Music – Instruments – Electrical musical tone generation
Reexamination Certificate
2000-09-19
2001-09-04
Donels, Jeffrey (Department: 2837)
Music
Instruments
Electrical musical tone generation
C084S629000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06284964
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to apparatus and methods for producing waveforms of musical tones, voices or other sounds on the basis of waveform data supplied from memory or the like, and more particularly to an improved waveform producing apparatus and method capable of producing waveforms that faithfully represent tone color variations effected by a player using various styles of rendition (i.e., performing techniques) or various sorts of articulation unique to a natural musical instrument. It should be appreciated that the basic principles of the present invention can be applied extensively to every type of equipment, apparatus and methods having the function of generating musical tones, voices or any other sounds, such as automatic performance devices, computers, electronic game devices and multimedia-related devices, not to mention electronic musical instruments. Also, let it be assumed that the terms “tone waveform” in this specification are not necessarily limited to a waveform of a musical tone alone and are used in a much broader sense that may embrace a waveform of a voice or any other type of sound.
The so-called “waveform memory readout” technique has already been well known, which prestores waveform data (i.e., waveform sample data) coded in a given coding scheme, such as the PCM (Pulse Code Modulation), DPCM (Differential Pulse Code Modulation) or ADPCM (Adaptive Differential Pulse Code Modulation), and then reads out the thus-prestored waveform data at a rate corresponding to a desired tone pitch to thereby produce a tone waveform. So far, various types of “waveform memory readout” technique have been proposed and known in the art, most of which are directed to producing a waveform covering from the start to end of a tone. As one specific example of the waveform memory readout technique, there has been known a scheme of prestoring waveform data of a complete waveform of a tone covering from the start to end thereof. As another example of the waveform memory readout technique, there has been known a scheme of prestoring waveform data of a complete waveform only for a particular portion, such as an attach portion, of a tone presenting relatively complex variations and prestoring a predetermined loop waveform for a sustain portion and the like presenting less variations. In this patent specification, the terms “loop waveform” are used to refer to a waveform to be read out repeatedly, i.e., in a looped fashion.
With the conventional waveform memory readout scheme of prestoring waveform data of a complete waveform of a tone covering from the start to end thereof or prestoring waveform data of a complete waveform only for a particular portion, such as an attach portion, of a tone, however, it has been necessary to prestore a great number of various waveform data corresponding to a variety of styles of rendition (or various sorts of articulation), which would undesirably require a large storage capacity.
Further, although the above-mentioned scheme of prestoring waveform data of a complete waveform of a tone can faithfully express tone color variations effected using various styles of rendition (or various sorts of articulation) unique to a natural musical instrument, it can only reproduce the tone in just the same way as the prestored waveform data and thus would afford very poor controllability and editability. For instance, with this waveform memory readout scheme, it has been extremely difficult to control time-axial and other characteristics of the waveform data, corresponding to a desired style of rendition (or sort of articulation), in accordance with performance data.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a waveform producing method and apparatus which can produce high-quality waveform data corresponding to a variety of styles of rendition (or various sorts of articulation) in a simplified manner with greatly increased facility and controllability.
In order to accomplish the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides a waveform producing method which comprises the steps of: receiving style-of-rendition identification information representative of characteristics of a style of rendition of a performance tone; generating a plurality of vector data for producing a waveform presenting the style-of-rendition characteristics, in accordance with the style-of-rendition identification information received by the step of receiving; arranging individual ones of the vector data, generated by the step of generating, on a time axis; and producing the waveform presenting the style-of-rendition characteristics corresponding to the received style-of-rendition identification information, on the basis of the individual vector data arranged on the time axis.
According to the present invention arranged as above, a waveform corresponding to a tone performed in a desired style of rendition (performing technique) can be produced from vector data generated on the basis of style-of-rendition identification information. Each style-of rendition identification (ID) information, representative of style-of-rendition characteristics of a performance tone, indicates one of a plurality of styles of rendition (or sorts of articulation) to which the style-of-rendition characteristics of the tone correspond. For example, such style-of-rendition identification (ID) information may be supplied, according to the style-of-rendition characteristics of the performance tone, in correspondence with a partial tone segment such as an attack, body or release portion, or in correspondence with a link or joint segment between adjoining tones such as a slur, or in correspondence with a specially performed tone segment such as a vibrato, or in correspondence with a plurality of notes constituting a phrase. Namely, given style-of-rendition identification information is supplied in accordance with a performance to be reproduced. In the present invention, once such style-of-rendition identification information is received, a plurality of vector data are generated, in accordance with the received style-of-rendition identification information, for production of a waveform presenting the style-of-rendition characteristics that is represented by the received style-of-rendition identification information. For example, the vector data correspond to a plurality of fundamental factors constituting a waveform in question, such as a waveform shape (which sets a tone color or timbre), pitch variation over tome and amplitude variation over time, which will hereinafter be called a waveform shape vector, pitch vector and amplitude vector, respectively. The vector data may also include a time vector representing a time-axial progression of the waveform. The respective time axes of the waveform shape vector, pitch vector, amplitude vector, etc. can be controlled in accordance with the time vector.
Then, by arranging the individual vector data on the time axis, a waveform shape or envelope corresponding to the above-mentioned waveform factors can be built along a reproducing time axis of the performance tone. Namely, there can be produced a waveform of a performance tone on the basis of the individual vector data arranged on the time axis. For example, to the waveform shape vector are imparted a pitch corresponding to the pitch vector and time variation characteristics of the pitch as well as an amplitude corresponding to the amplitude vector and time variation characteristics of the amplitude, so that there can be produced a performance tone waveform presenting the style-of-rendition characteristics corresponding to the style-of-rendition identification information.
The waveform producing method of the present invention may further comprise a step of receiving style-of-rendition parameters for controlling the style-of-rendition characteristics. The step of generating a plurality of vector data generates the vector data in accordance with the received style-of-rendition identification information and style-of-rendition parameters. Th
Masuda Hideyuki
Suzuki Hideo
Donels Jeffrey
Morrison & Foerster
Yamaha Corporation
LandOfFree
Method and apparatus for producing a waveform exhibiting... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Method and apparatus for producing a waveform exhibiting..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Method and apparatus for producing a waveform exhibiting... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2525909