JP2811132B2 - Electronic musical instrument - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electronic musical instrument based on a granular synthesis system.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, four types of sound sources have been implemented for electronic musical instruments. The first is an "addition method", in which a "sine synthesis method" in which a plurality of harmonic components are added, a "partial synthesis method" in which a plurality of partial sound components are added, and a stationary sound component and an unsteady sound component are used. This is the method of combining.

[0003] The second is a "subtraction method", which is a method of applying a filter such as VCF / DCF to an original sound containing many harmonics, or a method of applying a formant filter such as a vocal tract model of speech synthesis. .

The third is a "modulation method", which corresponds to a method such as amplitude modulation, ring modulation, frequency modulation, phase modulation, and non-linear conversion.

[0005] The fourth is a "sampling method".
This corresponds to a method of converting an actual tone signal into data in a memory and reading it out, such as a method such as M.ADPCM.

All of these tone generator systems basically generate a sustained tone signal. There is an oscillator for generating a continuous tone signal. Even in the sampling system, the read address generation circuit of the data memory is used. It is considered a kind of oscillator. This corresponds to human perception of periodic air vibrations as musical sounds.

On the other hand, a "granular synthesis system" has been proposed as a fifth tone generation system having a completely different principle. It basically does not have a continuous periodic signal and utilizes a kind of illusion phenomenon in human hearing, and is expected to contribute to the creation of new music.

In the granular synthesis system, sound is not regarded as "continuous periodic vibration" but as "collection of sound particles". Each particle is a simple single smooth pulse that does not have the properties of a "continuous sound". It has a very large number of particles in time, and also has appropriate randomness so that no periodic component is perceived. By arranging the particles, the entire particle group perceives one auditory image and acts as a kind of acoustic phenomenon.

In order to obtain actual sound by this granular synthesis method, various random numbers are calculated by a large-scale computer to determine the time position and shape of each particle, and the calculation results are stored in a large amount of memory. Thereafter, it is necessary to perform non- "real-time" processing of converting the sound material into a sound signal by reading the memory, recording these sound materials on a tape, and editing the sound material together with various sounds as an electronic music tape.

[0010]

As described above, to obtain an actual sound by the granular synthesis method,
Conventionally, processes such as calculation of various random numbers in a large-scale computer, storage in a memory, conversion into an audio signal, and recording of an audio material on a tape have been required. For this reason, when ensemble is performed simultaneously with the real-time performance of an ordinary musical instrument or electronic musical instrument, a form in which a tape portion is separately prepared has been adopted.

It should be noted that a system for generating a musical tone signal by a granular synthesis method in real time has also been proposed, but requires a large number of signal generation circuit groups that are triggered every time various random numbers are calculated by a large-scale computer. There has been a problem that the electronic musical instrument becomes inflexible, large-scale and expensive.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems. The present invention applies a conventional PCM-type electronic musical instrument technology, which can be implemented inexpensively and compactly, to generate a quasi-granular musical sound generation method. The aim is to provide an electronic musical instrument that is realized in real time and has a high degree of operability and abundant operability.

[0013]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a conventional PCM.
In an electronic musical instrument with a configuration similar to the system, continuous zero value data in the waveform memory and a specific waveform called grain
To store the signal data having, by providing a pseudo-random number generator to specify the start and end positions and the various pseudo-random number reading data periodically from the waveform memory, resulting in pseudo granular synthesis scheme The musical sound is generated in real time.

Further, by utilizing the functions of the conventional PCM-type electronic musical instrument such as pitch setting, tone bank switching, envelope multiplication, and panpot designation, each of the above-mentioned specific waveforms is used as a parameter change in the granular synthesis method. arrangement and shape of the signal data with is obtained as such can be specified.

[0015]

[Effect] An electronic musical instrument using a pseudo-granular synthesis system with a very simple configuration compared to the conventional one can be realized at a low price and a compact size. As a result, it is possible to generate musical tones with abundant parameters in real time. You can get a great musical expression.

[0016]

FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram illustrating the structure of an electronic musical instrument according to a first embodiment of the present invention. Reference numeral 1 denotes a waveform memory, and 2 denotes a pitch setting for designating a reading speed of the waveform memory 1. A circuit, a memory address setting circuit for designating a read address of the waveform memory, a read start position designating circuit, a read end position designating circuit, and a pseudorandom number for generating an address of the start / end position. A generating circuit, 7 is an envelope multiplying circuit, 8 is an envelope generating circuit, 9 is a panpot setting circuit for specifying the localization of data, and 10 is a sound system for converting data into musical sounds.

