The present invention relates generally to tone synthesis apparatus and methods for synthesizing tones, voices or other desired sounds on the basis of waveform sample data stored in a waveform memory or the like, and programs therefor. More particularly, the present invention relates to a tone synthesis apparatus and method for synthesizing a tone of high quality whose waveform varies in its sustain portion in accordance with tone volume level information (or “dynamics value” information), and a program therefor. Further, the present invention relates to a tone synthesis apparatus and method for synthesizing a tone waveform with high quality based on a vibrato or other rendition style involving pitch variation in a sustain portion, such that the waveform varies in accordance with tone volume level information (dynamics value), as well as a program therefor.
There have been popularly known tone synthesis apparatus based on the so-called “waveform memory readout” method, in which waveform sample data, encoded by a desired encoding technique, such as the PCM (Pulse Code Modulation), DPCM (Differential PCM) or ADPCM (Adaptive Differential PCM), are prestored in a waveform memory and a tone is synthesized by reading out the prestored waveform sample data at a rate corresponding to a desired tone pitch. With such tone synthesis apparatus, it has been conventional to prestore, per musical instrument name or tone color type (e.g., “piano” or “violin”), a variety of different waveforms in corresponding relationship to pitch various factors, such as various pitches, pitch ranges or pitch modulation amounts, or in corresponding relationship to tone volume level variation factors, such as dynamics, velocity or touch. In such cases, an optimal one of the prestored waveforms is selected in accordance with a pitch shift factor or tone volume level variation factor detected during a reproductive performance, so as to synthesize a tone of high quality. Examples of such tone synthesis apparatus are disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication Nos. 2580761 and 2970438.
Further, when a tone corresponding to a given note is to be reproduced in a pitch-modulated rendition style, such as a vibrato or bend rendition style, where the pitch of the tone varies continuously during audible reproduction of the tone, a typical example of the conventional tone synthesis apparatus synthesizes a tone by modulating the pitch of a non-pitch-modulated waveform in accordance with pitch modulation information input in real time. Further, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open Nos. HEI-11-167382, 2000-56773, 2000-122664 and 2001-100757 disclose a technique for achieving tone synthesis with higher quality by extracting a plurality of waveforms (i.e., waveform segments) from dispersed points of one vibrato cycle range of a continuous vibrato-modulated waveform sampled on the basis of an actual performance of a natural musical instrument and then storing the thus extracted waveforms as template waveforms. In reproduction, the disclosed technique sequentially reads out the template waveforms in a repetitive (or “looped”) fashion and crossfade-synthesizes the read-out template waveforms, to thereby reproduce a high-quality vibrato rendition style waveform.
The prior art apparatus disclosed in the above-identified No. 2580761 or 2970438 publication is arranged to synthesize tones while sequentially selecting waveform data to be used by switching between prestored waveform sample data in accordance with dynamics information indicative of level variation amounts corresponding to expression control, velocity control, etc. However, in synthesizing tones while sequentially selecting waveform data to be used by switching between prestored waveform sample data in accordance with dynamics information as noted above, the waveform sample data switching tends to occur very frequently even for a sustain portion of a tone (or sustain tone portion) because the prior art apparatus constantly acquires the dynamics information to make the waveform sample data switching. If the waveform sample data switching occurs very frequently as in the prior art, rapid waveform variation tends to occur, which may undesirable give an unstable impression although what is being reproduced is a sustain portion of a tone. Further, whereas it is generally common perform interpolating arithmetic operations on waveforms in order to absorb such rapid waveform variation, the frequent waveform switching would impose a great burden on the interpolating arithmetic operations.
Further, the prior art apparatus disclosed in the above-identified Nos. HEI-11-167382, 2000-56773, 2000-122664 and 2001-100757 publications, each of which permits high-quality tone synthesis, are not arranged to allow a tone characteristic to be modified or changed, in accordance with input dynamics information, at a desired time during tone synthesis.
