JP2817521B2 - 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 that generates musical tones whose volume, tone, etc. change over time in the same manner as natural musical instrument sounds.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional electronic musical instrument, even when a plurality of channels for generating tone signals (sound generation channels) are provided, generally two channels (output channels) for actually outputting a tone are provided. Only provided. Therefore, in this type of electronic musical instrument, musical tone signals of different timbres and pitches output from a plurality of tone generation channels are distributed to these two channels, electrically mixed, and then output.

Some natural musical instruments, such as keyboard instruments such as pianos and pipe organs, have different sounding positions depending on the pitch of a single musical instrument. Also, a plurality of musical tones may be generated in different places using a plurality of instruments, such as an ensemble performance by a plurality of players using a single musical instrument such as a wind instrument. For example, in the case of an ensemble performance by three players, there are three sounding positions.

[0004] The conventional electronic musical instrument described above is
Since a plurality of musical tones similar to the tone of various natural musical instruments can be generated at the same time, using this electronic musical instrument to perform a performance similar to that of the above-described keyboard instrument or ensemble performance requires a plurality of positions. Generating a musical tone produces a spatially expanded performance sound similar to a natural musical instrument.

Accordingly, the present applicant has previously proposed an electronic musical instrument that does not electrically mix the tone signals of a plurality of single tones and that sounds from a plurality of speakers installed at different positions. 62-41197 gazette).
However, in such a configuration, it is necessary to provide a sound system including the same number of amplifiers and speakers as the number of sounding channels. Therefore, it is difficult to adopt the above-described configuration.

Therefore, in order to obtain a spatially expanded performance sound without significantly increasing the number of sound systems,
The present applicant has previously proposed the following electronic musical instrument. In this electronic musical instrument, a plurality of tone signals output from a plurality of sounding channels are pre-assigned to several groups according to note names (for example, note names C, C #, D, and note names D).
#, E, F, note names F #, G, G # and note names A, A #,
B are assumed to be the same note name group), tone signals of different note name groups are output from the corresponding output channels, and tone signals of the same note name group are electrically synthesized and output from the same output channel. Output. For details of the electronic musical instrument described above, refer to Japanese Patent Publication No. 2-23535.

[0007]

By the way, in the above-mentioned conventional electronic musical instruments, the musical tone signals of the same note name group are electrically synthesized and output from the same output channel. For example, tone signals having note names that differ by an octave that must be separately pronounced are also electrically synthesized. The present invention has been made under such a background, and to provide an electronic musical instrument capable of obtaining a spatially expanded performance sound by making the most of a limited number of sounding channels. With the goal.

[0008]

An electronic musical instrument according to the present invention has key operation information generating means for generating key operation information, and a plurality of tone generation channels for generating tone signals. Musical tone generating means for respectively outputting musical tone signals, a plurality of output channels provided in a number smaller than the number of sounding channels, storing means for storing information on musical sounds being produced for each output channel, Allocating means for allocating a plurality of tone signals output from the plurality of tone generation channels to any of the plurality of output channels based on the stored content and new key operation information output from the key operation information generating means. It is characterized by having.

[0009]

According to the above construction, when the key operation information generating means generates new key operation information, the allocating means is based on the contents stored in the storage means and the new key operation information output from the key operation information generating means. Since the plurality of tone signals output from the plurality of tone generation channels are assigned to any of the plurality of output channels, tone signals are output from the assigned output channels.

[0010]

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an electronic musical instrument according to one embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a control unit, which includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a program ROM, a RAM for temporarily storing various data, a one-chip microcomputer having an I / O interface, and the like. Reference numeral 2 denotes a keyboard unit, which includes a keyboard composed of a plurality of keys and a key press detection circuit that detects that a key on the keyboard has been operated, outputs key information corresponding to the key, and supplies the key information to the control unit 1. It is configured.

Reference numeral 3 denotes a panel switch composed of various switches, which detects that each switch is operated, outputs operation information corresponding to each switch, and supplies the operation information to the control unit 1. Reference numeral 4 denotes a control unit 1 to which tone parameters such as tone color data are supplied and controlled, and time-division multiplexing of 16 types of tone data corresponding to a plurality of tone channels (in this embodiment, first to sixteen tone channels). A demultiplexer for outputting the tone data of the first to sixteenth sound channels output from the tone generator circuit 4 in a time-division multiplex manner in parallel with the first to sixteenth sound channels; The tone data of the first to sixteenth sounding channels output in parallel from the demultiplexer 5 are electrically synthesized to form four output channels 7 ₁ to 7.
7 is a distribution circuit configured to distribute the _4.

