Patent Grant
9202448
1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to the arrangement of musical compositions, and more particularly, to the automated creation of customized music arrangements based upon ensemble size, instrumentation, and performer proficiency levels.
2. Background of Related Art
Musical arrangements are fixed documents written for specific instrumentations. For instance, arrangements may be written for orchestral, concert band, jazz big band, jazz combo, or chamber ensembles. Arrangements, also known as scores, are prepared based upon the assumption that the ensemble has specific instruments, and that the players are at the same playing level. Further, written arrangements can require that critical parts be played by specific instruments. Generally, the arrangement is selected and/or purchased by a musical arrangement user, such as a band director, conductor, or producer.
In practice, most ensembles do not meet the exact requirements of the arrangement. For example, the ensemble may have different types and numbers of instruments than those called for by the arrangement, and may include players having disparate proficiency levels. In cases where the ensemble lineup differs from that which is called for by the musical arrangement, the outcome will not be optimal. For instance, the melody or harmony parts might not be played by anyone, the bass part or counterpoints may be lacking, and musicians may be given parts that they are incapable of playing. In ensembles consisting of players with varying capabilities, if the user purchases a musical arrangement designed for higher proficiency level players, the inferior players' weaknesses will be highlighted. If the user purchases an arrangement designed for lower proficiency players, the better players will not be able to showcase their talents.
Consequently, musical arrangement users are typically required to manually revise scores to accommodate the instruments available and the capability of the players. Users may be required to move lead parts to strong players, and create easy parts for less capable ones. Parts for unavailable instruments may be given to other instruments, and may require rewriting to accommodate the characteristics (such as timbre and key) of the substitute instrument. This process requires a high degree of skill, can be time consuming, and may cause frustration after already having made an investment in purchasing the arrangement. In some cases, ensemble users may lack the skills to rewrite the fixed musical arrangement, therefore they are limited in their options and often end up with less than optimal results.
Systems and methods are provided for creating customized musical arrangements by receiving ensemble information, assessing the ensemble information based on numerous factors and selecting customized arrangements for each member of the ensemble based on the ensemble information. The ensemble information may include a number of instruments in the ensemble, a type of each instrument in the ensemble, and a musical capability of each member of the ensemble performing the piece. The user may select a musical selection, enter the ensemble information into the system or load a previously used ensemble, and then receive a customized arrangement of the selection for each ensemble member and a conductor's score without requiring any additional arrangement or processing by the user.
Accordingly, several advantages are provided, including the ability for users to specify the number of instruments in the ensemble, the types of instruments available, and the proficiency level of each musician. Preset musical arrangement parameters are stored, which are utilized to notify the user if specific arrangements are not suitable for their specific ensemble needs. If presets are satisfied, the system will determine parts (solo, melody, tethered harmony, non-tethered harmony, bass, supplemental bass, or others) and rearrange accordingly depending on the user's ensemble specifications. Individual parts, preloaded into the system and selected through the processes, will print along with the score, providing a complete arrangement that will identify and feature strong players while providing weaker players with parts suitable to their level. These parts are not instrument-specific and instead are an example of the ideal range and shape of the part. The parts can be manipulated later to allow for key changes and instrument changes. In embodiments, systems in accordance with the present disclosure can account for small ensembles, solo parts, improvised solo parts, and beginners, as well as large bands, orchestras and highly advanced players. Embodiments may include the ability to change the priority of instrument assignment depending on the makeup of the ensemble. For example, an ensemble with many string players would be deemed “string heavy” and therefore a violin may be selected to be highlighted in the melody, rather than, for example, a trumpet.
In one aspect, embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a method of generating a musical score for an ensemble of instruments, each instrument having an instrument characteristic and an instrument proficiency. The method includes storing, in a database, alternative arrangements of a musical score that are each suited for an ensemble having a predetermined ensemble characteristic; retrieving, from the database, one of the alternative arrangements based upon the predetermined ensemble characteristic of the ensemble of instruments; and assigning an instrument of the ensemble to a part of the retrieved arrangement in accordance with at least one of the instrument characteristic or the instrument proficiency.
In embodiments, the predetermined characteristic includes an aggregate proficiency, such as elementary school level (EL) or high school level (HS). In embodiments, the predetermined characteristic includes an ensemble size, such as a small ensemble (SL).
In embodiments, the disclosed method includes retrieving, from the database, a different one of the alternative arrangements in response to a determination that the number of available parts in the first retrieved arrangement exceeds the number of instruments in the ensemble having an instrument proficiency exceeding a predetermined proficiency threshold. In embodiments, the method includes characterizing the parts of the retrieved arrangement as one of a melody part, a harmony part, a tethered harmony part, a non-tethered harmony part, a bass part, a solo part, an improvisation part, a pitched percussion part, or a non-pitched percussion part.
In embodiments, the method includes retrieving, from the database, a second one of the alternative arrangements in response to a determination that the number of melody and tethered harmony parts in the retrieved arrangement exceeds the number of instruments in the ensemble whose instrument proficiency exceeds a predetermined proficiency threshold. In embodiments, the method includes characterizing the instruments of the ensemble as one of a non-bass or a bass instrument.
In embodiments, the method includes assigning a guitar instrument of the ensemble to a bass part of the retrieved arrangement in response to a determination that the number of bass parts in the retrieved arrangement exceeds the number of bass instruments in the ensemble.
In embodiments, the method includes characterizing the instruments of the ensemble as a melody/harmony instrument or a harmony/bass instrument and assigning one of a melody/harmony or a harmony/bass instrument of the ensemble to a bass part of the retrieved arrangement in response to a determination that the number of bass parts in the retrieved arrangement exceeds the number of bass instruments in the ensemble.
In embodiments, the method includes delivering the generated musical score to a user device. In embodiments, the delivered score may be in Portable Document Format (Adobe® PDF format), Music XML, MIDI file format, NoteFlight®, Finale®, Sibelius® and/or any other output format suitable for musical scoring now or in the future known.
In another aspect, embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a method for performing instrument range correction in a musical part. The method includes the steps of identifying a passage within the musical part; identifying notes within the passage which fall outside a target note range; transposing, by an octave, the identified notes into the target note range in response to a determination that the identified notes are of the same pitch; and transposing, in accordance with a transposition function, the identified notes toward the target note range in response to a determination that the identified notes are not of the same pitch.
