JP2007334202A - Karaoke device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a karaoke device with which even a new or unfamiliar song can be easily sung without spoiling stage effect of a background image. <P>SOLUTION: In the karaoke device comprising: an HDD for storing music data and lyrics data, and a control unit which performs karaoke play by reading the music data of a song selected by a singing person, and which displays the lyrics data on a display, the control unit comprises: a calculating means for calculating length of utterance of each letter of the lyrics, based on data (tone length data) for specifying utterance length of each tone included in the music data, and the lyrics data; an utterance length indicator creating means for creating a number of utterance length indicators 30, the length of which is proportional to the utterance length of each calculated letter; a pause indicator creating means for creating pause marks 31 of the length and the number corresponding to a plurality of divided unit time of non-singing time; and a display control means for displaying a number of the created utterance length indicators 30 and pause marks 31 near a corresponding lyrics letter strings. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a karaoke apparatus comprising storage means for storing music data and lyrics data, and a control unit that reads the music data of a song selected by a singer to perform karaoke performance and displays lyrics data on a display.

  Conventionally, in a karaoke device, the lyrics telop displayed on the screen of the karaoke terminal is changed according to the playback of the music data so that the singer can easily sing even the first song or an unfamiliar song. Is widely performed (see FIG. 3). Further, for example, in Patent Documents 1 and 2 below, a technique for displaying a score, a piano roll score, a scale graph, and the like together with lyrics is proposed. Furthermore, in Patent Document 3, the image size of each character is enlarged or reduced according to the pronunciation length of each character in the music by image processing, or the character display interval is changed according to the pronunciation length of each character. It has been proposed.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6-95681 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-318683 JP 9-319383 A

  By the way, in the present karaoke apparatus, according to a music, an artist, the genre of a music, etc., the background image (a moving image or a still image) for production is reproduced and displayed together with lyrics. Such an effect is very effective in order not to get tired of the singers themselves and customers other than the singers who are gazing at the screen for a long time. When displaying a score or the like (practice mode), the background image cannot be displayed at all or the display is extremely limited. Further, in Patent Document 1, a singer or the like can select such practice mode and normal mode. However, when the switching operation is troublesome and a function-oriented screen is frequently displayed, it is different. This makes it unfit for karaoke boxes and restaurants where multiple people watch the same screen.

  Further, in Patent Document 3, since it is necessary to perform image processing on the lyrics data, the existing lyrics data cannot be used as it is, and the amount of data to be saved increases, so there is a burden on communication traffic, a control unit, and the like. It becomes excessive. Furthermore, depending on whether the standard of image size is a short sound such as a 16th note or a long sound such as a whole note, it is difficult to read lyrics while the character width is extremely narrow or wide. There is a risk. Moreover, if the display mode of the lyrics itself is changed greatly, the image of the music or artist will be damaged, and there is a possibility that an unnecessary dispute may occur with the copyright owner.

  The present invention has been made to solve such problems, and provides a karaoke apparatus that can easily sing even the first song or an unfamiliar song without impairing the effect of rendering the background image. Objective.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention includes a storage means for storing music data and lyrics data, and a control unit that reads the music data of the music selected by the singer to perform karaoke performance and displays the lyrics data on the display. The control unit is configured to determine the length of pronunciation of each character of the lyrics based on the data (sound length data) defining the pronunciation length of each sound included in the music data and the lyrics data. The pronunciation length calculation means for calculating the pronunciation length, the pronunciation length indicator generation means for generating a number of pronunciation length indicators having a length proportional to the calculated pronunciation length of each character, and the generated many pronunciation length indicators correspond to each other. And display control means for displaying in the vicinity of the character string of the lyrics.

