JP3324409B2 - Music processing method and apparatus - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention belongs to the technical field of effect processing for giving an effect to a musical tone signal, and more particularly to a microprocessor resource for executing the effect processing and other processing by the same microprocessor. For effective distribution of

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In today's electronic musical instruments, an effect processing such as a DSP (Digital Signal Processor) for giving a predetermined or desired effect (for example, a delay system effect such as reverb) to a tone signal is performed. Microprocessors that perform the following are widely adopted.

[0003]

When such a microprocessor executes only the effect processing and does not execute other processing, all the microprocessor resources can be used for the effect processing. However, if the effect applying process and other processes are executed in parallel, or if both the effect applying process and other processes are executed within a predetermined time, the amount of calculation required for the other processes is time-consuming. , The sum of the amount of computation required for effect processing and the amount of computation required for other processing exceeds the computational capability of the microprocessor, or conversely, the total amount of computation falls significantly below the computational capability. In some cases, the computing power of the microprocessor was not fully utilized.

[0004] The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and provides a method and apparatus for effectively allocating microprocessor resources when effect processing and other processing are executed by the same microprocessor. It is something to offer.

[0005]

According to a first tone processing method of the present invention, an effect process for giving an effect to a supplied tone signal and other processes are executed by the same microprocessor. A first step of controlling the contents of the effect processing in accordance with the amount of computation required for the other processing; and a step of controlling the effect of the supplied tone signal with the contents controlled in the first step. And a second step of executing processing.

A first tone processing apparatus according to the present invention comprises an effect processing for giving an effect to a supplied tone signal, processing means for executing other processing, and an operation amount required for the other processing. And control means for controlling the contents of the effect processing executed by the processing means.

When the amount of calculation required for other processes changes with time, the content of the effect process is controlled according to the amount of calculation, and the effect process is executed with the controlled content. That is, for example, when the amount of calculation required for other processing is relatively large, control is performed such that the content of the effect processing is set to a lower grade, so that the effect processing is executed with the lower grade content. Therefore, the amount of calculation required for effect processing is reduced,
More computing power of the microprocessor can be allocated for other processing. On the other hand, for example, when the amount of calculation required for other processing is relatively small, control is performed to set the content of the effect processing to a high grade, so that the effect processing is executed with the high-grade content. Therefore, a sophisticated effect is given to the musical tone signal. In this way, an effective distribution of the microprocessor resources is achieved.

Next, a second tone processing method according to the present invention is a tone processing method in which an effect process for giving an effect to a supplied tone signal and other processes are executed by the same microprocessor. , Select effect type
The first step, and the selected effect type.
A second step of setting the grade of the operation, and selecting the supplied tone signal in the first step.
Effect processing corresponding to the selected effect type
Execute according to the operation grade set in two steps
A third step, wherein the gray of the set operation is
The effect processing executed in accordance with the
Of the effect processing corresponding to the effect type
Part of the algorithm to the set operation grade
Therefore , the present invention is characterized in that it includes one that includes deletion .

Further, the second tone processing apparatus according to the present invention comprises a processing means for executing the effect process of giving an effect to the supplied tone signal and the other processing, Effects
Control means for selecting the effect type and the selected effect
Means for setting the grade of the operation for the selected effect type.
The corresponding effect processing to the set operation grade
According to the set operation grade.
The effect processing to be executed is based on the selected effect.
Algorithm for the effect processing corresponding to the effect type
Part of the program is deleted according to the set operation grade.
It is characterized by including .

When the performer selectively designates the grade of the effect processing, the effect processing is executed with the contents corresponding to the grade, thereby giving an effect to the musical tone signal. Therefore, for example, as in the first tone processing method and apparatus described above, the player can specify the grade according to the amount of computation required for other processing, or can actually listen to the performance sound to which the effect has been added. While the player adjusts the grade at any time, effective allocation of the microprocessor resources is also achieved.

Next, a third tone processing method according to the present invention is a tone processing method in which effect processing for giving an effect to a supplied tone signal and other processing are executed by the same microprocessor. A first step of detecting a volume level of a supplied tone signal; and, if the volume level is equal to or more than a predetermined value, performing the effect processing on the tone signal. A second step of omitting the effect processing on the tone signal when the value is less than a predetermined value.

A third tone processing apparatus according to the present invention executes a detecting means for detecting a volume level of a supplied tone signal, an effect process for giving an effect to the tone signal, and other processes. And a command unit for instructing the processing unit to omit the execution of the effect process when the volume level detected by the detection unit is less than a predetermined value. .

When a tone signal is supplied, the volume level of the tone signal is detected. If the detected volume level is less than a predetermined value, the effect processing for the tone signal is omitted. Therefore, when the volume level is less than a predetermined value (for example, when the volume level is zero or a very small value such as when no sound is generated), the processing power of the microprocessor is not wasted for effect processing without wasting. , All the computing power of the microprocessor can be allocated for other processing. As a result, effective allocation of the microprocessor resources is also achieved.

