US 5,496,962 AGranted

System for real-time music composition and synthesis

OwnerSidney K. Meier, Jeffrey L. Briggsinventors

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Abstract

A system for automatically generating musical compositions on demand one after another without duplication. The system can produce such compositions upon demand in a variety of genres and forms so that concerts based on generated compositions will have a varied mix of pieces incorporated therein. The system incorporates a "weighted exhaustive search" process that is used to analyze the various aspects in developing the composition, from small-scale, note-to-note melodic construction to large-scale harmonic motions. The process maintains a balance between melodic, harmonic and contrapuntal elements in developing the composition. In general, the "weighted exhaustive search" process involves generating a plurality of solutions for producing each element of the composition. Each one of the plurality of solutions is analyzed with a series of "questions". Each solution is then scored based upon how each question is "answered" or how much that particular solution fits the parameters of the question.

Claims16

Dependent claims

A system for creating and generating original musical compositions in a computer-based data processing system, comprising:

an executive controller for generating musical form and key data to control formation of a musical composition;
a user interface operatively connected to said executive controller, for inputting user selected data for determining the form and key data generated by said executive controller;
a library memory means connected to said executive controller, for storing music data to be accessed by said executive controller in generating the form and key data;
a plurality of section generation elements, each of said section generating elements having data means for storing parameter data configured to a specific musical section for a selected section generation element, means for generating a data structure to be filled with note data for playing based on the form and key data from said executive controller, means for generating a plurality of notes to be tested for filling the data structure, means for testing each of the plurality of generated notes and for selecting notes in accordance with the parameter data for the selected section generation element from among the plurality of generated notes, and means for filling the data structure with selected notes until the data structure is filled in accordance with the form and key data, wherein
said executive controller activates selected ones of said plurality of section generation elements based on the form and key data to generate selected sections, said executive controller further assembling the generated selected sections into musical composition data;
a rules, tendencies, and articulation (RTA) memory means connected to said executive controller, for storing musical rules, musical tendencies and articulation data to be accessed by said plurality of section generation elements, said executive controller further for generating the rules, tendencies, and articulation data based on the selected form and key data;
and
a music output performance generation element connected to receive the musical composition data from said executive controller, for configuring the musical composition data for outputting to an audio output system, and for interfacing with the audio output system.

5 more elements

A method for creating and generating original musical compositions in a computer-based data processing system, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) selecting at least one musical form;
(b) selecting a musical key;
(c) generating rules and tendencies parameter data based on the selected form and key;
(d) selecting a section of a musical composition to be generated;
(e) creating a data structure for the selected section based on the selected form and key, the data structure to be filled with note data for playing;
(f) selecting one of a plurality of data lines in the data structure for filling with note data;
(g) selecting one of a plurality of data chunks in the data line selected for filling with note data;
(h) selecting one of a plurality of data slots in a data chunk of the data line selected for filling with note data;
(i) generating a plurality of notes to be tested for filling one of a plurality of data slots in the data structure;
(j) testing one of the plurality of notes based on the rules and tendencies parameter data and determining a score value for the note;
(k) tallying all the scores of the note into a composite score;
(l) repeating steps (j) through (k) for a remainder of the plurality of notes generated;
(m) selecting the note with the highest composite score to fill the selected data slot;
(r) repeating steps (h) through (m) for a remainder of the plurality of data slots in a data chunk of a data line to be filled in the data;
(s) repeating steps (g) through (r) for a remainder of the plurality of data chunks in a data line to be filled in the data;
(t) repeating steps (f) through (s) for a remainder of the plurality of data lines to be filled;
(u) repeating steps (d) through (t) for each of a remainder of sections to be generated;
and
(v) outputting the musical composition data to an output device.

16 more elements

A system for generating original musical compositions in a computer-based data processing system, comprising:

a user interface, for inputting user selected data to determine musical form and key data;
a library memory, for storing music data to be accessed in generating the form and key data;
a rules, tendencies, and articulation (RTA) memory connected to said executive controller, for storing musical rules, musical tendencies and articulation data to be accessed by said plurality of section generation elements;
a plurality of section generation elements each configured to generate a specific musical section of a musical composition, each of said section generating elements having means for generating a plurality of notes, means for testing each of the plurality of generated notes and for selecting notes to be played in accordance with parameter data from said library memory and said RTA memory;
and
an audio output element for assembling the selected notes into a musical composition and outputting the composition in accordance with parameter data from said library memory and said RTA memory.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 08/252,110Filed 31 May 1994
Granted: 5 Mar 1996
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification5 codes

G10H 1/0025
Associated control or indicating means: automatic or semi-automatic music composition, e.g. producing random music, applying rules from music…
G10H 2210/111
Music Composition or musical creation; Tools or processes therefor: automatic composing, i.e. using predefined musical rules
G10H 2210/145
Music Composition or musical creation; Tools or processes therefor: composing rules, e.g. harmonic or musical rules, for use in automatic…
G10H 2210/366
Rhythm pattern selection, synthesis or composition: random process affecting a selection among a set of pre-established patterns