The present invention relates to a music support apparatus and a music support system for supporting a musical performance or singing with a score.
Playing an instrument or singing is sometimes performed with reference to a score. At that time, each player generally places the score on a music stand or the like and turns the page of the score by hand according to the progress of the tune so far. Depending on the instruments, the player inefficiently needs to suspend playing the instrument every time when turning the page of the score.
In light of the foregoing, for example, Patent Literature 1 proposes that a score is displayed on a display device such as a liquid crystal display without a paper-based display.
An electronic music stand described in Patent Literature 1 displays an electronic score on a liquid crystal touch panel display. When the player presses a foot pedal enabling the player to input a signal for turning the score without suspending playing the instrument, the signal for turning the score is transmitted to the electronic music stand in order to automatically turn the page of the score.
However, the electronic music stand described in Patent Literature 1 has a problem in that it is difficult to synchronize the displayed page of a full score including the scores of all the instrument parts and used by a conductor in an orchestra with the displayed page of a part score only including a score of each instrument part.
To solve the above-mentioned problem, the present applicant has proposed a score display system described in Patent Literature 2. In the score display system described in Patent Literature 2, a master unit 10a detects a turn of the page of a full score data displayed on a display unit 11a. When the turn of the page is detected, the page display information indicating the page to be displayed on the display unit 11a after the turn of the page is transmitted to a slave unit 10b. The slave unit 10b receives the page display information transmitted from the master unit 10a. When the received page display information is not within the page range displayed on the display unit 11a of the slave unit 10b, the slave unit 10b determines to turn the page of the part score data and turns the page of the part score data displayed on the display unit 11a of the slave unit 10b.
However, it is necessary to automatically turn the page even without an instruction from the conductor or the like when the player or the singer refers to the score as practicing alone. To automatically turn the page without the instruction from the conductor or the like, it can be considered that the page is turned, for example, as synchronized with the performance itself. However, for example, extracting the tempo or the like from the performance for the synchronization complicates the process and possibly causes a shortage of the processing ability of a tablet terminal or the like. Thus, it can be difficult to implement the synchronization.
In light of the foregoing, it can be considered that the page is turned or the score is scrolled for display based on a predetermined time. The scroll display gives an advantage on a smaller eye motion in comparison with a turn of the page. However, in a general score, the width of the bar varies depending on the number of musical symbols such as a musical note as illustrated in
In light of the foregoing, an objective of the present invention is to provide a music support apparatus capable of displaying a score such that the player or the singer easily sees the score, for example, when the score is scrolled for display.
According to the invention described in claim 1, which has been made to address the above-mentioned problem, a music support apparatus includes: a storing unit storing score information including a plurality of bars and musical symbol information to be displayed in or around the bars, the storing unit storing performance time information for each note and rest based on the musical symbol information; a display unit capable of displaying the score information; a bar width calculating unit configured to set display widths of the plurality of bars at a constant width based on the musical symbol information; a bar width correcting unit configured to correct the display width of the bar to which the musical symbol for changing a performance tempo is designated, among the plurality of bars, based on the musical symbol for changing the performance tempo with respect the display width calculated by the bar width calculating unit; and a display information generating unit configured to generate display information to be displayed on the display unit from the plurality of bars of which display widths are calculated by the bar width calculating unit and the bar width correcting unit, wherein the display unit is configured to display the display information and a performance position display portion for displaying a current performance position, and scroll either one of the display information and the performance position display portion at a constant tempo.
According to the invention described in claim 2, the invention described in claim 1 further includes a performance time information calculating unit configured to calculate the performance time information based on the score information stored in the storing unit.
According to the invention described in claim 3, in the invention described in claim 1 or 2, the bar width correcting unit includes a change amount storing unit configured to previously store a change amount of each of the musical symbols for changing the performance tempo.
According to the invention described in claim 4, the invention described in any one of claims 1 to 3 further includes a changing unit for changing the performance time information, and the bar width correcting unit is configured to correct the display width of the bar based on the performance time information changed with the changing unit.
