2D USER INTERFACE FOR A MUSICAL INSTRUMENT FOR PLAYING COMBINED SEQUENCES OF CHORDS AND TUNES, AND COMPUTER-READABLE STORAGE MEDIUM

Abstract

The invention relates to a user interface for a musical instrument, in particular an electronic or virtual musical instrument, for playing combined sequences of chords and tunes, comprising a key matrix (1) having a plurality of zones 111, 121, . . . ; 112, 122, . . . ; 11n, 12n, . . . that can be activated, these zones being arranged in columns and rows, each row of activatable zone 111, 121, . . . ; 112, 122, . . . ; 11n, 12n, . . . forming a region 101, 102, . . . , each region 101, 102, . . . being associated with a basic chord that preferably is a chord of a scale, preferably of a diatonic scale, the chord being specific of the scale, and each zone 111, 121, . . . ; 112, 122, . . . ; 11n, 12n, . . . being associated with a musical tone of the tune, which is preferably a musical tone of the tune of the scale. The user interface is designed to produce, when a zone 111, 121, . . . ; 112, 122, . . . ; 11n, 12n, . . . in a region 101, 102, . . . is activated, a musical tone-producing command in accordance with the activated zone 111, 121, . . . ; 112, 122, . . . ; 11n, 12n, . . . and region 101, 102, . . . , and the musical tone-producing command comprises at least one basic chord note command of a pitch that is contained in the basic chord associated with the activated region 101, 102, . . . and comprises a tune note command the pitch of which corresponds to the musical tone of the tune of the activated zone 111, 121, . . . ; 112, 122, . . . ; 11n, 12n, . . . . The invention also relates to a musical instrument, a method for producing combined sequences of chords and tunes, and a computer-readable storage medium.

Claims

1. A user interface for a musical instrument, in particular an electronic or virtual musical instrument, for playing combined chord and tune sequences, comprising: a key matrix (1) with a plurality of zones (11.sub.1, 12.sub.1, . . . ; 11.sub.2, 12.sub.2, . . . ; 11.sub.n, 12.sub.n, . . . ) which are arranged in columns and rows, wherein each row of activatable zones (11.sub.1, 12.sub.1, . . . ; 11.sub.2, 12.sub.2, . . . ; 11.sub.n, 12.sub.n, . . . ) forms a region (10.sub.1, 10.sub.2, . . . ), wherein each region (10.sub.1, 10.sub.2, . . . ) is associated with a basic chord, which is preferably a chord of a scale, preferably a diatonic scale, the chord being specific to the scale, wherein each zone (11.sub.1, 12.sub.1, . . . ; 11.sub.2, 12.sub.2, . . . ; 11.sub.n, 12.sub.n, . . . ) is associated with a musical tone, which is preferably a musical tone of a scale, wherein the user interface is designed to produce, when a zone (11.sub.1, 12.sub.1, . . . ; 11.sub.2, 12.sub.2, . . . ; 11.sub.n, 12.sub.n, . . . ) in a region (10.sub.1, 10.sub.2) is activated, a musical tone-producing command corresponding to the activated zone (11.sub.1, 12.sub.1, . . . ; 11.sub.2, 12.sub.2, . . . ; 11.sub.n, 12.sub.n, . . . ) and region (10.sub.1, 10.sub.2, . . . ), wherein the musical tone-producing command comprises at least one basic chord note command with a pitch which is contained in the basic chord associated with the activated region (10.sub.1, 10.sub.2, . . . ), and comprises a tune note command, the pitch of which corresponds to the musical tone of the activated zone (11.sub.1, 12.sub.1, . . . ; 11.sub.2, 12.sub.2, . . . ; 11.sub.n, 12.sub.n, . . . ).

2. The user interface according to claim 1, wherein the basic chords, which are associated with regions (10.sub.1, 10.sub.2, . . . ) adjacent to one another, have a tonal distance of one third from one another.

3. The user interface according to claim 1, wherein musical tones of the tune are associated in ascending pitch with the zones (11.sub.1, 12.sub.1, . . . ; 11.sub.2, 12.sub.2, . . . ; in each region (10.sub.1, 10.sub.2, . . . ), wherein the musical tones of the tune, which are associated with successive zones (11.sub.1, 12.sub.1, . . . ; 11.sub.2, 12.sub.2, . . . ; in each region (10.sub.1, 10.sub.2, . . . ), preferably form a scale, preferably a diatonic scale.

4. The user interface according to claim 1, wherein the same musical tone of the tune is associated with the zones (11.sub.1, 12.sub.1, . . . ; 11.sub.2, 12.sub.2, . . . ; 11.sub.n, 12.sub.n, . . . ) in each column of the key matrix (1).

