Loudness Control Patents (Class 84/665)
  • Patent number: 11810540
    Abstract: A musical sound that is rich in amusement can be provided. A musical sound control device includes: a plurality of operators; a musical sound processing part configured to repeat a process of controlling a musical sound in each of a plurality of steps in accordance with control information set by the plurality of operators; and a control part configured to stop an operation of the musical sound processing part in a case in which the process of controlling a musical sound of the plurality of all the steps using the musical sound processing part has gone through one cycle in a case in which a predetermined condition is satisfied.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: Roland Corporation
    Inventors: Shuichi Kai, Yukio Shigeno
  • Patent number: 11594206
    Abstract: An electronic wind instrument and a control method thereof are provided. The electronic wind instrument includes an acquisition unit which acquires an operation performed on a playing operator, a breathing detection unit which detects breathing, and a control unit which generates a musical sound signal on the basis of at least one of the breathing that has been detected and the operation acquired by the acquisition unit, in which the control unit switches a first mode for generating a musical sound signal with a detection of the breathing as a condition and a second mode for generating the musical sound signal on the basis of the operation regardless of whether or not the breathing has been detected, on the basis of a detection result of the breathing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 25, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 28, 2023
    Assignee: Roland Corporation
    Inventors: Masakazu Hirose, Yuji Terada
  • Patent number: 9040806
    Abstract: A multi-channel noise reduction system provides improved noise reduction with direct instrument tracking of all channels. In a two channel noise reduction system, both channels detect and track the input level and dynamic range of the guitar directly with one channel of dynamic noise reduction between the guitar and the input of a guitar amplifier to eliminate the noise of the instrument and another channel of noise reduction connected in the effects loop of the guitar amplifier. Multiple channels of noise reduction can be implemented with separated threshold controls and with low level expansion and dynamic filtering being combined so as to detect and track the input level and dynamic range of the guitar directly. A buffer amplifier can be used to feed the direct guitar signal to the detectors of the noise reduction system and the input of a stereo guitar system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 16, 2012
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Inventor: James K. Waller, Jr.
  • Patent number: 9000287
    Abstract: In some embodiments, an electric guitar interface system, includes a first touchpad of an electric guitar configured to detect a user input, and a control unit coupled to the first touchpad. The control unit may be configured to set a first parameter of the electric guitar's output as a function of a position of the user input along the first axis. The first parameter includes a first pickup gain. The first pickup gain may be for at least one of a bridge pickup, a middle pickup, and a neck pickup. The first parameter includes a second pickup gain.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Inventors: Mark Andersen, John Vito Biondo
  • Patent number: 8901408
    Abstract: An electronic musical instrument has a front side, back side, right side, and left side with respect to a perspective of a performer of the musical instrument, and comprises: a planar surface having a first speaker positioned on the front side and the left side, a second speaker positioned on the front side and the right side, and a third speaker positioned on the back side; a first localized sound processing section receives left and right channel signals of tone signals assigned as first localized sounds and produces sound signals to the first speaker, the second speaker and the third speaker to form a first sound image; and a second localized sound processing section receives left and right channel signals of tone signals assigned as second localized sounds and produces sound signals to the first speaker, the second speaker and the third speaker to form a second sound image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Roland Corporation
    Inventor: Tadashi Nakayama
  • Patent number: 8822802
    Abstract: A guitar amplifier system is disclosed. Specific implementations for the guitar amplifier system may comprise an audio input for an audio signal, a preamplifier coupled to the audio input, a tone control element coupled to the preamplifier, a power amplifier coupled to the tone control element, and an audio output coupled to the power amplifier. In an implementation, the tone control may be configured to control at least one of sound equalization, compression distortion, chorus or reverb. In an implementation, at least one of the preamplifier and the power amplifier may comprise at least one distortion multiplier circuit. The distortion multiplier circuit may comprise an audio signal multiplier configured to amplify an audio signal and output an amplified audio signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Inventor: James Mark McGillivary
  • Patent number: 8618403
