Music – Instruments – Electrical musical tone generation
Reexamination Certificate
2002-02-04
2004-05-25
Fletcher, Marlon T. (Department: 2837)
Music
Instruments
Electrical musical tone generation
C084S604000, C084S610000, C084S616000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06740804
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a waveform generating method, a performance data processing method, a waveform selection apparatus, a waveform data recording apparatus, and a waveform data recording and reproducing apparatus for use in making performance using recorded musical instrument tones and singing tones.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, there is known a waveform memory tone generator. The waveform memory tone generator generates musical tones by reading out waveform data stored in a waveform memory according to event data such as note-on and note-off. In reading waveform data from the waveform memory, different waveform data are selected from the waveform memory according to pitch information and touch information contained in note-on events.
On the other hand, an electronic musical instrument called a sampler is also conventionally known. The sampler samples and records waveforms of monotones being performed (for example, a pitch C
3
for five seconds) and generates musical tones using the recorded waveform data. In this case, the user sets original keys representing tone pitches of respective ones of the sampled waveform data, for the respective sampled waveform data. A range where the waveform data is to be used, an amount of pitch shift during sounding at a predetermined pitch, and the like are determined according to the original keys. To determine the original keys, pitches are sampled from the sampled waveform data and the original keys are automatically set for the waveform data correspondingly to the sampled pitches (refer to Japanese Laid-Open Patent Publication (Kokai) No. 07-325579, for example).
A phrase sampler has been also proposed which samples phrase waveforms being performed, divides each of the sampled phrase waveforms into a plurality of partial waveform data according to an envelop level sampled from the sampled phrase waveform data to make performance while changing timing and pitch of each partial waveform data.
If tones being actually generated by performance are sampled and recorded and musical tones are generated using the recorded waveform data as is the case with the conventional sampler, tones are generated with poorer expression than tones actually generated by performance by musical instruments. In this case, it is impossible to obtain real musical tones even if waveform data is selected according to pitch information and touch information.
Further, according to the conventional sampler, since each waveform data for use in performance is recorded in the form of monotones, tones generated based upon the recorded waveform data are unnatural as is different from tones produced during performance of music. Specifically, the player needs to sequentially perform and record necessary monotones in a sampler during recording, but the player cannot easily perform only a monotone without getting nervous as compared with performance of a phrase. Particularly when a single tone is sung as a vocal, a voice may be uttered poorly or in a falsetto tone. Since it is difficult to record monotones in natural tone color, natural tones cannot be easily generated by performance by the sampler.
Further, when setting original keys for the recorded monotones, a person must determine the original keys or pitches must be sampled to determine the original keys. He or she, however, must be experienced to determine the original keys, and therefore, every person cannot determine the original keys. On the other hand, sampling the pitches requires complicated arithmetic operations, and moreover, the sampled pitches may cause one tone being generated by performance to be incorrectly recognized as multiple tones due to a change in pitch over time or may cause any of harmonic tones existing in some tones rich with harmonic components being generated by performance to be incorrectly determined as fundamental tones. Thus, the sampled pitches cannot always be correct. That is, even if the pitches are sampled, a person must finally confirm the sampled pitches.
Further, the conventional phrase sampler does not sample a pitch from waveform data when dividing a phrase waveform into partial waveforms. More specifically, a position at which a phrase waveform is divided into partial waveforms does not necessarily correspond to a point in change of pitch, and it is therefore impossible to set original keys for respective ones of partial waveform data. Further, to set original keys for partial waveform data with the dividing position being regarded as a point of change in pitch, the user needs to set the original keys or sample pitches from waveform data as mentioned above. This requires complicated operations as described above.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore a first object of the present invention to provide a waveform generating method, a performance data processing method, a waveform selection apparatus, a waveform data recording apparatus, and a recorded waveform reproducing apparatus, which are capable of generating expressive musical tones.
It is a second object of the present invention to provide a waveform generating method, a performance data processing method, a waveform selection apparatus, a waveform data recording apparatus, and a recorded waveform reproducing apparatus, which make it possible to record natural tones, divide recorded waveform data at points of change in pitch, and automatically assigning property information on pitch and the like to the divided waveform data.
It is a third object of the present invention to provide a waveform generating method, a performance data processing method, a waveform selection apparatus, a waveform data recording apparatus, and a recorded waveform reproducing apparatus, which are capable of obtaining natural performance tones.
To attain the first object, the present invention provides a waveform generating method comprising the steps of storing a plurality of partial waveforms in a partial waveform memory, storing property information on respective ones of the partial waveforms stored in the partial waveform memory, in a property information memory, retrieving the property information memory according to inputted sounding control information to read out a partial waveform having property information corresponding to the sounding control information, processing the readout partial waveform according to the property information and the sounding control information, and generating a waveform corresponding to the sounding control information.
To attain the first object, the present invention also provides a performance data processing method comprising the steps of storing property information on respective ones of a plurality of partial waveforms in a property information memory, comparing characteristics of respective ones of notes included in performance data with the property information stored in the property information memory to detect an optimum partial waveform for a characteristic of each of the notes, assigning designation data for designating the detected partial waveform to each of the notes, and storing performance data having the designation data assigned thereto.
To attain the first object, the present invention further provides a waveform generating method for use in reproducing the performance data having the designation data assigned thereto stored by the above-mentioned performance data processing method, comprising the steps of storing a plurality of partial waveforms in a partial waveform memory, reading out a partial waveform from the partial waveform memory according to the designation data assigned to each of the notes to be reproduced when reproducing the notes having the designation data assigned thereto according to the performance data, and generating a waveform corresponding to each of the notes based upon the read out partial waveform.
To attain the first object, the present invention yet further provides a waveform generating method comprising the steps of storing performance information corresponding to real-time performance,
Kawano Yasuhiro
Kimura Hidemichi
Shimizu Masahiro
Fletcher Marlon T.
Morrison & Foerster / LLP
Yamaha Corporation
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