[0014]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the following description, both a computer program describing a tone generation process for generating a tone signal and a computer program describing an effect process are replaced by a CPU (Central Processing Unit) in place of a sound source LSI and DSP as hardware. ) Is applied to the present invention. Here, such a tone generation processing method and an effect processing method are collectively referred to as a CPU sound source or a software sound source.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of an electronic musical instrument 18 equipped with a software sound source to which the present invention is applied. The electronic musical instrument 18 is composed of, for example, a personal computer base, and based on performance information in a MIDI format output from another MIDI musical instrument (not shown) in accordance with the performance of the player, a musical tone generation process (the MIDI A process of generating tone waveform data having tone characteristics such as a pitch and a tone indicated by the information) and an effect process (a process of adding a picture indicated by the MIDI information or indicated by a panel operation to the tone) ) Is executed by the CPU 1 of the personal computer.

The CPU 1 includes a MIDI interface 2, a ROM (read only memory) 3, a RAM (random access memory) 4,
Timer 5, keyboard 6, display 7, hard disk drive 8, and DMA (direct memory access)
Circuit 9 is connected via a data and address bus 10. The hard disk device 8 stores tone color data (for example, P
Waveform data recorded by the CM system).
The RAM 4 is provided with a storage area and the like for temporarily storing a generated tone signal to which an effect is added.

The DMA circuit 9 converts the musical tone signal temporarily stored in the RAM 4 into a reproduction sampling frequency (for example, 48 kHz) of a D / A (digital / analog) converter 11.
1) according to the direct memory access method
The reproduction process is sequentially performed by reading out the samples from the RAM 4 and sending the samples to the D / A converter 11. As an example, the DMA circuit 9 executes this reproduction process in units of a 128-sample tone signal. The DMA circuit 9 sets a predetermined flag each time the reproduction process for the tone signal of each unit is started. The tone signal converted into an analog signal by the D / A converter 11 is supplied to a sound system 12 and acoustically generated.

The hard disk 8 may store not only waveform data but also various data such as automatic performance data and chord progression data, and may further store the operation program. By storing the operation program in the hard disk 8 without storing the operation program in the ROM 3 and reading the operation program into the RAM 4, the CPU 1 can perform the same operation as when the operation program is stored in the ROM 3. Can be. By doing so, it is possible to easily add an operation program or upgrade the version. As one of the detachable external recording media, a CD-ROM (compact disk) 13 may be used. The CD-ROM 13 stores automatic performance data, chord progression data, musical sound waveform data, and the like in the same manner as described above. Various data and an arbitrary operation program may be stored. The operation programs and various data stored in the CD-ROM 13 are read out by the CD-ROM drive 14 and can be transferred and stored in the hard disk 8. This makes it possible to easily perform new installation and version upgrade of the operation program.
Of course, CD-RO can be used as an external recording medium.
M, floppy disk, magneto-optical disk (M
O) and the like can be used.

Further, the communication interface 15 is connected to the bus 10
And through the communication interface 15 to the LAN
(Local Area Network), the Internet, a telephone line, or other communication network 16, and an appropriate server computer 17 may be connected via the communication network 16. Thus, when the operation program and various data are not stored in the hard disk 8, the server computer 1
7, the operation program and various data can be received and downloaded to the hard disk 8. In that case, from the electronic musical instrument 18 serving as the client,
A command requesting download of an operation program and various data is transmitted to the server computer 17 via the communication interface 15 and the communication network 16.
Upon receiving this command, the server computer 17 transmits the requested operation program and data to the communication network 1.
6 to the electronic musical instrument 18. The electronic musical instrument 18 receives these operation programs and data via the communication interface 15 and stores them in the hard disk 8 to complete the download.

The electronic musical instrument 18 according to the embodiment of the present invention.
May be realized by using a commercially available personal computer and installing an operation program and various data corresponding to the present invention. In that case, the operating program and various data corresponding to the present invention are provided to the user in a state of being stored in a storage medium, such as a CD-ROM or a floppy disk, which can be read by a personal computer. When the personal computer is connected to a communication network such as a LAN, the operation program and various data may be provided to the personal computer via the communication network as described above.

FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the basic principle of a software sound source. The CPU 1 receives the MIDI interface 2 input in each section in units of a predetermined time length.
Based on the performance information from, the tone generation process with the number of sound channels corresponding to the number of tones to be simultaneously generated and the effect process on the generated tone signal are executed in the next section of the section. The DMA circuit 9 executes a reproduction process in a section next to the section in units of a tone signal generated and effected for each section in this way. (For example, based on the performance information input in the section from time T1 to T2, the tone generation processing is executed in the section from time T2 to T3, and the reproduction processing is executed in the section from time T3 to T4.) The length of one section is DM
This is the product of the number of samples taken as one unit of the reproduction processing by the A circuit 9 and the reproduction sampling period. In the above example, 128 ÷ 4
8000 ≒ 0.0027 seconds.

