JPH05232957A - Assignor for electronic musical instrument - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To shorten a selection time and to reduce the load of selection processing by providing a storage means for storing the number of musical sound generating channels held at a free state and thereby quickly selecting a musical tone generating channel to be assigned to inputted playing data. CONSTITUTION:At the time of receiving a new note ON (depressed key) signal from a playing data generator 1, a channel assignor 2 refers to a part table stored in a memory 3 and checkes the number of channels to be required for sounding the note of the part. When the number of free channels indicated by a free channel number register for a channel table is larger than the necessary number of channels, musical tone data are assigned to a column number in a note table with a table number indicated by a free note link register. When there is no free channel required for assigning the necessary number of channels or free channels to be required are lacking, a current channel generating sound is stopped based upon prescribed order and the stopped channel is assigned to a new note.

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electronic musical instrument capable of simultaneously playing a plurality of parts each having a different tone color, and more specifically, newly input by pressing a key or the like. The present invention relates to an assigner for an electronic musical instrument that selects a tone generation channel to be assigned to performance data. Electronic musical instruments generally have a plurality of musical tone generation channels (hereinafter, also simply referred to as channels), and when a musical tone is to be sounded by a new key depression or the like, the newly input musical performance is used. The channel to be assigned to the data is selected from the multiple channels. There are various methods for selecting this channel. For example, a channel that starts sounding the earliest is selected from among available channels,
That is, there is a method of selecting a channel corresponding to the musical tone which is pressed the earliest, a channel corresponding to the musical tone which is released the earliest, a channel having the smallest sound generation amount, a combination thereof and the like. Further, there is a so-called multi-timbre electronic musical instrument capable of simultaneously playing a plurality of parts each having a different tone color in the electronic musical instrument. For example, an automatic performance device stores the musical performance information of a plurality of parts and sequentially reads out the musical performance information of the plurality of parts. Perform at the same tempo. Further, various methods are used as the musical tone generating method in these electronic musical instruments, and in particular, in recent years, the musical tone generating method has been digitized, and a waveform reading method, a frequency modulation method, a phase distortion method, etc. It has been put to practical use, and by combining these methods, richer tones can be obtained, and for that reason,
Multiple channels are being used to generate one note (musical note). [0006] Conventionally, when assigning channels to newly input performance data,
Usually, first, all channels are sequentially checked for available channels, and when the required number of available channels is found, it is selected. However, such a selection method is
As described above, when one performance data requires a plurality of channels, it takes time to search for the required number of empty channels, and such processing is performed every time the performance data is input. However, there is a problem in that the processing load in terms of hardware or software increases. The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to, when performance data is input, enable prompt selection of a tone generation channel to be assigned to the performance data. The purpose is to shorten the selection time and reduce the selection processing load. In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, an assigner for an electronic musical instrument of the present invention uses a musical tone assigned to performance data of a newly input note in an electronic musical instrument having a plurality of parts. An assigner for selecting generation channels, which is a first storage means for storing the number of music generation channels required for one performance data for each part, and the number of idle music generation channels out of all the music generation channels The number of tone generation channels stored in the first storage means corresponding to the newly input performance data, and the number of tone generation channels stored in the second storage means. Comparing means for comparing, and selecting means for selecting a tone generation channel to be assigned to performance data of a new note based on the comparison result of the comparing means. It is equipped with. The selection means selects a tone generation channel to be assigned to performance data of a new note. As a result of comparison by the comparison means, the number of tone generation channels in the second storage means is equal to that of the first storage means. When the number of channels is equal to or more than the number of channels, the tone generation channel in the empty state is performed, and when the number is less than that, all or a shortage thereof can be performed from the tone generation channel in use. When new performance data is input, the number of tone generation channels required by the performance data is checked from the first storage means, and the tone generation channels which are actually empty,
For example, a musical tone generating channel which is not used for sounding and which can be said to have substantially no influence on performance expression even if selected is searched from the second storage means,
The both are compared by a comparison means. By selecting the selection means based on the comparison result, it is not necessary to search for all the tone generation channels every time the performance data is input, as in the conventional case, and it is not necessary to search for the tone generation channels in the empty state. A selection process can be realized. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an electronic musical instrument provided with an assigner as an embodiment of the present invention. The performance data generator 1 is a device also called a music sequencer, which stores performance information for each part created by using a keyboard or a computer, and sequentially reads this to generate performance data. A format according to the MIDI standard is used for performance data generated from the performance data generator 1. When this MIDI standard is used, performance data of a plurality of parts can be transmitted and received by assigning different MIDI channels to each part. For example, a piano sound is assigned as MIDI channel 1 and strings are assigned as MIDI channel 2, and performance data is identified by this MIDI channel and transmitted / received. The channel assigner 2 receives this MIDI performance data, refers to the memory 3 according to the part corresponding to this MIDI channel, selects a required channel to be assigned to the performance data, and selects the selected data and The tone generator 4 is controlled based on the performance data. The tone generator 4 is a device having 24 channels for tone generation, and various tone generating systems can be used. In recent years, musical tone generation circuits have been digitized, and waveform readout methods, frequency modulation methods, phase distortion methods, etc. have been put to practical use, and by combining these methods, richer tones can be obtained. .. Therefore, the tone generator 4 of this embodiment uses a plurality of channels to generate one tone. The memory 3 is a storage area for storing and managing various data necessary for channel assignment and the like, and a part table, a note table, a channel table, etc. are stored therein. The part table has a form shown in FIG. 2A, and the number of channels, tone number, reserve channel, number of used channels, note link number of each part is # 1 to # 8. Etc. are memorized. Here, the number of channels in the second row of the part table is the number of channels used for one note (or tone) of the part. The parameters for each part are stored in another memory area (not shown), and are transmitted to the channels required to generate the musical sound of the part when the sound is generated. The tone color number assigned to the part is stored in the third line of the part table, and the position where the above parameters are stored is addressed by this tone color number. The fourth row of the part table is the number of reserved channels of the channel for the part. The number of reserved channels will be described in detail later, but when selecting the channel to be assigned to the performance data from the channels currently sounding in the part, the minimum number of channels that are sounding is guaranteed. It is determined. The fifth row of the part table is the number of channels currently in use in the part. The sixth line of the part table is a note link number indicating the relationship (link) with the note table described below. The note table has the form shown in FIG. 2B and the channel table has the form shown in FIG.
There are rows of. The note table has a free note link register, and the channel table has a free channel link register and a free channel number register. The note link number is stored in the first line of the note table. The note link numbers of the part table and the note table represent the link order of note-on (key depression signal) for the same part, or represent the link state of free notes that are not used. For example, in the reset state immediately after the power is turned on, the free note link register has the number "1".
Is entered, the note link number column of the note table is "2" in the first column, "3" in the second column, and similarly in the third column.
The value obtained by adding 1 to the column number of that number is entered in each of columns ~ 23, and the symbol "E" meaning "end" is entered in the 24th column.
Is entered. When the note-on of part # 1 occurs, the note is assigned the note number "1" of the free note link register.
Assigned to the first column of the note table indicated by, and the note link number of part # 1 of the part table is "1",
Rewrite the note link number in the first row of the note table as "E" and the free note link register number as "2". Next, when the note-on of the part # 1 similarly occurs, the note is assigned to the second column of the note table designated by the number "2" of the free note link register, and the note of the part # 1 of the part table is assigned. The link number is "2", the note link number in the second column of the note table is "1", and the number of the free note link register is "3". That is, the note link number of the part table represents the column of the note table to which the note most recently note-on in the part is assigned. The note link number in the note table is the same part, and represents the column number for writing the note-on note that occurred immediately before that note-on. If this column number is "E", it occurred immediately before in the same part. Indicates that there is no note-on. Similarly, among the columns of the note table which are not currently used, the first one is written in the free note link register, and the unused column (empty column) in the note table is replaced by the next empty column. The column number of is written as the note link number. Each column in the note table is merely a space for managing notes, but FIG.
Each column of the channel table shown in (1) corresponds to each channel. That is, the first row is the first channel, the second row is the second channel, and so on. A free channel link register is also provided in the channel table, and the leading channel numbers of unused channels are entered. Further, a free channel number register is provided and represents the current number of empty channels. Therefore, the free channel link number immediately after power-on is "1" and the number of free channels is "24".
In addition, the channel link number is entered in the lowest row of the note table. When the note of part # 1 is assigned to the first column of the note table, the note of part # 1 uses three channels as apparent from the part table. Allocate 3 of 3 channels. At this time, the channel link number in the first column of the note table is "1", and the channel link number column of the channel table is "2" for the first channel.
Enter "3" in the second channel and "E" in the third channel. Similarly, when a note that is subsequently note-on in part # 1 is assigned to the second column of the note table, "4" is entered as the channel link number of the note table, and the channel link of the fourth channel of the channel table is entered. The number is "5", the channel link number of the fifth channel is "6", and the channel link number of the sixth channel is "E". With this change, the free channel link number in the free channel link register is updated to "7" and the free channel number in the free channel number register is updated to "18". The second row of the note table stores the number of the note assigned to each column, and the third row stores the note velocity. In the second and subsequent rows of the channel table, the tone color number and status of each channel, such as the state of the envelope, are entered. There are various methods for this status, depending on the sound source method, so a detailed description is not given here. Allocation Processing When the channel assigner 2 receives a new note-on (key-depression) signal, it performs channel allocation processing according to the procedure shown in the flowchart of FIG. First, when a new note-on signal is received, MIDI of the received note-on signal is received.
