JPH10198358A - Tempo control device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To easily set a tempo by manipulating a tap tempo switch and a tempo-up/down switch which are both used in combination. SOLUTION: A tempo control device incorporates a turn-down switch 12 for designating a turn-down of a playing tempo, a turn-up switch 11 for designating a turn-up of the playing tempo, and a tap switch 13 located between the turn-down switch 12 and the turn-up switch 11, for setting a tempo corresponding to a tapping motion of an operator. If these switches are horizontally arranged, the tap switch 13 is performed by the middle finger of the right hand so as to roughly set a tempo, and thereafter, the turn-down switch 12 adjacent thereto on one side is performed by the fore-finger, and the turn-up switch 11 adjacent thereto an the other side is performed by the ring finger. Further, if these switches are vertically arranged, similar steps are taken, that is, after the tap switch 13 is performed, the turn-up switch 11 on the upper side or the turn-down switch 12 on the lower side is performed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a tempo control device capable of controlling the tempo of an automatic performance in an automatic performance device as intended by an operator.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An automatic performance device stores performance information (note data and the like) relating to each note of a melody performance and an accompaniment performance in a memory or the like, and automatically reads out the stored performance information at a predetermined tempo. A melody sound or an accompaniment sound is generated according to the read performance information. In this case, the performance tempo is determined by the frequency of the tempo clock output from a timer or the like. The frequency of the tempo clock can be freely changed by operating a tempo setting switch or the like. The tempo setting switch includes a tap tempo switch and a tempo up / down switch.
Some automatic performance devices have both of these switches. The tap tempo switch is for outputting a signal at a timing pressed by the operator, and is a switch for setting a tempo based on the signal. Therefore, when the operator presses the tap tempo switch at a desired timing, it is possible to set the tempo as intended by the operator. The tempo up / down switch is for fine-tuning the tempo that can arbitrarily increase or decrease the tempo set by a tempo setting switch such as a tap tempo switch or the tempo set by performance information. Switch.

[0003]

In a conventional automatic performance device or the like, the above-described tap tempo switch and step-up / down switch are provided as independent function switches and are separately arranged at different positions on a switch panel. For example, after setting the tempo by pressing the tap tempo switch with either the right hand or the left hand, move the hand to a tempo up / down switch at another position, There is an annoyance that a fine adjustment operation of the tempo must be performed, and there is a problem in operability.

[0004] The present invention has been made in view of the above point, and when a tap tempo switch and a tempo up / down switch are used in combination, it is possible to easily set the tempo by operating these switches. It is an object of the present invention to provide a tempo control device that can perform the control.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A tempo control device according to the present invention includes a down switch for designating a decrease in a performance tempo, an up switch for designating an increase in a performance tempo, and a tempo corresponding to a tapping operation of an operator. A switch for setting, comprising: a tap switch disposed between the down switch and the up switch. For example, if these switches are arranged horizontally from the left in order of a down switch, a tap switch, and an up switch, operate the tap switch with the middle finger of the right hand to roughly set the tempo, and then decrease the tempo. If it is desired to operate, the down switch on the left side may be operated with the index finger, and if it is desired to increase the tempo, the up switch on the right side may be operated with the ring finger. As a result, all setting switches can be operated without moving the arrangement of the fingers at all, so that the tempo can be easily fine-tuned and the tempo can be set to match the operational feeling of humans. . When this operation is performed with the left hand, the operation is reversed. Further, the same effect can be obtained even if the down switch and the up switch are arranged so as to be reversed left and right. Also,
Similarly, even when the up switch, tap switch, and down switch are arranged vertically from the top,
After operating the tap switch, the up switch on the upper side or the down switch on the lower side may be operated. Also in this case, since the arrangement of the switches matches the sense of increasing the tempo and the sense of decreasing the tempo, the operator can smoothly perform the down or up operation without feeling uncomfortable. In this case as well, the up switch and the down switch may be arranged upside down, but care must be taken because the sense of up and down is reversed.

