Music – Instruments – Electrical musical tone generation
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-04
2001-01-16
Witkowski, Stanley J. (Department: 2837)
Music
Instruments
Electrical musical tone generation
C084SDIG001
Reexamination Certificate
active
06175072
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an automatic music composing apparatus and method, and a machine readable medium containing program instructions for realizing such an apparatus and a method using a computer system, and more particularly to an apparatus and a method capable of composing a music piece having a desired length of time as designated by the user, in which the number of measures for a music piece to be composed are calculated from the designated length of time, the tempo and the meter, and then the data base including composition parameters for defining characteristics of music compositions are searched for retrieving the composition parameters which meet the calculated number of measures to automatically generate a melody based on the retrieved composition parameters.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Apparatuses for composing a piece of music or a melody (tune) based on the composition parameters defining characteristics of a music composition read out from a data bass are known in the art (see unexamined Japanese patent publication No. H9-50278, whose counterpart is issued U.S. Pat. No. 5,736,663). Such an apparatus handles data sets of composition parameters, each composition parameter data set including a data set representing a music structure in terms of a sentence pattern such as <A-B-C-C′> and a data set representing musical features such as a melody feature and a rhythm feature.
Among the prior art, there is also a type of automatic music composing apparatus which is capable of generating a melody having a length of time as designated by the user, for example, as shown in unexamined Japanese patent publication No. H9-81141. But, such an apparatus stores in the data base a plurality of note value data strings for several different lengths of time, selects a note value data string which matches the designated length of time, and imparts pitches to the respective note values in the selected data string to construct a melody. It does not disclose an idea of utilizing a technique of storing composition parameter data sets depending on the number of measures, i.e. for each of a plurality of numbers of measures. Nor does it have a plurality of composition parameter data sets for each length of time among various lengths of time so that the user can select a desired music structure and/or other characteristics for an intended length.
With the apparatus of the above-mentioned conventional type, various melodies with various rhythms cannot be generated for a designated length of time, and further the length of time of the generated melody cannot be adjusted precisely to meet the designated length of time, still keeping the naturalness in musical feeling at a proper tempo.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is, therefore, a primary object of the present invention to provide a novel type of music composing apparatus and method, and a machine readable medium containing a program therefor capable of composing music pieces of variety of musical structures for any designated length of time.
According to the present invention, the object is accomplished by providing an automatic music composing apparatus comprising: a storage device which stores a plurality of sets of composition parameter data for a plurality of numbers of measures, each set of composition parameter data defining characteristics of a music piece to be composed, and at least one set of composition parameter data being provided for each number of measures among the plurality of numbers of measures; an input device for inputting a length of time for a music piece to be composed; a tempo providing device which provides a tempo for a music piece to be composed; a calculating device which calculates the number of measures for a music piece to be composed based on the inputted length of time and the tempo; a read-out device which reads out from the storage device a set of composition parameter data which is for the calculated number of measures; and a music piece generating device which generates, based on the read out set of composition parameter data, a music piece having a length of time in the tempo and having characteristics as defined by the read out set of composition parameter data.
The automatic music composing apparatus of the above-mentioned structure may further comprise: a detecting device which detects a disparity between the inputted length of time and the length of time of the generated music piece; and a tempo adjusting device which adjusts the tempo of the generated music piece so that the length of time of the generated music piece be substantially equal to the inputted length of time.
With such an apparatus, the user inputs a desired length of time for a music piece to be composed, and then the number of measures for the music piece to be composed is calculated based on the inputted length of time corresponding to the given tempo and meter. Then, composition parameter data sets are read out from the storage device corresponding to the calculated number of measures, and a music piece will be automatically generated based on the read out composition parameter data. The generated music piece, therefore, has a length of time which is equal to or closely equal to the inputted length of time. Further, in the case of comprising the above disparity detecting device and tempo adjusting device, the length of time of the generated music piece will be very close to the inputted length of time.
According to the present invention, the object is further accomplished by providing an automatic music composing apparatus comprising: a storage device which stores a plurality of sets of composition parameter data for a plurality of numbers of measures, each set of composition parameter data defining characteristics of a music piece to be composed, the characteristics including music structures, and at least one set of composition parameter data being provided for each number of measures among the plurality of numbers of measures; an input device for inputting a length of time for a music piece to be composed; a tempo providing device which provides a tempo for a music piece to be composed; a calculating device which calculates the number of measures for a music piece to be composed based on the inputted length of time and the tempo; a display device which displays a plurality of music structures defined by the plurality of sets of composition parameter data corresponding to the calculated number of measures; a selecting device which selects a music structure from among the displayed plurality of music structures; a read-out device which reads out from the storage device a set of composition parameter data including the selected music structure; and a music piece generating device which generates, based on the read out set of composition parameter data, a music piece having a length of time in the tempo and having characteristics as defined by the read out set of composition parameter data.
With the apparatus of the preceding paragraph, the user inputs a desired length of time for a music piece to be composed, and then the number of measures for the music piece to be composed is calculated based on the inputted length of time corresponding to the given tempo and meter. Then, the display device displays a plurality of music structures defined by the plurality of sets of composition parameter data corresponding to the calculated number of measures. Upon selection, by the user, of a desired one from among the displayed plurality of music structures, the composition parameter data set including the selected music structure is read out from the storage device, and a music piece will be automatically generated based on the read out composition parameter data. The generated music piece, therefore, has a length of time which is equal to or closely equal to the inputted length of time and has the selected music structure.
According to the present invention, the object is still further accomplished by providing an automatic music composing apparatus comprising: a sto
Morrison & Foerster
Witkowski Stanley J.
Yamaha Corporation
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