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US 201201.60079A1 (19) United States (12) Patent Application Publication (10) Pub. No.: US 2012/0160079 A1 Little et al. (43) Pub. Date: Jun. 28, 2012 (54) MUSICAL SYSTEMIS AND METHODS Publication Classification (51) Int. Cl. (75) Inventors: Alexander Harry Little, Woodside, GLOH L/38 (2006.01) CA (US); Eli T. Manjarrez, (52) U.S. Cl. .......................................................... 84/613 Sunnyvale, CA (US) (57) ABSTRACT Musical performance/input systems, methods, and products (73) Assignee: Apple Inc., Cupertino, CA (US) can accept user inputs via a user interface, generate, Sound, store, and/or modify one or more musical tones. The user interface can present one or more regions corresponding to (21) Appl. No.: 12/979,212 related chords. A set of related chords and/or a set of rhythmic patterns are generated based on a selected instrument and a selected style of music. The related chords can be modified (22) Filed: Dec. 27, 2010 via one or more effects units. 1 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 ks 55 2 2 3 4. III0 56 Stadium Rock 11 13 10. 12- 2 3 OFF 4 { 7. ) Groove 7 Bo G s | | | | | | |uas I-I-I-I-I-I-II Patent Application Publication Jun. 28, 2012 Sheet 1 of 4 US 2012/O160079 A1 5. P |__|_||ºn|||_|_|_|_|_|_| ||| ||||||| I-II-II,II,II,II,II,II,II,I?a ŒLI,II,II,II,II,II,II,I,L, Patent Application Publication Jun. 28, 2012 Sheet 2 of 4 US 2012/O160079 A1 Z Z III)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!IIIIII)!!!!!!!!!! |1.?ízºzw. Patent Application Publication Jun. 28, 2012 Sheet 3 of 4 US 2012/O160079 A1 Patent Application Publication Jun. 28, 2012 Sheet 4 of 4 US 2012/O160079 A1 User input Play Tone 48 User input 47 Translate 49 52. Manipulate 54 FIG. 5 US 2012/01 60079 A1 Jun. 28, 2012 MUSICAL SYSTEMIS AND METHODS 0011. It should be understood that the various embodi ments are not limited to the arrangements and instrumentality FIELD shown in the drawings. 0001. The following relates to systems and methods for simulating playing of a virtual musical instrument. DETAILED DESCRIPTION 0012. The functions described as being performed at vari BACKGROUND ous components can be performed at other components, and 0002 Electronic systems for musical input or musical per the various components can be combined and/or separated. formance often fail to simulate accurately the experience of Other modifications can also be made. playing a real musical instrument. For example, by attempt 0013 All numeric values are herein assumed to be modi ing to simulate the manner in which a user interacts with a fied by the term “about, whether or not explicitly indicated. piano keyboard, systems often require the user to position The term “about generally refers to a range of numbers that their fingers in the shapes of piano chords. Such requirements one of skill in the art would consider equivalent to the recited create many problems. First, not all users know how to form value (i.e., having the same function or result). In many piano chords. Second, users who do know how to form piano instances, the term “about may include numbers that are chords find it difficult to perform the chords on the systems, rounded to the nearest significant figure. Numerical ranges because the systems lack tactile stimulus, which guides the include all values within the range. For example, a range of user's hands on a real piano. For example, on a real piano a from 1 to 10 Supports, discloses, and includes the range of user can feel the cracks between the keys and the varying from 5 to 9. Similarly, a range of at least 10 supports, dis height of the keys, but on an electronic system, no Such closes, and includes the range of at least 15. textures exist. These problems lead to frustration and make 0014. The following disclosure describes systems, meth the systems less useful, less enjoyable, and less popular. ods, and products for musical performance and/or input. Vari Therefore, a need exists for a system that strikes a balance ous embodiments can include or communicatively couple between simulating a traditional musical instrument and pro with a wireless touchscreen device. A wireless touchscreen viding an optimized user interface that allows effective musi device including a processor can implement the methods of cal input and performance. various embodiments. Many other examples and other char acteristics will become apparent from the following descrip SUMMARY tion. 0015. A musical performance system can accept user 0003 Various embodiments provide systems, methods, inputs and audibly sound one or more tones. User inputs can and products for musical performance and/or musical input be accepted via a user interface. A musical performance sys that solve or mitigate many of the problems of prior art