Technique for selecting a chord progression for a melody

An apparatus for producing a chord progression of a music piece comprising:

• chord progression database means for storing a database of chord progressions;
• selecting means for selecting a plurality of chord progressions from said chord progression database means;
• and
• editing means for electronically editing the selected plurality of chord progressions in accordance with user's commands to produce an edited chord progression of a music piece.

An apparatus for producing a chord progression of a music piece comprising:

• chord progression database means for storing a database of chord progressions;
• chain table means for storing a chain of pointers each indexing a different chord progression in said chord progression database means;
• chain table modifying means for modifying said chain table means in accordance with user's commands to set up a desired chain of pointers in said chain table means;
• chord progression selecting means responsive to user's commands for selecting a plurality of chord progressions from said chord progression database means based on the desired chain of pointers set up in said chain table means;
• and
• editing means for electronically editing the selected plurality of chord progressions in accordance with user's commands to produce an edited chord progression of a music piece.

An apparatus for producing a chord progression of a music piece comprising:

• musical form defining means for defining a form of a music piece by a chain of phrases;
• phrase attribute setting means for setting desired attribute of a phrase in said chain in such a manner that the desired attributes are determined independently of the musical form defined by said musical form defining means;
• database means for storing a database of chord progressions;
• candidate selecting means for selecting chord progressions from said database means, each as a chord progression candidate of said phrase in said chain;
• candidate testing means responsive to said candidate selecting means for testing each chord progression candidate for its attributes to find a chord progression candidate, attributes of which are consistent with said desired attributes of said phrase in said chain, said found chord progression candidate defining a complete chord progression of said phrase in said chain;
• and
• repeating means for repeating operations of said phrase attribute setting means, said candidate selecting means and said candidate testing means with respect to each phrase in said chain to thereby produce a chord progression of the music piece.

An apparatus for producing a chord progression of a music piece comprising:

• musical form defining means for defining a form of a music piece by a chain of phrases;
• phrase attribute setting means for setting desired attributes of a phrase in said chain in such a manner that the desired attributes are determined independently of the musical form defined by said musical form defining means;
• database means for storing a database of chord progressions;
• chain table means for storing a chain of pointers each indexing a different chord progression in said database means;
• chain table modifying means for modifying said chain table means in accordance with user's commands to set up a desired chain of pointers in said chain table means;
• candidate selecting means for selecting, as chord progression candidates of said phrase in said chain, chord progressions from said database means based on the desired chain of pointers set up in said chain table means;
• candidate testing means responsive to said candidate selecting means for testing each chord progression candidate for its attributes to find a chord progression candidate, attributes of which are consistent with said desired attributes of said phrase in said chain, said found chord progression candidate defining a complete chord progression of said phrase in said chain;
• and
• repeating means for repeating operations of said phrase attribute setting means, said candidate selecting means and said candidate testing means with respect to each phrase in said chain to thereby produce a chord progression of the music piece.

An apparatus for evaluating suitability between a melody and a chord progression comprising:

• melody providing means for providing a melody;
• chord progression providing means for providing a chord progression;
• melody analyzing means for analyzing said melody based on said chord progression to obtain analyzed results;
• musical knowledge storage means for storing musical knowledge of melodies;
• and
• examining means for examining said analyzed results by using said musical knowledge to evaluate suitability between said melody and said chord progression.

An apparatus for evaluating suitability between a melody and a chord progression comprising:

• melody providing means for providing a melody;
• chord progression providing means for providing a chord progression;
• key providing means for providing a key;
• melody analyzing means for analyzing said melody based on said chord progression and said key to obtain analyzed results;
• musical knowledge storage means for storing musical knowledge of melodies;
• and
• examining means for examining said analyzed results by using said musical knowledge to evaluate suitability between said melody and said chord progression.

An apparatus for harmonizing a melody comprising:

• melody input means for inputting a melody;
• database means for storing a database of chord progressions;
• and
• searching means for searching through said database means for a chord progression suitable for said melody;
• and
• wherein said searching means comprises:
• melody analyzing means for analyzing said melody based on a chord progression from said database means to obtain analyzed results;
• musical knowledge storage means for storing musical knowledge of melodies to obtain analyzed results and
• examining means for examining said analyzed results by using said musical knowledge to evaluate suitability between said melody and said chord progression.

An apparatus for evaluating suitability between a melody and a chord progression comprising:

• melody providing means for providing a melody;
• chord progression providing means for providing a chord progression;
• melody analyzing means for analyzing said melody based on said chord progression to obtain analyzed results;
• musical knowledge storage means for storing musical knowledge of melodies;
• and
• examining means for examining said analyzed results by using said musical knowledge to evaluate suitability between said melody and said chord progression;
• and
• wherein said chord progression providing means comprises:
• chord progression database means for storing a database of chord progressions;
• chain table means for storing a chain of pointers each indexing a different chord progression in said chord progression database means;
• chain table modifying means for modifying said chain table means in accordance with user's commands to set up a desired chain of pointers in said chain table means;
• and
• chord progression selecting means for selecting a chord progression from said chord progression database means based on the desired chain of pointers set up in said chain table means.