In FIG. 1, the waveform memory 1 stores, in a part of a continuous zero-value data area, single granular signal data called "grain" in the theory of the granular synthesis method.

This situation will be described with reference to a waveform diagram shown in FIG. 2 for explaining the principle of generation of musical sounds in the granular synthesis system. FIG. 2A shows an example of waveform data stored in a waveform memory of a normal electronic musical instrument of the PCM system. Data read out at addresses along the horizontal axis with time elapse is a series of gradually changing periods t. Perceived as a waveform.

On the other hand, in the case of the granular synthesis system according to the present invention, as shown in FIG. 2B, signal data called a grain having a smooth waveform whose edge is not so steep is usually included in the zero value data. Only one grain is stored, and reading out only one grain is not perceived as a musical tone. The width w of the grain is often from several milliseconds to several tens of milliseconds.

Although a large number of grains are generated one after another in the granular synthesis system, FIG.
When a large number of grains are arranged at regular intervals as shown in FIG. 2, a pitch having a period of time T between the grains is perceived, and a granular synthesis method in which a large number of grains are to be randomly arranged as shown in FIG. Contrary to the purpose of In the case of a musical sound generation system of a granular synthesis system using a conventional large computer, FIG.
And a very large number of generating circuits for generating a group of grains as described above.

Next, the memory address setting circuit 3 shown in FIG.
Generates an address from which the waveform memory 1 is read. Here, address advance speed information designated by the pitch setting circuit 2, read start position information designated by the start position designation circuit 4, and read end position information designated by the end position designation circuit 5 are supplied. This section is repeatedly read.

The pseudo random number generating circuit 6 generates pseudo random noise digitally generated by an M-sequence shift register, white noise obtained from spatial noise or transistor current noise, or pink noise obtained by applying a filter to the noise. Or a self-recursive state transition equation: Pseudorandom number obtained by _{Xn + 1} = r * _Xn * (1- _Xn ) by chaos or fractal algorithm, and by cellular automaton method A pseudo-random number generated in a self-proliferating manner is generated, and this output information is supplied to a start position specifying circuit 4 and an end position specifying circuit 5.

The data read from the waveform memory 1 is
In accordance with the temporal amplitude setting / change data generated by the envelope generating circuit 8, the envelope multiplying circuit 7
Changes the amplitude. Panpot setting circuit 9
Thus, the distribution of a sequence to be sounded from the sound system 10 and the spatial localization state are set.

Here, when each circuit of FIG. 1 is viewed in accordance with the concept of the granular synthesis system, the waveform memory 1 specifies the shape of the grain, the pitch setting circuit 2 specifies the width w of the grain, A memory address setting circuit 3, a start position designating circuit 4 and an end position designating circuit 5 designate a space between grains, and a pseudo random number generating circuit 6
Is used to specify the arrangement state of the grains, the envelope multiplication circuit 7 and the envelope generation circuit 8 are used to specify the size of the grains, and the panpot setting circuit 9 and the sound system 10 are used to specify the spatial arrangement of the grains. Will do.

FIG. 3 shows an example of a specific circuit configuration of the memory address setting circuit 3 according to the present invention. The waveform memory 1, pitch setting circuit 2, start position specifying circuit 4, end position specifying circuit 5, etc. It is shown. 11 is an address accumulation data latch, 12 is an upper address data comparison comparator, 13 is an AND gate for start position data, 14 is an AND gate for erasing accumulated data, 15 is an inverter,
Reference numeral 6 denotes an address addition adder. Here, the address of the waveform memory 1 is 16 bits wide, and the lower 8 bits D _{7 to} D ₀ are incremented by the pitch setting circuit 2 as the increment _value .
Top 8 from start position specification circuit 4 and end position specification circuit 5
Is described as bit D ₁₅ to D ₈ are supplied,
As a general operation principle, any address can be specified.

