U.S. patent application number 09/814204 was filed with the patent office on 2001-09-27 for musical score data display apparatus.
Invention is credited to Matsumoto, Shuichi.
Application Number | 20010023633 09/814204 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 18597471 |
Filed Date | 2001-09-27 |
United States Patent
Application |
20010023633 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Matsumoto, Shuichi |
September 27, 2001 |
Musical score data display apparatus
Abstract
There is provided an apparatus for displaying musical score data
in a display area. In the apparatus, a specifying device specifies
a display range of original musical score data. An extracting
device extracts musical score data included in the display range
from the original musical score data and extracts musical
information precluded from the display range but influencing the
extracted musical score data from the original musical score data.
A determining device determines whether a supplementary display is
necessary or not in accordance with the specified display range. A
setting device divides the display area into a main display area
and an auxiliary display area when the supplementary display is
necessary. A display device displays the extracted musical score
data in the main display area and concurrently displays the
extracted musical information in the auxiliary display area. The
display area may be divided into a plurality of display sub areas.
A display format is specified for each of the display sub areas in
accordance with setting of the division of the display area. The
original musical score data is processed to generate musical score
data compliant with the display format.
Inventors: |
Matsumoto, Shuichi;
(Shizuoka-ken, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
David L. Fehrman
Morrison & Foerster LLP
Suite 3500
555 West Fifth Street
Los Angeles
CA
90013-1024
US
|
Family ID: |
18597471 |
Appl. No.: |
09/814204 |
Filed: |
March 21, 2001 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
84/478 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G10H 1/0008 20130101;
G10G 1/00 20130101; G10H 2220/015 20130101; G09B 15/023
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
84/478 |
International
Class: |
G09B 015/02 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 22, 2000 |
JP |
2000-80353 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. An apparatus for displaying musical score data in a display
area, comprising: a specifying device that is provided for
specifying a display range of original musical score data; an
extracting device that is provided for extracting musical score
data included in the display range from the original musical score
data and for extracting musical information precluded from the
display range but influencing the extracted musical score data from
the original musical score data; a determining device that is
provided for determining whether a supplementary display is
necessary or not in accordance with the specified display range; a
setting device that is provided for dividing the display area into
a main display area and an auxiliary display area and setting the
main display area and the auxiliary display area when the
supplementary display is necessary; and a display device that is
provided for displaying the extracted musical score data in the
main display area and concurrently displaying the extracted musical
information in the auxiliary display area.
2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the setting device
sets more than one auxiliary display area when the extracted
musical information necessitates more than one auxiliary display
area.
3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the setting device
sets the auxiliary display area at one of a left lower portion, a
left upper portion and a right upper portion in the display
area.
4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the setting device
vertically scans the display range to effect a vertical division of
the display area and horizontally scans the display range to effect
a horizontal division of the display area such that the vertical
division and the horizontal division are conducted independently of
one another to provide the auxiliary display area in accordance
with the necessary supplementary display.
5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the extracting
device extracts the musical information selected from clefs, key
signatures, time signatures, repeat signs, tempo notations, cadence
marks, octava, pedal marks, dynamic marks, sequence marks,
expression marks, bar numbers, title, phrase marks, part names,
lyrics, and page number.
6. An apparatus for displaying musical score data in a display
area, comprising: a setting device that is provided for setting a
division of the display area into a plurality of display sub areas;
a specifying device that is provided for specifying a display
format for each of the plurality of the display sub areas in
accordance with the setting of the division of the display area; a
generating device that is provided for processing original musical
score data to generate therefrom musical score data compliant with
the display format specified for each of the plurality of the
display sub areas; and a display device that is provided for
displaying the generated musical score data onto each of the
plurality of the display sub areas in the specified display
format.
7. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the display device
can scroll the musical score data displayed in each of the
plurality of the display sub areas in synchronization with each
other.
8. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the setting device
sets either of a vertical division of the display area into a
plurality of vertical display sub areas and a horizontal division
of the display area into a plurality of horizontal display sub
areas.
9. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the specifying
device specifies the display format with respect to at least one of
a part arrangement, a score style, a data type, a transposition
interval, a staff and font size, and a display color.
10. A method of displaying musical score data in a display area,
comprising the steps of: specifying a display range of original
musical score data; extracting musical score data included in the
display range from the original musical score data and extracting
musical information precluded from the display range but
influencing the extracted musical score data from the original
musical score data; determining whether a supplementary display is
necessary or not in accordance with the specified display range;
dividing the display area into a main display area and an auxiliary
display area and setting the main display area and the auxiliary
display area when the supplementary display is necessary; and
displaying the extracted musical score data in the main display
area and concurrently displaying the extracted musical information
in the auxiliary display area.