Since the reproduction process needs to be executed continuously without interruption for each section in order to generate the musical sound without interruption, the CPU 1 causes the DMA circuit 9 to execute the reproduction process in each section 128. For the sample tone signal, the tone generation process and the effect process must be completed within the immediately preceding section. However, the amount of calculation required for the musical sound generation processing has a feature that it greatly fluctuates in each section due to, for example, a temporal change in the number of sounding channels according to input performance information. (On the other hand, the amount of calculation required for the effect processing is performed on the signal generated by accumulating the signals generated in each sounding channel, and therefore does not vary depending on the number of sounding channels.) The processing of the sound source must be executed in multitasking in parallel with the processing of other application software.

The above is the basic principle of the software sound source. However, the operation timing of the software sound source need not be exactly as shown in FIG. That is, for example, the musical sound generation processing and the effect processing based on the performance information input within a predetermined number of continuous sections may be collectively executed in one section. It may be changed over time. In this electronic musical instrument, the content of the effect processing is controlled in accordance with the amount of calculation required for processing of such other application software and the amount of calculation required for musical tone generation processing, thereby effectively allocating CPU resources. It is intended to execute a tone generation process and an effect process in such a software sound source. Next, an example of the tone generation processing will be described with reference to FIG.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a main routine executed by the CPU 1. In the main routine,
After the predetermined initialization (step S1), it is determined whether or not the received data is stored in the input buffer in the RAM 4 (step S2). If the received data is stored, the received data processing is executed (step S3). . For receiving data processing,
For example, note-on event processing based on a note-on signal from the MIDI interface 2 and note-off event processing based on a note-off signal from the MIDI interface 2 are included.

Subsequently, it is determined whether there is an operation event of a panel switch provided on the keyboard 6 (step S).
4) If there is an operation event, a panel switch event process is executed (step S5). The panel switch event process includes, for example, a tone color selection process based on an operation of a tone color selection switch, a process of selecting an effect type based on an operation of an effect switch, and the like. Subsequently, "sound source processing" (step S6) for generating a tone signal and other processing (step S7) are executed, and thereafter, the processing of steps S2 to S7 is repeated.

The received data processing in step S3 is performed by the MID
The determination is started in step S2 on the condition that the data received from the I interface 2 has been written into the input buffer, and the writing is started as shown in FIG. 4 every time the data received from the MIDI 2 is generated. This is performed by executing the “highest priority interrupt processing”. In this interrupt processing, when received data is generated, the received data is fetched in a first step S11. In a succeeding step S12, the received reception data is written into an input buffer in the RAM 4 together with time data indicating the current time. The reason for writing the time data is that the writing of the received data to the input buffer is performed immediately each time the received data is generated, but the processing in the main routine for the received data written to the input buffer is not performed immediately. The purpose is to be able to identify when received data has occurred. FIG. 5 shows an example of the storage area of the input buffer. In this example, “data 1”, “data 2”, “data 3”, which are areas for writing received data together with time data for each case, and “event number”, an area for writing the number of received data, are included. Is provided.

FIG. 6 shows an example of the note-on event process in the received data process. In this process, in the first step S21, data indicating the note number, velocity and tone color part and time data are read from the input buffer and stored in predetermined registers.
In the following step S22, a tone generation channel for generating a tone signal corresponding to the note number is assigned. In the following step S23, the timbre data previously selected for the timbre part by the timbre selection process of the panel switch event process (step S5 in FIG. 3) is read out from the timbre data area of the RAM 4, and the timbre data is stored in the note number and the note number. Process according to velocity. FIG. 7 shows an example of the R
An example of the content of the tone color data stored in the tone color data area of AM4 is shown. In this example, the timbre data includes waveform data for a plurality of cycles for each predetermined tone range, data for controlling the envelope, data for controlling the touch, and other data.

In the following step S24, the processed timbre data (including the data indicating the tone signal generation algorithm and the data for controlling the pitch) is added to the R data together with the time data.
Writing to the tone generator register for the tone generation channel assigned to the tone generation in AM4. Finally, in step S25, data indicating note-on is written to the tone generator register. And return. FIG. 8 shows an example of a storage area of the tone generator register. In this example, tone generator registers for 32 channels are provided, and each tone generator register is provided with an area for writing note number, waveform data, envelope control data, note-on, time data, and other data, and a working area. ing. The other data includes data indicating the algorithm of the effect selected in the panel switch event processing.

Next, "sound source processing" (step S in FIG. 3)
FIG. 9 shows an example of 6). In this process, in the first step S31, the contents stored in the tone generator register (see FIG. 8) for each sounding channel are checked, and the subsequent step S32
Then, it is determined whether or not there has been any new writing in the tone generator register for any of the tone generation channels. If there is a tone generator register in which new writing has been performed due to execution of the note-on event processing (FIG. 6) and the like, step S33
The data in the tone generator register is reserved as a target of the tone generation processing and the effect processing in the section next to the current section. Then, the process proceeds to step S34. On the other hand, if there is no new writing, the process proceeds directly from step S32 to step S34.

