Method and device for automatic music composition employing music template information

Abstract

For each section forming a music piece, music template information is supplied which includes at least information indicative of a pitch variation tendency in the section. A plurality of already-composed music pieces are preferably analyzed to store a plurality of pieces of such music template information so that any users can select from the stored pieces of music template information. For a music piece to be composed, the user enters information indicative of a tendency relating to the number of notes, such as syllable information of desired words or scat words, in each section of the music piece. On the basis of one of the pieces of music template information supplied and the user-entered information indicative of the number-of-notes tendency (syllable information), the length and pitch of notes in each section can be determined, which permits automatic generation of music piece data. If the music template information is used with no modification, an automatically composed music piece will considerably resemble its original music piece. The user can freely modify the music template information to be used, so that a music piece different from its corresponding original music piece can be created with the user's intention reflected thereon. The music template information can be easily modified by any users having poor knowledge of composition, and the present composing technique can be easily used by everyone.

1. An automatic music composing device comprising:
 supply means for supplying music template information including at least information indicative of a tendency relating to a number of notes in each of a plurality of sections forming a music piece;  
 input means for, in response to an operation of a user, inputting information indicative of a tendency relating to a number of notes contained in each of sections of a music piece to be composed; and  
 determination means for determining a length and pitch of each note to be contained in each of the sections of the music piece to be composed, on the basis of said music template information supplied by said supply means and said information indicative of a tendency relating to a number of notes in each of the sections inputted by said input means.  
 
     
     
       2. An automatic music composing device as defined in  claim 1  wherein said input means inputs syllable information of words to be set to the music piece to be composed. 
     
     
       3. An automatic music composing device as defined in  claim 1  wherein said supply means includes a memory having prestored therein a plurality of pieces of the music template information for a plurality of music pieces and selection means for selecting from said memory a desired piece of the music template information. 
     
     
       4. An automatic music composing device as defined in  claim 3  wherein said supply means further includes means for, in response to an operation of the user, changing contents of the piece of the music template information selected by said selection means. 
     
     
       5. An automatic music composing device as defined in  claim 1  wherein said information indicative of a pitch variation tendency includes information specifying first and last tones in each of the sections, and information indicative of a pitch variation tendency between said first and last tones for each of the sections, and
 wherein said determination means includes means for determining a length of each note to be contained in each of the sections on the basis of said information indicative of a tendency relating to a number of notes in each of sections, and means for allocating a pitch to each said note to be contained in each of the sections on the basis of said information specifying first and last tones in each of the sections and said information indicative of a pitch variation tendency between said first and last tones.  
 
     
     
       6. An automatic music composing device as defined in  claim 1  wherein said music template information includes information indicative of a note distribution tendency in each of the sections, and wherein said determination means determines the length of each note to be contained in each of the sections on the basis of said information indicative of a note distribution tendency in each of the sections and said information indicative of a tendency relating to a number of notes in each of sections. 
     
     
       7. An automatic music composing device as defined in  claim 1  wherein each of the sections corresponds to a phrase that is comprised of a plurality of measures, and if a first note in the phrase is delayed behind first beat timing of the measure, said music template information includes delay specifying information indicative of such a delay of said first note behind said first beat timing; and
 wherein said determination means includes means for determining a measure-dividing position in each said phrase, means for determining first and last beat positions in each said phrase on the basis of said delay specifying information, means for determining a position and length of each note to be contained in each said phrase on the basis of the measure-dividing position and first and last beat positions determined for each said phrase, and means for determining a pitch of each note to be contained in each said phrase on the basis of said information indicative of a pitch variation tendency for each said phrase.  
 
     
     
       8. An automatic music composing device comprising:
 a memory device having prestored therein a plurality of pieces of music template information for a plurality of music pieces, each of the pieces of music template information for one of the music pieces including at least information indicative of a pitch variation tendency in each of a plurality of sections forming the music piece;  
 a template editing device for, in response to an operation of a user, selecting from said memory device a desired one of the pieces of music template information, storing the selected piece of music template information into a buffer of said editing device, and changing contents of the stored piece of music template information in response to an operation of the user;  
 an input device for, in response to an operation of the user, inputting information indicative of a tendency relating to a number of notes for each of the sections of a music piece to be composed; and  
 a note determination device for determining a length and pitch of each note to be contained in each of the sections, on the basis of said piece of music template information stored in the buffer of said template editing device and said information indicative of a tendency relating to a number of notes in each of sections inputted by said input device.  
 
