Side; Rhythm And Percussion Devices Patents (Class 84/DIG12)
  • Patent number: 6147291
    Abstract: On an initial screen, a conversion ratio indicated by a style conversion ratio data is displayed in a display area 32. Various kinds of styles are displayed in display areas 33 to 38. In this case, a style which is currently selected is "Samba" which blinks, and the conversion ratio is 50%. When a style number corresponding to samba is "2," a style change is conducted for the original performance data based on a style conversion data corresponding to the style number 2. At this time, the conversion ratio of 50% is referred, and changes of a sound-producing timing, a tone color, an additional instrument, and the like are conducted. An image displayed on a monitor is changed based on an image conversion data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2000
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventor: Shuichi Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 6121533
    Abstract: An initial note series is collected from a real-time source of musical input material such as a keyboard or a sequencer playing back musical data, or extracted from musical data stored in memory. The initial note series may be altered to create variations of the initial note series using various mathematical operations. The resulting altered note series, or other data stored in memory is read out according to one or more patterns. The patterns may have steps containing pools of independently selectable items from which random selections are made. A pseudo-random number generator is employed to perform the random selections during processing, where the random sequences thereby generated have the ability to be repeated at specific musical intervals. The resulting musical effect may additionally incorporate a repeated effect, or a repeated effect can be independently performed from input notes in the musical input material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2000
    Inventor: Stephen Kay
  • Patent number: 6121532
    Abstract: An initial note series is collected from a real-time source of musical input material such as a keyboard or a sequencer playing back musical data, or extracted from musical data stored in memory. The initial note series may be altered to create variations of the initial note series using various mathematical operations. The resulting altered note series, or other data stored in memory is read out according to one or more patterns. The patterns may have steps containing pools of independently selectable items from which random selections are made. A pseudo-random number generator is employed to perform the random selections during processing, where the random sequences thereby generated have the ability to be repeated at specific musical intervals. The resulting musical effect may additionally incorporate a repeated effect, or a repeated effect can be independently performed from input notes in the musical input material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 1999
    Date of Patent: September 19, 2000
    Inventor: Stephen R. Kay
  • Patent number: 6103964
    Abstract: An initial note series is collected from a real-time source of musical input material such as a keyboard or a sequencer playing back musical data, or extracted from musical data stored in memory. The initial note series may be altered to create variations of the initial note series using various mathematical operations. The resulting altered note series, or other data stored in memory is read out according to one or more patterns. The patterns may have steps containing pools of independently selectable items from which random selections are made. A pseudo-random number generator is employed to perform the random selections during processing, where the random sequences thereby generated have the ability to be repeated at specific musical intervals. The resulting musical effect may additionally incorporate a repeated effect, or a repeated effect can be independently performed from input notes in the musical input material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2000
    Inventor: Stephen R. Kay
  • Patent number: 6096962
    Abstract: A method practiced in connection with a computer game, video game or the like constantly evolves the game's music by permutting several basic themes and rhythms used. A harmonic pointer and rhythm pointer start the music so as to conform to a musical style desired in connection with a displayed scene or other event. Once the pointers have been set to a current musical style, the permutation process evolves the basic themes and rhythms and regenerates new music whose form is a stream of variations of the original themes thoughout the history of an individual game play experience, thus providing a large amount of musical content without having to store a large, complex, prerecorded musical score defined for each scene of the game. The amount of memory needed for musical passages is limited because a complex musical output is created from only a limited set of basic themes and rhythms. Initial musical themes are set during the game installation and musical themes evolve during the game.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2000
    Inventor: Ronald P. Crowley
  • Patent number: 6096961
    Abstract: The electronic apparatus comprises a processing unit for classification and storage of a plurality of musical compositions, and a control device, such as a keyboard or MIDI connection, for performing of sequences of connoting musical events, to be stored and related to each single musical composition. The same control device may then be, used for performing of one or more sequences of searching musical events, in order to automatically find and subsequently read-out an associated musical composition from a storage memory of the CPU. For this purpose, the processing unit comprises program means for comparing a searching sequence with the connoting sequence of musical events, reading-out one or more of the stored musical compositions in the event of total or partial equivalence between the compared sequences of musical events.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 1998
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2000
    Assignee: Roland Europe S.p.A.