In step S34, the DMA circuit 10
Every time the reproduction process for the tone signal for 28 samples is started (that is, each time the section is shifted to the next section).
Check the aforementioned flag to set. Subsequently, in a step S35, it is determined whether or not the flag is set (that is, whether or not a transition to a new section is made).

If the flag is not set, the routine returns as it is, and the processing of steps S7, S2 to S5 of the main routine (FIG. 3) and the processing of steps S31 to S35 of the "sound source processing" are repeated until the flag is set. When the flag is set, the process proceeds from step S35 to step S36, where the maximum operation amount required for processing the software sound source in the section (the operation amount required for the musical sound generation process and the type of the type selected in the panel switch event process (FIG. 3)) When the content of the effect processing is set to the highest grade, the total of the effect processing and the calculation amount required for the effect processing is calculated. For example, the maximum calculation amount may be calculated as an amount proportional to the number of sounding channels reserved in step S33. Then, depending on the calculated maximum operation amount and the operation amount permitted for processing the software sound source in one section, control of the sound generation of some sounding channels (when the maximum operation amount exceeds the allowable operation amount, And / or mute the sound of some of the sound channels) and / or control the contents of the effect processing.

By the way, the effect processing has an advantage that, even if the processing content is set to a lower grade, the degree of the effect on the audibility is small as compared with the musical sound generation processing. It is preferable to control the contents. Therefore, the description will be given here assuming that only the content of the effect processing is controlled. However, control of the contents of the effect processing requires a certain transition time until the contents of the processing are increased or decreased, whereas control of the sound generation channel immediately completes the mute processing. There is an advantage that can be. Therefore, when the control needs to be performed urgently, the control of the sound generation of the sound generation channel should be performed with priority.

In this case, the amount of operation allowed for processing of the software sound source in one section depends on the operation capability of the CPU 1 and the operation required for processing of application software executed by the CPU 1 in parallel with the processing of the software sound source. It shall be determined according to the quantity. Therefore, if the type of application software is different, the allowable calculation amount is different. Further, even if the type of application software is the same, the required amount of calculation may fluctuate over time. Therefore, it is desirable to set the allowable amount of calculation to be slightly smaller so as to provide a margin.

However, as another example, this allowable calculation amount is
The player may arbitrarily set the calculation within the range of the calculation capability of the CPU 1. Further, the change characteristic of the allowable calculation amount may be arbitrarily set by the player so that the allowable calculation amount changes with time according to the progress of the performance.

FIG. 10 is a conceptual diagram for explaining the control of the contents of the effect processing. The allowable operation amount, the operation amount required for processing the software sound source, the operation amount required for the musical sound generation processing, and the operation amount required for the effect processing are described. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a relationship with a calculation amount. The maximum operation amount Z required for processing the software sound source (the sum of the operation amount Y required for the tone generation process and the operation amount B1 required for the effect processing when the effect processing content is set to the highest grade) is equal to the software sound source. In a range not exceeding the allowable calculation amount A for processing (a range from X0 to X1), the grade of the effect processing is set to the highest.

The maximum operation amount Z exceeds the allowable operation amount A because the operation amount Y required for the tone generation processing is large, but the difference between Z and A is B2 and the effect processing contents are the second highest grade. In a range (range from X1 to X2) that is not larger than the difference from the operation amount B2 required for the effect processing when is set to 2, the content of the effect processing is set to the second highest grade. As a result, the calculation amount required for processing the software sound source is Z- (B1−B2) ≦ Z− (ZA) = A, which is within the allowable calculation amount A.

On the other hand, the maximum operation amount Z exceeds the allowable operation amount A, and the difference between Z and A is larger than the difference between B1 and B2, but the contents of B1 and the effect processing are changed to the third highest grade. Calculation amount B required for effect processing when set
In a range not larger than the difference from 3 (X2 or later), the content of the effect processing is set to the third highest grade. As a result, the calculation amount required for processing the software sound source is Z- (B1−B3) ≦ Z− (ZA) = A, which is within the allowable calculation amount A. In this way, the calculation amount required for processing the software sound source falls within the allowable calculation amount A in any range.

Next, a specific mode of controlling the contents of the effect processing will be described with reference to a reverb which is a delay-type effect as an example. FIG. 11 shows the overall algorithm of reverb. Buffers XL, XR, and XX (XL is a buffer for a tone signal to be sent to the left-side sequence of the stereo without performing the effect processing, and XR is a buffer for effect processing.) XX is a buffer for the tone signal to be sent to the right stream of the stereo, and XX is a buffer for the tone signal to be subjected to the effect processing. By performing the processing of the reflection ER1, an initial reflection sound delayed by a predetermined time is obtained (101), and the initial reflection sound is added to the musical sound signals SL and SR read from the buffers XL and XR, respectively (102 and 103). Then, the tone signal SX
Is subjected to the early reflection ER2 process to obtain an initial reflected sound again (104), and the initial reflected sound is added to the tone signals SL and SR again (105 and 106).