In view of the foregoing, it is an object of the present invention to provide a tone synthesis apparatus and method and program therefor which can perform tone synthesis processing, responsive to input dynamics values, for a sustain portion of a tone with a reduced burden on a control section. The present invention also seeks to provide a tone synthesis apparatus and method and program therefor which can variably control a characteristic of a tone in accordance with input dynamics values when synthesizing a tone waveform, varying in pitch over time and reflecting a characteristic of a rendition style like a vibrato, pitch bend or the like, with a high-quality characteristic in such a manner that a color of the tone too can be varied subtly. The present invention also seeks to provide a tone synthesis apparatus and method and program therefor which can perform vibrato depth control with high quality.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an improved tone synthesis apparatus, which comprises: a storage section that stores therein waveform data sets for sustain tones in association with dynamics values; an acquisition section that, when a sustain tone is to be generated, acquires, intermittently at predetermined time intervals, dynamics values for controlling the sustain tone to be generated; and a tone generation section that acquires, from the storage section, the waveform data set corresponding to the dynamics value acquired by the acquisition section and generates a tone waveform of the sustain tone on the basis of the acquired waveform data set.
According to the present invention, when a tone of a range corresponding to a sustain portion of a tone (i.e., sustain tone portion), dynamics values are acquired intermittently at predetermined time intervals, and a waveform data set for a sustain tone, corresponding to each of the acquired dynamics values, is selected from the storage section having prestored therein waveform data sets for sustain tones in association with dynamics values. The waveform data sets thus selected in accordance with the dynamics values acquired intermittently at predetermined tine intervals are synthesized to generate a tone waveform of a range corresponding to the sustain tone portion. Because the waveform data to be used are acquired, from among the plurality of prestored waveform data sets for sustain tones, intermittently at predetermined time intervals in accordance with the dynamics values and a tone is synthesized using the acquired waveform data, not only tone synthesis processing can be performed on the sustain tone portion, in accordance with the input dynamics values, with a reduced burden on a control section, but also the tone characteristic can be variably controlled in accordance with the input dynamics values. In this way, the present invention can synthesize a high-quality tone faithfully representing tone color variation, like that attained by a vibrato rendition style, in a sustain tone portion.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an improved tone synthesis apparatus, which comprises: a storage section that stores therein a plurality of units, each including a plurality of waveform data sets corresponding to different pitch shifts, in association with dynamics values; a dynamics value acquisition section that acquires, intermittently at predetermined time intervals, dynamics values for controlling a tone to be generated; a pitch modulation information acquisition section that acquires pitch modulation information for controlling pitch modulation of the tone to be generated; and a tone generation section that selects, from the storage section, the unit corresponding to the dynamics value acquired by the acquisition section, acquires, from the selected unit, the waveform data set corresponding to the pitch modulation information acquired by the pitch modulation information acquisition section, and generates a tone waveform on the basis of the acquired waveform data set.
With the arrangements that waveform data corresponding to the acquired pitch modulation information are acquired from one of the plurality of units each including a plurality of waveform data sets corresponding to different pitch shifts, and a tone waveform is generated on the basis of the acquired waveform data, the present invention can synthesize a tone waveform, varying over time in pitch like a vibrato or pitch bend, with a high-quality characteristic in such a manner that its tone color can also be subtly varied.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided an improved tone synthesis apparatus, which comprises: a storage section that stores therein a plurality of units, each including a plurality of waveform data sets for achieving a characteristic to cause variation in pitch over time, in association with dynamics values; an acquisition section that, when a tone with a characteristic to cause variation in pitch over time is to be generated, acquires dynamics values for controlling the tone to be generated; and a tone generation section that acquires, from the storage section, the waveform data set of the unit corresponding to the dynamics value acquired by the acquisition section and generates, on the basis of the acquired waveform data sets, a tone waveform with a characteristic to cause variation in pitch over time. Because a tone waveform is generated on the basis of the waveform data sets of the unit corresponding to the acquired dynamics values, the present invention can synthesize a tone waveform, varying over time in pitch like a vibrato or pitch bend, with a high-quality characteristic in such a manner that its tone color can also be subtly varied.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an improved tone synthesis apparatus, which comprises: a storage section that stores therein a unit including a plurality of waveform data sets for achieving a vibrato characteristic to cause variation in pitch over time; an acquisition section that acquires depth control information for controlling a vibrato depth; a tone generation section that acquires, from the storage section, the plurality of waveform data sets of the unit and generates a tone waveform with a vibrato characteristic on the basis of the acquired plurality of waveform data sets of the unit and the depth control information acquired by the acquisition section, wherein, when control is to be performed to decrease the vibrato depth in accordance with the acquired depth control information, the tone generation section generates the tone waveform without using waveform data, corresponding to a great pitch shift, of the plurality of waveform data sets of the unit. Namely, a tone waveform is generated which has been controlled, in accordance with the depth control information, so that the vibrato depth is decreased, without using waveform data corresponding to a great pitch shift, of the plurality of waveform data sets of the unit. In this way, the vibrato depth can be controlled with high quality.
