JPH0612078A - Electronic musical instrument - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide spatially spread played sounds by effectively utilizing the limited number of sounding channels at a maximum. CONSTITUTION:This electronic musical instrument is provided with a keyboard part 2 to generate key operation information, sound source circuit 4 to respectively output plural musical sound signals for respective plural sounding channels, output channels 71-74 provided less than the number of sounding channels, output channel managing memory to store information concerning the musical sound under sounding for the respective output memories 71-74, control part 1 to allocate the plural musical sound signals outputted from the plural sounding channels to any one of output channels 71-74 based on the stored contents of the output channel managing memory and new key operation information outputted from the keyboard part 2, and distribution circuit 6.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electronic musical instrument which produces a musical tone whose volume, tone color and the like change over time like a natural musical instrument tone.

[0002]

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

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

The conventional electronic musical instrument described above is
Since multiple tones similar to the tones of various natural musical instruments can be generated at the same time, in order to use this electronic musical instrument to perform the same kind of performance as the above-mentioned keyboard instrument or ensemble performance, Generating musical sounds produces a spatially expansive performance sound similar to natural musical instruments.

Therefore, the present applicant has previously proposed an electronic musical instrument which is produced by a plurality of loudspeakers installed at different positions without electrically mixing the musical tone signals of a plurality of single tones (Actual Kaisho). 62-41197 gazette).
However, in such a configuration, it is necessary to provide a sound system including as many amplifiers and speakers as the number of sounding channels. It is difficult to adopt the above-mentioned configuration.

[0006] Therefore, in order to obtain a spatially wide performance sound without increasing the number of sound systems so much,
The applicant has previously proposed the following electronic musical instruments. In this electronic musical instrument, a plurality of musical tone signals output from a plurality of tone generation channels are sorted in advance into a number of groups according to the note names (for example, note names C, C #, D, note names D
#, E, F, note names F #, G, G # and note names A, A #,
B is the same note name group), and the tone signal of different note name group is output from the corresponding output channel respectively, and the tone signal of the same note name group is electrically synthesized from the same output channel. It is what is output. For details of the electronic musical instrument described above, refer to Japanese Patent Publication No. 2-63235.

[0007]

By the way, in the above-mentioned conventional electronic musical instrument, the musical tone signals of the same note name group are electrically synthesized and output from the same output channel. For example, a musical tone signal having a note name that differs by an octave that must be pronounced separately is also electrically synthesized. The present invention has been made under such a background, and provides an electronic musical instrument capable of maximally utilizing a limited number of sound generation channels to obtain a spatially wide performance sound. With the goal.

[0008]

An electronic musical instrument according to the present invention has key operation information generating means for generating key operation information and a plurality of tone generation channels for generating tone signals, and a plurality of tone generation channels are provided for each tone generation channel. A musical tone generating means for outputting a musical tone signal, a plurality of output channels provided in a number smaller than the tone generation channel, a storage means for storing information on a musical tone being sounded for each output channel, and a storage means of the storage means. Allocation means for allocating a plurality of tone signals output from the plurality of sound generation channels to any one of the plurality of output channels based on the stored contents and new key operation information output from the key operation information generating means. It is characterized by having.

[0009]

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

[0010]

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

Reference numeral 3 denotes a panel switch composed of various switches, which detects that each switch is operated, outputs operation information corresponding to each switch, and supplies the operation information to the control unit 1. 4 is controlled by the musical tone parameters such as tone color data supplied by the control unit 1, and 16 kinds of musical tone data corresponding to a plurality of tone generation channels (in this embodiment, 1st to 16th tone generation channels) are time-division multiplexed. Is a demultiplexer for outputting the tone data of the first to sixteenth sounding channels output from the sound source circuit 4 by time division multiplexing in parallel corresponding to the first to sixteenth sounding channels. The musical tone data of the 1st to 16th tone generation channels output in parallel from the demultiplexer 5 are electrically combined to produce four output channels 7 ₁ to
This is a distribution circuit that distributes and outputs to 7 ₄ .

Further, 8 ₁ to 8 ₄ are output channels 7 ₁ to
D / A converters for converting the musical tone data respectively output from 7 ₄ into analog musical tone signals, and 9 _{1 to} 9 ₄ are D / A
Amplifiers for amplifying the musical tone signals respectively output from the converters 8 ₁ to 8 ₄ and 10 ₁ to 10 ₄ are speakers for converting the respective output signals of the amplifiers 9 _{1 to} 9 ₄ into musical tones. The amplifier 9 and the speaker 10 constitute a sound system.

