Electronic musical instrument creating timbre by optimum synthesis mode

Abstract

An electronic musical instrument has a composite sound source for generating a musical tone, and includes a first synthesizing circuit for creating a variety of timbres of the musical tone having a superior quality and a second synthesizing circuit for creating another variety of timbres of the musical tone having an inferior quality. The instrument admits designation information effective to designate one of the first and second synthesizing circuits to be activated and effective to designate a timbre to be created by the designated one of the first and second synthesizing circuits. A detector operates when the second synthesizing circuit is designated for providing a detection signal if the designated timbre can be also created by the first synthesizing circuit. A controller responds to the detection signal for altering the admitted designation information so that the first synthesizing circuit is activated in place of the second synthesizing circuit so as to create the designated timbre by the superior quality.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An electronic musical instrument comprising: a composite sound source for generating a musical tone, and including a first synthesizing circuit for creating a variety of timbres of the musical tone having a superior quality and a second synthesizing circuit for creating another variety of timbres of the musical tone having an inferior quality;   admission means for admitting designation information effective to designate one of the first and second synthesizing circuits to be activated and effective to designate a timbre to be created by the designated one of the first and second synthesizing circuits;   detection means operative when the second synthesizing circuit is designated for providing a detection signal if the designated timbre can be also created by the first synthesizing circuit; and   control means responsive to the detection signal for altering the admitted designation information so that the first synthesizing circuit is activated in place of the second synthesizing circuit so as to create the designated timbre by the superior quality.   
     
     
       2. An electronic musical instrument according to claim 1; further comprising inhibition means for inhibiting the control means from altering the admitted designation information if the designated timbre is not allowed for substitutional creation by the first synthesizing circuit. 
     
     
       3. An electronic musical instrument according to claim 1; wherein the detection means includes means operative when the first synthesizing circuit is designated for providing another detection signal if the designated timbre is not available by the first synthesizing circuit but available by the second synthesizing circuit so that the control means responds to said another detection signal to activate the second synthesizing circuit in place of the first synthesizing circuit. 
     
     
       4. An electronic musical instrument according to claim 1; wherein the detection means includes means operative when the first synthesizing circuit is designated for providing another detection signal if the designated timbre is not available by either of the first and second synthesizing circuits so that the control means responds to said another detection signal to simply ignore the admitted designation information. 
     
     
       5. An electronic musical instrument according to claim 1; wherein the second synthesizing circuit comprises a regular tone generator for creating a great variety of timbres having an inferior quality, while the first synthesizing circuit comprises an expansion tone generator for creating a small variety of timbres having a superior quality. 
     
     
       6. An electronic musical instrument comprising: a plurality of synthesizing circuits each of which has a different tone generation mechanism for generating a musical tone and each of which creates a variety of timbres for the musical tone;   admission means for admitting designation information effective to designate one of the synthesizing circuits to be activated and effective to designate a timbre to be created by the designated synthesizing circuit;   detection means for checking if the designated timbre can be created by a non-designated synthesizing circuit; and   control means operative according to check results of the detection means for altering the admitted designation information if desired to activate the non-designated synthesizing circuit in place of the designated synthesizing circuit to create the designated timbre.   
     
     
       7. An electronic musical instrument comprising: a plurality of synthesizing circuits each of which has a different tone generation mechanism for generating a musical tone and each of which creates a variety of timbres for the musical tone;   admission means for admitting designation information effective to designate one of the synthesizing circuits to be activated and effective to designate a timbre to be created by the designated synthesizing circuits;   first detection means for checking if the designated timbre is available by a non-designated synthesizing circuit;   second detection means for checking if the designated timbre is allowed for substitute creation by the non-designated synthesizing circuit; and   control means operative according to check results of the first and second detection means for processing the admitted designation information to assign the designated timbre to a suitable one of the designated and non-designated synthesizing circuits. .Iadd.8. An electronic musical apparatus comprising:   a sound source capable of creating a plurality of timbres and is capable of generating a musical tone having one of the timbres;   an interface that receives designation information effective to designate a timbre to cause the sound source to generate the musical tone of the designated timbre;   a detector that detects whether the sound source can create a substitute timbre which can be adopted in place of the designated timbre; and   a controller operative when the detector detects that the sound source can create the substitute timbre to control the sound source to generate the musical tone of the substitute timbre even if the sound source can create the designated timbre..Iaddend..Iadd.9. An electronic musical apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the detector detects whether the sound source can create the timbre designated by the designation information, and wherein the controller operates, when the detector detects that the sound source cannot create the designated timbre, to control the sound source to generate the musical tone of another timbre in place of the   
     
