network_tags
Music search by interactive graphical specification with audio feedback2010-03-25 00:00:00The method of claim 1, wherein the musical query is in an audio format.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is implemented in a software program accessible by a graphical interface for graphically generating the musical segment via a web browser over a
network.
9. The method of claim 1, comprising:
modifying the musical segment produced during the step of graphically generating in response to user inputs to change characteristics of the musical segment.
10. The method of claim 1, comprising:
replacing the generated musical segment with the created graphical representation of the selected music portion,
graphically adjusting the replaced generated musical segment; and
providing audio feedback to a user by playing at least a portion of the adjusted generated musical segment.
11. The method of claim 10, comprising:
repeating the step of graphically adjusting the replaced generated musical segment and the step of providing audio feedback from the adjusted generated musical segment, until the adjusted generated musical segment has been acknowledged as acceptable; and
wherein the step of generating the second musical query is performed after the adjusted generated musical segment has been acknowledged as acceptable.
12. The method of claim 11, comprising:
graphically adjusting the replaced generated musical segment in response to user inputs to change characteristics of the musical segment.
13. The method of claim 1, wherein the generated musical segment comprises a bass and/or a rhythm section for generating the musical query.
14. The method of claim 1, comprising:
graphically adjusting the tempo of the generated musical segment to fine tune the tempo of the musical segment.
15. A computer-based system for creating a musical query comprising:
logic that graphically generates a musical segment that represents at least a portion of a desired piece of music;
logic that provides audio feedback to a user by playing at least a portion of the generated musical segment;
logic that generates a musical query based on the generated musical segment;
logic that retrieves at least one music piece from a music database based on the generated musical query;
logic that selects at least a portion of one of the retrieved music pieces;
logic that creates a graphical representation of the selected music portion; and
logic that generates a second musical query based on the created graphical representation of the selected music portion.
16. The computer-based system of claim 15, comprising:
logic that synthesizes the musical segment prior to providing the audio feedback.
17. The computer-based system of claim 15, comprising:
logic that allows the user to repeat graphically generating the musical segment and providing audio feedback, until the musical segment has been acknowledged as acceptable; and
wherein the logic that generates the musical query is activated after the musical segment has been acknowledged as acceptable.
18. The computer-based system of claim 15, comprising:
logic that displays a list containing the retrieved music pieces;
logic that selects at least one of the retrieved music pieces; and
logic that plays the selected at least one of the retrieved music pieces to the user.
19. The computer-based system of claim 15, wherein the musical query is in a string format.
20. The computer-based system of claim 15, wherein the musical query is in a MIDI format.
21. The computer-based system of claim 15, wherein the musical query is in an audio format.
22. The computer-based system of claim 15, wherein the log...
Method and apparatus for automatic variable articulation and timbre assignment for an electronic musical instrument2010-03-06 00:00:00including a note-on time and pitch data for each note;
detecting a note-on time of a first note;
collecting the performance data for subsequent notes whose respective note-on times are within a predetermined time interval of the note-on time of said first note;
setting a common start time and a common duration for said first note and said subsequent notes; and
simultaneously generating a plurality of tones at said same start time for said same duration, said tones having pitches that correspond to the pitch data of said first note and said subsequent notes.Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates broadly to the field of electronic musical instruments, electronic tone generators, and electronic musical controllers. In particular, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for controlling expressive musical articulation by controlling the duration, overlap, and timbre assignment of successive tones as a function of playing speed.
2. Description of the Related Art
Electronic musical instruments comprise two distinct systems: a tone generator and a controlling interface (controller). The two systems can be embodied in a single device or as two entities that are interconnected. A controller transduces the physical gestures of the performer and sends performance data to one or many tone generators. At a minimum, the performance data includes a pitch and a note-on signal, with optional additional data representing other musical parameters such as velocity. Some controllers sense and transmit note-off data. Typical controllers are a piano-like keyboard, an array of drum pads, or a keyed wind instrument. Another type of controller is a sequencer, which is a program that stores performance data (either recorded from another controller or entered by hand) and replays the data automatically. Further, a controller can be a computer that computes performance data and transmits the performance data over a data transmission line (e.g., a dedicated data transmission line, a data transmission line within a
network system, or the Internet) to a tone generator.
