Yamaha Corporation

Tokiharu Ando

Takashi Suzuki

Osamu Ohshima

An audio record/playback system is configured using a RAM containing PC buffers and a sound input/output board which is equipped with another RAM containing P buffers and R buffers as well as a digital audio circuit. At a playback mode, waveform sample data consisting of waveform samples are subjected to burst transfer using a PCI bus from the PC buffer to the P buffer in a first half duration of each sampling period with respect to one channel. In a second half duration, one of the waveform samples is transferred from the P buffer to the digital audio circuit, wherein it is subjected to digital audio processing. Thus, the waveform sample data are played back in response to prescribed timings synchronized with sampling periods. At a record mode, waveform sample data corresponding to sounds to be picked up are supplied to the digital audio circuit, from which they are transferred to the R buffer. Then, the waveform sample data are transferred to the PC buffer. At a sequence playback mode, a set of WAVE data are loaded from an external storage unit to the RAM with respect to multiple channels in response to a sequence playback instruction. Then, the WAVE data are transferred to the sound input/output board, by which they are played back. Incidentally, when playback is completed with respect to one channel, next WAVE data regarding another channel are automatically loaded to the RAM.

Apparatus and method for playback of waveform sample data and sequence playback of waveform sample data

Audio system for playback of waveform sample data

A waveform-data dividing device, employed by an electronic musical instrument providing a waveform memory, is used to automatically divide waveform data into registers. The device provides a division-data table in which a plurality of division data are respectively written at locations which are arranged in connection with the registers. When a new waveform is inputted so that corresponding new waveform data are stored in the waveform memory, one division data is created based on the waveform data and is written into the division-data table at the location which is determined responsive to a pitch of the waveform data. Herein, one new waveform is divided into multiple sections so that detection of pitch is performed with respect to each of the sections. When the same pitch is detected with respect to two consecutive sections, that pitch is used as the pitch representing the waveform data as a whole. If the location of the division-data table corresponding to the pitch of the new waveform has been already occupied by another waveform, the other waveform is changed with the new waveform. Further, a manner of waveform division, illustrating multiple registers into which multiple waveforms are respectively divided, is visually displayed on a screen of a visual display unit. If an operator designates one register whose waveform should be changed, at least one candidate waveform is automatically indicated so that the waveform of the register designated is changed with the candidate waveform selected by the operator.

Waveform-data dividing device

An electronic musical instrument stores a plurality of waveform samples. A predetermined number of waveform samples are selected from the plurality of waveform samples. Pitch information for designating a pitch within a predetermined tone range is generated. In response to instructions for automatic assignment of waveform samples, partial tone ranges equal in number to the predetermined number are set within the predetermined tone range, and the predetermined number of the waveform samples selected are assigned to the partial tone ranges, respectively. In response to the pitch information, a partial tone range to which the pitch information belongs is detected from the partial tone ranges. A waveform sample assigned to the detected partial tone range is read. A musical tone is generated based on the read waveform sample.

Electronic musical instrument capable of assigning waveform samples to

A memory control apparatus that compresses the time widths of time slots of addresses sequentially outputted from a data processing unit so as to access a memory. Readout data is transferred to the data processing unit while expanding the time slot. In a vacant time formed by compressing the time widths of the time slots of the addresses from the data processing unit, refresh processing or hard disk transfer processing is executed. The time widths of the time slots of addresses sequentially outputted from a CPU are compressed so as to write data in the memory, and parallel to this operation, refresh processing can be executed in a vacant time. The memory control apparatus is suitably used in accesses of waveform data between a tone generator system and a waveform memory. Waveform data supplied from another unit can be written in the waveform memory parallel to tone generation using all tone generation channels of the tone generator system for tone generation.

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Hamamatsu, Japan

Tokiharu Ando