Sound source system based on computer software and method of generating acoustic waveform data

A sound source apparatus having a software module used to compute samples of a waveform in response to a sampling frequency for generating a musical tone according to performance information, the apparatus comprising:

• a processor device that periodically executes the software module for successively computing samples of the waveform corresponding to a variable sampling frequency so as to generate the musical tone;
• a detector device for detecting a load of computation imposed on the processor device during the course of generating the musical tone;
• and
• a controller device operative according to the detected load for changing the variable sampling frequency to adjust a rate of computation of the samples.

A sound source apparatus having a software module used to compute samples of a waveform for generating a musical tone, the apparatus comprising:

• a provider device for variably providing a trigger signal at a relatively slow rate to define a frame period between successive trigger signals, and for periodically providing a sampling signal at a relatively fast rate such that a plurality of sampling signals occur within one frame period;
• a processor device resettable in response to each trigger signal and operable to periodically execute the software module for successively computing a number of samples of the waveform corresponding to the sampling signals within one frame;
• a detector device for detecting a load of computation imposed on the processor device during the course of generating the musical tone;
• a controller device operative according to the detected load for varying the frame period to adjust the number of the samples computed within one frame period, and
• a converter device responsive to each sampling signal for converting each of the samples into a corresponding analog signal to thereby generate the musical tones.

A sound source apparatus having submodules composed of softwares used to compute waveforms for generating a plurality of musical tones through a plurality of channels according to performance information, the apparatus comprising:

• setting means for setting an algorithm which determines a module composed of selective ones of the submodules logically connected to each other to compute a waveform specific to one of the musical tones;
• designating means responsive to the performance information for designating one of the channels to be used for generating said one musical tone;
• and
• generating means for loading the selective submodules into said one channel and for logically executing the allocated selective submodules according to the algorithm so as to compute the waveform to thereby generate said one musical tone through said one channel.

A sound source apparatus having a software module used to compute samples of a waveform in response to a sampling frequency for generating a musical tone according to performance information, the apparatus comprising:

• processor means to periodically execute the software module for successively computing samples of the waveform corresponding to a variable sampling frequency so as to generate the musical tone;
• detector means for detecting a load of computation imposed on the processor means during the course of generating the musical tone;
• and
• controller means operative according to the detected load for changing the variable sampling frequency to adjust a rate of computation of the samples.

A sound source apparatus having a software module used to compute samples of a waveform for generating a musical tone, the apparatus comprising:

• provider means for variably providing a trigger signal at a relatively slow rate to define a frame period between successive trigger signals, and for periodically providing a sampling signal at a relatively fast rate such that a plurality of sampling signals occur within one frame period;
• processor means resettable in response to each trigger signal and operable based on each sampling signal to periodically execute the software module for successively computing a number of samples of the waveform within one frame period;
• detector means for detecting a load of computation imposed on the processor means during the course of generating the musical tone;
• controller means operative according to the detected load for varying the frame period to adjust the number of the samples computed within one frame period, and
• converter means responsive to each sampling signal for converting each of the samples into a corresponding analog signal to thereby generate the musical tones.

A sound source apparatus having a software module used to compute samples of a waveform for generating a musical tone, the apparatus comprising:

• provider means for periodically providing a trigger signal at a relatively slow rate to define a frame period between successive trigger signals, and for periodically providing a sampling signal at a relatively fast rate such that a plurality of sampling signals occur within one frame period;
• processor means resettable in response to a trigger signal and operable in response to each sampling signal to periodically execute the software module for successively computing a number of samples of the waveform within one frame period;
• and
• converter means responsive to each sampling signal for converting each of the samples into a corresponding analog signal to thereby generate the musical tones, wherein
• the processor means includes delay means having a pair of memory regions for imparting a delay to the waveform to determine a pitch of the musical tone according to the performance information, the delay means successively writing the samples of the waveform of one musical tone into addresses of one of the memory regions and successively reading the samples from addresses of the same memory region to thereby create the delay, the delay means being operative when the processor means is reset so that said one musical tone is switched to another musical tone for successively writing the samples of the waveform of said another musical tone into addresses of the other memory region and successively reading the samples from addresses of the same memory region to thereby create the delay while clearing the one memory region to prepare for a further musical tone.

A method using submodules composed of softwares to compute waveforms for generating a plurality of musical tones through a plurality of channels according to performance information, the method comprising the steps of:

• setting an algorithm which determines a module composed of selective ones of the submodules logically connected to each other to compute a waveform specific to one of the musical tones;
• designating one of the channels to be used for generating said one musical tone in response to the performance information;
• loading the selective submodules into said one channel;
• and
• logically executing the loaded selective submodules according to the algorithm so as to compute the waveform to thereby generate said one musical tone through said one channel.

A method using a hardware processor and a software module to compute samples of a waveform in response to a sampling frequency for generating a musical tone according to performance information, the method comprising the steps of:

• periodically operating the hardware processor to execute the software module for successively computing samples of the waveform corresponding to a variable sampling frequency so as to generate the musical tone;
• detecting a load of computation imposed on the hardware processor during the course of generating the musical tone;
• and
• changing the variable sampling frequency according to the detected load to adjust a rate of computation of the samples.