    Inventors: Luigi Bruti, Demetrio Cuccu', Nicola Calo'
  • Patent number: 6084169
    Abstract: An automatic music composing method automatically composes background music matching an atmosphere and a reproduction time of an input moving or changing image. A moving or changing image is inputted and divided into scenes, a feature of each scene is extracted, an automatic music composing parameter is obtained from the feature, background music is automatically composed using the parameter and scene reproduction time, and the composed background music is output along with the moving or changing image.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 1999
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2000
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Hasegawa, Yoshinori Kitahara
  • Patent number: 6075197
    Abstract: An interactive drum set includes a storage device for storing data representing sounds of a plurality of background music styles, sounds of a plurality of drum beat sequences, and sounds of a plurality of percussion instruments. The drum set also includes a plurality of drum plates for receiving user-directed forces, each of the plurality of drum plates being associated with the data representing sounds of one of the plurality of percussion instruments. A sensor disposed at each of the plurality of drum plates detects the user-directed forces and generates a signal indicative of the user-directed forces. A triggering device operatively connected to each sensor outputs a trigger signal when the signal of the sensor exceeds a threshold value. A user-interface device responsive to user commands supplies signals indicative of a user's selection of at least one background music style and/or at least one drum beat sequence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 13, 2000
    Inventor: Ying Kit Chan
  • Patent number: 6066792
    Abstract: A music apparatus is constructed for joint play of music pieces by processing song data. In the music apparatus, a storage device stores song data representing a plurality of music pieces. An operating device is used for designating a first music piece as an object of the joint play among the plurality of the music pieces stored in the storage device. A controller device automatically selects a second music piece from the plurality of the music pieces as another object of the joint play such that the second music piece has a musical compatibility with the first music piece. A processor device retrieves the song data of the first music piece and the song data of the second music piece from the storage device, and processes the song data retrieved from the storage device so as to merge the second music piece to the first music piece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 5, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2000
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventor: Takuro Sone
  • Patent number: 6051772
    Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for emulating a frequency modulation sound chip with minimal hardware and utilizing the excess capacity of current computer systems. In one embodiment, the frequency modulation emulation apparatus includes a frequency modulation emulator suitable to communicate with a computer system. The frequency modulation emulator provides an addressable memory space, substantially similar to an emulated addressable memory space of the emulated frequency modulation sound chip, such that a frequency modulation application implemented on the computer system can communicate with the frequency modulation emulator. The emulator chip receives audio data through the addressable memory space from the frequency modulation application and, the frequency modulation application is unaware that the frequency modulation emulator is receiving the audio data rather than the emulated frequency modulation sound chip. A frequency modulation generator is implemented on the computer system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 15, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2000
    Assignee: Aureal Semiconductor, Inc.
    Inventors: Charles J. Cameron, Gary M. Catlin
  • Patent number: 6051770
    Abstract: A system and method for creating and composing musical works by selecting existing musical elements and applying modification modules to them. Existing musical selections reside in a database as metrics, or targets for the composition of new pieces. The present invention composes a new piece of music by, for example, specifying component musical features in the selected targets that should be modified or retained in creating the new work. Such musical features include, for example, rhythmic characteristics, harmonic characteristics, and the like. In this manner, a user who is, musically untutored is able to create satisfying, original works having desired characteristics as specified by the user.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 19, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2000
    Assignee: Postmusic, LLC
    Inventors: Andy M. Milburn, Jay Hardesty, Joseph P. Lubin
  • Patent number: 6031175
    Abstract: A music performing apparatus comprises a manipulative music performing device which performs music according to the player's musical performance on the apparatus and an automatic accompaniment performing device which performs musical accompaniment according to automatic accompaniment signals provided in the apparatus. The properties and the manners of a musical performance and an automatic accompaniment are determined by the parameters set by the various controls such as switches and knobs in the control panel provided on the apparatus. A state of combination of such parameters is defined as a registration for a musical performance. Different registrations are stored in a data storage device representing different combinations of the parameters, and a desired one of the registrations is selectively called by the user to set the performance properties and manners.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 1999