Next, the tone signal SX delayed in this way is passed through the all-pass filters AP1 and AP2 (107, 108), and the six systems of comb filters CF1 to CF6 having different delay times are connected in parallel. Processing (109-114). Passing a plurality of comb filters having different delay times from each other in parallel causes the frequency characteristics to be wavy if only one comb filter is passed. This is because the degree of flattening increases as the number of comb filter systems increases. next,
The tone signal passed through each of the comb filters CF1 to CF6 is
The reverberation data having coarse delay time intervals is formed by synthesizing the signals by the mixers MixL and MixR, respectively (115, 116).

Next, the reverberation sound data formed by the mixer MixL is passed through the all-pass filters AP3 and AP5 having a shorter delay time than the comb filters CF1 to CF6, so that the reverberation with a fine delay time interval is achieved. Sound data is formed (117, 119), and the reverberation sound data is added to the tone signal SL (121). Also, Mix
Comb filter CF for the reverberation data formed by R
All-pass filter A with shorter delay time than 1 to CF6
By performing the process of passing through P4 and AP6, reverberation data with dense delay time intervals is formed (118, 12).
0), the reverberation data is added to the tone signal SR (1)
22). The tone signals SL 'and SR' obtained by adding the initial reflection sound and the reverberant sound to the tone signals SL and SR in this way are output to stereo left and right output buffers XL 'and XR', respectively. Written.

Maximum calculation amount required for processing the software sound source (the sum of the calculation amount required for the tone generation process and the calculation amount required for executing the entire algorithm as described above)
However, if it does not exceed the allowable operation amount for processing the software sound source, in step S36, the algorithm is set to be executed entirely (that is, the content of the reverb is set to the highest grade). On the other hand,
If the maximum operation amount exceeds the allowable operation amount, the reverb content is set to a gradually lower grade by deleting some blocks of the algorithm step by step in the following order. To go.

That is, as a first step, the block (114) of the comb filter CF6 is deleted. If the operation amount required for the software sound source is still larger than the allowable operation amount, the second step is to use a comb filter CF5
Block (113) is deleted. If the amount of operation required for the software sound source is still larger than the allowable amount of operation, the all-pass filter AP
Blocks 3 and AP4 (117, 118) are deleted.
Similarly, as a fourth step, the block (108) of the all-pass filter AP2 is deleted, and as a fifth step, the block (10) of the early reflection ER2 is deleted.
4) is deleted.

In this order, the blocks are deleted in the order of less influence on the audibility even if they are deleted. (Even if the number of systems of the comb filter is reduced from 6 to 5 or 4, there is a great obstacle to the flattening of the frequency characteristics. Since there is no effect, the effect on the auditory sense is small), and blocks are deleted in the order of the effect of reducing the amount of calculation (all-pass filters AP3 and AP before deleting blocks of the all-pass filter AP2).
4 is deleted from the viewpoint that two blocks can be deleted at a time, so the effect of reducing the amount of calculation is greater.

On the other hand, in the state where the contents of the reverb are set to a low grade by deleting the blocks as described above, the amount of calculation required for the tone generation processing is reduced, and the reverb grade becomes higher than the current level. If the calculation amount required for processing the software sound source no longer exceeds the allowable calculation amount, in step S36, the deleted blocks are restored in the order from the fifth stage to the first stage, contrary to the above-described order. As a result, the reverb content is gradually set to a higher grade.

As described above, the control of the content of the effect processing is, specifically, stepwise deleting some blocks of the algorithm of the effect processing, or conversely, recovering the deleted blocks stepwise. To control the amount of calculation of the effect processing. The state with a large amount of calculation is a high grade state, and the state with a small amount of calculation is a low grade state. The reverb is described here as an example, but for other types of effects (for example, chorus, flanger, phaser, etc.), the amount of computation is increased or decreased by deleting or restoring some blocks of the algorithm in the same way. Of course, you can do that.

In step S36, if some blocks of the algorithm of the effect processing are deleted (that is, the contents of the effect processing are set to a lower grade than before), the step of executing the effect processing ( In step S41 to be described later, the operation in the deleted block is not suddenly stopped, but the effect parameter is changed to gradually weaken the operation in the block. The operation is stopped in a state where the operation is sufficiently weak to such an extent that the influence of is little. Then, even while the operation in the block is gradually weakened, by changing the characteristic of the operation in the block other than the block, the influence on the auditory sense due to the change in the characteristic of the operation in the block (volume level) That unnatural changes in the sound are heard).

Similarly, in step S36, even when the block deleted so far is restored (ie, the content of the effect processing is set to a higher grade than before), the step of executing the effect processing is as follows. After initializing the block that has been deleted, the parameters of the effect are changed so that the operation in the block is gradually strengthened.

