Automatic improvisation system and method

A method for generating by computer a musical performance for a sequence of chords, comprising:

• (a) storing in a memory a musical performance comprised of data representing a sequence of musical sounds and timing for the sounds and, associated with the timing data, a stored sequence of a plurality of chord roots wherein a plurality of portions of the musical performance are each identified by data in said memory as a riff, each riff having an associated sequence of a plurality of chord roots;
• (b) receiving a first specification of a sequence of a plurality of chord roots input by a user;
• and
• (c) selecting from said memory a first one of said riffs of the musical performance having an associated stored sequence of a plurality of chord roots which is the same as the first input sequence of a plurality of chord roots.

A data storage medium containing a computer program for operating with a database of recorded musical performances to generate an improvisation which, when run on a computer, causes the computer to perform the following steps:

• (a) receiving a first specification of a sequence of a plurality of chord roots input by a user;
• (b) reading from a memory data representing a plurality of stored sequences of chord roots, one for each of a plurality of sequences of musical sounds stored in the memory;
• (c) selecting from the memory a first sequence of musical sounds having a stored sequence of a plurality of chord roots which is the same as the first input sequence of a plurality of chord roots,
• (d) receiving a second specification of a sequence of a plurality of chord roots input by a user;
• (e) selecting from the memory a second sequence of musical sounds having a stored sequence of a plurality of chord roots which is the same as the second input sequence of a plurality of chord roots;
• and
• (f) assembling the first sequence of musical sounds and the second sequence of musical sounds into a performance.

A data storage medium containing a computer program for operating with a database of recorded musical performances to generate an improvisation which, when run on a computer, causes the computer to perform the following steps:

• (a) reading from a memory data representing a plurality of stored sequences of chord roots and for each chord root an associated parameter, one sequence of chord roots and parameters for each of a plurality of sequences of musical sounds stored in the memory;
• (b) receiving a first specification of a sequence of a plurality of chords input by a user, each chord having a root and an extension;
• (c) converting each input chord root and extension to a chord root and a parameter where the parameter is based in part on the extension of the input chord;
• and
• (d) selecting from the memory a first sequence of musical sounds having a stored sequence of a plurality of chord roots and parameters which is the same as the first input sequence of a plurality of chords after converting each input chord root and extension to a chord root and parameter.

A system for operating with a database of recorded musical performances to generate an improvisation, comprising:

• (a) means for receiving a first specification of a sequence of a plurality of chord roots input by a user;
• (b) means for reading from a memory data representing a plurality of stored sequences of chord roots, one for each of a plurality of sequences of musical sounds stored in the memory;
• (c) means for selecting from the memory a first sequence of musical sounds having a stored sequence of a plurality of chord roots which is the same as the first input sequence of a plurality of chord roots;
• (d) means for receiving a second specification of a sequence of a plurality of chord roots input by a user;
• (e) means for selecting from the memory a second sequence of musical sounds having a stored sequence of a plurality of chord roots which is the same as the second input sequence of a plurality of chord roots;
• and
• (f) means for assembling the first sequence of musical sounds and the second sequence of musical sounds into a performance.

A system for operating with a database of recorded musical performances to generate an improvisation, comprising:

• (a) means for reading from a memory data representing a plurality of stored sequences of chord roots and for each chord root an associated parameter, one sequence of chord roots and parameters for each of a plurality of sequences of musical sounds stored in the memory;
• (b) means for receiving a first specification of a sequence of a plurality of chords input by a user, each chord having a root and an extension;
• (c) means for converting each input chord root and extension to a chord root and a parameter where the parameter is based in part on the extension of the input chord;
• and
• (d) means for selecting from the memory a first sequence of musical sounds having a stored sequence of a plurality of chord roots and parameters which is the same as the first input sequence of a plurality of chords after converting each input chord root and extension to a chord root and parameter.

A data storage medium containing a database of recorded musical performances suitable for generating improvisations, comprising:

• (a) data representing a musical performance consisting of a sequence of musical sounds and timing data for the sounds;
• (b) data identifying within the sequence of musical sounds a plurality of riffs, each riff consisting of a portion of the sequence of musical sounds including at least two musical sounds, each riff identifying a different portion of the sequence of musical sounds from each other riff, and at least two of the riffs identifying portions of the sequence of musical sounds which portions overlap each other;
• and
• (c) data representing a sequence of chord roots, each chord root associated with the timing data, the sequence including at least one chord root for each riff.

A method for creating a database of riffs, comprising:

• (a) recording in a memory data representing a musical performance consisting of a sequence of musical sounds and timing data for the sounds;
• (b) adding to the memory data identifying within the sequence of musical sounds a plurality of riffs, each riff consisting of a portion of the sequence of musical sounds, including at least tow musical sounds, each riff identifying a different portion of the sequence of musical sounds from each other riff;
• and
• (c) adding to the memory data representing a sequence of chord roots, each chord root associated with the timing data, the sequence including at least one chord root for each riff.

A system for creating a database of riffs, comprising:

• (a) means for recording in a memory data representing a musical performance consisting of a sequence of musical sounds and timing data for the sounds;
• (b) means for adding to the memory data identifying within the sequence of musical sounds a plurality of riffs, each riff consisting of a portion of the sequence of musical sounds including at least two musical sounds, each riff identifying a different portion of the sequence of musical sounds from each other riff;
• and
• (c) means for adding to the memory data representing a sequence of chord roots, each chord root associated with the timing data, the sequence including at least one chord root for each riff.