Next, FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of an example of the configuration of the distribution circuit 6. In FIG. 2, 11 _{1 to} 11 ₁₆ are input terminals to which the musical tone data of the 1st to 16th sounding channels are input, 12 _{1 to} 12 ₁₆ are mute circuits, 13 _{1 to} 13 ₁₆ are switches, and 14 ₁ to 14 ₄
Are adders. The switches 13 _{1 to} 13 ₁₆ are
The control of the control unit 1 is connected to one of the respective common terminal T _c adder 14 _{1-14 4} 16 terminals T ₁ through T _4, which are respectively connected to the input terminal, the input terminal 11 ₁
˜11 ₁₆ and the mute circuits 12 _{1 to} 12 ₁₆ are input to the adders 14 _{1 to} 14 ₄ of the tone data of the corresponding tone generation channels appearing at the respective common terminals T _c . Adder 1
4 _{1 to} 14 ₄ add a plurality of input musical tone data and output the added musical tone data from the corresponding output channels 7 _{1 to} 7 ₄ .

The mute circuits 12 _{1 to} 12 ₁₆ are provided to prevent noise generated when the switches 13 _{1 to} 13 ₁₆ are switched. This will be described below. First, when one of the first to sixteenth sounding channels of the tone generator circuit 4 is an empty channel waiting for sounding and a new key is pressed by the performer on the keyboard unit 2. When this new key depression sound is assigned to the vacant channel, no musical tone data appears at the common terminal _Tc of any of the switches 13 to be switched, so that noise is not generated even if the switch 13 is switched. .

However, in this embodiment, a so-called last-arrival priority sounding assignment system is used, and even if all of the first to sixteenth sounding channels of the tone generator circuit 4 are sounding, the player's keyboard section 2 can be changed. If there is a new key depression, select any sounding channel, for example, the sounding channel with the lowest amplitude level of the envelope waveform, that is, the sounding channel with the most attenuation, and forcibly stop sounding (dump). Then, the truncate process is performed to make the channel empty. Then, the dump by the truncate processing is not always performed in synchronization with the switching of the switches 13 _{1 to} 13 ₁₆ described above. Therefore, the mute circuits 12 _{1 to} 12 ₁₆ are provided, and the tone data is muted immediately before the switches 13 _{1 to} 13 ₁₆ are switched, and the switch 13
By unmute after switching the _{1-13 16} is to prevent the generation of noise when switching the switch _{131-134 16.}

With such a configuration, the key release operation of the controller 1 when a key press event or a key release event occurs in the keyboard section 2 will be described with reference to FIGS. 3, 4 and 6.
A description will be given based on the flowchart. When the performer presses or releases any key on the keyboard of the keyboard section 2,
The control unit 1 first proceeds to the processing of step SA1 of the key release processing routine of FIG. 3, and determines whether or not a key pressing event has occurred in the keyboard unit 2. This judgment result is "NO"
In this case, the process proceeds to step SA5 described later.

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

At step SA3, an output channel allocation process for allocating the tone data of the empty channel stored in the register Xch to any of the _four output channels 7 _{1 to} 7 ₄ is performed. The details of this output channel allocation processing will be described later. Then, when this output channel allocation processing is completed, the control unit 1 proceeds to step SA4.
Go to.

In step SA4, a tone generation process of supplying tone parameters such as tone color data corresponding to the key code KC of the depressed key to the tone generation channel of the tone generator circuit 4 corresponding to the empty channel stored in the register Xch. After performing, proceed to step SA5. In step SA5, it is determined whether or not a key release event has occurred in the keyboard section 2. If the result of this determination is "NO", the flow returns to the main routine (not shown).

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

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

In the output channel management memory of FIG. 5, the register in the first column stores the number of assigned output channels, and the registers in the second to fifth columns store the value of the assigned key code KC. Has been done. The second
~ In the register in the fifth column, "0" is the key code K
It shows that C is not assigned. The value of the register in the third column of the output channel 7 ₄ is “0”, which means that the key code KC previously assigned to this output channel 7 ₄ has been muted. Then, when the determination result of step SB1 is “YES”, the control unit 1 proceeds to step SB2.

In step SB2, any one of the output channels 7 having the number 0 of output channels assigned is assigned to one of the output channels 7. Specifically, register X
Sound source circuit 4 corresponding to an empty channel stored in ch
Common terminal T of the switch 13 corresponding to the sounding channel of
After switching _c (see FIG. 2) to the terminal (any of T _{1 to} T ₄ ) connected to the adder 14 of the output channel 7 to be allocated, the corresponding output channel 7 of the output channel management memory shown in FIG. The value of the key code KC of the depressed key is written in any one of the registers of the second to fifth columns of, and the output channel allocation number of the register of the first column is incremented by 1. Then, the control section 1 returns to the key release processing routine shown in FIG. 3 and proceeds to step SA4.

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

In step SB4, among the plurality of output channels 7 to which a sound having a dissonant relationship with the sound of the key code KC of the currently pressed key is allocated, the output channel 7 having the smallest number of allocated output channels is Assign to the key code KC of the key just pressed. This assigning method is the same as the above-described processing of step SB2.
Then, the control section 1 returns to the key release processing routine shown in FIG. 3 and proceeds to step SA4.