Namely, the present invention is characterized in that waveform data to be used are selected, on the basis of acquired dynamics information, from among prestored waveform data sets of various different tone colors and a tone is synthesized using the selected waveform data. Thus, when a tone synthesis corresponding to input dynamics values are to be performed on a sustain portion of a tone, the present invention can not only avoid rapid waveform variation and achieve waveform stabilization but also secure controllability of a tone characteristic during synthesis of a tone, through tone synthesis processing with a significantly reduced burden on a control section. As a result, the present invention can synthesize a high-quality tone faithfully representing tone color variation, as with a vibrato rendition style, in a sustain. tone portion.
The present invention may be constructed and implemented not only as the apparatus invention as discussed above but also as a method invention. Also, the present invention may be arranged and implemented as a software program for execution by a processor such as a computer or DSP, as well as a storage medium storing such a software program. Further, the processor used in the present invention may comprise a dedicated processor with dedicated logic built in hardware, not to mention a computer or other general-purpose type processor capable of running a desired software program.
The following will describe embodiments of the present invention, but it should be appreciated that the present invention is not limited to the described embodiments and various modifications of the invention are possible without departing from the basic principles. The scope of the present invention is therefore to be determined solely by the appended claims.
For better understanding of the objects and other features of the present invention, its preferred embodiments will be described hereinbelow in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Although the electronic musical instrument employing the tone synthesis apparatus to be described below may include other hardware than those described here, it will hereinafter be described in relation to a case where only necessary minimum resources are used. The electronic musical instrument will be described hereinbelow as employing a tone generator that uses a tone waveform control technique called “AEM (Articulation Element Modeling)” (so-called “AEM tone generator”). The AEM technique is intended to perform realistic reproduction and reproduction control of various rendition styles etc. faithfully expressing tone color variation based on various rendition styles or articulation peculiar to various natural musical instruments, by prestoring, as waveform data corresponding to rendition styles peculiar to various musical instruments, entire waveforms corresponding to various rendition styles (hereinafter referred to as “rendition style modules”) in partial sections or portions, such as an attack portion, release portion, sustain tone portion or joint portion, etc. of each individual tone and then time-serially combining a plurality of the prestored rendition style modules to thereby form one or more successive tones.
The electronic musical instrument shown in
In the electronic musical instrument of
The ROM 2 stores therein various programs to be executed by the CPU 1 and also store therein, as a waveform memory, various data, such as waveform data (indicative of, for example, waveforms having tone color variation based on a vibrato rendition style and the like, waveforms having straight tone colors, etc.). The RAM 3 is used as a working memory for temporarily storing various data generated as the CPU 1 executes predetermined programs, and as a memory for storing a currently-executed program and data related to the currently-executed program. Predetermined address regions of the RAM 3 are allocated to various functions and used as various registers, flags, tables, memories, etc. The external storage device 4 is provided for storing various data, such as performance information to be used as a basis of an automatic performance and waveform data corresponding to rendition styles, and various control programs, such as the “tone synthesis processing” (see
The performance operator unit 5 is, for example, in the form of a keyboard including a plurality of keys operable to select pitches of tones to be generated and key switches provided in corresponding relation to the keys. This performance operator unit 5 can be used not only for a manual tone performance based on manual playing operation by a human player, but also as input means for selecting desired prestored performance information to be automatically performed. It should be obvious that the performance operator unit 5 may be other than the keyboard type, such as a neck-like operator unit having tone-pitch-selecting strings provided thereon. The panel operator unit 6 includes various operators, such as performance information selecting switches for selecting desired performance information to be automatically performed and setting switches for setting various performance parameters, such as a tone color and effect, to be used for a performance. Needless to say, the panel operator unit 6 may also include a numeric keypad for inputting numerical value data to be used for selecting, setting and controlling tone pitches, colors, effects, etc. to be used for a performance, a keyboard for inputting text or character data, a mouse for operating a pointer to designate a desired position on any of various screens displayed on the display device 7, and various other operators. For example, the display device 7 comprises a liquid crystal display (LCD), CRT (Cathode Ray Tube) and/or the like, which visually displays not only various screens in response to operation of the corresponding switches but also various information, such as performance information and waveform data, and controlling states of the CPU 1. The human player can readily set various performance parameters to be used for a performance and select a music piece to be automatically performed, with reference to the various information displayed on the display device 7.
