GB2091019A - Musical Learning Aid - Google Patents

Abstract

A musical learning aid having a microprocessor, an operator interface, a tone generator, and a speaker. The operator interface is designed and labelled so as to encourage the nontechnical musician operator to use the electronic device. The interface has the switches aligned in their respective position on the musical staff so that an operator who is not technically trained, but who is musically inclined, may readily ascertain the function as to pitch for a particular key. A separate area on the interface contains keys which control the musical operation of the device (e.g. duration, sharp, rest, etc.). The number of electronic operational keys, those which are not musically labelled nor musically connected, is reduced to a minimum. In this fashion, a musically trained operator or student readily determines the function of each particular key without extensive technical training. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Musical Learning Aid Background of the Invention This invention relates generally to music synthesizers and more particularly to a music synthesizer in which the interface is arranged to encourage nontechnical operators.

The creation, editing, and playback with music has and will be a science in and of itself. The traditional sciences of electronics, mathematics, mechanics, and physics have influenced or assisted this art little if any in the past. This inability of the hard sciences to effectuate change or to assist in music's evolution is due primarily to the different characteristics between the traditional scientists and the musician artist.

Whereas the scientist deals in hard provable facts, the musician is an artist who traditionally deals with a separate set of symbols, arrangements, and language.

Another impediment is the differing terminology and usage. Whereas the musician refers to time in half notes and the like, the scientist utilizes seconds and milliseconds. The differing terminology has led to a mistrust and an inability of one to assist the other.

Although some advances have been made in certain products or instruments of the musician, very little changes due to advancements in technology have occurred. Some of these changes which have been effectuated are such things as electronic organs, recording mediums, and other such devices. These devices do not require high technical expertise to be acquired by the musician prior to using the device.

Since the musician typically does not have the time or inclination to learn to interface with the advanced technology, a vast wealth of artistic ability and endeavor is not developed.

The devices which have been able to bridge the gap to the musical domain have utilized only the very basic of the technology available. One such device which incorporates technology into an accepted form for the musician is that of United States Patent No. 3,829, 597 issued August 13, 1974, to Peterson et al. In the Peterson patent the electronics for an organ was illustrated. It is obvious, that the keyboard of an organ is well used and well accepted by the musical community; but, the organ does not allow recording of the musical score for later playback and subsequent editing.

Numerous designs and structures have been developed in which the artist may enter a particular score and have it played back to him.

One such design was that of the United States Patent No. 3,905,267 issued September 16, 1975 to Vincent. This patent involved the use of an electronic player piano in which the score was recorded and could later be played back. It should be noted though, that the score itself, once entered into the player piano, was not readily editable by the artist; hence, should the artist desire to do such simplistic operations as change the duration of a particular note or change the tempo of the score, the artist would have to physically re-enter the entire score into memory.

This impedi'ment to ready change of the score results in an extremely inefficient use of the artist's time in the editing and development of a musical score so that the artist or novice is less inclined to interface with this device.

Additionally, this device does not allow a visual feedback to the artist of the stored or recorded notes in standard musical notation.

Numerous toys have been -:esigned which appeal to the juvenile intellect so as to encourage the child to interface and become exposed to the musical field. These toys, typically though, merely exposes the child or operator to a very narrow band of musical possibiiities. This limitation on the toy's range of operation makes the toy completely inappropriate for the serious musician.

One such example of this was disclosed in an advertisement appearing in Asian Sources Electronics of October 1979, on pp 79. This advertisement disclosed a toy type product by Joymore Ind. Company, Ltd. Model JM-206. This toy is designed to reach to the juvenile but does not provide the appropriate versatility, quality nor editability required by the serious artist or student who is attempting to compose a musical score.

Due to these limitations, the serious artist or student may not effectively interface with the electronic media so that a musical score may be entered, audibly evaluated and edited to the artist's whim without the need for high technological training.

Description of the Invention From the foregoing discussion it is clear that a quality electronic device, suitabie for musical editing, yet allowing the musical artist to interface thereto is not available even though there is a need in the art.

Since it is recognized that the musical world deals in a separate set of symbols and language from that of the technological world, this invention creates an operator interface in a structure in which the artist will feel comfortable and knowledgable about the function of the various keys and buttons positioned thereon. To accomplish this, the keys are placed relative to a musical staff or stave so that each key has a oneto-one relationship to the particular pitch it generates. A glance by the operator at the musical staff and keys, with which he is very accustomed and familiar, will inform him of the sound or pitch which is generated by the depression of a particular key.

