Musical instrument equipped with synchronizer for plural parts of music
专利汇可以提供Musical instrument equipped with synchronizer for plural parts of music专利检索，专利查询，专利分析的服务。并且An electronic synchronizer sequentially reads out multi-track music data codes selectively assigned to an automatic player piano and an electronic sound generating system and already stored cue flags in arbitrary multi-track music data codes, and checks the fingering on the keyboard to see whether or not a pianist depresses the black/white key assigned the note marked with the cue flag, if the pianist depresses the black/white key within a predetermined time period, the electronic synchronizer supplies the multi-track music data codes concurrently to the automatic player piano and the electronic sound generating system for giving a guide to the pianist and the accompaniment: However, if not, the electronic synchronizer delays the data transfer so as to make the guide and the accompaniment synchronous with the fingering.，下面是Musical instrument equipped with synchronizer for plural parts of music专利的具体信息内容。
What is claimed is:1. A synchronizer for synchronizing a first musical instrument with a second musical instrument, comprising:a first data source storinga first piece of sequence data including a first series of pieces of music data used for producing first tones for a part of a score and pieces of synchronous data selectively associated with the pieces of music data of said first series anda second piece of sequence data including a second series of pieces of music data used for producing tones for another part of said score, andsynchronously outputting said first piece of sequence data and said second piece of sequence data;a second data source successively outputting pieces of reference data representative of an actual performance on said second musical instrument for producing said first tones; anda controller connected to said first data source, said second data source and said first musical instrument, comparing said pieces of synchronous data with certain pieces of reference data corresponding to the pieces of music data associated with said pieces of synchronous data to see whether or not said second data source timely outputs said certain pieces of reference data, and controlling a data transfer of said second series of pieces of music data to said first musical instrument so as to make said another part synchronous with said actual performance.2. The synchronizer as set forth in claim 1, in which said pieces of reference data are associated with said pieces of music data of said first series arbitrary selected before said performance.3. The synchronizer as set forth in claim 2, in which said part of said score and said another part of said score are representative of a principal melody of a piece of music and an accompaniment of said piece of music, respectively.4. The synchronizer as set forth in claim 2, in which said controller defines a time period containing a target time at which each of said certain pieces of reference data is to arrive at said controller for the comparison with associated one of said pieces of music data associated with the pieces of synchronous data, and said controller changes said data transfer from said target time to an arrival time of said each of said certain pieces of reference data if said arrival time is fallen within said time period.5. The synchronizer as set forth in claim 4, in which said controller changes said data transfer from said target time to an expiry of said time period if said time period is expired without the arrival of said each of said certain pieces of reference data.6. The synchronizer as set forth in claim 1, further comprising an information provider for providing a piece of information representative of progression of said performance.7. The synchronizer as set forth in claim 6, in which said piece of information includes a first sub-piece of information representative of a note of said part presently performed and a second sub-piece of information representative of another note corresponding to the next piece of music data associated with the piece of synchronous data.8. The synchronizer as set forth in claim 7, in which said first sub-piece of information and said second sub-piece of information are given in the form of images of said note and said another note on a music paper.9. The synchronizer as set forth in claim 8, in which said images are moved in synchronism with said performance.10. The synchronizer as set forth in claim 9, in which said images are produced on a screen of a display panel.11. The synchronizer as set forth in claim 8, in which the image representative of said another note is accompanied with another image representative of said piece of synchronous data.12. The synchronizer as set forth in claim 11, in which said another image is given in the form of at least one word.13. The synchronizer as set forth in claim 1, further comprising an information provider for providing a piece of information representative of progression of said performance, and in which said pieces of reference data are associated with said pieces of music data of said first series arbitrarily selected before said performance.14. The synchronizer as set forth in claim 13, in which said pieces of reference data are indicative of keys selectively depressed by a player and incorporated in said second musical instrument.15. The synchronizer as set forth in claim 14, in which said controller stores a note number assigned to one of said keys just depressed in a depressed key buffer as one of said certain pieces of reference data, a note number assigned to one of said keys to be depressed in a flag buffer as one of said pieces of music data associated with said pieces of synchronous data and one of said pieces of music data of said second series associated with said one of said pieces of music data of said first series in an event buffer, and compares said note number stored in said depressed key buffer with said note number stored in said flag buffer to see whether or not said second data source timely outputs said one of said certain pieces of reference data.16. The synchronizer as set forth in claim 15, in which said controller defines a time period containing a target time at which said one of said certain pieces of reference data is to arrive, and determines that said second data source timely outputs said one of said certain pieces of reference data in so far as said one of said certain pieces of reference data arrives at said controller within said time period.17. The synchronizer as set forth in claim 16, in which said controller changes said data transfer from said target time to an arrival time of said one of said certain pieces of reference data if said arrival time is fallen within said time period.18. The synchronizer as set forth in claim 17, in which said controller changes said data transfer from said target time to an expiry of said time period if said time period is expired without the arrival of said each of said certain pieces of reference data.19. The synchronizer as set forth in claim 1, in which said second musical instrument is an acoustic piano for producing said first tones of a principal melody, and said first musical instrument is an electronic sound generating system for producing said second tones of an accompaniment.20. The synchronizer as set forth in claim 19, in which at least one of an automatic player system and a silent system is incorporated in said acoustic piano.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a musical instrument and, more particularly, to a musical instrument and a support equipment for the musical instrument.
DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART
Various support systems have been proposed for music players. A support equipment is associated with a keyboard musical instrument, and previously notifies the black/white keys to be depressed to the player. Another support equipment is used for an ensemble. While a trainee is playing a melody, the support equipment generates tones for the accompaniment.
Yet another support equipment also generates the tones for the accompaniment, and synchronizes the accompaniment with the melody. Even if a trainee is out of the tempo in a certain passage, the support equipment produces the tones at irregular intervals, and makes the accompaniment synchronous with the melody. The support equipment is hereinbelow referred to as “electronic synchronizer”.
