Music processing apparatus and management method therefor

Abstract

As a music equipment is connected to a music processing apparatus, necessary communication ports corresponding to the connected music equipment are automatically set in the processing apparatus. The thus-set communication ports are each assigned the name of the corresponding equipment so that the equipment and the communication ports can be associated with each other. Once the equipment is disconnected from the apparatus, the disconnected equipment is converted into a dummy state and displayed in a predetermined dummy display style. When a project file has been read which includes track data, identification information of a currently-set external equipment and parameters of the external equipment, the detected external equipment is associated with any one of external equipments which had been set for use at the time of storage of the project file. By transferring parameters, stored in a memory, to the external equipment that could be associated, parameter synchronization can be effected.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For better understanding of the object and other features of the present invention, its preferred embodiments will be described hereinbelow in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a music processing apparatus in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an arrange window displayed at the time of recording or reproduction in the music processing apparatus;

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a rack screen indicating a tone generator rack registered when a plugged-in software tone generator and externally-connected hardware tone generator are to be used;

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example data format of a project file in the music processing apparatus of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing shows a mixer screen in the music processing apparatus of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a block diagram showing an insertion point where an effector is to be inserted in an audio channel in the music processing apparatus of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example data structure of a TG table in the music processing apparatus of the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an external tone generator registration screen in the music processing apparatus of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a screen of an additional registration dialog displayed when an external tone generator is to be added to the music processing apparatus of the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a flow chart of an “add” button operation event process performed in the music processing apparatus of the present invention;

FIG. 11 is a flow chart of a musical-instrument storage instruction event process performed in the music processing apparatus of the present invention;

FIG. 12 is a flow chart of an I/O-port-field click event process performed in the music processing apparatus of the present invention;

FIG. 13 is a flow chart of a musical-instrument recall instruction event process performed in the music processing apparatus of the present invention;

FIG. 14 is a flow chart of an equipment connection detection event process performed in the music processing apparatus of the present invention;

FIG. 15 is a flow chart of a logical connection change event process performed in the music processing apparatus of the present invention;

FIG. 16 is a flow chart of an equipment disconnection event process performed in the music processing apparatus of the present invention;

FIG. 17 is a flow chart of a tone-generator-name-field click event process performed in the music processing apparatus of the present invention;

FIG. 18 is a flow chart of a process performed, in the tone-generator-name-field click event process, for bringing a tone generator back to a state before registration in the tone generator rack;

FIG. 19 is a flow chart of a process performed, in the tone-generator-name-field click event process, for registering a changed-to tone generator in the tone generator rack;

FIG. 20 is a flow chart of a port selection operation event process performed in the music processing apparatus of the present invention;

FIG. 21 is a flow chart of an effector-name-field click event process performed in the music processing apparatus of the present invention;

FIG. 22 is a flow chart of a process performed, in the effector-name-field click event process, for bringing a pre-change effector back to a state before insertion in the audio channel;

FIG. 23 is a flow chart of a process performed, in the effector-name-field click event process, for inserting a changed-to effector in a channel strip;

FIG. 24 is a flow chart of a project load process performed in the music processing apparatus of the present invention;

FIG. 25 is a flow chart of a project save process performed in the music processing apparatus of the present invention;

FIG. 26 is a diagram schematically shows how remote control is performed when a music equipment has been connected to the music processing apparatus;

FIG. 27 is a diagram showing an example logical connection screen displaying logical connections in a music LAN of the music processing apparatus of the present invention; and

FIG. 28 is a schematic block diagram of a personal computer implementing the music processing apparatus.

Claims

1. A music processing apparatus capable of performing music processing, such as recording and reproduction, editing and mixing, of performance events and/or audio signals, said music processing apparatus being capable of registering plug-in software, having a predetermined music function, into a rack object to thereby use the music function of the plug-in software in part of the music processing, said music processing apparatus comprising: a first interface section that connects said music processing apparatus to a music network capable of real-time transmission of the performance events and/or audio signals;a storage section that stores, for each equipment registered for use in said music processing apparatus, equipment data including a name of the equipment and information of a connection port to be used for connecting the equipment to the music processing of said music processing apparatus;a library section capable of storing a plurality of sets of the equipment data;a connection detection section that detects an external equipment newly connected to the network and having a music function identical in type to the music function of the plug-in software and that generates equipment data of the detected external equipment on the basis of information acquired from the detected external equipment;an automatic registration section that, when connection of a new external equipment is detected by said connection detection section and if the new external equipment has not yet been registered for use, causes equipment data of the new external equipment to be stored into said library section;a use-registration section that, in response to operation by a user, selects any one of a plurality of equipments, having their respective equipment data stored in said library section, to register the selected equipment for use and writes the equipment data of the selected equipment into said storage section, and that, when the selected equipment having been registered for use is the external equipment detected by said connection detection section, deletes the equipment data of the external equipment from said library section; anda rack registration section that, in response to operation by the user, registers the equipment, having been registered for use, into the rack object,wherein the music function of the equipment registered in the rack object is usable as part of the music processing in a substantially same manner as the music function of the plug-in software.

