Emulation of at least one sound of a drum-type percussion instrument

Abstract

The present invention relates to a removable electronic device for emulating at least one sound of a drum-type percussion instrument, said device being intended to instrumentalise a striking element. A defining means defines a striking area on a tangible support. An allocating means allocates a drum element associated with a predetermined sound to the striking area, in a database. At least one sensor generates a stroke signal having at least one piece of stroke information on a stroke of a user with the striking element in the striking area. A computer processing means implements a processing algorithm configured to process the stroke signal to spatially locate said stroke in order to detect the area struck and to determine the drum element corresponding to this area struck. A generating means is configured to generate a sound signal comprising information on the sound virtually generated by said stroke of the striking element in said area struck.

Claims

1. A method for emulating at least one sound of a drum-type percussion instrument using at least one striking element instrumentalised by an electronic device attached in a removable manner to said at least one striking element and comprising at least one sensor designed to provide at least one piece of information, referred to as stroke information, on a stroke of a user with said at least one striking element, the at least one sensor having at least one gyroscope-type sensor providing information on spatial coordinates of the striking element at the time of the impact of the striking element in a striking area, said method implemented by computer-based means comprising: a) an initialisation phase comprising: defining, on at least one tangible support, at least one striking area, the at least one striking area being defined by the user using said gyroscope-type sensor providing information on spatial coordinates of the striking element at the time of the impact of the striking element in the at least one striking area, the spatial coordinates being associated with a center of the striking area and with a periphery thereof; allocating, in a database, said at least one striking area previously defined with a drum kit element associated with a predetermined sound; b) a playing phase comprising: after a stroke by the user with said striking element in said at least one striking area, acquiring at least one stroke signal generated by said at least one sensor and comprising said at least one piece of stroke information, said gyroscope-type sensor providing information on spatial coordinates of the striking element at the time of the stroke; processing said at least one stroke signal, taking into consideration the spatial coordinates of the striking element, in such a way as to spatially locate said stroke in order to detect said area struck and to determine, by comparing with said database, the drum element corresponding to said area struck; generating a sound signal comprising information on a sound virtually generated by said stroke of the striking element in said area struck.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein said at least one sensor comprises an accelerometer-type sensor, wherein, during the acquiring, said sensor provides information on the velocity of said striking element, and wherein, during the generating, said velocity of said striking element is taken into consideration to calculate the intensity of said sound virtually generated by said stroke of the element in said area.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising transmitting said sound signal to a communication terminal by wireless communication means in order to audibly reproduce the sound virtually generated by said stroke of the element in said area on said terminal.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising transmitting said at least one stroke signal to said communication terminal by wireless communication means in order to visually display the movements of said at least one striking element on said terminal.

5. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium on which a computer program is recorded, said computer program comprising instructions for executing the steps of the method according to claim 1.

6. A removable electronic device for emulating at least one sound of a drum-type percussion instrument, said device being intended to instrumentalise a striking element, comprising: at least one sensor configured to generate a stroke signal comprising at lease one piece of stroke information on a stroke of a user with said at least one striking element in said at least one striking area, said at least one sensor corresponding to at least one gyroscope-type sensor providing information on spatial coordinates of the striking element at the time of the impact of the striking element in the striking area; a definer designed to define at least one striking area on at least one tangible support, said definer and said gyroscope-type sensor being configured to cooperate so that a user defines said at least one striking area with said gyroscope-type sensor providing information on spatial coordinates of the striking element at the time of said stroke, said spatial coordinates being associated with a center of the striking area and with a periphery thereof; an allocator designed to allocate a drum element associated with a predetermined sound to said at least one striking area, in a database; computer processing means implementing a processing algorithm configured to process said stroke signal, taking into consideration said spatial coordinates of the striking element, to spatially locate said stroke in order to detect said area struck and to determine, by comparing with said database, the drum element corresponding to said area struck; generating means configured to generate a sound signal comprising information on a sound virtually generated by said stroke of the striking element in said area struck.

7. A computer-based system for emulating at least one sound of a drum-type percussion instrument, said system comprising: a removable electronic device according to claim 6, and a communication terminal configured to communicate with said electronic device by wireless communication means, said communication terminal comprising software means designed to receive and process said sound signal generated by said device in order to audibly reproduce the sound virtually generated by the stroke of the striking element in the area struck.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING FIGURES

(1) Other characteristics and advantages of the present invention will be better understood upon reading the description hereinbelow with reference to the accompanying FIGS. 1 to 8, which illustrate one example embodiment devoid of any limiting features, wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 diagrammatically shows a user playing with striking elements instrumentalised by a plurality of electronic devices according to one example embodiment of the present invention;

(3) FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 each diagrammatically show the instrumentalisation of a striking element by an electronic device according to the invention;

(4) FIGS. 5 and 6 diagrammatically show the different steps of defining striking areas according to one example embodiment of the present invention;

(5) FIG. 7 shows a flowchart illustrating the different steps of the method according to one example embodiment of the present invention;

(6) FIG. 8 diagrammatically shows a computer-based system for emulating a sound of a percussion instrument according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ONE ADVANTAGEOUS EXAMPLE EMBODIMENT

(7) A method for emulating a sound of a percussion instrument in addition to the system associated therewith will be described hereafter with reference to FIGS. 1 to 8.