When step S36 is completed as described above, the process proceeds to step S37, in which a tone generation process is performed on the data reserved as a calculation target in step S33, thereby generating a tone signal (for one section). 128 musical tone signals).

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an outline of the algorithm of the musical sound generation processing. In the musical sound generation processing, first, data (201), which is read from the tone generator register and reserved as an operation target, generates an original waveform from the data.
A process (202) for controlling the timbre by performing a filter operation on the generated original waveform based on the information indicating the filter coefficient, and multiplying the waveform subjected to the filter operation by information indicating the amplitude (volume). (203) for each tone generation channel, the output sequence for a tone signal to be sent to the left sequence of the stereo without effect processing, and the right sequence of the stereo without effect processing. , And an output sequence for the tone signal to be subjected to the effect processing, and a total of three output sequences (see FIG. 11) for the tone signal.

Here, in the generation processing of the original waveform, generation is performed using a waveform generation method such as a waveform memory method, a frequency modulation method, and a harmonic synthesis method. In the filter operation, the filter coefficient is changed in accordance with performance information such as touch and the passage of time to control the timbre of a musical tone. Further, in the amplitude control, a volume envelope for controlling a temporal change of the volume from the start to the end of the tone of each tone channel is weighted at a ratio corresponding to each of the three output sequences, thereby providing three volume levels. Ask for information,
The input waveforms are sequentially multiplied by the two pieces of volume information in a time division manner. By appropriately adjusting this ratio, a stereo effect or a sound image localization effect can be obtained, and the volume of the sound to which the effect has been applied can be increased. Next, the tone signal of each sounding channel obtained by each of the above processes is converted into the above-mentioned 3
The output series is accumulated in a time-division manner and the accumulation results are stored in buffers XL, XR, and XX, respectively (20
4). FIG. 13 shows an example of the storage area of the buffers XL, XR, XX. 128 generated in each section
An area for storing a musical tone signal of a sample is provided.

Returning to FIG. 9, in step S38 following step S37, the grade of the effect processing that can complete the processing within the remaining time is obtained according to the remaining time of the section. In a succeeding step S39, it is determined whether or not the grade obtained in the step S38 is lower than the grade set in the step S36. If lower, step S40
To determine the grade of the effect processing in step S38.
Reset to the grade determined in. And step S41
Proceed to. On the other hand, if it is not lower than the grade set in step S36, it is left as it is (that is, step S36).
The process proceeds to step S41 (with the grade set in step S41). The reason for reviewing the grade of the effect processing is that, after the end of step S36, for some reason (for example,
CPU 1 took longer than expected for interrupt processing and the like of application software executed in parallel with processing of the software sound source), so that the effect processing was performed within the remaining time of the section if the grade set in step S36 was maintained. I thought that it might not be possible to complete.

In step S41, buffers XL, X
A tone signal is read from R and XX (see FIG. 13), and the tone signal is subjected to the effect processing of the type selected in the panel switch event process (FIG. 3) in step S36.
(In the case where the grade is set again in step S40), the processing is executed with the amount of calculation corresponding to the grade set in step S40. Then, the tone signal after the effect processing is output to output buffers XL ′ and X
Write to R '. Specific examples of effect processing
This is as described in detail with reference to FIG. 11 in the description of step S36. By executing the effect processing with the contents controlled as described above, the processing of the software sound source can be completed in each section in each section, and the processing of the application software being executed in parallel also has a problem. Will be able to run without any changes. In the last step S42, the output buffers XL ', X
The tone signal written to each of R ′ (S in FIG. 11)
The tone signal such as L ′, SR ′) is reserved in the DMA circuit 9 as a target for executing the reproducing process in the section next to the section. And return. The tone signal is subjected to the above-described reproduction processing by the DMA circuit 9 in a section next to the section.

As described above, in a section in which the amount of calculation required for processing of other application software and the amount of calculation required for tone generation processing are large, the effect processing contents are lower in grade than those in the case where the amount of calculation is small. By setting, the amount of calculation required for the effect processing is reduced, so that more calculation capacity of the CPU 1 can be allocated for other processing. On the other hand, in a section in which the amount of operation required for other processing is small, the effect processing is set to a higher grade as compared with the case where the amount of operation is large, so that a high-level effect is added to the tone signal. As a result, effective allocation of CPU resources is achieved.
In particular, when the number of simultaneous sounds is reduced, the sound to which the effect is applied becomes more audible. If the effect processing content is set to a high grade at that time, the effect on audibility is great.