  According to the present invention, since the pronunciation length indicator proportional to the pronunciation length of the character string of the lyrics is displayed in the vicinity of the lyrics, even when an unfamiliar song is sung, how long (short) )), You can instantly know what to do. In addition, since there is no need to change the lyrics data, the existing lyrics data can be used as it is, and the cost and time required for implementation can be reduced. Furthermore, since the pronunciation length indicator is only displayed in the vicinity of the lyrics data, the effect of rendering the background image is not limited, and there is no need to switch the display mode of the screen. Also, the image of the music and the artist is not damaged. Accordingly, it is possible to obtain a karaoke apparatus that can easily sing even the first song or an unfamiliar song without impairing the effect of the background image.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of a karaoke apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an example of a screen displayed on a display monitor. The karaoke apparatus 1 is configured as a communication karaoke system that performs karaoke performance by reproducing music data distributed from a host computer (not shown) via a communication network, and serves as an input device connected to the karaoke apparatus body 2. It comprises a microphone 3, a left and right channel speaker 4 (only one is shown) as an output device, and a display monitor 5. These input / output devices are connected to a video interface circuit, a mixing amplifier 23, and the like via output terminals (not shown). Note that the operation panel and remote control for the singer to input and change the music request, and to change various settings such as tempo and key are not shown.

  The karaoke apparatus main body 2 includes a CPU 11 that controls the entire apparatus such as karaoke performance and display of lyrics telop, communication control with a host computer, generation and display of a pronunciation length indicator described later, and data related to music (MIDI standard data, lyrics). A data storage area 12a for storing telop data, background video data, etc.), an HDD (storage means) 12 having a program storage area 12b for storing a system program (karaoke program) for performing karaoke performance, a work RAM 13, It has. The HDD (storage means) 12 is connected to the CPU 11 via the HDD controller 14 and the system bus 15. The karaoke program read from the HDD 12 in the HDD controller 14 is stored in the work RAM 13 by the CPU 11, and the CPU 11 performs various controls of the karaoke apparatus 1 according to the karaoke program.

  Also, the CPU 11 has a VDP (Video Display Processor) 17 and a video RAM 18 for superimposing the lyrics telop on the image data such as CG images and displaying them on the display monitor 5 via the system bus 15; DSP (Digital Signal Processor) 19 and voice RAM 20 for performing music reproduction and voice recognition of a singer input from microphone 3, D / A converter 21 and A / A for mutually converting digital data and analog data The D converter 22 is connected to a mixing amplifier 23 that mixes music data and the voice of the singer and outputs them to the speaker 4. The VDP 17, DSP 19 and CPU 11, and a karaoke program stored in the HDD 12 constitute a control unit.

  In the data storage area 12a of the HDD 12, for each song, sound source data of the song to which an address value corresponding to the time in the song is added, image image data and lyric data matching the song image are recorded. In the sound source data of the music, a plurality of display flags for identifying the timing for displaying the lyrics telop are arranged at predetermined intervals on the time axis indicating the performance timing. This flag is also associated with a plurality of phrases having a predetermined length in the lyrics data. Then, every time the VDP 17 detects a display flag from the music data during the performance of the music, the lyrics phrase associated therewith is read from the HDD 12 and is combined with image data or the like by the display control means 29 described later and displayed on the display monitor. 5 is displayed.

  In the present embodiment, a plurality of pronunciation length indicator display models corresponding to a plurality of pronunciation lengths are stored in association with respective serial numbers. For example, there are a total of 16 types including 8 types from full notes to 128th notes and 8 types of these dotted notes, and the display model data in this case is 01 to 16 types of length proportional to the pronunciation length. 16 serial numbers are assigned and recorded. By extracting this display model data and configuring it as a pronunciation length indicator, the generation time of the pronunciation length indicator can be shortened.

  The karaoke programs stored in the program storage area 12b of the HDD 12 are only the functions related to the present invention except for the conventionally known karaoke data playback program and the like. Means 26, non-singing time calculation means 27, pause symbol (pause indicator) generation means 28, and display control means (display color changing means) 29 are provided. Each of these means achieves each function described below by being called and executed by the CPU 11, VDP 17, DSP 19 by the work RAM 13 or the like.

  The pronunciation length calculation means 25 calculates the pronunciation length of each character of the lyrics based on the data (sound length data) defining the pronunciation length of each sound included in the music data and the lyrics data. MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface) standard data included in music data is generally based on the data of pitch (Location), length (Sound length: Duration or Gate Time), and strength (Velocity). Melody is defined. The length (sound length) data is associated with each character or character string (continuous character) of the lyrics. The pronunciation length calculation means 25 calculates the pronunciation length of a character or character string with reference to such length (sound length) data.