The prior art electronic synchronizer controls the tone generation as follows. The prior art electronic synchronizer has a controller, a data storage and an array of sensors. A set of music data codes representative of the melody and the accompaniment is stored in the data storage, and the sensors monitor the motion of the black/white keys. The set of music data codes is divided into data groups assigned to note groups of a tune. The melodic subject or the chord is changed at the boundary between the note groups. While a trainee is playing the melody, the sensors notifies the depressed keys to the controller, and the controller checks the present data group to see whether the trainee depresses a black/white key assigned the note identical with the last note of the associated note group. If the trainee has not depressed the black/white key, the controller retards the progression of the accompaniment. Thus, the prior art electronic synchronizer makes the accompaniment synchronous with the melody only at the boundaries between the adjacent note groups.
A problem is encountered in the prior art electronic synchronizer in that the accompaniment does not follow time lag or temporal advance intentionally introduced into the performance. Some players want to individualize their performance. Such an individualistic player intentionally retards or advances the generation of certain tones in the passage. If the time lag is introduced at the boundary between the note groups, the prior art electronic synchronizer is responsive to the individualistic player, and makes the accompaniment synchronous with the melody. However, when the individualistic player introduce the time lag at the boundary between two tones in a certain note group, the prior art electronic synchronizer can not respond to the individualistic player.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an important object of the present invention to provide a support system, which makes a part of music synchronous with another part performed by a player at any point in the music.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a synchronizer for synchronizing a first musical instrument with a second musical instrument comprising a first data source storing a first piece of sequence data including a first series of pieces of music data used for producing first tones for a part of a score and pieces of synchronous data selectively associated with the pieces of music data of the first series and a second piece of sequence data including a second series of pieces of music data used for producing tones for another part of the score and synchronously outputting the first piece of sequence data and the second piece of sequence data, a second data source successively outputting pieces of reference data representative of an actual performance on the second musical instrument for producing the first tones, and a controller connected to the first data source, the second data source and the first musical instrument, comparing the pieces of synchronous data with certain pieces of reference data corresponding to the pieces of music data associated with the pieces of synchronous data to see whether or not the second data source timely outputs the certain pieces of reference data and controlling a data transfer of the second series of pieces of music data to the first musical instrument so as to make the another part synchronous with the actual performance.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The features and advantages of the support equipment for a musical instrument will be more clearly understood from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1
is a perspective view showing the external appearance of an ensemble system according to the present invention;
FIG. 2
is a cross sectional side view showing an automatic player piano forming a part of the ensemble system;
FIG. 3
is a view showing pieces of sequential data stored in MIDI music data codes;
FIG. 4
is a view showing a table between tracks and parts of a tune;
FIG. 5
is a view showing a musical score for an ensemble;
FIG. 6
is a front view showing a part of the music score produced on a display unit;
FIGS. 7A
to
7
C are views showing buffers used in a data processing;
FIG. 8
is a view showing a main routine program executed by a host controller in an ensemble mode;
FIG. 9
is a view showing a subroutine program forming a part of the main routine program;
FIG. 10
is a view showing a subroutine program forming another part of the main routine program;
FIG. 11
is a view showing a subroutine program forming yet another part of the main routine program; and
FIG. 12
is a front view showing a part of a score produced in a display unit incorporated in another keyboard musical instrument according to the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Structure of Musical Instrument
Referring to
FIGS. 1 and 2
of the drawings, an electronic synchronizer embodying the present invention is associated with a keyboard musical instrument
100
. The keyboard musical instrument
100
is fabricated on the basis of an automatic player piano. The keyboard musical instrument
100
is broken down into an acoustic piano
101
, a playback system
102
, an electronic sound generating system
103
and a silent system
107
. A pianist plays a tune on the acoustic piano
101
through fingering, and the playback system
102
plays the tune on the acoustic piano
101
without the fingering. Namely, the playback system
102
reads out a set of music data codes representative of the tune from an information storage medium such as, for example, a CD-ROM (Compact Disk Read Only Memory) disk or a DVD (Digital Versatile Disk), and plays the tune as if the pianist plays it on the acoustic piano. The set of music data codes may be supplied through a communication line (not shown). The electronic sound generating system
103
produces an analog audio signal from music data codes, and electronic tones are produced from the analog audio signal. The music data codes may be supplied from the information storage medium, or produced in response to the fingering in real time fashion. The silent system
107
selectively establishes an acoustic sound mode and a silent mode in the keyboard musical instrument. The silent system
107
permits the pianist to play a tune on the acoustic piano
100
in the acoustic sound mode, and prohibits the acoustic piano
100
from producing the acoustic piano tones in the silent mode. While the pianist is playing a tune on the acoustic piano
100
in the silent mode, the electronic sound generating system
103
produces the electronic tones in response to the fingering, and the pianist confirms the fingering through the electronic tones. The playback system
102
may play a tune in the silent mode.
The acoustic piano
101
is similar to a standard grand piano, and includes a keyboard
101
a
, action mechanisms
101
b
, hammers
101
c
, damper mechanisms
101
d
and music strings
101
e
. These component parts
101
a
to
101
e
are linked with one another, and generate the acoustic piano tones. In detail, black keys
101
f
and white keys
101
g
are laid on the well-known pattern, and form in combination the keyboard
101
a
. The notes of the scale are respectively assigned to the black/white keys
101
f
/
101
g
. The keyboard
101
a
is mounted on a key bed
101
h
. The black/white keys
101
f
/
101
g
are turnable around a balance rail
101
j
, and are held in contact with the associated action mechanisms
101
b
by means of capstan screws
101
k.
