Patent Application
20110203445
The invention relates to an electronic music device for digitally managing real-time music interpretation through data setting using midi protocol, more specifically, the invention provides an ergonometric electronic and portable musical interface for music interpretation of arpeggios and melodic motifs using input data through musical instrument digital interface (MIDI) protocol.
Each music instrument posses its individual characteristics, not only in term of sound quality, but also in terms of the skill set a music performer has to acquire in order to play the instrument. Thus, the interface of harpsichords, pianos, keyboards, and synthesizers, or the interface of wind and string instruments require different skill sets for playing a given instrument. Electronic media have opened a vast field of possibilities for creating and performing music. With relative ease, they allow a composer and/or performer to create new sounds and/or alter recorded music in a variety of ways.
However, music instruments have remained unmodified for centuries, and their designs have been maintained and integrated into the new music instruments that incorporate electronic and digital technologies. For example, synthesizers inherit the same performance interface as the piano and its forerunners, such as the harpsichord. Variations or breakthrough areas have been focused on timbristic generation sources and not on the interpretation manner or the way the user produces music with the electronic device.
Furthermore, certain performance techniques require even more time consuming practice in order to be mastered. The latter is evident with playing arpeggios. Playing arpeggio consists of playing the tones of a chord in sequence, rather than simultaneously.
The invention of the present disclosure may be a member of an even more specific instrument family, such as the musical electronic systems and/or devices known as Arpeggiators (a.k.a. “arp”).
Munch Jr et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 3,725,562, titled “Arpeggio system for electronic Organ”, Bunger U.S. Pat. No. 3,842,182, titled “Arpeggio System”, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,137,809, titled “Arpeggio system for electronic organs”, make reference to method of an electronic nature aimed at intervening in the sound output processes searching the automatic arpeggio performance for each chord tone played (preferably in octaves, i.e., creating tonal intervals, 12 half steps above or below the chord tone played). The implementation of such methods aims towards its integration in musical devices such as electronic organs.
Under the same logic as Bunger, Kappes in U.S. Pat. No. 4,279,187, titled “Digital arpeggio system for electronic musical instrument”, describes the automatic generation of chord tones in upper octaves which corresponds to the manual performance of the user or interpreter.
Gannon in European patent (No. EP 0978117), titled “Automatic improvisation system and method”, describes the improvisation captures carried out by the professional musicians which are integrated into a MIDI device, and then, in accordance with the rules of the system, are usually integrated in a deferred manner as a contribution to the creative process of the user.
Mancini and Huber, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,616,547, Oct. 14, 1986, titled “Improviser circuit and technique for electronic musical instrument”, describe a circuit that executes automatic improvisations generated through the use of randomly generated musical variations of rhythmical and tonal nature.
As its common axis, all the above references share the development of methods and systems for performing arpeggios. As a rule, the focus is put on octaves arpeggios and always applying automatic procedures. In other words, the interpretation of the music by the user is not relevant to the generation of these music sequences: the inventions themselves produce the arpeggios.
As a consequence of the aforementioned, the state of the art given in the above references, the generation of Arpeggios is provided automatically in a black box without the creative participation of the user, without participation of the user in the performance, in other words, the user is a mere spectator of those processes.
The current invention, however, offers an ergonometric, digital and portable musical device which includes a Central Processing Unit (CPU) plus a firmware so as to provide both well-known and originals scale coding, and a procedure for free interpreting concerning progression, chord tones replication, harmony, and rhythm through the use of a MIDI protocol.
The present invention provides an ergonometric, electronic, and portable musical device which allows to digitally perform and manage musical interpretation in its tone, rhythm, and timbre phases and which includes an input unit, a processing and storage unit, and an output unit.
The input unit is comprised of a physical module for musical performance of a tempered tonal character; a physical module for timbristic musical management; and a virtual module for tonal and timbristic control, as well as musical performance settings, provided with a data input source which is operated through a touch screen and a console having several operation media which enables data input.
