Patent Application
20080110323
The invention relates to music visualization, and more specifically to a system and method for providing an interactive composition palette for creating visual and auditory stimuli.
Various techniques and programs for music visualization are known. For example, music visualization features are often found in media player software and generate animated imagery based on a piece of recorded music. The imagery is generated by the software and synchronized with the music as it is played. The changes in the music's volume and frequency spectrum are among the properties used as input to the visualization. Visualization techniques range from a simple simulation of an oscilloscope display to displays including a plurality of composite effects.
Some musical visualization software allows users to customize what is displayed. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,395,969 discloses a method for storing visual effects, such as images or video clips, and selecting one of the visual effects to integrate with music. The visual effect and music are then played together. While the selected visual effect and music may be played in synchronization, the method of the '969 patent does not provide any means to create music from a visual image, or create a visual image from music.
It is therefore desired to provide a system and method for creating music from a visual image, and vice versa.
According, it is an object of the present invention to provide a creative means to bring together visual and audio stimuli.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a system and method for developing sensory integration.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a system and method for providing visual and auditory musical composition.
These and other objectives are achieved by providing a system for creating and/or providing an audio and visual music composition, including a composition server accessible to at least one user via a communications network, at least one instrument database accessible by the server including a plurality of musical instruments, a user interface generated by software executing on the server, the user interface including a backdrop and an instrument palette for selecting at least one of the musical instruments, software executing on the server for receiving at least one curve on the backdrop from the user, the curve indicative of at least one frequency of the musical instrument, and a player for outputting a dynamic audio and visual representation of the at least one curve.
In some embodiments, the system further includes at least one color database accessible by the server including a plurality of colors, wherein the user interface further includes a color palette for selecting at least one of the colors for the at least one curve.
Further provided is a system for creating and/or providing an audio and visual music composition, including at least one processor, at least one instrument database accessible by the processor including a plurality of musical instruments, at least one color database accessible by the at least one processor including a plurality of colors, software executing on the at least one processor for generating a user interface, the user interface including a backdrop, an instrument palette for selecting at least one of the musical instruments, software executing on the at least one processor for receiving at least one curve on the backdrop from the user, the curve indicative of at least one frequency of the musical instrument, and software executing on the at least one processor for outputting a dynamic audio and visual representation of the backdrop, wherein the user interface further includes a color palette for selecting at least one of the colors for the at least one curve.
Also provided is a method for creating and/or providing an audio and visual music composition, including the steps of selecting at least one musical instrument from a instrument database via a graphical user interface, selecting at least one color from a color database via the graphical user interface, providing at least one curve on a backdrop of the graphical user interface, the at least one curve indicative of at least two frequencies of the musical instrument and the at least one color, and outputting a dynamic audio and visual representation of the at least one curve. The method may further include a step of selecting a brush for providing the at least one curve, e.g., wherein the step of selecting the brush includes selecting a brush width, the brush width indicative of one of a pitch, a duration and a volume.
Other objects, features and advantages according to the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of certain advantageous embodiments when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which the same components are identified by the same reference numerals.
The system further includes one or more databases, such as an instrument database 120 and at least one color database 122. The databases may be collocated with the server 100, or remote thereto and accessible via the network 110. The databases may also be stored on portable media device (e.g., CD, DVD, etc.) or locally to a personal computer. The instrument database 120 includes data indicative of a plurality of musical instruments. The colors database includes data indicative of a plurality of colors. The system further includes one or more composition databases 150 including audio and visual compositions generated by the system or users thereof.
Users of the system (e.g., children or adults) may provide input or user selections 140 to the composition server 100 via any device 130 such as a personal computer (e.g., desktop, laptop, tablet, etc.) or handheld electronic device (e.g., PDA, Internet accessible mobile phone, etc). The device 130 includes an input device 132, such as a keyboard, mouse, touch screen interface and/or tablet input panel. In one exemplary embodiment, the input device 132 is or includes a keyboard and/or synthesizer. The device 130 further includes an audio output 134 and display 136.