An apparatus for harmonizing a melody comprising:

• melody input means for inputting a melody;
• database means for storing a database of chord progressions;
• and
• searching means for searching through said database means for a chord progression suitable for said melody;
• wherein said searching means comprises:
• database managing means for managing said database means and comprising chain table means for storing a chain of pointers each indexing a different chord progression in said database means, chain table modifying means for modifying said chain table means in accordance with user's commands to set up a desired chain of pointers in said chain table means, and chord progression selecting means for selecting a chord progression from said database means based on the desired chain of pointers set up in said chain table means;
• melody analyzing means coupled to said database managing means for analyzing said melody based on said chord progression selected by said chord progression selecting means to obtain analyzed results;
• musical knowledge storage means for storing musical knowledge of melodies;
• and
• examining means for examining said analyzed results by using said musical knowledge to evaluate suitability between said melody and said chord progression.

An apparatus for harmonizing a melody comprising:

• melody input means for inputting a melody having a plurality of segments;
• chord progression database means for storing a database of chord progressions;
• selecting means for selecting a plurality of chord progressions from said chord progression database means, each chord progression being suitable for a different segment of said melody;
• and
• editing means for electronically editing the selected plurality of chord progressions in accordance with user's commands to produce an edited chord progression of a music piece;
• wherein said selecting means comprises searching means which searches through said chord progression database means for a chord progression suitable for each segment of said melody, and comprises:
• melody analyzing means for analyzing a segment of said melody based on a chord progression from said chord progression database means to obtain analyzed results;
• musical knowledge storage means for storing musical knowledge of melodies;
• and
• examining means for examining said analyzed results by using said musical knowledge to evaluate suitability between said melody and said chord progression.

An apparatus for harmonizing a melody comprising:

• melody input means for inputting a melody having a plurality of segments;
• chord progression database means for storing a database of chord progressions;
• selecting means for selecting a plurality of chord progressions from said chord progression database means, each chord progression being suitable for a different segment of said melody;
• and
• editing means for electronically editing the selected plurality of chord progressions in accordance with user's commands to produce an edited chord progression of a music piece;
• wherein said selecting means comprises searching means which searches through said chord progression database means for a chord progression suitable for each segment of said melody, and said searching means comprises:
• database managing means for managing said chord progression database means and comprising chain table means for storing a chain of pointers each indexing a different chord progression in said chord progression database means, chain table modifying means for modifying said chain table means in accordance with user's commands to set up a desired chain of pointers in said chain table means, and chord progression selecting means for selecting a chord progression from said chord progression database means based on the desired chain of pointers set up in said chain table means;
• melody analyzing means for analyzing a segment of said melody based on a chord progression selected by said chord progression selecting means to obtain analyzed results;
• musical knowledge storage means for storing musical knowledge of melodies;
• and
• examining means for examining said analyzed results by using said musical knowledge to evaluate suitability between said melody and said chord progression.

An apparatus for harmonizing a melody comprising:

• musical form defining means for defining a form of a music piece by a chain of phrases;
• melody input means for inputting a melody of a phrase in said chain;
• chord progression database means for storing a database of chord progressions;
• and
• searching means for searching through said database means for a chord progression suitable for said melody of said phrase in said chain;
• wherein said searching means comprises:
• phrase attribute setting means for setting desired attributes of said phrase in said chain;
• candidate selecting means for selecting chord progressions from said database means, each as a chord progression candidate of said phrase in said chain;
• candidate testing means responsive to said candidate selecting means for testing each chord progression candidate for its attributes to find a chord progression candidate, attributes of which are consistent with said desired attributes of said phrase in said chain;
• melody analyzing means responsive to said candidate testing means for analyzing said melody based on said found chord progression candidate to obtained analyzed results;
• musical knowledge storage means for storing musical knowledge of melodies;
• and
• examining means for examining said analyzed results by using said musical knowledge to evaluate suitability between said melody and said found chord progression candidate.

An apparatus for harmonizing a melody comprising:

• musical form defining means for defining a form of a music piece by a chain of phrases;
• melody input means for inputting a melody of a phrase in said chain;
• chord progression database means for storing a database of chord progressions;
• and
• searching means for searching through said database means for a chord progression suitable for said melody of said phrase in said chain;
• wherein said searching means comprises:
• phrase attribute setting means for setting desired attributes of said phrase in said chain;
• candidate selecting means for selecting chord progressions from said database means, each as a chord progression candidate of said phrase in said chain;
• candidate testing means responsive to said candidate selecting means for testing each chord progression candidate for its attributes to find a chord progression candidate, attributes of which are consistent with said desired attributes of said phrase in said chain;
• melody analyzing means responsive to said candidate testing means for analyzing said melody based on said found chord progression candidate to obtain analyzed results;
• musical knowledge storage means for storing musical knowledge of melodies;
• and
• examining means for examining said analyzed results by using said musical knowledge to evaluate suitability between said melody and said found chord progression candidate;
• and
• wherein said candidate selecting means comprises:
• chain table means for storing a chain of pointers each indexing a different chord progression in said chord progression database means;
• chain table modifying means for modifying said chain table means in accordance with user's commands to set up a desired chain of pointers in said chain table means;
• and
• means for selecting chord progressions, each as a chord progression candidate, from said chord progression database means based on the desired chain of pointers set up in said chain table means.