Tone generating apparatus for sound imaging

Abstract

A musical tone generating apparatus includes a position information generating device to generate musical instrument position information (PS) as plane coordinates coordinate values. This information (PS) is stored in a memory device, or selectively determined by a manual operation. The apparatus also includes an information converting device to converter information (PS) into musical tone parameter control information (PD). This control information (PD) controls musical tone source signals (S 11, S 12, and S 13 ) to generate a sound field corresponding to the position of musical instruments arranged on a stage. This enables an operator to verify the musical instrument positions on a stage, thereby providing a feeling of being at a live performance.

What is claimed is:  
     
       1. A musical tone generating apparatus for providing a performance effect of a plurality of musical instruments arranged in a performance place, comprising: 
       tone color designating means for designating a tone color corresponding to each musical instrument arranged in the performance place;  
       position information generating means for generating musical instrument position information corresponding to a position of each musical instrument arranged at the performance place;  
       display means for displaying images of musical instruments at positions corresponding to the musical instrument position information;  
       information converting means for converting the musical instrument position information into musical tone parameter control information;  
       musical tone generating means for generating musical tone signals;  
       musical tone control means for controlling the musical tone parameters  signals in accordance with the musical tone parameter control information; and  
       output means for outputting a  musical tones in accordance with the controlled musical tone parameter outputted from the musical tone control means  signals.  
     
     
       2. A musical tone generating apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the musical instrument position information comprises a value in a plane coordinate system and a variable which is determined by the value of the plane coordinates. 
     
     
       3. A musical tone generating apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the information converting means comprises a CPU (central processing unit) having a control program, a ROM (read only memory), and a RAM (read access memory) to convert the musical instrument position information into the musical tone parameter control information, this musical tone parameter control information being transferred to the musical tone control means together with sound source control information. 
     
     
       4. A musical tone generating apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the position information generating means comprises a display means for displaying a position of musical instruments corresponding to the musical instrument position information. 
     
     
       5. A musical tone generating apparatus according to claim  4   1 wherein the display means comprises a transparent type touch panel and a display panel arranged behind the touch panel for indicating the respective positions of the musical instruments. 
     
     
       6. A musical tone generating apparatus according to claim  1   2 , wherein the plane coordinate system is the x and y cartesian coordinate system, and each of the musical instrument positions is indicated by x and y cartesian coordinates. 
     
     
       7. A musical tone generating apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein the  a surface of the display means includes x and y coordinates thereon. 
     
     
       8. A musical tone generating apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein the musical tone control means comprises a parameter control circuit for generating analog musical tone signals output to the  right and left channels. 
     
     
       9. A musical tone generating apparatus according to  claim 1 A musical tone generating apparatus for providing a performance effect of a plurality of musical instruments arranged in a performance place, comprising: 
       
         tone color designating means for designating a tone color corresponding to each musical instrument arranged in the performance place;  
       
       
         position information generating means for generating musical instrument position information corresponding to a position of each musical instrument arranged at the performance place;  
       
       
         information converting means for converting the musical instrument position information into musical tone parameter control information;  
       
       
         musical tone control means for controlling musical tone parameters in accordance with the musical tone parameter control information; and  
       
         output means for outputting a musical tone in accordance with the musical tone parameter outputted from the musical tone control means , wherein the musical tone control means comprises a low pass filter and wherein the musical tone parameter control information comprises:  
       a first multiplication constant MP 1  which is directly proportional to a normalized value P y , in which the normalized value P y  indicates a position of the  a y coordinate in the stage, and the first multiplication constant MP 1  determines a position in a y direction of the stage;  
       a fourth multiplication constant MP 4  which is inversely proportional to the normalized value P y , in which the fourth multiplication constant MP 4  determines a magnitude of a reverberative effect in the y direction of the stage;  
       a filtering constant CF which is directly proportional to a normalized value of P y , in which the filtering constant CF determines a cut-off frequency of a  the low-pass filter; and  
       a second multiplication constant MP 2  which is directly proportional to a normalized value P x  and a third multiplication constant MP 3  which is inversely proportional to the normalized value P x , in which the second and third multiplication constants MP 2  and MP 3  determine the position of a sound image in the right and left directions  an x direction of the stage, and the normalized value of P x  indicates the position of the  an x coordinate of the stage;  and  
         a fourth multiplication constant MP 4  which is inversely proportional to the normalized value P   y   , in which the fourth multiplication constant MP 4  determines a magnitude of a reverberative effect in the y direction of the stage .  
     