[0006]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the overall configuration of an electronic musical instrument with an automatic performance function incorporating a tempo control device according to the present invention. A microprocessor unit (CPU) 21 controls the operation of the electronic musical instrument as a whole. For this CPU 21, the bus 2
Various devices are connected via M. The CPU 21 controls the entire operation based on various programs and various data in the ROM 22 and the RAM 23, and musical tone control information (MIDI data) fetched from an external storage device.
In this embodiment, a floppy disk drive 24, a hard disk drive 25,
Although the CD-ROM drive 26 will be described as an example, other magneto-optical disk (MO) drives, PD drives, and the like may be used. The communication interface 27
Various information such as tone control information may be fetched from a server computer 29 or the like on the communication network 28 via the communication network 28, or MIDI data or the like may be fetched from another MIDI device 2B or the like via the MIDI interface 2A. The CPU 21 supplies the tone generator circuit 2J with the MIDI data fetched from the external storage device or the MIDI data generated based on the key pressing operation of the keyboard 2C. Note that the tone generation process may be performed using a sound source circuit connected to the outside. ROM 22 is CPU2
1 stores various programs (such as a system program and an operation program) and various data, and is constituted by a read-only memory (ROM). RAM2
Reference numeral 3 denotes a memory for temporarily storing various data generated when the CPU 21 executes the program. A predetermined address area of a random access memory (RAM) is allocated to the data and used as a buffer, a flag, a table, and the like. You. Further, the operation program may be stored in an external storage device such as the hard disk device 25. Also, without storing the operation programs in the ROM 22, these operation programs are stored in an external storage device such as the hard disk device 25, and are stored in the RAM 2.
3, the CPU 21 may perform the same operation as when the operation program is stored in the ROM 22. By doing so, it is possible to easily add an operation program or upgrade the version. A CD-ROM may be used as one of the removable external storage media. The CD-ROM may store various data such as automatic performance data, chord progression data, musical sound waveform data, and video data, and an arbitrary operation program.
The operation programs and various data stored in the CD-ROM can be read out by the CD-ROM drive 26 and transferred to and stored in the hard disk device 25. This makes it possible to easily perform new installation and version upgrade of the operation program.

The communication interface 27 is connected to the data and address bus 2M, and can be connected to various communication networks 28 such as a LAN (local area network), the Internet, and a telephone line via the communication interface 27. May be exchanged with the server computer 29. Thus, when the operation program and various data are not stored in the hard disk device 25, the operation program and various data can be downloaded from the server computer 29. In this case, a command for requesting downloading of an operation program and various data is transmitted from the automatic performance device, which is a musical sound generation device serving as a client, to the server computer 29 via the communication interface 27 and the communication network 28. The server computer 29 transmits predetermined operation programs and data to the automatic performance device via the communication network 28 in response to the command. The automatic performance device receives these operation programs and data via the communication interface 27 and stores these programs and data in the hard disk device 25. Thus, the download of the operation program and various data is completed.

The keyboard 2C is provided with a plurality of keys for selecting the pitch of a musical tone to be produced, has key switches corresponding to each key, and is provided with a pressing force detecting device or the like as necessary. It has touch detection means. The keyboard 2C is a basic operator for music performance, and it goes without saying that other keyboard operators may be used. The key press detection circuit 2D includes a key switch circuit provided corresponding to each key of the keyboard 2C for designating the pitch of a musical tone to be generated. The key press detection circuit 2D detects a change in the key 2C from the key release state to the key press state, and outputs a key-on event.
A key-off event is output by detecting a change from a key-depressed state to a key-released state, and a note number indicating a key pitch of each key-on event and key-off event is output. In addition, the key press detection circuit 2D discriminates a key press operation speed, a key press force, and the like when a key is pressed, and outputs velocity data and after touch data. The switch detection circuit 2F is provided corresponding to each switch group on the various switches 2E, and outputs a switch event corresponding to the operation state of each switch group to the CPU 21 via the bus 2M. The various switches 2E include an automatic performance start / stop switch, a pause (pause) switch, and various switches for selecting, setting, and controlling a tone color, a volume, an effect, and the like. In this embodiment, a tap tempo switch and a tempo up / down switch relating to tempo setting are shown in FIG. 1, and details of other various switches are well-known and will not be described. The display circuit 2H is C
Various kinds of information such as the control state of the PU 21 and the contents of the setting data are displayed on the display 2G. The display 2G is composed of a liquid crystal display panel (LCD) or the like, and its display operation is controlled by the display circuit 2H.