A method using a hardware processor having a software module used to compute samples of a waveform for generating a musical tone, the method comprising the steps of:

• variably providing a trigger signal at a relatively slow rate to define a frame period between successive trigger signals;
• periodically providing a sampling signal at a relatively fast rate such that a plurality of sampling signals occur within one frame period;
• operating the hardware processor resettable in response to each trigger signal and operable based on each sampling signal to periodically execute the software module for successively computing a number of samples of the waveform within one frame period;
• detecting a load of computation imposed on the software processor during the course of generating the musical tone;
• varying the frame period according to the detected load to adjust the number of the samples computed within one frame period, and
• converting each of the samples into a corresponding analog signal in response to each sampling signal to thereby generate the musical tones.

A method using a hardware processor having a software module used to compute samples of a waveform for generating a musical tone, the method comprising the steps of:

• periodically providing a trigger signal at a relatively slow rate to define a frame period between successive trigger signals;
• periodically providing a sampling signal at a relatively fast rate such that a plurality of sampling signals occur within one frame period;
• operating the hardware processor resettable in response to a trigger signal and operable based on each sampling signal to periodically execute the software module for successively computing a number of samples of the waveform within one frame period;
• and
• converting each of the samples into a corresponding analog signal in response to each sampling signal to thereby generate the musical tones, wherein
• the step of operating includes delay step using a pair of memory regions for imparting a delay to the waveform to determine a pitch of the musical tone according to the performance information, the delay step successively writing the samples of the waveform of one musical tone into addresses of one of the memory regions and successively reading the samples from addresses of the same memory region to thereby create the delay, the delay step responding when the hardware processor is reset so that said one musical tone is switched to another musical tone for successively writing the samples of the waveform of said another musical tone into addresses of the other memory region and successively reading the samples from addresses of the same memory region to thereby create the delay while clearing the one memory region to prepare for a further musical tone.

A machine readable media for use in a processor machine including a CPU, said media containing program instructions executable by said CPU for causing the processor machine having submodules composed of softwares to compute waveforms for performing operation of generating a plurality of musical tones through a plurality of channels according to performance information, wherein the operation comprises the steps of:

• setting an algorithm which determines a module composed of selective ones of the submodules logically connected to each other to compute a waveform specific to one of the musical tones;
• designating one of the channels to be used for generating said one musical tone in response to the performance information;
• loading the selective submodules into said one channel;
• and
• logically executing the loaded selective submodules according to the algorithm so as to compute the waveform to thereby generate said one musical tone through said one channel.

A machine readable media for use in a processor machine including a CPU, said media containing program instructions executable by said CPU for causing the processor machine having a software module to compute samples of a waveform in response to a sampling frequency for performing operation of generating a musical tone according to performance information, wherein the operation comprises the steps of:

• periodically operating the processor machine to execute the software module for successively computing samples of the waveform corresponding to a variable sampling frequency so as to generate the musical tone;
• detecting a load of computation imposed on the processor machine during the course of generating the musical tone;
• and
• changing the variable sampling frequency according to the detected load to adjust a rate of computation of the samples.

A machine readable media for use in a processor machine including a CPU, said media containing program instructions executable by said CPU for causing the processor machine having a software module used to compute samples of a waveform for performing operation of generating a musical tone, wherein the operation comprises the steps of:

• variably providing a trigger signal at a relatively slow rate to define a frame period between successive trigger signals;
• periodically providing a sampling signal at a relatively fast rate such that a plurality of sampling signals occur within one frame period;
• operating the processor machine resettable in response to each trigger signal and operable based on each sampling signal to periodically execute the software module for successively computing a number of samples of the waveform within one frame period;
• detecting a load of computation imposed on the processor machine during the course of generating the musical tone;
• varying the frame period according to the detected load to adjust the number of the samples computed within one frame period, and
• converting each of the samples into a corresponding analog signal in response to each sampling signal to thereby generate the musical tones.

A machine readable media for use in a processor machine including a CPU, said media containing program instructions executable by said CPU for causing the processor machine having a software module used to compute samples of a waveform for performing operation of generating a musical tone, wherein the operation comprises the steps of:

• periodically providing a trigger signal at a relatively slow rate to define a frame period between successive trigger signals;
• periodically providing a sampling signal at a relatively fast rate such that a plurality of sampling signals occur within one frame period;
• operating the processor machine resettable in response to a trigger signal and operable based on each sampling signal to periodically execute the software module for successively computing a number of samples of the waveform within one frame;
• and
• converting each of the samples into a corresponding analog signal in response to each sampling signal to thereby generate the musical tones, wherein
• the step of operating includes delaying step using a pair of memory regions for imparting a delay to the waveform to determine a pitch of the musical tone according to the performance information, the delay step successively writing the samples of the waveform of one musical tone into addresses of one of the memory regions and successively reading the samples from addresses of the same memory region to thereby create the delay, the delay step responding when the processor machine is reset so that said one musical tone is switched to another musical tone for successively writing the samples of the waveform of said another musical tone into addresses of the other memory region and successively reading the samples from addresses of the same memory region to thereby create the delay while clearing the one memory region to prepare for a further musical tone.