Yamaha Corporation

Shinya Koseki

Kiyoshi Kawamura

Nobuo Sugiyama

Masahiro Wada

Haruki Uehara

Fukutaro Okuyama

Takashi Tamaki

Rokurota Mantani

Yoshimasa Isozaki

Jun Yamamoto

Yasutoshi Kaneko

Rei Furukawa

Taroh Muramatsu

Shigeru Muramatsu

Yuji Fujiwara

Motoichi Tamura

Akira Maezawa

Masao Sakama

Yasuhiko Oba

Satoshi Ukai

Hiroyuki Iwase

Takamitsu Aoki

Takuro Sone

Hideaki Takehisa

Hitoshi Akiyama

Yoshihiro Shiiya

Shinji Tajima

Toshio Tajima

A computer-implemented reproduction control method includes reproducing sound from sound data representing a series of sounds including first sound and second sound that follows the first sound. The method includes starting reproducing the first sound, continuing the reproduction of a first sound until an end of the first sound in response to receiving a first instruction in a reproduction period of the first sound, stopping the reproduction of the first sound, and after the stopping of the reproduction of the first sound, starting reproducing the second sound in response to receiving a second instruction provided by a user.

Reproduction control method, reproduction control system, and reproduction control apparatus

A sound processing method includes: receiving, using the communication device, from the remote apparatus, a first sound signal representing first sound generated by a user of the remote apparatus; emitting, using the sound emitting apparatus, the first sound represented by the first sound signal; receiving, using the sound receiving apparatus, sound that includes second sound generated by a user of the sound processing system; generating a second sound signal by sound processing, using processing parameters, a reception sound signal generated by the sound receiving apparatus; transmitting, using the communication device, the second sound signal to the remote apparatus; updating the processing parameters based on the first sound signal or the reception sound signal; and stopping the updating of the processing parameters in a state where musical sound is included in at least one of the first sound or the second sound.

Sound processing method, and sound processing system

A vibration detection mechanism includes: a first sensor section that detects vibration of a vibrating member of a musical instrument in a first direction being a main vibration direction; a second sensor section that detects vibration of the vibrating member in a second direction being approximately perpendicular to the first direction; and a third sensor section that detects vibration of the vibrating member in a third direction being approximately perpendicular to both the first direction and the second direction. Sensitivity of the second sensor section is greater than sensitivity of the first sensor section. Sensitivity of the third sensor section is greater than the sensitivity of the first sensor section.

Vibration detection mechanism and vibration sensor unit

In a musical instrument, such as a piano, having a sound board, the sound board vibrates in response to vibrations of a string responsive to depression of a key. A waveform corresponding to such vibrations of the sound board is detected and recorded into a memory for each of the keys. The recorded vibration waveform is usable for reproduction of a sound based on sound board vibrations. In a sound reproduction apparatus, such as a piano, having a sound board, an excitation device physically excitable in response to an input waveform is provided on the sound board. In response to an operation of a key, a sound board vibration waveform corresponding to the operated key is read out from the memory, and the excitation device is driven in accordance with the read-out waveform signal so that the sound board is vibrated.

Recording and reproduction of waveform based on sound board vibrations

A modulation device includes: a spread code generation unit which generates a spread code having a predetermined cycle; an audio signal input unit to which an audio signal is input; a first modulation unit which phase-modulates the spread code in each cycle on the basis of a data code; and a combining unit which combines the audio signal with a modulation signal which has been generated on the basis of the phase-modulated spread code and distributed in a frequency range higher than a predetermined frequency to output a combined signal.

Modulation device and demodulation device

An acoustic effect impartment apparatus detects striking of any one of strings by a corresponding hammer in an acoustic piano like a grand piano, and vibrates a vibration section with a driving waveform signal obtained by synthesizing sine wave signals of the fundamental frequency and harmonic frequency of the hammer-struck string. Such vibration of the vibration section is transmitted to the keys via a soundboard and bridge of the piano. Thus, vibration is excited in the hammer-struck string by the striking with the hammer but also by the driving waveform signal, so that an acoustic effect corresponding to the driving waveform signal is imparted. Because the driving waveform signal is a simple signal using the sine wave signals corresponding to the fundamental frequency of the string, a natural feeling of the acoustic piano will not be lost even when the acoustic effect is imparted.

