JPH03105396A - Automatic playing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To attain the repeat playing of music without being out of its rhythm previously storing dividing positions for dividing a musical program into sections corresponding to respective passages, and when automatic playing reaches to a required section, commanding repeat playing. CONSTITUTION:Independently of a phrase track data memory 5 recording play ing information such as key-on events and key-off events, a control track data memory 4 for storing measure line information consisting of the size of a mea sure and the division of a passage is connected. While reading out and reproduc ing the playing information stored in the phrase track, the automatic playing device reads out passage dividing information from the memory 4. At the time of detecting the passage dividing information from the control track after setting up a repeat switch to ON during the period reproducing playing, the processing is repeatedly jumped to the division of the preceding passage and the playing from the head of the passage is repeated. Thereby, the measure line to be the division of passages goes a repeat start point and a repeat destination, so a that the repeat playing of music can be executed without being out of its rhythm.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Field of Application] The present invention relates to an automatic performance device, and particularly to an improvement in a technique for repeatedly reproducing a part of a piece of music.

Due to the structure of the song's flow, it is common practice to organize the song by dividing it into sections. It is also practiced to practice intensively by repeating specific passages, and to perform specific passages repeatedly in concert. Particularly in the latter case, a certain passage may be repeated an unspecified number of times and then proceed to the next passage according to instructions from the performer during performance. Furthermore, it is possible that it is not determined in advance whether the passage ``and'' will be used for repeated performances. In this way, the present invention relates to an improvement of an automatic performance device that can be used when the repeated portion and the number of repetitions are not determined in advance before the performance.

[Prior Art] As an automatic performance device used in the above-mentioned cases,
There is one proposed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 57-185489.

According to the technology disclosed herein, it is possible to set a repeat part during a performance, perform the set part repeatedly, and cancel the repeat function to stop the repeat performance and proceed to the next part. It was something.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] During repeated performances, it is required to repeat without breaking the time signature (bar lines) so that the sense of rhythm is not disturbed by the repeated performances. However, in the technique disclosed in the above-mentioned publication, the above-mentioned problem was not taken into account, and repeated performances were performed completely regardless of the time signature (bar line).

Further, it is possible to arbitrarily set the repeat portion by performing an operation during the performance, but the timing of this operation is delicate, making it difficult for beginners.

[Means for Solving the Problems] The present invention, for example, similarly to conventional automatic performance devices, plays back performance information represented by stored key press/key release information, while also The delimiter positions for dividing into corresponding sections are stored in advance, and the performance positions are changed at the time when the first delimiter information is detected after the instruction to instruct repeat performance is given using the operator. Move to the beginning of the section that was being played at the time,
Thereafter, a control means is provided to repeatedly perform the section until the repeat performance instruction is canceled.

[Operation] When repeat performance is instructed during a performance, the section that was being played when the repeat performance instruction was given is played repeatedly. Thereafter, this section is played repeatedly until the repeat performance instruction is canceled. Furthermore, when the repeat performance instruction is canceled, the section is not repeated, and the section proceeds to the next section after the section is played.

After proceeding to the next section, if repeat performance is again instructed, the new section can be played repeatedly.

[Example] This automatic performance device is capable of recording a performance on the keyboard of an electronic musical instrument using event data indicating changes in the performance state, such as key presses and key releases, and event timing data. This is an automatic performance device that plays back information and outputs it to a computer or sound source. Here, event data (hereinafter simply referred to as an event) indicates a change in the performance state, and is information that is generated when a change in the performance state occurs and indicates the content of the change. For example, when a key is pressed on a keyboard, an event representing the key press is output.

This event includes information about which key was pressed (a key press event is called a key-on event). When the sound source receives this event, it produces sound at a predetermined pitch. If it is a key release, an event indicating which key was released (referred to as a key-off event) is output, and the sound source mutes a predetermined sound. In the MIDI standard, which is widely used as a digital interface for electronic musical instruments, communication between musical instruments is performed using such events. Note that so-called event-type automatic performance devices that record such events together with event timing data and play back the recorded events at time intervals based on the timing data are disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 58-211191 and others. It is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 193191/1983.