     
       10. A musical tone generating apparatus comprising: 
       select means for selecting a stage among performance places;  
       storage means for storing musical instrument position information which indicates the position of a musical instrument arranged on the stage, and the tone color corresponding to the musical instrument;  
       reading means for reading the musical instrument position information and the tone color from the storage means, in which both the musical instrument position information and the tone color are selected by the select means;  
       display means for displaying images of musical instruments at positions corresponding to the musical instrument position information;  
       information converting means for converting the musical instrument position information into musical tone parameter control information in response to a value of the plane coordinates and a variable which is determined by the value of the plane coordinates;  
       musical tone control means for controlling musical tone parameters in accordance with the musical tone parameter control information; and  
       output means for outputting a musical tone in accordance with the musical tone parameter outputted from the musical tone control means.  
     
     
       11. A musical tone generating apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the select means comprises select elements having variable resistors. 
     
     
       12. A musical tone generating apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the storage means comprises a ROM. 
     
     
       13. A musical tone generating apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the reading means is controlled by a computer program stored in a CPU (central processing unit) to read the musical instrument position information and the tone color from the storage means. 
     
     
       14. A musical tone generating apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the select means comprises select elements having variable switches. 
     
     
       15. A musical tone generating apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the storage means comprises a floppy disk. 
     
     
       16. A sound processing apparatus for moving a visual image position and a sound image position together, the sound processing apparatus comprising: 
       
         display means for displaying a visual image representing a sound source;  
       
       
         sound generating means including a tone generator and a plurality of loudspeakers for generating a sound corresponding to the sound source;  
       
       
         position information generating means for generating sound source position information;  
       
       
         control means for controlling the display means based on the position information so that the display means displays the visual image at a visual image position corresponding to the position information and for controlling the sound generating means based on the position information so that a sound image of the sound generated by the sound generating means is produced at a sound image position corresponding to the position information,  
       
       
         wherein the visual image position and the sound image position are updated in response to changes in the position information.  
       
     
     
       17. A sound processing apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein the sound source is a musical instrument having a given tone color.  
     
     
       18. A sound processing apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein the position information generating means generates data representing a x- y position in a plane coordinate system as the position information.    
     
     
       19. A sound processing apparatus according to  claim 18 , wherein the position information generating means includes a transparent touch panel disposed in front of the display means, and the x- y position is designated on the touch panel by a performer at the position of the visual image.    
     
     
       20. A sound processing apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein the position information generating means includes a variable resistor and the position information is designated with the variable resistor by a performer.  
     
     
       21. A sound processing apparatus according to  claim 16 , further comprising: 
       
         reverberation effect imparting means for imparting a reverberation effect, based on the position information, to the sound generated by the sound generating means to impart a sound image effect to the sound generated.  
       
     
     
       22. A sound processing apparatus according to  claim 21 , wherein the reverberation effect imparting means controls the amount of the reverberation effect to be imparted in response to the position information.  
     
     
       23. A sound processing apparatus according to  claim 21 , wherein the sound generating means generates a sound corresponding to data input through an external interface.  
     
     
       24. A sound processing apparatus according to  claim 16 , further comprising: 
       
         sound modification means for modifying the sound generated by the sound generating means based on the position information so that the sound generating means generates the sound modified in response to the position information, wherein the sound modification means modifies a sound image effect in response to the position information.  
       
     
     
       25. A sound processing apparatus according to  claim 24 , wherein the sound modification means includes a low pass filter.  
     
     
       26. A sound processing apparatus according to  claim 25 , wherein the sound modification means controls the cut- off frequency of the low pass filter in response to the position information.    
     