Further, 8 ₁ to 8 ₄ are output channels 7 ₁ to 7.
7 ₄ converts the musical tone data to be output to the analog tone signal from the D / A converter, 9 ₁ to 9 ₄ D / A
Amplifier for amplifying musical tone signals output from the converter 8 _{1-8 4,} 10 ₁ to 10 ₄ is a speaker for converting the respective output signal of the amplifier 91 _to 93 ₄ to the musical tone. In addition, the amplifier 9 and the speaker 10 constitute a sound system.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the distribution circuit 6. 2, 11 ₁ to 11 ₁₆ is an input terminal of the tone data of the first to sixteenth tone generation channel are respectively input, 12 ₁ to 12 ₁₆ each muting circuit, _{131-134 16} each switch, 14 ₁ ~ 14 ₄
Are adders, respectively. The switches 13 _{1 to} 13 ₁₆
The control of the control unit 1 is connected to one of the respective common terminal T _c adder 14 _{1-14 4} 16 terminals T ₁ through T _4, which are respectively connected to the input terminal, the input terminal 11 ₁
To 11 _16, and inputs the musical sound data of the corresponding tone generation channel appeared to respective common terminal T _c via the mute circuit 12 ₁ to 12 ₁₆ to adder 14 _{1-14 4.} Adder 1
4 _{1-14 4} outputs the output channel 7 _{1-7 4} corresponding respectively to adding a plurality of musical tone data inputted.

The mute circuits 12 _{1 to} 12 ₁₆ are provided to prevent noise generated when the switches 13 _{1 to} 13 ₁₆ are switched. Hereinafter, this will be described. First, when any one of the first to sixteenth sounding channels of the tone generator circuit 4 is a vacant channel in a state of waiting for sound, and a new key is pressed on the keyboard portion 2 by the player. When this new keypress tone is assigned to the vacant channel, no tone data appears at the common terminal _Tc of any switch 13 to be switched, so that no noise is generated even if the switch 13 is switched. .

In this embodiment, however, a so-called late arrival priority tone assignment system is used, and even when all of the first to sixteenth tone channels of the tone generator circuit 4 are sounding, the keyboard 2 of the keyboard 2 by the performer is generated. If a new key is pressed, any sounding channel, for example, the sounding channel with the smallest amplitude level of the envelope waveform, that is, the sounding channel with the most attenuated sound is selected, and the sounding is forcibly stopped (dumped). Then, a truncation process is performed to set an empty channel. Then, the dump by the truncate process is not necessarily performed in synchronization with the switching of the switches _{131-134 16} described above. Therefore, the mute circuit 12 ₁ to 12 ₁₆ provided to mute the musical sound data immediately before switching the switch _{131-134 16,} switch 13
By canceling the mute after switching between _{1 to} 13 ₁₆ , the occurrence of noise when switching between the switches 13 _{1 to} 13 ₁₆ is prevented.

In such a configuration, a key press / release process of the control unit 1 when a key press event or a key release event occurs in the keyboard unit 2 is shown in FIGS. 3, 4, and 6.
A description will be given based on the flowchart of FIG. When the player presses or releases any key on the keyboard of the keyboard 2,
The control unit 1 first proceeds to the processing of step SA1 of the key press / release processing routine of FIG. 3, and determines whether a key press event has occurred in the keyboard unit 2. If the result of this determination is "NO"
In the case of, the process proceeds to step SA5 described later.

On the other hand, if the decision result in the step SA1 is "YES", that is, if a key pressing event occurs in the keyboard section 2, the process proceeds to a step SA2. At step SA2, a tone generation channel assignment process is performed. That is, it is detected whether any of the first to sixteenth sound channels of the tone generator circuit 4 is an empty channel, and if there are a plurality of empty channels, the number of one of the sound channels is stored in the register Xch. I do. If all the sounding channels are sounding and there are no empty channels, for example, the above-described truncation process is performed on the sounding channel with the smallest amplitude level of the envelope waveform to make it an empty channel, and the empty channel is used. The channel number is stored in the register Xch. And
Control unit 1 proceeds to step SA3.

[0018] At step SA3, performs output channel assignment process of assigning the tone data of the empty channel stored in the register Xch to any of the four output channels 7 _{1-7 4.} The details of the output channel assignment processing will be described later. Then, when the output channel assignment processing is completed, the control unit 1 proceeds to step SA4.
Proceed to.

In step SA4, tone generation processing for supplying tone parameters such as tone data corresponding to the key code KC of the depressed key to the tone generation channel of the tone generator circuit 4 corresponding to the vacant channel stored in the register Xch. Is performed, the process proceeds to Step SA5. In step SA5, it is determined whether or not a key release event has occurred in the keyboard section 2. If the determination is "NO", the process returns to the main routine (not shown).

On the other hand, if the result of the determination in step SA5 is "YES", that is, if a key release event has occurred in the keyboard 2, the flow proceeds to step SA6. In step SA6, an output channel assignment release process is performed. The details of the output channel assignment release processing will be described later. Then, when the output channel assignment release processing ends, the control unit 1 proceeds to step SA7. In step SA7, the key code K of the released key
It is determined whether or not the sound channel of the tone generator circuit 4 corresponding to C is currently sounding. If sound is being sounded, key release processing for silencing the sound is performed, and the process returns to the main routine (not shown).