This automatic performance device is a MIDI-compatible event type automatic performance device, and includes key-on and key-off event data representing key presses and key releases on the keyboard of an electronic musical instrument, as well as other MIDI events and event timing data. A certain performance information is read from a music player, and the event is reproduced and output at time intervals based on the timing data. The reproduced event is sent to the sound source as a MIDI event from the output terminal of the MIDI output interface. Note that the performance information is stored in a phrase track data memory (hereinafter simply referred to as a phrase track).

Now, as mentioned above, this automatic performance device reads the performance information stored in the phrase track and plays it back.In addition to the phrase track, it also stores information indicating the divisions of passages in correspondence with bar lines as the progress of the song progresses. A management track data memory 4 (hereinafter simply referred to as management track) is provided which is read out according to the management track. The passage break positions are stored in advance in this management track, and after the repeat switch is turned on during performance playback, when the passage break information is detected from the management track, a repeat jump below C is executed to change the performance position. ). The jump destination of this repeat jump is the break of the previous passage.

That is, this is the first measure of the passage that was being played by the automatic performance device at the time the repeat switch was turned on. While the repeat switch is set to on, the performance from the beginning of the passage is repeated by detecting the passage break again at the end of the passage. In this way, by turning on the repeat switch when the automatic performance progresses to a desired passage, it is possible to repeatedly play that passage.

If the repeat switch is turned off, even if a passage break is detected, the passage will proceed to the next passage without executing a repeat jump, but at this time, the passage break that has been passed will be set as the new rebeat jump destination. I try to do that. After progressing to a new passage, if the repeat switch is turned on again, the new passage can be played repeatedly by repeat jumping to the set jump destination.

In this manner, during performance, by operating the switch, it is possible to instruct the repeating of a desired passage, canceling the repetition, and proceeding to the next passage.

Device configuration In FIG. 1, a central processing unit (hereinafter referred to as CPU) 1
is for controlling the operation of this performance device as a whole, and C
The PU 1 is connected via a bidirectional bus line 9 to a program memory 3, a work area 2 for register groups, a phrase track data memory 5, a management track data memory 4, M
An IDI output interface device 8, a group of operators 7, and a tempo generator 6 are connected.

The program memory 3 is constituted by a read-only memory (ROM) or the like, and stores a control program for the CPUI.

The MTDT output interface 8 converts parallel data given from the CPUI into MIDI serial data and outputs a MIDI signal from a MIDI terminal.

The external storage device 10 includes a phrase track data memory 5,
The contents of the management track data memory 4 can be transferred to a magnetic recording medium or
Save it to a C card, etc.

The tempo generator 6 generates a clock at time intervals according to a set tempo value during playback, and outputs an interrupt signal IRQ every time the clock is generated.

As the repeat switch operator group 7, operators such as a play switch for starting the automatic performance of performance information, a stop switch for stopping the automatic performance, a repeat switch, and a tempo setting switch are arranged.

The repeat switch is an operator for instructing repeat performance. It is preferable to use a toggle switch as the repeat switch. After progressing to a passage that should be repeated, this switch is set to repeat on in order to play repeatedly, and this repeat on state is maintained from then on. Therefore, once repeat is set to ON, repeat performance will continue to be instructed, and the passage will continue to be repeated.

In addition, in order to cancel the repeat performance and proceed to the next passage, if the repeat switch that is on is turned off, the repeat performance will be canceled from then on. Therefore, the normal performance continues without repeating the performance.

It is possible to use a return type switch in place of a mechanical toggle switch and to perform a toggle switch-like operation in combination with a memory element or a flip-flop using known techniques. Alternatively, it is also possible to implement the same operation by reading the switch using a CPU program using a known technique. Further, it is preferable to indicate that the repeat-on state is present by lighting a lamp or an LED.