According to the invention described in claim 5, in the invention described in any one of claims 1 to 4, the score information includes a plurality of instrument parts.
According to the invention described in claim 6, the invention described in any one of claims 1 to 5 further includes: a synchronization detecting unit configured to detect synchronization information; a synchronization information communication unit configured to receive the synchronization information and transmit the synchronization information detected by the synchronization detecting unit; and a synchronization unit configured to cause a position corresponding to the synchronization information received by the synchronization information communication unit or the synchronization information detected by the synchronization detecting unit to be displayed such that the position is aligned with the performance position display portion.
According to the invention described in claim 7, in the invention described in claim 6, the display information includes the synchronization information for synchronization with an external device, the synchronization information detecting unit is configured to detect that the synchronization information is displayed on the display unit, and the synchronization information communication unit is configured to transmit the synchronization information to the external device when the synchronization information detecting unit detects that the synchronization information is displayed on the display unit.
According to the invention described in claim 8, the invention described in claim 6 or 7 further includes a synchronization input unit for inputting the synchronization information, and the synchronization detecting unit is configured to detect a bar displayed on the display unit, in which a synchronization instruction is input with the synchronization input unit, and the synchronization information communication unit is configured to transmit the synchronization instruction detected by the synchronization instruction detecting unit to an external device.
According to the invention described in claim 8, in the invention described in claim 1, a music support system includes a plurality of the music support apparatuses according to any one of claims 6 to 8.
As described above, in the invention according to claim 1, the bar width calculating unit sets the display widths of a plurality of bars at a constant width based on musical symbol information stored in the storing unit. The bar width correcting unit corrects a display width of a bar, in which the musical symbol for changing a performance tempo is indicated, with respect to a display with that has been calculated by the bar width calculating unit based on the musical symbol for changing a performance tempo, among the plurality of bars. The display information generating unit generates the display information to be displayed on the display unit from the plurality of bars of which display widths are calculated by the bar width calculating unit and the bar width correcting unit. The display unit displays the display information and a performance position display portion for displaying a current performance position, and scrolls either one of the display information and the performance position display portion at a constant tempo. Thus, the bars can be scrolled for display at a constant tempo when a scroll display is performed because the bars have the same length. Further, since the correction is performed according to a musical symbol for changing a performance tempo, the display width of a bar can be corrected according to the content of the score, for example, according to a musical symbol for doubling the length of a note from the length indicated by the note. Thus, a scroll display can be performed at a constant tempo based on the performance tempo indicated by the score.
In the invention according to claim 2, provided is the performance time information calculating unit configured to calculate the performance time information based on the score information stored in the storing unit. Thus, the performance time information for each bar can be calculated based on the note, the rest, and the like.
In the invention according to claim 3, the bar width correcting unit includes the change amount storing unit in which change amount of each musical symbol for changing a performance tempo has previously been stored. Thus, the display width can be corrected based on the change amount stored in the change amount storing unit.
In the invention according to claim 4, provided is the changing unit for changing the performance time information. The bar width correcting unit corrects the display width of the bar based on the performance time information changed by the changing unit. Thus, an inflection or the like due to, for example, the taste of the player, the singer, or the like, or the characteristics of the conductor or the like can be reflected.
In the invention according to claim 5, the score information includes a plurality of instrument parts. Thus, the other parts in addition to a performance part or a part of singing can be referred to. Further, the invention can also be applied to the score, for example, for a conductor who needs to refer to a plurality of parts.
In the invention according to claim 6, the synchronization information communication unit receives the synchronization information and transmits the synchronization information detected by the synchronization detecting unit, and the synchronization unit displays a position according to the synchronization information received by the synchronization information communication unit or the synchronization information detected by the synchronization detecting unit such that the position is aligned with the performance position display portion. Thus, the scroll display can be performed as being synchronized with an external terminal or the like.