Next, in the operation of FIG. 3, basically, an address for reading out the waveform memory 1 is added by the adder 16, and the result is stored in the latch 11 as an accumulated value for each calculation and becomes the next addition input. . The upper 8 bits D _{15 to} D ₈ are compared by the comparator 12 with the setting of the end position specifying circuit 5 every time the address is calculated. If the results do not match, the AND gate 14 continues to use the accumulated value of the latch 11. Inverter 1
5 and AND gate 13 to specify start position 4
Output is prohibited, and only the lower 8 bits D ₇ to D ₀ is supplied from the pitch setting circuit 2, the address to perform memory read and increased by this increment.

The upper 8 bits D _{15 to} D _{8 of} the address are compared by the comparator 12 with the setting of the end position designating circuit 5.
4 inhibits the accumulated value of the latch 11 and the adder 16
Is cleared to zero. The output of the start position specifying circuit 4 by the inverter 15 and the AND gate 13 is supplied, the upper eight bits D ₁₅ to D ₈ addresses starting from the set value. Thereby, from the waveform memory 1,
Data corresponding to the section in which the addresses of the upper 8 bits D _{15 to} D ₈ are specified by the start position specifying circuit 4 and the end position specifying circuit 5 are repeatedly read at the speed set by the pitch setting circuit 2.

The memory address setting circuit 3 operates as described above, and the start position specifying circuit 4 and the end position specifying circuit 5 are supplied with pseudo random number data generated by the pseudo random number generating circuit 6. . The manner in which the musical tone generation of the granular synthesis method is thus realized will be described with reference to the operation explanatory diagram shown in FIG.

FIGS. 4A and 4C show two examples of the position of the grain in the waveform memory 1 and the specification of the start position and the end position of the readout, and FIG.
And (d) show how the waveforms are read in each example.

That is, in the example of FIG. 4A, the grain data is placed at the position of GP, and the zero value data is placed at the other part of the waveform memory 1. The start position of the waveform reading operation is ST, and the final position of the repetition is ED.
Has been placed. In the case of a normal PCM-type electronic musical instrument, the waveform is continuously read out in this state.
As shown in (b), the same section from ST to ED repeatedly proceeds. However, in this case, in the granular synthesis system, only a monotonous sound having a periodicity as shown in FIG. 2C described above is obtained, and it cannot be always used as a musical sound.

In the present invention, pseudo-random number data generated by the pseudo-random number generation circuit 6 is supplied to the start position specification circuit 4 and the end position specification circuit 5. As a result, as shown in FIG.
It changes every moment like T, ST, ST. Also,
The read end position also changes every moment like ED, ED, and ED. As a result, the address supplied to the waveform memory 1 changes randomly every moment as shown in FIG.
The density of the grains that are repeatedly read according to this address changes irregularly as shown in FIG. This is exactly the phenomenon required by the granular synthesis method. Further, by using a plurality of tone generation sequences as needed, it is possible to obtain a sufficient grain density for sound as a whole.

When the increment value data of the pitch setting circuit 2 shown in FIG. 3 is increased, the width w of the grain shown in FIG. 2B is compressed, and a change corresponding to the entire timbre of hearing can be obtained. Further, a start position specifying circuit 4 and an end position specifying circuit 5
By limiting the section set by the above to a certain range, it is also easy to change the sounding state by increasing the temporal density of the grains without changing the width w of the grains.

Further, it is easy to arrange a plurality of waveform memories 1 each having a different grain shape and to have a higher-order address for switching between them. As a result, it is possible to easily switch to a granular synthesis method having a different grain shape. Further, depending on the nature of the pseudo random number generated by the pseudo random number generation circuit 6,
As a result, the arrangement of the grains changes, which is an important parameter of the principle of the granular synthesis method.

Although it is easy to individually change the size of the grains as a whole by the envelope multiplying circuit 7 and the envelope generating circuit 8, this is also an important "tone color" parameter of the granular synthesis method.

The panpot setting circuit 9 and the sound system 10 not only make it easy for the grains to be generated from one channel but also to easily assign them to a plurality of spatially arranged positions. This is an important parameter of the granular synthesis method.

FIG. 5 is a conceptual diagram illustrating the configuration of a second embodiment of the electronic musical instrument according to the present invention, wherein ₁₁ to 1 _n are a plurality of waveform memories, 2 is a pitch setting circuit, and 6 is a pseudo memory. A random number generation circuit, 8 an envelope generation circuit, 9 a panpot setting circuit, 20 a parameter control circuit, 21 a memory switching circuit for selecting one of the waveform memories ₁₁ to 1 _n ,
22 sensor input circuit, 23 ₁ ~ 23 _n are various sensors.