Furthermore, if a pedal switch is used instead of the switch mounted on the panel surface, operation can be performed without requiring the performer's hands.

Phrase Track The phrase track will be explained with reference to FIG. 4A. The phrase track data memory 5 is composed of, for example, a random access memory (RAM), and records performance information based on MIDI events such as key-on events and key-off events. The data stored in this memory is obtained by adding 2 bytes of relative time information (time elapsed since the previous event) to each MIDI event. For example, the key-on information is 5 bytes, the first 3 bytes are the MIDI key-on event itself, and 2 bytes of relative time information are added to this.

That is, the first byte is the identification mark 9 indicating key-on.
nH (hexadecimal notation, hereafter H is added to indicate that it is a number in hexadecimal notation, and n indicates the MIDI channel of the data), the second byte is the key code, and the third byte is represents initial touch information. The above three bytes are the MIDI key-on event itself.

The 4th and 5th bytes are relative time information representing the elapsed time from the previous event. In this way, relative time information is added to MIDI events to form one set of data.

FIG. 4A shows a simplified example of such performance information data.

In FIG. 4A, one row is shown corresponding to one event. Therefore, the address indicates the start address of data consisting of a set of predetermined bytes.

As an example of an event, the event is simplified and shown by distinguishing between pitch, key-on, and key-off. Actual MIDI key-on and key-off events include MIDI channel information and initial touch information, but these are omitted because they are not relevant to the essence of this invention.

The time information indicates relative time information from the previous event using the number of tempo clocks as a unit. In FIG. 4A, the tempo clock generation interval is shown as corresponding to one beat (one quarter note). Therefore, Fig. 4A
If the value of the relative time information is l, it represents a quarter note. Note that in the example in Figure 4A, small notes below a quarter note cannot be expressed, but in order to express small notes below a quarter note using relative time information,
Relative time information representing diacritics may be represented by a larger value. However, in this case, it is also necessary to shorten the tempo clock generation interval.

For example, if the relative time information for one beat (one quarter note) is expressed as 96 (clock), the relative time information for an eighth note is 48 (clock), and the relative time information for a sixteenth note is 2.
4 (clock), and the relative time information of the sextuplet is 16
(clock), which allows for the expression of detailed musical notes. In this case, the tempo clock generation interval is set to 1
Make the time interval equivalent to 1/96th of a beat.

In addition to MIDI events, an end mark indicating the end of a phrase track is set as data unique to this automatic performance device. The end mark is an identification mark FFH to which no parameter term is added and 2 bytes of relative time information added.

Since the phrase track information is performance information recorded by a conventional performance recording method of an automatic performance device, details of the recording method will not be discussed here.

management track The management track will be explained with reference to FIG. 4B.

The management track data memory 4 is made up of, for example, a random access memory (RAM), and is used to record bar line information consisting of the size of one bar and marks indicating the divisions between musical sections.

The bar line information stored in this management track is different from information related to direct pronunciation, such as key-on events and key-off events of phrase tracks. Bar line information is read out at each bar line timing and defines the length of the bar being played. That is, by freely programming the data regarding the length of bars included in the bar line information of the management track, it is possible to handle songs that are played with changing time signatures as the song progresses. Bar line information does not directly affect the playback sound itself, but if bar lines are programmed according to the score, when playing or editing from the middle of the song, the position in the song will match the score. It has the advantage that it can be specified in the same way.

Also, since passages are usually separated by bar lines, the bar line at the beginning of the passage (and also at the end of the previous passage)
If you include information about the divisions between passages, you can also manage the divisions between passages.

By doing this, when performing rebeat playback in units of musical passages, the bar line that separates musical passages is used as the repeat start point and repeat destination, making it possible to perform repeatedly without breaking the rhythm (time signature).

Another advantage of using management tracks is that even if you have a multi-track structure in which there are multiple phrase tracks that store performance information, you can manage bar lines using the bar line information in one management track. This is convenient because it eliminates inconveniences such as discrepancies in measure numbers between multiple tracks.

