JP3259425B2 - Parameter indicating device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a device for designating parameters on a display screen, and more particularly to an electronic instrument such as an electronic musical instrument having a central processing unit, a storage device, and a display surface. The present invention relates to a parameter indicating device capable of efficiently editing a large number of parameters used in the operation.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art With the development of musical sound synthesis technology, the functions of electronic musical instruments have become more complicated, and various functions can be realized.

A technique has been proposed in which a computer system such as a personal computer or a workstation is incorporated into an electronic musical instrument to perform various tone control. For example, in a technique of injecting an excitation signal into a loop circuit and circulating the loop circuit, and deriving a tone signal from the loop circuit, various filters constituting the loop circuit include:
A tone signal having various timbres can be formed by configuring a functional element such as an amplifier by software and changing parameters indicating various characteristics and the like of the functional element.

In such an electronic musical instrument system,
The number of parameters has become very large, and in the parameter editing work, the work of designating the parameters on the display screen has taken time.

For example, computer systems and many electronic musical instruments have up, down, left and right cursor keys, and can move a cursor displayed on the screen up, down, left, and right.

When the cursor keys of up, down, left, and right are pressed, the cursor in the screen moves up, down, left, and right by one unit. When one cursor is continuously pressed for a certain period of time or more, the cursor automatically moves sequentially, and some operations are simplified.

[0007]

In recent years, the number of parameters has become enormous as the tone generator circuit becomes more complicated. In order to edit these parameters efficiently, it is conceivable to increase the size of the display screen and simultaneously display a large number of parameters. In such a case, if the cursor on the screen is driven by a conventional method, it takes a long time to specify the parameters, and the efficiency becomes extremely low.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a parameter indicating device capable of efficiently editing each parameter even when a large number of parameters are simultaneously displayed on a screen.

[0009]

A parameter designating apparatus according to one aspect of the present invention selectively designates parameters of a large number of items grouped and displayed in a plurality of regions on a display surface by a position of a cursor. A parameter indicating device for operating an operating element capable of indicating an arbitrary point on the display surface, and detecting means for detecting a distance from a reference point for a point on the display surface specified by the operating element. When the distance from the reference point belongs to a first range, the cursor is moved in the operation direction of the operating element in units of the area,
Cursor driving means for moving the cursor for each item when the distance from the reference point belongs to the second range; A parameter designating method according to another aspect of the present invention is a parameter designating method for selectively designating parameters of a large number of items grouped and displayed in a plurality of regions on a display surface by a position of a cursor. A step of designating an arbitrary point on the display surface; a step of detecting a distance from the reference point with respect to the point on the designated display surface; a distance from the reference point belonging to a first range At the time, the cursor is moved in the operation direction of the operator in the unit of the area, and when the distance from the reference point belongs to the second range, the cursor is moved in the operation direction of the operator for each item. And steps.

[0010]

When a large number of parameters are grouped and displayed on the display surface, the parameter designation becomes extremely efficient if the cursor can be moved from one group to another quickly.

A point in the plane is designated by a joystick-type manipulator, and when the distance from the reference point to the point falls within a predetermined range, the cursor is moved in large units. By moving the cursor in small units, efficient cursor driving can be realized according to the will of the operator.

Further, when a point is designated in the plane, the trajectory of the point in the plane is detected and the distance from the reference point changes from increasing to decreasing instead of directly designating the point with a joystick-type manipulator. At this time, if the extreme value is detected, efficient point indication can be performed.

[0013]

FIG. 1 shows an electronic musical instrument according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1A is a block diagram illustrating functional blocks of the electronic musical instrument, and FIG. 1B is a schematic plan view illustrating a main configuration thereof.

In FIG. 1A, the electronic musical instrument has a parameter operator 1 for designating parameters on a screen. The parameter operator 1 is an aggregate of a plurality of types of operators as described later.

The operation information of the parameter operator 1 is sent to the control device 2, where parameters are set and edited. The display control device 2 is connected to the control device 2 and forms a signal for controlling the display of the display 6 based on a signal supplied from the control device 2.

