JP3988812B2 - Automatic performance controller - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an automatic performance control apparatus for controlling automatic performance of song play and pattern play using a performance operator such as a foot switch.
[0002]
[Prior art]
The electronic musical instrument has a function of automatically playing and reproducing song data stored in advance. The song data is provided with a melody, backing (accompaniment), etc., and is reproduced along with the progress of time.
Electronic musical instruments have a sequencer section for automatic performance and editing. In this sequencer section, the above-described automatic performance is played back and stopped. The electronic musical instrument panel has a recording standby switch as a sequencer switch, a top (TOP) switch that returns the current performance position of the performance data to the beginning, and a stop that stops playback and recording and maintains the current performance position ( STOP) switch and playback (PLAY) switch to start playback / recording from the current performance position.
When the above-described song data is reproduced (song play) using these switches, automatic performance is started by pressing the playback switch, and performance is stopped at the current performance position by pressing the stop switch. . When the playback switch is pressed again, the automatic performance is started from the current position when the performance is stopped. Thereafter, the end position of the song data is reached in the same manner.
[0003]
When a user plays a guitar or other electronic musical instrument while automatically playing this electronic musical instrument, the user may want to temporarily stop the automatic performance during the performance. In order to achieve this, it is known to assign a function of repeatedly starting and stopping playback each time a foot switch is depressed.
[0004]
On the other hand, in automatic performance, in addition to the above-described song play, pattern data may be reproduced (pattern play). The pattern data is a basic unit constituting the backing portion of the song data described above, and its length is about 2 to 5 bars. The pattern data is a collection of a plurality of parts such as drums, basses, guitars, etc., and each part is created by connecting basic performance data called phrases in time.
When pattern data is used for the backing part of song data, a plurality of sections (for example, intro, main A, main B, fill-in AA, fill-in BB, fill-in AB, fill-in BA, ending, etc.) distinguished by the performance position of the song Pattern data is set in each section. A group of patterns in the series of sections is called a style, and a plurality of styles are stored in the electronic musical instrument.
When performing pattern play, the individual pattern data is repeatedly played from the beginning to the end.
[0005]
The function of alternately assigning the foot switch stepping operation described above to the reproduction switch and the stop switch is also applied as it is during pattern play. Therefore, when the pattern play is started and the performance position of the pattern data reaches the end position, the playback is stopped at the current performance position by depressing the foot switch while the automatic performance is continued from the head position. When the playback is started again by depressing the foot switch, the playback is started from the position where the playback is stopped. In other words, according to the operation of the foot switch described above, the reproduction is resumed from the middle of the pattern data.
However, when the user performs an instrument such as a guitar by himself using an automatic performance device, the timing at which the top position of the pattern data is reproduced with respect to the restart from the automatic performance stop position. It is easier to play after waiting for your instrument to start playing. Considering this, it can be said that the restart of the pattern play is more suitable for the user's performance if it is started from the beginning of the pattern data.
[0006]
When stopping the automatic performance, the user can return the current position to the head position by pressing the stop switch among the switches related to the sequencer described above and then pressing the head switch. When the play switch is pressed when the pattern play is resumed, the pattern data is reproduced from the beginning.
However, the above-described circumstances have not been taken into consideration regarding the above-described function assignment of the foot switch. For this reason, at the time of pattern play, the simple operation of repeatedly depressing the foot switch cannot be adapted to the performance of the user.
[0007]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and provides an automatic performance control device capable of controlling automatic performance suitable for song play and pattern play using a single performance operator. It is intended to do.
