Music – Accessories – Teaching devices
Reexamination Certificate
2000-06-02
2001-04-24
Donels, Jeffrey (Department: 2837)
Music
Accessories
Teaching devices
C084S46400A, C084S478000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06222109
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an apparatus for training music performance and record media of music performance training program stored thereon.
A music performance training apparatus prevails which has a music navigation feature (navigator) for guiding a user to train or practice music performance. For instance, in keyboard instruments having such a navigator, a light emitting element such as an LED, is provided in each operation member or key of the keyboard. As music note data proceeds, the navigator turns on a light emitting element of a key corresponding to a note to be played, thus informing a user or player of a key to be pressed. Some of the keyboard instruments with the navigator have a plurality of lesson modes, for instance first and second lessen modes, in which a player practices music performance. In the first lesson mode, the navigator checks timings of key-on operation only. Thus a player is trained to press keys at correct timings without worrying about selecting and pressing correct keys or light emitting keys. In the second lesson mode, the navigator checks both timings of key-on operation and which keys are operated to train a player to press correct keys at proper timings.
The prior art keyboard instrument having the first and second lesson modes has the following disadvantages in connection with practicing performance of a music piece including chords.
A general-purpose music data form, such as a standard MIDI file (SMF) uses a serial arrangement of event data such as note-on and note-off, even for chords that must be played or key-pressed simultaneously, so that lighting timings of chord keys cannot coincide. Sometimes, members of a chord may artificially be played or key-pressed with subtle time differences.
A player generally takes a plurality of notes having overlapped duration on a music staff as a chord to be played simultaneously. In the first lesson mode, the player finds it difficult to play or key-press a chord with proper timing since the navigator checks the number of keys for the chord. In the second lesson mode, the navigator compares the erroneous timings of chord members according to music data of an SMF format with those played by the player, so that it is hard for the player to learn proper chord performance.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the invention is to provide a music performance training apparatus which can properly guide a player to play chords, even using, as music data in an SMF format, serial data for directing operation of operation members according to which respective event data are serially arranged with time differences.
A further object of the invention is to provide a recording medium having a music performance training computer program stored thereon which can properly guide a player to play chords, even using such music data.
In accordance with a first aspect of the invention, there is provided an apparatus for training music performance which comprises:
a plurality of operation members corresponding to a plurality of pitches;
a plurality of light emitting elements corresponding to the plurality of operation members;
music data providing means for providing a succession of note data each representative of pitch, note-on timing and duration;
data correcting means for correcting those note data in the succession of note data which partially overlap in duration so as to completely overlap in duration by correcting their note-on timings and/or durations; and
control means for controlling those light emitting elements in the plurality of light emitting elements which correspond to pitches of the corrected note data so as to emit light at note-on timings of the corrected note data.
With this arrangement, even when serial data, such as SMF, including event data serially arranged with time differences are used as music data for directing operation of operation members, the apparatus of the invention can properly guide a player to practice music performance including simultaneous operation of a plurality keys for chords.
A further aspect of the invention provides a recording medium that is readable by a computer and on which a program for music performance training is recorded, the program comprising the steps of:
providing a succession of note data each representative of pitch, note-on timing and duration;
correcting those note data in the succession of note data which partially overlap in duration so as to completely overlap in duration; and
controlling, in a plurality of light emitting elements corresponding to a plurality of pitches, those light emitting elements corresponding to pitches of the corrected note data so as to emit light at note-on timings of the corrected note data.
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Casio Computer Co. Ltd.
Donels Jeffrey
Frishauf, Holtz Goodman, Langer & Chick, P.C.
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