2. A music processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1 which further comprises a second interface that directly inputs and outputs the performance events and/or audio signals.

3. A music processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the plug-in software is activated when the plug-in software has been registered into the rack object, and wherein operational data for controlling the plug-in software is stored in said music processing apparatus, and processing of the plug-in software is logically connected to the music processing of said music processing apparatus via a virtual input/output port.

4. A music processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein, when any one of the external equipments, registered for use, has been registered into the rack object, logical connection of the one external equipment with the music processing of said music processing apparatus is made via input/output ports based on port designation information included in the equipment data of the one external equipment.

5. A music processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1 which further comprises a plurality of remote control software for remote-controlling respective ones of the plurality of equipments, and wherein the equipment data of each of the equipments includes link information indicative of the remote control software for controlling the equipment, and, when the equipment has been registered into the rack object, the remote control software indicated by the link information is activated and parameter information for remote-controlling the equipment is stored into said music processing apparatus.

6. A music processing apparatus as claimed in claim 1 which further comprises: a disconnection detection section that detects disconnection, from the music network, of an external equipment so far connected to the music network; andan automatic deletion section that, when the disconnection is detected by said disconnection detection section and if the equipment data of the external equipment disconnected from the music network is included in said library section, deletes the equipment data of the disconnected external equipment from said library section.

7. A music processing apparatus as claimed in claim 5 which further comprises: a disconnection detection section that detects disconnection, from the music network, of an external equipment so far connected to the music network; anda dummying section that, when the disconnection is detected by said disconnection detection section and if the equipment disconnected from the music network has been registered for use, changes a style of visual display, in said music processing apparatus, of data pertaining to the disconnected equipment from a normal display style to a dummy display style.

8. A music processing apparatus as claimed in claim 7 which further comprises a normalization section that, when connection of a new equipment is detected by said connection detection section and if the new equipment has already been registered for use, returns the style of visual display, in said music processing apparatus, of data pertaining to the new equipment from the dummy display style to the normal display style.

9. A music processing apparatus as claimed in claim 8 which further comprises a synchronization section that, when the style of visual display of a given equipment is to be returned, via said normalization section, to the normal display style, transmits the operational data, stored in said music processing apparatus for controlling the given equipment, to the given equipment via the music network and sets the operational data, received by the given equipment, in the given equipment to thereby synchronize data of said music processing apparatus and data of the given equipment.

10. A music processing apparatus capable of performing music processing, such as recording and reproduction, editing and mixing, of performance events and/or audio signals, said music processing apparatus being capable of externally connecting and setting a music equipment, having a predetermined music function, for use in said music processing apparatus to thereby use the music function of the music equipment in part of the music processing, said music processing apparatus comprising: a track data storage section that stores track data having performance events and/or audio signals recorded therein;an interface section that connects said music processing apparatus to a network;a connection detection section that detects an external equipment connected to the network and acquires identification information identifying the connected external equipment;a parameter storage section that, for each external equipment set for use, stores a parameter for remote-controlling the external equipment;a use-setting section that, in response to use-setting operation by a user, selects a desired one of external equipments, detected by said connection detection section, to set the selected external equipment for use in said music processing apparatus, secures a region in said parameter storage section for storing a parameter of the selected external equipment and thereby effects parameter synchronization between the selected external equipment and said parameter storage section;a remote control section that, on the basis of the parameter stored in said parameter storage section, remote-controls each external equipment set for use;a file storage section that stores a plurality of project files;a write section that, in response to a storage instruction by the user, generates a project file including at least: track data stored in said track data storage section; identification information of each external equipment set for use by said use-setting section; and parameter of each external equipment, set for use, stored in said parameter storage section, and then stores the generated project file into said file storage section;a read section that, in response to a read instruction by the user, 1) reads a designated project file from said file storage section, 2) causes the track data and parameter, included in the read project file, to be stored in said track data storage section and said parameter storage section, respectively, 3) performs an operation for associating each external equipment, detected by said connection detection section, with an external equipment that had been set for use at a time of storage of the project file and 4) transfers the parameter, stored in said parameter storage section, to the external equipment that could be associated, to thereby effect parameter synchronization between the external equipment and said parameter storage section;a display section that performs a visual display pertaining to each external equipment set for use and that, when the project file has been read by said read section, performs a visual display differing in style between the external equipment that could be associated and the external equipment that could not be associated among the external equipments set for use,whereby a remote controlled state of each music equipment, currently set in the project file for use in said music processing apparatus, can be restored via said music processing apparatus.