(8) As a reminder, one of the purposes of the present invention is to preserve the playing comfort and pleasure procured by acoustic drum kits, while providing the same advantages as a virtual drum kit (reduced bulk, low equipment needs, interactivity).

(9) This is made possible in the example described hereinbelow.

(10) It should firstly be specified that the example described herein relates to drum kits. It is understood that a person skilled in the art can apply the invention to other percussion instruments.

(11) In the example described herein, the user U has a plurality of removable electronic devices 100 as shown in FIG. 1.

(12) In this example, the user U attaches each of these devices 100 to drumsticks (FIG. 2), to a pedal for a bass drum beater (FIG. 3) or even on a hi-hat rod (FIG. 4).

(13) More generally, the term “striking elements” EF will be used herein to denote the elements used by the musician to play the drums and strike the drum elements (cymbals, drums, toms, etc.)

(14) Each of the devices 100 are attached to the striking elements EF by assembly means not described herein. These means can be a strap-type, male/female-type or click-and-lock-type fastening system, or any other system.

(15) As mentioned hereinabove, the purpose of the present invention is to preserve the playing comfort and pleasure procured by acoustic drum kits.

(16) For this purpose, the user U must, in the example described herein, define striking areas ZF during an initialisation phase P1.

(17) Characteristically, in this phase P1, a so-called definition step S1 is carried out, whereby the user U defines these areas ZF on one or more tangible supports.

(18) This definition of the striking areas ZF allows the invention to be differentiated from conventional virtual drum kit solutions for which there is, strictly speaking, no striking area since until now, the user had to play by striking the air and imitating the movements of a drummer.

(19) In this example, these areas ZF should be defined.

(20) The user U firstly defines the centre C_ZF of the striking area ZF (FIG. 5).

(21) He/she must then define the periphery P_ZF of this striking area ZF (FIG. 6).

(22) This definition S1 is carried out using defining software means 40 integrated into the device 100.

(23) The software that manages this definition S1 of the areas ZF thus asks the user U to point the drumstick EF to which the device 100 is attached on any support (in this case a drum) in order to define the centre of the striking area ZF (FIG. 5).

(24) The device 100 that comprises a gyroscope 20 thus provides the software with the coordinates x, y and z associated with the centre C_ZF of the striking area ZF designated by the user.

(25) It should be noted that, in this example, the support chosen by the user U is a drum kit element (in this case a drum). Alternatively, within the scope of the present invention, the user could choose a table as a support. It is understood herein that any type of fixed physical support having a sufficient mechanical strength to provide a rebound and/or contact bounce of the striking element EF can be used as a support within the scope of the present invention, which allows the drums to be played anywhere.

(26) The software then asks the user U to define the periphery P_ZF of this area ZF, still using this instrumentalised drumstick EF, which provides the coordinates x, y and z associated with the periphery P_ZF of the area ZF (FIG. 6).

(27) The software thus records the spatial coordinates along the x, y and z axis of a first striking area defined by the centre C_ZF thereof and the periphery P_ZF thereof.

(28) The user U can define a plurality of striking areas ZF in the same manner.

(29) During this phase P1, the user U is then asked to associate each striking area ZF with a drum kit element. This is carried out during an allocation step S2 using allocating software means 50.

(30) In this example, allocation thus takes place, whereby the user U can allocate, in a database DB, each striking area ZF previously defined with a drum kit element, for example the bass drum, the floor tom, the snare drum, the hi-hat or the cymbals (crash, ride, etc.).

(31) A sound has already been associated with each drum kit element in this database DB.

(32) The database DB thus built allows a sound associated with a drum kit element to be allocated to a striking area ZF virtually defined by the user U on any support such as, for example, a drum kit element, a table or a wall.

(33) The customisation of these areas ZF in addition to the allocation of a drum kit element to each area ZF allows the user U to configure his/her drum kit as desired.

(34) Once the database DB has been built, the user U is ready to play the drums (FIG. 1).

(35) Then, during a playing phase P2, the user U must simply strike the one or more striking areas ZF previously defined using his/her striking elements EF.

(36) The electronic device 100 thus comprises a plurality of sensors, including in particular an accelerometer 10 and a gyroscope 20 coupled with a magnetometer 30.

(37) The device 100 further comprises a piezoelectric sensor (not shown herein). Such a sensor is capable of providing information indicating that the striking element EF has struck another element (in this case the support for example).

(38) In this example, and as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the gyroscope 20 is capable of providing, during a step S4, information on the spatial coordinates x, y and z of the striking element EF upon the impact of the striking element EF with the support. The accelerometer 10 provides information on the velocity v of the striking element EF during the strike.