In embodiments, the transposition function includes transposing, by an octave, the passage towards the target note range in response to a determination that all identified notes fall outside the target note range. In embodiments, the transposition function includes identifying an issue within the passage characterized by one or more consecutive notes which fall outside the target range. In embodiments, the transposition function includes identifying a sub-passage consisting of the issue and a note group immediately preceding the first note of the issue; and transposing, by an octave, the sub-passage toward the target note range in response to a determination that the interval between any two consecutive notes of the note group and the first note of the issue is no greater than a whole step. In embodiments, the transposition function includes identifying a sub-passage consisting of the issue and a note group immediately following the last note of the issue; and transposing, by an octave, the sub-passage toward the target note range in response to a determination that the interval between any two consecutive notes of the note group and the last note of the issue is no greater than a whole step.
In another aspect, embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to a system for generating a musical score for an ensemble of instruments. In one embodiment, the system includes a database storing alternative arrangements of a musical score that are each suited for an ensemble having a predetermined characteristic, and a processor in operable communication with the database. The system also includes a memory in operable communication with the processor storing a set of executable instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to retrieve from the database one of the alternative arrangements based upon the predetermined characteristic of the ensemble of instruments, assign an instrument of the ensemble to a part of the retrieved arrangement in accordance with the instrument proficiency of the instrument, and transmit the generated musical score to a user device.
In embodiments, the memory further stores executable instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to retrieve, from the database, a different one of the alternative arrangements in response to a determination that the number of available parts in the first retrieved arrangement exceeds the number of instruments in the ensemble having an instrument proficiency exceeding a predetermined proficiency threshold.
In embodiments, the memory further stores executable instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to characterize the parts of the retrieved arrangement as one of a melody part, a harmony part, a tethered harmony part, a bass part, or a solo part; and retrieve, from the database, a second one of the alternative arrangements in response to a determination that the number of melody and tethered harmony parts in the retrieved arrangement exceeds the number of instruments in the ensemble whose instrument proficiency exceeds a predetermined proficiency threshold.
In embodiments, the memory further stores executable instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to assign a guitar instrument of the ensemble to a bass part of the retrieved arrangement in response to a determination that the number of bass parts in the retrieved arrangement exceeds the number of bass instruments in the ensemble.
In embodiments, the memory further stores executable instructions which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to characterize the instruments of the ensemble as one of a melody/harmony instrument, a harmony/bass instrument, a guitar instrument, or a bass instrument; and assign one of a melody/harmony or a harmony/bass instrument of the ensemble to a bass part of the retrieved arrangement in response to a determination that the number of bass parts in the retrieved arrangement exceeds the number of bass instruments in the ensemble.
Other features and advantages should become apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
Various embodiments disclosed herein are described in detail with reference to the following figures. The drawings are provided for purposes of illustration only and merely depict typical or exemplary embodiments. These drawings are provided to facilitate the reader's understanding and shall not be considered limiting of the breadth, scope, or applicability of the embodiments.
The various aspects of the present disclosure mentioned above are described in further detail with reference to the aforementioned figures and the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments.
Particular illustrative embodiments of the present disclosure are described hereinbelow with reference to the accompanying drawings; however, the disclosed embodiments are merely examples of the disclosure, which may be embodied in various forms. Well-known functions or constructions and repetitive matter are not described in detail to avoid obscuring the present disclosure in unnecessary or redundant detail. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present disclosure in virtually any appropriately detailed structure. The word “exemplary” is used herein to mean “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any embodiment described herein as “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments. The word “example” may be used interchangeably with the term “exemplary.”
The present disclosure may be described herein in terms of functional block components, code listings, optional selections, page displays, and various processing steps. It should be appreciated that such functional blocks may be realized by any number of hardware and/or software components configured to perform the specified functions. For example, the present disclosure may employ various integrated circuit components, e.g., memory elements, processing elements, logic elements, look-up tables, and the like, which may carry out a variety of functions under the control of one or more microprocessors or other control devices.
Similarly, the software elements of the present disclosure may be implemented with any programming or scripting language such as C, C++, C#, Java, COBOL, assembler, PERL, Python, PHP, or the like, with the various algorithms being implemented with any combination of data structures, objects, processes, routines or other programming elements. The object code created may be executed by any device having a data connection capable of connecting to the Internet, on a variety of operating systems including without limitation Apple OSX®, Apple iOS®, Google Android®, HP WebOS®, Linux, UNIX®, Microsoft Windows®, and/or Microsoft Windows Mobile®.
It should be appreciated that the particular implementations described herein are illustrative of the disclosure and its best mode and are not intended to otherwise limit the scope of the present disclosure in any way. Examples are presented herein which may include sample data items which are intended as examples and are not to be construed as limiting. Indeed, for the sake of brevity, conventional data networking, application development and other functional aspects of the systems (and components of the individual operating components of the systems) may not be described in detail herein. It should be noted that many alternative or additional functional relationships or physical or virtual connections may be present in a practical electronic system or apparatus. In the discussion contained herein, the terms user interface element and/or button are understood to be non-limiting, and include other user interface elements such as, without limitation, a hyperlink, clickable image, and the like.
As will be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art, the present disclosure may be embodied as a method, a data processing system, a device for data processing, and/or a computer program product. Accordingly, the present disclosure may take the form of an entirely software embodiment, an entirely hardware embodiment, or an embodiment combining aspects of both software and hardware. Furthermore, the present disclosure may take the form of a computer program product on a computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code means embodied in the storage medium. Any suitable computer-readable storage medium may be utilized, including hard disks, CD-ROM, DVD-ROM, optical storage devices, magnetic storage devices, semiconductor storage devices (e.g., flash memory, USB thumb drives) and/or the like.
Computer program instructions embodying the present disclosure may also be stored in a computer-readable memory that can direct a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to function in a particular manner, such that the instructions stored in the computer-readable memory produce an article of manufacture, including instruction means, that implement the function specified in the description or flowchart block(s). The computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer or other programmable data processing apparatus to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer or other programmable apparatus to produce a computer-implemented process such that the instructions that execute on the computer or other programmable apparatus provide steps for implementing the functions specified in the present disclosure.
One skilled in the art will also appreciate that, for security reasons, any databases, systems, or components of the present disclosure may consist of any combination of databases or components at a single location or at multiple locations, wherein each database or system includes any of various suitable security features, such as firewalls, access codes, encryption, de-encryption, compression, decompression, and/or the like The steps recited herein may be executed in any order and are not limited to the order presented. Moreover, two or more steps or actions recited herein may be conducted concurrently.