     
     
       9. An automatic music composing device as defined in  claim 8  which further comprises an analyzation device for analyzing musical characteristics of a given music piece and creating said music template information on the basis of the analyzed musical characteristics. 
     
     
       10. An automatic music composing device comprising:
 an input device for inputting syllable information of words to be set to a music piece to be composed, along with information indicative of a division between said syllable information;  
 a device for supplying information indicative of musical characteristics of the music piece to be composed;  
 a device for, on the basis of said syllable information contained in a section of the words specified by said information indicative of a division, determining a number of notes to be contained in said section and a length of each of the notes; and  
 a device for determining a pitch of each of the notes on the basis of the musical characteristics.  
 
     
     
       11. An automatic music composing device as defined in  claim 10  wherein said input device inputs said syllable information in the form of scat. 
     
     
       12. An automatic music composing device as defined in  claim 10  wherein said input device includes means for inputting words information representing the words, and means for analyzing the syllable information from the inputted words information. 
     
     
       13. An automatic music composing device as defined in  claim 10  wherein said syllable information includes information indicating a long vowel. 
     
     
       14. An automatic music composing device comprising:
 a memory device having prestored therein a plurality of pieces of music template information for a plurality of music pieces, each of the pieces of music template information for one of the music pieces including at least information indicative of a pitch variation tendency in each of a plurality of sections forming the music piece and information relating to a number of notes in each of the sections and a position of each of the notes;  
 a template editing device for, in response to an operation of an user, selecting from said memory device a desired piece of music template information, storing the selected piece of music template information into a buffer of said editing device, and changing contents of the stored piece of music template information; and  
 a music data generation device for determining a position, length and pitch of each said note in each of the sections, on the basis of the piece of music template information stored in the buffer of said template editing device, so as to generate music data.  
 
     
     
       15. A method of automatically composing music using a computer comprising the steps of:
 supplying music template information including at least information indicative of a pitch variation tendency in each of a plurality of sections forming a music piece;  
 inputting, in response to an operation of a user, information indicative of a tendency relating to a number of notes in each of sections of a music piece to be composed; and  
 determining a length and pitch of each note to be contained in each of the sections, on the basis of said music template information and said information indicative of a tendency relating to a number of notes in each of sections inputted by said input means.  
 
     
     
       16. A method of automatically composing music as defined in  claim 15  wherein said step of inputting inputs syllable information of words to be set to the music piece to be composed, along with information indicative of a division between said syllable information. 
     
     
       17. A method of automatically composing music as defined in  claim 16  wherein said syllable information is inputted in the form of scat. 
     
     
       18. A method of automatically composing music as defined in  claim 15  wherein said step of supplying includes a step of selecting, in response to an operation of the user, a desired piece of the music template information from a memory having prestored therein a plurality of pieces of the music template information for a plurality of music pieces and a step of changing contents of the selected piece of the music template information in response to an operation of the user. 
     
     
       19. A method of automatically composing music as defined in  claim 18  which further comprises a step of analyzing musical characteristics of a given music piece, creating said music template information on the basis of the analyzed musical characteristics, and storing the created music template information into said memory. 
     
     
       20. A method of automatically composing music using a computer comprising the steps of:
 analyzing musical characteristics for each of a plurality of sections forming a music piece and, on the basis of the analyzed musical characteristics, supplying music template information including at least information indicative of a pitch variation tendency in the section and information relating to a number of notes and a position of each said note in the section;  
 storing the supplied music template information into a memory, said memory storing a plurality of pieces of the music template information for a plurality of music pieces;  
 selecting from the memory a desired piece of the music desired template information in response to an operation of a user;  
 editing contents of the selected piece of the music template information in response to an operation of the user; and  
 determining a position, length and pitch of each note to be contained in each of the sections, on the basis of the piece of the music template information selected and edited in said steps of selecting and editing, so as to generate music data.  
 
     
     
       21. A machine-readable recording medium for use in a data processing system including a CPU, said medium containing program instructions executable by said CPU for causing the data processing system to perform the steps of:
 supplying music template information including at least information indicative of a pitch variation tendency in each of a plurality of sections forming a music piece;  
 inputting, in response to an operation of a user, information indicative of a tendency relating to a number of notes in each of sections of a music piece to be composed; and  
 determining a length and pitch of each note to be contained in each of the sections, on the basis of said music template information and said information indicative of a tendency relating to a number of notes in each of sections.  
 
     
     
       22. A machine-readable recording medium as defined in  claim 21  wherein said step of inputting inputs syllable information of words to be set to the music piece to be composed, along with information indicative of a division between said syllable information. 
     