Next, the output channel allocating process of the controller 1 will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. When the process of the control unit 1 proceeds to step SA3 in FIG.
The output channel assignment processing routine shown in FIG. 4 is started. The control unit 1 first proceeds to the process of step SB1,
As shown in FIG. 5, the key code K
Referring to an output channel management memory for managing whether or not to allocate C, it is determined whether or not there is an output channel 7 whose output channel allocation number indicating the number of key codes KC allocated to the output channel 7 is 0. to decide.

In the output channel management memory of FIG. 5, the registers in the first column store the number of assigned output channels, and the registers in the second to fifth columns store the value of the assigned key code KC. Have been. The second
In the registers of the fifth to fifth columns, “0” indicates the key code K
This indicates that C has not been assigned. Further, the value of the third column of the register of the output channel 7 ₄ is "0", previously assigned key code KC into the output channel 7 ₄ indicates that it is muted. Then, if the result of the determination at step SB1 is “YES”, the control section 1 proceeds to step SB2.

At step SB2, one of the output channels 7 whose output channel assignment number is 0 is assigned. Specifically, register X
sound source circuit 4 corresponding to an empty channel stored in channel
Common terminal T of the switch 13 corresponding to the sound channel of
_c (see FIG. 2) is switched to a terminal (any of T _{1 to} T ₄ ) connected to the adder 14 of the output channel 7 to be assigned, and then the corresponding output channel 7 in the output channel management memory shown in FIG. The value of the key code KC of the pressed key is written into one of the registers in the second to fifth columns, and the number of output channels assigned to the register in the first column is incremented by one. Then, the control unit 1 returns to the key press / release key processing routine shown in FIG. 3, and proceeds to step SA4.

On the other hand, if the decision result in the step SB1 is "NO", that is, if the number of allocated output channels is 0,
If there is no output channel 7, the process proceeds to step SB3. In step SB3, all output channels 7 ₁
The _7-4, it is determined whether the sound and the sound to be consonance relation now depressed key of the key code KC is assigned. Here, the consonant relationship means that the pitch of two tones is, for example, perfect 1st or perfect 4th. If the result of this determination is "NO", that is, the output channel 7 ₁
If the _7-4 either to the sound now depressed key of the key code KC of the sound to be dissonant relationship is assigned, the flow proceeds to step SB4.

In step SB4, among a plurality of output channels 7 to which a sound having a dissonant relationship with the sound of the key code KC of the key that has been depressed is assigned to the output channel 7 with the smallest number of output channels. Assign the key code KC of the key that has been pressed. This assignment method is the same as the above-described processing in step SB2.
Then, the control unit 1 returns to the key press / release key processing routine shown in FIG. 3, and proceeds to step SA4.

On the other hand, if the decision result in the step SB3 is "YES", that is, if all the output channels 7
₁ to 7 _4, when the sound to be consonance relation between the key code KC of the depressed key is assigned, step SB
Go to 5. In step SB5, after searching for the output channel 7 with the least number of consonants, the process proceeds to step SB6.

In step SB6, it is determined whether or not there are two or more output channels 7 having the least number of consonants. If this determination is "YES", the flow proceeds to step SB7. In step SB7, among the output channels 7 having the least number of consonants, the key code of the depressed key is assigned to the output channel 7 to which the key code KC of the depressed key is assigned. After KC is assigned in the same manner as the processing in step SB2 described above, the process returns to the key press / release processing routine shown in FIG. 3 and proceeds to step SA4.

On the other hand, if the decision result in the step SB6 is "NO", that is, if there is only one output channel 7 with the smallest consonant tone, the process proceeds to a step SB8. In step SB8, the key code KC of the depressed key is assigned to the output channel 7 with the least number of consonants in the same manner as in step SB2 described above, and the process returns to the key press / release key processing routine shown in FIG. Proceed to step SA4.

Next, the output channel assignment release processing of the control unit 1 will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. When the processing of the control section 1 proceeds to step SA6 in FIG. 3, the output channel assignment release processing routine shown in FIG. 6 is started. Control unit 1 proceeds to step SC1, with reference to the second to fifth row of registers for each output channel 7 _{1-7 4} output channel management memory shown in FIG. 5, now released key Is searched for a register in which the value of the key code KC is stored, and the value of the register is rewritten to “0”, and the output channel of the register in the first column of the output channel 7 having the register whose value is rewritten now After decrementing the assigned number by one, the process returns to the key press / release processing routine shown in FIG. 3 and proceeds to step SA7.