The performance operator 3 is a keyboard or the like having a large number of keys, and is an operator used when performing a performance operation in an electronic musical instrument. When a musical tone control signal such as a key-on signal, a key-off signal, or a note number is sent from the performance operator 3, the control device 2 forms a control signal for the tone generator circuit 4 and supplies the control signal to the tone generator circuit 4. Let the signal form.

The tone generator 4 is a circuit that can be controlled by a large number of parameters, and these parameters can be edited by the parameter operator 1.

FIG. 1B shows a main part of an electronic musical instrument used for editing parameters. The display 6
It has a display surface on which a large number of parameters can be displayed simultaneously.

The parameter operator 1 is a JOG dial 1
1, a plurality of types of operators such as a slider 12, a function key 13, a middle point return type joystick 14, and a 10 key 19 are included.

The joystick 14 has a structure in which a stick 16 having a push switch 15 can be driven in any direction on the XY plane.
For example, it is supported rotatably about two orthogonal axes. Click buttons 17a and 17b are provided on the left and right of the stick 16, respectively.

For example, when a tone color selection mode, tone color edit mode, or the like is selected with the function key 13, a large number of parameters are displayed on the display surface of the display 6.
These parameters can be selected with the JOG dial 11, the joystick 14, the 10 key 19 and the like, and the value of each parameter can be changed with the slider 12, the 10 key 19 and the like.

The functional blocks as shown in FIG.
This is realized by a hardware configuration as shown in FIG. In FIG. 2A, a bus 20 includes a CPU 21 for executing various programs such as a tone synthesis program and a parameter edit program, a ROM 22 for storing these programs, and a RAM 23 having registers and the like used for executing the programs. It is connected.

The bus 20 is also connected with a performance operator 3 and a parameter operator 1. Parameter operator 1
Includes a joystick 14 and other setting operation switches 26.

The display 6 is also connected to the bus 20, and performs display for setting parameters in the edit mode. The tone generator 25 is connected to the bus 20 and receives a tone formation parameter calculated by the CPU 21 to generate a tone signal. This tone signal is sent to a sound system to generate a tone.

FIG. 2B schematically shows the contents of the memory of the ROM. The ROM 22 has an area for setting a program executed by the CPU 21, an area PVOICE for storing a plurality of sets of preset tone color data, and the like.

FIG. 2C schematically shows the contents stored in the RAM 23. The RAM 23 has a CPU work area used when the CPU executes the program, a buffer TCBUF used when editing the tone color parameters,
A plurality of user voice areas UVOICE and the like used when the user edits the tone are set.

Each user voice area of the RAM 23 is shown in FIG.
It has a configuration as shown in FIG. The user voice area is divided into a plurality of blocks, and each block can store a plurality of parameters. I indicating (i, j) indicates a block number, and j indicates a parameter number.

For example, (1, 1) is an area for storing waveform number 1, and (1, 2) is an area for storing waveform number 2. Similarly, block 7 is an area for storing the rate of change of the envelope, and block 10 is an area for storing the level of the envelope.

For example, in a damping sound of a piano or the like,
By specifying the rate of change R and level L for each of the ADSR envelope shapes, a desired waveform can be set.

FIG. 3 shows a delay feedback type sound source which is a typical configuration example of a sound source circuit. The delayed feedback type sound source roughly includes a waveform memory control unit 30, an input filter unit 31, a noise color control unit 32, a loop filter unit 33, a delay loop unit 34, and an output control unit 35.

In the waveform memory control unit 30, the initial waveforms WAVE1 and WAVE2 are read out, and after the touch crossfade is performed in the multipliers MUL1 and MUL2, they are added in the adder AD1 and sent to the multiplier MUL3. . In multiplier MUL3, coefficient WAVE supplied from envelope generator EG
EG is multiplied to form the output signal.

The output signal from the waveform memory control unit 30 is
Low-pass filter LPF1 of input filter unit 31
Supplied to The frequency characteristics and Q of the low-pass filter LPF1 are determined by parameters LPF1FREQ and LPF.
After being controlled by 1Q and modifying the input waveform, it is supplied to the multiplier MUL4. In the multiplier MUL4, the gain GAIN / EG1 is multiplied.

On the other hand, in the noise color control section 32, the noise signal supplied from the noise generator NOISE is supplied to the band-pass filter BPF. The bandpass filter BPF has its frequency characteristic and Q controlled by parameters BPFFREQ and BPFQ,
Modifies the incoming noise signal.