The tone generator 8, which is capable of simultaneously generating tone signals in a plurality of tone generation channels, receives performance information supplied via the communication bus 1D and synthesizes tones and generates tone signals on the basis of the received performance information. Namely, as waveform data corresponding to dynamics information included in performance information are read out from the ROM 2 or external storage device 4, the read-out waveform data are delivered via the bus 1D to the tone generator 8 and buffered as necessary. Then, the tone generator 8 outputs the buffered waveform data at a predetermined output sampling frequency. Tone signals generated by the tone generator 8 are subjected to predetermined digital processing performed by a not-shown effect circuit (e.g., DSP (Digital Signal Processor)), and the tone signals having undergone the digital processing are then supplied to a sound system 8A for audible reproduction or sounding.
The interface 9, which is, for example, a MIDI interface or communication interface, is provided for communicating various information between the electronic musical instrument and external performance information generating equipment (not shown). The MIDI interface functions to input performance information of the MIDI standard from the external performance information generating equipment (in this case, other MIDI equipment or the like) to the electronic musical instrument or output performance information of the MIDI standard from the electronic musical instrument to other MIDI equipment or the like. The other MIDI equipment may be of any desired type (or operating type), such as the keyboard type, guitar type, wind instrument type, percussion instrument type or gesture type, as long as it can generate data of the MIDI format in response to operation by a user of the equipment. The communication interface is connected to a wired or wireless communication network (not shown), such as a LAN, Internet, telephone line network, via which the communication interface is connected to the external performance information generating equipment (e.g., server computer). Thus, the communication interface functions to input various information, such as a control program and performance information, from the server computer to the electronic musical instrument. Namely, the communication interface is used to download particular information, such as a particular control program or performance information, from the server computer in a case where such particular information is not stored in the ROM 2, external storage device 4 or the like. In such a case, the electronic musical instrument, which is a “client”, sends a command to request the server computer to download the particular information, such as a particular control program or performance information, by way of the communication interface and communication network. In response to the command from the client, the server computer delivers the requested information to the electronic musical instrument via the communication network. The electronic musical instrument receives the particular information via the communication interface and accumulatively stores it into the external storage device 4 or the like. In this way, the necessary downloading of the particular information is completed.
Note that where the interface 9 is in the form of a MIDI interface, the MIDI interface may be implemented by a general-purpose interface rather than a dedicated MIDI interface, such as RS232-C, USB (Universal Serial Bus) or IEEE1394, in which case other data than MIDI event data may be communicated at the same time. In the case where such a general-purpose interface as noted above is used as the MIDI interface, the other MIDI equipment connected with the electronic musical instrument may be designed to communicate other data than MIDI event data. Of course, the performance information handled in the present invention may be of any other data format than the MIDI format, in which case the MIDI interface and other MIDI equipment are constructed in conformity to the data format used.