11. A music processing apparatus capable of performing music processing, such as recording and reproduction, editing and mixing, of performance events and/or audio signals, said music processing apparatus being capable of externally connecting and setting a music equipment, having a predetermined music function, for use in said music processing apparatus to thereby use the music function of the music equipment in part of the music processing, said music processing apparatus comprising: a track data storage section that stores track data of performance events and/or audio signals;an interface section that connects said music processing apparatus to a music network capable of real-time transmission of the performance events and/or audio signals;a connection detection section that detects an external music equipment connected to the network;a use-setting section that sets a desired one of external music equipments, detected as currently connected to the network, for use in said music processing apparatus;a setting data storage section that stores setting data of the music equipment set for use;a read section that reads a project file having recorded therein at least track data of performance events, identification information indicative of a music equipment set for use and setting data of the music equipment set for use, and causes the track data and the setting data of the read project file to be stored into said track data storage section and said setting data storage section, respectively;an associating section that, when the project file has been read by said read section, performs an operation for associating the music equipment, detected by said connection detection section, with any one of the music equipments indicated by the identification information of the project file and performs remote setting of each music equipment that could be associated on the basis of corresponding setting data of the project file; anda dummying section that places a visual display, pertaining to the music equipment that could not be associated, in a dummy display style,whereby a remote controlled state of each music equipment, currently set in the project file for use in said music processing apparatus, can be restored via said music processing apparatus.

12. A music processing apparatus as claimed in claim 11 wherein the setting data of the equipment includes a parameter for controlling behavior of the music function of the music equipment, and connection data indicative of a logical connection state of a transmission path, in the network, of the performance data and/or audio signals between the music equipment and said music processing apparatus, and the behavior of the music function of each music equipment, set in the project file for use in said music processing apparatus, and the logical connection state of the transmission path, in the network, between the music equipment and said music processing apparatus can be restored by the remote setting performed by said associating section.

13. A management method for a music processing apparatus capable of performing music processing, such as recording and reproduction, editing and mixing, of performance events and/or audio signals, said music processing apparatus being capable of registering plug-in software, having a predetermined music function, into a rack object to thereby use the music function of the plug-in software in part of the music processing, said music processing apparatus including: a first interface section that connects said music processing apparatus to a music network capable of real-time transmission of the performance events and/or audio signals; a storage section that stores, for each equipment registered for use in said music processing apparatus, equipment data including a name of the equipment and information of a connection port to be used for connecting the equipment to the music processing of said music processing apparatus; and a library section capable of storing a plurality of sets of the equipment data, said management method comprising: a step of detecting an external equipment newly connected to the network and having a music function identical in type to the music function of the plug-in software and generating equipment data of the detected external equipment on the basis of information acquired from the detected external equipment;a step of, when connection of a new external equipment is detected by said step of detecting and if the new external equipment has not yet been registered for use, causing equipment data of the new external equipment to be stored into the library section;a step of, in response to operation by a user, selecting any one of a plurality of equipments, having their respective equipment data stored in the library section, to register the selected equipment for use and writing the equipment data of the selected equipment into the storage section, and deleting the equipment data of the external equipment from the library section when the selected equipment having been registered for use is the external equipment detected by said step of detecting; anda step of, in response to operation by the user, registering the equipment, having been registered for use, into the rack object,wherein the music function of the equipment registered in the rack object is usable as part of the music processing in a substantially same manner as the music function of the plug-in software.