The output signal of the band-pass filter BPF is
A multiplier MUL5 multiplies the coefficient by GAIN / EG2 to form an output signal. The output signal of the input filter unit 31 and the output signal of the noise color control unit 32 are added by the adder AD2 and supplied to the loop filter unit 33 via the adder AD3.

The loop filter section 33 includes a high-pass filter HPF and a low-pass filter LPF2. The frequency characteristic of the high pass filter HPF is determined by the parameter HPFFRE.
Controlled by Q.

The frequency characteristic and Q of the low-pass filter LPF2 are determined by parameters LPF2FREQ and LPF
Controlled by 2Q. The signal whose DC component has been blocked by the high-pass filter HPF is the low-pass filter L
By passing through PF2, the bandwidth is limited to form an output signal.

The output signal of the loop filter section 33 is sent to the delay loop section 34. The delay loop unit 34 includes a delay circuit DLY, an all-pass filter APF, a multiplier MUL6
including.

The delay circuit DLY gives a delay time corresponding to the pitch of the generated musical tone. All-pass filter AP
F is a filter for controlling the inharmonic term, and gives a certain delay to the frequency component. The characteristics of the all-pass filter APF are controlled by the coefficient COEF. Further, the multiplier MUL6 multiplies the coefficient FBGAIN.

The output signal of the delay loop section 34 supplied from the multiplier MUL 6 is fed back to the adder AD 3 connected to the preceding stage of the loop filter section 33. Thus, a loop circuit is formed, and the signal supplied from the adder AD3 to the loop filter unit 33 circulates in the loop circuit.

At the two points of this loop circuit, in the case shown in the figure, a signal extracted from the input side of the delay circuit DLY and the middle of the delay circuit DLY forms two tone signals. These tone signals are multiplied by coefficients MIX1 and MIX2 in multipliers MUL7 and MUL8, respectively, and then multiplied by adder AD.
4 is added.

As described above, the two kinds of signals are mixed in the output control unit 35, and the mixed signals are further output as right channel signals and left channel signals via the multipliers MUL9 and MUL10. Multiplier MUL
9. The coefficient of the MUL 10 is controlled by the volume control signal GAIN and the pan PAN of the entire tone generator circuit.

The sound source circuit further includes assignable envelope generators EG1, EG2, EG3, EG4, and generates an envelope waveform from each. FIG.
8 shows a parameter display screen when editing the parameters of the tone generator circuit shown in FIG. A block configuration according to the tone generator circuit block of FIG. 3 is shown on the screen.

The parameters of the waveform memory control unit 30 are shown in the first block, and the parameters of the input filter unit 31 are shown in the second block. Similarly, the parameters of the noise color control unit 32 are in the third block, the parameters of the loop filter unit 33 are in the fourth block, the parameters of the delay loop unit 34 are in the fifth block, and the parameters of the output control unit 35 are This is shown in the sixth block. Also, the parameters of the four envelope generators are shown at the bottom of the screen.

As described above, the entire screen is largely divided into ten regions, and a plurality of parameters are displayed in each region. The state shown in the figure indicates that the area of the delay loop section of the fifth block has been selected.

In this state, two parameters of the delay loop section 34 can be edited. When editing parameters in different areas, change the block selection and specify the parameters in the selected block.

The operation of the joystick for performing such an operation will be described. FIG. 5 shows the characteristics and operation method of the joystick. As shown in FIG. 5 (A), the operation amount of the joystick and its designated amount may be given a fixed instruction regardless of the operation amount, except for the initial dead zone, as shown in FIG. 5 (B). After the initial operation amount is set to the dead zone, it may be set to be non-linear so that the designated amount ΔC gradually increases as the subsequent operation amount increases.

Of course, it is also possible to set a linear shape. In addition, various other settings are possible.
As shown in (B), it is preferable to provide a dead zone so that an instruction is not generated for a minute operation amount.

When the joystick is driven, an instruction signal may be generated in accordance with the instantaneous position. However, more preferably, no instruction is generated in the course of moving the joystick to a desired position. It is preferred that the indication only occurs when the position is reached.