11. A method of displaying musical score data in a display area,
comprising the steps of: setting a division of the display area
into a plurality of display sub areas; specifying a display format
for each of the plurality of the display sub areas in accordance
with the setting of the division of the display area; processing
original musical score data to generate therefrom musical score
data compliant with the display format specified for each of the
plurality of the display sub areas; and displaying the generated
musical score data onto each of the plurality of the display sub
areas in the specified display format.
12. A medium for use in a display apparatus having a processor for
displaying musical score data in a display area, the medium
containing program instructions executable by the processor for
causing the display apparatus to perform a process comprising the
steps of: specifying a display range of original musical score
data; extracting musical score data included in the display range
from the original musical score data and extracting musical
information precluded from the display range but influencing the
extracted musical score data from the original musical score data;
determining whether a supplementary display is necessary or not in
accordance with the specified display range; dividing the display
area into a main display area and an auxiliary display area and
setting the main display area and the auxiliary display area when
the supplementary display is necessary; and displaying the
extracted musical score data in the main display area and
concurrently displaying the extracted musical information in the
auxiliary display area.
13. A medium for use in a display apparatus having a processor for
displaying musical score data in a display area, the medium
containing program instructions executable by the processor for
causing the display apparatus to perform a process comprising the
steps of: setting a division of the display area into a plurality
of display sub areas; specifying a display format for each of the
plurality of the display sub areas in accordance with the setting
of the division of the display area; processing original musical
score data to generate therefrom musical score data compliant with
the display format specified for each of the plurality of the
display sub areas; and displaying the generated musical score data
onto each of the plurality of the display sub areas in the
specified display format.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention generally relates to a musical score
data display apparatus, a musical score data display method, and a
recording medium, which are suitable for effectively display
various kinds of musical score data in a limited display area.
[0002] Conventional musical score data processing apparatuses
usually have a display device. Some of these apparatuses display
musical scores on a screen of the display device. Because the
display area of the screen is limited and therefore the musical
scores of one piece of music cannot be displayed all in one screen,
hence a music progressive direction and a part score are scrolled
in the direction of the parts. However, such a scroll-type display
method may make it difficult for the user to surely view portions
where clefs and time signatures for example are shown.
[0003] Some musical score data processing apparatuses are of the
window type by which a musical score can be viewed in two or more
formats at a time, such as staff, and piano role scores for
example. However, the apparatuses of this type do not allow users
to specify a display format as desired.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] It is therefore an object of the present invention to
provide a musical score data display apparatus capable of
effectively displaying various kinds of musical score information
within a limited display area (or window).
[0005] In carrying out the invention and according to a first
aspect thereof, there is provided an apparatus for displaying
musical score data in a display area. The apparatus comprises a
specifying device that is provided for specifying a display range
of original musical score data, an extracting device that is
provided for extracting musical score data included in the display
range from the original musical score data and for extracting
musical information precluded from the display range but
influencing the extracted musical score data from the original
musical score data, a determining device that is provided for
determining whether a supplementary display is necessary or not in
accordance with the specified display range, a setting device that
is provided for dividing the display area into a main display area
and an auxiliary display area and setting the main display area and
the auxiliary display area when the supplementary display is
necessary, and a display device that is provided for displaying the
extracted musical score data in the main display area and
concurrently displaying the extracted musical information in the
auxiliary display area.
[0006] Preferably, the setting device sets more than one auxiliary
display area when the extracted musical information necessitates
more than one auxiliary display area. The setting device may set
the auxiliary display area at one of a left lower portion, a left
upper portion and a right upper portion in the display area. The
setting device may vertically scan the display range to effect a
vertical division of the display area and may horizontally scan the
display range to effect a horizontal division of the display area
such that the vertical division and the horizontal division are
conducted independently of one another to provide the auxiliary
display area in accordance with the necessary supplementary
display. Preferably, the extracting device extracts the musical
information selected from clefs, key signatures, time signatures,
repeat signs, tempo notations, cadence marks, octava, pedal marks,
dynamic marks, sequence marks, expression marks, bar numbers,
title, phrase marks, part names, lyrics, and page number.
[0007] In carrying out the invention and according to a second
aspect thereof, there is provided an apparatus for displaying
musical score data in a display area. The apparatus comprises a
setting device that is provided for setting a division of the
display area into a plurality of display sub areas, a specifying
device that is provided for specifying a display format for each of
the plurality of the display sub areas in accordance with the
setting of the division of the display area, a generating device
that is provided for processing original musical score data to
generate therefrom musical score data compliant with the display
format specified for each of the plurality of the display sub
areas, and a display device that is provided for displaying the
generated musical score data onto each of the plurality of the
display sub areas in the specified display format.