Since each note involves both a pitch and a duration, spatially separated from the pitch keys are arranged the musical operation keys. These musical operation keys are labeled in standard fashion, that is in the same manner as the musician would normally encounter. As example, these keys contain information such as rest, triplets, ties, sharps, and the like.

The operation of the electronics within the device used to synthesize the music requires certain control keys to be positioned on the interface for the operator to monitor and control the device. The number of these control keys is minimized so as not to confuse or intimidate the nontechnical musician operator A control means accepts the input from the interface to either synthesize the music and/or store the musical score for use at a later time. The control means monitors the timing, operation, and input so as to perform accordingly.

Note that the operator is confronted with a configuration and labeling of the keys which is familiar and friendly to his musical training. This friendly relationship is particularly important to encourage the nontechnical musician to interface with the device. Without a friendly atmosphere, the device becomes useless since the intimidation experienced by the operator will overcome his desire to obtain the benefit which the device is capable of giving to the operator.

More specifically, the device of the invention is comprised of an operator interface or keyboard, coupled to a control means such as a microprocessor. The microprocessor communicates or directs the operation of a musical or sound synthesizer such a tone generator. The tone generator, which typically includes a digital to analog converter, communicates with a speaker or other audiotory means. Preferably, the control means additionally communicates to a display or operator communicating means to allow the control means to communicate with the operator certain information required for efficient operation of the device.

The control means has control and utilization of a memory means, such as a Random Access Memory (RAM). The RAM or memory means allows the control means to store a musical score in memory so that the score may be readily edited or altered by the operator at a later time. This ability to allow alteration or editing of the musical score is imperative whenever the device is used by the musician in his development of a musical score; in this fashion, the operator may vary particular elements in the score and then play back the score or portion thereof so as to evaluate the musical fit of the selection.

The operator interface must be friendly. That is, it must contain labeling and configuration with which the musician feels comfortable and knowledgable. The operation of each particular key must be apparent to the musician operator; hence, the preferable interface includes the construction of the plurality of keys having a oneto-one relationship to a selected range of pitches.

These keys are ideally labeled in their physicai position on a musical staff or stave. Physically separated from the pitch keys, so as not to be confused by the operator, is a second set of keys representing musical characteristics which may be attached to a particular pitch. These keys are labeled with the identical musical symbols which denote the musical characteristics found in a musical score. These musical characteristics are such things as the length of time for the pitch (i.e.

half-note, quarter-note, etc.), sharp or flat, triplet, or the like. As example only, the symbol for a whole note "0" is used to label the key, not the actual time which the electronics will utilize in producing this note, i.e. 500 milliseconds.

Certain operational keys for the electronics are necessary to control the device. The number of these keys should be kept at a feasible minimum so as not to intimidate the operator. These keys should be the only foreign symbol on the interface to the nontechnical musical operator upon initial exposure to the device. These electronic or control keys may serve such functions as backstep, start and stop, or other such operations.

As each key, regardless of its function, is depressed or activated, the information associated with its activation will be encoded electrically and communicated to the control means. Note, that from this point forward the operation of the mechanism is technological; but, since the interface itself is as musical in configuration as possible, the operator still feels friendly toward the device.

The encoding of the electrical signals from the switches may take various forms according to the particular configuration chosen. One such encoding scheme is described in the United States Patent No. 3,683,096 issued August 8, 1 972 to Peterson et al, incorporated herein by reference.

This encoded signal is communicated as input to the control means which will utilize it to create the proper musical pitch and duration sequence so as to recreate the musical score. One such control means which may be utilized in this situation is the TMS 1100 microcomputer commercially available from Texas Instruments Incorporated. The control means acts as a central brain which monitors the timing, tone, and function of the various components within the device.

The control means directs a music synthesizer as to the proper sequence of pitches, duration timing, tempo, etc. which the operator has chosen. Numerous devices for synthesiz'ng music exists which may be interfaced to this control means. One such device is United States Patent No.3,604,299 issued September 14,1971 to England, which is incorporated hereinto by reference.

Memory means are added to the device. When the musical score is entered by the operator via the keyboard and communicated to the control means the representation is stored therein. At a later time, the operator has the option to edit, modify, or develop the score further with the aid of the control means. As noted earlier, the ability to readily edit and alter a musical score is important so that the musical operator obtains the full advantage of the device and its technology. Numerous methods and means for storing this data on the musical score exist such as magnetic tape, Random Access Memory (RAM), or the like.

The actual formation and interconnection necessary for storing musical scores is well described in the United States Patent No.

4,215,619 issued August 5, 1 980, to Bundelman et al, and additionally in United States Patent No.