The action mechanisms
101
b
are rotatable around a center rail
101
m
. Each of the action mechanisms
101
b
includes a jack
101
n
and a regulating button
101
p
. When the jack
101
n
is brought into contact with the regulating button
101
p
, the jack
101
n
escapes from the associated hammer
101
c
, and the hammer
101
c
is driven for rotation around a shank flange rail
101
q.
The hammers
101
c
have rest positions under the associated music string
101
e
, respectively, and strike the music strings
101
e
for generating the acoustic piano tones. Upon striking the associated music strings
101
e
, the hammers
101
c
rebound, and return toward the rest positions. The rebounding hammer
103
is gently received by a back check
101
r
on the way to the rest position, and the back check
101
r
guides the hammer
101
c
to the rest position after the depressed key
101
f
/
101
g
is released.
The damper mechanisms
101
d
have respective damper heads
101
s
, and are actuated by the black/white keys
11
f
/
11
g
, respectively. The damper heads
101
s
are held in contact with the associated music strings
101
e
, and prevent the music strings
101
e
from resonance with a vibrating music string
101
e.
When the pianist depresses one of the black/white keys
101
f
/
101
g
, the black/white key
101
f
/
101
g
sinks toward the end position, and pushing the associated damper mechanism
101
d
upwardly. The damper head
101
s
is spaced from the associated music string
101
e
, and the music string
101
e
is allowed to vibrate. Thereafter, the jack
101
n
escapes from the associated hammer
101
c
, and the hammer
101
c
strikes the music string
101
e
. Thus, the component parts
101
a
to
101
d
are sequentially actuated for generating the acoustic piano tones as similar to the standard grand piano. A host controller
104
, a display unit
105
, a disk driver
106
and a MIDI interface port
110
are shared between the playback system
102
and the recording system
103
, and the host controller
104
is further shared with the silent system
107
as will be hereinlater described in detail.
Though not shown in the drawings, a central processing unit, a program memory, a working memory and a data interface are incorporated in the host controller
104
, and the central processing unit is communicable with other electric components as indicated by arrows in FIG.
3
. The central processing unit produces a set of music data codes from key position signals and control signals from a set of music data information. The set of music data codes represents the fingering on the keyboard
101
a
. The analog audio signal is produced from the set of music data codes in the real time fashion for the electronic sound generating system
103
, or the control signals are produced from the set of music data codes for the playback system
102
. The set of music data codes may be supplied through the MIDI interface port
110
to another musical instrument (not shown).
The display unit
105
is provided on the acoustic piano
101
as shown in
FIG. 1
, and is located on the left side of the music rack
101
t
. The display unit
105
has a data processing system, an image producing screen and a touch panel overlapped with the image producing screen. The image producing screen may be implemented by a liquid crystal display panel. The image producing screen is three-dimensionally movable, and user can adjust the image producing screen to an arbitrary direction. Menus are stepwise shown on the touch panel, and user selects desired items on the touch panel. One of the menus prompts the user to select a mode of operation such as a playback mode, the acoustic sound mode, the silent mode and an ensemble mode. The display unit
105
further produces messages, instructions and a musical score for assisting the user.
The playback system
102
further comprises a servo-controller
102
a
, solenoid-operated key actuators
102
b
and a tone generator/sound system
102
c
. Though not shown in
FIG. 2
, plunger sensors are respectively provided in the solenoid-operated key actuators
102
b
, and plunger position signals are fed back to the servo-controller
102
a
. The plunger position signals are representative of actual plunger positions, and the servo-controller
102
a
controls the plunger motion through the feedback loop.
A set of music data codes is supplied from the information storage medium or a suitable data source through the MIDI interface port
110
. When the information storage medium such as, for example, a compact disk is placed on a tray of the disk driver
106
, the disk driver
106
reads out the set of music data codes from the compact disk, and transfers the set of music data codes to the working memory of the host controller
104
. The set of music data codes are representative of pieces of music data information, and each piece of music data information includes at least note numbers indicative of the black/white keys to be moved, a key event, i.e., a note-on or a note-off, a key velocity to be imparted to the moved key and a time interval from the previous key event. The key velocity represents the loudness of a tone to be generated, because the loudness of the tone is proportional to the key velocity.
When the user instructs the playback mode to the host controller
104
, the host controller
104
starts an internal timer, and searches the set of music data codes to see whether or not any piece of music data information is indicative of the present time. If the host controller
104
finds a piece of music data information indicative of the present time, the host controller
104
determines a target trajectory for the black/white key
101
f
/
101
g
to be moved and a target key velocity Vr on the target trajectory. The host controller
104
instructs the servo-controller
102
a
to control the solenoid-operated key actuator
102
b
associated with the black/white key
101
f
/
101
g
along the target trajectory with the control signal. The servo-controller
102
a
supplies a driving pulse signal to the solenoid-operated key actuator
102
b
. Then, the solenoid-operated key actuator
102
a
upwardly projects the plunger so as to move the associated black/white key
101
f
/
101
g
without any fingering. While the plunger is projecting upwardly, the plunger sensor varies the plunger position signal, and the servo-controller
102
a
calculates an actual plunger velocity. The servo-controller
102
a
compares the actual plunger velocity with the target key velocity to see whether or not the plunger and, accordingly, the black/white key
101
f
/
101
g
is moving along the target trajectory. If not, the servo-controller
102
a
varies the magnitude of the driving pulse signal for changing the plunger velocity. Thus, the black/white key
101
f
/
101
g
is moved along the target trajectory identical with that in the original performance, and actuates the associated action mechanism
101
b
and the associated damper mechanism
101
d
. The damper head
101
s
is spaced from the music string
101
e
, and allows the music string
101
e
to vibrate. When the jack
101
n
is brought into contact with the regulating button
101
p
, the jack
101
n
escapes from the hammer
101
c
, and the hammer
101
c
is driven for rotation toward the music string
101
e
. The hammer
101
c
strikes the music string
101
e
, and rebounds thereon. The back check
101
r
gently receives the hammer
101
c
, and prevents the music string
101
e
from any double strike.