The disclosed systems and/or methods may be embodied, at least in part, in application software that may be downloaded, in whole or in part, from either a website or an application store (“app store”) to the mobile device. In another embodiment, the disclosed system and method may be included in the mobile device firmware, hardware, and/or software. In another embodiment, the disclosed systems and/or methods may be embodied, at least in part, in application software executing within a webserver to provide a web-based interface to the described functionality.
In yet other embodiments, all or part of the disclosed systems and/or methods may be provided as one or more callable modules, an application programming interface (e.g., an API), a source library, an object library, a plug-in or snap-in, a dynamic link library (e.g., DLL), or any software architecture capable of providing the functionality disclosed herein.
Systems and methods for creating customized music arrangements based on multiple criteria are provided herein. In an embodiment, a user, typically a band leader or conductor, inputs into the system information about an ensemble, such as, without limitation, the number of instruments, instrument types, an aggregate playing ability of the ensemble, and the playing ability of each individual member of the ensemble. Any ensemble (with the exception of circumstances such a percussion only ensemble) can play any composition stored in the database because of the system's ability to cater the arrangements. The user may then choose a musical selection from the list of candidate selections, whereupon the system delivers to the user a musical arrangement of the candidate selection as a score that has been customized for each member of the ensemble and the accompanying individual instrument parts. Additionally, the delivered score may be customized to balance the entire ensemble with regard to tonal balance, allocation of featured parts (including, without limitation, solo parts, featured parts, melody parts, harmony parts, improvisational parts, and so forth). In some embodiments, the system includes the capability of receiving ensemble information and creating the customized musical arrangements in real time for display to the user and/or to the members of the ensemble.
In another aspect, embodiments of the disclosed system and method may be configured with musical ensemble parameters and individual parts as played by a variety of instruments. Each part is predefined at several proficiency levels to accommodate players with differing proficiency levels. In this manner, each part is scored appropriately in view of the skills of the player who will be playing the part. In embodiment, proficiency levels may be grouped using a scholastic designation, for example, elementary school level, middle school level, high school level, college level, and professional level. Parts are divided into several categories: solo, melody, harmony, featured harmony, bass, percussion, pitched percussion, keyboards, and guitar.
Woodwind, brass, and string instruments are often assigned to the melody, harmony and bass categories. This assignment is dependent upon the role that each instrument plays within the musical composition. The system seeks to rebalance the score to give an aesthetically balanced sound to each part, and additionally or alternatively seeks to highlight strong musicians in the ensemble if and when possible. Additionally or alternatively, the user may provide input on which instruments and/or players should be featured.
Instruments are defined to have typical part roles. These functions are: Melody/Harmony (or Melody/harmony), Harmony/Bass (or Harmony/bass), Dedicated Bass (Bass), Keyboard, Guitar, Pitched Percussion, Glockenspiel, Chimes, Bass Drum, Snare Drum, Drum Set, Timpani, Cymbals, Auxiliary (Aux) Percussion, and Harp. The described process focuses primarily on Melody/Harmony, Harmony/Bass and Bass Instruments, which customarily form the backbone of an arrangement. These part roles are typically played by instruments in the traditional woodwind, brass, and string families.
In another aspect, the user first enters the number of total musicians in the ensemble. In an embodiment, a series of menus with a + and − sign are present to enable the user to expand and collapse hierarchically-arranged instrument selection groups. The user chooses the instruments available in the ensemble, adds each instrument to the score, and then specifies the quantity of each instrument available in the ensemble. Under each instrument, one or more user interface elements, such as sliders, radio buttons, and the like, are presented to enable the user to select the proficiency level of each musician playing that instrument (e.g., early beginner, beginner, low intermediate, high intermediate, and advanced). The user also indicates the overall proficiency level of the ensemble, e.g., elementary school level (ES), middle school level (MS), high school level (HS), college level (CL), professional (PL), and so forth). In this manner, the degree of difficulty of the intended arrangements is defined as a starting point which reflects how the user perceives the ensemble. In certain instances, for example, the described process may dictate that an ensemble originally selected as HS, should be actually playing an EL arrangement instead.
In one aspect, the described process displays a running total of instruments selected to help the user be sure it matches the number of musicians they intend to have in the ensemble.
From a musical perspective, an arrangement should articulate the main theme or melody of the piece, which is typically performed by the higher-pitched instruments (e.g., flute, alto sax, clarinet, trumpet, violin, etc.).
In one aspect, the present disclosure is directed to a database having multiple variations of each musical composition for which customized arrangements are offered. The melody of each composition is analyzed by an experienced arranger, who creates simplified versions of the arrangement, each of which is suited to for a particular ensemble playing level. Each simplified arrangement is stored into the database for use by the described process, together with corresponding data (arrangement parameters) describing various aspects to the arrangement, e.g., the role of each part, identification of improvisational parts, related arrangements, note ranges, and so forth as described in more detail below.
The experienced arranger utilizes his professional judgment create the alternative simplified arrangements. A desired (“ideal”) number of instruments needed to cover the melody, tethered harmony, non-tethered or featured harmony, bass, and other parts is determined and stored in the database in conjunction with the corresponding simplified arrangement, as described in more detail below.
The experienced arranger may modify various elements of the arrangement to achieve the desired simplification. For example, a melody made up of eighth notes may be turned into quarter notes by eliminating every other note, if the note is repeated, or if the second note of an eighth note pairing does not carry the same importance as the first. In some cases, the arrangement may be changed to allow eighth notes to be re-written as quarter notes. This results in a much slower but playable version of the same melody.
In addition to meter and tempo, articulation and other instrument-specific instructions are considered in simplifying parts. For example, ensuring that string parts are marked pizzicato where appropriate, but not on a trumpet part (which alternatively may be assigned the simplified phrase). In embodiments, the database stores variations of the same part by instrument and to provide part variants when necessary. For example, if a string variant was created for a Melody 1 part which was originally scored for a horn, a separate Melody 1-String Variant version suitable for a violin player may also be stored.
In embodiments, the disclosed process generates an output file in XML format, e.g., in MusicXML format, to enable generated arrangements to be displayed by any XML rendering software. In embodiments, the disclosed process generates output in additional or alternative human- or machine-readable formats, such as, without limitation, MIDI file format and/or PDF format.