14. A management method for a music processing apparatus capable of performing music processing, such as recording and reproduction, editing and mixing, of performance events and/or audio signals, said music processing apparatus being capable of externally connecting and setting a music equipment, having a predetermined music function, for use in said music processing apparatus to thereby use the music function of the music equipment in part of the music processing, said music processing apparatus including: a track data storage section that stores track data having performance events and/or audio signals recorded therein; an interface section that connects said music processing apparatus to a network; a parameter storage section that, for each external equipment set for use, stores a parameter for remote-controlling the external equipment; a file storage section that stores a plurality of project files; and a display device, said management method comprising: a step of detecting an external equipment connected to the network and acquiring identification information identifying the connected external equipment;a use-setting step of, in response to use-setting operation by a user, selecting a desired one of external equipments, detected by said step of detecting, to set the selected external equipment for use in said music processing apparatus, securing a region in said parameter storage section for storing a parameter of the selected external equipment and thereby effecting parameter synchronization between the selected external equipment and the parameter storage section;a step of, on the basis of the parameter stored in the parameter storage section, remote-controlling each external equipment set for use;a step of, in response to a storage instruction by the user, generating a project file including at least: track data stored in the track data storage section; identification information of each external equipment set for use by said use-setting step; and parameter of each external equipment, set for use, stored in the parameter storage section, and then storing the generated project file into the file storage section;a read step of, in response to a read instruction by the user, 1) reading a designated project file from the file storage section, 2) causing the track data and parameter, included in the read project file, to be stored in the track data storage section and the parameter storage section, respectively, 3) performing an operation for associating each external equipment, detected by said step of detecting, with an external equipment that had been set for use at a time of storage of the project file and 4) transferring the parameter, stored in the parameter storage section, to the external equipment that could be associated, to thereby effect parameter synchronization between the external equipment and the parameter storage section;a display step of performing, on the display device, a visual display pertaining to each external equipment registered for use, said display step performing, when the project file has been read by said read step, a visual display differing in style between the external equipment that could be associated and the external equipment that could not be associated among the external equipments registered for use,whereby a remote controlled state of each music equipment, currently set in the project file for use in said music processing apparatus, can be restored via said music processing apparatus.

15. A management method for a music processing apparatus capable of performing music processing, such as recording and reproduction, editing and mixing, of performance events and/or audio signals, said music processing apparatus being capable of externally connecting and setting a music equipment, having a predetermined music function, for use in said music processing apparatus to thereby use the music function of the music equipment in part of the music processing, said music processing apparatus including: a track data storage section that stores track data of performance data and/or audio signals; and an interface section that connects said music processing apparatus to a music network capable of real-time transmission of the performance events and/or audio signals, said management method comprising: a step of detecting an external music equipment connected to the network;a step of setting a desired one of external music equipments, detected as currently connected to the network, for use in said music processing apparatus;a read step of reading a project file having recorded therein at least track data of performance events, identification information indicative of a music equipment set for use and setting data of each music equipment set for use, causing the track data of the read project file to be stored into the track data storage section, and causing the setting data of the read project file to be stored into a setting data storage section;a step of, when the project file has been read by said read step, performing an operation for associating the music equipment, detected by said step of detecting, with any one of the music equipments indicated by the identification information of the project file and performing remote setting of each music equipment that could be associated on the basis of corresponding setting data of the project file; anda step of placing a visual display, pertaining to the music equipment that could not be associated, in a dummy display style,whereby a remote controlled state of each music equipment, currently set in the project file for use in said music processing apparatus, can be restored via said music processing apparatus.

16. A computer-readable recording medium containing a group of instructions to cause a computer of a music processing apparatus to perform a management procedure, said music processing apparatus being capable of performing music processing, such as recording and reproduction, editing and mixing, of performance events and/or audio signals, said music processing apparatus being capable of registering plug-in software, having a predetermined music function, into a rack object to thereby use the music function of the plug-in software in part of the music processing, said music processing apparatus including: a first interface section that connects said music processing apparatus to a music network capable of real-time transmission of the performance events and/or audio signals; a storage section that stores, for each equipment registered for use in said music processing apparatus, equipment data including a name of the equipment and information of a connection port to be used for connecting the equipment to the music processing of said music processing apparatus; and a library section capable of storing a plurality of sets of the equipment data, said management procedure comprising: a step of detecting an external equipment newly connected to the network and having a music function identical in type to the music function of the plug-in software and generating equipment data of the detected external equipment on the basis of information acquired from the detected external equipment;a step of, when connection of a new external equipment is detected by said step of detecting and if the new external equipment has not yet been registered for use, causing equipment data of the new external equipment to be stored into the library section;a step of, in response to operation by a user, selecting any one of a plurality of equipments, having their respective equipment data stored in the library section, to register the selected equipment for use and writing the equipment data of the selected equipment into the storage section, and deleting the equipment data of the external equipment from the library section when the selected equipment having been registered for use is the external equipment detected by said step of detecting; anda step of, in response to operation by the user, registering the equipment, having been registered for use, into the rack object,wherein the music function of the equipment registered in the rack object is usable as part of the music processing in a substantially same manner as the music function of the plug-in software.