When the host controller
104
finds another piece of music data information representative of the note-off event at the present time, the host controller
104
determines a target key velocity on a target backward trajectory for the released key, and instructs the servo-controller to decrease the magnitude of the driving pulse signal with the control signal. The associated solenoid-operated key actuator
102
b
retracts the plunger, and guides the depressed black/white key
101
f
/
101
g
toward the rest position. The servo-controller
102
a
also controls the plunger through the feedback loop. The damper head
101
s
is brought into contact with the music string
101
e
, and the acoustic piano tone is decayed.
When the user instructs the playback system
102
to generate the electronic tones, the host controller
104
sequentially supplies the music data codes to the tone generator
102
c
, and the tone generator
102
c
produces the analog audio signal from the music data codes. The tone generator
102
c
supplies the analog audio signal to the sound system
102
c
, and the sound system
102
c
generates the electronic tones instead of the acoustic piano tones. The host controller
104
may control an ensemble between the solenoid-operated key actuators
102
b
and the tone generator
102
c.
In this instance, the playback system
102
further serves as a guide in the practice of fingering on the keyboard
101
a
. When the playback system
102
is requested to guide the trainee, the playback system
102
reads out a set of music data codes from the information storage medium, and gets ready for guiding the trainee. While the trainee is fingering on the keyboard
101
a
, the host controller
104
produces the musical score for the selected tune, and slightly moves the black/white keys
101
f
/
101
g
by means of the solenoid-operated key actuators
101
b
immediately before the times to depress the black/white keys
101
f
/
101
g
. Although the host controller
104
sequentially designates black/white keys
101
f
/
101
g
to be depressed as similar to that in the playback mode, the servo-controller
102
a
stops the plungers before the associated jack
101
n
escapes from the hammer
101
c
. The playback system
102
does not allow the acoustic piano
101
to generate the acoustic piano tones. When the trainee further depresses the black/white keys
101
f
/
101
g
, the jacks
101
n
are brought into contact with the regulating buttons
101
p
, and the hammers
101
c
are driven for rotation by the jacks
101
n
. The hammers
101
c
strike the associated music strings
101
e
, and the acoustic piano tones are generated from the music strings
101
e
. Thus, the playback system
102
gives the guide to the trainee.
The tone generator/sound system
102
c
is shared between the playback system
102
and the electronic sound generating system
103
. The electronic sound generating system
103
further includes key sensors
103
a
. The key sensors
103
a
respectively monitor the black/white keys
101
f
/
101
g
, and supply the key position signals to the host controller
104
. The key position signal is representative of the current key position of the associated black/white key
101
f
/
101
g
. The key sensor
103
a
is implemented by a shutter plate and photo-couplers. The shutter plate is attached to the back surface of the associated black/white key
101
f
/
101
g
, and the photo-couplers are provided along the trajectory of the shutter plate at intervals. The photo-couplers radiate light beams across the trajectory of the shutter plate so that the shutter plate sequentially interrupts the light beams on the way to the end position.
While a pianist is playing a tune on the keyboard
101
a
, the host controller
104
starts an internal timer for the lapse of time from the initiation, and periodically checks the key position signals to see whether or not the pianist depresses or releases any one of the black/white keys
101
f
/
101
g
. If the pianist depresses or releases the black/white keys
101
f
/
101
g
, the associated key sensor
103
a
changes the key position signal representative of the current key position, and the host controller
104
is notified that the pianist depresses or releases the black/white keys
101
f
/
101
g.
When the host controller
104
finds the pianist to depress one of the black/white key
101
f
/
101
g
, the host controller
104
specifies the note number assigned to the depressed black/white key
101
f
/
101
g
, and determines the key velocity and the lapse of time from the previous key event. The host controller
104
stores the piece of music data information in the music data codes, and supplies the music data codes to the tone generator/sound system
102
c
. The tone generator/sound system
102
c
generates the electronic tone corresponding to the acoustic piano tone to be generated from the associated music string
101
e.
Furthermore, when the host controller
104
finds the pianist to release the black/white key
101
f
/
101
g
, the host controller
104
specifies the note number assigned to the released black/white key
101
f
/
101
g
, and determines the key velocity and the lapse of time from the previous key event. The host controller
104
stores the piece of music data information in the music data codes, and supplies the music data codes to the tone generator/sound system
102
c
. The tone generator/sound system
102
c
decays the electronic tone. The electronic sound generating system
103
may supply the music data codes through the MIDI interface port
110
to another musical instrument.
The silent system
107
further comprises a hammer stopper
107
a
and an electric motor
107
b
, and the electric motor
107
b
is bi-directionally driven for rotation by the host controller
104
. The host controller
104
changes the hammer stopper
107
a
from a free position FP to a blocking position BP and vice versa by means of the electric motor
107
b
. When a pianist wants to generate the acoustic piano tones in the acoustic sound mode, the host controller
104
changes the hammer stopper
107
a
to the free position FP. Then, the hammer stopper
107
a
is vacated from the trajectories of the hammers
101
c
, and the hammers
101
c
are allowed to strike the associated music strings
101
e
. On the other hand, when the pianist wants to play a tune without any acoustic piano tone in the silent mode, the host controller
104
changes the hammer stopper
107
a
to the blocking position BP. Even though the hammers
101
c
are driven for rotation through the escape, the hammers
101
c
rebound on the hammer stopper
107
a
before striking the music strings
101
e
, and any acoustic piano tone is not generated from the music string
101
e
. The electronic sound generating system
103
generates the electronic tones instead of the acoustic piano tones.