The electronic musical instrument shown in
Once the execution of the tone synthesis function is started, performance information is sequentially supplied from an input section J2 to a rendition style synthesis section J3. The input section J2 includes the performance operator unit 5 that generates performance information in response to performance operation by the human operator, and a sequencer (not shown) that supplies, in accordance with a performance progression, performance information prestored in the ROM 2 or the like. The performance information supplied from the input section J2 includes at least performance event data, such as note-event data and note-off event data (these event data will hereinafter be generically referred to as “note information”), and control data, such as vibrato speed data and vibrato depth data. Namely, examples of the dynamics information input via the input section J2 include one generated in real time on the basis of performance operation on the performance operator unit 5 (e.g., after-touch sensor output data generated in response to depression of a key) and one based on previously stored or programmed automatic performance information. Upon receipt of performance event data, control data, etc., the rendition style synthesis section J3 generates “rendition style information”, including various information necessary for tone synthesis, by, for example, segmenting a tone, corresponding to note information, into partial sections or portions, such as an attack portion, sustain tone portion (or body portion) and release portion and identifying a start time of the sustain tone portion, and converting the received control data. During that time, the rendition style synthesis section J3 selects a later-described “unit”, to be applied to the sustain tone portion corresponding to the input dynamics information and pitch information, by reference to a data table located in a database (waveform memory) Ji and then adds, to the rendition style information, information indicative of the selected unit. Tone synthesis section J4 reads out, on the basis of the “rendition style information” generated by the rendition style synthesis section J3, waveform data (later-described normal unit, vibrato unit, or the like) from the database J1 and then performs tone synthesis on the basis of the read-out waveform data, so as to output a tone. Namely, the tone synthesis section J4 performs tone synthesis while switching between waveform data in accordance with the “rendition style information”.
Next, with reference to
In the database J1, there are stored, as “units”, sets of waveform data to be applied sustain tone portions and data related to the sets of waveform data. Each of the units is a waveform unit that can be processed as a data block during tone synthesis processing. As seen in (a) of
Further, different sets of waveform data are used (stored) in association with various rendition styles (such as normal, vibrato and pitch bend rendition styles) applied to sustain tone portions, namely, in association with later-described various embodiments of the “tone synthesis processing” (to be later described in relation to
In the “auto vibrato body synthesis processing” corresponding to an auto vibrato rendition style (see FIGS. 8 to 10), there is used a “unit” where a set of waveform data of a plurality of cycles (or a plurality of sections) is recorded for one vibrato period or cycle (such waveform data will hereinafter be referred to as “vibrato-imparted waveform data”, and the unit will hereinafter be referred to as “vibrato unit”), as shown in (c) of
Further, in the “manual vibrato (or bend) body synthesis processing” corresponding to a manual vibrato (or bend) rendition style (see
Note that the waveform data set for the normal unit is not limited to a waveform of one cycle and may comprise a waveform of two or more cycles; alternatively, a waveform of less than one cycle, such as a ½ cycle may be stored as the waveform data set of the normal unit, as conventionally known in the art. Similarly, the waveform data set for the manual vibrato (or bend) is not limited to a waveform of one cycle. Further, the waveform data set for the vibrato unit may cover a plurality of vibrato cycles rather than one vibrato cycle; alternatively, it may cover less than one vibrato cycle, such as a ½ vibrato cycle.
Among a group of data to be stored in the database J1 for each of the “units” in addition to the waveform data are the dynamics value of the original waveform data, pitch information (i.e., information indicative of an original pitch and information indicative of a pitch shift relative to the original pitch) and other information. Further, in the “vibrato unit” where all waveform data covering one vibrato cycle are recorded, there is recorded information, such as the length, average power value, etc. of the unit as information of the one vibrato cycle. Such a data group can be managed collectively as a “data table”. In the vibrato unit, as noted above, pitch information (pitch shift information) is attached to the individual waveform data so that waveform data corresponding to a desired pitch shift can be searched out.
Next, a description will be given about several embodiments of the tone synthesis processing for generating a sustain tone portion using a unit stored in the above-mentioned database J1.
