Electronic musical apparatus for synthesizing vocal sounds using format sound synthesis techniques

An electronic musical apparatus comprising:

• storage means for storing words of a lyric of a song to be sung as well as breath information indicating timings of pausing for breath;
• voice synthesis means for automatically synthesizing voices, corresponding to the words of the lyric, based on performance data which indicate a melody of the song;
• and
• control means for controlling the voice synthesis means based on the breath information such that the voices are generated in accordance with the melody but generation of the voices is temporarily stopped at the timings of pausing for breath.

An electronic musical apparatus comprising:

• storage means for storing a plurality of formant data, lyric data and melody data with respect to a song to be sung, wherein the plurality of formant data respectively correspond to syllables of a language by which the song is sung whilst the lyric data designate words of a lyric of the song as well as timings of pausing for breath;
• formant synthesis means for synthesizing voices based on the plurality of formant data selectively designated by the lyric data so that the voices are sequentially generated in accordance with the words of the lyric and are collected to sing the song in accordance with a melody of the song designated by the melody data;
• and
• breath control means for controlling the formant synthesis means such that the voices are generated but generation of the voices is temporarily stopped at the timings of pausing for breath.

A formant parameter creating method, applicable to an electronic musical apparatus employing a formant tone generator which operates based on formant parameters, comprising the steps of:

• outputting formant parameters, corresponding to a first phoneme, to the formant tone generator in a duration which is determined in advance;
• starting interpolation on the formant parameters after a lapse of the duration, wherein the interpolation is effected to shift sounding of the formant tone generator from the first phoneme to a second phoneme;
• and
• sequentially outputting results of the interpolation to the formant tone generator,
• whereby the formant tone generator synthesizes formant-related sound based on the first and second phonemes.

A formant parameter creating method, applicable to an electronic musical apparatus employing a formant tone generator which operates based on formant parameters, comprising the steps of:

• multiplying a sounding time of a first phoneme by an interpolation dead rate, which is determined in advance, so as to calculate a pre-interpolation time between a first phoneme sounding-start-time and an interpolation start time;
• outputting formant parameters, corresponding to the first phoneme, to the formant tone generator during the pre-interpolation time;
• detecting a lapse of the pre-interpolation time;
• starting interpolation on the formant parameters after the lapse of the pre-interpolation time, wherein the interpolation is effected to shift sounding of the formant tone generator from the first phoneme to a second phoneme;
• and
• sequentially outputting results of the interpolation to the formant tone generator,
• whereby the formant tone generator synthesizes formant-related sound based on the first and second phonemes.

A formant parameter creating method, applicable to an electronic musical apparatus employing a formant tone generator which operates based on formant parameters, comprising the steps of:

• multiplying a sounding time of a first phoneme by an interpolation dead rate, which is determined in advance, so as to calculate a pre-interpolation time between a first phoneme sounding-start-time and an interpolation start time;
• subtracting the pre-interpolation time from the sounding time of the first phoneme so as to calculate an interpolation time;
• outputting formant parameters, corresponding to the first phoneme, to the formant tone generator during the pre-interpolation time;
• detecting a lapse of the pre-interpolation time;
• starting interpolation, using the interpolation time, on the formant parameters after the lapse of the pre-interpolation time, wherein the interpolation is effected to shift sounding of the formant tone generator from the first phoneme to a second phoneme;
• sequentially outputting results of the interpolation to the formant tone generator;
• detecting a lapse of the interpolation time;
• and
• outputting formant parameters, regarding the second phoneme, to the formant tone generator,
• whereby the formant tone generator synthesizes formant-related sound based on the first and second phonemes.

A formant parameter creating method, applicable to an electronic musical apparatus employing a formant tone generator which operates based on formant parameters, comprising the steps of:

• multiplying a sounding time of a first phoneme by an interpolation dead rate, which is determined in advance, so as to calculate a pre-interpolation time between a first phoneme sounding-start-time and an interpolation start time;
• subtracting a sum of the pre-interpolation time and a sounding time of a second phoneme from the sounding time of the first phoneme so as to calculate an interpolation time;
• outputting formant parameters, corresponding to the first phoneme, to the formant tone generator during the pre-interpolation time;
• detecting a lapse of the pre-interpolation time;
• starting interpolation, using a sum of the interpolation time and the sounding time of the second phoneme, on the formant parameters after the lapse of the pre-interpolation time, wherein the interpolation is effected to shift sounding of the formant tone generator from the first phoneme to the second phoneme;
• sequentially outputting results of the interpolation to the formant tone generator;
• detecting a lapse of the interpolation time;
• and
• outputting formant parameters, regarding the second phoneme, to the formant tone generator after the lapse of the interpolation time,
• whereby the formant tone generator synthesizes formant-related sound based on the first and second phonemes.

A formant parameter creating method, applicable to an electronic musical apparatus employing a formant tone generator which operates based on formant parameters, comprising the steps of:

• performing first interpolation at an initial stage of a sounding time of a first phoneme such that formant parameters of the first phoneme are shifted to formant parameters of a second phoneme at a first pace;
• sequentially outputting results of the first interpolation to the formant tone generator;
• performing second interpolation at a latter stage of the sounding time of the first phoneme such that formant parameters of the first phoneme are shifted to the formant parameters of the second phoneme at a second pace, wherein said first pace is slower than said second pace;
• and
• sequentially outputting results of the second interpolation to the formant tone generator,
• whereby the formant tone generator synthesizes formant-related sound based on the first and second phonemes.

A storage device storing programs and formant parameters which cause an electronic musical apparatus, employing a formant tone generator, to execute a formant parameter creating method comprising the steps of:

• outputting formant parameters, corresponding to a first phoneme, to the formant tone generator in a duration which is determined in advance;
• starting interpolation on the formant parameters after a lapse of the duration, wherein the interpolation is effected to shift sounding of the formant tone generator from the first phoneme to a second phoneme;
• and
• sequentially outputting results of the interpolation to the formant tone generator,
• whereby the formant tone generator synthesizes formant-related sound based on the first and second phonemes.