    Date of Patent: February 29, 2000
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventor: Akira Tozuka
  • Patent number: 5952596
    Abstract: A pitch/tempo converting apparatus is constructed for concurrently changing a tempo and a pitch of an audio signal according to tempo designation information and pitch designation information. In the apparatus, a memory section memorizes the audio signal composed of original amplitude values sequentially sampled at original sampling points timed by an original sampling rate within an original frame period. A tempo converting section converts the original frame period into an actual frame period by varying a length of the original frame period according to the tempo designation information so as to change the tempo of the audio signal. A pitch converting section converts each of the original sampling points into each of actual sampling points by shifting each of the original sampling points according to the pitch designation information so as to change the pitch of the audio signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 14, 1999
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventor: Kazunobu Kondo
  • Patent number: 5920025
    Abstract: Separately from an accompaniment style data memory having stored therein one or more accompaniment style data each including performance data for an automatic accompaniment, a modifying data memory is provided which has stored therein one or more modifying data sets each including style designating data for designating any of the accompaniment style data stored in said accompaniment style data memory and modification instructing data for modifying contents of the accompaniment style data designated by the style designating data. Desired one of the modifying data sets is selected and read out from the modifying data memory. One of the accompaniment style data is read out from the accompaniment style data memory in response to the style designating data of the read-out modifying data set read out by said readout section and its contents are modified in accordance with the modification instructing data of the read-out modifying data set, so as to generate modified accompaniment style data.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 6, 1998
    Date of Patent: July 6, 1999
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Shinichi Itoh, Masao Ishibashi
  • Patent number: 5915289
    Abstract: An electronic cymbal apparatus which significantly shortens the vibratory response of the prolonged resonating acoustical tone produced by the percussive impact on an electrically conductive striking surface thereby enabling the pick-up of such shortened vibratory response by a transducer, such as, without limitation, a piezoelectric transducer. The electronic cymbal apparatus utilizes conventional cymbal substrates, such as, without limitation, in the form of a broad-brim hat wherein the use of conventional cymbal substrates allows the musician to employ conventional acoustical "striking" techniques while playing the electronic cymbal apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 22, 1999
    Inventor: Peter Hart
  • Patent number: 5880391
    Abstract: The controller scans a plurality of chord switches which select a particular type of chord. If a previously operated selection switch is still closed, the previously generated MIDI chord message continues. If a selection switch is newly operated, then the MIDI signals from an associated musical instrument on a selected channel are scanned to determine the presence of a particular note meeting pre-selected criteria. When such a note is recognized, a three-note MIDI chord message using the particular note as the root note in the chord is produced and transmitted to the music sequencer, which produces a musical pattern in the particular chord as an accompaniment to the musical instrument.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 9, 1999
    Inventor: Robert L. Westlund
  • Patent number: 5856628
    Abstract: A table-type electronic percussion instrument is constructed by a table board, legs, pads as well as a musical tone generation circuit and a speaker system. Herein, the table board has a specific shape such as a pentagon-like shape which enables multiple persons to seat. The table board is supported by the legs and is constructed by a base material having a high rigidity and a dressing board like a plywood. The dressing board covers a surface of the base material through which holes are formed. The pads are arranged on a surface of the dressing board to match with locations of the holes. Sensors are provided inside of the holes and are attached to a backside of the dressing board. So, the sensors are arranged to detect striking force which is imparted to each of the pads by the persons. The musical tone generation circuit is provided beneath the table board to convert electric signals of the sensors to musical tone signals. The speaker system is located beneath the table board to generate musical tones (e.g.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 1997
    Date of Patent: January 5, 1999
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Yoshitaka Noguchi, Masaaki Mizuguchi
  • Patent number: 5837915
    Abstract: An electronic drum has a drum pad beaten with sticks and a pad structure, a sensor board attached to the pad structure and an piezoelectric element attached to the sensor board form in combination the drum pad; the sensor board is formed of cellular vinyl chloride with an internal loss or tangent-delta equal to or greater than 0.02 so that the vibrations propagated to the sensor board have a constant amplitude.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 17, 1998
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventor: Yuichiro Suenaga
  • Patent number: 5824938