     
       23. A machine-readable recording medium as defined in  claim 21  wherein said step of supplying includes a step of, in response to an operation of the user, selecting a desired piece of music template information from a memory having prestored therein a plurality of pieces of music template information for a plurality of music pieces and a step of changing contents of the selected piece of music template information in response to an operation of the user. 
     
     
       24. A machine-readable recording medium as defined in  claim 21  which further comprises instructions for causing the data processing system to perform a step of analyzing musical characteristics of a given music piece and creating said music template information on the basis of the analyzed musical characteristics. 
     
     
       25. A machine-readable medium for use in a data processing system including a CPU, said medium containing program instructions executable by said CPU for causing the data processing system to perform the steps of:
 analyzing musical characteristics for each of a plurality of sections forming a music piece and, on the basis of the analyzed musical characteristics, supplying music template information including at least information indicative of a pitch variation tendency in the section and information relating to a number of notes and a position of each note in the section;  
 storing the supplied music template information into a memory, said memory storing a plurality of pieces of the music template information for a plurality of music pieces;  
 selecting from the memory a desired piece of the music template information in response to an operation of a user;  
 editing contents of the selected piece of the music template information in response to an operation of the user; and  
 determining a position, length and pitch of each note to be contained in each of the sections, on the basis of said music template information selected and edited in said steps of selecting and editing, so as to generate music data.  
 
     
     
       26. An automatic music composing device comprising:
 information supply means for supplying information including at least syllable data corresponding to words for a music piece to be composed;  
 setting means for setting characteristic data to characterize the music piece to be composed; and  
 music piece generation means for generating the music piece corresponding to the words on the basis of said information including the syllable data supplied by said information supply means and said characteristic data set by said setting means.  
 
     
     
       27. An automatic music composing device as defined in  claim 26  wherein said music piece generation means generates the music piece corresponding to the words by sequentially allocating note information to each syllable constituting the syllable data. 
     
     
       28. An automatic music composing device as defined in  claim 27  wherein said note information comprises information indicative of tone generation timing and tone pitch, and said music piece generation means determines tone generation timing of each syllable data in accordance with a number of the syllables in a measure and weight of each said tone generation timing. 
     
     
       29. An automatic music composing device comprising:
 performance data input means for inputting performance data that represents a music piece having a plurality of sections;  
 characteristic extraction means for analyzing said performance data for each of the sections so as to extract musical characteristics of the section, said musical characteristics including a pitch variation tendency of said section;  
 storage means for storing the musical characteristics of each of the sections extracted by said extraction means, as characteristic data to characterize said music piece; and  
 music piece generation means for generating performance data representing a new music piece, on the basis of the characteristic data stored in said storage means, wherein note pitches of said performance data of said new music piece are determined on the basis of at least the pitch variation tendency information included in said characteristic data.  
 
     
     
       30. An automatic music composing apparatus comprising:
   an input device adapted to input words data to said apparatus; and        a processor coupled to said input device, the processor adapted to, on the basis of the words data inputted via said input device, produce a music piece corresponding to the inputted words data.      
     
     
       31. An automatic music composing apparatus as defined in  claim 30  wherein the words data inputted via said input device include at least one factor and said processor is adapted to produce the music piece on the basis of said factor of the inputted words data.  
     
     
       32. An automatic music composing apparatus as defined in  claim 31  wherein said factor is syllable data corresponding to the inputted words data.  
     
     
       33. An automatic music composing apparatus as defined in  claim 32  wherein a number of notes of the music piece to be produced is determined on the basis of a number of syllable data.  
     
     
       34. An automatic music composing apparatus as defined in  claim 30  wherein the words data inputted via said input device include at least one type of dividing position data indicative of any one of measure, phrase and sentence, and where for each of sections divided by the dividing position data, said processor is adapted to produces a music piece corresponding to the words data in the section.  
     
     
       35. An automatic music composing apparatus comprising:
   an input device adapted to input words data to said apparatus;        a setting device adapted to set characteristics data of a music piece to be produced; and        a processor coupled to said input device and said setting device, the processor adapted to, on the basis of the words data inputted via said input device and the characteristics data set via said setting device, produce a music piece corresponding to the inputted words data.      
     
     
       36. An automatic music composing apparatus as defined in  claim 35  wherein said characteristics data is obtained by analyzing an existing music piece.  
     
     
       37. An automatic music composing apparatus as defined in  claim 35  wherein said processor is adapted to determine a rhythm corresponding to the words data in accordance with the characteristics data.  
     