First, the “normal dynamics body synthesis processing” for generating a tone using a normal unit selected in accordance with dynamics information will be described with reference to
At step S1, a determination is made as to whether a waveform currently being synthesized has reached the end of the attack portion, or whether a time corresponding to a boundary between predetermined time intervals (e.g., 25 ms intervals) has arrived after the currently-synthesized waveform reached the end of the attack portion. If the currently-synthesized waveform has not yet reached the end of the attack portion, or if a boundary between the predetermined time intervals (e.g., 25 ms intervals) has not yet arrived (NO determination at step S1), the normal dynamics body synthesis processing of
Now, the tone synthesis procedure by the above-described “normal dynamics body synthesis processing” (
For example, the end of an attack portion occurs at time a, a dynamics value input at that time is acquired, and one normal unit B is selected, on the basis of the already-acquired note information (i.e., tone pitch “C3”) and newly-acquired input dynamics value, from among a plurality of normal units (A-F, . . . ) stored for the pitch (C3) in the database, to thereby generate rendition style information. Then, the waveform data set of the normal unit B is read out repetitively, on the basis of the generated rendition style information, to generate a tone waveform of the sustain portion. During that time, crossfade synthesis may be performed as necessary between the waveform at the end of the preceding attack portion and the waveform of the succeeding normal unit B; such crossfade synthesis permits smooth switching between the waveforms. The crossfade synthesis permit smooth switching between the waveforms. Then, once a boundary between the predetermined time intervals (25 ms intervals) arrives at time b, a dynamics value input at that time is acquired, and one normal unit E corresponding to the newly-acquired input dynamics value is selected from among the normal units (A-F, . . . ) stored for the pitch (C3) in the database, to thereby generate rendition style information. Then, the waveform data set of the normal unit E is read out repetitively, on the basis of the generated rendition style information, to generate a tone waveform of the sustain portion. During that time, crossfade synthesis may be performed as necessary between the waveform of the waveform of the preceding normal unit B and the waveform of the succeeding normal unit E. Then, once another boundary between the predetermined time intervals (25 ms intervals) arrives at time c, a dynamics value input at that time is acquired, and one normal unit D corresponding to the newly-acquired input dynamics value is selected from among the normal units (A-F, . . . ) stored for the pitch (C3) in the database, to thereby generate rendition style information. Then, the waveform data set of the normal unit D is read out repetitively on the basis of the generated rendition style information. During that time, crossfade synthesis may be performed as necessary between the waveform of the preceding normal unit E and the waveform of the succeeding normal unit D. In the aforementioned manner, the “normal dynamics body synthesis processing” is arranged to synthesize a tone of a sustain portion while switching, in accordance with the dynamics information, the normal unit to be used from one to another every predetermined time (25 ms). The time period over which the crossfade synthesis is performed is not limited to 25 ms and may be shorter or longer than 25 ms.
Next, a description will be given about the “manual vibrato (or bend) body synthesis processing” for generating a tone of a sustain portion, representative of a vibrato or pitch bend rendition style, by selecting a waveform in accordance with a combination of dynamics information and pitch bend information, with reference to
At step S11 of
Next, a description will be given about a tone synthesis procedure carried out by the “manual vibrato (bend) body synthesis processing” (see
Assuming that time t1 is when the end of the attack portion occurs or a boundary between the predetermined time intervals (50 ms intervals) occurs following the end of the attack portion, the latest input dynamics value is acquired, and a group of bend units (or one vibrato unit) corresponding to the acquired input dynamics value is selected, in accordance with the previously-acquired note information and the acquired input dynamics value, from among a plurality of groups of bend units (or vibrato units) prestored in the database for the tone pitch in question. Then, in accordance with the current latest pitch modulation information, one bend unit (or waveform data set of a partial section of the vibrato unit) (e.g., block “2” in (c) of
Next, a description will be given about the “auto vibrato body synthesis processing”, with reference to
At step S21 of
The following paragraphs describe in detail an example of the processing carried out at step S24 in the above-described “auto vibrato body synthesis processing” (see
In (a) of
The waveform to be synthesized may be set to have the same pitch and amplitude envelope as the original vibrato unit. Alternatively, an amplitude envelope and pitch variation envelope, having been subjected to time-axial expansion/compression control as illustrated in (b) or (c) of
In the present invention, which is characterized by acquiring input dynamics values intermittently at predetermined time intervals when a tone of a sustain portion (i.e., sustain tone portion) is to be generated, the predetermined time intervals need not necessarily be constant time intervals throughout generation of the tone. Namely, the time intervals may be varied appropriately, e.g. 20 ms intervals at the beginning, 30 ms intervals several interrupt timing later and 40 ms intervals another several interrupt timing later. Even with such varying time intervals, it is possible to achieve the objects and advantageous results of the present invention.