     
       27. A sound processing apparatus for generating a sound, the sound processing apparatus comprising: 
       
         a display for displaying a visual image representing a sound source located in an image space;  
       
       
         sound generating means including a tone generator for generating a sound corresponding to a sound characteristic of the sound source;  
       
       
         position information generating means for generating sound source position information representing a desired display position;  
       
       
         storage means for storing conversion characteristics;  
       
       
         information converting means for converting the position information to sound parameters in accordance with the conversion characteristics stored in the storage means; and  
       
       
         control means for controlling the display based on the position information so that the display displays the visual image at a visual image position corresponding to the position information, and for controlling the sound generating means based on the converted sound parameters so that a sound image of the sound signals generated by the sound generating means is produced at a sound source position corresponding to the position information.  
       
     
     
       28. A sound processing apparatus for generating a sound, the sound processing apparatus comprising: 
       
         sound generating means including a tone generator for generating a sound corresponding to a sound characteristic of the sound source;  
       
       
         storage means for storing sound source position information;  
       
       
         reading means for reading the sound source position information from the storage means;  
       
       
         control means for controlling the tone generator based on the sound source position information so that a sound image of the sound signals generated by the tone generator is produced at a position corresponding to the sound source position information; and  
       
       
         a display for displaying a visual image corresponding to the sound source in an image space, wherein the control means controls the display so that the display displays the visual image at a position corresponding to the sound source position information.  
       
     
     
       29. A sound processing apparatus according to  claim 28 , wherein the storage means comprises a floppy disk which stores the sound source position information.  
     
     
       30. A sound processing apparatus according to  claim 22 , wherein the storage means further stores symbol information representing visual images to be displayed, and the display means displays a visual image based on the symbol information.  
     
     
       31. A sound processing apparatus according to  claim 22 , wherein the visual image has a shape of a corresponding sound source.  
     
     
       32. A sound processing apparatus according to  claim 28 , further comprising: 
       
         position information generating means for generating position information in response to a player's operation, wherein the sound source position information is changed based on the generated position information, and the sound generating means and the display are controlled based on the changed sound source position information.  
       
     
     
       33. A sound processing apparatus for generating a sound, the sound processing apparatus comprising: 
       
         sound generating means including a tone generator for generating a sound corresponding to a sound characteristic of a sound source;  
       
       
         a display for displaying a visual image corresponding to a sound source in an image space;  
       
       
         storage means for storing sound source position information;  
       
       
         reading means for reading the sound source position information from the storage means;  
       
       
         control means for controlling the sound generating means based on the sound source position information so that a sound image of the sound generated by the sound generating means is produced at a position corresponding to the sound source position information; and  
       
       
         position information generating means for generating position information in response to a player's operation, wherein the sound source position information is changed based on the generated position information, and the control means controls the sound generating means and the display means based on the changed sound source position information.  
       
     
     
       34. A sound processing apparatus according to  claim 33 , wherein the position information generating means generates data representing a x- y position in a plane coordinate system as the position information.    
     
     
       35. A sound processing apparatus according to  claim 34 , wherein the position information generating means includes a transparent touch panel disposed on the display means, and the x- y position is designated on the touch panel by a performer.    
     
     
       36. A sound processing apparatus according to  claim 34 , wherein the position information generating means includes a variable resistor, wherein the x- y position is responsive to changes in the variable resistor.    
     
     
       37. A sound processing apparatus for generating a sound, processing apparatus comprising: 
       
         a sound generator including a tone generator and speakers generating a sound corresponding to a sound characteristic of a sound source;  
       
       
         an external memory device which stores sound source position information;  
       
       
         a reading circuit which reads the sound source position information from the external memory device and which causes the sound source position information to be stored within a local memory;  
       
       
         a controller coupled to the sound generator and responsive to the sound source position information, wherein the controller controls a position of a sound image of the second generated by the sound generator in response to the sound source position information;  
       
       
         a display for displaying a visual image corresponding to a sound source located in an image space; and  
       
       
         a position information generator which generates position information in response to a player's operation, wherein the sound source position information is changed based on the generated position information, and the controller controls the sound generator based on the changed sound source position information.  
       