[0008] Preferably, the display device can scroll the musical score
data displayed in each of the plurality of the display sub areas in
synchronization with each other. The setting device may set either
of a vertical division of the display area into a plurality of
vertical display sub areas and a horizontal division of the display
area into a plurality of horizontal display sub areas. The
specifying device may specify the display format with respect to at
least one of a part arrangement, a score style, a data type, a
transposition interval, a staff and font size, and a display
color.
[0009] According to the first aspect of the present invention, a
display range for musical score data is specified; musical score
data belonging to the display range and information valid for the
display range are extracted; whether auxiliary display is necessary
or not is determined in accordance with the specification of the
display range; a display area is divided into a main display area
and an auxiliary display area and these display areas are set when
the auxiliary display is found necessary; the extracted musical
score data and the valid information are displayed in the main
display area and the auxiliary display area, respectively. One or
more auxiliary display area is set when the auxiliary display is
found necessary. Thus, in the present invention, according to
contents of the musical score to be displayed, it is determined
whether the display area is divided into main and auxiliary display
areas. If the auxiliary display area is arranged, necessary
information is displayed in the auxiliary display area.
Consequently, the necessary information can be always displayed in
the display area. If the division of the display area is
unnecessary, the auxiliary display area is not arranged, and the
display area (window) is made effectively available for displaying
the desired portion of the musical score.
[0010] According to the second aspect of the present invention,
division of a display area (window) for displaying original musical
score data into a plurality of display areas is specified; in
response to the specification made by the division specification, a
display format for each of the plurality of the display areas is
specified; from the original musical score data, musical score data
compliant with the display format specified for each of the
plurality of the display areas are generated; and the generated
musical score data are displayed onto each of the plurality of the
display areas. The musical score data displayed in each of the
plurality of the display areas are scrolled in synchronization with
each other in the direction of time. Thus, the display area is
divided into plural display areas and a display format is
specifiable as desired for each display area, so that the user can
view musical scores in any desired formats.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a hardware
configuration of a musical score data display processing apparatus
practiced as one embodiment of the present invention.
[0012] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a functional outline
of the data processing system for musical score data display
according to the embodiment of the present invention.
[0013] FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating an example of an original
musical score to which the present invention is applicable.
[0014] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of displaying a
musical score according to a conventional method.
[0015] FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of displaying
musical score data according to the embodiment of the present
invention.
[0016] FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a method of displaying the
musical score data shown in FIG. 5 according to the embodiment of
the present invention.
[0017] FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating another example of
displaying the musical score data according to the embodiment of
the present invention.
[0018] FIG. 8 is a functional block diagram illustrating the
capabilities of the musical score data display processing system
according to another embodiment of the present invention.
[0019] FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating an example of displaying a
musical score according to the embodiment of the present
invention.
[0020] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating another example of
displaying the musical score according to the embodiment of the
present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0021] This invention will be described in further detail by way of
example with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be
noted that such description is for illustrative purposes only, and
it is to be understood that changes and variations may be made
without departing from the spirit or scope of the appended
claims.
Hardware configuration
[0022] FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a hardware
configuration of a musical score data display processing apparatus
practiced as one embodiment of the present invention. In this
example, this system comprises a central processing unit (CPU) 1, a
read-only memory (ROM) 2, a random access memory (RAM) 3, a first
and a second detectors 4 and 5, a display circuit 6, a tone
generator 7, an effector 8, and an external storage device 9. These
components 1 through 9 are interconnected through a bus 10, thereby
constituting the data processing system for displaying musical
score data.
[0023] The CPU 1 is provided for controlling the system in its
entirety and has a timer 11 for generating a tempo clock and an
interrupt clock for example, and further executes various control
operations in accordance with a predetermined program, mainly a
musical score data display processing functionality to be described
later. The ROM 2 stores predetermined control programs for
controlling this system, these control programs including various
processing programs, various tables, and various data associated
with the musical score data display processing according to the
invention, in addition to basic music play information processing.
The RAM 3 stores data and parameters necessary for the execution of
these processing operations, and is used as a work area in which
registers, flags, and data used in processing are temporarily
held.
