JP2000010574A - Karaoke sing-along machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a KARAOKE sing-along machine which urges a singer to start singing by reproducing narration information for urging singing when the singer is not singing even when playing enters a singing part. SOLUTION: The KARAOKE sing-along machine capable of outputting the narration by automatically reproducing narration information, such as introduction of the music or introduction meeting the image of the music, at the time playing pieces of the music or between pieces of the music is provided with a microphone voice detecting and judging section 20 for judging whether the singer is singing or not when the playing of the musical piece described above enters the singing part. This judging section 20 reproduces the narration information for urging singing to the extant of urging the singer to singe when the section makes judgment that the singer is not singing. As a result, the judging section urges the singer to start the song by reproducing the narration information for urging the singing when the singer is not singing even if the playing enters the singing part.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a karaoke apparatus using MIDI information and the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, in a karaoke apparatus installed in a restaurant or home, accompaniment music information of a desired music,
Background image information and lyrics character information are stored in a storage medium such as a laser disk in advance. Then, when the user selects a desired song, if there is a back chorus, the back chorus is superimposed on the playback accompaniment sound, and at the same time as the background video is displayed, the lyrics are displayed on this video. It is widely known that the color of the lyrics is changed according to the accompaniment so that the user can easily sing. In such a karaoke device,
For songs other than those stored on the laser disk, it cannot be used, and if not only songs with high use frequency, but also songs with low use frequency are all prepared, the cost associated therewith becomes enormous, Not realistic.

[0003] Furthermore, even if a new song appears and it is desired to sing the song with accompaniment of a karaoke device, the new song is
It is cut as a laser disk for a karaoke device and cannot be sung until it is commercially available, and must wait several months, for example, before it can be used. Accordingly, a communication karaoke apparatus has recently been developed as a means for solving these problems at once. In this communication karaoke device, the information center has information on various kinds of songs that are released one after another as well as songs already released as a database, and distributes selected items to individual users via telephone lines as necessary. Then, the user selects and uses from the distributed music pieces. This communication karaoke apparatus includes a non-storage type apparatus in which information about a selected music piece is distributed from the center side each time a user selects a music piece, a large-capacity storage medium,
For example, there is a storage type device in which a hard disk is provided, information about frequently used music is stored in the hard disk, and a desired music is selected from the stored data and used. This storage type device tends to be widely used because the cost of a communication line is less than that of a non-storage type device.

In this communication karaoke apparatus, usually, MIDI (Musical Instrument D) is used.
The performance is performed by a sound source using digital interface information. Since it is difficult to reproduce human voice with the current sound source, when the human voice is required as a music, for example, when one voice is required for back chorus or duet, MIDI information and Separately, a human voice is prepared as audio data or the like, and the audio data is output in synchronization with the reproduction of the MIDI information.

[0005]

By the way, for example, when an enka singer sings an enka, a moderator sometimes introduces the singer.
I sometimes narrate as a previous theory (foreword) that matched the atmosphere of the song. If such a narration function is added to the karaoke apparatus, the singer of the karaoke can easily sing, and it becomes easy to take a pause between the songs. For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-328573 is disclosed. A karaoke apparatus with a narration function has been developed as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. HEI 9-152878.

However, in this type of karaoke apparatus, the length of the narration is simply and mechanically set according to the length of the intro part of the karaoke song. To be confused
If it is delayed to go to the stage, there is a problem that the performance of the singing section is started as it is, without calling for any attention, and the performance of the karaoke music is continued as it is. The present invention focuses on the above problems, and has been made to solve the problem effectively. The purpose of the present invention is to provide narration information for singing prompts when the singer does not sing even when the performance enters the singing section. To provide a karaoke apparatus that prompts the singer to start playing a song by playing back the song.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention automatically introduces narration information such as introduction of a tune when a tune is played or between tunes or introduction corresponding to the image of the tune. In a karaoke apparatus capable of reproducing and outputting a narration, a microphone sound detection determination unit that determines whether a singer is singing when the performance of the music is in the singing unit is provided, and the determination unit includes: When the singer determines that the singer is not singing, narration information for prompting the singer to reproduce the singer is reproduced.

[0008] Thus, when the singer does not start singing even if the performance of the music ends the intro part and enters the singing section, the microphone voice detection determining section determines that fact and reproduces the narration information for prompting the song. . Such data may be represented, for example, [Let's do your best and sing loudly]. This allows the singer to notice that he or she is not singing and begin singing the song. In this case, the narration information for singing prompting the singer to sing is composed of a plurality of short words or sentences, and at the time of reproduction, the word or sentence is determined according to the detection result of the microphone voice detection determination unit. Is preferably set so that the playback length can be changed by combining.

When the microphone voice detection judging section detects that the singer has begun to sing while the narration information for singing is being reproduced, the narration information being reproduced is either fade-out or level-down. If one of them is set, the narration for singing prompts can be naturally erased without disturbing the singer's singing voice.

