Method and system for making and playing soundtracks

Abstract

A composite variable duration soundtrack for a user to play while reading a text source, the soundtrack duration being defined by a soundtrack timeline. The soundtrack comprises multiple sound layers configured to play concurrently through the soundtrack timeline, each sound layer having an arrangement of one or more audio features that are configured to play at preset start times in the soundtrack timeline. At least one sound layer is adapted for modifying the preset start and stop times of its audio features to match the reading speed of a user based on a reading speed input.

1 . A non-transient tangible medium readable by a processor and having recorded thereon a digital soundtrack for a reader to play on a hardware system while reading an associated electronic text source on an output display of the hardware system, the digital soundtrack having a soundtrack timeline, the digital soundtrack comprising:
 at least one sound layer;   said soundtrack timeline having timeslot segments that each correspond to a text chunk of the electronic text source;   said sound layer having audio features to playback in each of said timeslot segments;   each audio feature of the sound layer comprising a link to an audio file that is accessible over a network connected to the hardware system for playback, and wherein the playback timing of the audio features is configured to be synchronised to the reading of their associated respective text chunks in the electronic text source based on a navigation signal that is indicative of the reader's reading position within the electronic text source.   
     
     
         2 . A non-transient tangible medium readable by a processor and having recorded thereon a digital soundtrack according to  claim 1  wherein the digital soundtrack is configured to be modifiable by the reader such that the reader is able to insert new audio features and/or replace existing audio features with audio files from a music library, database, website, network, and/or internet. 
     
     
         3 . A non-transient tangible medium readable by a processor and having recorded thereon a digital soundtrack according to  claim 1  wherein the digital soundtrack is configured to be modifiable by an automatic function that inserts new audio features and/or replace existing audio features with audio files from a music library, database, website, network, and/or internet. 
     
     
         4 . A non-transient tangible medium readable by a processor and having recorded thereon a digital soundtrack according to  claim 3  wherein said automatic function selects audio files based on any one or more of popularity, genre, beat, tempo, pitch and/or mood of the audio files. 
     
     
         5 . A non-transient tangible medium readable by a processor and having recorded thereon a digital soundtrack according to  claim 1  wherein said audio features further comprise playback effects and said playback effects comprise any one or more of the following: volume, panning, fade in/out effects, looping effects, transition effects. 
     
     
         6 . A non-transient tangible medium readable by a processor and having recorded thereon a digital soundtrack according to  claim 5  wherein the playback effects comprise transition effects and wherein the transition effects comprise any one of the following: continue playing, stop playing, fade-out, or loop. 
     
     
         7 . A non-transient tangible medium readable by a processor and having recorded thereon a digital soundtrack according to  claim 1  wherein the electronic text source is an e-book displayed on the hardware system and wherein the digital soundtrack is configured for playback in co-ordination with the display of the e-book. 
     
     
         8 . A non-transient tangible medium readable by a processor and having recorded thereon a digital soundtrack according to  claim 1  wherein each text chunk is defined by a length of text in the text source. 
     
     
         9 . A non-transient tangible medium readable by a processor and having recorded thereon a digital soundtrack according to  claim 8  comprising timeslot segments and corresponding text chunks of different lengths. 
     
     
         10 . A method of producing a digital soundtrack for a reader to play on a hardware system while reading an associated electronic text source on an output display of the hardware system, the digital soundtrack having a soundtrack timeline comprising timeslot segments that each correspond to a text chunk of the electronic text source, the method comprising:
 providing at least one sound layer arranged to play during the soundtrack timeline;   inserting an arrangement of one or more audio features into said at least one sound layer to playback in each of said timeslot segments, configuring each of the audio features with a link to an audio file that is accessible over a network connected to the hardware system for playback;   configuring the playback timing of the audio features to be synchronised to the reading of their associated respective text chunks in the electronic text source based on a navigation signal that is indicative of the reader's reading position within the electronic text source; and   compiling the sound layer of audio features into a digital soundtrack.   
     
     
         11 . A method according to  claim 10  wherein inserting an arrangement of one or more audio features into said at least one sound layer comprises inserting each audio feature at a specific location in the soundtrack timeline corresponding to where the audio feature is to playback. 
     
     
         12 . A method according to  claim 10  wherein configuring each of the audio features with a link to an audio file that is accessible over a network comprises configuring a link to an audio file of a music library or database accessible over a network. 
     
     
         13 . A non-transient tangible medium readable by a processor and having recorded thereon a digital soundtrack according to  claim 1  wherein the links of the audio features are to a audio files in a music library or database accessible over a network via a network connection. 
     
     
         14 . A non-transient tangible medium readable by a processor and having recorded thereon a digital soundtrack according to  claim 1  wherein the navigation signal is based on page turn signals or the portion of the electronic text source displayed on the output display. 
     