Embodiments of systems and methods according to the present disclosure may have several instrument choices available to the user, and provides the process with which the scores and instrument parts are assembled. Although the original musical compositions can vary in the types of parts found, the described process advantageously provides the same selection logic, available instruments, and predetermined instrument ranges by proficiency, for all compositions stored the database. In this manner, the user is able to generate scores for any desired musical composition regardless of the instrument lineup of the user's ensemble.
The arrangement parameters include such settings as, without limitation:
According to embodiments of the present disclosure, a method, process and system is provided that enables a user to generate a customized musical arrangement that will fit specific ensemble requirements.
Overview
In
In step 20, a determination is made as to whether the ensemble as defined may be identified as a small ensemble (SL) with no solo parts, and if so, the ensemble is reclassified as an SL ensemble in step 25, and processing continues with step 120 (connector “D”).
A determination is made as to the number of tethered harmony parts in the selected composition, and in step 30, an ideal percentage of instruments to play melody and tethered harmony parts is determined.
In step 35, a determination is made as to whether any bass parts will need to be played by non-bass instruments, and if so, flag the non-bass instrument(s) which will be assigned a bass part. If the ensemble is a HS or EL ensemble, processing continues at step 50 (connector “A”). If the ensemble is any other type of ensemble, in step 45 any non-bass instruments which were flagged are reverted to an un-flagged state. If the selected composition includes at least one solo part, processing continues at step 50, otherwise, processing continues at step 120.
In step 120 (
Referring now to
In step 60, the desired (“ideal”) number of melody and tethered harmony instruments is determined. Since the melody and tethered harmony parts require at least a minimum proficiency level to be eligible to play the melody and/or tethered harmony part, the number of eligible instrument proficiencies for those instruments suitable for playing a melody and/or tethered harmony part is determined. If at least a threshold percentage (e.g., 75%) of the suitable instruments have an eligible proficiency, these instruments are assigned to the melody and tethered harmony parts, and the remaining number of instruments available for non-tethered harmony and pass parts is determined. If fewer than the threshold percentage of suitable instruments are eligible, the user is presented with the choice of either changing the instrument proficiencies or reclassifying the ensemble as an EL ensemble. Processing then proceeds with step 70 (connector “B”).
In step 65, the desired (“ideal”) number of melody and tethered harmony instruments is determined. A threshold percentage (e.g., 75%) of the suitable instruments should have an eligible proficiency and are assigned to the melody and tethered harmony parts, and the remaining number of instruments available for non-tethered harmony and bass parts is determined. Processing then proceeds with step 70 (connector “B”).
In steps 70-90, any non-tethered harmony (or featured harmony) parts, and bass parts, are assigned. Any non-tethered harmony or featured harmony part is assigned based, at least in part, on whether the minimum proficiency for the melody part(s) is the same as, or greater than, the minimum proficiency for the associated harmony part, as described in detail below. Processing continues with step 90, wherein bass parts are assigned to the remaining instruments. Supplemental bass parts are assigned to the lowest-rated players of suitable tonal instruments.
In step 100, non-pitched percussion instruments and pitched percussion instruments are assigned to the score; in step 105, any guitars are assigned to the score; and in step 110 any keyboards are assigned to the score; and in step 115 any remaining instruments (e.g., chimes, harps, glockenspiel, etc.) are assigned. Processing continues with steps 150-160 (connector “F”) in which the score options are finalized (e.g., transposed or non-transposed score is selected, any individual part key preferences are selected, and output file(s) of the final score are prepared and delivered to the user).
A more detailed discussion of aspects of the present disclosure is presented below.
Initial Selections
In the step 165 (
In step 185, the type of ensemble is specified (e.g., Elementary School, Middle School, High School, or College). This information is referenced for the settings of the arrangement parameters and will effect what types of proficiencies are available for the user to select as well as the output of the parts which are generated. Middle School, High School, and College ensembles are treated as High School (HS), thus ensembles specified as anything except Elementary School (EL) are regarded as High School (HS).
The first primary ensemble type is High School (HS), which indicates the arrangement will include the full length version of the composition, and have proficiency restrictions on melody and solo parts. The second primary ensemble type is Elementary School (EL) which indicates that a shortened arrangement of the original composition is to be used with no proficiency restrictions. The third primary ensemble type is Small Ensemble (SL) which is an arrangement written to be most effective with ensembles that do not contain enough instruments to play the required parts which are normally found an HS or EL ensemble. SL ensembles have an option (e.g., a sub-type) intended for low proficiency groups, which is referred to as ELSL. The user's initial selection of ensemble type provides a starting point for the custom arrangement process, however, as discussed below, the ensemble type may be changed during the process.
After the number of performers is selected, the user is presented with a series of instruments broken down by instrument family and asked to select how many of each instrument are in the ensemble.
An “adjusted ensemble size” is determined in step 190 (
In addition, the ensemble will be considered “string heavy” (step 190) if it is determined that 40% or more of the melody/harmony, harmony/bass and dedicated bass instruments are string instruments (e.g., violin, viola, cello, and double bass). This field is used later to make sure string instruments can be featured in melody parts when the ensemble is determined to be orchestral.
In step 195 it is determined if at least one melody/harmony, harmony/bass, keys, guitar, or pitched percussion instrument exists in the ensemble, which will enable an instrument that is suited to play a melody part to be used. If not available (step 200), the user must expressly select one of those type of instruments to continue.
Specifying Player Proficiency
With the instruments selected, in step 205 the proficiencies of each player of each instrument are specified. In the present embodiment, all proficiency levels are available for selection, regardless of the type of ensemble selected. In the case of compositions having one or more improvisation-enabled solo parts, an “improvisation” choice is made available which the user may optionally select. In embodiments, if a previous ensemble was loaded, the proficiencies will be pre-populated from the saved ensemble. In embodiments, a selected proficiency on an instrument may be saved with the ensemble for future use.
In embodiments, proficiencies are rated 1-5 with 1 being the lowest and 5 being the highest. Player proficiency levels, and the corresponding complexity of score parts which are tailored for players at each proficiency level, are characterized as follows:
Proficiency 1: Intended for performers who have typically been playing a very short time and have basic rhythmic understanding. In the custom arrangement, notes included are quarter notes, half notes, dotted half notes, and whole notes (when in 4/4 time). Note range is limited, and generally stays midrange for the instrument.
Proficiency 2: Intended for performers who have typically been typically playing for 1-2 years and have basic rhythmic understanding. Notes included are eighth notes, quarter notes, half notes, dotted half notes, and whole notes in 4/4 time. Note range is greater than proficiency 1, but generally limited to less than the full range of the instrument.