The tone generator 2J can simultaneously generate tone signals on a plurality of channels, and inputs tone control information (MIDI data such as note-on, note-off, velocity, pitch, tone number, etc.) given from the CPU 21. And
A tone signal is generated based on these data. In the tone generator circuit 2J, a tone signal can be simultaneously generated on a plurality of channels by using one circuit in a time-division manner to form a plurality of tone channels, or one tone channel is constituted by one circuit. It may be of the type as described below. Also, any tone signal generation method in the tone generator circuit 2J may be used. For example, a memory reading method (waveform memory method) for sequentially reading out tone waveform sample value data stored in a waveform memory in accordance with address data that changes in accordance with a pitch of a musical tone to be generated, or a phase angle parameter An FM method for executing a predetermined frequency modulation operation as data to obtain tone waveform sample value data, or an AM method for executing a predetermined amplitude modulation operation using the address data as phase angle parameter data to obtain tone waveform sample value data, or the like. May be appropriately adopted. In addition to these methods, a physical model method that synthesizes a musical sound waveform by an algorithm that simulates the sounding principle of a natural musical instrument, a harmonic synthesis method that synthesizes a musical sound waveform by adding a plurality of harmonics to a fundamental wave, A formant synthesis method of synthesizing a musical tone waveform using a formant waveform having a specific spectral distribution, an analog synthesizer method using VCO, VCF, and VCA may be employed. In addition, the tone generator circuit is not limited to the one that uses the dedicated hardware, and the tone generator circuit may be configured using a DSP and a microprogram. Alternatively, the tone generator circuit may be configured using a CPU and a software program. It may be. The timer 2N generates a tempo clock pulse for counting a time interval and setting a tempo of automatic accompaniment. The frequency of the tempo clock pulse is determined by a tempo setting switch in the various switches 2E, that is, a tap tempo switch 13 as shown in FIG.
It is adjusted by the down switches 11 and 12. The tempo clock pulse from the timer is given to the CPU 21 as an interrupt command, and the CPU 21 executes various processes during the automatic performance by the interrupt process. In this embodiment, it is assumed that the tempo clock pulse is generated 96 times per quarter note.
The effect circuit 2K gives various effects to the tone signal from the tone generator 2J, and outputs the tone signal with the effect to the sound system 2L. The tone signal to which the effect is given by the effect circuit 2K is generated through a sound system 2L including an amplifier and a speaker.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the arrangement of a tap tempo switch, a tempo up switch, and a tempo down switch among various switches 2E. FIG. 1 shows three arrangement examples, which are characterized in that they are arranged such that a tap tempo switch 13 is interposed between a tempo up switch 11 and a tempo down switch 12, respectively. That is, in FIG. 1A, the tempo down switch 12 and the tap tempo switch 1
3. Tempo up switches 11 are arranged in the horizontal direction. When the tempo is roughly set by operating the tap tempo switch 13 with the middle finger by arranging the tempo as described above, the tempo up switch 11 on the left side of the tempo can be operated with the index finger when the tempo is to be reduced. To increase the tempo, on the contrary, the tempo-down switch 12 on the right side of the tempo can be operated with the ring finger.
As a result, all the tempo setting switches can be operated without moving the arrangement of the fingers at all, so that the tempo can be easily fine-tuned and the tempo can be set to match the feeling of human operation. become able to. FIG. 1B shows a case where the tempo-down switch 12 and the tempo-up switch 11 of FIG. In FIG. 1C, a tempo up switch 11, a tap tempo switch 13, and a tempo down switch 12 are vertically arranged in order from the top. In this case, any finger may be used to operate the tap tempo switch 13. However, if it is desired to increase the tempo after operating the tap tempo switch 13, the upper tempo up switch 11 may be operated, and the tempo may be decreased. If it is desired to operate, the ten-down switch on the lower side may be operated. Also in this case, since the arrangement of the switches matches the sense of increasing the tempo and the sense of decreasing the tempo, the operator can smoothly perform the operation of decreasing or increasing the tempo without feeling uncomfortable. Also in this case, the up switch and the down switch may be arranged upside down, but care must be taken because the interval between up and down is reversed.