The processing and storage unit is comprised of a algorithmic management module (e.g., a computer program) that provides a method for coding and arranging all the musical scales derived from or included in the Tempered Scale (musical scale composed by 12 half steps). The algorithmic management module also provides coding of scale. Such a coding method offers the users of the invention herein a procedure for creative musical performance or interpretation, in a real-time, of musical phrases and motifs, and, more particularly, of arpeggios and melodies. Thus the user may interpret or vamp over any musical scale arranged by the coding method.
The invention enables a user to establish a method for creating and/or editing musical scales including tempered scales and any musical scale derived therefrom.
The algorithmic processing functions are determined by the actions the user or interpreter perform at the input unit level, which brings him/her the opportunity to access to a melodic or arpeggiate performance or interpretation of, for instance, major, minor, augmented, and diminished scales, and of all those scales the user may produce at free will and interest. The method provided allows the user or interpreter to perform melodic and/or arpeggiate interpretations of an ascendant, descendant, and/or mixed nature, including the tonal replication for the last interval performed and pertaining to the scale under performance.
In addition, the processing and storage unit includes a storing module which allows to store—and retrieve for its use—the scales the user needs for his/her musical performances. The storage media may be of an internal or external nature. This storing module has—in its initial setting—at least 33 scales available to the user or interpreter which are recurring during musical interpretation.
The output unit includes both a MIDI module and a graphical user interface module which allows the visualization of output data.
The ergonometric musical device, which through a digital management allows tonal and timbristic musical interpretation, propose to surpass the benefits and purposefulness qualities the other well-known musical performance interfaces offer and which belongs to the prior art.
The ergonometric musical device of the invention allows the users to musically perform—as a soloist or in synchrony with other instruments—musical pieces which leave room for melodic and/or arpeggiate vamp with no chances for musically untuning.
The invention provides an electronic music device for digitally managing music interpretation in its rhythmic, tonal and timbristic attributes, allowing both real time performance and the setting of music data by a user in an environment of digital management provided by the MIDI protocol.
The input module 110 is comprised of a physical module for tonal musical performance 120; a virtual module for tonal, timbristic and custom music performance 130; and a physical module for timbristic musical managing and performance 140. The physical module for tonal musical performance 120 has an ergonometric console 230 with an assortment of press buttons through which data is entered by the user or interpreter. The virtual module for tonal, timbristic and custom music performance 130 has, preferably, a touch screen 240 where the arrangement of the press buttons of the console 230 is shown in
The arrangement of the sliding and rotary potentiometers of the timbristic musical management and performance module 140 permits the user or interpreter to manage, in a real time basis, all of the hundred and twenty eight (128) control functions supported by MIDI protocol. As an example, it is possible to manually control management, edition, and variation of the tone, speed, volume and expression functions, among others, all of them included in the MIDI output Module 190.
The processing and storage module 150 is comprised of an algorithmic management module 160 over the tempered musical scale and by a storage media 170, which allows a user to discretionally store and retrieve the scales needed for musical performances. The processing and storage module 150 also makes it possible to store and retrieve new settings for each one of the detailed modules in the invention herein.
The output unit 180 includes a MIDI module 190 and a visual information module 195 which makes it possible to visualize output data through a graphical user interface which, in this case, is the same touch screen 240 of the input module 110.
The input unit 110 is presented as an interface of maximum simplicity for an intuitive understanding attained by trial and error learning with a console, either physical or virtual, for example, by means of a touch screen that displays a press button arrangement corresponding to the most natural position of the hands while resting on a flat surface.
In a preferred embodiment, as it is shown on
Each press button has an assigned musical function that is triggered when the button is pressed. The press button located at one end 2302 of the central column 2314 and the first right press button 2305 located immediately next to the central press button 2301 have a +1 meaning that in the course if playing a chord tone, pressing either buttons will result in playing the chord tone corresponding to the next interval of the chord tone. For instance, in the case the scale established by the processing and storage module corresponds to C Major Scale (C-D-E-F-G-A-B) and the last chord tone played corresponds to its fifth interval (G), thus pressing 2302 or 2305 (i.e. having value of “+1”), the next tonal interval that shall be played is the A chord note.