[0009]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
Claim 1 In the invention described in the above, the song mode and the pattern mode are provided as the automatic performance mode, the stored song data is reproduced from the head position to the end position in the song mode, and the stored pattern data in the pattern mode. In an automatic performance control apparatus that repeatedly reproduces data from the beginning position to the end position, a reproduction start instruction operator for instructing reproduction start of the song data or pattern data, and a reproduction stop instructing to stop reproduction of the song data or pattern data In response to an instruction to start playback by an instruction operator, a head instruction operator for instructing to return the current performance position of the song data or pattern data to the head position, a performance operator, and a playback start instruction operator Playback of the song data or pattern data from the playing position of Playback start control means for starting, playback stop control means for stopping playback of the song data or pattern data in a state where the current performance position is held in response to a playback stop instruction by the playback stop instruction operator, In the song mode, a head position return control means for returning the current performance position to the beginning position of the song data or pattern data in response to an instruction to return the current performance position to the beginning position by the head instruction operator, In response to an operation on the performance operator, the reproduction start control means and the reproduction stop control means are alternately executed to reproduce the song data, while in the pattern mode, according to an operation on the performance operator. The reproduction start control means and the reproduction stop control means are alternately executed to regenerate the pattern data. It is, and those having a performance control means for executing the starting position return control means together with at least one of the reproduction start control unit and the reproduction stop control means.
Therefore, in the song mode, every time the performance operator is operated, the current performance position is advanced while repeating the reproduction stop and the reproduction start. On the other hand, in the pattern mode, every time the performance operator is operated in the middle of repeated playback from the start position to the end position, Stop playing, Return to the start position, which is the reference position for repeated playback. Ru Start playback And repeat .
As a result, it is not necessary for the user to consciously change the function assignment of the performance operators when the automatic performance mode is changed, and it is possible to set the function assignment to match the automatic performance mode.
In particular, when performing the performance of an external guitar or keyboard, etc., when the automatic performance control device of the present invention is used as a backing performance, it can be controlled by a single performance operator, so that an automatic performance control operation by the user is possible. Becomes easy.
In addition, the above-described functions can be easily realized by adding the above-described performance control means to an existing automatic performance control apparatus.
[0011]
The personal computer in which the sequence software program is installed is the above-mentioned claim. 1 In order to operate as the automatic performance control apparatus described above, an automatic performance control program may be installed in a personal computer and executed. The automatic performance control program may be supplied on a recording medium such as a CD-ROM (Compact Disc Read Only Memory) and installed on the hard disk.
The recording medium described above is as follows.
[0013]
Claim 1 In the automatic performance control device described in the above, “reproduction start control means”, “reproduction stop control means”, “start position return control means”, and “performance control means” are respectively referred to as “reproduction start control step”, “ A computer-readable recording medium having recorded thereon an automatic performance control program for causing a computer to execute a “playback stop control step”, a “head position return control step”, and a “performance control step”.
[0014]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
FIG. 1 is a block diagram for explaining an embodiment of the present invention.
This embodiment is an automatic performance device capable of selecting a song mode or a pattern mode. In the song mode, song data is used as performance data and is reproduced along with the progress of the performance position. In the pattern mode, pattern data of several measures is used as performance data, and reproduction is repeated from the start position to the end position. In the pattern mode, a style is selected and one section is selected.
[0015]
As in the prior art, there are a head switch 2, a stop switch 3, and a regeneration switch 4.
The head switch 2 is a performance operator for returning the current performance position of the performance data to the head position. Depending on the single operation of the top switch 2, the current playback state or playback stop state does not change. The stop switch 3 is a performance operator for holding the current performance position and stopping the reproduction of performance data. The reproduction switch 4 is a performance operator for starting reproduction of performance data from the current performance position.
Further, an external foot switch 1 can be connected to the main body. An operation of depressing the foot switch 1 is detected, and a function to be described later is assigned by the function assignment unit 6.
In addition, although not shown, a fast forward switch and a rewind switch may be provided.
[0016]
An operation detection unit 5 detects the operation state of each performance operator described above.
Reference numeral 6 denotes a function assigning unit for the foot switch 1, which assigns the operation function of the foot switch 1 to the functions of the head switch 2, the stop switch 3, and the reproduction switch 4 described above. This assignment differs depending on the song mode and pattern mode.
7 is a performance data storage unit, and 8 is a performance data read control unit. The song data or pattern data stored in the performance data storage unit 8 is read by the performance data read control unit 9. The performance data read control unit 9 starts and stops reading performance data in response to detection of the operation of the head switch 2, stop switch 3, and playback switch 4 by the operation detection unit 5, and the output of the function assignment unit 6. By controlling, the playback start and playback stop states of the performance data are controlled. The performance data read control unit 8 also sets the current performance position of the performance data read control unit 9 to the start position of the performance data according to the detection output of the head switch 2 by the operation detection unit 5 and the output of the function assignment unit 6. . The performance position is maintained when playback is stopped. The current performance position corresponds to the address of the performance data storage unit 7.