4,089,246 issued May 1 6, 1 978 to Kooker; both of these patents are incorporated hereinto by reference.

At particular times it is desirable for the control means to communicate to the operator certain information and data regarding the status of the operation. It is preferable therefore, to have an operator communicating means so that the control means is allowed to transfer data or information to the operator as to the status of operation. This operator communicating means may be a visual display means or an auditory device.

Since the device contains a music synthesizer, preferably the means for operator communicating is a visual display so as not to confuse the information or data being received by the operator with the musical tone being generated. Numerous devices exist which are effective for communicating to the operator as visual displays.

Examples of these devices are Light Emitting Diodes (LED), Liquid Crystal Displays (LCD), or gas discharge displays, The device of this invention is one which is encouraging for the musician or other operator which is not technically inclined. The operator enters a selected musical score in the same fashion as it appears on a staff or stave; the musical score is stored in memory; the operator either playsback this musical score or edits it. In this fashion, a device is created which permits the musical artist to enter, edit, and analyze auditorily his own creation.

In a similar manner, a musical novice enters an existing written score so that the performance thereof may be audibly evaluated. This allows a novice, one who cannot conceptivelly tie the written representation to its audible equivalent to comprehend the written representation.

The invention together with particular embodiments and operations will be more fully explained by the following drawings and their accompanying descriptions.

Brief Description of the Drawings Figure 1 is a functional schematic of an embodiment of the invention.

Figure 2 is a frontal view of an embodiment of the operator interface.

Figure 3 is an operational flow chart of an embodiment of the control means.

Figure 4a and 4b illustrate the encoding of an embodiment of the invention from a mucical score to key strokes.

Figure 5 schematically illustrates an embodiment of the invention's memory.

Figure 6 is a pictorial view of an embodiment of the invention utilizing the operator interface as depicted in Figure 2.

Detailed Description of the Drawings Figure 1 is an operational schematic of an embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, the keyboard 11 which acts as an operator interface communicates to the microprocessor 1 2 data from the musical operator. The microprocessor 12 acts as a control means in the monitoring of the timing and operation of the device. The keyboard 11 allows the operator to input data to the microprocessor 12 and hence, effectively directs the operation. The microprocessor 12 utilizes this operator data and either communicates it to the memory 14, to the tone generator 15, or to both.

The microprocessor 12 is digital in nature in that it receives discrete bits of data from the keyboard 11 and communicates in discrete bits.

Music is analog, continuous, in nature so the microprocessor 12 must utilize a music synthesizer 1 7 consisting essentially of a tone generator 1 5 with speaker 1 6.

The toner generator 1 5 utilizes the digital data from the microprocessor 12 to communicate the appropriate analog signal to the speaker 1 6. This analog signal produces the musical sound or pitch.

The microprocessor 12 also communicates data to the display 1 3. The display 13 provides a means for the microprocessor to communicate with the operator. The microprocessor 12 is therefore allowed to communicate such information as position within the musical score, questions requiring operator response, or the like to the operator.

In this embodiment the operator enters data via the keyboard 11 which is stored in the memory 14 and/or which is immediately generated by the music synthesizer 1 7 into a musical sound as directed by the microprocessor 1 2. The stored data is accesible to the microprocessor 12 so that it may be played back at the will of the operator.

Figure 2 is a frontal view of an embodiment of the operator interface illustrating the arrangement and labeling of the keys. In this embodiment the musical staff 22 is arranged near the center of the interface. The selected pitch keys 21 are arranged relative to the staff 22 so that their position indicates their pitch; in this fashion, the operator, at a glance, recognizes the pitches to which each of the keys is associated. Key 28, to a musician, represents middle C.

Separated from the pitch keys 21 are the musical operation keys 23. These musical operation keys 23 are associated with such operations as the half-note key 25 and are labeled in the same fashion as in a musical score. The control means, not shown, utilizes this to form the note, consisting of pitch and duration. The musical operation keys 23 allow such timing information as dot, triplet, tie, and also note characteristics such as sharp, flat or natural to be communicated.

Certain control keys such as 24, are used to direct the operation of the device via the control means. These control keys 24 relate to the electronics and their operation of the device. The number of control keys should be kept at a minimum so as to maintain the device in as familiar configuration as possible to the nontechnical musical operator.

This embodiment of the interface also contains a display segment 26 so that the control means may communicate appropriate information to the operator. This display 26 either communicates information relating to the electronic operation or may be representative of the musical score entered by the operator.

The speaker 27, associated with the musical synthesizer, is also located on the interface. This location allows the synthesized music to be readily communicated to the operator.