[0024] The first detector 4 is connected to a play controls device
12 having play controls such as a music keyboard for example. An
operation switch device 13 connected to the second detector 5 has
various controls for setting various modes, parameters, and
operations. These controls include various switches as a mode
specification button for musical score data display processing
together with pointing devices such as a mouse arranged on an
operator panel, an auxiliary display setting switch, a division
specification switch, and various data selection/specification
switches. These switches and buttons are generically referred to as
"panel controls." The display circuit 6 has a display device 14 and
various indicators, which may be arranged along the various
controls on the operator panel of the switch device 13. On the
display device 14, various graphic elements operable by such
controls as a pointing device (a mouse) can be displayed. A sound
system 15 connected to the effector 8 constituted by a DSP for
example constitutes a sound output block together with the tone
generator 7 and the effector 8.
[0025] The external storage device 9 is constituted by a hard disk
drive (HDD), a Compact Disc read-only memory (CD-ROM) drive, a
floppy disk drive (FDD), a magneto-optical (MO) disk drive, or a
digital versatile disk (DVD) for example, and stores various
control programs and various data. Therefore, the programs and data
(musical score data for example) necessary for musical score data
display processing can be read out from the external storage device
9 into the RAM 3 in addition to the use of the ROM 2, and the
results of the processing can be stored in the external storage
device 9 as required.
[0026] In the present example, a MIDI interface (I/F) 16 is
connected to the bus 10, thereby allowing the system to communicate
with other MIDI devices 17. Further, a communications interface 18
is connected to the bus 10, thereby allowing the system to store
control programs and various data from a server computer 20 into
the external storage device 9 through a communications network
19.
[0027] Overview of System Functionality According to Embodiment
1
[0028] FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a functional outline
of a data processing system for musical score data display
according to an embodiment 1 of the present invention. In short, in
this processing system, as shown in FIG. 2, when a display range SD
is specified (PS) for original musical score data MD, musical score
data DP belonging to the display range SD and information AD valid
for the display range SD are extracted (DE, AE), and it is
determined whether to perform auxiliary display in accordance with
the specification of the display range SD (ND). Next, if the
auxiliary display is to be made, a display area (window) is divided
into a main display area and an auxiliary display area (ND), the
extracted musical score data DP and the extracted information AD
being displayed in the main display area and the auxiliary display
area, respectively (DC). The following describes the functionality
of each of these blocks constituting this data processing
system.
[0029] The musical score data supply block MS supplies the original
musical score data MD to the display portion extracting block DE
and the auxiliary area data extracting block AE. The musical score
data MD are extracted for use in displaying a musical score, which
is originally rigid data having no timing variation for example. It
should be noted that a musical score may be displayed on the basis
of play data for musical performance having a timing variation; in
such a case, the play data serves as musical score data.
[0030] For the musical score data MD, various data formats are
available. In one example, "type of note+pitch (or type of rest)"
are arranged in a time-dependent manner. Another example is image
data such as bit map data. The musical score data MD are formed by
data of plural tracks corresponding to plural musical instrument
parts. It should be noted that the musical score data MD are
usually stored on the external storage device 9 or the ROM 2 or the
RAM 3; the musical score data MD may also be supplied from the
external MIDI device 17 or the server computer 20 via the
interfaces 16 and 18. Alternatively, the musical score data may be
inputted in the system from the play controls 12 or the panel
controls 13.
[0031] The display portion specification block PS specifies such
portions of the musical score data to be displayed as a display
range along time axis and a part among plural parts to be
displayed, and outputs the display portion specification
information SD to the display portion extracting block DE, the
auxiliary area data extracting block AE, and the auxiliary area
determination block ND. The specification of display portions is
executed by means of a horizontal scroll bar (along time axis) and
a vertical scroll bar (along music parts) of the display area,
namely the musical score display window on the display screen of
the display 14 for example. Alternatively, this specification may
be performed by making reproduction of the score on the basis of
the musical score data MD or separately prepared play data while
sequentially updating the portions to be displayed as the
reproduction proceeds.
[0032] In the display portion extracting block DE, the specified
area along the time axis and a portion of the musical score data MD
corresponding to the part to be displayed are extracted as partial
musical score data DP from the original musical score data MD in
accordance with the display portion specification information SD
supplied from the display portion specification block PS, and
passes the extracted data to the display control block DC.
[0033] In the auxiliary area data extracting block AE, the
auxiliary display data AD to be displayed in the auxiliary display
area (which may be abbreviated as an auxiliary area) on the screen
(or window) of the display 14 are extracted from the original
musical score data MD in accordance with the specification
information SD supplied from the display portion specification
block PS, and the extracted auxiliary display data AD are passed to
the display control block DC. The auxiliary display data AD include
clefs (G clef, F clef, etc.), key signatures (sharp "#" and flat
"b"), time signatures (4/4, etc.), repeat signs (dal segno, etc.),
tempo marks (allegro, ritardando, etc.), cadence marks (fermata,
etc.), and octava, for example. Of these data, to be displayed at
the left end are clefs, key signatures, and time signatures, and to
be displayed at the top are repeat signs, tempo marks, and cadence
marks. It should be noted that, among the auxiliary display data
AD, time-dependent information which is valid (the information
immediately before the specified part) in the data portion
specified by the display portion specification block PS is
extracted.