In the invention according to claim 7, the display information includes the synchronization information for synchronizing the device with an external device. The synchronization information detecting unit detects that the synchronization information is displayed on the display unit. The synchronization information communication unit transmits the synchronization information to an external device when the synchronization information detecting unit detects that the synchronization information is displayed on the display unit. Thus, the synchronization with an external terminal can automatically be performed. The synchronization information detecting unit detects that the position to which the synchronization information thereof is displayed on the display unit. Thus, an external terminal or the like can be synchronized with the position of the detected synchronization information.
In the invention according to claim 8, provided is the synchronization input unit configured to input the synchronization information. The synchronization detecting unit detects a bar displayed on the display unit, in which a synchronization instruction is input with the synchronization input unit. The synchronization information communication unit transmits the synchronization instruction detected by the synchronization instruction detecting unit to an external device. Thus, the user or the like can perform synchronization at an arbitrary timing.
In the invention according to claim 9, provided are a plurality of the music support apparatuses according to any one of claims 6 to 8. This enables a plurality of music support apparatuses to synchronize with each other, and thus, for example, a plurality of players can give a performance as matching the scrolled positions.
Next, the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to
The touch panel type display device 11 includes a display unit 11a including a liquid crystal display or the like, and a well-known touch panel 11b overlying on the surface of the display unit 11a. The display unit 11a displays thereon score data to be described below, a menu and button for operation, etc. Note that a unit to operate the music support apparatus 10 is not limited to the touch panel 11b. Another unit, such as a push button or the like, can be used.
The input and output control unit 12 includes a display control unit 12a, and an input and output data control unit 12b. The display control unit 12a switches the display on the display unit 11a and inputs and outputs data with the storage unit 13 according to the instructions from the CPU 17. The input and output data control unit 12b controls, for example, the reading and writing of the data from the storage unit 13, the input and output of the data with the external device connecting I/F 14, the communication control unit 15, or the like in order to operate in response to the input of the touch panel type display device 11, according to the instructions from the CPU 17.
The storage unit 13 working as a storing unit includes a hard disk drive, a non-volatile semiconductor memory or the like and saves (stores) the score data working as the score information and the performance time data working as the performance time information to be described below.
The external device connecting I/F 14 is a connecting interface (I/F) with an external device. A PC (personal computer) or a storage medium such as a memory card and an external hard disk drive, for example, is connected thereto to, for example, download or copy the score data, the performance time data and the like onto the storage unit 13.
The communication control unit 15 performs a communication control for communicating with another music support apparatus 10, a server, or the like. Note that, when the communication with another music support apparatus 10, a server, or the like is performed through a wire, the communication control unit 15 performs the communication.
The wireless communication control unit 16 performs a wireless communication with another music support apparatus 10, a server, or the like.
The CPU 17 includes a ROM, a RAM, and the like, and manages various controls in the music support apparatus 10 to perform various processes including the controls of the present embodiment according to various control programs stored in the ROM.
Here, the data configuration of the score data stored in the storage unit 13 will be described with reference to
The auxiliary symbol includes musical symbols, for example, dynamic marks such as piano and forte, tempo marks such as Allegretto, accelerando (accel.), a tempo, and ritardando (rit.), marks indicating articulations such as staccato and slur, repeat marks, ornaments, and elision marks, as illustrated in
The storage unit 13 further stores the time data in addition to the score data. The time data is obtained from calculating the time required for each note or rest, for example, in units of seconds based on the indication (metronomic indication) to be displayed at the top of the score, which defines the temp by the number of the quarter notes to be played within a minute. The time data is stored in association with each note and rest of the above-mentioned score data. For example, in a first bar in
Note that the score data is formatted, for example, as MusicXML that is an open file format for describing a score in XML format. The time data has a data configuration in which the calculated time is in association with each of the musical symbols (notes and rests) in the MusicXML.
Next, an operation for generating data to be displayed on the display unit 11a from the score data having the above-mentioned configuration, and displaying the generated data will be described with reference to the flowchart in
Next, the display width per bar is calculated from the score data in step S101 and the process goes to step S102. Since the MusicXML is a standard for displaying a score, the MusicXML originally has the information about the display width per bar. In the present embodiment, the input and output control unit 12 reads the score data from the storage unit 13, for example, in order to adopt the greatest width among the widths of the bars as the display width to be displayed on the display unit 11a. Note that the display width can be calculated based on the number of notes per bar in the score data, or can be a predetermined fixed value. In short, at the time of the present step, what is required is that all the bars have the same display width (equal width). In other words, the display widths of a plurality of bars are set at a constant width based on the musical symbol information. It should be understood that the same display width has a value without an adverse effect on the display of the note or the like.