Incorporated in display 26 is a segmented musical note 29, preferably of liquid crystal displays. This particular configuration of the musical note 29 allows the full range of musical notations to be selectively represented.

Figure 3 is an operational flow chart of an embodiment of the control means. The control means, once activated, performs key scan 31 and decodes 32 any received data. Once decoded the data is analyzed as to its appropriate function 33.

This function 33, may be either PLAY, ERROR, MEMORY, DISPLAY, or NONE 34.

Typically, no data is received, NONE 34, in which case the control means loops back to continue monitoring for an input of operable data.

Should the function 33 be PLAY, the control means determines the pitch 38, duration 39, and if an autoplay is desired 40. In the situation of an autoplay the control means will play back the musical score and determine when a stop key scan 42 is encountered. Upon the occurance of a stop key scan 42 from the operator interface the control means returns to the key scan 31; otherwise, the control means loops and repeats the function playing the notes.

If an ERROR 35 has occurred either in the entry of data or in the operation of the device, an error message 35 will be communicated to the operator. This self-check prevents the operator from entering an unintelligible sequence of data.

If the data indicates that the operator desires the score to be put in memory it will be communicated to the RAM control 36 and stored in memory. The MEMORY permits the operator to enter an entire score, or portion thereof and then to play it back for analysis. Additionally, through the use of MEMORY, the entered score may be easily edited to conform to the operator's desires.

If the function 33 of the data requires DISPLAY be implemented, the display manager 37 is activated so that the appropriate message may be displayed.

Once the error message control 35, the RAM control 36 or the display manager 37 completes their operation they return to key scan 31 by the appropriate data input.

Figure 4a and 4b illustrate an encoding scheme for an embodiment of the invention.

In Figure 4a the musical operation 56 is the default status of the device, common or 4/4 time in key of C. Since this status or a musical score is the most commonly used musical operation, the device uses this as a start-up state so that the operator need not input data to establish this state in the device. The operator simply proceeds to map the particular note 57 as appearing on the musical score to its corresponding switch 43. In the case of note 57, middle C, the appropriate one-to-one corresponding switch 43 is activated through depression of the switch. This note-tokey mapping continues until the bar 44 is encountered. This bar 44 may be entered if desired and acts only as a score editing means, since it serves no musical function. The entry of the bar 44 permits the device to cross-check to assure that the musical score is in proper form in relation to time.

This embodiment uses the quarter-note as the default situation. The time of the note 54 must be altered at 45 to the half-note for the middle C.

Hence, to enter a half-note middle C, requires the .operator to enter a half-note 45 appearing on the musical operation keys and a "C" 46 appearing in the pitch keys. As before, the duration must be changed to a quarter-note 55 for the rest key 50 which is positioned with the musical operation keys.

in this fashion, the musical operator translates a musical score to a set of switch activations on a substantially one-to-one mapping scheme. Note that in this embodiment, 1 6 key activations are used to enter and store the musical score having 13 musical notes. As the number of keys depressed and complexity of encoding the musical score is reduced, interfacing with the device becomes more appealing and practical for the operator.

Figure 4b illustrates a musical score which requires more encoding since it is a typical and does not utilize the default or start-up state.

The operator enters the appropriate tempo rate,48, in this situation 180 beats per minute. In this situation a faster than normal tempo is desired to be played. The timing 47 is communicated, sequence 49, to the control means via the activation of the "time" switch followed by the appropriate numerical value. The sharp which defines the key in which the score is to be played is similarly entered. Once this preliminary information is communicated to the control means, the control means remains in this state for the entire score and does not have to be subsequently reset.

The entry of the musical score or notes themselves is identical to that described in Figure 4a resulting in a substantially one-to-one relationship between note and switch activation.

It should be noted then that in Figure 4b the operator is allowed a wide degree of latitude in selecting the tempo, timing and key in which his score is to be played. This latitude allows the musical operator to change or alter his score at whim. The score is readily changed by simply directing the control means to the particular point in memory and altering the memory at that point.

As example only, should the operator decide to change from a tempo of 180 to a slower tempo of 100 beats per minute, he would direct the control means to the appropriate point in the memory change the data relating to this criteria. Once the memory is changed the musical score may be played back; thereby allowing the musical operator to analyze and evaluate the resultant score. This easy edit and playback permits the operator to utilize technology to maximize his artistic talents.

The memory may not be limited to the storage of a single score but may contain multiple scores stored therein. This situation is illustrated in Figure 5.

In this embodiment, the memory is divided into various floating segments. Each floating segment consists of a label field 51 followed by a body of music 52. The label field 51 contains such as is information necessary for identification and operation by the control means. This data includes the score number, key signature, tempo and time signature. The body of the music 52 contains the actual score itself including notes, rests and measure bars.