Proficiency 3: Performers who have been typically playing 2-5 years and have a good rhythmic understanding. Notes included are eighth notes, dotted rhythms, various types of triplets, quarter notes, half notes, dotted half notes, and whole notes. Short phrases of sixteenth notes may included, but not long runs of sixteenth notes. Note range is greater than proficiency 2, and may approach the full range of the instrument.
Proficiency 4: Performers who have typically been typically playing at least 5 years who are very strong musicians, with an above average rhythmic understanding, would be considered proficiency 4 players. Notes included are sixteenth notes, eighth notes, dotted rhythms, different types of triplets, difficult rhythmic patterns and challenging ties. Note range encompasses the full range of the instrument.
Proficiency 5: Performers who are considered very advanced in a high school setting who would be comfortable in a collegiate environment, having an advanced level of rhythmic understanding (including the ability to comfortably play in uncommon time signatures), and having the ability to comprehend and play any imaginable rhythmic/note combination, would be designated proficiency 5 players. Note range encompasses the full range of the instrument.
An additional selection is available to enable the user to specify the players' improvisational skills (step 205), which is useful where a composition includes improvised solo parts.
After the proficiencies are entered, the selected entries may be confirmed (by, e.g., the user clicking continue) and a series of calculations commences. If the current ensemble is EL (steps 210 and 215), and 80% of the melody/harmony and harmony/bass instruments are at a 3+ proficiency, the ensemble designation is changed to a HS ensemble, as this would result in an arrangement which would be better-suited for such an advanced elementary ensemble.
Determining SL Ensembles and the Number of Tethered Harmony Parts
Before finalizing the customized arrangement, the “number of tethered harmony parts” must be determined (
In step 220, the potential tethered harmony parameter is computed to determine whether there are enough instruments available to use an EL or HS ensemble. With too few instruments, EL and HS arrangements will not be voiced properly (e.g., the arrangement will not sound “right”) so the ensemble is switched (step 225) to a small ensemble (SL). Small ensemble arrangements are designed to be able to accommodate any number of situations that can arise when trying to convey the essence of a musical piece using very few instruments. Processing for an ensemble which was changed to SL ensemble continues with step 365 (connector “P1”).
If, however, there are enough instruments available for an EL or HS ensemble, the minimum proficiencies for an EL ensemble is established in step 235, and if there are no tethered harmony parts (step 240-245), processing continues with step 315 (connector “L1”). Otherwise, in step 250 the lesser of the actual number of tethered harmony parts (from the arrangement parameters) and the computed potential tethered harmony parameter is taken to compute the available tethered harmony parameter. In steps 255-285, a further determination of whether the ensemble is to be changed to an EL ensemble is performed wherein if any dedicated bass instruments are defined for the arrangement (step 255), the number of melody/harmony and harmony/bass instruments which are at least at the minimum melody proficiency (referred to as the melody/tethered-capable 1 parameter) are compared to the number of solo parts in the arrangement. If the difference is less than the number of melody parts, the ensemble is changed to an EL ensemble (step 280).
If no dedicated bass instruments exist, then the number of melody/harmony instruments which are at least at the minimum melody proficiency (referred to as the melody/tethered-capable 2 parameter) are compared to the number of solo parts in the arrangement. If the difference is less than the number of melody parts, the ensemble is changed to an EL ensemble (step 280). Otherwise, it is established that sufficient instruments exist to support either an EL or HS ensemble.
In step 290, if the melody/tethered-capable 1 parameter or the melody/tethered-capable 2 parameter equals the number of melody parts, the number of tethered harmony parts is set to zero. Otherwise, there exist additional instruments to play tethered harmony parts (step 300) and the number of number of tethered harmony parts are computed in steps 305-310.
If there are too many level 1 proficiencies for an ensemble to be considered a HS ensemble (step 315) the ensemble is switched to an EL ensemble (step 320). If the melody and harmony parts are made up of over 25% level 1 players, they will all be funneled to the same part intended to played by a small few less talented players. However, if this percentage is substantially greater than 25% (for example, greater than about 35%) the ensemble is switched to an EL ensemble, which enables the redistribution of instruments across parts more evenly.
Determine the Ideal Percentage of Instruments Playing Melody Parts
Referring to
With continued reference to
In step 345, ten percent (10%) of the adjusted total ensemble size is designated for bass parts. In accordance with the present embodiment, bass instrument substitution first attempts to assign any guitar available (regardless of proficiency). If none are available, then attempt to assign the lowest proficiency melody/harmony instruments, and finally, use the list provided in the arrangement details. Note that these assignments are provisional in nature, and have not been locked to the final score, although they are removed from all eligible instrument counts going forward.
If after assigning the substitute instruments to cover the bass part(s), there are insufficient instruments to cover the remaining melody, harmony, and solo parts, the bass substitutions are canceled, and the ensemble is re-categorized as an SL ensemble (steps 355-370).
When an ensemble was deemed to be SL, processing proceeds with step 365. One feature of an SL ensemble is that it only has one solo part associated with it. SL solo parts only use the solo 1 (primary solo) part. Also, they are available for any instrument found on the solo 1 list of instruments, and do not have a minimum required proficiency required. EL and SL ensembles use a default level 1 as the minimum solo proficiency, while HS ensembles use a predetermined indication in the arrangement parameters to determine which minimum proficiency is required for solo parts.
Solo Parts
While SL ensembles get a head start on the solo assignment process in step 365, all other ensembles begin the solo assignment process, and SL ensembles continue the solo assignment process, in step 375. With reference to
Combined Solos
This type of solo is intended to allow a solo part to be played by one instrument or broken into smaller parts if not playable by one player in the ensemble. A part may be broken up temporally into a plurality of consecutively-played sections, or broken up melodically, into a plurality of concurrently-played lines. For example, assume that a combined solo having two independent lines is written for a polyphonic instrument, such as a keyboard. While an advanced keyboard player would be able to play both lines, monophonic instruments which can only play one note at a time, such as a trumpet, could not physically play the same part alone. In this case the combined solo is assigned to be played concurrently by two instruments. In another example, a solo may be too lengthy or complex for a player at the available proficiencies. In this case, the part would be broken up into shorter sections, each assigned to a different player.
Combined solos (step 385) have a system preset associated with them called the “Combined Solo Minimum Proficiency.” This will often be set higher than the “Minimum Melody Proficiency” but not lower than the “Solo Parts Minimum Proficiency” setting in HS ensembles. It is also important to note that while there is no minimum melody proficiency in EL ensembles, the “Combined Solo Minimum Proficiency” field is utilized in the solo process to assign instruments.
