A grand piano (1a) generates acoustic tones through vibrations of strings (1f) and sound board (1g) so that the acoustic tones are converted to analog audio signals at recording points (L/ M/ R) over the sound board (1g), and a group of waveform data sets are produced from the analog audio signal through sampling and analog-to-digital conversion; when electronic tones are generated, delay parameters and volume parameters are determined on the basis of differences between the recording points (L/ M/ R) and tone radiating points (L/ M/ R) occupied by loud speakers (31/ 32/ 33), the sets of waveform data series are sequentially read out from the group of waveform data sets and are modified with the delay parameters and volume parameters so that the electronic tones become close to the acoustic tones.

A method and apparatus are disclosed for simultaneously outputting digital audio and MIDI synthesised music utilising a single digital signal processor. The Musical Instrumert Digital Interface (MIDI) permits music to be recorded and/or synthesised utilising a data file containing multiple serially listed program status messages and matching note on and note off messages. In contrast, digital audio is generally merely compressed, utilising a suitable data compression technique, and recorded. The audio content of such a digital recording may then be restored by decompressing the recorded data and converting that data utilising a digital-to-analog convertor. The method and apparatus of the present invention selectively and alternatively couples portions of a compressed digital audio file and a MIDI file to a single digital signal processor which alternately decompresses the digital audio file and implements a MIDI synthesiser. Decompressed audio and MIDI synthesised music are then alternately coupled to two separate buffers. The contents of these buffers are then additively mixed and coupled through a digital-to-analog convertor to an audio output device to create an output having concurrent digital audio and MIDI synthesised music.

Data of desired variable data length is stored in a memory. When desired data is to be taken out of the memory, data length of the data to be taken out is designated and necessary data is selectively taken out of the memory in accordance with the designated data length. Single data may be stored over plural addresses. In that case, MSB or LSB of data to be taken out of the data stored over the plural addresses is pointed out and desired data of a desired bit number is taken out in accordane with the pointed out position and the bit number of the data. In the memory, first data and second data may be mixedly stored. The second data consists of plural bits and is divided in plural sections, each section being separately stored in the first data. The first data and the second data are separated from the data which has been read from the memory and the respective sections of the second data are assembled together to reproduce completed second data. This storage and reproduction of data contributes to an efficient utilization of the memory.

A musical tone generation apparatus is provided with a plurality of tone generation channels, a first memory for storing musical tone parameter including tone color specifying parameter, i.e. , tone color name or number of tone color, in units of the tone generation channels, and a second memory for storing tone color parameter data. When tone color change is designated, the first parameter memory outputs tone color specifying parameter to the second parameter memory. In response to this, the second memory outputs the changed tone color parameter data to the tone generation channels to thereby generate tone having new tone color. As a result, tone color change is easily performed.

An effect tone of an appropriate pattern such as the murmur of a brook or songs of birds is generated at an arbitrary timing with a simple operation of keyboard (11). Since the tone volume of an effect tone can be gradually increased or decreased by using fade in/ fade out key and the tone volume can be independently controlled in units of channels (15a, 15b) using a plurality of channels, the effect of the effect tones can be improved.

An effect tone of an appropriate pattern such as the murmur of a brook or songs of birds is generated at an arbitrary timing with a simple operation of keyboard (11). Since the tone volume of an effect tone can be gradually increased or decreased by using fade in/ fade out key and the tone volume can be independently controlled in units of channels (15a, 15b) using a plurality of channels, the effect of the effect tones can be improved.

Ce dispositif de création sonore comprend au moins un générateur d'un signal vidéo, un convertisseur analogique digital si le signal vidéo n'est pas déjà numérique, un moyen de transformer le signal vidéo en une multitude p de signaux représentatifs de P paramètres, un ensemble de convertisseurs digitaux-analogiques en nombre égal au nombre des paramètres, une matrice de connexion des P signaux à une seconde multitude de q entrées d'un synthétiseur de son dont la sortie est branchée à un haut-parleur.

Ce dispositif de création sonore comprend au moins un générateur d'un signal vidéo (1 ), un convertisseur analogique digital (2) si le signal vidéo n'est pas déjà numérique, un moyen (3) de transformer le signal vidéo en une multitude p de signaux représentatifs de P paramètres, un ensemble (4) de convertisseurs digitaux-analogiques en nombre égal au nombre des paramètres, une matrice de connexion (5) des P signaux à une seconde multidude de q entrées d'un synthétiseur de son dont la sortie est branchée à un haut-parleur.

An electronic musical instrument comprizing plural keyswitches for playing music, a generator assigner scanning the plural keyswitches, sensing depression thereof and sending channel selecting data and timbre data, plural sound generating channels for generating musical sound signals in accordance with said timbre data, and a channel selector selecting said plural sound generating channels in accordance with said channel selecting data, wherein said generator assigner designates depressed keyswitch to vacant one of said plural sound generating channels and sends said channel selecting data representing said vacant channel to said channel selector.