     
        designated timbre..Iaddend..Iadd.10.  An electronic musical apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the detector detects whether the sound source can create the timbre designated by the designation information, and wherein the controller operates, when the detector detects that the sound source is unable to create the designated timbre, to control the sound source to ignore the designation information received by the interface..Iaddend..Iadd.11. An electronic musical apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the detector detects that the sound source can create a substitute timbre having a superior quality in place of the designated timbre having an inferior quality so that the controller compels the sound source to switch from the designated timbre to the substitute timbre in spite of the designation information received by the interface..Iaddend..Iadd.12. An electronic musical system comprising: a sound source that is capable of creating a plurality of timbres and is capable of generating a musical tone having one of the timbres;   an admission unit that admits designation information effective to designate a timbre for causing the sound source to generate the musical tone of the designated timbre;   a first detection unit that detects whether a substitute timbre is available in the sound source to replace the designated timbre;   a second detection unit that detects whether the sound source is allowed to replace the designated timbre by the substitute timbre; and   a control unit operative when the first detection unit detects that the substitute timbre is available and when the second detection unit detects that the sound source is allowed to replace the designated timbre by the substitute timbre for controlling the sound source to generate the musical tone of the substitute timbre even if the sound source can create the designated timbre..Iaddend..Iadd.13. An electronic musical system according to claim 12; further comprising a third detection unit that detects whether the sound source can create the timbre designated by the designation information, and wherein the control unit operates when the third detection unit detects that the sound source cannot create the designated timbre for controlling the sound source to generate the musical tone of another timbre in place of the designated   
     
     
        timbre..Iaddend..Iadd.     An electronic musical system according to claim 12; further comprising a third detection unit that detects whether the sound source can create the timbre designated by the designation information, and wherein the control unit operates when the third detection unit detects that the sound source is unable to create the designated timbre for controlling the sound source to ignore the designation information admitted by the admission unit..Iaddend..Iadd.15. An electronic musical system according to claim 12; wherein the first detection unit detects that the sound source can create a substitute timbre having a superior quality in place of the designated timbre having an inferior quality so that the control unit compels the sound source to switch from the designated timbre to the substitute timbre in spite of the designation information admitted by the admission unit..Iaddend..Iadd.16. An electronic musical apparatus comprising: a composite sound source that generates a musical tone, and that includes a first synthesizing circuit for creating a variety of timbres of the musical tone having a superior quality and a second synthesizing circuit for creating another variety of timbres of the musical tone having an inferior quality;   an interface that receives designation information effective to designate one of the first and second synthesizing circuits to be activated and effective to designate a timbre to be created by the designated one of the first and second synthesizing circuits;   a detector operative when the second synthesizing circuit is designated to provide a detection signal if the designated timbre can be also created by the first synthesizing circuit; and   a controller responsive to the detection signal which alters the received designation information so that the first synthesizing circuit is activated in place of the second synthesizing circuit so as to create the designated timbre by the superior quality..Iaddend..Iadd.17. An electronic musical apparatus according to claim 16, further comprising an inhibitor adapted to inhibit the controller from altering the received designation information if the designated timbre is not allowed for substitutional creation by the first synthesizing circuit..Iaddend..Iadd.18. An electronic musical apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the detector includes a portion operative when the first synthesizing circuit is designated to provide another detection signal if the designated timbre is not available by the first synthesizing circuit but available by the second synthesizing circuit so that the controller responds to said another detection signal to activate the second synthesizing circuit in   
     