  Specifically, in MIDI, the length is usually expressed by Chicks which is one unit obtained by dividing a quarter note into a predetermined number (for example, 480), but the pronunciation length calculation means 25 is included in the music data. For the characters of the lyrics associated with each sound, the number of ticks of those sounds is counted to calculate the pronunciation length of each character. For example, in the case of 4/4 time signature, tempo is quarter note = 60, and there are four quarter notes in one measure, the length of pronunciation of one quarter note is 480 chicks and one second. Also, under the same conditions, 240 ticks for 0.5 second for one eighth note, 0.25 seconds for 120 ticks for one 16th note, and one dotted quarter note. 720 Chicks for 1.5 seconds. If conditions such as the number of quarter note decompositions (1 unit), time signature, and tempo change, the calculated pronunciation length will be different for the same note.

  The pronunciation length indicator generating unit 26 extracts a pronunciation length indicator model having a length proportional to the calculated pronunciation length of each character from the HDD 12. The pronunciation length indicator is the same as the number of characters or character strings to be pronounced. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, in the lyrics “harusame”, two pronunciations of “ha” and “ru” are set to the length of an eighth note for the character “spring”, respectively. If so, two pronunciation length indicators 30a (horizontal bars) corresponding to the length of the eighth note are generated (extracted). On the other hand, when one quarter note is set for two pronunciations “same” of the characters “rain”, one pronunciation length indicator 30b corresponding to the length of the quarter note is generated ( Extracted). As a result, it is visually expressed that the lyrics in this part should be sung in the tone of “ha” “ru” “same”. The pronunciation length indicator generating means 26 generates the pronunciation length indicators 30a, 30b,... 30n for all the characters of the lyrics data of each song in this way, and the address value (elapsed time from the beginning of the song) of the corresponding lyrics. ) Is added and stored in the work RAM 13 or HDD 12.

  The non-singing time calculating means 27 refers to the rest signal and the lyrics data included in the sound length data of the music data recorded in the HDD 12, and the non-singing time zone of the music, that is, the prelude, the interlude, and the music The rest entry position, start position, end position, and the like are specified, and the duration is calculated. The calculated non-singing time is stored in the work RAM 13.

  Specifically, the position on the time axis from the beginning of the song data until the first lyrics appear (the first singing start position) and the type of rest appearing in the song are specified, respectively. Calculate duration (non-singing time). In the present invention, the duration of such a non-singing time zone is important, and the distinction such as “prelude”, “interlude”, and “rest” is not important, and it is not necessary to specify these.

  The duration of this non-singing time zone is also calculated by counting the number of ticks in the same manner as the pronunciation length. For example, if you have a 4/4 time signature, the tempo is a quarter note = 60, and there are three quarter notes in a measure and one quadrant rest, the rest time for one quarter rest is 480 chicks. 1 second. In the prelude and interlude, the total time of the sound length (notes and rests) until the next lyrics appear is calculated based on the chicks.

  The pause symbol generating means 28 divides the non-singing time calculated by the non-singing time calculating means 27 into a plurality of unit time zones having a predetermined length (for example, the sound length of an 8-minute rest), and corresponds to this time zone. The number of pause symbols is generated and stored in the video RAM 18. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, three pause symbols 31 are generated for the pause time for one dotted quarter rest. Here, if the standard pause time is short (for example, a 128-minute rest, etc.), many pause symbols will be displayed in a narrow area, appearing just as a broken line or a thin straight line, May not be able to be grasped instantaneously. On the other hand, if the reference pause time is long (for example, a 2-minute rest), there are many portions where pause symbols are not generated / displayed even in the non-singing time period, and the meaning of displaying the pause symbol is reduced. Therefore, it is appropriate to use the time of an 8-minute rest or a 16-minute rest as a reference.

The pause symbol 31 is generated in a visually different shape from the pronunciation length indicator 30. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the pronunciation length indicator 30 is generated in the shape of a horizontally long bar, and the pause symbol 31 is generated in a circular shape. Thus, by generating the pronunciation length indicator 30 and the pause symbol 31 in different display modes, the singer can easily identify both even while singing, and can easily sing even unfamiliar songs. . Further, the generated pause symbol 31 is stored in the HDD 12 in association with the address value of the characters constituting the lyrics before and after the corresponding non-singing time zone. Here, when a plurality of pause symbols 31 continue in the non-singing time zone, the first pause symbol (P ₁ ) in the non-singing time zone is associated with the address value of the character immediately before the non-singing time zone. The last pause symbol (P _n ) of the non-singing time zone is associated with the address value of the character immediately after the non-singing time zone, but all other pause symbols (P _{2 to} P _n-1 ) are There is no need to associate a character address value.

  The display control means 29 displays a large number of generated pronunciation length indicators 30 and pause symbols 31 in the vicinity of the characters and the like based on the address values of the associated lyrics characters and the like. Specifically, like the screen display of the conventional lyrics telop, the VDP 17 reads the display control means 29 (program) and superimposes the pronunciation length indicator 30 and the pause symbol 31 on the background image image data. Display data is generated and stored in a display buffer of the work RAM 13 or the like. Then, the screen display data is sequentially read out and output to the display monitor 5 in synchronization with the reproduction of the music data.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the display control means 29 continuously displays the pronunciation length indicator 30 and the pause symbol 31 in the vicinity of the corresponding lyric characters, etc. The symbols 31, 31 and the pronunciation length indicator 30 and the pause symbol 31 are intermittently displayed at predetermined intervals. As a result, the pronunciation length of each character and the pause time between the lyrics become obvious at a glance, and the tempo of the song can be intuitively grasped while singing.

  Further, the display control means 29 is configured to synchronize the display color of the lyrics and the display colors of the many pronunciation length indicators 30 and the pause symbols 31 with the music data reproduced in the lyrics arrangement direction at a constant speed. It also has a function to change. Since the specific processing is the same as the conventional display color change of lyrics, detailed description is omitted.

  In such a configuration, when the karaoke apparatus 1 performs the karaoke performance, the CPU 11 extracts the music data read from the HDD 12, generates digital audio data by the DSP 19, and supplies the digital audio data to the D / A converter 21. The DSP 19 supplies the user's voice signal input from the microphone 3 and output from the A / D converter 22 to the D / A converter 21. The analog performance sound signal output from the D / A converter 21 and the user's voice signal are combined by the mixing amplifier 23 and output from the speaker 4. Further, the CPU 11 and the VDP 17 synthesize the image image data and lyrics data read from the HDD 12 with a plurality of pronunciation length indicators and pause symbols, and display monitor 5 via a video interface circuit (not shown) according to the progress of the performance music. To display.

  As described above, in this embodiment, the pronunciation length indicator indicating the pronunciation length (singing length) of each character of the lyrics and a plurality of pause symbols indicating the length of the non-singing time period (non-singing time period) , Lyric telop is displayed in parallel. Thus, even when an unfamiliar song is sung, it is possible to instantly recognize the timing of singing, the length of each character's pronunciation, etc. by referring to the pronunciation length indicator and the pause symbol.

  In addition, this invention is not limited to said embodiment, A various change is possible.

  For example, the pronunciation length indicator and the pause symbol may be formed by bars having different thicknesses, or they may be formed in the same shape (horizontally long bar, etc.), and the pronunciation length indicator may be displayed at the top near the words of the lyrics. May be displayed in the lower row. The pronunciation length indicator may be displayed in the upper or lower part of the lyrics telop, and the pause symbol may be displayed in the same line in the middle of the lyrics.

  In addition, multiple types of pause symbols are prepared according to the pause length, one or two pause symbols for long periods are displayed during relatively long non-singing times such as preludes and interludes, and rests in songs are short. A pause symbol for time may be displayed.

  Furthermore, a pronunciation length indicator and a pause symbol can be generated by the host computer, combined with the background video, and distributed to the karaoke apparatus (terminal).