    Abstract: An electronic instrument which generates sound using a sound generator upon receipt of a trigger signal. Each pad actuator for generating a trigger signal includes first and second actuators for respectively triggering first and second switches which, upon actuation, generate the trigger signal for the sound generator. The pad actuator is mounted so as to rotate in a first direction about a pivot point upon depression by a user. The first actuator is placed closer to the pivot point than the second actuator and is mounted on a floating cantilever beam such that continued depression of the pad actuator in the first direction after actuation of the first switch by the first actuator causes the first actuator to displace in a second direction opposite the first direction while the second actuator continues to rotate in the first direction about the pivot point until the second switch is actuated by the second actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 1997
    Date of Patent: October 20, 1998
    Assignee: Ensoniq Corporation
    Inventors: Thomas M. Costello, Gary M. Trapuzzano, Carl V. Bader
  • Patent number: 5770812
    Abstract: In a method of generating musical tones through a plurality of channels according to performance information by means of a processor placed in either of a working state and an idling state and a buffer connected to the processor, control information is successively produced for the plurality of the channels according to the performance information when the same is successively inputted. A regular task of the processor is periodically instituted according to the control information for successively executing a routine synthesis of waveform samples of the musical tones allotted to the plurality of the channels and for temporarily storing the waveform samples in the buffer. It is detected when the processor occasionally stays in the idling state for instituting an irregular task of the processor to execute an advance synthesis of a waveform sample of a musical tone allotted to a particular one of the channels and for reserving the waveform sample in advance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 1997
    Date of Patent: June 23, 1998
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventor: Toru Kitayama
  • Patent number: 5747716
    Abstract: In a medley playback apparatus, a storage device stores a plurality of performance data corresponding to a plurality of music pieces. A generator device is fed with the performance data to generate musical tones to thereby play back the corresponding music piece. A designator device designates at least a first music piece and a second music piece among the plurality of the music pieces. An editor device mutilates first performance data corresponding to the first music piece so as to produce a preceding compact part thereof, also mutilates second performance data corresponding to the second music piece so as to produce a succeeding compact part thereof, and creates intermediate performance data based on the first performance data and the second performance data so as to produce a bridge part connecting between the preceding compact part and the succeeding compact part.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 1997
    Date of Patent: May 5, 1998
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventor: Shuichi Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 5744738
    Abstract: A rigid frame provides a mount for musical drums and cymbals as well as a seat for a drummer to provide him with vibrational feedback from the drums. The seat is adjustable and accommodates the drummer in a recumbent position. Sidewardly extending wings on the frame accommodate a special mounting arrangement for a bass drum. An upwardly extending post on the frame mounts an acoustical drum and a high hat cymbal. A snare drum is mounted in front of the seat on a telescopically adjustable double rail structure which is supported on front and back legs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 1995
    Date of Patent: April 28, 1998
    Inventor: Robert A. Gatzen
  • Patent number: 5739456
    Abstract: In a method for automatically performing accompaniment in an automatic accompaniment apparatus, a plurality of system defining rhythm data patterns are provided. Each of the plurality of system rhythm data patterns is composed of a plurality of rhythm data for a plurality of parts. In a rhythm editing mode, one or more parts of the plurality of parts of the user rhythm data pattern is designated for a user defining rhythm data pattern, and the designated one or more parts are associated with the rhythm data of corresponding parts of one of the plurality of system defining rhythm data patterns so that the user defining rhythm data pattern can be produced. In an automatic accompaniment mode, accompaniment is automatically performed based on the user defining rhythm data pattern. Each of the plurality of rhythm data has a rhythm data identifier and a pattern identifier is allocated to each of the plurality of system defining rhythm data patterns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 1996
    Date of Patent: April 14, 1998
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Kawai Gakki Seisakusho
    Inventor: Yoshihisa Shimada
  • Patent number: 5663514
    Abstract: A specific type of a human operator's gesture (such as a downward, upward or lateral swinging movement) and its movement amount (such as a speed or acceleration of the movement) is detected by a movement detector. The detected movement amount is compensated in accordance with the detected movement type, and various factors to control dynamics of a music performance (such as tone volume, color, pitch, effect etc.) are variably controlled on the basis of the compensated movement amount. At least one of minimal and maximal values indicative of the operator's repetitive gesture is selectively extracted from the output of the movement detector so that the performance tempo is controlled on the basis of a particular time point at which the selected minimal or maximal value has been extracted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 2, 1997
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventor: Satoshi Usa
  • Patent number: 5635659