As described above, according to the above-described embodiment, based on the key code KC of the depressed key and the data stored in the output channel management memory shown in FIG. The output channel for outputting the musical tone corresponding to the output channel is determined. Here, in the above-described embodiment, the two consonant musical tones are not allocated to the same output channel as much as possible because the two consonant musical tones are allocated to the same output channel. Is buried, which impairs the three-dimensional effect.

In the above-described embodiment, an example in which the output channel assignment processing is performed according to the flowchart shown in FIG. 4 has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this. (A) For example, the priority of allocation is set as shown below. Priority point 1 when a plurality of tones already assigned to the output channel are in dissonance with the sound of the key code KC of the newly depressed key, and priority order when in a consonance relation Point 2 is assigned, and the key code KC of the newly depressed key is assigned to the output channel with the smallest sum of the priority order points. When all of the plurality of sounds already assigned to the output channel are in a consonant relationship with the sound of the key code KC of the newly pressed key, the sound of the key code KC of the newly pressed key is If the pitch of is exactly 4th,
Priority point 1, if it is a perfect 5 degrees, priority point 2,
In the case of the octave, the priority point is 3, and in the case of the unison, the priority point is 4. The key code KC of the newly depressed key is assigned to the output channel having the smallest sum of the priority points.

(B) The assignment method is changed depending on the arrangement of the speakers 10. As shown in FIG. 7, when the speakers 10 are arranged in one horizontal row, a sound with a large value of the key code KC is preferentially assigned to the right speaker 10 and a small value of the key code KC is assigned to the left speaker 10. Assign sound preferentially.
Thus, high sounds are emitted from the right side and low sounds are emitted from the left side. As shown in FIG. 8, when the speakers 10 are arranged in a matrix, a sound having a small value of the key code KC is assigned to a plurality of speakers 10. In this case, the distribution circuit 15 shown in FIG. 9 is required. 9, parts corresponding to the respective parts in FIG. 2 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted. In FIG. 9, switches 16 _{1 to} 16 ₁₆ are switches, and correspond to the terminals T _{1 to} T ₄ and the common terminals T _c1 to T _c1 .
T _c4 is provided.

(C) Further, the assignment method is changed depending on the type of the speaker 10. For example, a loudspeaker 10 for treble
, A sound having a large value of the key code KC is preferentially assigned to the speaker 10, and a sound having a small value of the key code KC is preferentially assigned to the low-pitched speaker 10. (D) The assignment method is changed according to the performance information. For example, as shown in FIG. 8, when the speakers 10 are arranged in a matrix, the number of speakers 10 to be assigned is changed according to the key pressing speed.

Further, in one embodiment described above, FIG.
As shown in, D / A downstream output channel 7 _{1-7 4}
Converter 8 _{1-8 4,} amplifier 9 _to 93 ₄ and the speaker 1
Although an example in which 0 ₁ to 10 ₄ are connected has been shown, it goes without saying that even if they are not connected, they are included in the claims of the present application.

[0035]

As described above, according to the present invention, a limited number of sound channels are utilized to the full,
There is an effect that it is possible to obtain a spatially expanded performance sound. Therefore, a spatial ensemble effect can be obtained even when a plurality of musical tones having different timbres are simultaneously generated.

[Brief description of the drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of a distribution circuit 6.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a key press / release key processing routine of a control unit according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a process of an output channel assignment processing routine of a control unit 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a configuration of an output channel management memory.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating a process of an output channel assignment release processing routine of a control unit 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing an example of an arrangement of speakers 10;

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing another example of the arrangement of the speakers 10;

FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing an example of a configuration of a distribution circuit 15.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... control section, 2 ... keyboard section, 3 ... panel switch,
4 ... tone generator circuit, 5 ... demultiplexer, 6, 15 ...
... Distribution circuit, 7 _{1 to} 7 ₄ ... Output channel, 8 ₁ to 8 ₄ ...
... D / A converter, 9 _{1 to} 9 ₄ ... Amplifier, 10 ₁ to 1
0 ₄ ...... speaker, 11 ₁ to 11 ₁₆ ...... input terminal, 12 ₁
12 ₁₆ ...... muting circuit, _{131-134 1 6,} 16 ₁ to 1
6 ₁₆ ... Switches, 14 _{1 to} 14 ₄ .

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int.Cl. ⁶ , DB name) G10H 1/18 101 G10H 1/00

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. Key operation information generating means for generating key operation information, tone generation means having a plurality of tone generation channels for generating tone signals, and outputting a plurality of tone signals for each tone channel, A plurality of output channels provided in a number smaller than the number of the sounding channels; a storage means for storing information on a musical tone being sounded for each output channel; a storage content of the storage means and an output from the key operation information generating means An electronic musical instrument, comprising: an assigning unit that assigns a plurality of tone signals output from the plurality of tone generation channels to any one of the plurality of output channels based on new key operation information.