    Abstract: When a signal representing a first set value or more is received from a detecting section, a determination is made whether a boost value is a predetermined value or more. When the boost value is the predetermined value or more, a currently set boost value is reduced by a predetermined step, so that a new boost value is set. Further, when the boost value is less than the predetermined value, a currently set volume level is reduced by a predetermined step, and a new volume level is set. Therefore, in a case when the set boost value is gradually reduced and the boost value is finally less than the predetermined value, the audio signal is still the first set value or more, the volume level is further reduced by each predetermined step. Therefore, an audio signal can be securely prevented from being clipped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 31, 2013
    Assignee: Onkyo Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshio Misu, Hiroyuki Fukuma
  • Patent number: 8450592
    Abstract: A method and a system for providing sound generation instructions from a digitized input signal are provided. The invention comprises transforming at least part of the digitized input signal into a feature representation, extracting characteristic features of the obtained feature representation, comparing at least part of the extracted characteristic features against stored data representing a number of signal classes, selecting a signal class to represent the digitized input signal based on said comparison, and selecting from stored data, which represents a number of sound effects, sound effect data representing the selected signal class. Sound volume data is determined from stored reference volume data corresponding to the selected signal class and/or sound effect and from at least part of the obtained characteristic features, and sound generation instructions are generated based at least partly on the obtained sound effect data and the obtained sound volume data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 17, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 28, 2013
    Assignee: Circle Consult APS
    Inventors: Kai Feng, Lars Fox, Lauge Rønnow
  • Patent number: 8445768
    Abstract: A method, apparatus and computer program product for mixing audio is presented. A plurality of tracks is displayed in a user interface, each track of the plurality of tracks including at least one audio clip. Each audio clip is designated as either a foreground clip or a background clip. The foreground clips are analyzed and loudness corrected. The background clips are analyzed and a distance value between the loudness corrected foreground clips and the background clips is defined. Keyframes are added to some of the audio clips, the keyframes providing a fade between levels of the background clips to take into account the loudness corrected foreground clips and a sequenced audio file is produced from the corrected foreground clips, the background clips and the keyframes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2010
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2013
    Assignee: Adobe Systems Incorporated
    Inventors: Holger Classen, Sven Duwenhorst
  • Patent number: 7968786
    Abstract: A volume adjusting apparatus includes a sound collecting unit configured to collect noise data of a surrounding environment, an analyzing unit configured to extract a feature value indicating a feature of the noise data collected by the sound collecting unit and a feature value indicating a feature of supplied musical tune data, and a control unit configured to generate volume adjustment information for adjusting playback volume of the musical tune data based on the feature value of the noise data and the feature value of the musical tune data and adjusts the playback volume of the musical tune data based on the volume adjustment information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2011
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Chisato Kemmochi, Shiro Suzuki, Shusuke Takahashi
  • Patent number: 7902448
    Abstract: A method, operation position sensor device for an electronic musical, and musical instrument for detecting an operation position of an operation member in an electronic musical instrument. A determination is made of an amount of measured light resulting from the depression of the operation member has changed in excess of a predetermined difference value a number of times. A determination is made of a difference value of clock counts measured at a last two determinations that the measured light changed in excess of the predetermined difference value in response to determining that the amount of the measured light has changed in excess of the predetermined difference value the number of times. The difference value is converted to a key depression speed. A sound generation command is issued based on the key depression speed to a sound source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: Roland Corporation
    Inventors: Tadao Kikumoto, Mitsuhiro Umeta
  • Patent number: 7888582
    Abstract: A home theater system includes construction, presentation, and commerce in, songs. Presentation includes at least one of: metadata about songs or sounds, a function capable of transitioning from one song to a next song, and user preferences; and can determine in what manner to transition from one song to a next song. Construction of songs includes either factors above, or at least one of: a function or a user extension capable of selecting a next song, and an element capable of determining whether the song is perceptually random. A user interface is capable of searching playlists and selecting them for presentation, representing each playlist with a substantially unique pictorial representation, distinguishing in presentation between those playlists licensed to the user and those that are not, and capable of substantially immediate purchase of playlist licenses either individually or in bulk and either automatically or with minimal intervention.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: Kaleidescape, Inc.