Next, the time data of each of the notes and the display width of each of the bars are corrected in step S102 and the process goes to step S103. The time data of each of the notes is read from the storage unit 13 to increase or decrease the performance time of each of the notes according to a symbol related to the performance tempo among the above-mentioned auxiliary symbols. The display width of each of the bars is increased or decreased in association with each note of which time has been increased or decreased. In other words, the display width of the bar to which a musical symbol for changing the performance tempo is designated among a plurality of bars is corrected based on the musical symbol for changing a performance tempo with respect to the display width calculated by a bar width calculating unit.
For example, when accelerando or ritardando is designated, the tempo of the time data of each note after the symbol is increased (or decreased) by 10%. When fermata is designated, the time data of the corresponding note is doubled. The display width per note or per rest can also be calculated because the bars have the same display width in step S102. Thus, as the display width per note is changed according to a change of the time data, the display width per bar is also changed according to the auxiliary symbol. In other words, the longer the time data becomes, the longer the display width becomes, and the shorter the time data becomes, the shorter the display width becomes.
An example is illustrated in
Note that the change amount of each auxiliary symbol for changing each performance tempo is previously set at a table or the like as illustrated in
The flowchart in
Next, in step S104, the input and output control unit 12 receives the instruction to display the display data and corrected time data saved in the storage unit 13 on the display unit 11a and the process goes to step S106.
As illustrated in
A plurality of bars for each instrument part including a note and a rest is displayed in a row in the lateral direction of the screen on the bar display region 21. Although a row is displayed in the illustrated example because the score includes a part, the score can include a plurality of parts. It should be understood that each bar is scrolled in the lateral direction of the screen at a constant tempo because all of the bars cannot simultaneously be displayed. The range to be displayed on the bar display region 21 at a time can arbitrarily be set. Further, a pointer 21a working as a performance position display portion for indicating a current performance position is displayed on the bar display region 21. The pointer 21a is not scrolled and remains stationary at a fixed position in the bar display region 21. The position at which the pointer 21a remains stationary can arbitrarily be set. Note that the display of the pointer 21a is not limited to the line orthogonal to the direction in which the bars are scrolled as illustrated in
A metronomic indication in the score is displayed on the metronomic indication display region 22. Instrument names such as a piano and a violin, clefs such as a treble clef and a bass clef, and time signatures such as a four-four time signature are displayed on the instrument part name, clef, and time signature display region 23.
The performance time per note and the performance time per bar are displayed on the bar and note time information display region 24. Bar numbers put on the bars from the top bar and score part names such as an intro and a verse are displayed on the bar number and score part name information display region 25. The modulation and beat switch display region 26 displays a modulation and a beat change. The modulation and the beat change are displayed at the ends of the bars just before the modulation and the beat change are performed in the example of
A modulation and a beat switch as displayed on the modulation and beat switch display region 26 are displayed within the score (staff notation) in a conventional score. However, sometimes, the player cannot respond to a sudden switch of the display on the instrument part name, clef, and time signature display region 23. Further, in the present embodiment, only a symbol that has a performance time is displayed in the staff notation because the score is scrolled at a constant tempo. Thus, providing such a region enables the player to smoothly recognize a modulation or a beat switch.
The bar and note time information display region 24, the bar number and score part name information display region 25, the modulation and beat switch display region 26, the tempo mark display region 27, and the dynamic mark display region 28 among the above-mentioned display regions are scrolled for display according to the bar display region 21. In other words, the regions are moved in response to the moving of the bars because the information related to the bars is displayed on the regions. Note that it is not necessary to display all of the bar and note time information display region 24, the bar number and score part name information display region 25, the modulation and beat switch display region 26, the tempo mark display region 27, and the dynamic mark display region 28. It may be configured such that the user can arbitrarily select a region to be displayed from among the five display regions.