     
         15 . A non-transient tangible medium readable by a processor and having recorded thereon a digital soundtrack according to  claim 1  wherein the electronic text source is an e-book. 
     
     
         16 . A non-transient tangible medium readable by a processor and having recorded thereon a digital soundtrack according to  claim 1  wherein the playback timing of the audio features is further configured to be synchronised to the reading of their associated respective text chunks in the electronic text source based on a reading speed input representing the reader's text reading speed. 
     
     
         17 . A method according to  claim 10  comprising further configuring the playback timing of the audio features to be synchronised to the reading of their associated respective text chunks in the electronic text source based on a reading speed input representing the reader's text reading speed. 
     
     
         18 . A soundtrack production system for producing a digital soundtrack for a reader to play on a hardware playback system while reading an associated electronic text source on an output display of the hardware playback system, the digital soundtrack having a soundtrack timeline, and at least one sound layer; said soundtrack timeline having timeslot segments that each correspond to a text chunk of the electronic text source; said sound layer having audio features to playback in each of said timeslot segments; each audio feature of the sound layer comprising an associated audio file for playback; and wherein the audio features comprise a link to an audio file that is accessible over a network by the hardware playback system for playback, and wherein the playback timing of the audio features is configured to be synchronised to the reading of their associated respective text chunks in the electronic text source based on a navigation signal indicative of the user's reading position within the electronic text source; the soundtrack production system comprising:
 a processor configured to operate the modules of the system;   memory accessible by the processor and which is configured to store soundtrack data relating to the soundtrack production;   an output display operated by the processor and which is configured to display the electronic text;   a user interface comprising an operable graphical user interface displayed on the output display and which is operable by a user to interact with modules of the system;   an audio features configuration module that is operable by a user to create and arrange each audio feature of the soundtrack by configuring and storing as soundtrack data in memory the following audio properties for each audio feature created:
 data indicative of a timeslot segment of the soundtrack timeline and/or a text chunk of the electronic text source for which the audio feature should playback, such that the audio feature is played during the reading of that text chunk by the reader; and 
 data indicative of a link to an audio file accessible over a network by the hardware playback system for playback as the audio feature; wherein the audio features configuration module is further operable by a user to configure the audio features to have a playback timing in the soundtrack timeline that is dependent on a on a navigation signal indicative of the reader's reading position within the electronic text source such that the playback timing of such audio features is synchronisable to the reading of their associated text chunk in the electronic text source by a reader; and 
   a soundtrack compiler that is operable by a user to compile and output the configured soundtrack data into a soundtrack data file or files for playback by the hardware playback system while the reader reads the associated electronic text source.   
     
     
         19 . A soundtrack production system according to  claim 18  wherein the soundtrack production system comprises the hardware playback system. 
     
     
         20 . A soundtrack production system according to  claim 18  wherein the links of the audio features are to audio files in a music library or database accessible over a network. 
     
     
         21 . A soundtrack production system according to  claim 18  further comprising one or more music libraries or databases accessible over a network comprising audio files that are selectable as links for the audio features. 
     
     
         22 . A soundtrack production system according to  claim 18  wherein the electronic text source is an e-book. 
     
     
         23 . A soundtrack production system according to  claim 18  wherein the audio features configuration module is further operable by a user to configure one or more playback effects associated with the playback of each audio feature, and wherein the playback effects comprise any one or more of the following: volume, fade in/out effects, looping effects, and transition effects. 
     
     
         24 . A soundtrack production system according to  claim 23  wherein the transition effect configured for an audio feature determines the playback of the remaining portion of the audio feature if it is playing when a reader initiates a transition from one position in the soundtrack timeline to another position, the transition effect including any one or more of the following: continue playing, stop playing, fade-out, or loop 
     
     
         25 . A soundtrack production system according to  claim 18  wherein the system further comprises an automatic function in the audio features configuration module that is configured to automatically select audio files for playback from the database for one or more of the audio features. 
     
     
         26 . A soundtrack production system according to  claim 25  wherein the automatic function is configured to select an audio file for an audio feature based on any one or more of popularity, genre, beat, tempo, pitch and/or mood of the audio files. 
     
     
         27 . A soundtrack production system according to  claim 25  wherein the automatic function is configured to select an audio file for an audio feature based on the type of activity occurring in a scene of the electronic text source corresponding to which the audio feature is synchronised with. 
     
     
         28 . A soundtrack production system according to  claim 18  wherein the system comprises any one of: a personal computer, desktop, laptop, PDA, mobile phone, e-book system, or portable audio player, or wherein the system is provided on a website platform accessible over the internet. 
     
     
         29 . A soundtrack production system according to  claim 18  wherein the audio features configuration module operable by a user to further configure the audio features to have a playback timing in the soundtrack timeline that is also dependent on a reading speed input representing the reader's text reading speed such that the playback timing of such audio features is synchronisable to the reading of their associated text chunk in the electronic text source by a reader.