A trainee plays a tune together with the electronic sound generating system
103
in the ensemble mode. The trainee practices the fingering for the melody on the keyboard
101
a
, and the electronic sound generating system
103
generates the electronic tones for the accompaniment. Even if the trainee fingers out of the tempo, an electronic synchronizer according to the present invention makes the accompaniment synchronous with the fingering. When a pianist intentionally introduces a time lug between two tones, the electronic synchronizer also makes the accompaniment synchronous with the melody. In this instance, the host controller
104
, the disk driver
106
, the key sensors
103
a
and computer programs described hereinlater as a whole constitute the electronic synchronizer.
First, description is made on the music data codes used for the ensemble. The music data codes are formatted in accordance with the MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) standards.
Multi-track Music Data Codes and Data Organization
FIG. 3
shows the music data codes formatted in the MIDI standards. Pieces of music data information stored in the music data codes are broken down into event data, timing data and control data. A kind of key event such as the note-on event or the note-off even, the note number and a velocity are memorized in a piece of event data, and the time interval between an event and the previous event is stored in a piece of timing data. The key velocity is corresponding to the velocity. The control data “END” is representative of a message that the performance is to be terminated. The user can assign sixteen tracks Tr
0
to Tr
15
to difference instruments at the maximum according to the MIDI standards. For this reason, pieces of event data, associated pieces of timing data and the control data “END” form a piece of sequence data for one of the tracks Tr
0
to Tr
15
.
The piece of sequence data Tr
0
contains pieces of event data ET
1
/ET
2
and pieces of timing data associated with the pieces of event data ET
1
/ET
2
. The piece of event data ET
1
has storage areas assigned to the note-on event, the note number and the velocity. According to the present invention, a cue flag Cf is storable in the storage area assigned to the velocity. The cue flag Cf is indicative of the mark point at which the electronic tone generating system
103
is to be synchronized with the acoustic piano
101
.
In this instance, the principal melody line in a tune is performed by a pianist on the acoustic piano
101
, and one of the tracks Tr
0
is assigned to a piece of sequential data representative of the principal melody line. The cue flags Cf are stored in the pieces of event data of the piece of sequential data at intervals. Another piece of sequential data is assigned to the accompaniment of the same tune, and is assigned other track or tracks. In this instance, the piece of sequential data for the accompaniment is assigned the track Tr
1
. The track Tr
0
and the other track Tr
1
are hereinbelow referred to as “principal melody track” and “accompaniment track”, respectively. The pieces of timing data keep the pieces of event data in the principal melody track Tr
0
and the pieces of event data in the accompaniment track Tr
1
correlative with one another. For this reason, the accompaniment is synchronized with the principal melody.
While a trainee is playing the principal melody on the keyboard
101
a
, the host controller
104
reads of the piece of sequential data from the track Tr
0
, and checks the key position signals to see whether or not the pianist depresses the black/white key
101
/
101
g
represented by the note number marked with the cue flag Cf. If the trainee fingers out of the tempo, the host controller
104
retards or advances the data processing on the piece of event data marked with the cue flag Cf, and the associated pieces of timing data in the principal melody track Tr
0
and the accompaniment track Tr
1
make the data processing on the corresponding piece of event data in the accompaniment track Tr
1
synchronous with that in the principal melody track Tr
0
. Thus, the cue flag Cf is written in any music data code representative of a piece of event data, and the electronic synchronizer according to the present invention makes the accompaniment synchronous with the principal melody at the note marked with the cue flag Cf.
Assistance in Ensemble Mode
A set of music data codes represents a music score, a part of which is shown in FIG.
5
. The set of music data codes is stored in the information storage medium. The set of music data codes is broken down into a piece of sequence data representative of a principal melody and another piece of sequence data representative of the accompaniment. The music data codes for the principal melody are assigned the principal melody track Tr
0
, and the music data codes for the accompaniment are assigned the accompaniment track Tr
1
.
A “target time for key event” is equal to the accumulation of pieces of timing data until the associated piece of event data, and is representative of a time at which the associated event such as the note-on event or note-off event is to take place. If the controller achieves the resolution twice as long as a quaver note, the note-on events for the first to fifth quarter notes occur at t
0
, t
2
, t
4
, t
6
and t
8
. The cue flags Cf are added to the note numbers “67” and “72” indicated by the fifth quarter note and the ninth quarter note, respectively. The ninth quarter note has the note-on event at t
16
. The target time for key event is shared between all the tracks Tr
0
to Tr
15
, and the host controller
104
synchronizes the data processing on the music data codes in the principal melody track Tr
0
with the data processing on the music data codes for the accompaniment track Tr
1
. The cue note Cf is assumed to be stored in a MIDI music data code for a certain note. The note-on event for the certain note occurs at a “flag time”. In other words, the flag time is equivalent to the target time for key event at which the certain note is to be synchronized with the associated note for the accompaniment. A “flag event” is a detection of the depressed key
101
f
/
101
g
corresponding to the note marked with the cue flag Cf.
Read-out timers are provided for the tracks, respectively, and each of the read-out timers stores a read-out time. The read-out time is equivalent to a time period until read-out of a piece of event data, and is stepwise decremented by the host controller
104
. Namely, when the read-out time reaches zero, the associated piece of event data is read out for the data processing. The read-out time is earlier than the target time by a predetermined time interval. For this reason, the associated piece of event data is read out before the target time.
A “pointer time” is a time stored in the internal clock. The internal clock is incremented at regular time intervals by a clock signal representative of a tempo. According to the present invention, selected notes in the principal melody are accompanied with the cue flags Cf for synchronizing the principal melody with the fingering on the keyboard
101
a
. The synchronization is achieved by temporarily stopping the internal clock. For this reason, it is not necessary to increment the pointer time at regular time intervals.
