Music – Instruments – Electrical musical tone generation
Reexamination Certificate
2000-05-17
2001-03-13
Donels, Jeffrey (Department: 2837)
Music
Instruments
Electrical musical tone generation
C084S637000, C084S645000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06201178
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to a method of performing music on an electronic instrument. This invention relates more particularly to a method and an instrument for performing in which a plurality of notes and note groups can be generated in real-time. Simultaneously, other notes and/or note groups, such as chord notes, scale notes, and non-scale notes may be generated in response to performances from separate fixed locations on the instrument. All performance data can later be retrieved and performed from one or more fixed locations on the instrument, and from a varied number of input controllers. Further, multiple instruments of the present invention may be used together to allow interaction among multiple users during performance, with no knowledge of music theory required.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A complete electronic musical system should have a means of performing professional music with little or no training, whether live or along with a previously recorded track, while still allowing the highest levels of creativity and interaction to be achieved during the performance.
Methods of performing music on an electronic instrument are known, and may typically be classified in either of two ways: (1) a method in which automatic chord progressions are generated by depression of a key or keys (for example, Cotton Jr., et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,449,437), or by generating a suitable chord progression after a melody is given by a user (for example, Minamitaka, U.S. Pat. No. 5,218,153); and (2) a method in which a plurality of note tables is used for MIDI note-identifying information, and is selected in response to a user command (for example, Hotz, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,099,738 and 5,619,003).
The first method of musical performance involves generating pre-sequenced or preprogrammed accompaniment. This automatic method of musical performance lacks the creativity necessary to perform music with the freedom and expression of a trained musician. This method dictates a preprogrammed accompaniment without user-selectable modifications in real-time, and is therefore unduly limited.
The second method of musical performance involves the use of note tables to define each key as one or more preselected musical notes. Note-identifying information is stored in a table so that each key has predetermined note-identifying information which corresponds to the key. The note-identifying information corresponding to a key is provided in response to a user selection/deselection of the key. This method of using tables of note-identifying information is unduly limited and does not allow for the levels of professional performance, flexibility, and efficiency as achieved by the present invention.
The present invention allows any and all needed performance notes and/or note groups to be generated on-the-fly, providing many advantages. Any note or group of notes can be auto-corrected during performance according to a generated note or generated note group, thus preventing incorrect or “undesirable” notes from playing over the various chord and scale changes in the performance. Every possible combination of chord groups, scale note groups, combined scale note groups, non-scale note groups, harmonies/inversions/voicings, note ordering, note group setups, and instrument setups can be generated and made accessible to a user at any time using the present invention. All that is required is the current status messages or other triggers described herein, or various user-selectable input, as described herein. This allows any new musical part to be added to a performance at any time, and these current status messages can also be stored and then transferred between various instruments for virtually unlimited compatibility and flexibility during both composition and performance. The nature of the present invention also allows musically-correct chords, as well as musically-correct individual chord notes, to be performed from the chord section while generating needed data which will be used for further note generation. The present invention achieves the highest levels of flexibility and efficiency in both composition and performance. Further, various indicators described herein which are needed by an untrained user for professional performance, can be easily determined and provided using the present invention.
There are five distinct needs which must be met, before a person with little or no musical training can effectively perform music with total creative control, just as a trained musician would:
(1) A means is needed for assigning a particular section of a musical instrument as a chord progression section in which individual chords and/or chord notes can be triggered in real-time. Further, the instrument should provide a means for dividing this chord progression section into particular song keys, and providing indicators so that a user understands the relative position of the chord in the predetermined song key, as described more fully below.
Various systems known in the art use a designated chord progression section, but with no allowance for indicating to a user the relative position of a chord regardless of any song key chosen. One of the most basic tools of a composer is the freedom to compose in a selected key, and to compose using specific chord progressions based on the song key. For example, when composing a song in the key of E Major, the musician should be permitted to play a chord progression of 1-4-5-6-2-3, or any other chord progression chosen by the musician. The indicators provided by the present invention can also indicate relative positions in the customary scale and/or customary scale equivalent of a selected song key, thus eliminating the confusion between major song keys, and their relative minor equivalents. Chromatic chords may also be performed at the discretion of a user. Inexperienced composers who use the present invention are made fully aware at all times of what they are actually playing, therefore allowing “non-scale” chromatic chords to be added by choice, not just added unknowingly.
(2) There also remains a need for a musical instrument that provides a user the option to play chords with one or more fingers in the chord progression section as previously described, while various individual notes of the currently triggered chord can be generated from separate fixed chord locations on the instrument, and in different octaves. Regardless of the different chords which are being played in the chord progression section, various individual notes of each currently triggered chord should be made available for playing in these same separate fixed chord locations on the instrument, and in real-time. The fundamental note and the alternate note of the chord may also be generated from designated fixed locations on the instrument for composing purposes, and chord notes can be reconfigured in any way in real-time for increased system flexibility.
(3) The re also remains a need for a way to trigger chords with on e or more fingers in the chord progression section, while various note groups such as chord note groups, scale note groups, and non-scale note groups can be generated from separate fixed locations on the instrument, and in different octaves. There should also be a means of correcting incorrect or “undesirable” notes during a performance, while allowing other notes to play through the chord and scale changes in the performance. A variety of different note groups should also be accessible to a user at any time, thus allowing a higher level of performance to be achieved. The on-the-fly note generation methods of the present invention allow virtually any note group or note group combination to be made available to a user at any time during a performance.
(4) There also remains a need for a way to trigger chords with one or more fingers in the chord progression section, while the entire chord can be generated from separate fixed locations on the instrument, and in different octaves. A variety of different chord voicings should also be accessible to a user at any time
Donels Jeffrey
Harrison & Egbert
LandOfFree
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