Method and apparatus for searching a music database

Abstract

A method for a user to buy a song from a remote music source, the method comprising the steps of the user inputting a song melody into an input device connected to the remote music source, wherein the user inputs the song melody using only their mouth; processing the tones of the input song melody so as to determine a set of tonal characteristics associated with the input tones; searching a music database for a song having a like set of tonal characteristics, so as to return at least one candidate song title to the user; playing a sample of the song associated with the at least one candidate song title for the user; permitting the user to purchase the song associated with the at least one candidate song title if desired; and delivering a purchased song to the user via a digital transmission medium.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.