Yamaha Corporation

Tomoyuki Kumagai

Hiroyuki Iwase

Yoshihisa Ito

Tadasu Kakizaki

A personal computer having a MIDI interface and an electronic musical instrument having a MIDI interface are connected with each other by means of a sending and a receiving MIDI cable. The personal computer stores music performance data and provides control commands for managing the data storing operation in the electronic musical instrument in its local data protocol, and converts such data and commands both to MIDI exclusive data according to the MIDI protocol to send to the electronic musical instrument via the MIDI cable. The electronic musical instrument receives the MIDI exclusive data carrying such data and commands, and converts the received MIDI exclusive data back to the performance data and the control commands in the original local protocol such as DOS format to control the data storing operation in the electronic musical instrument accordingly. Thus, the personal computer can remotely manage the data storing operation in the electronic musical instrument.

Data sending apparatus and data receiving apparatus communicating data storage control command in MIDI protocol, and method therefor

A musical tone synthesizing apparatus includes a tone color selecting device that classifies a plurality of tone colors set in the main body thereof into a plurality of categories, and selects a tone color based on the categories into which the tone colors have been classified. An expanded tone color supplying device supplies a plurality of expanded tone colors to the tone color selecting device. The tone color selecting device classifies the expanded tone colors supplied from the expanded tone color supplying device into a plurality of categories, in substantially same manner as used for the tone colors set in the main body, and selects an expanded tone color based on the categories into which the expanded tone colors have been classified. Further, a musical tone synthesizing method and a storage medium storing a program executable by a computer are provided to perform the same functions as the musical tone synthesizing apparatus.

Musical tone synthesizing apparatus, musical tone synthesizing method

A musical tone generating apparatus is provided that generates a musical tone of a selected one of tone colors that is defined by a combination of a first kind of number and a second kind of number. An operating element used for setting a tone color and having an incrementing function and a decrementing function is operated to set at least the second kind of number by using at least one of the incrementing function and decrementing function. A memory device stores a list in which the tone colors to be selected are listed, the list having a first axis having a plurality of locations to which a plurality of first kind of numbers are respectively assigned, and a second axis having a plurality of locations to which a plurality of second kind of numbers are respectively assigned, each of the first kind of numbers having a basic tone color assigned thereto, each of the second kind of numbers having an extended tone color that is a variation of the basic tone color of a corresponding one of the first kind of numbers. Each time the operating element is operated, one of the second kind of numbers that is assigned to a currently selected tone color is changed to a number of the second kind assigned to a tone color that is different from the currently selected tone color and is present next to the currently selected tone color in the list.

Musical tone generating apparatus, musical tone generating method and

An automatic performance device has a phrase performance information memory storing pieces of phrase performance information having predetermined phrase lengths, which each have phrase-discriminating information imparted thereto. A performance pattern memory stores pieces of performance pattern information for determining a sequence of performance of the pieces of phrase performance information. A CPU prepares pieces of performance pattern information by storing the pieces of phrase-discriminating information into the performance pattern memory in a sequence of performance of the pieces of phrase performance information, according to operation by an operator, and imparts to the prepared pieces of performance pattern information as many pieces of pattern-discriminating information. Pieces of performance pattern information are designated by means of the pattern-discriminating information. Then, the CPU reads out pieces of phrase-discriminating information for phrases of the designated pieces of performance pattern information in the performance sequence from the performance pattern memory, and reads out pieces of phrase performance information corresponding to the read-out pieces of phrase-discriminating information, to give automatic performance based on the read-out pieces of phrase performance information. A chord of any of the pieces of phrase performance information to be set in performance thereof can be designated, and the CPU changes a note of the read-out phrase performance information according to the designated chord.

Automatic performance device

An instrument for playing back musical playing data comprises an performance track and a replacement-performance track in which replacement-performance data with performance data. Usually, only the performance track is in use so that only the performance data is read and supplied to a tone generator. When playback timing touches to the timing that the replacement-performance data is recorded in the replacement-performance track, the performance data at the timing on the performance track is replaced with the replacement-performance data on the replacement-performance track, and the replaced data is supplied to the tone generator to be played back.

Instrument having multiple data storing tracks for playing back musical

An instrument for recording and playing musical playing data comprises a pattern memory, a timing designation key for designating playing back timing of the pattern data, a sequence track for recording sequence data, and a writing device for writing the pattern data into the sequence track at the playing back timing designated with the timing designation key. The pattern data is read from the pattern memory and transferred to the place, in the sequence track, corresponding to the designated timing. The transferred note data is modified with the designated chord. The instrument further comprises a backing track storing backing data, any part of which can be also transferred to the sequence track.

Growing community of inventors

Hamamatsu, Japan

Tomoyuki Kumagai