[0017]
A musical tone signal generator 9 generates a musical tone signal based on the performance data read from the performance data read control unit 8 and outputs it.
The performance data storage unit 7 is often located in the same device as the automatic performance control device, but may exist in another device and be connected to the performance data read control unit 8 via a cable or a network. is there. A performance data storage unit as a buffer memory may be provided between the performance data read control unit 8 and the performance data read control unit 8. In some cases, the performance data read control unit 8 is on the performance data storage unit 7 side and is connected to the apparatus via a cable or a network.
[0018]
FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of an automatic performance control operation by a foot switch in the embodiment shown in FIG.
FIG. 2A is an explanatory diagram of the control operation in the song mode, and FIG. 2B is an explanatory diagram of the control operation in the pattern mode. First, it is assumed that the performance position of the performance data is at the head position.
In the song mode shown in FIG. 2A, (1) playback starts when the foot switch 1 is depressed. During playback of performance data, when the foot switch 1 is depressed (2), playback is stopped and the current performance position is maintained. Thereafter, when the foot switch 1 is depressed (3), the reproduction is started. The performance start position is the currently held performance position. Thereafter, each time the foot switch 1 is repeatedly depressed, the reproduction start and the reproduction stop are repeated.
Therefore, the function allocating unit 6 shown in FIG. 1 inputs the current state (whether it is being reproduced or stopped) from the performance data read control unit 8, and the foot is set so that the reproduction start and the reproduction stop are alternately switched. The function of the regeneration switch 4 and the function of the stop switch 3 are alternately assigned to the switch 1.
[0019]
In the pattern mode shown in FIG. 2B, when the foot switch 1 is depressed (1), the reproduction is started. During playback, playback stops when the foot switch 1 is depressed (2). At this time, the performance position is returned to the head, and the head position becomes the current performance position. Thereafter, when the foot switch 1 is depressed (3), the reproduction is started, but the performance start position is the head position. Thereafter, every time the foot switch 1 is repeatedly depressed, the reproduction start and the reproduction stop are similarly repeated. When the reproduction reaches the end position, it returns to the head position and repeats the reproduction from the head position.
Therefore, the function allocating unit 6 shown in FIG. 1 inputs the current state from the performance data read control unit 8 so that the reproduction start and the reproduction stop are alternately switched, and at the same time or immediately after the reproduction is stopped. Then, control is performed so that the current performance position is returned to the head position. That is, the function of “reproduction switch 4” and the function of “stop switch 3 and head switch 2” are alternately assigned to the foot switch 1.
Since the process of returning the current performance position to the head position is executed when playback is stopped, there is no processing time required to return to the head position when playback is started, so that playback can be started immediately from the head position.
[0020]
Note that the control in the pattern mode of FIG. 2B can also be realized by other methods. In this case, the function allocating unit 6 inputs the current state from the performance data read control unit 8 so that the reproduction start and the reproduction stop are alternately switched, and at the same time or immediately before the reproduction start, Control to return the playing position to the beginning. That is, the function of “the head switch 2 and the reproduction switch 4” and the function of the “stop switch 3” are alternately assigned to the foot switch 1.
Alternatively, these functions may be mixed, and the functions of “head switch 2 and playback switch 4” and “stop switch 3 and head switch 2” may be alternately assigned to the foot switch 1.
[0021]
In the above description, the case of only the operation of the foot switch 1 has been described, but the operations of the head switch 2, the stop switch 3, and the regeneration switch 4 may be mixed. These sequence control switches function in the same manner as before.
[0022]
In the above description, the functions of the existing head switch 2, stop switch 3, and regeneration switch 4 are used as they are, and the function of the foot switch 1 is allocated to the functions of these existing switches by the function allocation unit 6. Therefore, it is necessary to switch the function assignment according to the song mode and the pattern mode, but the change from the conventional automatic performance control apparatus is slight.