Likewise, the press button located at the other end 2303 of the central column and the first left press button 2304 located immediately next to the central press button 2301 have a “−1” value assigned allowing to play the chord tone corresponding to the previous interval in the course of playing a chord tone. For example, if the scale established by the processing and storage module corresponds to C Major Scale (C-D-E-F-G-A-B) and the last chord tone played corresponds to its fifth interval (G), thus pressing the press button 2303 or 2304 would result in playing the previous tonal interval, that is, the F chord note.
The functions of the press buttons which have been assigned with the “+1” value [2302, 2305] and “−1” value [2303, 2304] are of a relative nature and will always be related to the last chord tone or interval played.
Similarly, the second right press button 2307, arranged immediately next to the first right press button 2305, receives a “+3” value which allows playing the chord tone corresponding to the third interval of the tonic or root chord tone of the musical scale selected and in its corresponding octave. For example, assuming a melodic interpretation in C Major Scale, fourth octave, and regardless of the last chord tone played, pressing the second right press button 2307 of “+3” value, the third tonal interval of the declared tonic, that is E(4) shall be played.
The third right press button 2309 receives a “+5” value which allows to play the chord tone corresponding to the fifth interval of the tonic or root chord tone of the musical scale selected and in its corresponding octave, regardless of the last chord tone played.
The fourth right press button 2311 has a “+12” value assigned allowing to play the chord tone in an upper octave position (12 half steps) regarding the tonic or root chord tone of the selected Musical Scale, depending on the octave in which it is played. For instance, given the tonic of a C major scale, 3rd octave, pressing the “+12” value press button the C chord note, fourth octave or C (4), shall be played.
Musical functions associated with press buttons having assigned values of “+3”, “+5” and “+12”, compute the corresponding tone based on the root or tonic chord tone of a selected scale and the octave currently played.
In a similar way, the left press buttons, namely the second left press button 2306, the third left press button 2308, and the fourth left press button 2310, have the “−3”, “−5”, and “−12” values assigned respectively, and shall perform the same operation as the press buttons with a “+” value assigned, in other words, third and fifth declared interval within the previous octave.
The functions assigned to the left and right press buttons from the second to the fourth with the “3”, “5”, and “12” values assigned, regardless of the symbol (“+” or “−”) accompanying them, are of an absolute nature and deal with the tonic or root chord tone of the Scale and its respective octave in which the tonal function of the instrument is set.
The left press button 2312 has a “−S” nomenclature and the right press button 2313 a “+S” nomenclature, respectively, and are respectively assigned musical functions that move through a sequence of chord tones of the scale without playing the tones tonally, that is to say, allowing to silently ascend or descend through the tonal intervals of the scale, having a different relative tonal available for the “+1” 2305, “−1” 2304, and central press buttons' 2301 nomenclatures.
For instance, if the user or interpreter is performing in the C Major Scale and the last musical interval played was the third one, that is E, the user has the “+S” key available pressing it twice. Consequently, pressing the central press button 2301, G chord tone is played. In a similar way, if the press button used has a “+1” nomenclature, the chord tone timbristically played shall be A.
Finally, the central press button 2301 having the “R” nomenclature, is intended to repeat the last chord tone played or, to timbristically perform the new interval resulting from the operation of the press buttons with the “+S” and “−S” 2312, 2313 nomenclatures.
Regarding the benefits resulting from the virtual state of the art, that is, the emulated interaction in a digital environment of processes with a physical or hard correlate, the interface at hand has a module for tonal, timbristic and custom music performance 130 available, specially of MIDI setting and of firmware in general, by means of which the user or interpreter shall be able to use all the functions included within the processing and storing unit 150, meaning the user or interpreter is able to choose, for instance, the number of press buttons, the shifts of absolute and relative tonal intervals, and their spatial distribution, determine their individual size and customize the settings for the firmware in general.
