Apparatus to produce karaoke accompaniment
OwnerJames Baileyinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A process and apparatus to convert, an input musical signal, including an original vocalist and musical accompaniment, into accompaniment for a Karaoke singer. The component of the input musical signal corresponding to the original vocalist is suppressed, by filtering or digital processing, to reduce audibility of that vocalist. The resulting modified musical signal can be recorded for future playback. A user's voice also can be added to the modified musical signal, to replace the original vocalist, with the corresponding output of the apparatus being played audibly in real-time, recorded for future playback, or both. In certain embodiments, circuitry can be included to perform effects on a user's vocal input, such as pitch control, reverb, and echo.
Claims40
An apparatus for processing a first digital signal that is arranged in a digital music format, and includes information including at least the sound from one vocalist and musical accompaniment, the apparatus comprising:
- a source input receptor operable to receive said first digital signal;
- a user input receptor operable to receive a user's first microphone input;
- a first analog-to-digital converter adapted to operate on said first microphone input and to output a second digital signal;
- a first digital processor adapted to operate on said first digital signal to reduce audibility of said vocalist and to output a first-modified digital signal;
- a second digital processor arranged in-circuit as a mixer to combine said second digital signal and said first-modified digital signal effective to form a left-out channel, and a right-out channel;
- and
- a digital-to-analog converter adapted to operate on said left-out channel and said right-out channel to form a stereo analog output signal from said apparatus;
- and
- a volume control operable on said stereo analog output signal to effect an audible volume when said stereo analog output signal is applied to a playback device.
An apparatus for processing a first analog signal that carries information including at least the sound from one vocalist and musical accompaniment in a left channel and a right channel, the apparatus comprising:
- a source input receptor operable to receive said first analog signal;
- a user input receptor operable to receive a user's analog input;
- a first analog-to-digital converter adapted to operate on said first analog signal and to output a first digital signal;
- a first signal processor adapted to operate on said first digital signal effective to output information corresponding at least to left-in, right-in, and center-in channels;
- a second analog-to-digital converter adapted to operate on said user's analog input and to output a second digital signal;
- a second signal processor operable as a reducer and arranged to operate on at least a portion of said center-in channel to reduce audibility of said vocalist and to output a center-out channel;
- a third signal processor arranged in-circuit as a mixer to combine said second digital signal, said center-out channel, and said left-in channel to form a left-out channel, and to combine said second digital signal, said center-out channel, and said right-in channel to form a right-out channel;
- and
- a digital-to-analog converter adapted to operate on said left-out and right-out channels to form a stereo analog output signal from said apparatus.
An apparatus for converting a multichannel output signal from a music source, which signal includes an original lead singer's voice and musical accompaniment, into an input that can be applied to a playback device to form audible musical accompaniment for a Karaoke singer, the apparatus comprising:
- a first connector adapted to receive said output signal as a first apparatus input signal;
- a second connector adapted to receive a second apparatus input signal from a user's first microphone;
- first circuitry adapted at a first configuration to:
- compare left channel and right channel information carried by said first apparatus input signal and to extract center channel information from said left channel and said right channel to form a first modified left channel, a center channel, and a first modified right channel;
- process said center channel effective to reduce audibility of said original lead singer's voice in a resulting processed signal;
- mix said second apparatus input signal with said processed signal and said first modified left channel to form a second modified left channel output;
- and
- mix said second apparatus input signal with said processed signal and said first modified right channel to form a second modified right channel output;
- an electrical power source adapted to energize said first circuitry;
- a third connector adapted to transmit an apparatus output signal, comprising said second modified left channel output and said second modified right channel output, to a playback device;
- and
- a volume control operable on said apparatus output signal to effect an audible volume when said apparatus output signal is applied to said playback device.
A portable apparatus embodied in a hand-held form factor and operable to output an electric signal that is playable through a playback device to create accompaniment for a Karaoke singer, the apparatus comprising:
- a housing adapted to hold a motherboard, carrying first circuitry, and a power source adapted to enable operation of said first circuitry, said housing being arranged to provide external access to one or more connectors comprising a first connector configured to transmit an apparatus output signal and a second connector configured to receive a microphone input;
- and
- a volume control operable to change a strength of said apparatus output signal;
- wherein:
- said first circuitry is operable to process a music input signal from a music source, said music input signal comprising a lead singer and musical accompaniment, to reduce audible presence, when played through said playback device, of said lead singer in said apparatus output signal.
A method for converting an output from a conventional multichannel music source, which output carries information including an original lead singer's voice and musical accompaniment, into substantially real-time musical accompaniment for a Karaoke singer, the process comprising the steps of:
- a) providing a Karaoke ripping device;
- b) inputting said output from said music source as a first input signal to said device;
- c) comparing left channel and right channel information carried by said first input signal to determine a center channel;
- d) extracting said center channel from said left channel and said right channel to form a center channel, a modified left channel, and a modified right channel;
- e) processing said center channel to reduce audible presence of said original singer's voice in a processed signal;
- and
- f) outputting a combination of said modified left channel, said modified right channel, and said processed signal as an output signal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.