Combined solo parts have three instrument lists associated with them in the arrangement parameters (steps 390-395). One for the combined polyphonic part (for, e.g., keyboard instruments) and two for monophonic parts which would be used if the combined part is split.
Improv Solos
This type of solo is used when a solo is improvised (step 380). The player's general proficiency (which focuses on the performer's ability to interpret and perform sheet music) does not truly represent the player's ability to improvise, which requires a different skill set. To address this, the present embodiment utilizes a second proficiency, called the improv proficiency, to rate the player's ability to improvise. In HS environments the minimum solo proficiency is still in effect and is still based upon the general proficiency. Improv proficiency is used to sort instruments who meet the minimum required solo proficiency (Note: this proficiency is always 1 in EL and SL ensembles).
Solos
This type of solo is one that has no other special characteristics. It is not improvised, but is playable by any one instrument (at the required proficiency). These solos follow the same process as Split Combined Solo Parts because they are open to many instruments and are only limited by the Minimum Required Solo Proficiency.
The goal of the solo parts section is to provide the user with an option to select who should be a soloist. Additionally or alternatively, the system will offer a recommendation and/or impose restrictions based on the composition. The system will show a default recommended instrument and provide a list of instruments that are eligible to play the solo part according to the ensemble makeup and proficiencies.
SL ensembles only have one solo part allowed (it can be combined however) so in step 400 processing continues to the SL ensembles section (step 1315) after the first solo part is assigned, otherwise, addition solo parts are assigned (step 405).
The order of precedence for determining the default solo instrument is as follows: proficiency level, and then order of the list set forth in the arrangement parameters (steps 410-435).
There are several places that the user may be asked for input in the process of determining who will play solo parts. In steps 420 and 480, the system may prompt the user that no instruments are available that are necessary to play solo parts. This requires the user to add a qualifying instrument to the ensemble or the process is terminated. In steps 450 and 505, the user is prompted if an instrument with a lesser proficiency than the recommended instrument is selected to play the solo part. The user must acknowledge this and either agree to continue or decide not to use the lesser proficiency player in order to continue. Steps 420, 450, 480 and 505 are encountered in certain scenarios.
Depending on what type of solo parts are involved, the user will interact with either step 445 or step 500 if solo parts exist in a particular piece. This is where the recommended instrument is displayed and a menu is provided, such as a dropdown menu, to change the instrument to another capable/available instrument when possible or where desired.
The process starting at step 375 is repeated in HS and EL ensembles until all solo parts are assigned.
EL Process of Determining the Number of Instruments Playing Melody and Tethered Harmony Parts
As shown in
Although the process strives to completely fill the melody and tethered harmony parts with an ideal number of instruments (step 525), a 75% fill rate is acceptable as the minimum, so long as it covers the actual number of melody and tethered harmony parts required to be assigned (step 540).
In step 550, the process determines if the number dedicated bass instruments equals the number of non-supplemental bass parts. Later, when bass parts are assigned, there are two types to choose from: Bass and Supplemental Bass. Supplemental bass parts are used to provide easier parts for lesser players (proficiencies 1 and 2) when higher level players (proficiencies 3+) are available. The goal is to not cause lesser player detract from what the better players are capable of playing by “dumbing down” all bass part players with low-rated parts. This optimizes the overall sound of those instruments playing bass parts, and enables each player to play to the best of their ability. Generally, no more than two non-supplemental bass parts will be assigned.
If the answer to step 550 is no, we look to harmony/bass instruments to cover these required bass parts (step 555). Any harmony/bass instruments that are deemed to be the best instruments to play bass parts are not included in the eligible pools of instruments that will be used to determine the number of instruments that should play melody and tethered harmony parts (step 560).
By the time steps 590, 595, or 600 are reached, the number of instruments that will be playing the melody and tethered harmony parts is determined. In step 595, it subtracts one to allow for a potential featured harmony part, which is addressed below.
HS Process of Determining the # of Instruments Playing Melody and Tethered Harmony Parts
Turning now to
The same process is used in steps 630 and 635 to determine which harmony/bass instruments can be considered in the process if there are not enough dedicated bass instruments available to cover the minimum number of non-supplemental bass parts.
In steps 655-725, the process attempts to identify scenarios that can work to achieve at least 75% of the ideal number of instruments playing melody and tethered harmony parts. These are the final attempts to achieve the 75% ideal number of instruments before requesting the user to intervene in order to continue.
Note that if the user elects to change to an EL ensemble or instrument proficiencies, the process may return to this point with the same issues. Step 730 is in place to ensure that, if the process returns to this section of the logic for a second time, the user is not prompted for any actions and instead the process continues with the selections already made.
Totaling the Number of Non-Tethered Harmony and Bass Instruments
With reference now to
In step 760, ideally, 70% of the remaining adjusted ensemble instruments will play harmony and 30% will play bass. Ensure at least one non-tethered harmony instrument and at least one bass instrument is assigned. In steps 765-790, the running count of available instruments to be assigned is determined, e.g., harmony, melody, and bass instruments that are not assigned to a tethered harmony part. In step 795, harmony/bass instruments are assigned to pass parts, fulfilling the highest-proficiency parts first.
Featured harmony parts are reserved for high proficiency performers that will play a featured line that is not the main melody, nor is considered a solo.
Level 1 harmony parts are used only in HS ensembles and are reserved for very low-rated players. This enables low rated player to contribute to the ensemble, without bringing down higher level players who would typically be very bored with such a part. Regular Harmony parts vary in number and can be played by any proficiency in EL settings and by instruments with a 2+ proficiency in HS settings.
By the end of step 800 it is clear how many instruments will be playing non-tethered harmony parts, and as a result, how many instruments will be playing bass parts because that is the last category before keyboard, guitar, pitched percussion, standard percussion, and other categories are considered.
In steps 805 through 910 (
Assigning Extras
The steps 915-940 detailed in
Assigning Instruments to Melody and Tethered Harmony Parts
Referring to
With the smallest group determined, the process attempts to determine if the possibility exists to achieve a small group of instruments with a proficiency above the earlier determined minimum melody proficiency (steps 1000-1035). If not, the system focuses on assigning instruments to melody and tethered harmony parts based on a combination of proficiency and the instrument order lists associated with each melody part. Tethered Harmony parts follow the same instrument lists as their corresponding melody part (steps 1040-1060). By the end of
Assignment of Instruments to Non-Tethered Harmony Parts
With reference to
The remaining portion of
If the number of parts exceeds the number of available instruments (step 1085), each harmony parts, starting with Harmony 1, is assigned one instrument until no more instruments remain. By the end of step 1115, the process is complete and there should be no remaining unassigned or unflagged melody/harmony or harmony/bass instruments remaining.
