Abstract: A method for providing information to a user, preferably including: determining environmental information; determining a set of features based on the information; determining output parameters based on the features; and controlling a sensory output system to generate outputs based on the output parameters. A sensory output device, preferably including a plurality of sensory output actuators. A system for providing information to a user, preferably including one or more: sensory output devices, sensors, and computing systems.

Abstract: A method including: receiving a music input; determining values of musical parameters based on the input; generating a spatial representation of the music input based on the values; and at a plurality of haptic actuators defining a spatial distribution, cooperatively producing a haptic output based on the spatial representation.

Abstract: A data sonification system for representing a plurality of channels of numerical information is described wherein the rate of the periodic modulation is itself used as a vehicle for carrying information of at least one component of the multidimensional numerical data. The data sonification system includes a plurality of audio waveform generator elements. Each of the audio waveform generator elements generates an associated audio frequency waveform. Each audio frequency waveform has an audio frequency parameter and at least one timbre modulation parameter having a settable value. The timbre modulation parameter affects the timbre of the audio waveform. The data sonification system includes a mapping element for associating aspects of multidimensional numerical data with the timbre modulation parameter of each audio frequency waveform. The mapping element sets the value of the timbre modulation parameter in response to multidimensional numerical data and/or periodic modulation.

Abstract: A musical sound control apparatus includes: an operator which as an index portion and changes values of a plurality of kinds of parameters by moving a position of the index portion; and a parameter control unit which executes processing of changing the values of the plurality of kinds of parameters according to an operated position as a position at which the index portion was moved from a standard position by an operation and processing of, when changing an assignment to the operator from a first parameter among the plurality of kinds of parameters to a second parameter among the plurality of kinds of parameters in a state in which the index portion is positioned at a position other than the standard position, setting a value of the second parameter assigned to a value which does not correspond to the position of the index portion.

Abstract: A sampling device includes: an obtainer that obtains a streaming audio waveform; a detector that detects a tap by a user; a designator that designates a sampling start point on the obtained audio waveform when at least a single tap has been detected by the detector, the designating being performed on the basis of one tap among a plurality of the taps when the plurality of taps are detected; a calculator that calculates a sampling duration on the basis of time intervals between the respective taps when the plurality of taps are detected, the calculating being performed from the sampling start point to a subsequent tap that is performed after the one tap; and a waveform sampler that samples the obtained audio waveform, the sampling starting from the designated sampling start point and ending in accordance with the calculated sampling duration.

Abstract: Synthesis of time-varying MIDI control signals useful in creating spatial perturbation, chase effects, new forms of rich musical timbre modulation, spatially-distributed timbre constructions, and other types of sonic animation. Phase staggered multi-channel MIDI-format control signals are created using one or more low frequency oscillators, each with a plurality of phase shifting elements. Control signal waveshapers may be included in the control signal synthesis chain. In an exemplary embodiment, frequency and phase parameters are adjustable, with values that may be recalled from stored program control and/or modulated in real-time by incoming MIDI control signals. In another exemplary embodiment, each outgoing control signal additionally may be independently assigned a selectable waveshape, which is determined by values that may be recalled from stored program control and/or modulated in real-time by incoming MIDI control signals.

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: Disclosed is a piano sound source apparatus for adding a piano sound source providing a plurality of sinusoidal oscillation frequencies and a noise source providing a plurality of noise oscillation frequencies to output a composite tone. The apparatus includes an oscillation control unit that controls the frequency and amplitude of each of sine waves corresponding to the sinusoidal oscillation frequencies on the basis of time, an amplitude control unit that controls the amplitude of each of the sine waves corresponding to the sinusoidal oscillation frequencies in accordance with the intensity of the composite tone, and a mixing-proportion control unit that controls the amplitude of each of the noise oscillation frequencies in accordance with the intensity of the composite tone to control the mixing proportion of the amplitudes of the noise oscillation frequencies and those of the sine waves corresponding to the sinusoidal oscillation frequencies.

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: A visual display is provide for music associated with a theremin or, in general, any space-controlled electric instrument. The theremin is a space-controlled electric instrument that produces an output of sound corresponding to the motion of the user, without being touched by the user. The device establishes a correspondence between motion and electric signals, then between such signals and either light and sound, or just light.

Abstract: Variable frequency sawtooth waveforms are often utilized as an excitation signal in a digital musical synthesizer. A problem exists at lower sampling rates in such systems due to an aliasing problem which occurs at frequencies near the Nyquist rate. Low pass filtering may be utilized to mask this problem; however, low pass filtering is very time consuming to implement in a ditigal signal processor. The method and apparatus of the present invention reduces the upper harmonic content of a sawtooth waveform by proportionally converting the sawtooth waveform to a triangle waveform in response to variations in the frequency of the sawtooth waveform. This is accomplished by adding a selectable offset to the sawtooth waveform and then taking the absolute value of the resultant waveform. By restoring this waveform to a zero offset, the sawtooth waveform excitation signal will be converted to a triangle waveform having a substantially reduced upper harmonic content.