[0034] The auxiliary area determination block ND determines whether
to divide the display area (window) for providing auxiliary area
display in accordance with the display portion specified by the
specification information SD supplied from the display portion
specification block PS, and outputs the resultant determination
information CC to the display control block DC. When the division
is permitted by the operation of the auxiliary display setting
switch on the panel controls 13, it is determined that horizontal
division is not made if the information to be displayed is already
included in the auxiliary area left-side portion (composed of a
lower left auxiliary display area LL and an upper left auxiliary
display area LU to be described later) in the display portion along
time axis; otherwise, it is determined that the horizontal division
is made. Also, in the display portion along the part direction, if
the information to be displayed is already included in the
auxiliary area upper portion (an upper right auxiliary display area
RU), it is determined that vertical division is not made;
otherwise, it is determined that vertical division is made. For the
auxiliary area upper left portion (the upper left auxiliary display
area LU), creation of the auxiliary display area upper left portion
is instructed to the display control block DC when the horizontal
or vertical division is determined.
[0035] Display modes in embodiment 1
[0036] With a normal musical score, the left end thereof is entered
with such information affecting each part as part name, clef, and
key signature. The upper portion of the score is entered with such
information valid for a bar common for all parts as tempo,
expression marks, and sequence symbols (segno, coda mark, etc.). In
addition, if a musical score is enlarged for detail view in order
to adjust symbol positions or the number of staffs increases as
with a large orchestral score for example, all the score
information cannot be accommodated in the display area. FIG. 3
shows an example of such a large score.
[0037] FIG. 4 shows a conventional method of displaying only a
necessary portion of a musical score by scrolling. In this method,
when a bar midway in the score is to be viewed for editing by
scrolling the score along time axis (namely, horizontally), the
portion to be edited may be incorrectly taken because only the
midway portion is displayed. Otherwise, when a lower part is
edited, the screen must be scrolled in the direction of parts
(namely, vertically) to make confirmation of the information
arranged in the upper portion. Actually, screen scrolling is slow
and therefore frustrating.
[0038] On the other hand, in the embodiment 1 of the present
invention, the display area (window) of the screen on the display
device is divided in accordance with a predetermined condition into
a main display area for displaying the desired score portion and an
auxiliary display area for displaying the predetermined information
associated with the desired score portion. Therefore, the user can
recognize the effective information from the display areas
regardless of the position to be edited, and can continue editing
operation without switching between displays, thereby minimizing
the chance of making a mistake and enhancing the efficiency of
editing. FIG. 5 illustrates one example of score display in the
display area (window) on the screen of the display in the musical
score data display processing system according to the embodiment 1
of the present invention.
[0039] For example, if the user specifies the displaying of the
auxiliary area by operating the auxiliary display setting switch on
the panel controls 13 for example and the horizontal and vertical
divisions are determined by the auxiliary area determination block
ND, the auxiliary display area composed of the lower left auxiliary
display area LL, the upper left auxiliary display area LU, and the
upper right auxiliary display area RU appears as shown in FIG. 5
outside the main display area MA. In these auxiliary display areas,
the predetermined information associated with the score portion
viewed in the main display area MA is displayed.
[0040] FIG. 6 illustrates the method of displaying musical score
data according to the embodiment 1 of the present invention as
shown in FIG. 5. In the example shown in FIG. 6, if musical score
data MD within a range starting with display start time t1 and
display part 2 are to be displayed on the display area (window) on
the display 14, there are, as auxiliary display data AD valid for
this display range, part numbers (parts 2 trough 5), clefs, key
signatures, and time signatures on the left side, a page number
(10) and a tempo notation in the upper left side, and repeat signs
and lyrics on the top side. However, these information is not
included in the musical score data of the range to be displayed. In
such a case, the auxiliary area determination block ND determines
that the display area be divided horizontally and vertically. In
accordance with the determination for dividing the display area,
the musical score data MD in main display range DP0 between the
display start time t1 and the display end time t2 are displayed in
the main display area MA as shown in FIG. 5, and the auxiliary
display data AD in a first auxiliary range DP1, a second auxiliary
range DP2, and a third auxiliary range DP3 are displayed in the
lower left auxiliary display area LL, the upper left auxiliary
display area LU, and the upper right auxiliary display area UR,
respectively.