FIG. 4B is an example of data on the management track.

The bar line information stored in the management track includes an area in which bar length information indicating the length of a bar and mark information indicating a break are written. Marks indicate the divisions of musical passages, and include end marks that indicate the end of management tracks. In Figure 4B,
One line corresponds to one bar line information. Therefore, the address indicates the start address of a set of bar line information.

Also, the bar length information represents the length of the bar in terms of the number of tempo clocks, similar to the relative time information in Figure 4A.
One clock corresponds to one beat. Therefore, a bar length value of 2 represents a bar with two beats, and a bar length value of 4.
If so, it represents a four-beat measure.

1) Pointer CP: Management track read pointer (points to the start address of one set of data) PP: Phrase track read pointer (points to the start address of one set of data) 2) Data playback register PTM: Phrase track read pointer A register that indicates the remaining time value until the next event (hereinafter referred to as phrase track remaining time).

The registers in the work area are for temporarily storing various data generated when the CPU 1 executes the above control program, and each register group is for example a random access memory (RAM).
The work area 2 is provided in a predetermined area within the work area 2. The registers that make up the register group provided in this performance device will be explained.

REV: A register that stores the event read out from the phrase track to be output next as MIDI.

CTM: Remaining time value until the next bar line of the management track (
This register indicates the remaining time of the management track (hereinafter referred to as the remaining time of the management track).

3) Repeat 1/destination specification register RAP: Stores the repeat jump destination address of the phrase track. RT: Stores the remaining time from the repeat jump destination bar line to the first event on the phrase track. RAC: Stores the repeat jump destination address of the phrase track. Stores the beat jump destination address.

When executing a repeat jump, the data at the address specified by the repeat destination specifying registers RAP and RAC is read and set in the data reproduction register.

The control program stored in the playback timer interrupt processing ROM 3 includes initial settings executed when the power is turned on, a main process that detects the state of the controls, and performs processing according to the state, and a main process that handles various interrupts. There is interrupt processing to be done. Here, since the gist of the present invention is the operation during playback, a description of other programs will be omitted, and the playback timer interrupt process executed when the tempo generator 6 generates the interrupt signal IRQ during playback will be described.

In this automatic performance device, a phrase track data memory 5 (hereinafter simply referred to as a phrase track) and a management track data memory 4 (hereinafter simply referred to as a management track) are generated by a reproduction timer interrupt process performed during playback.
The performance progresses by reading the contents. In the interrupt processing, register PTM representing the remaining time of the phrase track is
Decrement the value of. When the performance information is read from the phrase track, the relative time information included in the performance information is set as an initial value in the register PTM, and thereafter, the value of the register PTM is decremented every time an interrupt occurs. It is something that Furthermore, when performance information is read out from the phrase track, events are also read out together with relative time information and set in register PEV.

As a result of decrementing register PTM, the value of PTM becomes O.
, the event read from the phrase track and set in register PEV is MID! It outputs to the interface 8 and reads the next performance information of the phrase track. In other words, M is the time interval required for the event included in the performance information stored in the phrase track to be interrupted the number of times corresponding to its relative time information.
The IDI will be output.

Furthermore, within the same interrupt processing, the value of the remaining time register CTM of the management track is also decremented.

When new bar line information is read from the management track, the bar length data of the bar line information is set as an initial value in register CTM.
The value continues to be decremented each time an interrupt occurs. As a result of decrement, the value of register CTM becomes O
If it is, it means that a new bar line has been reached, so read the next bar line information of the management track. That is, the bar line information is read at the time interval required for the number of interrupts corresponding to the bar length data to be executed.

Here, if the read new bar line information includes a passage break mark, the state of the repeat switch is detected, and if the repeat switch is off, the process advances to the next passage. At this time, the contents of the repeat destination designation registers RAPRT and RAC are updated so that the break of the passed passage is set as the new rebeat jump destination. On the other hand, if the repeat switch is on at a passage break, a repeat jump is executed based on the contents of the repeat destination specifying registers RAP, RT, and RAC.