Next, an example of processing performed when the tempo up switch 11, the tempo down switch 12, or the tap tempo switch 13 is operated will be described with reference to the flowcharts of FIGS. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of tempo-up switch processing performed in response to a switch event when the tempo-up switch 11 is operated. In the figure, when the tempo up switch 11 is operated, it is determined whether or not the current set tempo is the maximum value that can be set. Is sounded twice to inform the operator that further tempo up is impossible. On the other hand, the currently set tempo is not the maximum value (NO)
In that case, increase the value of the set tempo by one level,
An operation confirmation sound (beep sound) is emitted once to inform the operator that the set tempo has increased by one step. FIG.
FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an example of a tempo down switch process performed in response to a switch event when a tempo down switch is operated. In the figure, when the tempo down switch 12 is operated, it is determined whether or not the current set tempo is the minimum value that can be set, and the minimum value (Y
In the case of ES), two operation confirmation sounds (beep sound)
Rings to inform the operator that tempo reduction below this is not possible. On the other hand, if the current set tempo is not the minimum value (NO), the value of the set tempo is decreased by one step, and an operation confirmation sound (beep sound) is issued to inform the operator that the set tempo has decreased by one step. ) Once. That is, if the tempo up / down is performed normally, a single beep sounds, and if the set tempo is already at the maximum value and the minimum value and tempo up / down cannot be performed, two beeps are made. Only sounds. Thereby, the operator can recognize whether the tempo up / down has been performed normally.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an example of tap tempo switch processing performed in response to a switch event when the tap tempo switch 13 is operated. In the figure, when the tap tempo switch 13 is operated, in the first step 51, the current tap counter value is changed from “1” to “1”.
It is determined which of “4” is applicable, and the process proceeds to the corresponding step. That is, when the tap counter value is “1”, the process proceeds to step 52, when the tap counter value is “2”, the process proceeds to step 55, when the tap counter value is “3”, the process proceeds to step 59, and when the tap counter value is “4”, the process proceeds to step 5D. If the tap counter value is "1", "one" is pronounced in step 52, and the operator is notified that a tempo setting process is to be performed in response to the pressing operation of the tap tempo switch 13. Then, in step 53, the time counter value is cleared to "0", and in step 54, the tap counter value is set to "2" in preparation for the next pressing operation. If the tap counter value is "2", "two" is pronounced in step 55 to inform that the tap operation of the tap tempo switch 13 is the second press operation. Then, in step 56, the time counter value is fetched into the first clock register T1, and in step 57, the time counter value is cleared to "0". In step 58, the tap counter value is read in preparation for the next third pressing operation. 3 ”. If the tap counter value is "3", "three"
To notify that the current pressing operation of the tap tempo switch 13 is the third pressing operation. Then, in step 5A, the time counter value is stored in the second clock register T2.
In step 5B, the time counter value is cleared to "0", and in step 5C, the tap counter value is set to "4" in preparation for the next fourth pressing operation. If the tap counter value is “4”, “four” is pronounced in step 5D, and the current tap tempo switch 13
That the fourth pressing operation is the fourth pressing operation.
Then, in step 5E, the time counter value is fetched into the third clock register T3, and in step 5F, the average value of the first to third clock counters T1 to T3 is calculated, and the tempo corresponding to the pressing operation of the tap tempo switch 13 is calculated. And the obtained tempo is set as a new set tempo. That is, the time taken from the first pressing operation of the tap tempo switch 13 to the second pressing operation is stored in the time counter T1. The time counter T2 stores the time required from the second pressing operation of the tap tempo switch 13 to the third pressing operation. Time counter T
3 stores the time required from the third pressing operation of the tap tempo switch 13 to the fourth pressing operation. Therefore, obtaining the average value of the time counters T1 to T3 means obtaining the average of the pressing operation intervals. Then, in step 5G, the tap counter value is set to "1" in preparation for the next pressing operation. In addition,
This tap tempo switch processing is shown in the example of four beats, but it is needless to say that the tap tempo switch processing can be similarly applied to the case of three beats. In the case of triple time, when the tap counter value is 3, the time counters T1 and T1 are set in step 5B.
An average value of 2 is calculated, the tempo is set as the tempo, and the tap counter value is set to “1” in step 5C. Of course, it goes without saying that the same applies to the case of a beat other than the triple time and the quadruple time. In the tap tempo switch processing, the case has been described in which the average value of each time counter is calculated and used as the set tempo. However, the value of the last time counter (timer counter T3 in the case of 4 beats, time counter T3 in the case of 3 beats, In this case, the clock counter T2) may be used as it is as the set tempo, or weighting may be performed between the clock counters, and the average value thereof may be used as the set tempo. Further, when the value taken into each time counter is smaller than a predetermined value (for example, 200 ms), it may be regarded as an operation error of the tap tempo switch (so-called tap error) and ignored.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of a timer interrupt process executed in synchronization with the operation clock (period of about 10 ms) from the timer 2N. FIG. 6 shows the time counter value used in the tap tempo switch process of FIG. The count-up process and the process of clearing the tap counter value to “1” when the tap tempo switch 13 has not been pressed for a predetermined time period. First, at step 61, the time counter value is incremented. At step 62, it is determined whether or not the tap counter value is equal to or greater than "2". If the tap counter value is equal to or greater than "2" (YES), the flow proceeds to step 63; In the case of "1", the process returns. When the tap counter value is “2” or more, it means that at least the tap tempo switch 13 has been pressed. In step 63, it is determined whether or not the timer counter value is equal to or more than a predetermined value.
Go to 4, otherwise return. Here, the predetermined value is, for example, a value corresponding to 2 seconds. When the period of the timer interrupt process is about 10 ms, the value corresponding to 2 seconds is 200. The determination of YES in step 63 means that it took two seconds or more from the previous pressing operation of the tap tempo switch 13 to the next pressing operation. Therefore, in step 64, the tap counter value is set to “1”. clear. Thereby, the tap tempo switch 13
If the pressing operation is not performed continuously and an interval is opened for 2 seconds or more, it can be assumed that the pressing operation has not been performed so far.