[0041] If the musical score data MD in the upper right (including
top and left end) of the musical score example shown in FIG. 6 are
to be displayed, the auxiliary area determination block ND
determines that the division is unnecessary regardless of the
instruction for providing auxiliary display because the auxiliary
display data AD valid for this range are all included in the
specified range. Therefore, in this case, the musical score data MD
in the range to be displayed are displayed in the sole display area
(window) as shown in FIG. 7. It should be noted that, if an
instruction is given by operating the auxiliary display setting
switch for example that the auxiliary area be not displayed, the
musical score data are fully displayed in the sole display
area.
[0042] In the embodiment 1 of the present invention, the auxiliary
display area is arranged as described above for displaying the
auxiliary display data AD. This allows the user to recognize the
information valid for the display area wherever the portion under
editing is in a page and allows the user to continue the editing
operation without switching between displays, thereby minimizing
the chance of making a mistake and enhancing the efficiency of
editing. In addition, if there is no information to be displayed in
the auxiliary area, the auxiliary area need not be displayed,
thereby allowing the effective use of the display area
(window).
[0043] Items which can provide the auxiliary display data AD valid
for the musical score data (the main display range DP0) displayed
in the main display area are listed below. For the auxiliary
display data AD, any of the following items may be selected as
required:
[0044] (a) clef, key signature, time signature, and bracket;
[0045] (b) (detached) octaver, slur, and tie;
[0046] (c) pedal mark and dynamic mark;
[0047] (d) sequence mark, tempo notation, and expression mark;
[0048] (e) bar number, title, and phrase mark;
[0049] (f) part name;
[0050] (g) lyrics; and
[0051] (h) page number, etc.
[0052] It should be noted that the items to be displayed in the
auxiliary display area may be preset or separately specified.
Further, the display position of the auxiliary area may be preset,
or may be separately positioned as desired in the bottom or the
right side, for example.
[0053] As described above, the inventive apparatus is provided for
displaying musical score data in a display area. In the inventive
apparatus shown in FIG. 2, a specifying device is provided in the
form of the block PS for specifying a display range of original
musical score data. An extracting device is provided in the form of
the blocks DE and AE for extracting musical score data included in
the display range from the original musical score data and for
extracting musical information precluded from the display range but
influencing the extracted musical score data from the original
musical score data. A determining device is provided in the form of
the block ND for determining whether a supplementary display is
necessary or not in accordance with the specified display range. A
setting device is provided in the form of the block DC for dividing
the display area into a main display area and an auxiliary display
area and setting the main display area and the auxiliary display
area when the supplementary display is necessary. The display
device 14 displays the extracted musical score data in the main
display area and concurrently displays the extracted musical
information in the auxiliary display area.
[0054] Preferably, the setting device sets more than one auxiliary
display area when the extracted musical information necessitates
more than one auxiliary display area. The setting device may set
the auxiliary display area at one of a left lower portion, a left
upper portion and a right upper portion in the display area. The
setting device may vertically scan the display range to effect a
vertical division of the display area and may horizontally scan the
display range to effect a horizontal division of the display area
such that the vertical division and the horizontal division are
conducted independently of one another to provide the auxiliary
display area in accordance with the necessary supplementary
display. Preferably, the extracting device extracts the musical
information selected from clefs, key signatures, time signatures,
repeat signs, tempo notations, cadence marks, octava, pedal marks,
dynamic marks, sequence marks, expression marks, bar numbers,
title, phrase marks, part names, lyrics, and page number.
[0055] Overview of system functionality according to embodiment
2
[0056] FIG. 8 is a functional block diagram outlining the
functionality of a data processing system for displaying musical
score data according to an embodiment 2 of the present invention.
For summary, in this processing system, when a display format DF of
each display area is specified (FS) according to the specification
DS for dividing a display area (window) into plural display areas
(SS), musical score data MP are generated from the original musical
score data MD in accordance with the display format DF specified
for each display area (PM), and the generated musical score data MP
(DP) are displayed in each display area (DC). The following
describes the function of each of these blocks of this data
processing system.
[0057] A musical score data supply block MS supplies the original
musical score data MD as with the embodiment 1 to a divided musical
score generating block PM. A display area division specification
block SS specifies the division of a display area (window) into
plural sub display areas or frames as well as a mode of the
division, and outputs the division specification information DS.
The mode of division is such as "divide into three vertical
areas,""divide into two horizontal areas," "or divide into two
vertical areas and divide the left area further into two horizontal
areas" for example. In this case, it is preferable that the width
of each divided area be also specified. The division modes may be
specified by a command or through a GUI.