FIGS. 5C and 5D show a driving method in which an instruction is issued when the joystick locus draws a peak. When the joystick is driven from the middle point,
While the radius increases, no signal corresponding to the driving position of the joystick is generated, and an instruction corresponding to the maximum value can be generated when the radius decreases by drawing an extreme value.

According to such a setting, as shown in FIG. 5C, the joystick is driven linearly to a desired position P, and then returned to the middle point, as shown in FIG. 5D. As described above, when the joystick is moved in a different direction at the beginning of driving, the trajectory is corrected halfway and the joystick is returned so that the radius draws a peak at the desired position P, and the same instruction signal is generated.

In the following embodiment, description will be made on the case where such a joystick drive system is adopted, but the form of a signal generated by driving the joystick is not limited to this example. For example, the push button 15 may be pressed at a desired position.

FIG. 6 shows a flowchart of control of the electronic musical instrument. FIG. 6A shows a flowchart of the main program, and FIG. 6B shows a flowchart of timbre editing processing in the main program.

In FIG. 6A, when the process starts,
First, in step S1, initialization such as initialization of a register in the RAM 23 is performed. Subsequently, in step S2, a mode setting event for setting the operation mode of the electronic musical instrument is detected. When a mode setting event has not occurred, a predetermined mode is set.

In step S3, it is determined whether the set mode is the edit mode. If it is in the edit mode, the process proceeds to step S4 according to the arrow of YES, and the timbre editing process is performed.

In the timbre editing process, as shown in FIG. 6B, a joystick cursor control process is first performed in step S11, and then a data input edit storage process is performed in step S12. The data input edit storage process is a process of changing and storing a parameter in which a cursor is displayed in accordance with an operation of the slider 12, the 10 key 19, or the like. The joystick cursor control processing will be described later.

If it is determined in step S3 that the mode is not the edit mode, the flow advances to step S5 to perform a tone color selection process. The tone color selection process is a process of selecting and setting a desired tone color from a large number of set tone colors.
Note that a joystick can also be used in this tone color setting process.

After steps S4 and S5, the process proceeds to step S6, and when a performance is being performed, event processing of a performance operator such as a keyboard is performed. Subsequent to the performance operator event processing, a sound generation processing is performed in step S7.
A musical tone is generated based on the performance operation. When there is no performance operator event, steps S6 and S7 are skipped.

Next, in step S8, it is determined again whether or not the mode is the edit mode. If the mode is not the edit mode, the process proceeds to step S9, and a joystick tone control process is performed. In the case of the edit mode, step S9 is bypassed. The joystick tone control process will be described later.

Thereafter, in step S10, other processing is performed, and the flow returns to step S2. The main program is performed by repeating this loop.

FIG. 7 shows the joystick shown in FIG.
5 shows a flowchart of a back cursor control process. Processing
When it starts, in step J1, the joysty
The current position (x, y) of the
The peak value (x _P, Y_P) Is detected. What
Oh, while the joystick position is simply increasing
No peak value is detected.

Next, at step J2, the current position
With respect to the reference position (x^Two+ Y ^TwoIs the square root of
Radius r₁It is determined whether it is greater than or not. In addition, half
Diameter r ₁Is a value for defining the dead zone.

When the radius from the reference position is smaller than r ₁ , the flow is within the dead zone, so the flow advances to step J3 according to the NO arrow to set “0” in the flag 1 STEPFLG and set “0” in the flag STOPFLG. Set. These flags are for not moving the cursor and not performing subsequent processing.

[0063] In step J2, when the radius from the reference position is greater than r _1, the process proceeds to step J4 follows a YES arrow, the radius of the peak position (x _P ² + y
_P ² of the square root) is greater than r ₂ which is larger than r _1, and the radius of the current location (the square root of x ² + y ²⁾
Is also greater than r ₂ .

When the radius of both the peak position and the current position is larger than r ₂ , step J follows the arrow of YES.
Proceeding to 5, it is determined whether the flag 1STEPFLG is "0".

When the flag 1 STEPFLG is “0”,
Since it is indicated that this extreme value has been detected for the first time, the process proceeds to step J6, and the cursor is moved by one block in the direction corresponding to the current position (x, y). Then, step J
In 7, to register that the peak detection is performed, is set to 1 in the flag 1STEPFLG, set coordinates x _P of the peak position, the y _P past peak position x _P ', y _P' on.