A detailed explanation will be given below based on FIG. 2.

In step 201, the value of the register CTM representing the remaining time until the next bar line in the management track (remaining time of the management track) is decremented.

Next, in step 202, the remaining time until the next event in the phrase track (remaining time of the phrase track)
Decrement the value of register PTM representing .

Next, if the remaining time CTM of the management track is not O,
Since the bar line has not been reached, the process moves to step 209.

On the other hand, if CTM is O, a new bar line has been reached, so in step 204, the bar length of the new bar line information is read from the management track and set in the register CTM as the initial value of the remaining time. Here, after reading the bar line information, the read pointer CP of the management track is made to point to the start address of the bar line information that has just been read.

Further, if the bar line information read out in step 204 does not include an end mark, the process advances to step 206.

Furthermore, if the bar line information read out in step 204 does not include a mark indicating a musical passage break, then the process moves to step 209 because it is not a musical passage dividing line. On the other hand, if the bar line information includes a mark, this indicates a section break, and the state of the repeat switch is checked (step 207). If the repeat switch is off, the current position (
The repeat destination designating registers RAP, RT, and RAC are set in order to set the passage break position as the new repeat jump destination. That is, the address value PP (start address of a set of data) pointed to by the read pointer of the current phrase track is stored as the rebeat destination address RAP of the phrase track, and the current value of the remaining time register PTM of the phrase track is stored as the rebeat destination address RAP of the phrase track. It is stored as the remaining time RT from the previous bar line to the first event. Furthermore, the address value C pointed to by the read pointer of the management track
P (the starting address of one set of data) is stored as the repeat destination address RAC of the management track. after that,
Proceed to step 209.

On the other hand, if the repeat switch is on in step 207, a repeat jump is executed based on the contents of the repeat destination designation register. That is, step 21
In step 2, move the phrase track read pointer PP to the address indicated by the repeat destination address RAP of the phrase track, read the performance information of the phrase track specified by this address, and store the event information included in the read performance information in the register PEV. to be memorized.

Here, the time information read out simultaneously is not stored in the remaining time register PTM of the phrase track. Instead, the value of the register RT indicating the remaining time from the repeat destination bar line to the first event is stored in the register PTM as the remaining time of the phrase track. Furthermore, the read pointer CP of the management track is moved to the address indicated by the repeat destination address RAC of the management track, the bar line information of the management track specified by this address is read out, and the read bar length is stored in the register CTM. Thereafter, the process advances to step 209.

In addition, if it is determined in step 205 that the bar line information read in step 204 includes an end mark, the process moves to step 211, and then the state of the repeat switch is checked and the repeat switch is turned on. If so, the process moves to step 212 and a repeat jump is executed. In other words, when repeat is on, the end mark also functions as a passage mark. On the other hand, step 211
If the repeat switch is off, processing is performed to end and stop the playback, and the interrupt processing is ended.

In step 209, the value of the remaining time register PTM of the phrase track is checked. That is, if the value of the register PTM is 0 as a result of the decrement in step 202, it means that the timing to output an event has come. Here, MIDI output processing (Step 3 in Figure 3)
01-307). Here, the event read from the phrase track and set in the register PEV is output to the MIDI interface, and processing such as reading the next data in the phrase track is performed. After the MIDI output processing in step 210 is completed, the interrupt processing ends.

MIDI output processing When the timing to output an event to MIDI comes,
This is the process to be executed.

MTD the event set in register PEV!
It performs processing to output to the interface, and then reads out the next performance information of the phrase track. Note that if the relative time information included in the newly read performance information is 0, it is necessary to output the event of this read performance information as MIDI so that it is as late as possible from the event that was output as MIDI immediately before. Therefore, reading of performance information and MIDI output are repeated until performance information including relative time information greater than O is read out.