The system includes software for generating a user interface 200. Software of the system may be stored on the server 100, on a portable media device, or on the device 130. Likewise, the software may be executed on the composition server 100 and/or a device 130. Exemplary embodiments of the user interface generated by the system are shown in
In one exemplary embodiment, the vertical axis 216 corresponds to frequency and the horizontal axis 218 corresponds to time. The frequency or frequencies along the axis 216 correspond to frequencies of musical instruments. For example, each of the frequencies may correspond to a Musical Instrument Digital Interface (“MIDI”) note number. As shown in
The user interface also includes any number of instrument palettes 220 for selecting at least one musical instrument (e.g., from the database 120). The instrument palettes 220 may include any number instrument selectors 222 indicative of instruments, and instrument types or sections (e.g., strings, brass, woodwinds, percussions, etc.). The user interface 200 may also include a color palette 230 for selecting at least one color 232 (e.g., from the database 122). In some embodiments, a musical instrument may correspond to a particular color. For example, the system or a user thereof may predefine a color/instrument match permanently, or temporarily for a particular composition session.
The user interface further includes a curve selector and/or brush (e.g., paint brush) selector. The curve and brush selectors may be located anywhere on the user interface 200, such as in the panel 260 (e.g., selector 262). The panel 260 may include any number of selectors, e.g., for curves, brushes, composition playing and storing, song selection, help, and/or system preferences. Selectors may also be embodied in one or more drop-down menus. Selectors allow a user to choose a paint brush type and size, and/or a curve width or style for creating a curve on the backdrop 210.
The system further includes software for receiving the curves on the backdrop 210 from the user. For example, a user may create a curve (and/or line) using the input device 132 (e.g., mouse, touch screen, etc.) of the device 130.
The system also includes player (e.g., software) for outputting a dynamic audio and visual representation of the at least one curve (e.g., operable via a selector 264). The player provides audio composition data 142 and visual composition data 144 to the user. In one exemplary embodiment, playing a composition includes automating and/or scrolling the backdrop 210 (e.g., along the time axis) and interpreting an instrument and frequency and each point along each of the curves 240-254. Playing further includes the system interpreting any number of other characteristics present on the backdrop including pitch, duration, volume, etc. Music indicative of the curves represented on the backdrop 210 is then provided to the user together with the scrolling or otherwise automated visual composition.
A user may play his/her composition while creating a composition (i.e., in real time) or upon completion of the composition. Users may therefore create a visual composition and hear what it sounds like. The visual portion of the composition may be a collection of curves as shown in
Users may also listen to music corresponding stored shapes, designs, compositions, and visual art. For example, as shown in
The system according to the present invention may also generate a visual composition based on music. For example, a user may select a song (e.g., a classic children's tune or a familiar classical music theme) via the user interface 200. The system then generates a visual pattern on the backdrop that visually animates the selected music based on a preset visual pattern protocol.
Compositions may be saved and stored locally on each user's computer, or on the composition server 100. In some embodiments, at least some of the compositions stored on the server 100 are accessible via an Internet webpage. For example, a website of the system may include a gallery of user created compositions for others to enjoy (e.g., view, play, purchase, download, rate, etc).
The method includes a first step of selecting at least one musical instrument, e.g., from an instrument database (step 301). The instrument may be selected from the instrument pallet 220 via the user interface 200 of the system. Next, at least one color is selected, e.g., from a color database (step 303). A user may also select a brush (step 305) and any number of brush characteristics such as a brush width.
One or more curves (e.g., corresponding to the selected instrument and/or color) may be drawn on the user interface using the brush (step 307). A user may select any number of instruments, colors and brushes to create a visual composition via the user interface. The user may then store the composition, locally and/or remotely (step 309). The composition may be played to output a dynamic audio and visual representation of the at least one curve (step 311).
Advantages of the present invention include the provision of a system and method that brings together visual and auditory stimuli, and allows users to create and play visual and auditory compositions. The system also advantageously provides a means of integrating auditory and visual neuropaths to expand sensory experience and learning capabilities.
Although the invention has been described with reference to a particular arrangement of parts, features and the like, these are not intended to exhaust all possible arrangements or features, and indeed many modifications and variations will be ascertainable to those of skill in the art.