    Inventors: Paul Rechsteiner, Ian Epperson, Lawrence Kesteloot, Elliott Pearl, Stephen Watson, Brian Young
  • Patent number: 7605323
    Abstract: An audio playback apparatus, an automatic player musical instrument and a voltage controller form an ensemble system for producing music tunes in ensemble between the audio playback apparatus and the automatic player musical instrument, and the voltage controller is responsive to a volume control dial so as simultaneously to vary the loudness of electric tones radiated from the audio playback apparatus and acoustic tones produced through the automatic player musical instrument; when a user rotates the voltage control dial, an audio signal and a quasi audio signal are amplified, the audio signal is supplied to the sound system for converting the audio signal to the electric tones, and the quasi audio signal is demodulated to MIDI music data codes for changing the velocity from the original value to a new value for producing the acoustic tones or electronic tones through automatic playing or composition of waveform data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2009
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventor: Jun Ishii
  • Patent number: 7451330
    Abstract: There are provided a mobile device that is equipped with a musical composition-reproducing section and capable of curtailing the battery drain as much as possible, and a mobile device that prevents the quality of reproduced musical tones from being degraded even if the voltage level of the battery lowers. A battery voltage detector monitors an voltage level of a battery. The musical composition-reproducing section is controlled such that the number of parts of the musical composition reproduced by the musical composition-reproducing section is reduced when the monitored voltage level of the battery becomes lower than a reference value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2008
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventor: Takahiro Tanaka
  • Patent number: 7446252
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2008
    Assignee: Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Junichi Tagawa, Hiroaki Yamane
  • Patent number: 7390957
    Abstract: An information processing apparatus comprises an operating member used for changing a sound volume, a display device which displays volume data of the sound volume changed in response to an operation of the operating member and a controller which changes the volume data. An indicator indicates level data changed in response to the operation of the operating member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Takeshi Iwata
  • Patent number: 7361825
    Abstract: In an electronic keyboard instrument, each key moves from an initial position to a full stroke position via first, second, and third positions sequentially. A velocity detector detects a first key velocity of the key when the key moves from the first position to the second position, and detects a second key velocity of the key when the key further moves from the second position to the third position. A predictor obtains a predicted key-on time and a predicted key velocity based on the first key velocity, provided that the first key velocity is greater than a predetermined threshold velocity. A tone generator generates a musical sound signal based on the first key velocity and the predicted key velocity if the second key velocity is not detected before the predicted key-on time.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2008
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventor: Kenichi Nishida
  • Patent number: 7351903
    Abstract: There is provided a musical composition data editing apparatus which enables the generation of musical composition data using which a user can cause his/her own musical image to be reflected to a high degree in a musical composition performance through simple operations, whereby a wide variety of users from beginners having no knowledge of musical composition data such as MIDI data to experts who want to arrange musical compositions in their own manner can be satisfied. A standard musical composition data generating section 230 of a contents server CS refers to musical composition reproduction control codes for controlling reproduction of a musical composition contained in source musical composition data, to determine whether or not a musical image in the musical composition reproduction changes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 1, 2008
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Kenji Ishida, Kenichi Miyazawa, Yoshitaka Masumoto, Yoshiki Nishitani
  • Patent number: 6931124
    Abstract: A soft mute circuit includes a programmable amplifier controlled by a register. Data is stored in the register from an adder that combines the current data in the register with a second number for increasing or decreasing the gain of the amplifier. A summation circuit includes a plurality of inputs coupled by gates to a summation node and the summation node is coupled to an input of the programmable amplifier. The gates are controlled by suitable logic for selecting input signals in any combination. A control loop maintains the gain of the amplifier at a predetermined level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2005
    Assignee: Acoustic Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Raymond Rubacha, Samuel L. Thomasson
  • Patent number: 6895290