(39) The module of sensors 10 and 20 will thus generate a stroke signal s1 comprising stroke information, in particular containing the spatial coordinates x, y and z of the striking element EF upon the impact of the striking element EF with the support, in addition to the velocity v of the striking element EF during the stroke.

(40) This signal s1 is then processed during a step S5 by computer processing means 60 (for example a processor).

(41) More particularly, these processing means 60 process the signal s1 so as to detect S5_1 the area ZF struck by the drumstick EF by analysing the spatial coordinates x, y and z in comparison with the database DB.

(42) If a match exists between the x, y and z coordinates provided by the sensor 20 and the information contained in the database DB, the processing means 60 are capable of detecting that a striking area ZF defined by the user U during the phase P1 has been struck.

(43) Once the area ZF struck has been detected, the processing means 60 query, during a step S5_2, the same database to determine the drum kit element associated with the area ZF struck.

(44) In the example described herein, the device 100 further comprises generation means 70 designed to generate, during a step S6, a sound signal s2 comprising information on the sound virtually generated by the stroke of the striking element EF in the area ZF.

(45) It should be noted here that the electronics embedded in the system allow this signal s2 to be generated with a latency of close to 0 ms, i.e. almost real-time signal generation.

(46) This generation S6 of the sound signal s2 is thus a function of the area ZF struck and of the velocity v. This velocity v is more specifically translated by the means 70 in order to determine the intensity of the sound associated with the stroke.

(47) The sound signal s2 ideally comprises information that can be understood and exploited by the communication terminal 110 shown in FIGS. 1 and 8.

(48) In the example described herein, the sound signal s2, possibly in addition to the stroke signal s1, are transmitted respectively during transmission steps S8 and S7 to the terminal 110, preferably by wireless communication means (not shown herein), for example using a wireless communication protocol of the type Bluetooth® or NFC, etc.

(49) The communication terminal 110 thus has software means specially designed to process and analyse the signals received in order to allow for the audible reproduction S10 of the sound virtually generated by the stroke of the element EF in the area ZF struck.

(50) Similarly, in this example, software means are provided, designed to allow for the visual display S9 of the movements of the striking elements EF made by the user U, which in particular allows the user U to view, on the screen of the terminal 110, the tempo or to view the playing precision.

(51) In the example described herein, the terminal 110 comprises software means (not shown herein) designed to analyse the drummer's playing in real time; such an analysis of the playing for example allows functionalities for learning to play the drums to be implemented (partitions, lessons, etc.).

(52) Musicians using the system 200 can thus practice and see whether their beat corresponds to the partition that they are playing in real time (visual and audio alerts linked to the tempo and elements that must be struck from the software).

(53) It should be noted here that, within the scope of the present invention, synchronisation means (not shown herein) are also provided, designed to synchronise the internal clocks of each electronic device such that the signals generated by each device are in sync with one another. For this purpose, a synchronisation of the devices of the system is carried out before each playing phase.

(54) The present invention thus proposes a true computer-based system 200 for emulating the sound of a percussion instrument with minimal equipment.

(55) Such a system 200 is in particular composed of an electronic device 100, such as that described hereinabove, a communication terminal 110 comprising dedicated software applications, and a database DB of specific data. It should be noted here that the database DB can be stored on a remote server or directly on the communication terminal 110.

(56) The electronic device 100 is present in the form of a device that is easy to use, has small overall dimensions, is removable and is to be attached, for example, to drumsticks or to a drum pedal.

(57) Such a device 100 coupled with dedicated software allows for the real-time sensing of the areas struck (physical impact of the drumsticks to which the sensors have been attached or impact of the drum pedals on solid supports), the power of the stroke, the velocity of the stroke, and the exact location of the impact in a multi-dimensional environment.

(58) The various data collected by the device 100 are subjected to computer processing in real time and are then sent to the communication terminal 110, which can, in particular by way of a dedicated software application, be used in particular to: emulate the sound of a drum kit; record the beat of a drummer for future musical use; monitor the drummer's tempo; assess the precision of the strokes; monitor the drummer's progress.

(59) It should be noted that the system proposed herein within the scope of the present invention helps drummers learn to play the drums and simplifies the recording and sharing of the drummer's beats.

(60) Another advantage of the present invention is that it allows the real playing style of a drummer to be reproduced, thanks to the playing comfort and pleasure procured by the rebound resulting from the stroke on the support and not in the air, as is currently proposed with “air drum kits”.

(61) When playing the drums, the drummer can thus record his/her beat in a precise, fast and easy way, in accordance with his/her customised configuration (position and locations of his/her toms, cymbals) and thus of his/her points of impact.

(62) There is no need to position microphones or stroke sensors in the striking areas.

(63) It should be noted that this detailed description concerns one specific example embodiment of this invention, however in no way does this description limit the purpose of the invention in any way: on the contrary, it aims to remove all possible imprecisions or all incorrect interpretations of the claims provided hereafter.

(64) It should also be noted that the reference signs placed in brackets in the claims provided hereafter are in no way limiting; the sole purpose of these signs is to improve the intelligibility and understanding of the claims provided hereafter, in addition to the desired scope of protection.