Acoustic effect impartment apparatus, and piano

Watermark information indicative of content of music piece performance data to be reproduced in synchronism with a first audio signal is embedded into the first audio signal, and the resultant signal is acquired as a second audio signal. In parallel to the above-mentioned processing, the watermark information is decoded from the second audio signal, the content of music piece performance data to be reproduced is identified on the basis of the decoded watermark information, and then a tone signal based on the music piece performance data is reproduced in accordance with the identified content.

Tone reproduction apparatus and method

Electronic piano includes speakers arranged on its front side region and another speaker provided at a back position of the piano. Waveform memory provided in a tone generator section has prestored therein sets of four-channel waveform data, each of the sets corresponding to a tone. The four-channel waveform data are data recorded from a natural musical instrument via four microphones installed at sampling positions corresponding to the above-mentioned speakers. The microphones are installed with the on-microphone setting in which the microphones are positioned close to sounding members of the natural musical instrument. In response to depression of a key, any one of the sets of four-channel waveform data, corresponding to a tone pitch designated by the key depression, is read out from the waveform memory, so that the four-channel waveform data are supplied in parallel to the individual speakers.

Electronic keyboard instrument

A grand piano generates acoustic tones through vibrations of strings and sound board so that the acoustic tones are converted to analog audio signals at recording points over the sound board, and a group of waveform data sets are produced from the analog audio signal through sampling and analog-to-digital conversion; when electronic tones are generated, delay parameters and volume parameters are determined on the basis of differences between the recording points and tone radiating points occupied by loud speakers, the sets of waveform data series are sequentially read out from the group of waveform data sets and are modified with the delay parameters and volume parameters so that the electronic tones become close to the acoustic tones.

Method for making electronic tones close to acoustic tones, recording system for the acoustic tones, tone generating system for the electronic tones

Rendition style parameters for realizing various release rendition styles and/or attack rendition styles are stored in a memory. Operation-related time lengths are detected which pertain to turning-on and/or turning-off operation of a pedal operator. Any one of the release rendition style parameters is selected from the memory on the basis of the detected operation-related time length, and the release of a tone is controlled with a characteristic of the selected rendition style parameter. Alternatively, any one of the release or attack rendition style parameters is selected from the memory on the basis of a velocity of the turning-on and/or turning-off operation of the pedal operator detected operation-related time length, and the release or attack of a tone is controlled with a characteristic of the selected rendition style parameter.

Tone control apparatus and method

A real-play sound provider is connected with a communication terminal via a network. The user operates the communication terminal to transmit musical tone files, which include tone pitches and tone-generation timings of designated musical tones, to the real-play sound provider, so that the real-play sound provider controls a prescribed musical instrument to play automatic performance based on musical tone files, thus creating real-play sound files. The real-play sound files are created in accordance with prescribed conditions suiting user's preferences and are stored in a storage device of the real-play sound provider. Then, the real-play sound files are transmitted to the communication terminal upon user's designation of an address (e.g., URL) as necessary. Thus, the communication terminal controls a sound reproduction unit to reproduce sounds of the prescribed musical instrument, which is not possessed and played by the user.

Apparatus and method for providing real-play sounds of musical instruments

There is provided a performance tone providing apparatus that enables the user to listen to musical tones sounded from a desired musical instrument according to his/her performing operation even if the desired musical instrument does not exist in the vicinity of the user. Musical tone data including data specifying pitches of musical tones is received from a communication terminal. A CPU causes a predetermined musical instrument to carry out automatic performance based on the received musical tone data. Performance tone data representative of musical tones sounded from the predetermined musical instrument by the automatic performance is transmitted to a communication terminal.

PERFORMANCE TONE PROVIDING APPARATUS, PERFORMANCE TONE PROVIDING SYSTEM, COMMUNICATION TERMINAL FOR USE IN THE SYSTEM, PERFORMANCE TONE PROVIDING METHOD, PROGRAM FOR IMPLEMENTING THE METHOD, AND STORAGE MEDIUM STORING THE PROGRAM

A silent piano is available for a performance through electronic tones, and a player can give a timbre different from that of an acoustic piano to the electronic tones; when the player specifies a timbre of another acoustic musical instrument having a compass narrower than the compass of the acoustic piano, the key levers outside of the compass are never depressed in the performance, and several musical performance styles such as mute, glissando, tremolo and so fourth are assigned to the idle key levers; while the player is fingering on the keyboard, the player depresses one of the idle key levers and, thereafter, the black and white key levers in the compass, then, the electronic tones are produced in the selected musical performance style; the idle key levers are not mixed in the compass so that the player is less liable to be mistakenly depress the idle key levers.

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Fukuroi, Japan

Shinya Koseki