    Abstract: Minimizing the damaging effects of loud music but with minimal reduction in aesthetic quality of the music. When music presented through an audio is sampled in order to determine average frequency, music having very low average frequencies is predictably likely to be played louder than sampled music having higher average frequencies. This unexpected observation is based upon a human factor, i.e. rock and related music that is ordinarily composed and presented at relatively low frequencies, e.g. 500 to 1000 Hz is likely to be played on the audio system at very high volume because of the tastes of its listeners. An audio system for a data processor controlled presentation of music with a set up for minimizing the damaging effects of loud music comprising an implementation for predetermining a minimum average frequency of music being presented in combination with measuring whether the music being presented falls below said minimum average frequency for a sampling period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2005
    Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
    Inventors: Faisal M. Awada, Joe Nathan Brown, Philip Bernard Burkes
  • Publication number: 20030070537
    Abstract: There is provided a musical tone generation control system that, even if the player moves, enables him/her to listen to good musical tones at a location to which the player has moved without the necessity of making adjustments by himself/herself. Information on a position of a listener is detected. A plurality of speakers are provided for sounding musical tones corresponding to a musical tone signal supplied from said tone generator. The volume of musical tones to be sounded from the plurality of speakers according to the detected position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2002
    Publication date: April 17, 2003
    Inventors: Yoshiki Nishitani, Kenichi Miyazawa, Katsuhiko Masuda, Kazuhito Nakajima
  • Patent number: 6548749
    Abstract: Multipliers respectively multiply a tone signal supplied from a sound source and a tone signal corrected by a filter according to hearing correction characteristics by balance control coefficients generated by a control coefficient generator based on tone volume control data, and an adder adds the products to adjust the tone volume balance. A multiplier multiplies the tone signal output from that adder by a tone volume control coefficient generated by the control coefficient generator based on the tone volume control data to adjust the tone volume. Frequency characteristics for correcting hearing characteristics are given to the tone signal in accordance with the tone volume of tones to be generated, thus maintaining tone volume balance upon hearing among tone colors of tones to be generated by an electronic musical instrument.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2003
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Kawai Gakki Seisakusho
    Inventor: Masayuki Suda
  • Patent number: 6531652
    Abstract: Style-of-rendition identification information representing a style of rendition of a performance tone is received, and reference is made to a predetermined table on the basis of the received style-of-rendition identification information to thereby obtain, from the table, style-of-rendition module data corresponding to the received style-of-rendition identification information. Waveform is produced on the basis of the obtained style-of-rendition module data. The style-of-rendition module data is data representing behavior of a waveform to be produced in accordance with a style of rendition and may include data representing characteristic behavior of vectors that control the waveform to be reproduced. The behavior of the waveform can be defined by various waveform factors. The vectors include, for example, vectors of various fundamental waveform factors for producing the waveform, such as a waveform shape, pitch, amplitude and time axis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2003
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Hideo Suzuki, Hideyuki Masuda, Motoichi Tamura, Satoshi Usa, Yasuyuki Umeyama
  • Publication number: 20020069748
    Abstract: Multipliers respectively multiply a tone signal supplied from a sound source and a tone signal corrected by a filter according to hearing correction characteristics by balance control coefficients generated by a control coefficient generator based on tone volume control data, and an adder adds the products to adjust the tone volume balance. A multiplier multiplies the tone signal output from that adder by a tone volume control coefficient generated by the control coefficient generator based on the tone volume control data to adjust the tone volume. Frequency characteristics for correcting hearing characteristics are given to the tone signal in accordance with the tone volume of tones to be generated, thus maintaining tone volume balance upon hearing among tone colors of tones to be generated by an electronic musical instrument.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 25, 2001
    Publication date: June 13, 2002
    Inventor: Masayuki Suda
  • Patent number: 6350943
    Abstract: An electric instrument amplifier emulates an audio characteristics of a traditional vacuum-tube type amplifier. The electric instrument amplifier is formed in a single housing for amplifying an audio signal from an electric instrument. The electric instrument amplifier includes an A/D (analog-to-digital) converter for converting a first analog signal from the electric instrument to a digital signal, a digital signal processing circuit for processing the digital signal to add an intended effect to the digital signal, a D/A (digital-to-analog) converter for converting the digital signal processed by the digital signal processing circuit to a second analog signal, a tube amplifier having at least one vacuum-tube for amplifying the second analog signal, and a virtual power circuit formed with semiconductor devices for amplifying or attenuating an audio signal produced by the tube amplifier.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2002
    Assignee: Korg, Inc.