     
       38. An automatic music composing apparatus as defined in  claim 35  wherein said processor is adapted to determine a pitch corresponding to the words data in accordance with the characteristics data.  
     
     
       39. An automatic music composing apparatus as defined in  claim 35  wherein said characteristics data is extracted by analyzing music performance data.  
     
     
       40. An automatic music composing apparatus as defined in  claim 39  wherein said processor is adapted to edit the extracted characteristics data.  
     
     
       41. An automatic music composing apparatus as defined in  claim 35  wherein said characteristics data can be inputted by a human operator.  
     
     
       42. An automatic music composing apparatus as defined in  claim 35  wherein said characteristics data pertains to at least one of a pitch variation tendency, number of notes, concept, beat, tempo, shortest- duration note and key.    
     
     
       43. An automatic music composing apparatus comprising:
   an input device adapted to input words data to said apparatus; and        a processor coupled to said input device, the processor adapted to, on the basis of the words data inputted via said input device, produce a music piece corresponding to the words data, and edit the produced music piece.      
     
     
       44. An automatic music composing apparatus comprising:
   an input device adapted to input words data to said apparatus in correspondence with a phrase mark;        a setting device adapted to set characteristics data of a music piece to be produced, in correspondence with the phrase mark; and        a processor coupled to said input device and said setting device, the processor adapted to, on the basis of the words data inputted via said input device and the characteristics data set via said setting device, produce a music piece corresponding to the inputted words data and the phrase mark.      
     
     
       45. An automatic music composing apparatus comprising:
   an input device adapted to input, to said apparatus, words data including a measure line mark; and        a processor coupled to said input device, the processor adapted to:      determine tone generation timing of each word, on the basis of the measure line mark included in the words data inputted via said input device; and        produce a music piece corresponding to the words data, using the determined tone generation timing of each word.        
     
     
       46. An automatic music composing apparatus comprising:
   an input device adapted to input words data to said apparatus; and        a processor coupled to said input device, the processor adapted to:      determine a measure - defining position on the basis of the words data inputted via said input device;        determine tone generation timing of each word on the basis of the determined measure - defining position; and        produce a music piece corresponding to the words data, using the determined tone generation timing of each word.        
     
     
       47. An automatic music composing apparatus comprising:
   an input device adapted to input words data including a long vowel mark; and        a processor coupled to said input device, the processor adapted to, on the basis of the words data inputted via said input device, produce a music piece corresponding to the inputted words data,        wherein no tone generation event is imparted to word data corresponding to the long vowel mark.      
     
     
       48. An automatic music composing apparatus comprising:
   an input device adapted to input words data including an accent mark; and        a processor coupled to said input device, the processor adapted to, on the basis of the words data inputted via said input device, produce a music piece corresponding to the inputted words data,        wherein a portion of the music piece to which the accent mark is imparted is set to a pitch higher than pitches of other portions of the music piece in the neighborhood of said portion.      
     
     
       49. An automatic music composing apparatus comprising:
   an input device adapted to input words data including an accent mark; and        a processor coupled to said input device, the processor adapted to, on the basis of the words data inputted via said input device, produce a music piece corresponding to the inputted words data,        wherein a portion of the music piece to which the accent mark is imparted is set to volume greater than volume of other portions of the music piece in the neighborhood of said portion.      
     
     
       50. An automatic music composing method comprising the steps of:
   inputting words data; and        on the basis of the words data inputted via said step of inputting, producing a music piece corresponding to the words data.      
     
     
       51. A machine- readable storage medium containing a group of instructions to cause said machine to implement an automatic music composing method, said automatic music composing method comprising the steps of:      inputting words data; and        on the basis of the words data inputted via said step of inputting, producing a music piece corresponding to the words data.      
     
     
       52. An automatic music composing method comprising the steps of:
   inputting words data;        setting characteristics data of a music piece to be produced; and        on the basis of the words data inputted via said step of inputting and the characteristics data set via said step of setting, producing a music piece corresponding to the inputted words data.      
     
     
       53. A machine- readable storage medium containing a group of instructions to cause said machine to implement an automatic music composing method, said automatic music composing method comprising the steps of:      inputting words data;        setting characteristics data of a music piece to be produced; and        on the basis of the words data inputted via said step of inputting and the characteristics data set via said step of setting, producing a music piece corresponding to the inputted words data.      
     
     
       54. An automatic music composing method comprising the steps of:
   inputting words data;        on the basis of the words data inputted via said step of inputting, producing a music piece corresponding to the words data; and        editing the produced music piece.      
     