The physical module for timbristic musical managing and performance 140 allows for changing, in real-time, the quality and sound features of the tones or chord tones played either on an individual or arpeggiated basis, establishing the manual control over modification and/or timbristic enhancement factors such as speed, echo, tonal variation, synthesis parameters, etc. Using the dynamic controls—sliding potentiometer type control 250 and 255 and rotary potentiometer type control 260—the actions for changing these parameters are manually entered by the user.
Meanwhile, the module for timbristic musical management and performance 140 along with the virtual module for tonal, timbristic and custom music performance 130 allow the user to set the settings of each module or subsystem of the present invention including control over the firmware.
The approach to data input is achieved through the input unit 110 which converges in the processing and storing unit 150. Unit 150 is formed by an algorithmic management module over the tempered musical scale 160 which includes an algorithm and a method to code all the musical scales contained in and/or derived from it, as well as a procedure to play music in a creative manner, getting scales codified—by this method—available to the user or interpreter to play many melodic and/or arpeggial patterns, specifically known as vamps or improvisations.
The tempered scale is a musical scale of twelve chord tones, or half steps, characterized by the fact that the ratio between tones or frequencies of the intervals or chord tones of the scale is determined by a geometric progression as follows:
given “f” a tone of the tempered musical scale; and
given “y” the geometric progression detailed below:
y=f,f·r,f·r
2
,f·r
3
,f·r
12=2·f
Hence:
r12=2, where r==1.059 . . .
Thus the distance, or ratio, between intervals (in its tone/frequency ideation) is 1.059. As a result, a stable tune is achieved being it ideal for instruments with fixed intervals, assumed tune-up and, integrated to MIDI protocol as well as for the instruments which derive from it.
The nomenclature assigned to each chord tone of this scale is as follows: C, C♯ or D♭, D, D♯, E, F, F♯ or G♭, G, G♯ or A♭, A, A♯ or B♭, and B.
The processing and storing unit 150 permits to control the MIDI Output module, using the same protocol the module itself uses, for the tonal musical management. Such protocol gives a numeric value to link each chord tone of the Tempered Scale to a value ranging from 0 to 127.
Table 1 shows MIDI values per chord tone or half step versus octave for each chord tone in relation to its octave.
The algorithmic management module 160 offers a relationship integrating the coding of all the possible musical scales (derived from and/or contained in the tempered scale, including the latter). The definition of this relationship is as follows:
let be “T” the set of musical chord tones of the Tempered Scale defined by:
T={(ni)o|iε{0, 1, . . . 1 1}} oε N
Where “o” is the musical octave, it is possible to name each ni by a single name:
no=C, n1=C#, . . . , n11=B
Then, for example, (n2)3=(D)3, corresponding to D chord tone in the third octave.
Now, any scale is defined as:
E
x=(I,ns)={fs(s+i,o)|iεI,εI,I⊂{0, 1 . . . 1 1}} oε N
Where ns is the index for the tonic or root chord tone of the scale, I determines the chord tones of the basic tempered scale, including this scale itself, and fs represents the function of scale jumping defined by:
fs(x,o)=(nx mod 12)o+x div 12
Where mod is the operator resulting from the even division operation and div is the even division operation. Basically, this function brings the possibility to shift to the next scale whenever the index of a chord tone surpasses the range of the on going scale (if the index of the chord tone is >11, it shifts to the next octave).
Then, for instance,
fs(14,1)=(n14 mod 12)1+14 div 12=(n2)2=(C#)2
It should be noted that, in accordance with this definition, a scale corresponds to randomly selected chord tones, defined by a set of indexes, from 0 to 11 (I) and by a root chord tone (ns).
For example, consider the F Major Scale defined as follows:
F Major scale=(I,ns)=({0,2,4,5,7,9,11},F)=({0,2,4,5,7,9,11}, n5)
F Major scale
={fs(5+i,o)/iε{0,2,4,5,7,9,11,},} oε N
F Major scale
={fs(5,0),fs(7,0),fs(9,0),fs(10,0),fs(12,0) . . . }
F Major scale={(n5)0, (n7)0, (n9)0, (n10)0, (n10)0 . . . }
F Major scale={F0, G0, A0, Bb0, C1 . . . }
Coding of all the scales shall start with, or take as Tonic or Root Chord Tone, any of the declared chord tones. Table 2 shows scales programmed and available to a user of an embodiment of the invention.