It is determined from the channel which part the note-on signal belongs to, and the part table is referred to check the number of channels required to generate the note of the part (step S1). Next, this required channel number is compared with the free channel number indicated by the free channel number register (step S2). At this time, when the number of free channels is larger, the musical tone data is assigned to the row of the note table having the number indicated by the free note link register and the number of the free note link register is updated (step S3). Then, as described above, the note link number of the corresponding part in the part table and the note link number of the note table are updated. Then, the three channels starting with the channel number indicated by the free channel link register are assigned to the musical sound data, and the number of the free channel link register is updated (step S4). Similarly, the free channel number of the free channel number register and the channel link numbers of the note table and the channel table are respectively updated. If there is no empty channel to allocate the required number of input notes, or if there is not enough channels, a truncation process is performed to stop the currently used channel, that is, the currently sounding channel, Assign the stopped channel to a new note. The order of stopping in this case is as follows. A priority is set for each part, and the number of channels in use in each part that exceeds the number of reserved channels is stopped in order from the part with the lowest priority to the part with high priority. In the present embodiment, the priorities are set low in the order of parts # 1, # 2 ... # 8. A reserve channel number (minimum guaranteed channel number) is set for each part. The fourth row of the part table of FIG. 2A is the number of reserved channels. For example, the number of reserved channels of part # 2 is “6”, so six of the nine channels currently in use are truncated. It will not be done. That is, at least 6 of the channels currently in use
One channel guarantees that Part # 2 will continue to be available. As a result, since the minimum number of channels that are considered to be the minimum necessary for performance expression in each part remain without being truncated, a musically preferable performance can be performed with a limited number of channels. That is, when the number of empty channels is insufficient in step S2 of the flow chart of FIG. 3, first, the number of channels currently used by the lowest priority part # 8 is checked in the part table, and the used channels are checked. The number is compared with the reserved channel number "2" of the part # 8 (step S11). When a number of channels larger than the reserved channel number "2" is used in this part # 8, the number of used channels exceeding the reserved channel number "2" is truncated. On the other hand, if only the number of reserved channels equal to or less than “2” is used in this part # 8, the channel being used in the part # 8 will not be truncated and the part # 8 having the next lowest priority will be used. The usage status of channel 7 is checked (step S10). To select the in-use channel to be truncated when the number of used channels is larger than the number of reserved channels, first, the number of channels corresponding to one note of the part is truncated. If more than one note is sounded in the part, it is desirable to truncate the note that was released the earliest or the note that was most attenuated. If the key is not released, a method of giving priority to a note having a high treble or a note having a high level may be considered. Here, the note whose pronunciation has started earliest is truncated. In this case, follow the note table number of the note table in order from the note link number of the corresponding part in the part table, and open the channel table from the note and the channel link number of the row described in the column marked "E". Follow the steps in order to forcibly stop the sound of the corresponding channel. Along with this, the free note link, the free channel link, and the number of free channels are updated (step S1).
1). Then, the process returns to step S2 again, and the number of required channels and the number of free channels are compared. Although the number of reserved channels is the minimum guaranteed channel number of the part in the above embodiment, this may be the minimum guaranteed note number. For example, in the part table of FIG. 2, the number of channels of the part # 1 is "3" and the number of reserved channels is "6". In this way, the reserve number may be defined by the number of channels or the number of notes. As described above, in the present invention, when new performance data is input, the selection of the musical tone generating channel to be assigned to it is compared with the number of musical tone generating channels which are actually empty. Therefore, if the required number is available, the selection can be performed immediately and the performance data can be promptly selected. Therefore, even when the input performance data requires a plurality of tone generation channels, the selection process can be performed. The time required for the processing can be shortened, and the hardware or software processing load can be reduced.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing an electronic musical instrument provided with an assigner as an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a diagram showing various tables stored in a memory in the apparatus of the embodiment. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a procedure of channel assignment processing by a channel assigner in the apparatus of the embodiment. [Explanation of reference numerals] 1 performance data generator 2 channel assigner 3 memory 4 tone generator

Claims (1)

Claims: (1) An assigner for selecting a musical tone generation channel to be assigned to newly input musical performance data in an electronic musical instrument having a plurality of parts, wherein the musical tone required per musical performance data for each part First storage means for storing the number of generation channels, second storage means for storing the number of empty tone generation channels among all tone generation channels, and the above-mentioned corresponding to the performance data of newly input notes. Comparison means for comparing the number of tone generation channels stored in the first storage means with the number of tone generation channels stored in the second storage means, and new performance data based on the comparison result of the comparison means. An assigner for an electronic musical instrument having a selecting means for selecting a tone generation channel to be assigned to. (2) The selection means selects the tone generation channels to be assigned to new performance data, and the comparison result of the comparison means indicates that the number of tone generation channels of the second storage means is the number of tone generation channels of the first storage means. In the above case, it is configured such that the tone generation channel in the empty state is performed, and in the case of less than that, all or a shortage of the tone generation channel is configured to be performed from the tone generation channel in use. Electronic musical instrument assigner.