On the other hand, the operation detection output of the foot switch 1 may be directly input to the performance data read control unit 8 and all sequence control may be performed in the performance data read control unit 8.
[0023]
FIG. 3 is a hardware configuration diagram for realizing the embodiment shown in FIG.
In the figure, reference numeral 23 denotes a bus, to which a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 26, a timer 27, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 25, and a ROM (Read Only Memory) 24 are connected. The CPU 26 executes an automatic performance control operation in addition to general processing such as input control of various operators and display control of the display 32 by executing a program stored in the ROM 24 in the RAM 25. The RAM 25 functions as a working memory including various registers and flags necessary for executing a program executed by the CPU 26. The timer 27 controls the interrupt timing of the CPU 26 by measuring the time during execution of the program.
[0024]
The sound source unit 28, the DSP 29, and the sound system 30 constitute a sound generation processing unit. The tone generator 28 synthesizes a musical tone signal based on the performance data supplied from the bus 23 by, for example, pitch-converting the tone generator waveform data and outputs the synthesized tone signal to a DSP (Digital Signal Processor) 29. The sound source waveform data used for musical tone generation is stored in the ROM 24 or the storage device 31. In the DSP 29, a sound effect such as reverberation is added to the musical sound signal output from the sound source unit 28, a DAC (digital / analog conversion) (not shown) is performed, and the sound signal is output.
The DSP 29 also inputs a signal obtained by ADC (analog-digital conversion) of a musical tone signal input from the guitar / microphone 21 via the bus 23 or a connection line (not shown), and reverberation or the like is applied to the signal. Gives an effect.
In a sound system, a musical tone signal and / or a voice signal are amplified by an amplifier and are generated from a speaker or the like. The mixing process is performed in the DSP 29 or the sound system 30.
[0025]
The storage device 31 stores song data and pattern data. Recording / reproducing is performed on a recording medium such as a flexible magnetic disk, a magneto-optical disk (MO), a hard disk, and a memory card. In some cases, a read-only recording medium is used.
The display device 32 can confirm various settings of the device by displaying the operation state, the parameter setting state, and the like.
As various kinds of operators, there are an external operator 33 such as the foot switch 1 shown in FIG. 1 and a performance instruction operator 35 such as a keyboard. In addition to the sequence control operation elements such as the top switch 2 shown in FIG. 1, there are setting operation elements 36 for setting the automatic performance mode, automatic song and pattern settings, various parameter settings, etc. Connected. The external operator 33 is connected to the bus 23 via the interface 34.
[0026]
The performance instruction operator 35 is an operator that instructs performance in real time, and the operation of the operator can be input to the sequencer during recording.
As externally connected devices, there are a guitar, a microphone 21 and other performance devices 37. A musical tone signal when the user plays the guitar and an audio signal when the user sings into the microphone 21 are AD-converted via the interface 22 and supplied to the bus 23. The performance device 37 is, for example, an external MIDI keyboard, a sound source dedicated device (sound generator) or the like, and supplies performance data to the bus 23 via the interface 38. Alternatively, the performance data is output to an external sound source dedicated device via the interface 38.
[0027]
The above description is based on the assumption that the present invention is applied to electronic musical instruments in general. However, the present invention can also be applied to a personal computer in which an electronic musical instrument sequencer program is installed as an application program.
In this case, instead of the sound source unit 28 shown in FIG. 3, a sound source unit mounted on a sound card mounted on a personal computer may be used, or a software sound source program may be executed by the CPU 26.
The switch for the sequencer is realized by a switch on the display screen. The switch operation is detected by placing the pointer operated by the mouse or arrow key on the displayed button switch and clicking the mouse button. The
[0028]
Instead of the above-mentioned operation of the foot switch, a specific relatively wide area on the display screen is set as a virtual single switch, and a function equivalent to that of an actual foot switch can be obtained by clicking the pointer while clicking on it. Can be made. Alternatively, the mouse pointer can be replaced with a foot switch. The above-described foot switch can be provided with a dedicated connection interface to allow the personal computer to input an operation state.