     
     
       38. A sound processing apparatus according to  claim 37 , wherein the external memory device is a floppy disk and the reading circuit is a floppy disk control unit.  
     
     
       39. A sound processing apparatus according to  claim 37 , further comprising: 
       
         a display which displays a visual image corresponding to a sound source located in an image space;  
       
       
         wherein the controller is responsive to the sound source position information so that the visual image appears at a position corresponding to the sound source position information.  
       
     
     
       40. A sound processing apparatus according to  claim 39 , wherein the external memory device stores symbol information representing visual images to be displayed, and the visual image is displayed based on the symbol information read out by the reading out means.  
     
     
       41. A method of moving a visual image position and a sound image position simultaneously, the method comprising the steps of: 
       
         displaying a visual image representing a sound source located in an image space on a display;  
       
       
         generating a sound corresponding to a sound source;  
       
       
         generating position information in response to player control;  
       
       
         controlling the display based on the position information so that the display produces a visual image corresponding to a sound source at a visual position corresponding to the position information; and  
       
       
         controlling a sound generator which includes a tone generator and speakers based on the position information so that the sound generator produces a sound image corresponding to the sound source at a sound image position corresponding to the position information;  
       
       
         wherein the visual image position and the sound image position are updated in response to changes in the position information.  
       
     
     
       42. A method of sound processing comprising the steps of: 
       
         displaying a visual image representing a sound source located in an image space on a display;  
       
       
         generating sounds with a tone generator which corresponds to the sound source;  
       
       
         reading conversion characteristics from a storage device;  
       
       
         generating sound source position information corresponding to a desired display position;  
       
       
         converting the position information to sound parameters in accordance with the characteristics read from the storage device;  
       
       
         controlling the display based upon the position information so that the display displays the visual image at a visual image position corresponding to the position information; and  
       
       
         controlling the tone generator based on the converted sound parameters so that the tone generator produces a sound image at a sound source position corresponding to the position information.  
       
     
     
       43. A method of sound processing comprising the steps of: 
       
         generating a sound signal in response to a designation and generating a sound based upon the sound signal corresponding to a sound characteristic of a sound source;  
       
       
         storing sound source position information into an external storage;  
       
       
         reading out the sound source position information from the external storage so that the sound source position information is stored within a local memory;  
       
       
         controlling a sound generator which includes a tone generator and speakers in accordance with the locally stored sound source position information so that the sound generator generates a sound at a sound image position corresponding to the sound source position information; and  
       
       
         displaying a visual image representing a sound source located in an image space on a display;  
       
       
         generating position information in response to a player's operation and changing the sound source position information based on the generated position information, and wherein said controlling step controls the sound generator based on the changed sound source position information.  
       
     
     
       44. A method of sound processing according to  claim 43 , the method further comprising the steps of: 
       
         controlling a display in accordance with the sound source position information so that a visual image displayed by the display is provided at a position corresponding to the sound source position information.  
       
     
     
       45. A method of sound processing according to  claim 44 , the method further comprising the step of: 
       
         storing symbol information representing visual images to be displayed into the external storage,  
       
       
         wherein the visual image is displayed based on the symbol information.  
       
     
     
       46. A sound apparatus for moving a visual image position and a sound image position together, the sound processing apparatus comprising: 
       
         a display that displays a visual image corresponding to a sound source located in an image space;  
       
       
         a sound generator having a tone generator and plurality of loudspeakers for generating a sound corresponding to the sound source;  
       
       
         a position information generator that generates position information;  
       
       
         a controller that controls the display based on the position information so that the display displays the visual image at a visual position corresponding to the position information and for controlling the sound generator based on the position information so that a sound image of the sound generated by the sound generator is produced at a sound position corresponding to the position information;  
       
       
         wherein the visual image and the sound image are moved together in response to changes in the position information.  
       