5. The user interface according to claim 1, wherein the pitch of the at least one basic chord note command is selected for each zone (11.sub.1, 12.sub.1, . . . ; 11.sub.2, 12.sub.2, . . . ; 11.sub.n, 12.sub.n, . . . ), in such a way that it lies below or above the pitch of the musical note-producing command.

6. The user interface according to claim 1, wherein for each zone (11.sub.1, 12.sub.1, . . . ; 11.sub.2, 12.sub.2, . . . ; 11.sub.n, 12.sub.n, . . . ) the pitch of the at least one basic chord note command is selected in such a way that the tonal distance between the tune note command and the closest basic chord note command is greater than a minor second.

7. The user interface according to claim 1, wherein the musical tone-producing command includes for each zone (11.sub.1, 12.sub.1, . . . ; 11.sub.2, 12.sub.2, . . . ; 11.sub.n, 12.sub.n, . . . ) a bass note command, which corresponds to one of the tones of the basic chord, preferably the tonic tone of the basic chord, and has a pitch which is lower than the pitch of the remaining note commands.

8. A musical instrument, comprising a user interface according to claim 1, as well as a sound generator, which is designed, based on the musical tone-producing commands, to produce an audio signal for output via an audio output interface.

9. The musical instrument according to claim 8, comprising a touchscreen, on which the key matrix (1) can be displayed and the zones (11.sub.1, 12.sub.1, . . . ; 11.sub.2, 12.sub.2, . . . ; 11.sub.n, 12.sub.n, . . . ) can be activated by touch.

10. A method for producing combined chord and tune sequences using a user interface for a musical instrument for playing combined chord and tune sequences, comprising a key matrix (1) with a plurality of zones (11.sub.1, 12.sub.1, . . . ; 11.sub.2, 12.sub.2, . . . ; 11.sub.n, 12.sub.n, . . . ) which are arranged in columns and rows, wherein each row of activatable zones (11.sub.1, 12.sub.1, 11.sub.2, 12.sub.2, . . . ; 11.sub.n, 12.sub.n, . . . ) forms a region (10.sub.1, 10.sub.2, . . . ), wherein each region (10.sub.1, 10.sub.2, . . . ) is associated with a basic chord, which is preferably a chord of a scale, preferably a diatonic scale, the chord being specific to the scale, wherein each zone (11.sub.1, 12.sub.1, . . . ; 11.sub.2, 12.sub.2, . . . ; 11.sub.n, 12.sub.n, . . . ) is associated with a musical tone, which is preferably a musical tone of a scale, wherein the user interface is designed to produce, when a zone (11.sub.1, 12.sub.1, . . . ; 11.sub.2, 12.sub.2, . . . ; 11.sub.n, 12.sub.n, . . . ) in a region (10.sub.1, 10.sub.2) is activated, a musical tone-producing command corresponding to the activated zone (11.sub.1, 12.sub.1, . . . ; 11.sub.2, 12.sub.2, . . . ; 11.sub.n, 12.sub.n, . . . ) and region (10.sub.1, 10.sub.2, . . . ), wherein the musical tone-producing command comprises at least one basic chord note command with a pitch which is contained in the basic chord associated with the activated region (10.sub.1, 10.sub.2, . . . ), and comprises a tune note command, the pitch of which corresponds to the musical tone of the activated zone (11.sub.1, 12.sub.1, . . . ; 11.sub.2, 12.sub.2, . . . ; 11.sub.n, 12.sub.n, . . . ), preferably by using a musical instrument, comprising the following steps: provision of the user interface; reception of a user input when a zone (11.sub.1, 12.sub.1, . . . ; 11.sub.2, 12.sub.2, . . . ; 11.sub.n, 12.sub.n, . . . ) of the key matrix (1) is activated; producing a musical tone-producing command corresponding to the activated zone (11.sub.1, 12.sub.1, . . . ; 11.sub.2, 12.sub.2, . . . ; 11.sub.n, 12.sub.n, . . . ).

11. The method according to claim 10, also including the following steps: loading of previously stored audio samples from a storage medium or synthesis of an audio signal corresponding to the produced musical tone-producing command; outputting of the audio samples or the audio signal via an audio output interface.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein the method is constituted as a computer-implemented method and the provision of the user interface comprises the display of the key matrix (1) on a touchscreen.

13. A computer-readable storage medium which contains instructions which cause at least one processor to perform a computer-implemented method according to claim 12, when the instructions are carried out by the at least one processor.