In FIG. 5, the parameter control circuit 20
It is to specify the grain shape by switching waveform memory 1 ₁ to 1 _n, to specify the width of the grain by the pitch setting circuit 2, to specify the arrangement of the grain by the pseudo random number generating circuit 6, the envelope generator Various parameters for specifying the size of the grains by the circuit 8 and for specifying the spatial arrangement of the grains by the panpot setting circuit 9 are controlled in real time simultaneously with the performance. The sensor input circuit 22, the sensor 23 ₁ -
_23n , and inputs the information from the parameter control circuit 20.
To supply.

According to the embodiment of FIG. 5, the sensor 23 ₁
２３23 _n will function as a kind of “musical instrument” for humans. For example, a strain gauge type sensor detects the bending of the arm, thereby changing the temporal density of the grain, moving the position of the grain by operating a baton with an acceleration sensor, an impact sensor at the tip of the stick Thus, the impact force is detected, and the shape of the grain can be switched. This is a revolution that changes the meaning of the granular synthesis method, which has been fixed as conventional tape music, to the meaning in the music, and has an effect of sufficiently stimulating the creativity of both the composer and the performer.

FIG. 6 is a conceptual diagram illustrating the configuration of an electronic musical instrument according to a third embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 6, the same parts as those in FIG. In FIG. 6, reference numeral 24 denotes a communication input circuit, and reference numeral 25 denotes an external device.

The parameter control circuit 20 switches the waveform memory 1 to designate the shape of the grain, designates the width of the grain by the pitch setting circuit 2, and designates the width of the grain by the pseudo random number generation circuit 6, as in the case of FIG. Various parameters for specifying the arrangement state, specifying the size of the grains by the envelope generation circuit 8, and specifying the spatial arrangement of the grains by the panpot setting circuit 9 are controlled in real time simultaneously with the performance. I do.
The communication input circuit 24 inputs information from an external device 25 such as another electronic musical instrument and supplies the information to the parameter control circuit 20.

According to the embodiment of FIG. 6, for example, when a general-purpose MIDI standard is used as a communication line, this electronic musical instrument system has the same rank as a system using a normal MIDI-compatible electronic musical instrument, and controls the entire music. It will work effectively for systems that do. That is, along with information from a sequencer or a computer for controlling the MIDI-compatible electronic musical instrument in a unified manner, the granular synthesis type sound source system according to the present invention can be controlled. Contribute. This is a remarkable advance from the granular synthesis type sound source which was conventionally isolated as a dedicated complex system, and has an effect of sufficiently stimulating the creativity of a composer.

FIG. 7 is a conceptual diagram illustrating the configuration of an electronic musical instrument according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention, wherein 1 is a waveform memory circuit, 3 is a memory address setting circuit, 7 is an envelope multiplication circuit, and 30 is A read / write control circuit, 31 is an A / D conversion circuit, 32 is a microphone, and 33 is a line input terminal.

In FIG. 7, an analog audio signal input from a microphone 32 or a line input terminal 33 is converted into a digital signal by an A / D conversion circuit 31 and supplied to a read / write control circuit 30. The read / write control circuit 30 controls reading and writing of data in the waveform memory 1. That is, in the write mode, a part of the audio data from the A / D conversion circuit 31 is written to the waveform memory 1 as a kind of grain. In the read mode, the grain data is read from the waveform memory 1 in accordance with the address from the memory address setting circuit 3 and supplied to the envelope multiplication circuit 7 as in the embodiment of FIG. These two modes can be executed as separate modes.However, if they are performed alternately by the digital time-division calculation method, while apparently continuing the sound generation of the granular synthesis method, the sound data is simultaneously acquired and Data can be grained. In this case, if a block of the waveform memory for writing data and a block of the waveform memory for reading data are separated, noise due to discontinuous points can be avoided.

FIG. 8 is a waveform chart for explaining the effect of the embodiment of FIG. FIG. 8A shows a typical shape of a grain used in a usual granular synthesis method, which is approximated by a trigonometric function, a hyperbolic function, a logarithmic function, or the like. Even with such "smooth" grains,
By changing the temporal density and grain width w in various ways,
A wide variety of auditory effects can be obtained.

FIG. 8B shows a waveform having a small change in a part of the grain, which is in good agreement with the visual intuition that the waveform has many high-order harmonics. It is known that the sound to be played becomes “rich” as a whole.