The automatic performance control program may be executed as a part of the above-described sequencer program or may be a dedicated program. The automatic performance control program is supplied on a recording medium such as a CD-ROM and is installed on a recording medium such as a hard disk or downloaded from a server via a network.
[0029]
FIG. 4 is a main flowchart for explaining the operation of the embodiment of the present invention.
In S41, execution of a predetermined program is started by turning on the power, the contents of the RAM 25 are cleared, and initial setting is performed.
In S42, panel processing is performed. The device is set by inputting the operation state of the setting operation element 36 and the external operation element 33 such as the foot switch 1 provided on the panel. Details will be described with reference to FIGS.
In S43, the apparatus is controlled by the performance input for improvisation on the spot or the input of music data by operating the performance instruction operator 35 such as a keyboard.
In S44, a preset effect imparting process is performed and output from the speaker in response to a sound generation instruction for automatic performance or improvisation.
When the process of S44 is completed, the process returns to S42 and is repeated.
[0030]
FIG. 5 is a first flowchart for explaining the details of the step of the panel processing S42 shown in FIG.
The part shown in FIG. 5 performs processing related to setting operators other than sequencer input. In general, the foot switch 1 is often assigned various functions depending on the setting. In this embodiment, the foot switch 1 will be described as being already assigned to a switch related to a sequencer input.
[0031]
In S51, it is determined whether or not there is an input relating to the setting of the sequencer. If there is an input, the process proceeds to S61 in FIG. 6, and if not, the process proceeds to S52. In S52, it is determined whether or not there is a data change instruction. If there is a change instruction, the process proceeds to S53, and if not, the process proceeds to S54.
In S53, a data change input is accepted. In S55, the data for which change is specified is set, and the process returns to the main routine of FIG. If the current mode is the song mode, it is possible to change the song data of the automatic performance target song data, or to partially specify and edit the performance data. If the current mode is the pattern mode, the style and section of the pattern data to be automatically played can be changed, or the performance data can be partially specified and edited.
[0032]
In S54, it is determined whether or not there is an instruction for the song mode by pressing a song switch on the panel. If so, the process proceeds to S56, and if not, the process proceeds to S57. In S56, the mode is changed to the song mode, and the process returns to the main routine of FIG. In S57, it is determined whether or not there is a pattern mode instruction by pressing a pattern switch on the panel. If there is an instruction for the pattern mode, the process proceeds to S58, and if not, the process proceeds to S59.
In S58, the mode is changed to the pattern mode, and the process returns to the main routine of FIG. When other settings are instructed in S59, the instructions are accepted and the settings are executed, and the process returns to the main routine of FIG.
[0033]
FIG. 6 is a second flowchart for explaining details of the steps of the panel processing S42 shown in FIG.
In S61, it is determined whether or not there has been an input to the regeneration switch 4. If not, the process proceeds to S63. If there is, the process proceeds to S62. In S62, reproduction is started from the current performance position, and the process returns to the main routine of FIG.
In S63, it is determined whether or not there is an input from the stop switch 3. If not, the process proceeds to S65. If there is, the process proceeds to S64. In S64, the reproduction is stopped, and the stopped current performance position is held, so that this is set as the next reproduction start position, and the process returns to the main routine of FIG.
In S65, it is determined whether or not there is an operation input of the head switch 2. If not, the process proceeds to S67, and if there is, the process proceeds to S66. In S66, the current performance position is returned to the beginning position of the performance data, and the process returns to the main routine of FIG. When the head switch 2 is input during playback, playback is continued from this head position. When the head switch 2 is input during playback stop, the playback stop state is maintained.
[0034]
In S67, it is determined whether or not there has been an operation input of the forward (forward) switch. If not, the process proceeds to S69, and if there is, the process proceeds to S68. In S68, the performance position of the performance data is advanced, for example, by one measure, and the process returns to the main routine of FIG.
In S69, it is determined whether or not there has been a return (rewind) switch operation input. If not, the process proceeds to S71, and if there is, the process proceeds to S70. In S70, the performance position of the performance data is returned, for example, by one measure, and the process returns to the main routine of FIG.