To explain based on FIG. 3, in step 302, it is determined whether the contents of the register PEV are FFH (the end of the phrase track), and if it is the end, the process returns to the original process. On the other hand, if it is not the end, the process advances to step 304.

In step 304, the event read out from the phrase track and stored in register PEV is converted into MIDI
Output to interface.

Next, in step 305, the read pointer PP of the phrase track is moved to the beginning of the next data to read the next performance information of the phrase track. The beginning part of the performance information of the phrase track is an identification mark, and the required data length is read by determining this identification mark. For example, if the identification mark is 9nH, the key is on, so 5 bytes including time information are read. Event data included in the read performance information is stored in register PEV, and relative time information is stored in register PTM. Here, after reading the performance information, the read pointer PP of the phrase track is made to point to the start address of the data just read.

According to the condition determination in step 306, reading and MIDI output are repeated until performance information including relative time information greater than 0 is read.

If it is determined in the condition determination at step 306 that performance information including relative time information greater than O has been read out, the process returns to the original process.

FIG. 4C shows an example of automatic performance performed by the automatic performance apparatus described above using the data shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B.

In FIG. 4B, delimiter marks are included in the first, third, and fourth bar lines. That is, in FIG. 4C, the first and second measures are the first musical phrase, and the third measure is the second musical phrase. After you start playing and progress to the second passage, if you turn on the repeat switch, the second passage, the third passage, will be played until you turn off the repeat switch.
Play a measure repeatedly. When the repeat switch is set to off, the playback progresses to the fourth measure.

Although the example of an automatic performance device with MIDI output has been described above, it may also be provided with musical tone generation means for generating sounds and integrated with the sound source.

A fade-out switch is provided separately from the repeat switch, and when the fade-out switch and the repeat switch are on, a fade-out effect is added in which a predetermined passage is played repeatedly while gradually decreasing the sound volume. good. The fade out switch has no effect when the repeat switch is off, but
Works only when the repeat switch is on. In addition, since such a fade-out effect is often used at the ending part of a song, a fade-out switch is not provided, and the fade-out effect is applied by detecting the end mark attached to the end of the data of the management track or phrase track. The fade-out effect may be automatically obtained by repeatedly playing the passage including the ending part. To change the volume of the sound produced by the MIDI sound source, you can either change and output the velocity value included in the key-on event read from the phrase track, or gradually change the value of the main volume information of MIDI control change number 7. It is only necessary to output the data at predetermined time intervals while changing the value.

If the automatic performance device is integrated with a sound source, a control line for controlling the volume may be provided. Or, JP-A-52-
It is also possible to use the fade-out method disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 93312.

Further, this automatic performance device may be constructed integrally with an automatic rhythm performance device. If this is the case, during a repeat performance, instructions are given to cancel the repeat performance, and when proceeding to the next passage, a fill-in variation rhythm pattern is used to add excitement to the performance. is also possible. As for the timing to play this variation rhythm pattern, it is effective to start from the bar immediately before proceeding to a new passage.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the structure of an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a flowchart showing playback timer interrupt processing in the embodiment. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing MIDI output processing in the embodiment. , FIG. 4 shows an example of the data of the phrase track and management track. [Effects of the Invention] As explained above, according to the present invention, by issuing a repeat performance instruction when the automatic performance progresses to a desired section, it is possible to cause that section to be played repeatedly; If you cancel the repeat performance instruction, you can proceed to the next section. Furthermore, since the repeat performance instruction can be given at any time during the performance of the desired section, it is easy for even beginners to handle.

Claims (1)

[Claims] a storage means in which performance data including delimiter information for dividing a piece of music into a plurality of sections is stored; a reading means for reading performance data from the storage means; an operator for instructing repeated performance; After the repeat performance is instructed, at the time when the first break information is detected, the performance position is moved to the beginning of the section that was being played at the time the repeat performance was instructed, and from then on, the repeat performance is instructed. and a control means for repeatedly playing the section until it is released.