In step J5, the flag 1S
If the position is not "0" in TEPFLG, it means that the peak has already been detected and the cursor has been moved, so steps J6 and J7 are bypassed.

Next, in step J8, it is determined whether or not the current position (x, y) is held within a range of a distance d from the past peak position (x _P ', y _P ') for a predetermined time t or more. Is done.

The current position (x, y) is within a distance d from the past peak position (x _P ′, y _P ′) for a predetermined time t.
When held or is a support of the cursor continuously moves, it follows a YES arrow proceeds to step J9, past the peak position _{(x P ', y P'} ) by one block sequentially cursor according to the position of Move.

If the cursor has not been held near the peak position for a predetermined time or more, step J9 is bypassed from step J8 according to the NO arrow. In this way, as shown in FIGS. 5C and 5D, when the joystick is driven to draw a peak and then returns to the middle point, the cursor moves one block in the direction of the peak position. However, if the joystick is kept held near the peak position, the cursor will move continuously in the same direction.

In this way, it is easy to move the cursor large and quickly. Since the dead zone is within a predetermined radius from the reference position, the cursor does not move to an undesired position due to unintended movement.

In step J4, when the radius of the current position is an intermediate value between r ₁ and r ₂ , the C shown in FIG.
Continue to 1. In FIG. 8, when the process continues from C1 in FIG. 7, the radius of the peak position is set to r in step J11.
Whether the _first and r ₂ the intermediate is judged. If it is an intermediate value, the process proceeds to step J12 according to the YES arrow, and it is determined whether the flag 1STEPFLG is "0".

If the flag 1STEPFLG is "0", peak detection has been performed for the first time, and the flow advances to step J13 according to the YES arrow to move the cursor within the block in the direction corresponding to the current position (x, y). Move one step.

Thereafter, at step J14, the flag 1
1 is stored in STEPFLG, and the peak position (x _P ,
y _P ) is stored at the past peak position (x _P ′, y _P ′). In step J12, the flag 1 STEP
When FLG is 1, since the cursor movement has already been performed, steps J13 and J14 are performed according to the NO arrow.
Bypass.

Next, at step J15, the current position (x, y) of the joystick is changed to the past (x _P ', y
It is determined whether or not a position within a predetermined radius d from _P ′) is maintained for a predetermined time t or more.

Current joystick position (x, y)
Is maintained at a position within a predetermined radius d from the past (x _P ′, y _P ′) for a predetermined time or more, the process proceeds to step J16 according to the arrow of YES, and the peak position (x _P ′, y _The cursor is sequentially moved step by step in the block according to the position and direction of _P ').

If it is determined in step J15 that the cursor has not been kept within the predetermined range for the predetermined time or more, step J16 is bypassed according to the NO arrow.

In step J11, when there is no peak position (x _P , y _P ) between the radii r ₁ and r ₂ , the cursor has already been moved by the processing from step J5 onward, or Since it can be determined that the driving itself is unclear, the processing is terminated.

When the peak is drawn by moving the joystick small according to the flow of FIG. 8, the cursor moves small within the same block. Also, if the joystick is stopped near the peak position, the cursor sequentially moves small.

As described above, by providing a dead zone around the neutral position of the cursor and setting two more regions outside the dead zone, when the peak is drawn in a region with a large radius, the cursor is moved in large block units. When the cursor draws a peak in a small radius area, the cursor can be moved for each parameter in each block.

With such a multi-step driving method, the cursor can be efficiently moved within a wide screen and a desired parameter can be designated. Although the case where the cursor designation area is divided into two stages has been described, it may be set in three or more stages.

FIG. 9 shows the joystick musical tone control process shown in step S9 of FIG. 6A. When the process starts, in step J21, a process of detecting the current position (x, y) is performed.

Next, in step J22, the radius of the current location (x, y) whether less than a predetermined radius r ₁₀ is determined. When less than the radius r ₁₀ is determined to be present in the dead zone, and ends the process follows a YES arrow.

[0083] When larger than or equal to the radius r ₁₀ is, NO
Follow the arrow in step J23, the current position (x, y) whether between the radius r ₁₀ and r ₁₁ radius has been set is determined.