Assignment of Bass Parts
With reference now to
Supplemental Bass parts are used where there exists one or more instruments with a 3+ proficiency assigned to the corresponding non-supplemental bass part. If no instruments with a 3+ proficiency are available, instruments with a 1 or 2 proficiency will instead be assigned to the non-supplemental part. For example, if there is only 1 bass part and there are 3 instruments (a proficiency 1, a proficiency 2, and a proficiency), the proficiency 3 instrument will play the non-supplemental part, and the other two will play supplemental parts (steps 1195-1260). It should be noted that, while non-supplemental parts are played at the lowest proficiency instrument of the group if more than one are assigned, supplemental parts can be assigned at proficiency 1 or 2 and can be intermixed.
Assignment of Percussion Parts
Percussion parts are now assigned (
For example: If there are 2 drum set musicians, and one is at level 3 and another is at level 4, one drum set part will be generated at level 3.
If there is a drum set at level 4, a bass drum at level 2, and a snare drum at level 5, each would get their own part at the level selected. Pitched percussion instruments play the same part at the lowest proficiency level. Parts are generated for the different instruments however (steps 1280-1285). For example: If there is a vibraphone at level 3 and a marimba at level 4, they will each get a part labeled with their instrument at level 3. It is important to note that Glockenspiel has been removed from the pitched percussion category because it often arranged very differently than other pitched percussion instruments.
Assignment of Guitar, Keyboard and Other Instrument Categories
In
Note that tablature (TAB) instructions for guitar or other fretted instruments are available as part of the arrangement parameters, so if TAB has been selected for the Electric Guitar, the TAB version of the guitar part would be used in place of standard music notation, and which in the present example would be assigned to the Electric Guitar at proficiency 3.
Keyboards are next to be assigned (steps 1300-1305). As in previous steps, the lowest proficiency sets the proficiency for the group if there is more than one.
Lastly, any remaining instrument groups such as Glockenspiel, Chimes, and Harp are assigned (step 1310). With all instruments now assigned, the process continues with step 2515 (
Overview of SL Ensembles
By reaching step 1315 (
First, it is determined whether the ensemble is a low proficiency ensemble. If so, a shorter arrangement is selected. If the ensemble is deemed a low proficiency ensemble (step 1315) the label of the ensemble is changed from SL to ELSL. With the type of ensemble clarified, it is now appropriate to assign any instruments flagged for the solo part (if used) to the correct ensemble type (step 1320).
The SL arrangement process introduces several additional concepts. The first is the manner in which combined parts are used. As previously discussed, in non-SL ensembles, combined parts are used only in connection with solo parts. In SL ensembles, any part type may be combined. As discussed, with non-SL solo parts, one use of a combined solo part is to break out solo lines that are usually played by keyboard instruments. In a variation of this concept, two separate lines, originally played by a single keyboard player, could be broken out to be played by two less-skilled keyboard players, or by instruments that can only play one note at a time.
In the SL environment, combined parts do not contain multiple parts, but instead would be best played by string instruments, which do not need to be concerned with breath control. That is, a string instrument (such as a violin, viola, cello, or double bass) can play continuously without resting, but wind instruments need breaks to rest and breathe. A string instrument that is at a proficiency of 3 and above is deemed capable of playing combined parts without having to break them apart.
Another aspect of the ensemble process is the concept of SL Custom Ensembles. These are sub-ensembles within SL or ELSL ensembles. Small ensembles present a particular set of challenges, and therefore the manner in which a two part ensemble is written can vary greatly when compared to how a four part ensemble is written. As a result, a “Max SL Custom Ensemble” is chosen as the highest sub-ensemble and all others will be available under that number. For example, if the Max Custom Ensemble is a quintet, the number would be five. That means we have a special custom ensemble for a quartet (4), trio (3), duo (2) and Melody Only. Note that sub-ensembles are considered apart from of solo parts, which have already been assigned.
SL Custom Ensemble parts will be labeled and those specific parts are incorporated into the final score. For example, “SL Trio Melody Combined-Proficiency 3” may be assigned to an instrument, or if broken out, “SL Trio Melody 1a” and “SL Trio Melody 1b” may be assigned. An SL Instrument List may be consulted. This list is more comprehensive than solo, melody, and featured harmony lists seen earlier. It includes guitar, keyboards, pitched percussion, and bass instruments and is used as a tie-breaker when two or more instruments all have the same proficiency.
SL Custom Ensembles follow the same types of parts, regardless of the composition. That is, a Duo will have a melody part and bass part, and a Trio will have a Melody, Bass, and Harmony part.
When there are no melody/harmony or harmony/bass available to use in the SL (or ELSL) Ensemble, the SL Custom Ensembles are not used. Rather, melody, harmony and bass parts simply labeled as SL or ELSL are used. Occasionally, these types are used in conjunction with SL Custom ensembles, and it is typically used when the max SL Custom ensemble is being used and there some leftover parts to assign. The SL Harmony parts may be used to add new parts onto the arrangement. If for example the Max SL Custom ensemble includes five instruments, and the HS/EL process requires at least eight total instruments, there can be ensemble numbers caught in the middle and that is when we typically see SL Custom Ensemble and SL Harmony parts mixed together (see, e.g., step 2430).
The process for SL Ensembles is detailed in steps 1315-2515 (
Various scenarios that can occur are: 1. No available melody/harmony or harmony/bass instruments as seen in
After completing the SL Process, steps 1265-1310 (
Instrument Part Number Assignment
Turning now to
The order of parts are assigned by part role, and since instruments are assigned in this order (by trying to make sure the best players are available for the high-profile parts), the part enumerations are ordered in a similar manner: Solos, Featured Harmony, Melody/Tethered Harmony, Harmony, Bass, Supplemental Bass, Level 1 Harmony, and, lastly, all other functions.
Final User Selections
After all instruments in the ensemble have been assigned to parts, the score is nearly complete. At this point (
In step 2530 the user may define the score as transposed or non-transposed. That is, that the pitches will either be displayed in their concert pitches or transposed pitches. For example, a concert C would read as a written D on a trumpet part, because a trumpet transposes up a major second.