FIG. 8C shows an example of a grained shape of audio data obtained in the case of the embodiment shown in FIG. Obviously, audio data has a complicated shape, and thus using such a grain may generate a complex sound that cannot be obtained with a conventional granular synthesis type sound source. This is a new possibility that is different from a granular synthesis type sound source that emphasizes the conventional mathematical method of grain arrangement, and has the effect of sufficiently stimulating the creativity of a composer.

Although the above embodiment has been described with respect to an example in which one grain is arranged in a part of a continuous zero-value data area, a plurality of grains may be arranged.

[0048]

According to the present invention, a grain is stored in a memory, and a start point and an end point of a section of the memory including the grain are repeatedly read out while being changed using a pseudo random number. Since various parameters such as reading speed, selection of grain shape, data amplitude, and change in localization are controlled, the conventional PCM
With a simple configuration applying the configuration of the electronic musical instrument of the type, it is possible to easily generate a quasi-granular synthesis-type musical tone, thereby realizing a new musical instrument having a possibility of greatly expanding the creativity of conventional music. As a result, it is possible to provide an electronic musical instrument rich in musicality at a low price, and it will greatly contribute to high-quality music.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an electronic musical instrument according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a waveform diagram for explaining the principle of generation of a musical tone in the granular synthesis system.

FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram of a memory address setting circuit.

FIG. 4 is an operation explanatory diagram illustrating a manner in which musical sound generation in a granular synthesis system is realized.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram of an electronic musical instrument according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a block diagram of an electronic musical instrument according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram of an electronic musical instrument according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a waveform chart for explaining the effect of the embodiment of FIG. 7;

[Explanation of symbols]

1, 1 ₁ to 1 _n Waveform memory 2 Pitch setting circuit 3 Memory address setting circuit 4 Start position specifying circuit 5 End position specifying circuit 6 Pseudo random number generating circuit 7 Envelope multiplying circuit 8 Envelope generating circuit 9 Panpot setting circuit 20 Parameter control circuit Reference Signs List 21 waveform memory switching circuit 22 sensor input circuit 23 ₁ to 23 _n sensor 24 communication input circuit 25 external device 30 read / write control circuit 32 microphone 33 line input terminal

Claims (8)

(57) [Claims] 1. A memory for storing signal data having a specific waveform in a part of a continuous zero value data area, a start position designating circuit for designating a position at which data reading from the memory is started, and An end position designating circuit for designating a position at which data reading of the end is completed; a memory reading circuit for repeatedly reading data in a section designated by the start position designating circuit and the end position designating circuit from the memory; An electronic musical instrument comprising: a start position designating circuit; and a pseudo-random number generating circuit for moving a designated position of the end position designating circuit. 2. The electronic musical instrument according to claim 1, further comprising a read speed specifying circuit for specifying a data read speed in said memory read circuit. 3. The electronic device according to claim 1, further comprising: a plurality of memories for storing a plurality of types of the shape of the signal data having the specific waveform; and a memory selection circuit for selecting and specifying the plurality of memories. Musical instruments. 4. The electronic musical instrument according to claim 1, further comprising an envelope circuit for changing an output amplitude of said memory. 5. The electronic musical instrument according to claim 1, further comprising a localization specifying circuit for changing an output localization of said memory. 6. A state of a pseudo-random number generated from said pseudo-random number generation circuit, a speed parameter of said read speed designation circuit, a setting state of said memory selection circuit, or a state of said memory selection circuit , based on inputted performance control information. claim 1, comprising parameters of the envelope circuit or a parameter control circuit for setting the parameters of the localization specified circuit, and inputs the performance control information from the sensor and a sensor input circuit for applying to the parameter control circuit, The electronic musical instrument according to 2, 3, 4 or 5. 7. A state of a pseudo-random number generated from said pseudo-random number generation circuit, a speed parameter of said read speed designation circuit, a setting state of said memory selection circuit, or said envelope based on input control information. claim 1, comprising parameters of the circuit or a parameter control circuit for setting the parameters of the localization specified circuit, and inputs the control information by the communication from outside and a communication input circuit for applying to the parameter control circuit, The electronic musical instrument according to 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6. 8. The electronic musical instrument according to claim 1, further comprising: a data writing circuit for writing data to said memory; and an audio input circuit for supplying a digital audio signal to said data writing circuit.