    Abstract: An automatic rhythm performance apparatus includes an effect addition device which adds a substantial musical effect to the automatic rhythm performance. The automatic rhythm performance apparatus includes a memory device for storing automatic rhythm performance data including a plurality of event data, a reading device for reading out the automatic rhythm performing data from the memory device, a detecting device for detecting a predetermined first event data at a predetermined performance progression timing which is associated with the automatic rhythm performing data read out from the memory device, and an adding device for adding a predetermined second event data to the automatic rhythm performing data. The apparatus provides an automatic rhythm performance with newly added performance data, such that substantial musical effect is added to the automatic rhythm performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 10, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 3, 1997
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventor: Hiromu Miyamoto
  • Patent number: 5633473
    Abstract: The vibration of a vibratory element, caused by applying thereto a shock, is detected by a vibration sensor and provided as an electric shock signal to a resonance circuit. The resonance frequencies and resonance decay time of the resonance circuit can freely be adjusted. By setting the resonance frequencies and resonance decay time of the resonance circuit to arbitrary values, desired frequency components are extracted from the electric shock signal and output as a sound signal of an electronic musical instrument.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 27, 1997
    Assignee: Korg Incorporated
    Inventors: Yasuhiko Mori, Yoshihiro Suzuki, Iwao Hamaura
  • Patent number: 5610355
    Abstract: An electronic musical instrument including: a scraper operator having a predetermined operation length in a predetermined operation direction, for detecting at least one of access, contact, and push of an operating member, and generating a plurality of signals to be detected within the range of the operation length; a time interval generating unit for receiving the signals detected by the scraper operator and generating a time interval signal representing a time difference between consecutively detected signals; and a tone signal synthesizer for generating a tone signal in accordance with the detected signal and the time interval signal each time the scraper operator generates the signal to be detected. Signals indicating the position, speed, and acceleration are derived from a plurality of consecutive signals time sequentially detected, providing various control ways of musical tone signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 11, 1997
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Masahiko Hasebe, Yasushi Kurakake, Junichi Mishima, Yasuhiko Asahi, Satoshi Uehara
  • Patent number: 5587545
    Abstract: A musical toy in which tappers on the ends of swinging bodies can be swung up and kept upswung without using any springs; space for spring mounting is thereby made unnecessary and the toy can be made small; the manufacturing process can be simplified and resulting mass production benefits and cost reductions can be achieved, and which can operate stably over a long period of time. There are provided a toy body 7, a sound producing body 5 and a control device 54, and the toy body 7 comprises first permanent magnets 23a and 23b and swinging bodies 9a and 9b mounted in the vicinity of the first permanent magnets 23a and 23b.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 24, 1996
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha B-AI
    Inventors: Takashi Nakada, Keiichi Kazami, Kenji Kaneko
  • Patent number: 5585586
    Abstract: A tempo setting apparatus and a parameter setting apparatus for an electronic musical instrument. The tempo setting apparatus automatically plays out a rhythm based on a set of rhythm performance data selected from plural sets of rhythm performance data stored in storage means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 17, 1996
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Kawai Gakki Seisakusho
    Inventor: Sadamoto Wakuda
  • Patent number: 5583307
    Abstract: A drum head (27) that is used for triggering electronic drums and that fits on a drum the same as an acoustic drum head fits and held on with a drum rim (33). A rubber pad (23) is adhered to a drum head (27) with a circular vibration board (12) adhered underneath leaving the drum head (27) in between. A transducer (14) adhered to the circular vibration board (12) senses the vibration when the pad is struck and transmits an electronic signal to a sound source by way of a cord (29). The cord (29) is plugged into a 1/4" jack (16) mounted on to an angled recessed 1/4" jack plate (25) which keeps the cord low and away from the playing surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 10, 1996
    Inventor: Thomas Tobia, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5567898
    Abstract: An improved musical instrument having an improved tambourine and a built-in whistle, integrated into one musical instrument. The improved musical instrument includes an additional outside frame to cover and protect the jingles for safety.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 1995
    Date of Patent: October 22, 1996
    Inventor: Efraim Shalev
  • Patent number: 5565640
    Abstract: An automatic performance device stores automatic performance data corresponding to a plurality of parts in music in a storage device. A first portion of the performance data corresponding to at least one of the plurality of parts in music is read out from the storage device in response to a trigger. A second portion of the performance data corresponding to other parts than the at least one of the plurality of parts in music is read out from the storage device. A point of the storage device from which the first portion of the performance data corresponding to the at least one of the plurality of parts in music is to be read out is shifted when no trigger has been generated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 1996