Traditionally, a performer controls articulation by varying musical attributes relating to the perceived "connectedness" of a sequence of notes. There are two main ways to control this effect. One method is to control the time when notes begin and end, thereby controlling the duration of each note and the degree of overlap or detachment among successive notes. Another method is to vary the shape of the amplitude envelope of a note, particularly the speed of the attack (ramp-up in volume from silence or the previous note upon a new note-on action) and release (ramp-down to silence upon note-off action).
One attribute of articulation is the degree of overlap between successive tones. A continuum ranging between "legato" and "staccato" can be used to characterize the articulation of tones. Legato is characterized by slow attack and perceivable overlap between successive tones. Staccato is characterized by fast attack and an interval of silence between tones.
The ability of a performer to control legato/staccato depends on the particular capabilities of the tone generator and controller combination employed. In particular, the degree of legato overlap effect cannot be controlled unless the player can manipulate the controller so as to send separate note-on and note-off signals to the tone generator and the tone generator has the ability to sustain a tone indefinitely and to produce many tones simultaneously.
Continuous controllers, like piano or organ keyboards transmit note-on messages on key depress and note-off on key release. This permits great flexibility in articulation, but can also work to the disadvantage of some players, who may have difficulty performing fast passages where notes "smear" because the keys are not released quickly enough.
Percussive controllers, such as drum pads/triggers or marimba-like arrays of pads respond only to the initial stroke and note duration is controlled indirectly by automatically sending a note-off after some time interval has elapsed. The interval is either fixed or velocity-sensitive (i.e., the duration of the note is a function of the speed at which the drumstick strikes the pad), and is determined at the time of initial gesture and unchangeable thereafter. Fast musical passages can result in blurred sound where many notes of fixed duration overlap.
In current practice, it is common to achieve a legato effect by controlling the attack and decay rates of the amplitude envelope, or by connecting notes in a monophonic fashion, allowing only one tone to sound at a time.
Many continuous and percussive controllers can measure the velocity of the initiating note-on gesture (speed of key-down or mallet stroke, puff of air) and the tone generator can use this data to control rate of attack. Some keyboard controllers can sense the speed of note release and use this information to control release rate. In both cases, the effect is determined at the time of the initiating gesture and applies only to the note associated with that gesture.
The duration of a tone depends on the player's ability to control the moment of note-off (i.e., when the release segment of the envelope begins) and is limited by the affordance of the particular controller being used. In particular, keyboard-like controllers send a note-off signal upon key release, and percussive controllers predetermine note duration at the time of note-on.
Current practice either imposes no constraints on the number of notes with legato envelopes that can sound simultaneously or limits legato to strictly monophonic mode where one tone sounds at a time. When a legato passage is played it is useful to allow only two notes to be sounding at the same time in order to have some amount of overlap while avoiding a blurred effect. The amount of overlap should be adjusted to account for the speed of consecutive notes in a musical passage.
When an electronic instrument allows variable artic...
14: Buying a cell phone - know your rights
2010-02-24 00:00:00cause the fault, and depending on the age of the phone.
You also have the right to keep your old phone number when you move from one
network to another. All you have to do is call your current
network...
Multi-stage musical instrument amplifier having distortion modes2009-11-09 00:00:00stage 220 provided via line 222. Second gain modifying means for the second amplifier stage 220 is also provided in the form of second gain control 224 selectively connected to second stage 220 by switch 2G. Means for altering the level of the output signal of the second stage 220 is also provided in the form of level altering control 226 selectively connected to output line 222 via switch LA.
In this three-stage configuration, in the first mode the output signal from the second stage 220 is configured to have a level which drives the third stage 230 to provide a substantially linear output signal therefrom via line 232. In the second mode, the output signal from second stage 220 is configured to have a level which will overdrive the third stage 230 to provide a non-linear saturated signal therefrom via output 232 with a first desired amount of increased harmonic content. It is contemplated that the amount of harmonic content in this second mode may or may not correspond to the amount of harmonic content provided in the two-stage configuration by the output of second stage 220. In the third mode of operation, the output signal from second stage 220 has a level which will overdrive the third stage 230 to provide a nonlinear saturated output signal therefrom with a desired amount of increased harmonic content greater than the first desired amount of increased harmonic content provided in the second mode.