[0010] The narration for singing prompts may be reproduced as voice, but may be displayed as characters on a display instead. Further, after the intro part of the music is completed, when the microphone voice detection determination unit detects that the singer is not singing, the intro part may be repeatedly reproduced. According to this, since the intro part is repeated, when the singer notices, it is possible to start singing not from the middle of the singing part but from the first part of the singing part.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of a karaoke apparatus according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 shows M
FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a system in which the karaoke apparatus of the present invention specifically conforming to the IDI standard is applied, FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a microphone sound detection judging unit in FIG. 1, and FIG. It is a figure showing an example.

First, the overall configuration of a specific karaoke apparatus will be described with reference to FIG. The information center 2 that provides information required by the storage type karaoke apparatus 1 includes accompaniment music information, lyric character information, and a chorus information, a still picture information, It has a large-capacity storage medium 3 that stores corresponding narration data and the like, and each song is stored in a database. The narration information also includes narration information for singing prompts used in the present invention. The accompaniment music information is information for driving an electronic musical instrument,
It is formatted according to the standard, and
Called information.

The center control unit 4 manages the entire operation of the information center 2, and this database
If necessary, the data is distributed from the interface 5 to a predetermined karaoke apparatus 1 via the public telephone line 6.
The information center 2 manages a plurality of karaoke apparatuses, one of which is shown in the illustrated example. Information distributed from the information center 2 is taken into the karaoke apparatus 1 via the interface 7 of the apparatus. The control means 8 includes, for example, a microcomputer or the like, and controls the operation of the entire karaoke apparatus.

The main storage means 9 stores information on a large number of music pieces distributed from the information center 2, ie, MIDI information,
This is a storage medium for storing lyrics character information, chorus information, still image information, etc., and is composed of a low-cost and large-capacity storage medium, such as a hard disk, for storing a large amount of data. Video information storage means 10
Is composed of, for example, a large number of laser disks and the like, in which a large number of moving images are stored in advance, and each moving image is read out as needed in accordance with a song type such as enka, folk, pops and the like. The input means 11 composed of a keyboard and a remote control device inputs music information and the like when the user selects music.

The reproducing means 12 reproduces MIDI information, chorus information, lyric character information and the like read from the main storage means 9 via the control means 8 based on music selection information from the input means 11. The reproduced accompaniment music and chorus are mixed by the mixer 14 and further mixed with the singing voice input from the microphone 13 by the amplifier 19, and output as sound by the speaker 15. The speaker 15 also outputs reproduced narration information when necessary. Simultaneously with the reproduction of the selected music piece, the moving picture information selected according to the type of the music piece is read out from the moving picture information storage means 10 through the control means 8 and displayed on the display 16 while the reproduction means The lyrics character information reproduced in step 12 is superimposed and superimposed and displayed. When necessary, the narration information may be displayed on the display 16.

The microphone voice detection / judgment unit 20 detects the singing voice input from the microphone 13 and measures the loudness and silence time of the singing voice. Can be determined. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 2, the microphone sound detection determination unit 20 includes an A / D conversion unit 21 that converts an analog input signal from the microphone 13 into a digital signal, and an A / D conversion unit 21. Level comparing section 22 for determining whether or not the output level exceeds a predetermined threshold
And As a result, when the singer is singing, the output level from the A / D converter 21 is increased. By comparing the output level with a threshold set to a predetermined value, it is determined whether the singer is singing. It is possible to do.

The narration information includes, for example, song name data set for each song and general narration information such as premise data matching the mood of the song, as well as the singer's time to sing. Narration information for singing prompts, which is a feature of the present invention and is reproduced when the user is not singing. FIG. 3 shows an example of the narration information. The narration information for singing prompts is composed of words or sentences, and these are appropriately combined as needed to form one large sentence. FIG. 3 shows a case where a word is used as a reference. In this case, a base word, that is, a base word is determined in advance, and here, [Please sing] is the base word. In addition to the base word, there are modifier words such as [energically], [brighter], [loud], [come on], [do your best], [faster], etc., and combine the base word with any modifier word Output. For example, the voice is output as [Please sing well]. Also, the number of modifier words to be used is not limited to one, and a sentence using a plurality of modifier words according to the length of time that the singer has not sung, for example, [Come on quickly and singing with a loud voice.] It is also possible to use a combination of four modified words and one base word. A completed sentence may be registered together with or instead of a word.