    Inventors: Michio Suruga, Yoshihiro Suzuki, Kentaro Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 6281421
    Abstract: A remix apparatus and a remix method are provided, which can generate new musical tone pattern data with new tempo and groove while partly maintaining the tempo and groove of the original musical tone pattern data. Musical tone pattern data having a first predetermined length are divided into a plurality of first musical tone piece data each having a second predetermined length smaller than the first predetermined length, and the musical tone pattern data are divided into second musical tone piece data each having a third predetermined length smaller than the first predetermined length and different from the second predetermined length.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 10, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2001
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventor: Yukihiro Kawaguchi
  • Patent number: 6166316
    Abstract: An automatic performance apparatus that is responsive to a manual player of an input implement for producing either an arpeggio performance or a pattern performance in a modified form. Specifically, the present invention includes: a sequencer block that is responsive to manual play for generating a sequence of original note data representing either the arpeggio performance or the pattern performance; an input block to set control parameters; a play effector block to process the original note data according to the control parameters; a transposer block that shifts the altered note data by a predetermined interval to thereby generate shifted note data; a note effector block that generates additional note data in superposed relation to the shifted note data; a tone generator block that is receptive of the shifted note data and the additional note data for generating corresponding musical tones to thereby provide the modified form of either of the arpeggio performance and the pattern performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 6, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2000
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Makoto Takahashi, Yoshihisa Ito
  • Patent number: 6111183
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2000
    Inventor: Eric Lindemann
  • Patent number: 6064743
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2000
    Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventor: David N. Suggs
  • Patent number: 5998726
    Abstract: A musical sound generating system which generates musical sounds having desired tone regardless of the variation of volume setting. In the musical sound generating system, the standard tone control touch curve TCstd, the maximum tone control touch curve Tcmax, and the minimum tone control touch curve TCmin when the amplification factor V is standard (a standard amplification factor Vstd), maximum, and minimum respectively are stored. If the amplification factor is higher than the standard amplification factor Vstd, an interpolation between the standard tone control touch curve TCstd and the maximum tone control touch curve TCmax is performed, and the tone control touch curve TC according to the amplification factor V is obtained. Based on the tone control touch curve, the cut-off frequency F corresponding to the velocity value Tv is determined, and then the tone of the musical sound is controlled by the low pass filter with the cut-off frequency F.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 7, 1999
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Kawai Gakki
    Inventor: Jiro Tanaka
  • Patent number: 5977471
    Abstract: A method of and apparatus for enhancing an audio signal to reflect positional information of a sound emitting object in a simulation are described. The method includes determining a parameter describing a location of the sound emitting object. A setting for the audio signal is adjusted based on the first parameter by sending an adjustment command to an audio interface device. Either the whole audio signal, or a portion thereof is transferred to the audio interface device after the adjustment command. The apparatus includes a processor, a memory, and an audio interface coupled to a bus. The memory contains an audio adjustment routine which, when executed by the processor, sends an adjustment command to the audio interface device to adjust a characteristic of an audio signal. The adjustment command reflects a spatial location of an emitter in a simulated environment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 2, 1999
    Assignee: Intel Corporation
    Inventor: Michael D. Rosenzweig
  • Patent number: 5977470
    Abstract: An electronic musical instrument has a processing circuit for adding a reverberation tone after volume control using expression data generated upon operation of an expression pedal to generate tone data which does not vary the attenuation characteristics of the reverberation tone by operation of the expression pedal. The volume control and reverberation tone addition are implemented by a digital signal processor. Auditory sense correction of the volume control is also done by exponentially transforming expression data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 1998
    Date of Patent: November 2, 1999
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Kawai Gakki Seisakusho
    Inventor: Masayuki Suda
  • Patent number: 5834672
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing a tone (e.g. for music) without use of a waveform memory and using a feedback loop. The feedback loop includes a waveform generator which calculates, in real time, a parabolic approximation to a sine wave. The feedback loop includes a delay phase differencer to eliminate hunting. The output waveform from the feedback loop is provided to a sine function generator which approximates a sine value using a third order polynomial, to provide the output tone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 10, 1998
    Assignee: Chromatic Research, Inc.