On the other hand, if the result of the determination in step SB3 is "YES", that is, all output channels 7
_If notes _{1 to} 7 ₄ are assigned notes that are in consonance with the key code KC of the depressed key, step SB
Go to 5. In step SB5, after the output channel 7 having the least consonant is searched, the process proceeds to step SB6.

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

On the other hand, if the result of the determination in step SB6 is "NO", that is, if there is only one output channel 7 with the least consonant sound, the operation proceeds to step SB8. At step SB8, the key code KC of the depressed key is assigned to the output channel 7 having the least consonant sound, similarly to the process at step SB2 described above, and then the process returns to the key release key processing routine shown in FIG. Go to step SA4.

Next, the output channel deallocating process of the control unit 1 will be described with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. When the processing of the control unit 1 proceeds to step SA6 of FIG. 3, the output channel deallocating processing routine shown in FIG. 6 is started. The control unit 1 proceeds to the process of step SC1 and refers to the registers of the second to fifth columns of the output channels 7 _{1 to} 7 ₄ of the output channel management memory shown in FIG. The register in which the value of the key code KC is stored is searched, the value of the register is rewritten to "0", and the output channel of the register in the first column of the output channel 7 having the register whose value is rewritten now. After decrementing the allotted number by one, the process returns to the key pressing and releasing processing routine shown in FIG. 3, and proceeds to step SA7.

As described above, according to the above-described embodiment, the depressed key is based on the key code KC of the depressed key and the data stored in the output channel management memory shown in FIG. The output channel that outputs the musical sound corresponding to is determined. Here, in the above-described embodiment, two musical tones having a consonant relation are not assigned to the same output channel as much as possible. When two musical tones having a consonant relation are assigned to the same output channel, each musical tone is Is buried, and the three-dimensional effect is lost.

In the above-described embodiment, the output channel allocation process is performed by the flowchart shown in FIG. 4, but the present invention is not limited to this. (A) For example, the priority order of allocation is set as shown below. If a plurality of sounds already assigned to the output channel are in a dissonant relationship with the sound of the key code KC of the newly pressed key, the priority point is 1, and if they are in a consonant relationship, the priority order. Point 2 is set, and the key code KC of the newly pressed key is assigned to the output channel having the smallest sum of the priority points. If all the sounds already assigned to the output channels are in a consonant relationship with the sound of the key code KC of the newly pressed key, the sound of the key code KC of the newly pressed key is If the pitch of is a perfect fourth,
Priority point 1, if it is a perfect fifth, priority point 2,
If it is octave, it is set to priority point 3, and if it is unison, it is set to priority point 4, and the key code KC of the newly pressed key is assigned to the output channel having the smallest sum of priority points.

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

(C) Further, the allocation method is changed depending on the type of the speaker 10. For example, a high frequency speaker 10
A sound having a large key code KC is preferentially assigned to a sound, and a sound having a small key code KC is preferentially assigned to the bass speaker 10. (D) Also, the allocation method is changed according to the performance information. For example, as shown in FIG. 8, when the speakers 10 are arranged in a matrix, the number of assigned speakers 10 is changed depending on the key pressing speed.

In addition, in the above-described embodiment, FIG.
As shown in, the D / A is provided after the output channels 7 _{1 to} 7 _4.
Converters 8 ₁ to 8 ₄ , amplifiers 9 _{1 to} 9 ₄ and speaker 1
Although an example in which 0 ₁ to 10 ₄ are connected has been shown, it goes without saying that even if these are not connected, they are included in the scope of the claims of the present application.

[0035]

As described above, according to the present invention, the limited number of sound generation channels can be utilized to the maximum extent.
This has the effect of producing a performance sound that is spatially expansive. Therefore, a spatial ensemble effect can be obtained even when a plurality of musical tones having different timbres are simultaneously sounded.

[Brief description of drawings]

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

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

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing the processing of a key release processing routine of the control unit 1 in one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing the processing of an output channel allocation processing routine of the control unit 1 in the embodiment of the present invention.

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

FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing a process of an output channel deallocating process routine of the control unit 1 in the embodiment of the present invention.

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

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

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

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... control part, 2 ... keyboard part, 3 ... panel switch,
4 ... Sound source circuit, 5 ... Demultiplexer, 6, 15 ...
… Distribution circuit, 7 _{1 to} 7 ₄ ……, Output channel, 8 ₁ to 8 ₄ ….
... D / A converter, 9 _{1 to} 9 ₄ ... Amplifier, 10 ₁ to 1
0 ₄ …… Speaker, 11 _{1 to} 11 ₁₆ …… Input terminal, 12 ₁
12 ₁₆ ...... muting circuit, _{131-134 1 6,} 16 ₁ to 1
6 ₁₆ ... Switch, 14 _{1 to} 14 ₄ ... Adder.

Claims (1)

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