Processing device performing plural operations for plural tones in response to readout of one program instruction

An electronic musical instrument comprising:

• tone signal generating means for generating a plurality of tone signals;
• pitch designation means for designating a pitch associated with each of said plurality of tone signals;
• first storage means for storing a sequence of commands composing a predetermined algorithm to be applied to said plurality of tone signals;
• second storage means for storing a plurality of parameters to be used in applying said algorithm to said plurality of tone signals;
• first reading means for reading said sequence of commands from said first storage means at a first rate, wherein each of said commands in said sequence is read during a different one of a plurality of command periods;
• second reading means for reading parameters from said second storage means at a second rate, said second rate being faster than said first rate such that a plurality of different parameters each corresponding to one of said plurality of tone signals are read from said second storage means during each of said command periods;
• and
• executing means for, during each particular command period, executing a command read by said first reading means during said particular command period in conjunction with each of a plurality of parameters read by said second reading means during said particular command period with respect to each of said plurality of tone signals, wherein said executing means operates in a pipeline manner and a result of executing a command in conjunction with a parameter with respect to a tone signal is produced within a time lag that is less than or equal to a single one of said command periods.

A method for performing an operation on a plurality of waveforms in accordance with a predetermined algorithm, said method comprising:

• reading a sequence of operational commands composing said predetermined algorithm from a first storage means at a first rate, wherein each of said operational commands in said sequence is read during a different one of a plurality of command periods;
• reading parameters from a second storage means at a second rate, said second rate being faster than said first rate such that a plurality of different parameters each corresponding to one of said plurality of waveforms are read from said second storage means during each of said command periods;
• and
• executing, during each particular command period, a command read during said particular command period in conjunction with each of a plurality of parameters read during said particular command period with respect to a waveform sample from each of said plurality of waveforms, wherein said executing occurs in a pipeline manner and a result of executing a command in conjunction with a parameter with respect to a waveform sample is produced within a time lag that is less than or equal to a single one of said command periods.