17. A computer-readable recording medium containing a group of instructions to cause a computer of a music processing apparatus to perform a management procedure, said music processing apparatus being capable of performing music processing, such as recording and reproduction, editing and mixing, of performance events and/or audio signals, said music processing apparatus being capable of externally connecting and setting a music equipment, having a predetermined music function, for use in said music processing apparatus to thereby use the music function of the music equipment in part of the music processing, said music processing apparatus including: a track data storage section that stores track data having performance events and/or audio signals recorded therein; an interface section that connects said music processing apparatus to a network; a parameter storage section that, for each external equipment set for use, stores a parameter for remote-controlling the external equipment; a file storage section that stores a plurality of project files; and a display device, said management procedure comprising: a step of detecting an external equipment connected to the network and acquiring identification information identifying the connected external equipment;a use-setting step of, in response to use-setting operation by a user, selecting a desired one of external equipments, detected by said step of detecting, to set the selected external equipment for use in said music performance apparatus, securing a region in said parameter storage section for storing a parameter of the selected external equipment and thereby effecting parameter synchronization between the selected external equipment and the parameter storage section;a step of, on the basis of the parameter stored in the parameter storage section, remote-controlling each external equipment set for use;a step of, in response to a storage instruction by the user, generating a project file including at least: track data stored in the track data storage section; identification information of each external equipment set for use by said use-setting step; and parameter of each external equipment, set for use, stored in the parameter storage section, and then storing the generated project file into the file storage section;a read step of, in response to a read instruction by the user, 1) reading a designated project file from the file storage section, 2) causing the track data and parameter, included in the read project file, to be stored in the track data storage section and the parameter storage section, respectively, 3) performing an operation for associating each external equipment, detected by said step of detecting, with an external equipment that had been set for use at a time of storage of the project file and 4) transferring the parameter, stored in the parameter storage section, to the external equipment that could be associated, to thereby effect parameter synchronization between the external equipment and the parameter storage section;a display step of performing, on the display device, a visual display pertaining to each external equipment registered for use, said display step performing, when the project file has been read by said read step, a visual display differing in style between the external equipment that could be associated and the external equipment that could not be associated among the external equipments registered for use,whereby a remote controlled state of each music equipment, currently set in the project file for use in said music processing apparatus, can be restored via said music processing apparatus.

18. A computer-readable recording medium containing a group of instructions to cause a computer of a music processing apparatus to perform a management procedure, said music processing apparatus being capable of performing music processing, such as recording and reproduction, editing and mixing, of performance events and/or audio signals, said music processing apparatus being capable of externally connecting and setting a music equipment, having a predetermined music function, for use in said music processing apparatus to thereby use the music function of the music equipment in part of the music processing, said music processing apparatus including: a track data storage section that stores track data of performance data and/or audio signals; and an interface section that connects said music processing apparatus to a music network capable of real-time transmission of the performance events and/or audio signals, said management procedure comprising: a step of detecting an external music equipment connected to the network;a step of setting a desired one of external music equipments, detected as currently connected to the network, for use in said music processing apparatus;a read step of reading a project file having recorded therein at least track data of performance events, identification information indicative of a music equipment set for use and setting data of each music equipment set for use, causing the track data of the read project file to be stored into the track data storage section, and causing the setting data of the read project file to be stored into a setting data storage section;a step of, when the project file has been read by said read step, performing an operation for associating the music equipment, detected by said step of detecting, with any one of the music equipments indicated by the identification information of the project file and performing remote setting of each music equipment that could be associated on the basis of corresponding setting data of the project file; anda step of placing a visual display, pertaining to the music equipment that could not be associated, in a dummy display style,whereby a remote controlled state of each music equipment, currently set in the project file for use in said music processing apparatus, can be restored via said music processing apparatus.