In step 2535, if the ensemble was newly-created or modified, the ensemble profile information is saved or updated. The use may change the concert key of the entire arrangement (step 2540). That is, the default key which is determined at least in part by the arrangement parameters, and by decisions made during the assignment process, may be overridden by the user in order to better accommodate the final arrangement as played by the target ensemble.
With the concert key established and instruments assigned to parts with proficiencies, final range correction modifications to the individual instrument parts may be performed before displaying the final arrangement for printing
Instrument Range Correction Process
With reference now to
In one aspect, complexity informs the proficiency necessary to perform a part in terms of rhythmic demands (for instance, using nothing smaller than quarter notes for low proficiency players, adding ⅛th and 1/16th notes for better players, and including any rhythms for the highest-rated players). However, note range is also a factor in terms of playability, and therefore, proficiency rating. Typically, a beginning player learns a limited range of notes of the instrument, and gradually takes on the full range of the instrument as skill increases. For example, when learning a brass instrument, gaining lip strength is important before tackling to play higher notes especially. When changing keys and instruments it is important to factor in the ability of the player in terms of how the new part should be displayed.
Besides proficiency, part role also helps determine an instrument's ideal range. If an instrumentalist is playing a melody, solo, tethered harmony, or featured harmony part, it is important that the player take advantage of the full range of the instrument (of course accounting for proficiency). For harmony parts that are not the focus of the piece, one would typically arrange these as mid-range parts so that, ideally, melody parts will be above the harmony part. For bass parts (especially when non-bass instruments are employed to play these parts), one would keep the range as low as possible on the instrument to best mimic a bass instrument and keep the harmony and melody parts written above the bass part.
The instrument range correction logic consults the instrument list and contains range information per instrument for each proficiency and role. Because the logic may be employed in various scenarios,
If, on the other hand, instrument range correction is being performed in the context of creating a customized arrangement, the instrument, proficiency and role information will be known from the earlier process. Both starting points consult instrument list range information.
With the necessary data at hand, the score is analyzed to identify how many different instrument parts must be processed (
Referring now to
In
In
Steps 2775-2860 (
Exemplary System Configuration
The arrangement server 3104 will be responsible for receiving the ensemble information input by the user at the user device 3102 and creating the appropriate arrangements. The arrangement server 3104 may include one or more computing devices, as described below, and will also be connected with one or more databases which store the arrangements, arrangement rules and received input information. In one embodiment, an arrangements database 3106 is connected with the arrangement server 3104 and stores information on all of the possible musical selections and arrangements for each musical selection. A rules database 3108 may store the rules described above for selecting a particular arrangement for a particular musical instrument, musical part in the arrangement and any other relevant criteria utilized for selecting the appropriate arrangement based on the input ensemble information. It is understood that the information stored in the arrangements database 3106 and the rules database may be stored in a single database and utilize multiple relational database tables. Additional databases and/or database tables may be utilized to store additional information understood by one of skill in the art, such as user account information, rights information, graphical user interface data, etc.
The arrangement server 3104 may then be configured to output the customized music arrangements to the user device 3102, where the user can view, print, download or otherwise receive the arrangements. In one embodiment, the arrangement server 3104 may be connected with a plurality of user devices such that each musician in the arrangement has a user device (such as a tablet or monitor) which will display their own customized arrangement. Thus, the arrangements could be created and displayed to the members of the arrangement on their user devices in real-time.
Computer-Implemented Embodiment
While various embodiments have been described above, it should be understood that they have been presented by way of example only, and not of limitation. The breadth and scope should not be limited by any of the above-described exemplary embodiments. Where this document refers to technologies that would be apparent or known to one of ordinary skill in the art, such technologies encompass those apparent or known to the skilled artisan now or at any time in the future. In addition, the described embodiments are not restricted to the illustrated example architectures or configurations, but the desired features can be implemented using a variety of alternative architectures and configurations. As will become apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art after reading this document, the illustrated embodiments and their various alternatives can be implemented without confinement to the illustrated example. One of ordinary skill in the art would also understand how alternative functional, logical or physical partitioning and configurations could be utilized to implement the desired features of the described embodiments.
Furthermore, although items, elements or components may be described or claimed in the singular, the plural is contemplated to be within the scope thereof unless limitation to the singular is explicitly stated. The presence of broadening words and phrases such as “one or more,” “at least,” “but not limited to” or other like phrases in some instances shall not be read to mean that the narrower case is intended or required in instances where such broadening phrases may be absent.
This application claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/870,777 entitled “SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR CREATING CUSTOMIZED MUSIC ARRANGEMENTS” filed Aug. 27, 2013, the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein for all purposes.
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5533903 | Kennedy | Jul 1996 | A |
| 5590282 | Clynes | Dec 1996 | A |
| 6175070 | Naples et al. | Jan 2001 | B1 |
| 6211451 | Tohgi et al. | Apr 2001 | B1 |
| 6287124 | Yamaura et al. | Sep 2001 | B1 |
| 6348648 | Connick, Jr. | Feb 2002 | B1 |
| 6635815 | Kosakaya et al. | Oct 2003 | B2 |
| 6897367 | Leach | May 2005 | B2 |
| 7199298 | Funaki | Apr 2007 | B2 |
| 7435891 | Perla | Oct 2008 | B2 |
| 7977560 | Marcus | Jul 2011 | B2 |
| 7985912 | Copperwhite et al. | Jul 2011 | B2 |
| 7989689 | Sitrick et al. | Aug 2011 | B2 |
| 8058544 | Hoeberechts et al. | Nov 2011 | B2 |
| 8106281 | Minamitaka | Jan 2012 | B2 |
| 8273976 | Dalby | Sep 2012 | B1 |
| 8552281 | Cotrone | Oct 2013 | B1 |
| 8859875 | Daniels | Oct 2014 | B2 |
| 20020165921 | Sapieyevski | Nov 2002 | A1 |
| 20030036046 | Smolover | Feb 2003 | A1 |
| 20030094093 | Smith et al. | May 2003 | A1 |
| 20050016368 | Perla | Jan 2005 | A1 |
| 20060016323 | Hayakawa | Jan 2006 | A1 |
| 20060150804 | Hiratsuka | Jul 2006 | A1 |
| 20070137463 | Lumsden | Jun 2007 | A1 |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20150059558 A1 | Mar 2015 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 61870777 | Aug 2013 | US |