In the above embodiment, the automatic performance processing and the automatic accompaniment processing are omitted. This is because these processes are performed by well-known processes (not shown). The above-described embodiment is applicable whether the tempo is determined prior to the performance or the tempo is changed during the performance. In the above-described embodiment, the performance data format and the like are not mentioned, but the performance data format is “event + relative time (delta) in which the generation time of the performance event is represented by the time from the immediately preceding event. Time) ”,“ Event +
"Absolute time", "pitch (rest) + note length" that represents performance data in note pitch and note length or rest and rest length, or memory area for each minimum resolution of performance, It goes without saying that the present invention may be configured in any form such as a so-called "solid system" in which performance events are stored in a memory area corresponding to the time at which a performance event occurs.

As a method of controlling the tempo of the automatic performance, a method of changing a processing cycle (that is, a cycle of a tempo clock) or a method of correcting a timing data value such as a delta time while keeping the tempo clock cycle unchanged. It goes without saying that various methods may be used, such as a method for changing the value for counting the timing data in one process. The automatic performance data may have a format in which data of a plurality of channels are mixed, or may have a format in which data of each channel is divided for each track. In the above-described embodiment, the case where the tap tempo switch and the tempo up / down switch are provided in hardware has been described. However, the present invention can be applied to a case where these switches are displayed in software on a CRT using a touch panel or the like. Needless to say.

[0016]

According to the present invention, since the tap tempo switch and the tempo up / down switch are arranged so as to be easily operated, the tempo can be easily set by operating these switches with one hand. effective.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an arrangement example of a tap tempo switch, a tempo up switch, and a tempo down switch according to a tempo control device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an overall configuration of an electronic musical instrument having an automatic performance function and incorporating a tempo control device according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of a tempo-up switch process performed in response to a switch event when the tempo-up switch in FIG. 1 is operated;

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a tempo down switch process performed in response to a switch event when the tempo down switch of FIG. 1 is operated;

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a tap tempo switch process performed in response to a switch event when the tap tempo switch of FIG. 1 is operated;

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a timer interrupt process executed in synchronization with an operation clock from a timer.

[Explanation of symbols]

11: tempo up switch, 12: tempo down switch, 13: tap tempo switch

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A down switch for designating a decrease in performance tempo, an up switch for designating an increase in performance tempo, and a switch for setting a tempo corresponding to a tapping operation by an operator, wherein the down switch and the up switch A tap switch arranged between the switch and the switch.