Next, "sound source processing" (step S in FIG. 3)
Another example of 6) is shown in FIG. This process is the same as the process from step S31 to step S37 in FIG. 9 except that there is no process corresponding to step S36 in FIG. 9 from the step S51 to the tone generation process in step S56. Then, in a step S57 following the step S56, the buffer XX is set in the step S56.
The volume level of the tone signal (the tone signal to be subjected to the effect processing) stored in the memory is detected. In a succeeding step S58, it is determined whether or not the detected volume level is lower than a predetermined threshold. As an example, this threshold value is set to a level (zero or a very small value that cannot be recognized audibly) when the tone signal is not sounded. If it is equal to or more than the threshold, the process proceeds to step S60, and the effect process selected by operating the effect switch is executed. The tone signal to which the effect has been added in step S60 is written into the output buffers XL 'and XR' for the left and right stereo systems, and in the last step S61, the waveforms of the output buffers XL 'and XR' are A reservation is made in the DMA circuit 9 as a target for executing the reproduction process in the next section. And return.

On the other hand, if it is less than the threshold value, step S59
Then, after instructing to omit the effect process, the process proceeds to step S60. In step S60, the effect processing is omitted in accordance with the instruction of the omission. Thus, in step S61, the tone signals stored in the buffers XL and XR and to which no effect is applied (tone signals such as SL and SR in FIG. 11) are output as they are to the output buffers XL 'and XL' for the left and right stereo systems. An XR 'tone signal is reserved in the DMA circuit 9 as a reproduction processing target. As described above, in the section in which the volume level of the tone signal input to the effect is less than the predetermined threshold (for example, the section during non-sounding or the section with a very low volume level), the effect processing is omitted. Therefore, the entire computing power of the CPU 1 can be allocated to the tone generation processing and the processing of other application software without wasting the computing power of the CPU 1. As a result, effective allocation of CPU resources can be achieved.

In this embodiment, in step S36 of the "sound source processing", a part of the calculation depends on the maximum operation amount required for processing the software sound source and the operation amount permitted for processing the software sound source. Control of the sounding of the sounding channel or the content of the effect processing. However, in this step, the content of the tone generation processing of some sounding channels may be controlled according to the maximum calculation amount and the allowable calculation amount. In other words, if the maximum calculation amount exceeds the allowable calculation amount,
Control of the contents of the effect processing FIGS. 10 and 11
In the same manner as described above, the content of the tone generation processing may be gradually set to a lower grade by deleting the blocks of the tone generation algorithm for some of the tone generation channels.

Further, in this embodiment, the present invention is applied to a case where the same CPU executes the tone generation processing and the effect processing for the tone signal generated by the processing in parallel with the processing of other application software. Have applied. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a tone signal supplied from a source other than the CPU (for example, a tone signal reproduced by an audio device such as a compact disc player, a tone signal input from a macro phone and converted from analog to digital, or a sound signal) The present invention is applied to a program that causes the CPU to execute an effect process on a tone signal synthesized by software for synthesis or a tone signal generated by another CPU in a tone generation process in parallel with the process of other application software. Is also good. In this case, since the CPU does not execute the tone generation process, in step S36 of the “sound source process”, the allowable operation amount is compared with the operation amount required for the effect process to control the content of the effect process. To do. Or, conversely, the present invention may be applied to a case where only the musical sound generation processing and the effect processing are executed by the same CPU without executing the processing of other application software. In this case, the allowable calculation amount in step S36 of the “sound source processing” is determined only from the calculation capability of the CPU.

In this embodiment, the CP of the personal computer is used based on the data received from MIDI.
The present invention is applied to a software sound source that causes U to execute a tone generation process and an effect process. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and it goes without saying that the present invention may be applied to a software sound source that causes a CPU provided inside the electronic musical instrument itself to execute a tone generation process and an effect process. In this case, the CPU must execute the processing of the software sound source in parallel with the processing of the tone editor and the sequencer.
The allowable calculation amount in 6 is determined according to the calculation capability of the CPU 1 and the calculation amount required for processing by the tone color editor and the sequencer.

In this embodiment, the present invention is applied to a software sound source. However, in recent years, DSPs that can execute not only effect processing but also effect processing and other processing together (general purpose DS)
Since P) has appeared, the present invention may be applied to such a general-purpose DSP.

Finally, some embodiments of the present invention will be listed. (A) The musical tone according to claim 1, wherein the control of the content of the effect processing in the first step includes deleting some blocks of the algorithm of the effect processing and restoring the deleted blocks. Processing method. (B) The tone processing method according to (a), wherein the blocks are deleted in the order of the blocks having the least influence on the audibility. (C) The tone processing method according to (a), wherein the blocks are deleted in the order of the blocks having the greatest effect of reducing the amount of calculation. (D) The tone processing method according to any one of (a) to (c), wherein the operation in the block deleted in the first step is gradually weakened in the second step. . (E) The tone processing method according to (d), wherein the effect on the audibility due to the change in the operation characteristics of the deleted block is changed by changing the operation characteristics of the blocks other than the deleted block. .

