Performance information of a music performance executed by a user is received, and temporarily stored into a buffer for each given time period. The performance information is recorded into a recording section in response to a recording instruction by the user. Second performance information having a definite time period is reproduced repeatedly, and the user ad-libs a desired musical performance while listening to the repeatedly reproduced tones of the second performance information. The given time period is set to coincide with the definite time period of the second performance information. Temporarily-stored performance information for the given time period is recorded in one of a plurality of recording tracks. In response to a plurality of user's recording instructions, a plurality of different segments of performance information for the given time period are recorded into respective ones of the recording tracks, and these different segments are reproduced repeatedly in synchronized fashion.

A device for reading waveform data of a musical tone from a primary storage device and transferring the read waveform data to a secondary storage device for tone reproduction includes a processor configured to perform: retrieving, for each waveform of a plurality of waveforms that represent a musical tone stored in the primary storage device, segment group information from the primary storage device; retrieving the plurality of waveforms that represent the musical tone from the primary storage device, the waveform group retrieval process retrieving a waveform or waveforms, among the plurality of waveforms, that have the same segment group information as a group; and writing, as a single group, the waveform or waveforms, among the plurality of waveforms, that have the same segment group information onto one of prescribed storage segments that are storage regions of prescribed sizes in the secondary storage device.

A musical tone generating device includes: a nonvolatile storage device that stores musical tone waveform data; a volatile storage device; and a control means that, when a power supply is turned on, performs control to transfer musical tone waveform data to the volatile storage device from the nonvolatile storage device, in the case where an instruction to reproduce a musical tone is given, the control means to read musical tone waveform data from the volatile storage device, and in the case where an error in the read musical tone waveform data is detected, the control means to perform control to overwrite musical tone waveform data obtained by correcting the musical tone waveform data including the detected error to the volatile storage device or transfer normal musical tone waveform data corresponding to the musical tone waveform data including the detected error to the volatile storage device from the nonvolatile storage device.

Disclosed herein are a number of example embodiments for an improved audio sample playback unit. For example, multi-dimensional mapping of triggers to audio samples is disclosed. Also disclosed is low latency retrieval and playback of audio samples via pre-loading of sample heads into high speed memory. Furthermore, disclosed herein is a multi-threaded control operation for generating audio frames in response to trigger inputs, as well as the use of multiple pipes from which audio data can be generated. Further still, an example embodiment provides for multi-level control of audio properties, including voice-specific controls, pipe-specific controls, and global controls.

Disclosed herein are a number of example embodiments for an improved audio sample playback unit. For example, multi-dimensional mapping of triggers to audio samples is disclosed. Also disclosed is low latency retrieval and playback of audio samples via pre-loading of sample heads into high speed memory. Furthermore, disclosed herein is a multi-threaded control operation for generating audio frames in response to trigger inputs, as well as the use of multiple pipes from which audio data can be generated. Further still, an example embodiment provides for multi-level control of audio properties, including voice-specific controls, pipe-specific controls, and global controls.

An electronic musical instrument includes a sound source LSI to generate a musical sound using a RAM that retains waveform data that has been selectively read from a plurality of waveforms stored in a large-capacity flash memory, and smoothly executes transfer of additional waveform data from the flash memory to the RAM when the requisite waveform data is not retained in the RAM during the performance. Performance data is generated by a sequencer, a prescribed delay time is applied to the performance data by an event time generator and an event delay buffer so as to provide for sufficient time for the transfer of the additional waveform if such transfer is needed. A musical sound is generated by an event buffer and a sound source driver on the basis of the delayed performance data.

A musical sound generation device including a first memory having a plurality of storage areas where waveform data is read out and stored, a waveform generator which functions as a plurality of waveform generating sections each of which generates a waveform for emitting a sound by reading out waveform data from a selected storage area of the first memory; and a control processor which determines, when an instruction for sound emission is provided, a combination of a waveform generating section and a storage area to be used for the instructed sound emission, based on a status of reading waveform data from each storage area by each waveform generating section.

When transferring waveform data from a waveform region in a high-capacity flash memory to a waveform buffer in a RAM, first, whether a non-ring buffer region that can receive the waveform data can be allocated in the RAM is determined, and if so, the waveform data is transferred to the allocated non-ring buffer region. If such a non-ring buffer region cannot be allocated, then whether a ring buffer region that can receive the waveform data can be allocated in the RAM is determined, and if so, the waveform data is transferred to the ring-buffer region in a ring buffer operational manner.

An electronic musical instrument includes a sound source LSI to generate a musical sound using a RAM that retains waveform data that has been selectively read from a plurality of waveforms stored in a large-capacity flash memory, and smoothly executes transfer of additional waveform data from the flash memory to the RAM when the requisite waveform data is not retained in the RAM during the performance. Performance data is generated by a sequencer, a prescribed delay time is applied to the performance data by an event time generator and an event delay buffer so as to provide for sufficient time for the transfer of the additional waveform if such transfer is needed. A musical sound is generated by an event buffer and a sound source driver on the basis of the delayed performance data.

A musical sound generation device including a first memory having a plurality of waveform data, a second memory which stores waveform data read out from the first memory, and a control processor which controls such that, when a sound emission instruction is provided and specified waveform data is in the second memory, the waveform data is read out by the sound source processor, or controls such that, when a sound emission instruction is provided and specified waveform data is not in the second memory, the specified waveform data is transferred from the first memory to the second memory and read out by the sound source processor, in which the control processor controls such that waveform data satisfying a set condition is not subjected to a waveform data change by the transfer and waveform data not satisfying the set condition is subjected to the waveform data change by the transfer.