US 6,066,794 A · Gesture synthesizer for electronic sound device

Abstract

A MIDI-compatible gesture synthesizer is provided for use with a conventional music synthesizer to create musically realistically sounding gestures. The gesture synthesizer is responsive to one or more user controllable input signals, and includes several transfer function models that may be user-selected. One transfer function models properties of muscles using Hill's force-velocity equation to describe the non-linearity of muscle activation. A second transfer function models the cyclic oscillation produced by opposing effects of two force sources representing the cyclic oppositional action of muscle systems. A third transfer function emulates the response of muscles to internal electrical impulses. A fourth transfer function provides a model representing and altering virtual trajectory of gestures. A fifth transfer function models visco-elastic properties of muscle response to simulated loads. The gesture synthesizer outputs MIDI-compatible continuous pitch data, tone volume and tone timbre information. The continuous pitch data is combined with discrete pitch data provided by the discrete pitch generator within the conventional synthesizer, and the combined signal is input to a tone generator, along with the tone volume and tone timbre information. The tone generator outputs tones that are user-controllable in real time during performance of a musical gesture.

Claims60

Dependent claims

A gesture synthesizer (GS) for use with an electronic sound synthesizer (ESS), which electronic music synthesizer provides at least a tone signal responsive to an ESS user-input device that permits user selection of discrete pitches, said gesture synthesizer coupleable to at least a first GS user-input control device, said gesture synthesizer comprising:

first detection means, coupled to said first GS user-input control device, for generating control data representing user-operation of said first GS user-input control device;
at least a first gesture synthesis means, coupled to said first detection means, for synthesizing a desired transfer function simulating muscle action, said transfer function represented by at least one model selected from a group consisting of (i) a model implementing Hill's equation, (ii) a model representing cyclic opposing effects of two force sources representing cyclic opposition action of a muscular system, (iii) a model representing muscular stimulus response to internal electrical impulses, (iv) a model representing visco-elastic properties of muscle pairs and elasticity of simulated loads, and (v) a model altering virtual trajectory of gesture created with said gesture synthesizer;
said first gesture synthesis means outputting synthesized control data responsive to said control data such that said tone signal provided by said electronic sound synthesizer is responsive to and modifiable by said first GS user-input control device.

A method for providing gesture synthesis for an electronic sound device, comprising the steps of:

(a) synthesizing in response to control data, a first transfer function based upon a muscle emulation model, which includes at least one module selected from the group consisting of (i) a module implementing Hill's equation, (ii) a module modeling cyclic opposing effects of two force sources representing cyclic opposition action of a muscular system, (iii) a module emulating muscular action by representing muscular stimulus response to internal electrical impulses, and (iv) a module modelling visco-elastic properties of muscle pairs and elasticity of simulated loads, and generating synthesized control data responsive to said control data;
and
(b) inputting said synthesized control data to said sound device;
wherein said sound device outputs a sound signal including simulated gestures.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Gesture synthesizer for electronic sound device

Life of this patent

Gesture synthesizer for electronic sound device

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims60