JP2665854B2 - Automatic performance device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an automatic performance apparatus applied to, for example, an electronic musical instrument, and more particularly to an automatic performance apparatus for performing a demonstration (hereinafter, abbreviated as "demo").

In recent years, electronic musical instruments such as electronic organs and electronic pianos have been developed and put to practical use. Such an electronic musical instrument generally has an automatic performance function for performing automatic accompaniment and the like.

By the way, an electronic musical instrument having such an automatic performance function usually has a demonstration performance function as a part of the automatic performance function for a model performance or other purposes. It is desirable that anyone can perform such a demonstration performance by a simple operation.

[0004]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an electronic musical instrument with an automatic performance function has built-in automatic performance pattern data for playing several demo songs, and by selecting a desired demo song from an operation panel, A demonstration performance is being performed.

[0005] As such demo songs, there are demo songs of complete songs having accompaniment and melody, but there are many demo songs that generate only accompaniment sounds. In the latter case, the user can enjoy playing the melody according to the accompaniment sound.

[0006] However, playing a melody along with the accompaniment of the demonstration performance is often difficult for infants and beginners, and there is a problem that the demonstration performance function cannot be fully utilized.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and enables a kid or a beginner to easily generate a melody matched to an accompaniment and to fully enjoy a demonstration performance. It is an object to provide an automatic performance device.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An automatic performance device according to the present invention comprises a storage means for storing an automatic performance pattern of a plurality of demo songs in association with each key, and a simple play performance of a demo song or an ordinary play performance. A performance mode setting means for selecting whether to perform by keyboard operation, and selecting a demo song corresponding to a depressed key when the easy play performance mode is set, and depressing the key. Reading means for sequentially reading the automatic performance pattern of the corresponding demo song from the storage means while the key is kept locked; and musical tone generating means for generating a musical tone in accordance with the automatic performance pattern data read by the reading means. It is characterized by doing.

[0009]

According to the present invention, while a predetermined key on the keyboard is depressed, an automatic performance pattern of a demo tune having a melody stored in advance in a storage means is read out in correspondence with the key, and the automatic performance pattern is read. I try to pronounce based on.

[0010] Thus, the demo tune including the melody is played in response to the key depression, so that the player can immerse himself in the mood of playing himself and enjoy the demonstration performance sufficiently. It has become.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram schematically showing an overall configuration of an automatic performance apparatus according to the present invention.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 10 denotes a keyboard which is used not only for normal pronunciation but also for selection of a demo song which is a feature of the present invention. This keyboard 10 has a plurality of keys (keys).
And a key switch which opens and closes in conjunction with the key press / release operations of these keys, and a key scan circuit (both not shown) for detecting the open / close state of these key switches.

A signal indicating a key pressed / released state detected by the key scan circuit of the keyboard 10 and a signal indicating a key touch are sent to the keyboard interface 11.

The keyboard interface 11 mediates transmission and reception of signals between the keyboard 10 and the system bus 30. A signal indicating a key pressed / released state or a signal indicating a key touch sent from the keyboard 10 is sent to the CPU 14 via the keyboard interface 11 and the system bus 30.

An operation panel 12 is provided with various switches, a display and the like for controlling the automatic performance device.

The various switches described above include, in addition to switches such as a tone selection switch, a rhythm selection switch, and a volume control switch, which are generally provided in electronic musical instruments, a simple play switch 12a directly related to the features of the present invention. . The simple play switch 12a is a switch for shifting the automatic performance device to a simple play mode.

Here, the simple play mode refers to the keyboard 10
This is a mode in which the keys (keys) are not used for normal performance and pronunciation, but are used as selection keys for selecting a demo song. When this simple play mode is set, any key on the keyboard 10 (demo selection key)
Is pressed, the performance of the demo song corresponding to the key is continued while the key is pressed.

The operation panel 12 includes a panel scan circuit for detecting ON / OFF of various switches.
A signal indicating the on / off state of the switch detected by the panel scan circuit of the operation panel 12 is sent to the panel interface 13.

The panel interface 13 mediates transmission and reception of signals between the operation panel 12 and the system bus 30. A signal indicating the on / off state of the switch sent from the operation panel 12 is sent to the CPU 14 via the panel interface 13 and the system bus 30.

Reference numeral 14 denotes a central processing unit (CPU) for controlling each part of the automatic performance device according to a control program stored in a program memory 15.

The program memory 15 is composed of, for example, a read only memory (ROM) and stores the above-mentioned control program. Further, in addition to the control program, the program memory 15 stores C
Various fixed data used by the PU 14 are stored. The program memory 15 is accessed by the CPU 14 via the system bus 30.

16 is a random access memory (RAM)
A work area of the CPU 14 and various registers, counters, flags, and the like for controlling the automatic performance device are defined. The RAM 16 is accessed by the CPU 14 via the system bus 30.

Reference numeral 17 denotes an automatic performance pattern data memory for storing pattern data used for automatic performance (including demonstration performance; the same applies hereinafter). FIG. 8 shows a configuration example of one sound of the automatic performance pattern data stored in the automatic performance pattern data memory 17.

In the figure, “key number” designates a pitch and is a number assigned to each key of the keyboard 10. “Measure END” is information indicating the end of the measure. The “END mark” is information indicating the end of the automatic performance pattern data of the demo song.

The "step time" is information for specifying a sound generation time in a bar. "Gate time"
Is information that specifies the time to be pronounced. “Velocity” is information that specifies the intensity of the sound to be pronounced.

This automatic performance pattern data memory 17
Are accessed by the CPU 14 via the system bus 30.

Reference numeral 18 denotes a musical tone waveform memory for storing a plurality of types of musical tone waveform data and envelope data in accordance with various tone colors and tone ranges. This tone waveform memory 1
8 is accessed by the tone generator 19.

The tone generator 19 reads out tone waveform data and envelope data from the tone waveform memory 18 in accordance with the information supplied from the CPU 14, adds the envelope to the read tone waveform data, and outputs it as a tone signal. is there. The tone signal output from the tone generating circuit 19 is supplied to an amplifier 20.

The amplifier 20 amplifies the tone signal supplied from the tone generating circuit 19 with a predetermined gain and supplies the amplified signal to the speaker 21. The speaker 21 is a well-known device that converts an electric signal into an acoustic signal.

The keyboard interface 11, panel interface 13, CPU 14, program memory 15, RAM 16, automatic performance pattern data memory 1
7. The musical tone waveform memory 18 and the musical tone generating circuit 19 are interconnected by a system bus 30.

Next, the operation of the embodiment of the present invention in the above configuration will be described with reference to the flowcharts shown in FIGS.

When the power is turned on to the automatic performance apparatus, FIG.
Is activated. Then, first, an initialization process is performed (step S10). This initialization process sets the internal state of the tone generating circuit 19 to the initial state to prevent unnecessary sounds from being generated when the power is turned on,
This is a process for clearing the work area of the RAM 16 and setting registers, counters, flags, and the like to an initial state.

Next, panel processing is performed (step S11). Hereinafter, details of the panel processing will be described with reference to FIG.
This will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

In the panel process, first, a panel scan process is performed (step S20). That is, the operation panel 1
A signal indicating the on / off state of each switch detected by the panel scan circuit 2 is read by the CPU 14 via the panel interface 13 and stored in the RAM 16.

The on / off state of each switch previously taken from the operation panel 12 (already stored in another area of the RAM 16) and the on / off state of each switch taken from the operation panel 12 this time are shown. By comparison, an on-event map in which only the bits corresponding to the newly turned on switches are set and an off-event map in which only the bits corresponding to the newly turned off switches are set.

Next, it is checked whether or not the simple play switch 12a has been turned on (step S21). This is performed by checking the on-event map and the off-event map created in the panel scan process (step S20).

When it is determined that the simple play switch 12a is turned on, the simple mode flag is turned on (step S22). When it is determined that the simple play switch 12a is turned off, the simple mode flag is set. The panel is turned off (step S23), and thereafter, the process returns from the panel processing routine.

Here, the simple mode flag is a flag defined in the RAM 16, and when this flag is set, the mode shifts to the simple play mode as described above. That is, in the simple play mode, the keys of the keyboard 10 function as a demo song selection switch, that is, a demo song selection key, and a predetermined demo song performance is performed when any key is pressed.

The flowchart of the panel processing shown in FIG. 3 shows only the processing for the simple play switch 12a which is directly related to the present invention for the sake of simplicity. This panel processing routine performs processing for all switch events.

When the above panel processing is completed, the routine returns to the main routine, and the keyboard processing routine is called (step S12). In this keyboard processing, normal sound generation / silence processing or demo performance start / stop processing is performed in accordance with key press / release of a key on the keyboard 10. Hereinafter, this keyboard processing will be described in detail with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

In the keyboard process, first, a key scan process is performed (step S30). That is, a signal indicating the on / off state of each key detected by the key scan circuit of the keyboard 10 is read by the CPU 14 via the keyboard interface 11 and stored in the RAM 16.

Then, the on / off state of each key previously taken from the keyboard 10 (already stored in another area of the RAM 16) is compared with the on / off state of each key taken from the keyboard 10 this time. , An on-event map in which only the bit corresponding to the newly turned on key is set and an off-event map in which only the bit corresponding to the newly turned off key is set.

Next, it is checked whether or not an ON event has occurred (step S31). This is performed by examining the on-event map created in the key scan process (step S30).

When it is determined that an ON event has occurred, it is checked whether the simple mode flag is ON (step S32). That is, it is checked whether or not the simple play switch 12a is pressed and the automatic performance device is in the simple play mode.

Here, the simple mode flag is not on,
That is, when it is determined that the automatic performance device is not in the simple play mode, a normal tone generation process is performed in response to a keystroke (step S39), and thereafter, the process returns from the keyboard processing routine. Since this normal sound generation process is well known, a description thereof will be omitted.

On the other hand, when it is determined that the simple mode flag is on, that is, the automatic performance device is in the simple play mode, it is checked whether the demo start flag is on (step S33).

The demonstration start flag is a flag defined in the RAM 16, and is used to store whether or not a demonstration performance has been started. More specifically, it is a flag that stores whether or not the demo start process (step S35) has been executed once. Therefore, the demo start flag is set (step S36) after the demo start process (step S35) is completed, as described later.

The demo start flag is set when the above-described initialization processing of the main routine (step S10) and a series of demonstration performances are completed (step S7 in FIG. 7).
Cleared in 7).

If it is determined in step S33 that the demo start flag is not on, a demo number setting process is performed (step S34). Here, the demo number is a demo song number assigned to each key of the keyboard 10. The demo number corresponds to the automatic performance pattern data for the demonstration performance stored in the automatic performance pattern data memory 17.

Next, a demonstration start processing routine is called (step S35). In the demo start process,
As shown in the flowchart of FIG. 6, first, the demo number is checked (step S50). This is a process for checking whether or not the demo number set in step S34 is valid, that is, whether or not automatic performance pattern data corresponding to the demo number exists.

Next, a top address is set (step S51). That is, the head address of the automatic performance pattern data memory 17 in which the automatic performance pattern data corresponding to the demo number is stored is set in a predetermined buffer.

Next, the automatic performance pattern data memory 1
7, 4-byte automatic performance pattern data (see FIG. 8) is read out using the top address (step S52). Hereinafter, automatic performance pattern data is sequentially read out while updating the top address set in the buffer.

Next, the step time data in the read automatic performance pattern data is taken out and set in a predetermined buffer (step S53). This step time data is used in a demonstration performance processing routine described later.

Next, a preset tempo is set (step S54). This is a process of referring to a table (not shown) in which tempo data corresponding to the demo music is stored in advance and reading out the corresponding tempo data and setting the read tempo data in a predetermined buffer. Thus, the tempo of the demonstration performance is determined.

Next, a demo play flag is set (step S55). This demo play flag is R
This flag is defined in AM16 and is used to store whether or not a demonstration performance is actually being performed. Therefore, this is set by the demo start process, and is cleared when the demo performance is interrupted by key release. If the key is pressed while the demonstration performance is suspended, the key is set again, and it is cleared when a series of demonstration performances is completed.

Next, the demo counter is cleared (step S56). This demo counter is a counter defined in the RAM 16 and is used for counting a step time. This demo counter is cleared every time one bar is counted.

After the above processing, the routine returns from the demonstration start processing routine and returns to the keyboard processing routine.

Then, a demo start flag is set (step S36), and the process returns from the keyboard processing routine. Therefore, the demonstration start process is performed only once in one demonstration performance.

If it is determined in step S33 that the demo start flag is on, that is, the demo start process has already been completed, it is checked whether the demo play flag is on (step S37). When it is determined that the key is on, it is recognized that a demonstration performance is actually being performed (another key is pressed during the demonstration performance by pressing a key), and no processing is performed on the key depression. Without performing the operation, the process returns from the keyboard processing routine.

On the other hand, when it is determined that the demo play flag is off, it is recognized that the key is pressed in the interruption state in the simple play mode, and the demo play flag is set (step S38). Thereafter, the process returns from the keyboard processing routine. Thus, the demonstration performance is resumed.

If it is determined in step S31 that the event is not an on event, it is checked whether or not the event is an off event, as shown in FIG. 5 (step S40). This is performed by checking the off-event map created in the key scan processing (step S30). If it is determined that the event is not an off event, the process returns from the keyboard processing routine without performing any processing.

On the other hand, if it is determined that the event is an off event, it is checked whether or not the simple mode flag is on (step S41). When it is determined that the simple mode flag is not on, that is, when it is determined that the automatic performance device is not in the simple play mode, normal mute processing is performed (step S45). Return from routine.

When it is determined in step S41 that the simple mode flag is ON, it is checked whether or not the fourth beat or later is currently being executed (step S42). This is done by examining the contents of the demo counter. Now, the demo counter changes one beat (quarter note) to "24"
Assuming that the operation is performed with the precision divided into two, it is checked whether or not the value of the demo counter is equal to or greater than “72”.

When it is determined that the current time is not the fourth and subsequent beats, a break flag is set (step S43).
Thereafter, the process returns from the keyboard processing routine. Here, the break flag is a flag defined in the RAM 16 and is a flag for instructing that the demonstration performance should be interrupted after execution until the end of the measure.

On the other hand, if it is determined in step S42 that the time is after the fourth beat, a next break flag is set (step S44), and thereafter, the routine returns from the keyboard processing routine. Here, the next break flag is a flag defined in the RAM 16, and is a flag that indicates that the demonstration performance should be interrupted after executing until the end of the bar following the current bar.

When the above-described keyboard processing is completed, the process returns to the main routine, and it is checked whether or not the demo play flag is on (step S13). Here, if it is determined that the demo play flag is not on, step S1
1, and repeats steps S11 to S13.

In the course of this repetitive execution, when the demo play flag is set by depressing the simple play switch 12a to start the demonstration performance or by pressing a key while the demonstration performance is interrupted, the demo play flag is set. The performance processing routine is called (step S
14).

When returning from the demonstration performance processing routine, the contents of the demonstration counter are incremented (step S15), and thereafter, the flow returns to step S11. Then, by repeatedly executing steps S11 to S15, a demonstration performance is realized.

Next, details of the demonstration performance processing performed in step S14 will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG.

In this demonstration performance processing, first, it is checked whether or not it is time to read performance data (step S60). This is the timing at which performance data should be read from the automatic performance pattern data memory 17 (corresponding to each division point when one beat is divided into 24) by examining a read timing clock output by a timing clock generator (not shown). This is a process of determining whether or not the event has occurred.

If it is determined that it is not the read timing, the process returns from the demonstration performance processing routine without performing the following processing.

On the other hand, if it is determined that it is the read timing, it is checked whether or not the step time (STEP) in the automatic performance pattern data matches the contents of the demo counter (COUNT) (step S61). The step time used here is the data read in step S52 of the demo start processing routine immediately after the start of the demonstration performance, and is the data read in step S71 described later.

If it is determined that the step time does not match the contents of the demo counter, it is recognized that the time to sound has not yet come, and the routine returns from the demonstration performance processing routine.

On the other hand, if it is determined that the step time matches the contents of the demo counter, a read address is set (step S62), and 4-byte automatic performance pattern data is read (step S63). Then, it is checked whether or not the read out automatic performance pattern data indicates an END mark (step S6).
4). This is performed by checking a predetermined bit contained in the first byte of the performance data. The same applies to the following bar END (step S65).

If it is determined that the mark is an END mark, the demonstration play flag and the demonstration start flag are cleared (step S77), and thereafter, the routine returns from the demonstration performance processing routine. Thus, a series of demonstration performance processing ends.

On the other hand, if it is determined that the mark is not an END mark, the read automatic performance pattern data
Is checked (step S65).

If it is determined that the bar number is not the bar END, the key number is recognized, and a sound generation process is performed (step S75). That is, the tone generating circuit 19 is driven according to the key number and velocity in the read automatic performance pattern data, and one sound is generated.

Next, "4" is added to the read address (step S76). Then, the next 4 bytes of automatic performance pattern data are read from the automatic performance pattern data memory 17 based on the updated read address (step S71). Then, the step time data in the read automatic performance pattern data is set in a predetermined buffer (step S72), and the process returns to step S61. Hereinafter, the same processing as described above is performed.

When the processing for all the automatic performance pattern data having the same step time is completed in this way, the process returns from the demonstration performance processing routine.

If it is determined in step S65 that the current bar is the bar END, it is checked whether or not the break flag is ON (step S66). If the break flag is ON, that is, the demo performance is continued with the key released at the timing before the fourth beat, and it is determined that the bar END has been reached, the demo play flag is cleared (step S67). Then, the break flag is cleared (step S68).

Next, "2" is added to the read address (step S69). This is because the automatic performance pattern data indicating the bar END is composed of 2 bytes. Then, the demo counter is cleared (step S
70).

Next, the next four bytes of automatic performance pattern data are read from the automatic performance pattern data memory 17 by the read address updated in step S69 (step S71), and the steps in the read automatic performance pattern data are read out. The time data is set in a predetermined buffer, and the process returns to step S61. Hereinafter, the same processing as described above is performed.

After that, since the demo play flag is cleared, the main routine does not call this demo performance processing routine. That is, the function of suspending the demonstration performance is realized.

If it is determined in step S66 that the break flag is not on, it is checked whether the next break flag is on (step S73).
If the next break flag is ON, that is, the demonstration performance is continued with the key released at the timing after the fourth beat and it is determined that the bar END has been reached, the break flag is set (step S74). ), Step S
Steps 69 and below are executed.

As a result, the demonstration performance is continued until the bar END of the next bar is detected. Then, when the next bar END is detected, the processing after step S67 is performed, and the demonstration performance is temporarily stopped by the same operation as described above.

The demo performance interrupted in this manner is resumed by setting the demo play flag in the keyboard processing routine in accordance with the key depression (step S38).

As described above, according to this embodiment, while a predetermined key of the keyboard 10 is being pressed, a demo having a melody stored in the automatic performance pattern data memory 17 in advance corresponding to the key is provided. The automatic performance pattern of the tune is read, the sound is generated based on the automatic performance pattern, and the demonstration performance is interrupted by releasing the key. When the key is pressed again, the demonstration performance is resumed from the interrupted position.

With this configuration, the demo tune including the melody is played according to the key depression, the performance of the demonstration tune is interrupted by releasing the key, and the demonstration performance is resumed by pressing the key again. Is like being able to immerse yourself in the mood of playing and fully enjoy the demo performance.

[0090]

As described in detail above, according to the present invention, there is provided an automatic performance apparatus which enables even a toddler or a beginner to easily generate a melody matched to an accompaniment and to enjoy a demonstration performance sufficiently. be able to.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram schematically showing an overall configuration of an embodiment of an automatic performance device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart (main routine) for explaining the operation of the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart for explaining panel processing in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a keyboard process in FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a flowchart for explaining a demo start process in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a flowchart for explaining a demonstration performance process in FIG. 2;

FIG. 7 is a flowchart illustrating a demonstration performance process in FIG. 2;

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing an example of a configuration of automatic performance pattern data used in the embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Keyboard 12 Operation panel (selection means) 14 CPU (reading means, interruption means, resumption means) 17 Automatic performance pattern data memory (storage means) 19 Music tone generation circuit (music tone generation means)

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] 1. A storage means for storing automatic performance patterns of a plurality of demo songs in association with respective keys, and selecting whether to perform a simple play performance of the demo song or to perform by a normal keyboard operation. Means for setting a performance mode; and selecting a demo song corresponding to the key pressed while the simple play performance mode is set, and automatically playing the demo song while the key is kept pressed. An automatic performance apparatus comprising: a reading means for sequentially reading patterns from the storage means; and a musical tone generating means for generating a musical tone in accordance with the automatic performance pattern data read by the reading means. 2. When the key press is interrupted before the reading of one demo song is completed, the reading is interrupted and the same key is depressed again, so that the interrupted demo song is resumed from the point where it was interrupted. 2. The automatic performance apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a reading means for restarting reading. 3. A reading unit which does not execute a key press instruction when a key corresponding to another demo song is depressed when reading of a demo song currently being read or interrupted is not completed. The automatic performance device according to claim 1, further comprising: 4. The reading means, when interrupting the performance of the demo song being played, interrupts at the end of the bar or at the end of the next bar according to the number of bars of the bar of the demo song at the time when the key press is interrupted. 3. The automatic performance apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising means for determining whether to stop at the end of the automatic performance.