    Date of Patent: October 15, 1996
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventor: Kiyoshi Hasebe
  • Patent number: 5531148
    Abstract: An automatic set-up, collapsible drum set comprising a base, an upright, and a swing arm assembly each of which is hingedly connected to the next. A seat assembly, a locking mechanism, and a stick compartment are optionally provided so that the percussionist need only carry the drum set and a removable seat. Once the initial adjustments have been made for a given drummer, the drum set needs no further re-adjustment even after collapsing and re-setting-up the drum set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 2, 1996
    Inventor: Robert Wilson
  • Patent number: 5515764
    Abstract: An electronic metronome device producing precisely timed and tuned rhythms and pitches that are pre-programmed to correspond to specific scales or modes, arpeggios, chords, and etudes. A combination of microprocessor and user interface (34, 30, 28, and 26) stores these musical exercises and retrieves them from an electronic memory (36), inputs them to a signal processor (42) for amplification and modification, and outputs (40) them to speakers (12), optical displays (24), audio outputs (18), etc. A volume control 20 and balance control 22 modify the audio signal coming from the speakers 12. The components, enabled either by an internal (battery) or external (plug) power source (44), are housed in a light and durable case for easy portability and user control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 30, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 14, 1996
    Inventor: Daniel Rosen
  • Patent number: 5512706
    Abstract: While automatic accompaniment for chord, bass, rhythm etc. is performed in accordance with a normal pattern, the normal pattern is changed over to a fill-in pattern in response to actuation of a fill-in switch. Then, automatic accompaniment based on the fill-in pattern is repetitively performed as long as the fill-in switch is actuated. When the end of the fill-in pattern is detected, repeat control of the fill-in pattern causes the fill-in pattern to be repeated from a predetermined intermediate point (for example, the head of a predetermined intermediate measure of the fill-in pattern). As the result, the introductory portion of the fill-in pattern is performed only once so that it is never performed during repetition of the fill-in pattern. This can avoid undesirable musical unnaturalness due to repetition of the introductory portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 20, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 30, 1996
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventor: Masao Kondo
  • Patent number: 5508471
    Abstract: An automatic performance apparatus for an electronic musical instrument, which includes a change-instructing device for instructing alteration between first performance pattern and second performance pattern; a first controller for, when the readout device is reading out none of first to fourth automatic performance data at time alteration of a performance pattern is instructed by the change-instructing device, selecting the first automatic performance data or the second automatic performance data in accordance with an instruction of the change-instructing device, and causing a readout device to read out the selected automatic performance data in accordance with an instruction of a start-instructing device; and a second controller for causing the readout device, when reading out the first automatic performance data at a time alteration of a performance pattern is instructed by the change-instructing device, to stop reading out the first automatic performance data, read out the third automatic performance data
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 27, 1994
    Date of Patent: April 16, 1996
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Kawai Gakki Seisakusho
    Inventor: Yoshihisa Shimada
  • Patent number: 5502275
    Abstract: When a switching operation from a normal pattern to a special pattern is instructed while an automatic accompaniment operation is being executed using normal pattern data, the pattern to be read out is switched from the normal pattern to the special pattern in accordance with the instruction. In this case, when it is instructed to switch the pattern within the instructed bar, only a rhythm part of a plurality of parts is switched from the normal pattern to the special pattern. When it is instructed to switch the pattern at the beginning of the next bar, other parts in addition to the rhythm part are switched from the normal patterns to the special patterns.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 26, 1996
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Masao Kondo, Shinichi Ito, Hiroki Nakazono
  • Patent number: 5492049
    Abstract: In a pattern memory are stored plural performance patterns, each of which has one or more measures. Plural ones of the performance patterns are optionally selected and read out from the pattern memory, so as to make a music piece made up of time-series combinations of the selected performance patterns. The thus-made music piece is stored into a song memory. A suitable device such as a switch or a detector or a suitable process is employed to instruct to make a music piece in auftakt form. For this purpose, such a method may be employed, for instance, where it is detected that the melody part is in the form of an auftakt music piece, and in response to this detection, it is automatically instructed that the music piece made up of combinations of the performance patters should also be made in auftakt form.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 14, 1994
    Date of Patent: February 20, 1996
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Eiichiro Aoki, Kazunori Maruyama
  • Patent number: 5488196