Next, the operation of the embodiment constructed as described above will be described. First, a general flow during reproduction will be described. The main storage means 9 composed of a hard disk or the like stores information for each of a large number of songs distributed from the information center 2 as needed, for example, MIDI information for accompaniment music, lyrics character information, chorus information, still image information, narration Information (including narration information for song prompting) and the like are stored. When the user selects a tune or the like using the input means 11, the control means 8 reads out a series of information for one tune corresponding to the selected tune from the main storage means 9 and stores it in the high-speed access storage means of the reproduction means 12. (Not shown). The information on the music includes MIDI information, lyrics character information, chorus information, still image information, narration information, and the like.
When transferring the lyrics, shift J
An IS code or the like is added to each character information.

The MIDI information as accompaniment information includes, in addition to information on accompaniment music, tempo information for the music,
The control means 8 also generates a MIDI clock which serves as a reference for the operation of the entire apparatus based on the tempo information. The lyrics character information includes information on fade-in or fade-out, information on scrolling, information on a color change position, and the like, in addition to information on lyrics characters to be displayed.

Next, the control means 8 controls the reproduction means 12 to reproduce the MIDI information while forming the MIDI clock based on the MIDI information as described above, and to reproduce the MIDI information.
5 outputs the accompaniment music by the electronic musical instrument. Generally, the accompaniment music first enters from the intro part, and then enters the singing part. In this intro part, the narration information is reproduced, and the introduction of the title of the song and the commentary corresponding to the image of the song style are introduced. Then, just before entering the singing section, the lyrics character information is reproduced and displayed on the display 16. When the performance enters the singing section, the lyric letters change color according to the progress, and the singer holds the microphone 13 and changes the lyric letter color. Sing while referring to. The chorus information is also reproduced as needed, and reproduced from the speaker 15. In addition, as for the moving image information and the like, those suitable for the music style of the music are appropriately selected,
It will be displayed from the display 16.

In such a series of flows, in the present invention, when the singer does not start singing even when the performance of the music ends the reproduction of the intro portion and enters the performance of the singing section,
Alternatively, when the singer stops singing in the singing section in the middle of the music, narration information for singing prompts is reproduced to alert the singer and encourage him to sing. The reproduction operation of the narration information for singing prompt is performed by the microphone voice detection determination unit 20. That is, as shown in FIG. 2, the audio signal input from the microphone 13 is converted into a digital signal by the A / D converter 21, and the converted signal is a predetermined signal set by the level comparator 22. The level is compared with the level, and the result of the comparison is output to the control means 8.
Thus, when the singer is not singing, the output level of the A / D converter 21 is low, and when the singer is singing, the output level is high, so that it can be determined whether the singer is singing. . The control means 8 having received the judgment result executes the reproduction of the narration information for singing prompt if the singer has not sung for a predetermined time during the performance of the singing section. .

For example, when the singer has not started singing after a predetermined time after the performance of the intro portion and the performance of the singing section, the words as shown in FIG. Narration information such as "Please sing" or "Please sing well" is reproduced from the speaker 15. In this case, the predetermined time can be set arbitrarily. For example, when the song is not sung for one measure or two measures, it is set to instruct reproduction of narration information for singing prompt. The predetermined time is not limited to the example described above, and may be longer.

Even if the narration information for singing prompts is reproduced in this way, the performance of the singing unit may be continued as it is. At the same time as playing the narration information,
The intro portion may be reproduced again and again. In this case, instead of repeating the entire intro part, the last four measures or two measures of the intro part may be repeated. At this time, the time may be adjusted by increasing or decreasing the number of words to be reproduced in the narration information for singing prompt according to the length of the intro portion to be repeated. For example, if the intro part to be repeated is set to be long, the narration may be made by combining many words such as [please sing brightly and loudly]. Such repetition of the intro part or the narration will be performed until the singer starts singing, and this also makes it easier for the singer to make a gap between songs.

In the above description, the case where the reproduction of the music is started has been described as an example. However, even during the reproduction of the singing section, the microphone voice detection determination section 20 determines whether or not the singer is singing. When it is determined that the song is not sung, the narration information for singing prompt is reproduced with the singing unit being continuously reproduced. In this case, a narration such as [Please sing well] is reproduced. Again, the length of the narration is
It can be changed by changing the number of words in the combination, and when the singer starts singing again in the middle of the narration, the microphone sound detection judging section 20 detects that fact, and the control means 8 causes the control means 8 to reproduce the singing. The narration is faded out, or the narration output during playback is controlled so as to be leveled down, so that the playback sound is turned off so as not to disturb the singer. In this way, when a singer forgets to sing at the start or stops singing while singing,
Since the narration information for singing prompting to sing is reproduced, the singer can be alerted.

Next, the operation as described above will be described with reference to FIGS.
And will be described in general. FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an operation in a music performance start portion. First, when a music code or the like is input using the input means 11 to select a music (S1), reproduction of MIDI information or the like of the selected music is started (S2). First, the intro part of the music is reproduced (S3), and at the same time, predetermined narration information such as introduction of the music title of the music or introduction of an image suitable for this music style is reproduced (S4). When the performance of the intro part is completed in this way, the reproduction of the singing part is subsequently started (S5). When the reproduction of the singing unit is started, it is determined whether or not the singer has started singing based on the output from the microphone sound detection determining unit 20 (S6), and if it is determined that the singer has started singing (YES in S6). Then, the reproduction of the music is continued as it is (S11).