These modes of operation for the three-stage configuration are accomplished as illustrated in FIG. 2. In particular, in the first or normal mode of operation wherein a clean signal is provided by the output of third stage 230, switch 2G is open to disconnect second gain control 224 avoiding increased gain of the second stage 220. Switch LA is closed to connect level altering control to output 222 to reduce the level of the output signal provided from second stage 220 to third stage 230. In the second mode, low distortion is provided by the output of the third stage 230 by closing switch 2G to increase the gain of the second stage thereby increasing the magnitude of the signal provided via line 222 to overdrive third stage 230. In the second mode, switch LA remains closed to somewhat reduce the level of the signal provided to third stage 230. In the third mode, to accomplish high distortion, switch 2G remains closed and switch LA is opened so that the level of the signal provided via line 222 is not reduced by level altering control 226 and a fully overdriving signal is provided to third stage 230.
In general, level altering control may be any circuit or
network for altering the level of the output of second stage 220 as provided via line 222. Level altering control 226 may be means connected to the output of second stage 220 for selectively changing the resistive loading on the second stage 220 thereby changing both the gain and harmonic characteristics of the second stage.
Third stage 230 may be optionally provided with a third gain modifying means in the form of third gain control 234 selectively connected to third stage 230 via switch 3G. As illustrated in FIG. 2, third gain control 234 is connected to the third stage 230 to increase the gain thereof only during the third mode to further enhance the harmonic characteristics provided via output line 232.
FIG. 3 illustrates a schematic diagram of one preferrred embodiment of the preamplifier of the invention employing vacuum tube stages. It has been found that even a clean (undistorted) guitar signal, such as provided in mode one, benefits from a multitude of stages over the minimum number needed for voltage gain. The benefit is primarily due to the characteristics of the added tubes themselves. Therefore, it has been found that it is beneficial to use many stages for all modes and not simply add stages for an over driven sound as has been done in the prior art. The preamplifier according to the invention utilizes this approach by using all stages in all modes and by controlling tone, levels and gains throughout the circuit to obtain the desired sounds from the output in the various modes.
In FIG. 3, the same reference characters have been used as the reference characters of FIG. 1 wherever possible. FIG. 3 will be described according to various modes of oper...
Method and apparatus for facilitating group musical interaction over a network2009-10-20 00:00:00via a
network includes the steps of analyzing local player's musical performance to extract emulation data that represents the musical performance; transmitting emulation data to remote players over a
network; receiving emulation data from remote players over the
network; and using the emulation data to emulate the remote player's musical performance by locally generating approximations of the performances.Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A method for facilitating real-time competition between players of a game, the method comprising the steps of:
(a) receiving music performance input from a local player;
(b) generating audio output responsive to the received input;
(c) receiving emulation data extracted from a remote musical performance; and
(d) generating a local approximation of the remote musical performance using the emulation data, the local approximation synchronous with the local musical performance.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein step (a) comprises receiving music performance input from a local player via a game pad.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein step (a) comprises receiving music performance input from a local player via a fake musical instrument.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein step (b) comprises playing a note to indicate a successful input.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein step (b) comprises playing an error message to indicate unsuccessful input.
6. A method for facilitating musical interaction over a
network, the method comprising the steps of:
(a) receiving emulation data representing a remote user's musical performance; and
(b) locally generating an approximation of the remote user's musical performance using the received emulation data, the approximation synchronous with a local musical performance.
7. The method of claim 6 wherein step (a) comprises receiving emulation data, the emulation data comprising a moving average of recent remote musical performance events.
8. The method of claim 6 wherein step (a) comprises receiving emulation data, the emulation data comprising a moving average of timing deltas between recent remote musical performance events.
9. The method of claim 6 wherein step (a) comprises receiving emulation data, the emulation data comprising an identification of recent remote musical performance events.
10. The method of claim 6 further comprising extracting local emulation data representing a local musical performance.
11. A means for facilitating musical interaction over a
network, comprising:
(a) means for receiving emulation data representing a remote user's musical performance; and
(b) means for locally generating an approximation of the remote user's musical performance using the received emula...