[0058] A display format specification block FS specifies a format
of a musical score to be displayed in each divided display area,
and outputs the format specification information DF. The
specifiable formats include part type (only part 1, all parts, and
so on), display style (staff, tablature (used especially for
stringed instruments, also called "TAB score"), piano role score,
lyrics, and drum score), data type (note, velocity, program change,
and so on), transposition, staff and font size, display color, and
so on. The division modes and the display formats to be specified
in the blocks SS and FS may be contained in the musical score data
MD (namely, they may be provided as default formats beforehand or
specified later by the user).
[0059] On the basis of the division specification information DS
supplied from the display area division specification block SS and
the format specification information DS supplied from the display
format specification block FS, the divided musical score generating
block PM generates, from the original musical score data MD,
divided musical score data MP corresponding to the number of
divisions of display area specified by the division specification
information DS and the formats specified by the format
specification information DF. If a display format (or display
style) is specified, which cannot be displayed directly from the
original musical score data, as with a tablature score and a piano
role score for example, the original data is converted into the
data of the specified format.
[0060] As with the embodiment 1, a display portion specification
block PS specifies a portion of the musical score data MD to be
displayed in terms of a range along time axis and a part among
plural parts to be displayed for example, and outputs display
portion specification information SD. As with the embodiment 1, a
display portion extraction block DE extracts, in accordance with
the display portion specification information SD, data in the
specified range along time axis from the divided musical score data
MP supplied from the divided musical score generating block PM as
partial musical score data DP, and passes the extracted partial
musical score data DP to a display control block DC.
[0061] According to the contents of the division specification
information supplied from the display area division specification
block SS, the display control block DC divides the display area
into plural sub display areas, and displays the partial musical
score data DP generated in the division musical score generating
block PM and extracted in the display portion extraction block DE
onto each divided display area.
[0062] Display modes in embodiment 2
[0063] FIG. 9 and FIG. 10 illustrate examples of musical score
display in the embodiment 2 of the present invention. In the
musical score example shown in FIG. 9, the display area (window) is
divided into three horizontal display areas D1 through D3. In the
first display area D1, a tablature score is displayed. In the
second display area D2, a normal score (staff) is displayed. In the
third display are D3, lyrics are displayed. The musical score data
displayed in these display areas D1 through D3 can be scrolled
(moved) in synchronization with each other in the time direction
(horizontally) by an automatic scroll capability in response to a
scroll button operation or music play progression. In the vertical
direction, these display areas can be scrolled independently. It
should be noted that the widths of these display areas D1 through
D3 can be changed by boundary buttons B1 and B2 corresponding to
the boundaries between the display areas or by vertically dragging
the boundaries themselves.
[0064] In the embodiment 2 of the present invention, plural pieces
of musical score data are displayed in the plural display areas D1
through D3 in the display area (window) with different display
formats. This arrangement allows the user to use both of a display
format (or display style) which is easy in executing an editing job
and another display format (or display style) which is easy in
executing a confirmation job, and allows the user to simultaneously
execute the jobs in both of the areas and, simultaneously display a
display style (tab score) which is easy in play, and another
display style (the staff). If each score display portion has a
display parameter, transposition by use of the display parameter in
advance allows the user to make confirmation of an interval
(namely, cancellation of an interval) on a transposing instrument,
or allows the user to edit one part while viewing other parts.
Displaying the lyrics in a divided manner as shown in FIG. 9 allows
the user to set the size as desired, thereby enhancing the
visibility of the musical score data and providing display in which
score indication is synchronized with karaoke-style wipe of
lyrics.
[0065] The display area may also divided in the direction of time
in the case where the time may be independent for each display area
or the times of all display areas may be interlocked. In the
musical score example shown in FIG. 10, the display area is divided
into a left-side area and a right-side area, the left-side area is
further divided into an upper area and a lower area to which the
second and third display areas D2 and D3 are set respectively, and
the first display area D1 is set to the right-side display area. In
this example, a score is displayed in the first display area D1 and
a corresponding piano role score and lyrics are displayed in the
second and third display areas D2 and D3, respectively. The score
in the first display area D1, the piano role score in the second
display area D2, and the lyrics in the third display area D3 are
controlled in an interlocking manner so that they move in
synchronization. The scroll buttons for time direction (horizontal
direction) are also interlocked. It should be noted that the time
widths of the display areas D1 through D3 can be changed by use of
the boundary button B3 between the display area D1 and the display
areas D2 and D3 or by dragging the boundary line itself
horizontally. The vertical widths of the display areas D2 and D3
can be changed by vertically dragging a boundary line L1 between
the display areas D2 and D3.