     
        place of the first synthesizing circuit..Iaddend..Iadd.19.  An electronic musical apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the detector includes a portion operative when the first synthesizing circuit is designated to provide another detection signal if the designated timbre is not available by either of the first and second synthesizing circuits so that the controller responds to said another detection signal to simply ignore the received designation information..Iaddend..Iadd.20. An electronic musical apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the second synthesizing circuit comprises a regular tone generator for creating a great variety of timbres having an inferior quality, while the first synthesizing circuit comprises an expansion tone generator for creating a small variety of timbres having a superior quality..Iaddend..Iadd.21. An electronic musical apparatus comprising: a plurality of synthesizing circuits each of which has a different tone generation mechanism for generating a musical tone and each of which creates a variety of timbres for the musical tone;   an interface which receives designation information effective to designate one of the synthesizing circuits to be activated and effective to designate a timbre to be created by the designated synthesizing circuit;   a detector that checks if the designated timbre can be created by a non-designated synthesizing circuit; and   a controller operative according to check results of the detector to alter the received designation information and, if desired, to activate the non-designated synthesizing circuit in place of the designated synthesizing circuit to create the designated timbre..Iaddend..Iadd.22. An electronic musical apparatus comprising:   a plurality of synthesizing circuits each of which has a different tone generation mechanism for generating a musical tone and each of which creates a variety of timbres for the musical tone;   an interface which receives designation information effective to designate one of the synthesizing circuits to be activated and effective to designate a timbre to be created by the designated synthesizing circuit;   a first detector that checks if the designated timbre is available by a non-designated synthesizing circuit;   a second detector that checks if the designated timbre is allowed for substitute creation by the non-designated synthesizing circuit; and   a controller operative according to check results of the first and second detectors to process the received designation information and to assign the designated timbre to a suitable one of the designated and non-designated synthesizing circuits..Iaddend..Iadd.23. A method of operating an electronic musical apparatus having a sound source capable of creating a plurality of timbres and capable of generating a musical tone having one of the timbres, the method comprising the steps of:   admitting designation information effective to designate a timbre for causing the sound source to generate the musical tone of the designated timbre;   detecting whether the sound source an create a substitute timbre which can be adopted in place of the designated timbre; and   controlling the sound source to generate the musical tone of the substitute timbre when the detecting step detects that the sound source can create the substitute timbre even if the sound source can create the designated timbre..Iaddend..Iadd.24. A method of operating an electronic musical system having a sound source capable of creating a plurality of timbres and capable of generating a musical tone having one of the timbres, the method comprising the steps of:   admitting designation information effective to designate a timbre for causing the sound source to generate the musical tone of the designated timbre;   first detecting whether a substitute timbre is available in the sound source to replace the designated timbre;   second detecting whether the sound source is allowed to replace the designated timbre by the substitute timbre; and   controlling the sound source when the first detecting step detects that the substitute timbre is available and when the second detecting step detects that the sound source is allowed to replace the designated timbre by the substitute timbre so as to force the sound source to generate the musical tone of the substitute timbre even if the sound source can create the   
     
     
        designated timbre..Iaddend..Iadd.25.  A method of operating an electronic musical apparatus having a composite sound source that generates a musical tone, and that includes a first synthesizing circuit for creating a variety of timbres of the musical tone having a superior quality and a second synthesizing circuit for creating another variety of timbres of the musical tone having an inferior quality, the method comprising the steps of: admitting designation information effective to designate one of the first and second synthesizing circuits to be activated and effective to designate a timbre to be created by the designated one of the first and second synthesizing circuits;   detecting when the second synthesizing circuit is designated to provide a detection signal if the designated timbre can be also created by the first synthesizing circuit; and   responding to the detection signal to alter the admitted designation information so that the first synthesizing circuit is activated in place of the second synthesizing circuit so as to create the designated timbre by the superior quality..Iaddend..Iadd.26. A method of operating an electronic musical apparatus having a plurality of synthesizing circuits each of which has a different tone generation mechanism for generating a musical tone and each of which creates a variety of timbres for the musical tone, the method comprising the steps of:   admitting designation information effective to designate one of the synthesizing circuits to be activated and effective to designate a timbre to be created by the designated synthesizing circuit;   checking if the designated timbre can be created by a non-designated synthesizing circuit; and   altering the admitted designation information according to check results of the checking step if desired to activate the non-designated synthesizing circuit in place of the designated synthesizing circuit to create the   
     