tem, therefore, bears similarities to a musical instrument. systems. A user interface can present one or more regions However, unlike most musical instruments, a musical perfor corresponding to related notes and/or chords. A user can mance system is not limited to one set oftones. For example, interact with the regions in various ways to Sound the notes a classical guitar or a classical piano can Sound only one set of and/or chords. Other user interactions can modify or mute the tones, because a musician's interaction with the physical notes or chords. A set of related chords and/or a set of rhyth characteristics of the instrument produces the tones. On the mic patterns can be generated based on a selected instrument other hand, a musical performance system can allow a user to and a selected style of music. The chords can be related modify one or more tones in a set of tones or to Switch according to various musical theories. For example, the between multiple sets of tones. A musical performance sys chords can be diatonic chords for a particular key. Some tem can allow a user to modify one or more tones in a set of embodiments also allow a plurality of systems to communi tones by employing one or more effects units. A musical catively couple and synchronize. These embodiments allow a performance system can allow a user to Switch between mul plurality of users to input and/or perform music together. tiple sets oftones. Each set of tones can be associated with a channel strip (CST) file. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 0016 A CST file can be associated with a particular track. A CST file can contain one or more effects plugins, one or 0004. In order to further explain/describe various aspects, more settings, and/or one or more instrument plugins. The examples, and inventive embodiments, the following figures CST file can include a variety of effects. Types of effects are provided. include: reverb, delay, distortion, compressors, pitch-shift 0005 FIG. 1 depicts a schematic illustration of a chord ing, phaser, modulations, envelope filters, equalizers. Each view; effect can include various settings. Some embodiments pro 0006 FIG. 2 depicts a schematic illustration of a notes vide a mechanism for mapping two stompbox bypass controls view; in the channel strip (.cst) file to the interface. Stompbox 0007 FIG.3 depicts a schematic illustration of a musical bypass controls will be described in greater detail hereinafter. performance and input device; The CST file can include a variety of settings. For example, 0008 FIG. 4 depicts a schematic illustration of a musical the settings can include volume and pan. The CST file can performance method; include a variety of instrument plugins. An instrument plugin 0009 FIG. 5 depicts a schematic illustration of a musical can generate one or more sounds. For example, an instrument input and manipulation method; and plugin can be a sampler, providing recordings of any number 0010 FIG. 6 depicts a schematic illustration of a plurality of musical instruments, such as recordings of a guitar, a piano, of communicatively coupled musical performance and/or and/or a tuba. Therefore, the CST file can be a data object input systems. capable of generating one or more effects and/or one or more US 2012/01 60079 A1 Jun. 28, 2012 sounds. The CST file can include a sound generator, an effects form a method that includes accepting user inputs, translating generator, and/or one or more settings. user inputs into a form that can be stored, recorded, or other 0017. A musical performance method can include accept wise saved, storing, recording, or otherwise saving user ing user inputs via a user interface, audibly sounding one or inputs, playing, reading, translating, or decoding accepted more tones, accepting a user request to modify one or more user inputs and/or stored, recorded, or saved user inputs, and tones in a set of tones, and/or accepting a user request to manipulating, rearranging, enhancing, or otherwise editing switch between multiple sets oftones. stored, recorded, or saved inputs. 0018. A musical performance product can include a com 0025. A non-transitory computer readable medium for puter-readable medium and a computer-readable code stored musical input can include a computer-readable code stored on the computer-readable medium for causing a computer to thereon for causing a computer to perform a method that perform a method that includes accepting user inputs, audibly includes accepting user inputs, translating user inputs into a Sounding one or more tones, accepting a user request to form that can be stored, recorded, or otherwise saved, storing, modify one or more tones in a set oftones, and/or accepting a recording, or otherwise saving user inputs, playing, reading, user request to Switch between multiple sets oftones.