[0035]
In S71, it is determined whether or not there has been a foot switch operation input. If not, the process proceeds to S72, and if there is, the process proceeds to S73. In S72, other input-instructed processing is executed, and the process returns to the main routine of FIG.
In S73, it is determined whether or not it is in a reproduction state. If it is not in a reproduction state, the process proceeds to S74, and if it is in a reproduction state, the process proceeds to S75. In S74, the reproduction of the performance data is started from the current performance position, and the process returns to the main routine of FIG.
In S75, it is determined whether or not the mode is the song mode. If it is not the song mode (if it is the pattern mode), the process proceeds to S76, and if it is the song mode, the process proceeds to S77.
In S76, the reproduction of the performance data is stopped and the current performance position is returned to the head position. On the other hand, in S77, the reproduction is stopped, the stopped current performance position is held, and the process returns to the main routine of FIG. 4 as the next reproduction start position.
[0036]
In the above description, the song data is selected in the song mode and the pattern data is selected in the pattern mode and reproduced. However, it is also possible to reproduce the pattern data only once from the beginning to the end in the song mode. Also, for the song data, the beginning position and the ending position for repeated performance (loop performance) are set in advance from the beginning to the end of the song data, or in the pattern mode as described above. It is also possible to repeatedly play from the beginning to the end.
Even in such a case, the present invention can be applied, and automatic performance control by a foot switch can be applied according to the mode.
[0037]
In the above description, the performance control is performed by detecting the stepping operation of the foot switch 1, but the same performance control may be performed by detecting an operation of hitting another external operator such as a drum pad.
It does not necessarily have to be an external controller, and can be easily operated even when the user is playing other instruments, for example, when a drum pad is provided on the panel, Each time it is detected that it has been hit, playback and stop may be switched.
[0038]
【The invention's effect】
As is apparent from the above description, the present invention includes a foot switch and the like. Performance There is an effect that an operation suitable for the automatic performance mode can be performed without the user consciously assigning the functions of the performance operators. In particular, when playing an external guitar or keyboard, the automatic performance controller of the present invention can be controlled by a single performance operator.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a block configuration diagram for explaining an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of an automatic performance control operation by a foot switch in the embodiment shown in FIG.
FIG. 3 is a hardware configuration diagram for realizing the embodiment shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a main flowchart for explaining the operation of the exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a first flowchart for explaining details of a panel processing step shown in FIG. 4;
6 is a second flowchart for explaining details of the panel processing step shown in FIG. 4; FIG.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Foot switch, 2 ... Lead switch, 3 ... Stop switch, 4 ... Reproduction switch, 5 ... Operation detection part, 6 ... Function allocation part, 7 ... Performance data storage part, 8 ... Performance data read-out control part, 9 ... Musical tone Signal generator

Claims (1)

It has song mode and pattern mode as automatic performance mode,
In the automatic performance control apparatus for reproducing the stored song data from the head position to the end position in the song mode, and repeatedly reproducing the stored pattern data from the head position to the end position in the pattern mode,
A reproduction start instruction operator for instructing reproduction start of the song data or pattern data;
A playback stop instruction operator for instructing to stop playback of the song data or pattern data;
A head indicator operator for instructing to return the current performance position of the song data or pattern data to the head position;
A performance controller,
Reproduction start control means for starting reproduction of the song data or pattern data from a current performance position in response to an instruction to start reproduction by the reproduction start instruction operator;
Playback stop control means for stopping playback of the song data or pattern data in a state where the current performance position is held in response to a playback stop instruction by the playback stop instruction operator;
Start position return control means for returning the current performance position to the start position of the song data or pattern data in response to an instruction to return the current performance position to the start position by the start instruction operator;
In the song mode, the playback data is reproduced by alternately executing the reproduction start control means and the reproduction stop control means in response to an operation on the performance operator, while in the pattern mode, the performance data is reproduced. The reproduction start control means and the reproduction stop control means are alternately executed in accordance with an operation on the operation element to reproduce the pattern data, and at least one of the reproduction start control means and the reproduction stop control means And performance control means for executing the head position return control means,
An automatic performance control device characterized by comprising:

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