2378results about "Music" patented technology

A portable apparatus for monitoring the reaction of a user to a performance contains one or more sensors for detecting an indirect user response to the performance and a user interface enabling the user to provide a direct user response to the performance. A processor in the portable apparatus is programmed to provide a user reaction signal comprising a combination of the indirect user response and the direct user response to the performance. This user reaction signal may be transmitted to to remote apparatus. A monitoring system using such portable apparatus, and a music playing system using such a monitoring system, are also described.

Some embodiments of the invention provide a method for controlling the volume of an audio track. This method represents the volume of an audio track with a graph. This graph is defined along two axes, with one axis representing time and the other representing the volume level. A user can adjust the graph at different instances in time in order to change the volume level in the audio track at these instances. Different embodiments use different types of graphs to represent volume. For instance, some embodiments use a deformable line bar.

Our invention is an apparatus and method to identify and simultaneously visualize and hear musical notes contained in an analog or digital sound wave. Musical notes are expanded into a language for the eye as well as the ear. An analog-to-digital converter processes an analog sound wave to provide a digital sound wave. Component frequencies of the digital sound waves are identified, filtered and translated to their corresponding musical note and volume. As the original digital sound wave is sent through a digital-to-analog converter and output to an audio device, the identified musical notes are synchronously output to a display device. User-specified parameters, adjustable at any time before, during or after the music-playing process, control frequency filtering, the graphic display of the identified musical notes and the graphical background on which the musical notes are displayed. Users may also utilize existing, or create their own, computer programming code software modules, known as plug-ins, or hardware components, to interface with the invention to extend and control the invention's functionality. Because the synchronous musical note identification and visualization process occurs extremely quickly, the method applies and works in real-time for live music.

A simulator (1) has a body form apparatus (2) with a skin-like panel (4) through which laproscopic instruments (5) are inserted. Cameras (10) capture video images of internal movement of the instruments (5) and a computer (6) processes them. 3D positional data is generated using stereo triangulation and is linked with the associated video images. A graphics engine (60) uses the 3D data to generate graphical representations of internal scenes. A blending function (70) blends real and recorded images, or real and simulated images to allow demonstration of effects such as internal bleeding or suturing.

Methods and apparatus are provided that help users learn to play one or more instruments by employing simplified note recognition techniques, improved feedback, and a simplified keyboard tablature. In one aspect, users are encouraged to play specified notes within a specified time frame. The pitch and duration can be represented in any suitable manner, but are advantageously displayed together as a single icon (232A–232F). Preferably, the icon has an elongated shape in which the horizontal length correlates with duration of the note, and its vertical position on a display correlates with a pitch of the note. Notes can thus be represented by elongated lines, bars, ellipses, or even missiles or arrows. In another aspect, an improved musical tablature effectively clusters juxtaposed black keys (412A, 412C, 412E) and white keys (412B, 412D) on a display for easier visualization.

The present invention is directed to interactive training, and in particular, to methods and systems for computerized interactive skill training. An example embodiment provides a method and system for providing skill training using a computerized system. The computerized system receives a selection of a first training subject. Several related training components can be invoked, such as reading, watching, performing, and/or reviewing components. In addition, a scored challenge session is provided, wherein a training challenge is provided to a user via a terminal, optionally in video form.

A video game system comprising a standard drum set having at least one drum set component (30). An electrical pick-up is attached to each component. A game grid (12) is displayed on a display monitor and is electrically resonsive to the electrical pick-up. The game grid being similar to a musical staff with objects, which are moving along the musical staff, that will change appearance when the drum set component is struck at an appropriate moment.

A method and apparatus for interactive language instruction is provided that displays text files for processing, provide key features and functions for interactive learning, displays facial animation, and provides a workspace for language building functions. The system includes a stored set of language rules as part of the text-to-speech sub-system, as well as another stored set of rules as applied to the process of learning a language. The method implemented by the system includes digitally converting text to audible speech, providing the audible speech to a user or student (with the aid of an animated image in selected circumstances), prompting the student to replicate the audible speech, comparing the student's replication with the audible speech provided by the system, and providing feedback and reinforcement to the student by, for example, selectively recording or playing back the audible speech and the student's replication.