    Inventor: Avery L. Wang
  • Patent number: 5789690
    Abstract: An electronic sound source comprises an adder which calculates a sum of volume data and differential volume data in response to each clock signal supplied at equal intervals of time and transfers it to a limiter and a volume register. The sum volume data is then limited to a predetermined value by the limiter and passed across a volume register to a volume controller where it is multiplied by an output of a mute processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 4, 1998
    Assignee: Sony Corporation
    Inventors: Makoto Furuhashi, Masakazu Suzuoki
  • Patent number: 5742695
    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.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 21, 1998
    Assignee: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.
    Inventor: David N. Suggs
  • Patent number: 5731534
    Abstract: An effect imparting processing and other processing are executed by shared use of a same microprocessor. When the other processing involves a relatively great amount of calculation, the effect imparting processing is set to a lower grade to reduce the amount of calculation necessary for the effect imparting processing, so that more computing capability of the microprocessor can be allocated to the other processing. When the other processing involves a relatively small amount of calculation, the effect imparting processing is set to a higher grade to impart a higher-quality effect to a tone signal. In an effect imparting device, the level of the input audio signal is monitored and execution of the effect imparting processing is discontiued when supply of the audio signals is stopped continuously for a predetermined time period. Thereafter, the effect imparting processing is resumed when the supply of the audio signal is restarted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 18, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 24, 1998
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Motoichi Tamura, Hiroyuki Sato
  • Patent number: 5665928
    Abstract: In a sound (music) synthesis system, a transition between levels of a sound parameter (e.g. volume) is synthesized by fitting a cubic (third degree) spline function between two discontinuous parameter levels. This advantageously eliminates any sound artifacts (pops or clicks) which would otherwise be present due to abrupt changes in the parameter. The cubic spline is fitted (interpolated) to match both the parameter value and its derivative with respect to time at each of the adjacent parameter levels on either side of the transition. The transition thus is advantageously kept brief and in addition it is possible to deal with the situation when the parameter dynamically changes during the transition period, again without causing undesirable sound artifacts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 9, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 9, 1997
    Assignee: Chromatic Research
    Inventor: Avery L. Wang
  • Patent number: 5635658
    Abstract: A data set including data representing volume levels of an original sound and of an effect-imparted sound that has been set by a first musical instrument is transmitted to a second musical instrument. If any effect corresponding to the transmitted effect volume level data is not achievable by the second musical instrument, the second musical instrument modifies the original sound volume level in accordance with the effect volume level data, to thereby control a total volume balance. When tone color designating information is transmitted from the first instrument to the second instrument and tone color designated by the information is achieved by the second instrument, data representing a tone color group having been achieved by the second instrument is stored. Then, when any tone color group not achievable by the second instrument is designated, the designated tone color group is replaced with the stored tone color group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 1994
    Date of Patent: June 3, 1997
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Masao Kondo, Yoshihiro Shiiya
  • Patent number: 5559301
    Abstract: A touchscreen interface for a sound processing system, such as music synthesizers, which has a display panel and a touch sensitive panel overlying the display panel, includes an icon which represents an adjustable parameter used by the processing system. The processing resources supply a variable adjustment display to the display panel in response to a touch on the position of the icon, using pop-up slider or pop-up knob motif. The variable adjustment display overlies the interface display and has a size on the touch sensitive panel larger than the size of the icon to facilitate manipulation of the variable using a finger over a significant range of values. The variable adjustment display pops up when touched to obscure a portion of the graphical display used for the interface. When the variable is adjusted using the touch sequence, the variable adjustment display is removed, and the interface display is left unobscured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 1994
    Date of Patent: September 24, 1996
    Assignee: Korg, Inc.
