Automatic performance device and method capable of a pretended manual

Abstract

As automatic performance data are sequentially supplied at a given tempo, a player sequentially depresses keyboard keys at appropriate timing. Comparison is made between timing of each manual key-on event and timing of key-on and key-off events of each automatic performance note in the performance data. If key-on timing of a given automatic performance note is within a predetermined allowable difference from given manual key-on timing, a tone based on the given automatic performance note is generated at a time corresponding to the manual key-on timing. If key-off timing of a given automatic performance note is within another predetermined allowable difference from given manual key-on timing and if a tone based on the note has not yet been generated, that tone is generated at timing corresponding to the manual key-on timing. If a single key depression is executed when a plurality of automatic performance notes are to be sounded simultaneously, these notes can be sounded in response to that single key depression. If a plurality of key depressions are executed within a predetermined short time, automatic performance notes are sounded in response to the earliest key depression. Automatic performance data are generated separately for right-hand and left-hand performances, in response to which the keyboard keys are divided at a variable key split point into two key ranges, so that a tone is generated based on the performance data for right-hand or left-hand performance depending on which of the two key ranges are used to depress a corresponding key.