     
     
       47. A sound processing apparatus according to  claim 46 , further comprising: 
       
         a reverberation effect imparting circuit that imparts a reverberation effect, based on the position information, to the sound generated by the sound generator.  
       
     
     
       48. A sound processing apparatus according to  claim 46 , further comprising 
       
         a sound modifier that modifies the sound generated by the sound generator based on the position information so that the sound generator generates the sound modified in response to the position information.  
       
     
     
       49. A sound processing apparatus according to  claim 46 , wherein the sound source is a musical instrument having a given tone color.  
     
     
       50. A sound processing apparatus according to  claim 46  wherein the position information generator generates data representing a x- y position in a plane coordinate system as the position information.    
     
     
       51. A sound processing apparatus according to  claim 50 , wherein the position information generator includes a transparent touch panel disposed in front of the display, and the x- y position is designated on the touch panel by a performer at the position of the visual image.    
     
     
       52. A sound processing apparatus according to  claim 46 , wherein the position information generator includes a variable resistor and the position information is designated with the variable resistor by a performer.  
     
     
       53. A sound processing apparatus comprising: 
       
         a sound generator including a tone generator and speakers that generates a sound corresponding to a sound source;  
       
       
         a display that displays a visual image corresponding to a sound source located in an image space;  
       
       
         a position information generator that generates sound source position information corresponding to display position;  
       
       
         a storage medium that stores conversion characteristics;  
       
       
         an information converter that converts the position information to sound parameters in accordance with the conversion characteristics stored in the storage medium; and  
       
       
         a sound image position controller that controls the sound generator based on the converted sound parameters so that the sound image of the sound generated by the sound generator is produced at a sound source position corresponding to the position information.  
       
     
     
       54. A sound processing apparatus comprising: 
       
         a sound generator including a tone generator and speakers that generates a sound corresponding to a sound characteristic of a sound source;  
       
       
         a storage means that stores sound source position information;  
       
       
         a reader that reads the sound source position information from the storage medium;  
       
       
         a controller that controls the sound generator based on the sound source position information so that the sound image of the sound generated by the second generator is produced at a position corresponding to the sound source position information; and  
       
       
         a display that displays a visual image corresponding to the sound source, wherein the controller controls the display to display the visual image at a position corresponding to the sound source position information.  
       
     
     
       55. A sound processing apparatus comprising: 
       
         a sound generator including a tone generator driving a plurality of loudspeakers with a sound signal;  
       
       
         an external memory device which stores sound source position information;  
       
       
         a reading circuit which reads the sound source position information from the external memory device;  
       
       
         a controller coupled to the sound generator and responsive to the sound source position information, wherein the controller alters the position of the sound image generated by the sound generator in response to changes in the sound source position information; and  
       
       
         a display that displays a visual image corresponding to a sound source located in an image space.  
       
     
     
       56. A method of sound processing comprising the steps of: 
       
         generating a sound corresponding to a sound characteristic of a sound source;  
       
       
         storing sound source position information;  
       
       
         reading out the stored sound source position information;  
       
       
         controlling a sound generator which includes a tone generator and speakers in accordance with the sound position information so that the sound generator produces a sound image at a position corresponding to the sound source position information; and  
       
       
         displaying a visual image corresponding to the sound source, wherein said controlling step causes the displaying step to display the visual image at a position corresponding to the sound source position information.  
       
     
     
       57. A processing apparatus comprising: 
       
         a display that displays a visual image corresponding to a sound source located in an image space;  
       
       
         a sound generator having a tone generator and a plurality of loudspeakers for generating a sound corresponding to the sound source;  
       
       
         a position information generator that generates position information; and  
       
       
         a controller that controls the display based on the position information so that the display displays the visual image at a visual position corresponding to the position information and controls the sound generator based on the position information so that a sound image of the sound generated by the sound generator is produced at a sound position corresponding to the visual position.  
       
     
     
       58. A sound processing apparatus according to  claim 57 , further comprising: 
       
         a converter that converts the position information into the sound parameter information.  
       