Now the coding function is defined as:
Fint((I,ns),index)=Nmidi((noindex)oindex)+s
Fint((I,ns),index)=(index div m)*12+Iv[index mod m]+s
For example, take G Major Scale which includes G, A, B, C, D, E and F♭ chord tones and in which its initial Chord Tone—root or tonic—is ns=G=n7. Thus, the basic data of the scale are:
I={0,2,4,5,7,9,11}m=7
ns=n7
Iv=[0,2,4,5,7,9,11]
Now MIDI value, corresponding to the index=10 position is calculated.
oindex=index div m=10 div 7=1
=iindex=Iv[10 mod 7]=Iv[3]=5
Then,
Fint((I,ns),index)=oindex*12+iindex+7=1*12+5+7=24
In other words, the chord tone placed at 10 position of the G Major Scale is the MIDI value corresponding to 24. Table 3 shows an example of C Harmonic Minor Scale Coding using G chord tone which corresponds to the fourth octave as a root chord tone.
The preferred method also allows playing or interpreting the scales already coded and identified in Table 2 or, all those scales the user shall create and which are not included in Table 2.
The function allowing such functionality is described as follows:
let “index” be the position (starting from 0) of a chord tone within a given scale
E
x=(I,ns)
in the case of the F Major Scale, for instance, index=3 should correspond to B♭0.
Now a function establishing the relationship between such index and a chord tone or MIDI value is needed.
Let “Iv” be the vector with the values of the “I” set of an “m” length, given the “index” and assuming a Ex=(I, ns), scale, first the “o” and “e” values of the chord tone are determined without considering the tonic or root of the scale:
oindex=index div n;
iindex=Iv[index mod n]
Now to obtain the MIDI value of any chord tone (ni)o the following formula applied:
N
midi((ni)o)=o*12+i
As an example, the algorithmic management module 160 allows setting and manually operating the controls:
Such setting data controlled by the user or interpreter from the input module 110 and which are managed from the processing and storing unit 150 shall affect the Output MIDI module 190 having control at will over the settings, management and full modification of all the one hundred twenty eight (128) controls included in the output MIDI module 190.
The processing and storing unit 150 enables the user or interpreter to save his/her own settings for each module of the invention herein, in a storage media of a digital nature (internal and/or external drivers), enabling them to send such settings to other devices connected through MIDI protocol as well. As an example, this module renders possible to discretionally save and retrieve the scales the user needs during his/her performances and assigned to each press button. Or, it makes possible to save a collection of scales—created or not by the user—to use them during a particular musical performance.
The output unit 180 of the current invention has two modules for such functions as managing and delivering musical data through a MIDI module 190 on the one hand and as displaying visual replies through the Visual Information module 195 by the other.
The first Module of the output unit 180 is the MIDI module 190 which allows a standardized communication between the instrument and any other device for musical creation or managing which supports this communication protocol. The nature of the communication posed by the invention at hand is the MIDI controller, in other words, a relationship MIDI in-out or master-slave.
The output unit 180 is devoted to reinforce the understanding and utilization processes for the user, trying to render information from all the levels of the system, delivering relevant information from each unit and module, depending on the type of information required. This information is displayed by the Visual Information module 195, and in the case of a preferred embodiment, this module is the touch screen 240 which is a part of the input unit and of the output unit.
In a preferred embodiment, the virtual input module, for example through touch screen 240, provides the means for configuring the settings of the algorithmic management module 160 for controlling the tempered musical scale, the settings of the virtual module 130 for controlling tonal, timbristic and custom musical performance, the settings of the timbristic musical management and performance module 140 of input unit 110, the settings for the processing and storing unit 150, and the settings of the output unit 180. Hence, the visual information module 240 provides a display of information to the user, a prompt information to request user input, means for capturing user input/activity, and a feedback on the information captured from the user.