When the singer has not started singing the song even after the predetermined time has elapsed (NO in S6), the reproduction of the singing section is temporarily stopped, and the reproduction of part or all of the intro portion is repeated again. (S7), and at the same time, narration information for singing prompts, such as [Please sing early], is sanctioned (S8). In this way, when the intro part is reproduced again and the processing is completed, the singing part is reproduced again (S9). If the singer does not start singing after a predetermined time has elapsed after the reproduction of the singing unit has started (NO in S10), the process returns to S7, where the reproduction of the singing unit is stopped, and the reproduction of the intro portion is performed again. Will repeat. Until the singer starts singing, S7, S
8. The operations of S9 are repeated.

In S10, when the singer starts singing (YES), the reproduction of the singing portion of the music is continued until the performance ends (S11). FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing the operation during reproduction of the singing unit of the music. First, the singer basically sings along with the accompaniment emitted by the reproduction of the singing unit (S11-1), and during this time, the microphone voice detection determination unit 20 constantly determines whether the singer is singing. (S11-2). When it is determined that the singer is singing (YES), the reproduction is continued until the reproduction of the music is completed (N in S11-3).
O).

On the other hand, if it is determined in S11-2 that the singer has not sung for a predetermined time during the reproduction of the singing section (NO), the narration information for singing prompts
For example, [Please sing well] is reproduced and output as voice (S11-4). Then, after the reproduction of the narration, it is determined again whether the singer is singing (S1).
In the case of 1-5), if NO, the process returns to S11-4 and the narration for song prompting is reproduced again. The operations in S11-4 and S11-5 are performed until the singer resumes singing. During this period, the singing unit is, of course, reproduced sequentially without interruption. And
When the singer resumes singing during the reproduction of the narration, the narration being reproduced is faded out and erased so as not to disturb the singer's song (S11-6). Then, the process proceeds to S11-3, and the above-described step operations are repeatedly performed until the reproduction of the music is completed.

The narration information for prompting a song shown in FIG. 3 is merely an example, and any word or sentence may be used as long as the content prompts singing. Of course. In addition, the narration may be displayed as characters on a display in addition to, or in place of, the narration. Further, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, and various applications are possible within the scope of the present invention.

[0030]

As described above, according to the karaoke apparatus of the present invention, the following excellent operational effects can be exhibited. When the singer is not singing at the time of reproducing the singing part of the music, the singer can be alerted to start the song by reproducing the narration information for singing prompt. If the singer is playing a narration at the beginning of the song, the narration is faded out and erased, so that the singer's song is not disturbed. Further, when the singer does not start the song immediately after the music is played, the singer can easily take a gap between the songs by repeating the intro portion simultaneously with the playback of the narration for singing. can do.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a system to which a karaoke apparatus of the present invention conforming to the MIDI standard is specifically applied.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a microphone sound detection determination unit in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of narration information for song prompting.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing an operation in a performance start portion of a music piece.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing an operation during reproduction of a singing unit of a music piece.

[Explanation of symbols]

2 ... information center, 6 ... telephone line, 8 ... control means, 11 ...
Input means, 12 ... reproducing means, 13 ... microphone, 1
4. Mixer unit, 15 speaker, 20 microphone sound detection determination unit, 21 A / D conversion unit, 22 level comparison unit.

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A karaoke apparatus capable of outputting narration by automatically reproducing narration information such as introduction of a tune when a tune is played or between tunes or introduction corresponding to an image of the tune. A microphone sound detection determination unit is provided to determine whether the singer is singing when the musical performance is in the singing unit. When the determination unit determines that the singer is not singing, the singer is prompted to sing. A karaoke apparatus characterized by reproducing narration information for singing prompts having the content. 2. The narration information for prompting a singer, which includes singing prompting a singer to sing, comprises a plurality of short words or sentences, and upon reproduction, the narration information is determined according to a detection result of the microphone voice detection determination unit. 2. The karaoke apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the reproduction length can be changed by combining sentences. 3. When the microphone voice detection judging unit detects that the singer has begun to sing during the reproduction of the narration information for singing prompt, the narration data being reproduced is either fade-out or level-down. 3. The karaoke apparatus according to claim 1, wherein one of the karaoke apparatuses is played. 4. The karaoke apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the narration information for singing prompt is displayed on a display. 5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein after the intro part of the music is completed, when the microphone voice detection judging unit detects that the singer is not singing, the intro part is repeatedly reproduced. A karaoke device according to any one of claims 1 to 4.