    Inventors: Marcus K. Bryan, Jr., Alexander J. Limberis, John S. Bowen, Daniel A. Phillips
  • Patent number: 5552561
    Abstract: An electronic musical instrument can perform a musical-tone control according to a playing-style. In the instrument, a touch sensor is provided for each key on a keyboard, and pressure sensors are also provided under the keys. Each touch sensor detects a speed data corresponding to a depression speed of the key, and each pressure sensor detects a pressure data corresponding to an initial peak of a depression pressure after the start of the depression of the key. The instrument operates according to the speed data and the pressure data for discriminating between a standard playing-style which touches the key from an upside remote position and a push playing-style which starts depression of the key from a state where the key is touched.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 3, 1996
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Akira Nakada, Takeo Shibukawa, Yasuhiro Hinago, Junichi Mishima
  • Patent number: 5548655
    Abstract: A sound processing apparatus has a volume control circuit for controlling sound volume and a register storing plural values specifying attenuation levels. The register values are determined to linearly correspond to the rate of change of the attenuation level.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 1993
    Date of Patent: August 20, 1996
    Assignee: Hudson Soft Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Katsunori Takahashi
  • Patent number: 5536903
    Abstract: A musical tone synthesizing apparatus at least comprises two loop circuits. Each loop circuit delays an input signal thereof by a delay time corresponding to a tone-pitch period of a musical tone to be produced while circulating the input signal therethrough. When the loop circuits are connected in series, an excitation signal is applied to one loop circuit, while an output signal of one loop circuit is supplied to another loop circuit. Then, the excitation signal is mixed together with the output signals of the loop circuits, so that a musical tone signal representing a synthesized musical tone is generated. The excitation signal is generated by mixing a noise signal and a musical-tone-waveform signal. When simulating the violin sounds, the noise signal is made based on a frictional sound which is caused due to a friction between a string and a bow. Incidentally, a filter can be provided to perform a filtering operation on each of the excitation signal and the output signals of the loop circuits.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 1994
    Date of Patent: July 16, 1996
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Toru Kitayama, Akira Yamauchi
  • Patent number: 5455380
    Abstract: An electronic musical instrument changes sound effects, such as resonance and reverberation, during a performance. The instrument has a tone-ON channel counter, for counting keys that are simultaneously depressed; an output channel determination unit, for determining an output channel in consonance with a count value held by the tone-ON channel counter; and an output channel selector, for designating the output channel, so as to provide a desired sound effect through the selected output channel.In a modification, the instrument has a parameter value determination unit, for determining a parameter value in consonance with a count value counted by the tone-ON channel counter; a resonant tone production unit, for adding a desired sound effect; and a controller, for employing the parameter value to control the resonant tone production unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 3, 1995
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Kawai Gakki Seisakusho
    Inventors: Eiji Matsuda, Gen Izumisawa
  • Patent number: 5398585
    Abstract: An electronic musical instrument is designed in a generally guitar-shaped configuration with a fingerboard containing rows of keys replacing each string, one key for each string/fret position. Pressing on a key causes a signal to be provided to a central processing unit which continually scans the fingerboard at a high rate and converts the signals to a plurality of outputs to a synthesizer. Unlike a guitar, a plurality of keys, including a plurality along a single row, may be operated simultaneously to produce a plurality of notes simultaneously. A number of pressure switches and other switches located on the body enable a player to modify the output with vibrato, pitchbend, stereo pan, percussion effects, etc. Additional pressure responsive circuits provide inputs to the central processing unit varying with pressure on the keys. A second embodiment includes a fingerboard with many more rows or columns of keys and more keys per column.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 1991
    Date of Patent: March 21, 1995
    Inventor: Harvey Starr
  • Patent number: 5391829