14. A method for producing combined chord and tune sequences according to claim 10, wherein the musical instrument comprises the user interface, as well as a sound generator, which is designed, based on the musical tone-producing commands, to produce an audio signal for output via an audio output interface.

15. A method for producing combined chord and tune sequences according to claim 14, wherein the musical instrument further comprises a touchscreen, on which the key matrix (1) can be displayed and the zones (11.sub.1, 12.sub.1, . . . ; 11.sub.2, 12.sub.2, . . . ; 11.sub.n, 12.sub.n, . . . ) can be activated by touch.

Description

[0044] The invention is also described in the following with regard to further features and advantages with the aid of examples of embodiment, which will be explained in greater detail by reference to the figures.

[0045] FIG. 1 shows a diagrammatic representation of a key matrix of a user interface according to an example of embodiment of the present invention;

[0046] FIG. 2 shows a detail of the key matrix from FIG. 1 with note commands, which can be produced by activating the shown zones.

[0047] FIG. 3 shows a region of the key matrix according to a further example of embodiment of the present invention;

[0048] FIG. 4 shows a flowchart for a method for producing combined sequences of chords and tunes according to an example of embodiment of the present invention.

[0049] FIG. 1 shows a diagrammatic representation of a key matrix 1 for a user interface of a musical instrument according to an example of embodiment of the present invention. Key matrix 1 can be implemented in the form of mechanical keys, or can be displayed on a touch-sensitive touchscreen. Key matrix 1 comprises a multiplicity of activatable zones 11.sub.1, 12.sub.1, . . . ; 11.sub.2, 12.sub.2, . . . ; 11.sub.n, 12.sub.n, which are arranged in an orthogonal grid in columns and rows in the example of embodiment shown in FIG. 1.

[0050] A basic chord and a musical tone of the tune is associated with each zone 11.sub.1, 12.sub.1, . . . ; 11.sub.2, 12.sub.2, . . . ; 11.sub.n, 12.sub.n. When a zone 11.sub.1, 12.sub.1, . . . ; 11.sub.2, 12.sub.2, . . . ; 11.sub.n, 12.sub.n is activated, a musical tone-producing command is produced, which comprises at least one basic chord note command with a pitch, which is contained in the associated basic chord, as well as a tune note command with a pitch, which corresponds to the associated musical tone of the tune. Combined sequences of chords and tunes can thus be produced by the successive activation of individual zones, for example with one finger.

[0051] FIG. 1 shows an association of basic chords and musical tones of the tune with zones 11.sub.1, 12.sub.1, . . . ; 11.sub.2, 12.sub.2, . . . ; 11.sub.n, 12.sub.n according to a preferred example of embodiment of the present invention. Each row of zones forms a region 10.sub.1, 10.sub.2, . . . ; 10.sub.n, with which a basic chord is associated in each case. The association of the musical tones of the tune is selected in such a way that the same musical tone of the tune is associated with all the zones inside a column (indicated by dashed lines) of the key matrix 1. The basic chords associated with regions 10.sub.1, 10.sub.2, . . . ; 10.sub.n are indicated in FIG. 1 in each case on the left in regions 10.sub.1, 10.sub.2, . . . ; 10.sub.n. The musical tones of the tune associated with the columns are indicated at the lower end of key matrix 1. Basic chord C (C-major) is thus associated for example with region 104, basic chord Em (E-minor) with region 103, and basic chord B.sup.0 (B reduced) with region 10.sub.1. Musical tone C of the tune is associated in each case with zones 11, 11.sub.2, . . . , 11.sub.n in the first column. The tones of the C-major scale as musical tones of the tune are each associated in ascending order with zones in the successive columns.

[0052] The example of embodiment shown in FIG. 1 is thus configured in such a way that all the basic chords are chords of the diatonic scale C-major, the chords being specific to the scale. The tonal distance of the basic chords of adjacent regions amounts in each case to a third. All the musical tones of the tune are also chords of the diatonic scale C-major, the chords also being specific to the scale. The same musical tone of the tune is associated in each case with zones inside the same column, so that the same musical tone of the tune is associated with adjacent zones of adjacent regions. Successive musical tones of the tune (from left to right) of the diatonic scale C-major are associated in ascending order with successive zones inside each region.

[0053] For easier orientation on key matrix 1, the zones are formed visually different. The zones with which a musical tone of the tune is associated, which is also contained in the associated basic chord, are represented bright. Zones with which a musical tone of the tune is associated, which is not contained in the basic chord, are represented dark. It is also conceivable that in each region the zone, with which the tonic tone of the basic chord associated with the region is associated as the musical tone of the tune, has a further distinguishable visual formation. The visual formation for distinguishing between the zones is not limited to the distinction shown in FIG. 1. For easier orientation on key matrix 1, the zones can also be formed visually distinguishable by the fact that they have a different size colour or shape, or are characterised by symbols.