    Abstract: A music re-performance system allows a plurality of untrained instrumentalist to play pre-stored music using traditional playing techniques along with an automatic accompaniment at a tempo controlled by a selected-instrumentalist. Instrumentalist's gestures start and stop pre-stored score notes and temporal restrictions limit gestural timing errors. Expression parameters, including volume, timbre, and vibrato, are selectively updated, allowing editing of music sound files. A finger manipulation and energy driver controller model, including transducers and signal processing, accommodates wind and string instruments. Temporal masking prevents substantially concurrent finger and energy gestures, intended as simultaneous, from producing multiple false gestures.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 30, 1996
    Inventors: Thomas G. Zimmerman, Samuel P. Wantman
  • Patent number: 5486647
    Abstract: Left- and right-hand keystroke windows X.sub.L and X.sub.H are decided in accordance with the positions of player's left and right hands pressing keys. When the number of pressed keys in either one of the windows X.sub.L and X.sub.H are larger than a predetermined value, that window is decided to be used as a chord identifying window, and on the basis of a combination of pressed keys in the chord identifying window, an accompaniment chord is decided for automatic accompaniment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 23, 1996
    Assignees: Stephen R. Kay, Korg Incorporated
    Inventors: Stephen R. Kay, Athan Billias, Yoshiyuki Igoshi, Naoki Hashida
  • Patent number: 5484957
    Abstract: In an automatic arrangement apparatus, a melody of a part of an original musical tune is memorized in a melody memory (4), chord data of the original musical tune is memorized in a chord progression memory (5), and a rhythm pattern in a rhythm pattern memory (12) is selected in accordance with the style and composition of the original musical tune. At a timing of a note code of the selected rhythm pattern, a top-note, an additional tone, a bass part and a drum part are produced. The top-note is produced by referring to a top-note table stored in a top-note table memory (15) and corresponds with the chord. The additional tone is produced in accordance with the top-note and the chord on a basis of a voicing table stored in a voicing table memory (16). The top-note and additional tone can be selected at a continuous two-tone pair.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 16, 1996
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Eiichiro Aoki, Kazunori Maruyama
  • Patent number: 5483018
    Abstract: An automatic arrangement apparatus for automatically producing performance data indicative of a predetermined performance part of a musical tune on a basis of an arrangement condition intended to be arranged. The arrangement apparatus includes a baeklng type table memory for memorizing rhythm backing and non-rhythm backing in compliance with a predetermined combination of a performance style, loudness of musical tones and a performance feeling or mood such as melodic or rhythmic feeling. Based on the arrangement condition applied from an external equipment such as an electronic musical instrument or an external recorder by operation of an Input device, either the rhythm backing or the non-rhythm backing is selected to produce a backing part at a timing of a rhythm pattern memorized in a rhythm pattern memory or at a timing of variation of chords memorized in a chord progression memory.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 1994
    Date of Patent: January 9, 1996
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventors: Eiichiro Aoki, Kazunori Maruyama
  • Patent number: 5478967
    Abstract: In an automatic performing system, when the track is changed to one having a different loop bar number, the bar to be reproduced next is easily determined by first dividing the number of bars accumulated from the start of accompaniment by the loop bar number stored in the sequence track. Based on the remainder resulting from the division, the number of beats is determined and the present pointer is set. In the automatic performing system, by comparing the data at the next address with the part designation data, it is determined whether the read out data belongs to the designated part or not. Therefore, the accompaniment data corresponding to the designated part data can be read out and reproduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 26, 1995
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Kawai Gakki Seisakusho
    Inventors: Tsutomu Saito, Masahiko Yamada, Haruo Minoura, Hironobu Nakagawa
  • Patent number: 5461190
    Abstract: In an electronic musical instrument, there is no creation of new automatic accompaniment data and the performer can carry out automatic accompaniment using favored optional automatic accompaniment data. The electronic musical instrument provides storage apparatus for storing automatic performance data, a designator for designating a fixed region of the automatic performance data and a automatic accompaniment apparatus which performs automatic accompaniment based on a pattern of the fixed region designated by the designator. Therefore, when the performer designates an optional region of the automatic performance data storage apparatus, automatic accompaniment of the patterns in the optional region designated by the automatic accompaniment apparatus using the designator is carried out.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 1993
    Date of Patent: October 24, 1995
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventor: Kosei Terada
  • Patent number: 5453570