(F) The tone processing method includes a tone generation process for generating a tone signal with the number of sound channels corresponding to the number of tones to be simultaneously generated for each interval in intervals of a predetermined time length; 4. A method for executing effect processing on a tone signal generated by the processing, wherein the first step and the second step are executed for each of the sections. e) The tone processing method according to any one of the above. (G) The tone processing method includes a tone generation process for generating a tone signal with the number of sounding channels corresponding to the number of tones to be simultaneously generated for each interval in units of intervals of a predetermined time length. 6. The musical sound processing method according to claim 5, wherein the method is a method of performing an effect process on the generated musical sound signal, wherein the first step and the second step are executed for each of the sections.

[0062]

As described above, according to the first musical sound processing method and apparatus according to the present invention, the effect processing for giving an effect to a musical sound signal and other processing such as a software sound source or a general-purpose DSP are performed. In the case where the same microprocessor executes the processing, if the amount of operation required for other processing is relatively large, a large amount of operation capacity of the microprocessor can be allocated for other processing, while the amount required for other processing is required. When the amount of calculation is relatively small, the effect processing can be executed with high-grade contents. Therefore, an excellent effect is achieved in that the effective allocation of the microprocessor resources can be achieved, and the highest quality effect that can be realized with a limited amount of computation can be given to the musical sound.

Further, according to the second tone processing method and apparatus according to the present invention, for example, the player can adjust the grade of the effect processing at any time while actually listening to the performance sound. The same effects as those of the method and the device are exhibited in a manner more adapted to the playing situation. Also,
According to the third tone processing method and apparatus according to the present invention,
In the case where the same microprocessor performs an effect process for giving an effect to a tone signal and other processes, such as a software sound source or a general-purpose DSP, when the volume level of the tone signal is less than a predetermined value, such as when no sound is produced, In some cases, the entire computing power of the microprocessor can be allocated for other processing without wasting the computing power of the microprocessor for effect processing. Therefore, there is an excellent effect that the microprocessor resources can be effectively allocated.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the basic principle of a software sound source.

FIG. 2 is an overall configuration processing diagram of an electronic musical instrument employing a software sound source according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a main routine executed by a CPU.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an interrupt process executed by a CPU.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of a storage area of an input buffer.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a note-on event process executed by a CPU.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of the content of timbre data.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of a storage area of a tone generator register.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a sound source process executed by a CPU.

FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a relationship between computation amounts required for each processing by a CPU.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a reverb algorithm.

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing an outline of an algorithm of a musical sound generation process.

FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating an example of a storage area of an output buffer.

FIG. 14 is a flowchart showing another example of the sound source processing executed by the CPU.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 CPU 2 MIDI 3 ROM 4 RAM 5 Timer 6 Keyboard 7 Display 8 Hard Disk Drive 9 DMA Circuit 10 Data and Address Bus 11 D / A Converter 12 Sound System

Claims (6)

(57) [Claims] 1. A musical sound processing method in which an effect processing for giving an effect to a supplied musical sound signal and other processing are executed by the same microprocessor. A tone processing method comprising: a first step of controlling the contents of the effect processing; and a second step of executing the effect processing on the supplied tone signal with the contents controlled in the first step. 2. An effect processing for giving an effect to the supplied musical tone signal, a processing means for executing other processing, and the effect executed by the processing means in accordance with a calculation amount required for the other processing. A tone processing apparatus comprising: control means for controlling the contents of processing. 3. A tone processing method in which an effect process for giving an effect to a supplied tone signal and other processes are executed by the same microprocessor, a first step of selecting an effect type, and a selecting step. Calculation grade for the selected effect type
A second step of setting and selecting the supplied tone signal in the first step
Effect processing corresponding to the effect type
Execute according to the operation grade set in the second step
A third step of performing the
The effect processing that is executed in accordance with the
The effect processing corresponding to the selected effect type
Part of the algorithm of the set operation grade
And a tone processing method including deleting the sound according to the following . 4. An effect processing for giving an effect to the supplied musical tone signal, processing means for executing other processing, an operation means for selecting an effect type, and an operation grade for the selected effect type To
And means for setting, the processing means is the selected
The effect processing corresponding to the effect type is set as described above.
Is executed according to the grade of the set operation, and the set operation is performed.
The effect processing executed according to the grade of
The effect corresponding to the selected effect type
Part of the algorithm of the
A sound processing device comprising deleting according to a rating. 5. A tone processing method in which effect processing for giving an effect to a supplied tone signal and other processing are executed by the same microprocessor, wherein a volume level of the supplied tone signal is detected. 1) performing the effect processing on the tone signal when the volume level is equal to or greater than a predetermined value; and performing the effect processing on the tone signal when the volume level is less than the predetermined value. And a second step for omitting the processing. 6. A detecting means for detecting a volume level of a supplied tone signal, an effect processing for giving an effect to the tone signal, a processing means for executing other processing, and a detecting means for detecting the sound level. A tone processing device comprising: an instruction unit that instructs the processing unit to omit the execution of the effect processing when the volume level is less than a predetermined value.