The flowchart in
The bar display region 21, the bar and note time information display region 24, the bar number and score part name information display region 25, the modulation and beat switch display region 26, the tempo mark display region 27, and the dynamic mark display region 28 from among the above-mentioned display data displayed in step S104 starts to scroll for display in step S105. For example, the tap on an arbitrary position in the touch panel 11b by the user can trigger the start of the scroll. Inputting the trigger causes the input and output control unit 12 to read the display data from the storage unit 13 and output the display data to the display unit 11a such that the score is scrolled for display. In other words, the display information and the pointer indicating the performance position are displayed while the display information is scrolled at a constant tempo.
Each of the regions is scrolled at a tempo according to the metronomic indication. In other words, in the example illustrated in
According to the present embodiment, a plurality of bars is set to have the same display width according to the time data based on a note and rest stored in the storage unit 13. The display width of the bar marked with an auxiliary symbol for changing a performance tempo from among the bars is corrected based on the auxiliary symbol. Thus, display data to be displayed on the display unit 11a is generated. The bars of the display data are displayed in a row on the display unit 11a so as to scroll in the lateral direction of the screen at a constant tempo. Thus, the bars can be scrolled at a constant tempo when a scroll display is performed because the bars have the same length. Further, the display width of the bar is corrected according to the contents of the score, for example, according to auxiliary symbols for changing a performance tempo such as fermata. Thus, the display width of the bar can be corrected according to the contents of the score and the score can be scrolled for display at a constant tempo according to the performance tempo.
Further, the storage unit 13 is provided, and the time data is calculated based on the score data stored in the storage unit 13. Thus, the time data per bar can be calculated based on the note and rest.
Note that the time data can be generated by the CPU 17 based on the score data. In other words, the CPU 17 can work as a performance time information calculating unit.
Specifically, a tempo unit and the number of beats per bar are obtained from the score data stored in the storage unit 13. The tempo unit is the data corresponding to the metronomic indication. The number of beats is the data corresponding to the display indicating the time signature marked on the top of the score. The performance time per note or rest is calculated from the obtained tempo unit and the obtained number of beats. In other words, the performance time information is calculated based on the score information stored in the storage unit.
The display data is generated in the music support apparatus 10. However, for example, an external computer such as a server may previously generate the time data and the display data based on the MusicXML file and save them in the server so as to be downloaded onto the music support apparatus 10. In other words, the server or the like can perform the procedures in steps S101 to S103 of
It may be configured such that the user can finely adjust the time data corrected in step S102. For example, when the time information to be finely adjusted is tapped on the bar and note time information display region 24 in
In the above-mentioned embodiment, the pointer 21a remains stationary on the display unit 11a while the score scrolls in a row for each instrument part. However, the pointer 21a (or a cursor) may be scrolled while the score is displayed in columns each including a plurality of bars as a conventional score, as illustrated in
For example, in
It may also be configured such that the instrument part to be displayed on the bar display region 21 can be selected. For example, a menu screen or the like may be displayed such that the user can increase or decrease the parts to be displayed. Further, the display positions can be switched. For example, the instrument part name in the instrument part name, clef, and time signature display region 23 can be dragged and be moved up and down in order to switch the position.
Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to
The present embodiment is a music support system 1 including a plurality of music support apparatuses 10 described in the first embodiment. When the music is played using those music support apparatuses 10, the positions indicated by pointers 21a may differ between the music support apparatuses 10, for example, by the time lag between the operations for starting scrolling at the respective music support apparatuses 10. In light of the foregoing, according to the present embodiment, the display positions of the music support apparatuses 10 are synchronized with each other based on the synchronization data added to the score data of the music support apparatuses 10.
As described above, the synchronization data is added to the score data in the present embodiment. The synchronization data is added at predetermined intervals. MusicXML that is in a state of score data before being converted into display data includes the information indicating page partition because being configured in consideration of the page by page display as a conventional manner. Thus, when the display data is generated, the synchronization data is added at or around the position indicating the page partition in the present embodiment. Note that the information indicating the page partition is deleted when the bars of an instrument part are displayed in a row as described in the first embodiment.