     
       55. A machine- readable storage medium containing a group of instructions to cause said machine to implement an automatic music composing method, said automatic music composing method comprising the steps of:      inputting words data;        on the basis of the words data inputted via said step of inputting, producing a music piece corresponding to the words data; and        editing the produced music piece.      
     
     
       56. An automatic music composing method comprising the steps of:
   inputting words data in correspondence with a phrase mark;        setting characteristics data of a music piece to be produced, in correspondence with the phrase mark; and        on the basis of the words data inputted via said step of inputting and the characteristics data set via said step of setting, producing a music piece corresponding to the inputted words data and the phrase mark.      
     
     
       57. A machine- readable storage medium containing a group of instructions to cause said machine to implement an automatic music composing method, said automatic music composing method comprising the steps of:      inputting words data in correspondence with a phrase mark;        setting characteristics data of a music piece to be produced, in correspondence with the phrase mark; and        on the basis of the words data inputted via said step of inputting and the characteristics data set via said step of setting, producing a music piece corresponding to the inputted words data and the phrase mark.      
     
     
       58. An automatic music composing method comprising the steps of:
   inputting words data including a measure line mark; and        determining tone generation timing of each word on the basis of the measure line mark included in the words data inputted via said step of inputting; and        producing a music piece corresponding to the words data, using the determined tone generation timing of each word.      
     
     
       59. A machine- readable storage medium containing a group of instructions to cause said machine to implement an automatic music composing method, said automatic music composing method comprising the steps of:      inputting words data including a measure line mark; and        determining tone generation timing of each word on the basis of the measure line mark included in the words data inputted via said step of inputting; and        producing a music piece corresponding to the words data, using the determined tone generation timing of each word.      
     
     
       60. An automatic music composing method comprising the steps of:
   inputting words data; and        determining a measure - defining position on the basis of the words data inputted via said step of inputting;        determining tone generation timing of each word on the basis of the determined measure - defining position; and        producing a music piece corresponding to the words data, using the determined tone generation timing of each word.      
     
     
       61. A machine- readable storage medium containing a group of instructions to cause said machine to implement an automatic music composing method, said automatic music composing method comprising the steps of:      inputting words data; and        determining a measure - defining position on the basis of the words data inputted via said step of inputting;        determining tone generation timing of each word on the basis of the determined measure - defining position; and        producing a music piece corresponding to the words data, using the determined tone generation timing of each word.      
     
     
       62. An automatic music composing method comprising the steps of:
   inputting words data including a long vowel mark; and        on the basis of the words data inputted via said step of inputting, producing a music piece corresponding to the inputted words data,        wherein no tone generation event is imparted to word data corresponding to the long vowel mark.      
     
     
       63. A machine- readable storage medium containing a group of instructions to cause said machine to implement an automatic music composing method, said automatic music composing method comprising the steps of:      inputting words data including a long vowel mark; and        on the basis of the words data inputted via said step of inputting, producing a music piece corresponding to the inputted words data,        wherein no tone generation event is imparted to word data corresponding to the long vowel mark.      
     
     
       64. An automatic music composing method comprising the steps of:
   inputting words data including an accent mark; and        on the basis of the words data inputted via said step of inputting, producing a music piece corresponding to the inputted words data,        wherein a portion of the music piece to which the accent mark is imparted is set to a pitch higher than pitches of other portions of the music piece in the neighborhood of said portion.      
     
     
       65. A machine- readable storage medium containing a group of instructions to cause said machine to implement an automatic music composing method, said automatic music composing method comprising the steps of:      inputting words data including an accent mark; and        on the basis of the words data inputted via said step of inputting, producing a music piece corresponding to the inputted words data,        wherein a portion of the music piece to which the accent mark is imparted is set to a pitch higher than pitches of other portions of the music piece located in the neighborhood of said portion.      
     
     
       66. An automatic music composing method comprising the steps of:
   inputting words data including an accent mark; and        on the basis of the words data inputted via said step of inputting, producing a music piece corresponding to the inputted words data,        wherein a portion of the music piece to which the accent mark is imparted is set to volume greater than volume of other portions of the music piece in the neighborhood of said portion.      
     
     
       67. A machine- readable storage medium containing a group of instructions to cause said machine to implement an automatic music composing method, said automatic music composing method comprising the steps of:      inputting words data including an accent mark; and        on the basis of the words data inputted via said step of inputting, producing a music piece corresponding to the inputted words data,        wherein a portion of the music piece to which the accent mark is imparted is set to volume greater than volume of other portions of the music piece in the neighborhood of said portion.