performance patterns, the sequence being effective to enable the portable terminal set to sequentially reproduce the selected performance patterns at the set timings.

Abstract: User enters information of a melody or other musical material and, when necessary, desired parameters. The input information and parameters are transmitted to a server via a network or other communication media. On the basis of the received musical material and parameters, the server creates content by imparting the musical material with an additional value corresponding to the parameters. For example, in the case where the musical material is a melody of a music piece, the server creates, as the content, harmony information, backing information, accompaniment information, musical score picture information, or the like. There may also be created test-listening or test-viewing sample content corresponding to the regular content. The user receives the sample content from the server, and purchases the regular content when the sample content has been found to be satisfactory as a result of the test listening or test viewing.

Abstract: A method for generating and playing a musical file and a computer-readable record medium with the musical file. The method records events performed at the same time respectively by an event field, and also the event fields correspond to a time field, such that a musical file can have less file length. When reading a musical file on a computer-readable record medium, both a time field with respect to the musical file and corresponding event field or fields are read.

Abstract: A method for the use of the white keys of a musical keyboard such as a MIDI keyboard for the playing a selected scale whereby all while keys of the keyboard are remapped to the selected scale such that adjacent keys of the keyboard can be used to play adjacent notes of the selected scale. There is also disclosed a method for providing a functional aspect to at least one black key of a musical keyboard such as a MIDI keyboard, wherein upon a key of the keyboard being pressed, a first check is conducted to determine if a user has activated the selected scale setting; and if the selected scale function has been activated, a second check is conducted to determine if the key is a black key or a white key. If the key is a black key a second lookup table is checked based on a MIDI message for the black key to determine a corresponding functional aspect corresponding to the black key.

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: There are provided tone material editing apparatus and program. The tone material editing apparatus is connected to a tone material providing apparatus that provides tone material data. Video data stored in the tone material editing apparatus is reproduced. The tone material providing apparatus is instructed to stream-distribute tone material data to be reproduced in synchronism with the reproduced video data. The tone material data stream-distributed from the tone material providing apparatus is stream-reproduced in synchronism with the reproduced video data.

Abstract: An electronic musical instrument displays a musical score including lyric character strings on a displayer 21, using music data stored in a storage device 43, by program-processing by a computer main unit 42. The music data includes a series of data representative of a lyric character string separated by break of lyrics, word, or segment of a sentence, the series of data stored in associated relation with data representative of a timing indicative of progression of a musical piece. The computer main unit 42 displays, on the displayer 21, a lyric character string which is not provided with enough display space in a display style different from a display style used for a lyric character string provided with enough display space. For example, part or the whole of characters of either of adjacent overlapping character strings is omitted, with a mark representative of being omitted attached. Alternatively, part or the whole of a preceding character string is displayed in a reduced size or in rows.

Abstract: A music apparatus is constructed for processing a music tone signal in response to a clock signal at each sampling period. In the music apparatus, a clock generator generates the clock signal. A signal processor is operable in synchronization to the clock signal for time-divisionally processing a plurality of music tone signals through a plurality of channels within one sampling period. A clock controller is operative during a supply duration allocated within one sampling period for supplying the clock signal to the signal processor from the clock generator to thereby operate the signal processor, and is operative during other than the supply duration within one sampling period for stopping the supplying of the clock signal to the signal processor to thereby suspend the signal processor.