After a scroll is started, a bar number of the bar to which the synchronization data is added is transmitted to another music support apparatus 10 when the synchronization data is detected (when the top of that bar has reached the position of the pointer 21a). The music support apparatus 10 that has received the synchronization data moves the top of the bar indicated by the synchronization data to the position of the pointer 21a to synchronize the displays.
The above-mentioned operation will be described in detail with reference to the flowchart in
First, it is determined whether the synchronization data has been detected in step S201. When the synchronization data has been detected (in the case of Y), the process goes to step S202. When the synchronization data has not been detected (in the case of N), the process goes to step S203. In the example in
Next, the synchronization information is transmitted in step S202 and the process goes to step S204. The synchronization information includes the information indicating that the above-mentioned synchronization data has been detected and a bar number for the bar at which the synchronization information has been detected. The synchronization information is transmitted from a wireless communication control unit 16 through the input and output control unit 12 and a communication control unit 15 in the present step.
On the other hand, it is determined in step S203 whether a synchronization instruction has been input. When the synchronization instruction has been input, the process goes to step S202. When the synchronization instruction has not been input, the process goes to step S204. The determination in the present step is for the synchronization not according to the synchronization data previously added to the score data but according to the instruction for synchronization at an arbitrary timing by the user. As the instruction for synchronization by the user, tapping an arbitrary bar in the two scores on a touch panel 11b sets the bar as a bar to be synchronized (a bar to be aligned with the pointer 21a). Then, the same process for the synchronization data is performed in step S202. Note that, if, for example, a foot pedal is provided, the instruction for synchronization by the user can be input from the foot pedal, as well as the input from the screen. When the foot pedal is used, the synchronization is performed at the bar at which the pointer 21a is positioned. In other words, a synchronization input unit for inputting the synchronization information is provided so that the synchronization detecting unit detects the bar displayed on a display unit, in which the instruction for synchronization is input from the synchronization input unit.
Next, it is determined in step S204 whether the synchronization information has been received. When the synchronization information has been received (in the case of Y), the process goes to step S205. When the synchronization information has not been received (in the case of N), the process goes back to step S201. It is determined in the present step whether the wireless communication control unit 16 has received the synchronization information from another music support apparatus 10. In steps S202 to S204, the communication control unit 15 and the wireless communication control unit 16 work as a synchronization information communication unit configured to receive the synchronization information from an external device and to transmit the synchronization information to an external device when the synchronization information detecting unit detects that the synchronization information is displayed on the display unit.
Next, synchronization is performed in step S205 along the received synchronization information and the process goes back to step S201. The input and output control unit 12 moves the top of the bar number included in the synchronization information received in step S204 to the position of the pointer 21a in the present step. In other words, the CPU 17 works as a synchronization unit for performing display such that the pointer is aligned with the position corresponding to the synchronization information received by the synchronization information communication unit.
According to the present embodiment, the synchronization information is received from an external device and the display is performed on the display unit according to the synchronization information. Thus, the display can be scrolled in synchronization with an external terminal or the like. This enables a plurality of music support apparatuses 10 to be synchronized with each other. For example, the scrolled positions can be aligned when a plurality of persons give a performance.
Synchronization is performed when the user instructs synchronization at an arbitrary timing. Thus, synchronization can be performed when synchronization data is not added or as necessary for the user.
Note that the synchronization data can be set not only at a page partition but also at an arbitrary position set by the user. Further, synchronization data can be added not only to the top of a bar but also to the end of the bar.
The two embodiments have been described mainly with an instrument performance. However, the embodiments can also be applied to a score for singing.
Note that the above-mentioned embodiments merely represents typical aspects of the present invention. The present invention is not limited to the embodiments. In other words, the present invention can be variously modified and implemented without departing from the gist thereof.
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
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PCT/JP2012/051603 | 1/26/2012 | WO | 00 | 10/21/2013 |