[0054] FIG. 2 shows regions 103 and 104 as a detail of key matrix 1 from FIG. 1. For the sake of clarity, the musical tones of the tune each associated with the zones are indicated on the zones. Notes are shown adjacent to each zone, which can be contained in a musical tone-producing command when the respective zones are activated. Notes which are contained in the basic chord note command are represented dark. Notes which are contained in the tune note command are represented bright.

[0055] As can be seen, the basic chord note commands of all the zones of region 103 correspond to tones of associated basic chord E-minor, i.e. tones e, g and h. The basic chord note commands of all the zones of region 104 correspond to tones of associated basic chord C-major, i.e. c, e and g.

[0056] Furthermore, according to the example of embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the pitch of the tune note command is fixed for each zone, in such a way that it lies above the pitch of all the basic chord note commands. The tonal distance between the musical tone of the tune and the closest basic chord note is always greater than a major second, in order to prevent note combinations within the respective musical tone-producing commands which could be perceived as dissonant. Alternatively, the minimum distance between a musical tone of the tune and the closest basic chord note can be selected such that it is greater than a minor second.

[0057] In order not to produce too great a tonal separation between the musical tone of the tune and the tones of the basic chord, the basic chord notes are also selected according to the example of embodiment shown in FIG. 2 in such a way that the tonal distance between a musical tone of the tune and the closest basic chord note is smaller than a fifth.

[0058] In the example of embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the musical tone-producing commands each comprise two basic chord note commands. As is indicated for the last zones at the left-hand end of regions 103, 104 with notes represented with a dashed line, more than two basic chord note commands can also be provided for a fuller sound. Furthermore, in the example of embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the basic chord notes are layered in such a way that they lie as close beside one another as possible. It is however also possible to select the basic chord notes in greater tonal distances and to distribute the latter over a plurality of octaves, or also to repeatedly assign basic chord notes in different octaves. It is also possible to associate the zones with basic chord note commands with a pitch which lies above the pitch of the musical tone of the tune.

[0059] With the example of embodiment of the user interface represented in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, in particular with the association of the basic chords in third steps and the association of musical tones of the tune in columns in ascending order, it is particularly easy for a user even with no musical knowledge at all to produce tonally particularly pleasing combined chord and tune sequences intuitively by the simplest conceivable movements within key matrix 1.

[0060] If the user successively activates adjacent zones within the same region, for example by moving his finger on the user interface shown in FIG. 1 in the horizontal direction along a region, the basic chord remains unchanged and only the melodic character of the sound produced by the musical tone-producing commands changes. The user is thus in a position to play a tune via a fixed basic chord.

[0061] If, on the other hand, the user moves his finger on the user interface shown in FIG. 1 in the vertical direction along a column, the musical tone of the tune remains stable and the basic chord is changed. The musical tone of the tune acts as a harmonic bridge, which connects successive basic chords with one another. By the third layering of the basic chords of successive regions, chord changes are produced by the movement along a column, which are particularly expressive on account of the successive changes between major and minor basic chords. By the third layering of the basic chords, the basic chords of adjacent regions also exhibit a high degree of tonal harmony, so that the changes of harmony, which arise with a movement from one region into the adjacent region, sound particularly smooth and melodically reproducible. Combined sequences of chords and tunes can thus be played with just one finger, by the fact that a plurality of zones, in particular zones adjacent to one another, are successively activated. The user interface is thus very user-friendly and enables the playing of combined sequences of chords and tunes without particular musical knowledge.

[0062] Furthermore, with the configuration of the user interface shown in FIG. 1, it is possible to convert pure major and minor bass chords into their suspensive chords and vice versa. By a movement of the finger within a region in the horizontal direction, sound sequences are produced by the combination of the associated basic chord notes and musical tones of the tune, which alternatingly correspond to a relaxed pure and a suspensive modulation of the associated basic chord. For example, the musical tone-producing commands, which are produced with a successive activation of zones 11.sub.4, 12.sub.4, 13.sub.4, 14.sub.4 in region 10.sub.4, correspond harmonically to chords C, C.sub.4, C, C.sub.6.

[0063] The shown change between suspensive and relaxed sounds with the production of combined sequences of chords and tunes is further supported and facilitated by the visual formation of the zones represented in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. By reason of the visual formation, the user is intuitively put in a position, without theoretical musical knowledge, to distinguish between tense sounding and relaxed sounding combinations of chords and musical tones of the tune: the relaxed sounding tone combinations arise through the activation of zones represented bright, with which a tone is associated as a musical tone of the tune, which is also contained in the associated basic chord. The zones represented dark comprise an association of basic chord note commands and tune note commands, which have a suspensive sound character. The user interface thus permits a simple change between tense and relaxed acting combinations of chord tones and musical tones of the tune, without requiring corresponding musical knowledge.