It should also be appreciated that the waveform data employed in the present invention may be of any desired type without being limited to those constructed as rendition style modules in correspondence with various rendition styles as described above. Further, the waveform data of the individual units may of course be either data that can be generated by merely reading out waveform sample data based on a suitable coding scheme, such as the PCM, DPCM or ADPCM, or data generated using any one of the various conventionally-known tone waveform synthesis methods, such as the harmonics synthesis operation, FM operation, AM operation, filter operation, formant synthesis operation and physical model tone generator methods. Namely, the tone generator 8 in the present invention may employ any of the known tone signal generation methods such as: the memory readout method where tone waveform sample value data stored in a waveform memory are sequentially read out in accordance with address data varying in response to the pitch of a tone to be generated; the FM method where tone waveform sample value data are acquired by performing predetermined frequency modulation operations using the above-mentioned address data as phase angle parameter data; and the AM method where tone waveform sample value data are acquired by performing predetermined amplitude modulation operations using the above-mentioned address data as phase angle parameter data. Namely, the tone signal generation method employed in the tone generator 8 may be any one of the waveform memory method, FM method, physical model method, harmonics synthesis method, formant synthesis method, analog synthesizer method using a combination of VCO, VCF and VCA, analog simulation method, and the like. Further, instead of constructing the tone generator 8 using dedicated hardware, the tone generator circuitry 8 may be constructed using a combination of the DSP and microprograms or a combination of the CPU and software. Furthermore, a plurality of tone generation channels may be implemented either by using a single circuit on a time-divisional basis or by providing a separate dedicated circuit for each of the channels.
Further, the present invention is not limited to the arrangements that waveform data sets, each comprising a plurality of sections of different pitches, are stored as individual vibrato units in the database as described in relation to the “auto vibrato body synthesis processing” (i.e., third embodiment described above in relation to
Further, the tone synthesis method in the above-described tone synthesis processing may be either the so-called playback method where existing performance information is acquired in advance prior to arrival of an original performance time and a tone is synthesized by analyzing the thus-acquired performance information, or the real-time method where a tone is synthesized on the basis of performance information supplied in real time.
Further, the method employed in the present invention for connecting together waveforms of a plurality of units sequentially selected and generated in a time-serial manner is not limited to the crossfade synthesis and may, for example, be a method where waveforms of generated units are mixed together via a fader means.
Furthermore, in the case where the above-described tone synthesis apparatus of the present invention is applied to an electronic musical instrument, the electronic musical instrument may be of any type other than the keyboard instrument type, such as a stringed, wind or percussion instrument type. The present invention is of course applicable not only to the type of electronic musical instrument where all of the performance operator unit, display, tone generator, etc. are incorporated together within the body of the electronic musical instrument, but also to another type of electronic musical instrument where the above-mentioned components are provided separately and interconnected via communication facilities such as a MIDI interface, various networks and/or the like. Further, the tone synthesis apparatus of the present invention may comprise a combination of a personal computer and application software, in which case various processing programs may be supplied to the tone synthesis apparatus from a storage medium, such as a magnetic disk, optical disk or semiconductor memory, or via a communication network. Furthermore, the tone synthesis apparatus of the present invention may be applied to automatic performance apparatus, such as karaoke apparatus and player pianos, game apparatus, and portable communication terminals, such as portable telephones. Further, in the case where the tone synthesis apparatus of the present invention is applied to a portable communication terminal, part of the functions of the portable communication terminal may be performed by a server computer so that the necessary functions can be performed cooperatively by the portable communication terminal and server computer. Namely, the tone synthesis apparatus of the present invention may be arranged in any desired manner as long as it can use predetermined software or hardware, arranged in accordance with the basic principles of the present invention, to synthesize a tone while appropriately selecting each unit to be used by switching between normal or vibrato units stored in the database.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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2005-195104 | Jul 2005 | JP | national |