  In the above embodiment, the description has been made mainly on the commercial karaoke apparatus installed in a karaoke box, a restaurant or the like. However, the present invention relates to a karaoke apparatus for home use using a cable TV line or the like, a public network And a communication karaoke system using a communication terminal such as a mobile phone. In this type of communication karaoke system, there are a type in which music data is downloaded to a communication terminal and a type in which streaming data is distributed from a host computer. The present invention is applicable to either type. In the latter case, the memory of the communication terminal that functions as a buffer for continuous reproduction corresponds to the “storage means” of the present invention. Furthermore, the present invention can also be suitably applied to a karaoke system provided with a communication terminal device for search used for searching and selecting karaoke music, and a lyric display terminal device for displaying only lyrics at hand of a singer.

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram showing a schematic configuration of a karaoke apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a screen displayed on the display monitor. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a screen displayed on a display monitor of a conventional karaoke apparatus.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Karaoke apparatus 2 ... Karaoke apparatus main body 3 ... Microphone 4 ... Speaker 5 ... Display monitor 11 ... CPU
12 ... HDD
12a ... Data storage area 12b ... Program storage area 13 ... Work RAM
14 ... HDD controller 15 ... System bus 17 ... VDP
18 ... Video RAM
19 ... DSP
20 ... RAM for voice
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 21 ... D / A converter 22 ... A / D converter 23 ... Mixing amplifier 25 ... Sound generation length calculation means 26 ... Sound generation length indicator generation means 27 ... Non-singing time calculation means 28 ... Pause symbol generation means 29 ... Display control means 30, 30a , 30b ... Pronunciation length indicator 31 ... Pause symbol

Claims (7)

A karaoke apparatus comprising storage means for storing song data and lyrics data, and a control unit for reading the song data of the song selected by the singer and performing karaoke performance and displaying the lyrics data on the display,
The control unit is
A pronunciation length calculating means for calculating a pronunciation length of each character of the lyrics based on data (sound length data) defining the pronunciation length of each sound included in the music data and the lyrics data;
A pronunciation length indicator generating means for generating a number of pronunciation length indicators having a length proportional to the calculated pronunciation length of each character;
A karaoke apparatus, comprising: display control means for displaying a number of generated pronunciation length indicators in the vicinity of a corresponding character string of lyrics. The apparatus of claim 1.
The control unit further comprises:
Non-singing time calculation means for specifying a non-singing time zone such as a prelude, interlude, rest in a song, and the like based on the music data,
A pause indicator generating means for dividing the calculated non-singing time into a plurality of unit time zones of a predetermined length and generating a plurality of pause indicators of a length and a number corresponding to the time zones;
The karaoke apparatus, wherein the display control means displays the plurality of pause indicators in the vicinity of a character string of lyrics before or after the non-singing time. The apparatus of claim 2.
The control unit further comprises display color changing means for changing the display colors of a plurality of pronunciation length indicators and a plurality of pause indicators at a predetermined speed synchronized with the music data to be reproduced. apparatus. The apparatus of claim 2.
The pronunciation length indicator generating means and the pause indicator generating means generate the pronunciation length indicator and the pause indicator in different display modes so that the singer can visually identify them,
The karaoke apparatus characterized in that the display control means continuously displays the pronunciation length indicator and the pause indicator in the vicinity of a character string of the corresponding lyrics. The apparatus of claim 1.
Furthermore, the storage means stores display model data of a plurality of pronunciation length indicators corresponding to a plurality of pronunciation lengths,
The karaoke apparatus characterized in that the pronunciation length indicator generating means generates a pronunciation length indicator by extracting display model data having a length proportional to the calculated pronunciation length from the storage means. The apparatus of claim 1.
The karaoke apparatus characterized in that the display control means intermittently displays adjacent pronunciation length indicators at a predetermined interval. The above-mentioned control unit of the karaoke apparatus comprising storage means for storing song data and lyrics data, and a control unit for reading the song data of the song selected by the singer and performing karaoke performance and displaying the lyrics data on the display. And
A pronunciation length calculating means for calculating a pronunciation length of each character of the lyrics based on data (sound length data) defining the pronunciation length of each sound included in the music data and the lyrics data;
A pronunciation length indicator generating means for generating a number of pronunciation length indicators having a length proportional to the calculated pronunciation length of each character;
A control unit comprising display control means for displaying a number of generated pronunciation length indicators in the vicinity of a corresponding character string of lyrics.

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