An electronic image visualization system, such as a music stand system and display, management and communications methodologies relating thereto are presented. The electronic music stand system is comprised of a performer subsystem comprising a processing subsystem, librarian logic, performance logic, and communications management logic. The communications management logic provides management of communication via the communications interface with external apparatus responsive to the performance logic and the librarian logic. The user input apparatus and the display apparatus can be integrated into a touch-screen input display. The user input apparatus can alternatively be at least one of a touch-tablet, a stylus-based writing tablet, a mouse, a keyboard, a joystick, a game controller, and a switch. In a preferred embodiment, the librarian logic, the performance logic and the communications management logic are defined by program data stored in the data storage apparatus, and the processor is responsive to the program data for managing data formatting, displaying music, and management of communications of data with the external apparatus. In one embodiment, two Performer subsystems are operable alternatively as one of a single appliance as a linked set a linked mode and as two independent appliances a stand-alone mode, wherein in the linked mode each of the two Performer subsystems operate cooperatively with each other as a linked set to provide a two page display on the video presentation, and wherein in the stand alone mode each of the two Performer subsystems operates independently and mutually exclusive of the other to provide two independent and mutually exclusive single page displays on the video presentation. The present invention also relates to a method for providing for video display of music responsive to the music data stored in a music database. The method is comprised of defining a page of music image data from the music database; defining ordered logical sections; storing the mapping in a memory for selective retrieval; and providing for the video display of the music responsive to the mapping and the storing.

A system for relating electromagnetic waves to harmonic sound waves that includes a memory with logic, and a processor configured with the logic to assign one fundamental color of a color spectrum of twelve analogous colors to one of twelve fundamental tones of a musical 5^th relationship, wherein the tones are represented by notes, wherein the processor is further configured with the logic to consecutively associate the remaining analogous colors to the tones.

A method for facilitating real-time interaction between a first and second player of a music-based video game via a network having unpredictable delivery latency includes displaying to a first player target musical data associated with a musical composition downloaded from an online venue, receiving music performance input from the first player via a controller resembling a first musical instrument, displaying to a second player, the second player located remotely from the first player, target musical data associated with the musical composition, and receiving music performance input from the second player.

A virtual reality composer platform and system (VRCPS) includes a plurality of user input/output devices and signal input/output controllers interfaced to a central processing unit complete with plurality of memory means, a butterfly morpheus musical instrument with plurality of manual input means each with a first unique visible indicia interfaced to said central processing unit, a plurality of finger adapters each with a second unique visible indicia donned on respective fingers and at least one custom butterfly morpheus music notation computer interface. The system is particularly suited for composing music for self-learning and teaching for all types of musical instruments for optimal virtual reality multimedia experience. The VRCPS platform and concepts disclosed are vari-dimensional acoustic environments, which are equally suited to all types of electronic learning and composing systems, game systems and computers. It is suitable for all levels of Do-It-Yourself learning from learning Beginners to Virtuoso Levels.

A system and method of instructing a user to read musical notation through interaction with a graphical user interface and an input instrument representative of a stringed instrument comprising a plurality of modes of instruction which progressively direct and alter characteristics of the user interface to more closely resemble standard musical notation. The graphical user interface includes a virtual fingerboard having linear arrays representing frequency ranges and note positions. The note positions and linear arrays may be coded indexed to a chromatic scale and may directly correspond to fingerboard positions on an input instrument. A game object is directed toward the virtual fingerboard in accordance with a music file is incorporated in the graphical user interface which contains data corresponding to notes in sequence that have a rhythmic pattern of arrangement coinciding with the virtual fingerboard. An evaluation of the user's performance is provided based on striking the input instrument.

A fully computerized musical performance teaching system comprises a computer apparatus having a keyboard and a display and is connectable to an electronic musical instrument. An application program provides the computer with various functions such as of judging student's skills, selecting music pieces for practice, training the student in performance and evaluating the student's progress through the teaching course. The judging function is to judge the student's performance skill from the student's responses to the subjects which the computer presents. The selecting function is to select a piece of music for practice according to the judgment results and the student's wishes and also to select a tutoring manner from among several prepared manners. The training function is to plan a practice schedule to meet the student's performance skill and wishes and to let the student practice with proper music pieces. The evaluation function is to evaluate and mark the student's performance, and reflect the evaluation results and marked points in the progressing rate and the presented subjects and also in adjusting the judgment results.

A workstation system produces a display presentation of a selected performance composition (e.g., a musical composition) responsive to composition data and responsive to one or both of input variables and a selected operating mode. The workstation can communicate with one or more external devices, such as other workstations, etc. The display system provides for selection of original compositions, creation of derivative compositions, distribution of compositions, monitoring of each performer's performance, group virtual performances, and for local and distributed retrieval and editing, which for music includes things such as changing keys, pitch, tempo, and other parameters. The musical composition's transformation can be performed locally or at the central or distributed music database. The musical composition data can be transposed via a controller, and can be transmitted to a plurality of the individual workstations that then display the musical composition. In one embodiment, a display system for use by a plurality of users provides a plurality of display presentations of a selected musical composition. The system is comprised of a plurality of individual workstations, each workstation comprising a communication interface providing for communications with the respective workstation of music data representative of the selected musical composition, memory for locally storing the data responsive to the communications interface, and a display apparatus provides a local visual display presentation representative of the selected musical composition responsive to the stored data. The system further provides for synchronizing the presentation on the plurality of local visual display presentations of the selected musical composition.