[0066] As described above, according to the second embodiment, the
inventive apparatus is provided for displaying musical score data
in a display area. In the inventive apparatus shown in FIG. 8, a
setting device is provided in the form of the block SS for setting
a division of the display area into a plurality of display sub
areas. A specifying device is provided in the form of the block FS
for specifying a display format for each of the plurality of the
display sub areas in accordance with the setting of the division of
the display area. A generating device is provided in the form of
the block PM for processing original musical score data to generate
therefrom musical score data compliant with the display format
specified for each of the plurality of the display sub areas. A
display device is provided in the form of the block DC for
displaying the generated musical score data onto each of the
plurality of the display sub areas in the specified display
format.
[0067] Preferably, the display device can scroll the musical score
data displayed in each of the plurality of the display sub areas in
synchronization with each other. The setting device may set either
of a vertical division of the display area into a plurality of
vertical display sub areas and a horizontal division of the display
area into a plurality of horizontal display sub areas. The
specifying device may specify the display format with respect to at
least one of a part arrangement, a score style, a data type, a
transposition interval, a staff and font size, and a display
color.
[0068] Various other embodiments
[0069] The musical data display processing apparatus according to
the present invention may be practiced in various other modes. For
example, the system may be installed not only in an electronic
musical instrument, but also a personal computer plus application
software. If the system is based on an electronic musical
instrument, it may be not only a keyboard instrument but also a
stringed instrument, a wind instrument, a percussion instrument,
and so on. Further, the system may be installed in an electronic
musical instrument with a tone generator and an automatic play
apparatus for example built in, or the system may be composed of a
discrete tone generator and a discrete automatic play apparatus
which are interconnected by communications means such as MIDI and
various networks. The processing programs and the data for use by
the system may be supplied directly from external storage media or
external devices via a communication interface into the electronic
musical instrument or the personal computer that constitutes the
system.
[0070] As for automatic play functionality, any of the following
play data formats is available: "event+relative time" in which a
play event occurrence time is expressed in a time from the last
event; "event+absolute time" in which a play event occurrence time
is expressed in an absolute time in a piece of music or a bar;
"pitch (rest)+note length" in which play data are expressed in
pitch and length of note or rest and rest length; and "solid
scheme" in which a memory area is allocated for each minimum play
resolution and a play event is stored in the memory area
corresponding to a play event occurrence time. It should be noted
that, in the above-mentioned embodiments, a play event includes a
note event and a rest event for example; absence of a note event
may replace a rest event, thereby omitting the rest event.
[0071] Automatic play data for plural channels may be stored in a
form where data for plural channels exist in a mixed manner or in
another form where the data of each channel are arranged for each
track. In the system memory, time-dependent play data and link
information may be stored in continues areas, or data stored in
scattered areas may be separately managed as continuous data
(namely, the data may only be managed as data continuous in a
time-dependent manner and therefore whether the data are stored
continuously in memory makes no difference).
[0072] MIDI interface may be configured by use of not only a
dedicated MIDI interface, but also a general-purpose interface such
as RS-232C, USB (Universal Serial Bus), or IEEE (Institute of
Electrical and Electronics Engineers) 1394. In this case, data
other than MIDI messages may be transferred at the same time.
[0073] As mentioned above and according to the first aspect of the
invention, a display range for musical score data is specified;
musical score data belonging to the display range and information
valid for the display range are extracted; whether auxiliary
display is necessary or not is determined in accordance with the
specification of the display range; a display area is divided into
a main display area and an auxiliary display area and these display
areas are set when the auxiliary display is found necessary; the
extracted musical score data and the information are displayed in
the main display area and the auxiliary display area, respectively.
One or more auxiliary display areas are set when the auxiliary
display is found necessary. Thus, in the present invention,
according to a musical score portion to be displayed, it is
determined whether the display area is divided into main and
auxiliary display areas. If the auxiliary display area is arranged,
necessary information is displayed in the auxiliary area.
Consequently, the necessary information can be always displayed in
the display area. If the division of the display area is
unnecessary, the auxiliary display area is not arranged and the
sole display area (window) is made effectively available for
displaying a desired musical score.
[0074] According to the second aspect of the present invention,
division of a display area (window) for displaying musical score
data into a plurality of display areas is specified; in response to
the specification made by the division specification, a display
format for each of the plurality of display areas is specified;
from the original musical score data, musical score data compliant
with the display format specified for each of the plurality of
display areas are generated; and the generated musical score data
are displayed onto each of the plurality of the display areas. The
musical score data displayed in each of the plurality of the
display areas are scrolled in synchronization with each other in
the direction of time. Thus, the display area is divided into
plural display areas and a display format is specifiable as desired
for each display area, so that the user can view musical scores in
any desired format.
* * * * *