Term “waiting time” means a lapse of time after entry into waiting status. When the read-out timer for the principal melody track Tr
0
reaches zero, the associated piece of event data containing the cue flag Cf enters the waiting status, and the waiting status continues for a predetermined time period. The piece of event data marked with the cue flag Cf exits from the waiting status when the trainee depresses the black/white key
101
f
/
101
g
within the predetermined time period. Similarly, if the predetermined time period is expired without depressing the black/white key, the piece of event data also exits from the waiting status. The pointer time is not incremented in the waiting status. When the flag event takes place, the internal clock is set for the flag time, and restarts to increment the pointer time. On the other hand, when the predetermined time period is expired without flag event, the internal clock is set for the event time of the non-executed event data. Thus, the internal clock is periodically regulated at the marked notes in the principal melody, and the data transfer to the tone generator/sound system
102
c
is also periodically regulated, because the event time is shared between all the tracks.
As described hereinbefore, the host controller
104
produces the musical score for a tune on the display unit
105
, and guides the trainee in fingering.
FIG. 6
shows the musical score produced on the display unit
105
. Only the musical score of the principal melody is produced on the display unit
105
, because the host controller
104
guides the trainee in the fingering for the principal melody. The host controller
104
produces several measures of the musical score, and scrolls the musical score in synchronism with the fingering on the keyboard
101
a
. The quarter notes at the synchronous points are marked with arrows and words “Cue Flag”. The arrow and the words notify a series of notes to be sequentially performed to the trainee. The host controller
104
blinks the arrow and the words at the next synchronous point so as to draw the trainee's attention thereto.
The host controller
104
assigns particular storage areas of the working memory to a depressed key buffer, an event buffer and a cue flag buffer.
FIGS. 7A
to
7
C show the depressed key buffer, the event buffer and the cue flag buffer, respectively.
The depressed key buffer stores the note number assigned to the latest depressed key
101
f
/
101
g
. The host controller
104
has a table between black/white keys
101
f
/
101
g
and the note numbers assigned thereto. When the host controller
104
finds the trainee to depress the black/white key
101
f
/
101
g
on the basis of the variation of current key position, the host controller
104
checks the table to see what note number is assigned to the depressed key
101
f
/
101
g
. The host controller
104
identifies the note number assigned to the depressed key
101
f
/
101
g
, and writes the note number of the depressed key into the depressed key buffer. In other words, the host controller
104
maintains the note number of the black/white key
101
f
/
101
g
just depressed by the trainee in the depressed key buffer. The depressed key buffer shown in
FIG. 7A
teaches that the trainee has just depressed the black/white key assigned the note number “65”.
The event buffer stores pieces of event data to be processed. The pieces of event data to be processed are grouped by the track, and the kind of event, the note number and the target time are stored together with the track number. The event buffer shown in
FIG. 7B
indicates that a music data code for the note-on event of the tone identified with the note number 67 is to be processed at the target time t
8
for actuating the associated solenoid-operated key actuator
102
b
and that the music data code for the note-on event at the note number 67 is to be transferred at target time t
8
to the tone generator/sound system
102
c.
The cue flag buffer teaches the target time at which the music data code marked with the cue flag Cf is to be processed and a lapse of time from the registration therein.
Computer Programs
The host controller
104
processes the music data codes in the ensemble mode as follows.
FIG. 8
illustrates a main routine program for the host controller
104
.
When the host controller
104
is energized, the host controller
104
starts the main routine program. The host controller
104
firstly initializes the buffers and the internal clock as by step S
100
. After the initialization, the host controller
104
waits for user's instruction. When the user instructs the ensemble mode through the display unit
105
to the host controller
104
, the host controller
104
reiterates the loop consisting of sub-routine programs S
200
, S
300
and S
400
until termination of the ensemble. The host controller
104
carries out a data processing for a depressed key through the sub-routine program S
200
, and a data search for next event and a data processing for the event are carried out through the sub-routine programs S
300
and S
400
, respectively. The host controller
104
circulates through the loop within unit time. The unit time is long enough to permit all the events concurrently scheduled to occur.
The host controller
104
achieves tasks shown in FIG.
9
through the subroutine program S
200
. When the main routine program branches into the subroutine program S
200
, the host controller
104
fetches the pieces of positional data information represented by the key position signals from the interface assigned to the key sensors
103
a
as by step S
201
, and stores the pieces of positional data information in the working memory. The host controller
104
checks the pieces of positional data information to see whether or not any one of the black/white keys
101
f
/
101
g
is depressed by the trainee as by step S
202
. When the host controller
104
finds the trainee to depress the black/white key
101
f
/
101
g
, the answer at step S
202
is given affirmative, and the host controller
104
writes the note number assigned to the depressed key into the depressed key buffer as by step S
203
. On the other hand, if the host controller
104
does not find any depressed key, the host controller
104
proceeds to step S
204
, and checks the pieces of positional data information to see whether or not the trainee released the depressed key. When the host controller
104
finds that the trainee releases the depressed key, the host controller
104
erases the note number from the depressed key buffer as by step S
205
. Upon completion of the data processing at step S
203
or S
205
, the host controller
104
returns to the main routine program. Thus, the host controller
104
periodically checks the key position signals for a depressed/released key
101
f
/
101
g
, and stores the note number assigned to the latest depressed key in the depressed key buffer.
In the sub-routine program S
300
, the host controller
104
achieves tasks shown in FIG.