If the cursor is located at the middle position, the process proceeds to step J24 according to the arrow of YES, vibrato control is performed according to the x position of the cursor, and pitch bend processing is performed according to the y position of the cursor. For example, a parameter indicating the position of x is set in the vibrato register VIB, and a signal indicating the position of y is set in the pitch bend register PB.

The current position (x, y) of the cursor has a radius r ₁₀
When not present between r ₁₁ A, Step J24 according to the arrow of NO bypasses. Then, step J2
At 5, the current position (x, y) of the cursor is the radius r ₁₁
It is determined whether it is greater than or not. When greater than r _11, the process proceeds to step J26 follows a YES arrow,
Filter control is performed according to the x position of the current cursor position, and amplitude modulation is performed according to the y position.

For example, a parameter indicating the x position is set in the filter constant register FT, and a signal indicating the y position is set in the amplitude register AM. Step J25
When the determination is NO, step J26 is bypassed.

As described above, in musical sound control, by driving the joystick in a plane, two parameters can be controlled simultaneously. Note that a joystick can be used in other processes.

Although the above description has been given of the case of the parameter designation in the electronic musical instrument, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the same parameter designation can be applied to various items such as a list and a list.

The present invention has been described in connection with the preferred embodiments.
The present invention is not limited to these. For example,
It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications, improvements, combinations, and the like can be made.

[0090]

As described above, according to the present invention,
By using the joystick, it is possible to move the cursor freely within a wide screen and efficiently designate parameters.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 shows an electronic musical instrument according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG.
FIG. 1A is a block diagram illustrating functional blocks of the electronic musical instrument, and FIG. 1B is a plan view illustrating a main configuration of the electronic musical instrument.

FIG. 2 shows a hardware configuration of the electronic musical instrument according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2A is a block diagram of a hardware configuration, and FIGS. 2B, 2C, and 2D are conceptual diagrams showing examples of setting an area in a memory.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a configuration example of a delayed feedback type sound source of the electronic musical instrument according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing an example of parameter display on a display screen.

FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining a function of a joystick. FIGS. 5A and 5B are graphs showing sensitivity characteristics of the joystick, and FIGS. 5C and 5D are conceptual diagrams for explaining a method of operating the joystick.

FIG. 6 shows a flowchart of control of the electronic musical instrument according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6A is a flowchart of the main program, and FIG. 6B is a flowchart of the tone color editing process.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart of a joystick cursor control process.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart of a joystick cursor control process.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart of a joystick musical sound control process.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 parameter operator, 2 controller, 3 performance operator, 4 sound source, 5 display controller, 6 display,
11 JOG dial, 12 slider, 13
Function keys, 14 Middle point return type joystick, 16 sticks, 17 click buttons,
19 10 keys, 20 buses, 21 CPU, 22
ROM, 23 RAM, 25 tone generator, 2
6 setting operation switches, 30 waveform memory control unit, 3
1 input filter section, 32 noise color control section, 33 loop filter section, 34 delay loop section, 35 output control section

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A parameter indicating device for selectively indicating parameters of a large number of items grouped and displayed in a plurality of areas on a display surface by a position of a cursor, the parameter indicating device comprising: An operating element capable of indicating a point, a detecting means for detecting a distance from a reference point with respect to a point on the display surface specified by the operating element, and when the distance from the reference point belongs to a first range. Moves the cursor in the operation direction of the operator in the unit of the area, and when the distance from the reference point belongs to a second range,
A cursor driving unit for moving the cursor in the operation direction of the operation element for each item. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the detecting unit detects a predetermined operation mode of the operation element and detects a distance from the reference point when the operation mode is detected. The parameter indicating device according to claim 1, wherein a cursor is moved on condition that a distance from the reference point at the time of detection is within a third range. 3. A parameter designating method for selectively designating parameters of a large number of items grouped and displayed in a plurality of regions on a display surface by a position of a cursor, the parameter designating method comprising: Instructing a point; detecting a distance from a reference point with respect to the point in the designated display surface; and, when the distance from the reference point belongs to a first range, moving the cursor with the operating element. When it is moved in the operation direction in units of the area and the distance from the reference point belongs to the second range,
Moving the cursor in the operation direction of the operator for each item.