     
     
       59. Sound processing apparatus comprising: 
       
         a designating device that designates a plurality of sound sources;  
       
       
         a display that displays a plurality of visual images, located in an image space, each of which represents one of the plurality sound sources;  
       
       
         a sound generator including a tone generator and a plurality of loudspeakers that generates a plurality of sounds each of which corresponds to one of the plurality of sound sources;  
       
       
         a position information generator that generates position information for each of the plurality of sound sources; and  
       
       
         a controller that controls the display based on the position information so that the display displays the plurality of visual images at visual positions corresponding to the position information and that controls the sound generator based on the position information so that sound images of the sounds generated by the sound generator are produced at sound positions corresponding to the position information.  
       
     
     
       60. Sound processing apparatus comprising: 
       
         a display having a display panel that displays a plurality of visual images, located in an image space, each of which has a shape representing one of a plurality of sound sources;  
       
       
         a sound generator including a tone generator and a plurality of loudspeakers that generates a plurality of sounds each of which corresponds to one of the plurality of sound sources;  
       
       
         a device with which a player provides a moving operation input for each of the plurality of sound sources; and  
       
       
         a controller that controls the display so that the display moves the plurality of visual images in response to the moving operation and that controls the sound generator so that sound images of the sounds generated by the sound generator are moved in response to the moving operation.  
       
     
     
       61. Sound processing apparatus comprising: 
       
         a selecting device that selects a performance space;  
       
       
         sound generator including a tone generator that generates a sound;  
       
       
         an acoustic effector that imparts to the sound an acoustic effect corresponding to the selected performance space;  
       
       
         a display;  
       
       
         a controller that controls the display so that the display displays a visual image representing the selected performance space.  
       
     
     
       62. Sound processing apparatus according to  claim 61 , wherein the display is controlled to display a name of the selected performance space.  
     
     
       63. Sound processing apparatus according to  claim 61 , wherein the sound generator simultaneously generates a plurality of sounds having a plurality of tone colors, and the display is controlled to display a plurality of visual images representing the plurality of tone colors.  
     
     
       64. Sound processing apparatus according to  claim 63 , wherein the display is controlled to display names of the plurality of tone colors.  
     
     
       65. Sound processing apparatus according to  claim 63 , wherein the acoustic effector imparts a reverberative effect to the sound as acoustic effect.  
     
     
       66. Sound processing apparatus according to  claim 63 , wherein the acoustic effector imparts to the sound an effect, in which a sound image of the sound is produced at a desired position, as the acoustic effect.  
     
     
       67. Sound processing apparatus according to  claim 66 , wherein the acoustic effector is controlled by the controller to move the position of the sound image.  
     
     
       68. Sound processing apparatus comprising: 
       
         a storage medium that stores a set of sound information and acoustic effect information for each of a plurality of performance spaces;  
       
       
         a selecting device that selects one of the plurality of performance spaces;  
       
       
         a display which displays information about the selected performance space and/or sound;  
       
       
         a sound generator including a tone generator that generates a sound based on the sound information which corresponds to the selected performance space and is read out from the storage medium; and  
       
       
         an acoustic effector that imparts an acoustic effect to the sound based on the acoustic effect information which corresponds to the selected performance space and is read out from the storage medium.  
       
     
     
       69. Sound processing apparatus according to  claim 68 , wherein the storage medium stores reverberative information as the acoustic effect information, and the acoustic effector imparts a reverberation to the sound based on the reverberative information.  
     
     
       70. Sound processing apparatus according to  claim 68 , wherein the storage medium stores position information as the acoustic effect information, and the acoustic effector imparts to the sound an effect in which a sound image of the sound is produced at a position corresponding to the position information read out as the acoustic effect information.  
     
     
       71. Sound processing apparatus according to  claim 70 , wherein the apparatus further comprises a position designating device which designates a desirable position in response to a player's operation, and, when one of the plurality of performance spaces is selected by the selecting device, the sound image of the sound is produced at a position corresponding to the position information which corresponds to the selected performance space, and, when the desired position is designated by the position designating device, the sound image of the sound is produced at a position corresponding to the desired position.