10
. The host controller
104
writes the pieces of event data to be processed and the target time in the event buffer through the sub-routine program S
300
. First, the host controller
104
sets an index to the first track Tr
0
as by step S
301
. The host controller
104
checks the read-out timer associated with the selected track to see whether or not the read-out time reaches zero as by step S
302
. Any read-out time has not been stored in the read-out timer immediately after the initiation of the ensemble, and the answer at step S
302
is given affirmative. If the read-out timer was set, the read-out time has been decremented in each execution of the sub-routine program S
300
. Finally, the read-out timer indicates that the read-out time is zero, and the answer at step S
302
is given affirmative. The read-out time is earlier than the target time by a predetermined time. Then, the host controller
104
proceeds to step S
303
, and reads out the first piece of event data. Subsequently, the host controller
104
determines the target time on the basis of the associated piece of timing data as by step S
304
, and writes the kind of event, the note number and the target time in the row of the event buffer assigned to the given track as by step S
305
. The host controller
104
determines the read-out time earlier than the target time by the predetermined time period, and adjusts the read-out timer to the read-out time as by step S
306
. The host controller
104
checks the piece of event data to see whether or not the cue flag Cf is stored in the piece of event data as by step S
307
. If the cue flag Cf is found, the answer at step S
307
is given affirmative, and the host controller
104
writes the note number, the flag time and the waiting time into the cue flag buffer (see
FIG. 7C
) as by step S
308
. When the host controller
104
writes them into the cur flag buffer, the waiting time is zero. The piece of event data enters into the waiting status. The host controller
104
proceeds to step S
309
. When the piece of event data does not contain the cue flag Cf, the answer at step S
307
is given negative, and the host controller
104
checks the index to see whether or not pieces of event data are written into the event buffer for all the tracks as by step S
309
. If the answer at step S
309
is given negative, the host controller
104
increments the index as by step S
310
, and returns to step S
302
.
If the host controller
104
adjusted the read-out timer to the read-out time in the previous execution, the answer at step S
302
is given negative, and the host controller
104
proceeds to step S
311
. The host controller
104
decrements the read-out time at step S
311
, and proceeds to step S
309
without execution of steps S
303
to S
308
. The host controller
104
reiterates the loop consisting of steps
302
to
310
until the index indicates the last track. Upon completion of the data search for the pieces of event data, the host controller
104
returns to the main routine program.
The sub-routine program S
400
is carried out for tasks shown in FIG.
11
. The host controller
104
synchronizes the electronic sound generating system
103
with the fingering on the keyboard
101
a
through the sub-routine program S
400
. When the main routine program branches to the sub-routine program S
400
, the host controller
104
checks the cue flag buffer to see whether or not any piece of event data has been already written therein as by step S
401
. If the host controller
104
has not written any piece of event data in the cue flag buffer, the answer at step S
402
is given negative, and the host controller
104
proceeds to step S
410
. The host controller
104
increments the pointer time at step S
410
.
On the other hand, when the host controller
104
finds a piece of event data in the cue flag buffer, the answer at step S
401
is given affirmative, and the host controller
104
proceeds to step S
402
. The host controller
104
compares the note number stored in the cue flag buffer with the note number stored in the depressed key buffer to see whether or not they are consistent with each other at step S
402
. As described hereinbefore, when a piece of event data has written into the cue flag buffer, the piece of event data entered the waiting status.
On the other hand, when the black/white key
101
f
/
101
g
was depressed, the note number assigned to the depressed key has been written into the depressed key buffer. Therefore, if the note number in the cue flag buffer is consistent with the note number in the depressed key buffer, the trainee timely depresses the black/white key at the marked note in the principal melody within the predetermined time period. Then, the piece of event data exits from the waiting status, and the host controller
104
adjusts the pointer time to the flag time as by step S
403
.
On the other hand, if the trainee have not depressed the black/white key
101
f
/
101
g
at the marked note, yet, the note number stored in the depressed key buffer is different from the note number stored in the cue flag buffer, and the answer at step S
402
is given negative. Then, the host controller
104
increments the waiting time stored in the cue flag buffer.
Subsequently, the host controller
104
checks the cue flag buffer to see whether or not the waiting time is equal to or greater than the predetermined time period as by step S
405
. Even if the trainee have not depressed the black/white key
101
f
/
101
g
at the marked note in the principal melody, the delay is admittable in so far as the waiting time is shorter than the predetermined time period. Then, the host controller
104
immediately returns to the main routine program.
On the other hand, if the predetermined time period has been expired, the answer at step S
405
is given affirmative, and the host controller
104
assumes that the trainee skips the note at the marked point in the principal melody either intentionally or unintentionally. Then, the host controller
104
adjusts the pointer time to the target time for the missing key
101
f
/
101
g
as by step S
406
.
Upon completion of the adjustment at step S
403
or S
406
, the host controller
104
erases the note number and the flag time from the cue flag buffer, and the waiting time is reset to zero as by step S
407
. Subsequently, the host controller
104
checks the event buffer to see whether or not the pointer time is equal to any one of the target times stored in the event buffer. If the host controller
104
finds the target time or times equal to the pointer time, the host controller
104
achieves the task or tasks for the piece or pieces of event data as by step S
408
. In detail, if the piece of event data is found in the principal melody track, the host controller
104
instructs the servo-controller
102
a
to drive the solenoid-operated key actuator
102
b
for the guide. If the piece of event data in the track Tr
1
has the target time equal to the pointer time, the host, the host controller
104
transfers the music data code to the tone generator/sound system
102
c
, scrolls the part of the score, and transfers the music data codes to the tone generator/sound system
102
c
for generating the electronic tone for the accompaniment. The host controller
104
scrolls the score in such a manner as to produce a note at the pointer time at the center of the screen. Otherwise, the part of the score may be intermittently scrolled by a single measure. When the note marked with the cue flag Cf is produced, the host controller
104
produces the image “cue flag” under the note. When the next note marked with the cue flag Cf is produced on the screen, the host controller
104
blinks the next note. Even if plural notes marked with the cue flags Cf are concurrently produced on the screen, the trainee easily discriminates the next note marked with the cue flag Cf. Thereafter, the host controller
104
erases the kind of event, the note number and the target time associated with the piece of event data executed at S
408
from the event buffer as by step S
409
. After step S
409
, the host controller returns to the main routine program.