    Abstract: An electronic musical instrument with an automatic performance function includes manual performance device, an automatic performance device and a control. The manual performance device, having a plurality of performance manipulators to be performed by a player, generates a manual performance musical tone having a tone color in response to the player's performing. The automatic performance device automatically generates automatic performance musical tones of a plurality of parts respectively corresponding to a plurality of tone colors. The control, in response to generation of the manual performance musical tone.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 24, 1992
    Date of Patent: February 21, 1995
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Masahiko Hasebe, Yaushi Kurakake
  • Patent number: 5374776
    Abstract: A system for use in an electronic musical instrument, which system includes a musical sound generating unit for generating a musical sound, and a detection unit for detecting that the magnitude of the musical sound data generated by the musical sound generating unit exceeds a processing capability, on the basis that the value indicated by the most significant bit prior to data processing not equal to that after data processing. A maintaining unit is also included which forcibly maintain the level of a signal representing the musical sound data at a maximum amplitude thereof, on the basis of the result of the detection effected by detection unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 1993
    Date of Patent: December 20, 1994
    Assignee: Kawai Musical Inst. Mfg. Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tsutomu Saito, Yutaka Washiyama, Yoichi Nagashima
  • Patent number: 5315059
    Abstract: A preferential order of channel vacating is determined according to a musical character of musical tones having assigned channels, thus permitting a channel assignment which does not depart from the harmony of the musical tone. The greater the number of tones which are equivalent in musical character, the more readily channels can be vacated for new tones, and tones with fewer equivalent tones in musical character may remain assigned. The channel selection may also be limited for low envelope level tones.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 24, 1994
    Assignee: Kawai Musical Inst. Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tsutomu Saito
  • Patent number: 5313523
    Abstract: The sound volume controlling apparatus comprises UP and DOWN keys (42, 43) depressed manually; a time period detecting circuit (39h, 39d) for detecting time period from when the duration of UP or DOWN key depression reaches a predetermined value (e.g. 0.5 sec) to when the continuous key depression ends; a sound volume value deciding circuit (39e, 39f, 37a) for changing the sound volume value during the time duration detected by the time period detecting circuit; and sound volume changing circuit (37b, 45) for changing the sound volume in accordance with the value decided by the sound volume value deciding circuit.Since the sound volume is changed only after the key is kept depressed for a predetermined time period (e.g. 0.5 sec), it is possible to prevent the sound volume from being changed erroneously due to a short time touch to the keys.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 17, 1994
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: Yoshihiro Kawauchi
  • Patent number: 5286907
    Abstract: There are disclosed an apparatus adapted to generate musical information of a synthetic sound in accordance with the MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) standard to carry out PCM (Pulse Code Modulation) recording of a natural effect sound including natural sound and/or a human voice such as back chorus to mix them to generate musical accompaniment, thus to mix a voice of singing sung with the musical accompaniment, and a recording medium used for such an apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 1991
    Date of Patent: February 15, 1994
    Assignee: Pioneer Electronic Corporation
    Inventors: Mashiro Okamura, Masuhiro Sato, Naoto Inaba, Yoshiyuki Akiba, Toshiki Nakai
  • Patent number: 5231240
    Abstract: A digital tone mixer includes a first digital volume regulator electrically connected to a first tone generator and having a binary signal output corresponding to the desired amplitude of a pulsating tone signal from the first tone generator; a second digital volume regulator electrically connected to a second tone generator and having a binary signal output corresponding to the desired amplitude of a pulsating tone signal from the second tone generator; a binary adder for summing the binary signal outputs of the first and second volume regulators; and a pulse rate modulator receiving a binary output from the binary adder and generating a pulse train which has a pulse density corresponding to the binary output of the binary adder. The digital tone mixer has a very stable output characteristic.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 17, 1992
    Date of Patent: July 27, 1993
    Assignee: Hualon Microelectronics Corporation
    Inventor: Wei-Fan Lu