    Abstract: Disclosed is a karaoke authoring apparatus for mixing or authoring karaoke music data based on an electronic music sound source. The invention can analyze chronologically, in a sound reproduction block, the musical performance data expressed by a code such as MIDI code and has a pre-inserted event code, and will generate an interrupt in a timer circuit at a time interval based on the tempo instruction on the code. The invention can also acquire, as an individual file at the timing of the event code, an integrated value given by the timer circuit in accordance with the type of event, and combine and arrange these files in chronological order to calculate a time difference between consecutive event codes, for producing time data. The authored data allows color turning of the words of the music, page turning, presentation of the title of the music and a video image update which is performed accurately to the timing as planned, in synchronism with the musical performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 1993
    Date of Patent: September 26, 1995
    Assignees: Ricoh Co., Ltd., Ricos Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Toshihiko Umeda, Tomoyuki Tanaka, Masaaki Hamada, Yasuhiro Maruyama
  • Patent number: 5418320
    Abstract: An electronic musical instrument includes a plurality of tone generating substrates, a connection portion, a channel detector and a channel assigner. Each of the plurality of tone generating substrates has at least one tone generation channel which generates a tone signal in response to assignment information input thereto. The connection portion has a plurality of connection slots with which the tone generating substrates are connected. The channel detector detects a number of all the tone generation channels of the tone generating substrates connected with the connection portion. The channel assigner, responsive to performance information input thereto, assigns the performance information as assignment information to one of the tone generation channels detected by the channel detector. The assigned tone generation channel generates a tone signal in accordance with the performance information.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 8, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 23, 1995
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventor: Iwao Higashi
  • Patent number: 5418324
    Abstract: An auto-play apparatus associated with a keyboard instrument is arranged for generating auto-accompaniment tones such as chord, bass drum lines to have a specific rhythm pattern. When a player determines tone-up of a music piece during a performance, he or she operates an intonation dial (22) arranged on an operation panel (2) or an expression pedal (23). Then, an intonation value representing a tone-up level of the music piece is generated as numerical value information. A corresponding play pattern is read out from an auto-accompaniment pattern ROM (6) according to the intonation value and a rhythm pattern selected in advance upon operation of an operation member of the operation panel (2), thus starting an auto-play operation. Auto-accompaniment pattern data corresponding to the intonation value is programmed to change the play pattern according to a tone-up state of a music piece during the performance of the music piece.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 1994
    Date of Patent: May 23, 1995
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Kawai Gakki Seisakusho
    Inventors: Shinya Konishi, Yoshihisa Shimada
  • Patent number: 5406020
    Abstract: An automatic accompaniment device equipped with a CPU that controls, via a bus, a ROM that stores a plurality of rhythm patterns including introduction patterns, fill-in patterns and normal patterns. The device also includes a sound source circuit that generates musical sounds based on rhythm pattern data that is supplied after being selected by switches on an operation panel. In operation, the performer selects an introduction pattern to begin the automatic accompaniment. If the performer desires a shorter introduction, the performer activates a switch on the operation panel that causes a fill-in pattern to begin at a musically natural point in the introduction pattern. The fill-in pattern is shorter than the introduction pattern and provides a musically natural and smooth transition to the normal pattern. Thus, it is possible to end an introduction pattern at an optional point without imparting a musically unnatural quality to the automatic accompaniment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 11, 1995
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventor: Tsutomu Imaizumi
  • Patent number: 5406023
    Abstract: An electronic musical instrument for realizing an easy selection of registration from a variety of registrations. First, a number from "1" to "10" is selected in an upper keyboard timbre select switch group, the numbers corresponding to various timbres, such as piano, organ, harpsichord, guitar, or the like respectively. Similarly, another number from "1" to "10" is selected in a rhythm selecting switch group, the numbers corresponding varies to rhythms, such as jazz, pops, mood music, children's songs, classical, or the like. According to this, a preferable registration group with respect to the music can be easily selected from a great number (i.e., 10.times.10=100) of registration groups.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 11, 1995
    Assignee: Yamaha Corporation
    Inventor: Yasuo Nagahama
  • Patent number: 5406024
    Abstract: An electronic sound generating apparatus which generates sound or recreates music performance according to the data included in a bar code. The apparatus includes a scanner to scan a bar code. Attributes of sound or music are assigned to parameters of control data for synthesizing sound or recreating music performance. Each of the parameters is given a specific value by the data included in a bar code scanned by the scanner. The resulted sound or music performance is provided with random, accidental, and unexpected characteristics, and an operator need not perform inputting operation to vary sound or music performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 1993
    Date of Patent: April 11, 1995
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Kawai Gakki Seisakusho
    Inventor: Kazuaki Shioda