As described in the previous paragraph, the pieces of event data in the track Tr
1
are sequentially transferred to the electronic sound generating system
102
c
through the sub-routine program S
400
(see step S
408
). The host controller
104
makes the data processing on the pieces of event data in the tracks Tr
0
and Tr
1
synchronous with the fingering at the notes marked with the cue flag Cf. The user can store the cue flag Cf in any piece of event data. Of course, the user can store the cue flag Cf in the piece of event data representative of the note intentionally delayed or advanced. For this reason, the electronic synchronizer according to the present invention achieves good ensemble between the fingering and the electronic sound generating system
103
.
In the above-described embodiment, the host controller
104
and the tone generator/sound system
102
c
serves as the first musical instrument, and the action mechanisms
101
b
, the hammers
101
c
and the music strings
101
e
as a whole constitute the second musical instrument. The disk driver
106
and the information storage medium such as, for example, the compact disk as a whole constitute the first data source, and the keyboard
101
a
and the key sensors
103
a
form in combination the second data source. The host controller
104
and the subroutine programs S
200
, S
300
and S
400
as a whole constitute the controller.
As will be appreciated from the foregoing description, the cue flag Cf is storeable in any piece of event data, and the electronic synchronizer according to the present invention achieves the synchronization between two parts of a piece of music such as, for example, the principal melody and the accompaniment at any notes marked with the cue flags.
Moreover, the host controller
104
cooperates with the display unit
105
so as to notify the progression of the piece of music to the pianist. The pianist recognizes his week point through the display unit
105
, and improves the skill.
Although particular embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
For example, the cue flag Cf may be stored in a storage area different from the storage area assigned to the velocity.
The electronic synchronizer according to the present invention may synchronize more than two parts of a piece of music through more than two musical instrument. The trainee may perform another part of the piece of music.
The playback system
102
does not give any guide to the trainee in the ensemble mode. Otherwise, another keyboard musical instrument may have an electric tutor independent of the playback system
102
. In this instance, the electric tutor may guide a trainee in the fingering by sequentially illuminating the black/white keys
101
f
/
101
g
to be depressed.
The electronic synchronizer may be provided in association with another kind of musical instrument such as, for example, a stringed instrument or a wind instrument. The keyboard musical instrument is never limited to the acoustic piano. An organ and an electric keyboard are categorized in the keyboard musical instrument. While a player is performing a part of a music score on the stringed/wind instrument, another part is played by an electronic sound generating system, and the electronic synchronizer makes the electronic sound generating system synchronous with the performance.
Another musical instrument according to the present invention may emphasize notes G
4
and CS marked with the cue flags by enlarging the alphabetical letters and stars as shown in FIG.
12
. The score is also scrolled together with the progression of the performance. Notes marked with the cue flags may be emphasized by using different color, blinking or reverse images.
Another keyboard musical instrument according to the present invention may guide a trainee in fingering by vibrating a key or keys to be depressed.
Another electronic synchronizer may draw the attention to a note marked with the cue flag not depressed within the predetermined time period. In order to draw the attention, the electronic synchronizer may shortly blink the note or change the note to different color.
In the above-described embodiment, the electronic sound generating system
103
generates the electronic tones for the accompaniment. The trainee and the electronic sound generating system
103
may exchange the parts of a score. In this instance, the electronic sound generating system
103
generates the electronic tones for a principal melody so that the trainee practices the chords along the principal melody.
Another electronic synchronizer may be associated with a musical instrument for producing a tune and a sound effect system or with the musical instrument and a percussion instrument. Yet another electronic synchronizer may synchronize a musical instrument with another musical instrument through a MIDI interface port.
The data codes may be formatted in any kind of standards such as, for example, MPEG (Moving Picture Experts Group) standards and ADPCM (Adaptive Differential Pulse Code Modulation) standards.
The key sensors may be replaced with another sensor array such as, for example, an array of hammer sensors. An array of sensor may monitor the damper mechanisms
101
d
. In the above-described embodiment, the key sensor
103
a
is of the type converting light to electric current. Another kind of sensor such as, for example, a magnetoelectric converter, an opto-magnetoelectric converter or an optomagnetic converter is used for detecting the fingering.
The synchronous points may be represented by another kind of control data such as, for example, pieces of control data information representative of bars in a score or pieces of control data information representative of rests in a score. Otherwise, an electronic synchronizer according to the present invention counts the notes, and makes the musical instrument and another kind of instrument synchronous with the fingering at intervals of a predetermined number of notes.
Another electronic synchronizer may change the tempo. When the waiting time is short, the electronic synchronizer increases the tempo until the next note marked with the cue flag. On the other hand, if the waiting time is long, the electronic synchronizer decreases the tempo until the next note marked with the cue flag.
In the above-described embodiment, the pointer time is temporarily stopped until the flag event. Another electronic synchronizer may retard or advance the progression of the accompaniment for synchronizing it with the fingering.
In the above-described embodiment, both of the principal melody track and the accompaniment track are stopped by using the pointer time. Another electronic synchronizer may firstly stop the data read-out from the principal melody track and, thereafter, the data read-out from the accompaniment track. Other wise, the electronic synchronizer may retard the accompaniment.
In the above-described embodiment, when the predetermined time period is expired, the data read-out restarts from both tracks. Another electronic synchronizer may wait for the depressed key after expiry of the predetermined time period.
In the above-described embodiment, if the trainee depresses the key assigned the note marked with the cue flag before the target time, both of the principal melody and the accompaniment are moved forward. Another electronic synchronizer may move only the principal melody forward. In this instance, if the electronic synchronizer detects the depressed key within a time period after the pointer time reaches the target time, the pointer time is incremented without the temporarily stop. However, if the electronic synchronizer does not detect the depressed key, the electronic synchronizer waits for the depressed key after expiry of the predetermined time period.
The computer program may be installed in the host controller from a handy information storage medium or supplied thereto through a communication line.
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