     
        designated timbre..Iaddend..Iadd.27.  A method of operating an, electronic musical apparatus having a plurality of synthesizing circuits each of which has a different tone generation mechanism for generating a musical tone and each of which creates a variety of timbres for the musical tone, the method comprising the steps of: admitting designation information effective to designate one of the synthesizing circuits to be activated and effective to designate a timbre to be created by the designated synthesizing circuit;   first checking if the designated timbre is available by a non-designated synthesizing circuit;   second checking if the designated timbre is allowed for substitute creation by the non-designated synthesizing circuit; and   processing the admitted designation information according to check results of the first and second checking steps so as to assign the designated timbre to a suitable one of the designated and non-designated synthesizing   
     
     
        circuits..Iaddend..Iadd.28.  A memory medium for use in an electronic musical apparatus having a CPU and a sound source capable of creating a plurality of timbres and capable of generating a musical tone having one of the timbres, the memory medium containing program instructions executable by the CPU for causing the electronic musical apparatus to perform the method comprising the steps of: admitting designation information effective to designate a timbre for causing the sound source to generate the musical tone of the designated timbre;   detecting whether the sound source can create a substitute timbre which can be adopted in place of the designated timbre; and   controlling the sound source to generate the musical tone of the substitute timbre when the detecting step detects that the sound source can create the substitute timbre even if the sound source can create the designated timbre..Iaddend..Iadd.29. A memory medium for use in an electronic musical system having a CPU and a sound source capable of creating a plurality of timbres and capable of generating a musical tone having one of the timbres, the memory medium containing program instructions executable by the CPU for causing the electronic musical system to perform the method comprising the steps of:   admitting designation information effective to designate a timbre for causing the sound source to generate the musical tone of the designated timbre;   first detecting whether a substitute timbre is available in the sound source to replace the designated timbre;   second detecting whether the sound source is allowed to replace the designated timbre by the substitute timbre; and   controlling the sound source when the first detecting step detects that the substitute timbre is available and when the second detecting step detects that the sound source is allowed to replace the designated timbre by the substitute timbre so as to force the sound source to generate the musical tone of the substitute timbre even if the sound source can create the designated timbre..Iaddend..Iadd.30. A memory medium for use in an electronic musical apparatus having a CPU and a composite sound source that generates a musical tone and that includes a first synthesizing circuit for creating a variety of timbres of the musical tone having a superior quality and a second synthesizing circuit for creating another variety of timbres of the musical tone having an inferior quality, the memory medium containing program instructions executable by the CPU for causing the electronic musical apparatus to perform the method comprising the steps of:   admitting designation information effective to designate one of the first and second synthesizing circuits to be activated and effective to designate a timbre to be created by the designated one of the first and second synthesizing circuits;   detecting when the second synthesizing circuit is designated to provide a detection signal if the designated timbre can be also created by the first synthesizing circuit; and   responding to the detection signal to alter the admitted designation information so that the first synthesizing circuit is activated in place of the second synthesizing circuit so as to create the designated timbre by the superior quality..Iaddend..Iadd.31. A memory medium for use in an electronic musical apparatus having a CPU and a plurality of synthesizing circuits each of which has a different tone generation mechanism for generating a musical tone and each of which creates a variety of timbres for the musical tone, the memory medium containing program instructions executable by the CPU for causing the electronic musical apparatus to perform the method comprising the steps of:   admitting designation information effective to designate one of the synthesizing circuits to be activated and effective to designate a timbre to be created by the designated synthesizing circuit;   checking if the designated timbre can be created by a non-designated synthesizing circuit; and   altering the admitted designation information according to check results of the checking step if desired to activate the non-designated synthesizing circuit in place of the designated synthesizing circuit to create the   
     
     
        designated timber..Iaddend..Iadd.32.  A memory medium for use in an electronic musical apparatus having a CPU and a plurality of synthesizing circuits each of which has a different tone generation mechanism for generating a musical tone and each of which creates a variety of timbres for the musical tone, the memory medium containing program instructions executable by the CPU for causing the electronic musical apparatus to perform the method comprising the steps of: admitting designation information effective to designate one of the synthesizing circuits to be activated and effective to designate a timbre to be created by the designated synthesizing circuit;   first checking if the designated timbre is available by a non-designated synthesizing circuit;   second checking if the designated timbre is allowed for substitute creation by the non-designated synthesizing circuit; and   processing the admitted designation information according to check results of the first and second checking steps so as to assign the designated timbre to a suitable one of the designated and non-designated synthesizing circuits..Iaddend.