Numerous label fields and bodies are sequentially stored in the memory until an end marker 53 is stored therein.

In a search, the control means scans the label field searching for the score selected by the operator. Once the control means encounters the end marker, if the score has not been located, it recognizes that the score does not exist in this memory.

Note, that the score number for each of the musical compositions are not in numerical order but may be jumbled within the memory. This occurs in the deletion of existing scores and packing of the memory means.

The control means scans through the memory and triggers upon the score number requested by the operator via the operator interface. Once the appropriate score is found, the key signature, tempo, time signature, and the body of the music are editable, alterable or playable. This editing and altering allows the operator to modify his musical work to encompass new changes or desired alterations.

Figure 6 is a pictonel view of an embodiment of the invention.

The pitch keys 62 are arranged relative to the staff 66 so that their particular pitch is effectively labeled. Remote from these keys 62, so as not to be confused with them, are the musical operation keys 64 and the control keys 65. The display 63 allows the control means, not shown here, to communicate to the operator information relating to operation and status. In this embodiment, the speaker 66 is mounted on the interface visible to the operator.

The entire operator interface is mounted, together with the other components necessary to constitute the device, in an enclosure 61 which is easily transported.

This invention creates a musical learning aid which is friendly to a nontechnical musical operator. The friendliness encourages a nontechnical musical operator to interface with it so that the technology helps and does not impede the musical artist creative abilities. The invention allows musical scores to be edited, changed, altered at the will of the artist. Since the interface is friendly, the artist does not have to do distracting mental calculations in translating the accepted musical notation or timing to the technical equivalents.

Claims (20)

Claims

1. A musical instrument interface comprised of: a. a pitch keyboard having, i) labeling means shaped in a musical staff, and ii) a plurality of discrete pitch switches disposed in a one-to-one relationship to selected pitches represented by said musical staff; b. a plurality of discrete musical operation switches; and, c. a plurality of control switches.

2. The musical instrument interface according to Claim 1 , further comprised of a means for communicating to an operator.

3. The musical instrument interface according to Claim 2, wherein said means for communicating to an operator is comprised of a visual display.

4. The musical instrument interface according to Claim 3, wherein said visual display comprised of a plurality of liquid crystal cells arranged in segment form whereby a musical note is represented.

5. The musical instrument interface according to Claim 2, further comprised of an auditory means.

6. The musical instrument interface according to Claim 5, wherein said selected pitches are comprised of three and a half octaves.

7. An operator interface comprised of: a labeling means having the configuration of a musical staff; b. a plurality of discrete switches positioned in a one-to-one correspondence to selected pitches on said musical staff; c. a plurality of discrete switches in one-to-one correspondence to selected musical characteristics; d. a plurality of control switches.

8. The operator interface according to Claim 7, further comprised of a means for communicating to an operator.

9. The operator interface according to Claim 8, wherein said means for communicating to an operator is comprised of a visual display.

1 0. The operator interface according to Claim 9, wherein said visual display is comprised of a plurality of liquid crystal cells in segmented arrangement whereby a musical note is representable.

11. The operator interface according to Claim 8, further comprised of an auditory means.

12. The operator interface according to Claim 11, wherein said musical staff label contains both a treble clef and a bass clef.

13. The operator interface according to Claim 12, wherein said selected pitches is comprised of each pitch in three and a half octaves.

14. A musical learning aid comprised of: a pitch synthesizer; control means coupled to said pitch synthesizer; and, an operator interface for accepting operator input having, a. a pitch keyboard having, i) labeling means shaped in a musical staff, and, ii) a plurality of discrete pitch switches disposed in a one-to-one relationship to selected pitches represented by said musical staff; b. a plurality of discrete musical operation switches; and, c. a plurality of control switches.

1 5. The musical learning aid according to Claim 14, further comprised of: means for storing the operator inputs, and, means for sequentially communicating said stored inputs to said control means whereby a musical composition is synthesized as represented by said inputs.

1 6. The musical learning aid according to Claim 15, further comprised of a means for communicating to an operator.

1 7. The musical learning aid according to Claim 16, wherein said means for communicating to an operator is comprised of a visual display.

18. The operator interface according to Claim 17, wherein said visual display is comprised of a plurality of liquid crystal cells is segmented arrangement whereby a musical not is representable.

19. The musical learning aid according to Claim 16, further comprised of auditory means.

20. The musical learning aid according to Claim 19, wherein said selected pitches is comprised of three and half octaves.