[0064] As has already been mentioned above, the present invention is not restricted to the fact that the musical tones of the tune associated with the zones arise from the same audio material as the basic chords associated with the regions. FIG. 3 shows a diagrammatic representation of a region 10.sub.n according to a further example of embodiment of the present invention, in which the musical tones of the tune, which are associated with the zones in region 10.sub.n, form a chromatic scale, whilst the basic chord associated with the region is a chord of the diatonic scale C-major, the chord being specific to the scale.

[0065] As shown in FIG. 3, the zones in region 10.sub.n are arranged partially overlapping. Zones which are associated with a musical tone of the tune, which is contained in the basic chord associated with region 10.sub.n (in the example shown in FIG. 3 C-major), are represented bright and arranged in a lowermost row in region 10.sub.n. Zones which are associated with a musical tone of the tune, which is not contained in the basic chord associated with the region, but in the diatonic scale belonging to the basic chord, are represented dark and in contrast with the bright zones are displaced upwards. Region 10.sub.n further contained zones which are associated with a musical tone of the tune, which is not contained in the diatonic scale belonging to the basic chord. These zones 14′.sub.n, 15′.sub.n, 16′.sub.n in contrast with the dark zones are arranged displaced upwards.

[0066] The arrangement and visual representation of the zones is selected in such a way that zones are arranged according to increasing tonal tension between basic chord and musical tone of the tune, so that the increase and reduction of the tonal tension in the production of combined sequences of chords and tunes can be implemented intuitively by the user.

[0067] FIG. 4 represents diagrammatically a flowchart of a method for producing combined sequences of chords and tunes according to an example of embodiment of the present invention. The method represented in FIG. 4 can be carried out on a computing unit such as a microcomputer, which is contained in a digital musical instrument with the user interface described above or, as a computer-implemented method, when the user interface is integrated in a virtual musical instrument, which is installed on a digital user device such as a smartphone or a tablet and is executed there.

[0068] The activation of a zone of the user interface takes place in step 200. The user interface produces an input signal, which contains information as to which zone and region of the key matrix has been activated. The input signal can optionally comprise further information such as the strike force when activating the zone, information concerning gestures performed at the user interface in the case of an implementation on a touchscreen and suchlike.

[0069] On the basis of the input signal received in step 200, a musical tone-producing command is produced in step 210. The production of the musical tone-producing command can for example take place by loading previously stored musical tone-producing commands, which are associated with the activated zone. Alternatively, the musical tone-producing command can be calculated in real time on the basis of the information contained in the input signal.

[0070] In order to guarantee optimum tonal voice leading, which can be ensured by a corresponding advantageous selection of the pitches of the base chord note commands and the tune note command, the musical tone-producing commands produced in step 210 are stored in a memory 240. When a musical tone-producing signal is calculated, the previously produced musical tone-producing commands can be retrieved from memory 240. Thus, the production of a musical tone-producing command can take place not only on the basis of the input carried out via the user interface in step 200, but also in dependence on previously produced musical tone-producing commands.

[0071] For the production of musical tone-producing commands, account can also be taken of further information or control signals, which are represented in FIG. 4 diagrammatically with the reference number 250. This information or these control signals comprise for example voice leading rules for the determination of the pitches of the basic chord and tune note commands, definitions of pitch ranges, within which basic chord notes, base notes or notes of the musical tone of the tune must lie, stipulations concerning tonal minimum distances and maximum distances between basic chords and musical tones of the tune, information concerning sound colours, sound intensities and/or, as the case may be, MIDI channels of bass, bass chord and tune note commands and suchlike.

[0072] On the basis of the musical tone-producing command thus produced, an audio signal corresponding to the musical tone-producing command is produced in a further step 220. This can take place for example by the fact that one or more previously stored audio samples are loaded from a storage medium, or that audio signals with pitches corresponding to the musical tone-producing command are calculated or synthesised in real time.

[0073] In a subsequent step 230, the audio signal produced in step 220 is outputted via an audio output interface. The audio output interface can be a cable-bound, wireless or other communication interface, such as for example a jack bush, a Bluetooth connection or a data network connection such as an Internet connection, via which the audio signal is relayed to a sound generation device. The audio output interface can also be formed by a loudspeaker or headphones, via which a direct sound reproduction of the audio signal takes place.