Music lesson system with local training terminal and remote supervisory station

A local training apparatus communicable with a training center through a network, comprising:

• an instrument device that is manually operable by a trainee to generate a sample performance;
• a processor device that provisionally prepares a test piece in a trainee's terminal, compares the test piece with the sample performance to determine differences therebetween to detect a training level of the trainee, and formulates a curriculum corresponding to the training level;
• a display device that is controlled by the processor device to display a lesson score according to the curriculum so that the lesson score can be rendered by operating the instrument device to generate the sample performance;
• a transmitter device that transmits data representative of the sample performance to the training center through the network so that the training center evaluates the sample performance according to the data to arrange advice information, which could not be arranged by the local training apparatus;
• and
• a receiver device that receives the advice information from the training center through the network;
• wherein the processor device operates upon receiving the advice information for controlling the display device to display an exercise part of the lesson score and a comment on the exercise part based on the advice information, thereby prompting the trainee to play the exercise part according to the comment.

A central training apparatus communicable through a network with a local training apparatus having an instrument device manually operable by a trainee to generate a sample performance, a processor device for provisionally preparing a test piece in a trainee's terminal, comparing the test piece with the sample performance to determine differences therebetween to detect a training level of the trainee, and formulating a curriculum corresponding to the training level, and a display device controlled by the processor device to display a lesson score according to the curriculum so that the lesson score can be rendered by operating the instrument device to generate the sample performance, the central training apparatus comprising:

• a receiver device that receives data representative of the sample performance from the local training apparatus through the network;
• a processor device that is operated by a trainer to evaluate the sample performance according to the received data so as to arrange advice information, which could not be arranged by the local training apparatus;
• and
• a transmitter device that transmits back the advice information to the local training apparatus, thereby enabling the local training apparatus to display an exercise part of the lesson score and a comment on the exercise part for prompting the trainee to play the exercise part according to the comment.

A music apparatus communicable with a supervisory computer through a network for remotely training a user in matching with a skill level, comprising:

• instrument means manually operable by the user for generating a performance;
• processor means for provisionally preparing a test piece in a user's terminal, comparing the test piece with the performance generated by the instrument means to determine differences therebetween to detect a training level of the user and formulating a curriculum corresponding to the training level of the user;
• display means for displaying a lesson score in matching with the skill level of the user according to the curriculum so that the user is prompted to render the displayed lesson score by operating the instrument means for generating a sample performance;
• wherein said processor means compares event data representative of the sample performance with note data representative of the lesson score to locally execute a quantitative evaluation of the sample performance;
• transmitter means for transmitting the event data representative of the sample performance to the supervisory computer through the network so that the supervisory computer can work to remotely provide a qualitative evaluation of the sample performance according to the event data to thereby arrange instruction data, the qualitative evaluation being different from the quantitative evaluation and being locally unavailable;
• and
• receiver means for receiving the instruction data from the supervisory computer through the network to pass the instruction data to the processor means;
• wherein the processor means operates based on either of the local quantitative evaluation and the remote qualitative evaluation represented by the received instruction data for modifying the lesson score effective to improve the skill level of the user.

A method of using a music apparatus having a display and an instrument manually operable by a user for generating a performance and being communicable with a supervisory computer through a network for remotely training the user in matching with a skill level, the method comprising the steps of:

• provisionally preparing a test piece in a user's terminal;
• comparing the test piece with a performance generated by the instrument to determine differences therebetween in order to detect a training level of the user;
• formulating a curriculum corresponding to the training level of the user;
• displaying a lesson score on the display in matching with the skill level of the user according to the curriculum so that the user is prompted to render the displayed lesson score by operating the instrument for generating a sample performance;
• comparing event data representative of the sample performance with note data representative of the lesson score to execute a quantitative evaluation of the sample performance;
• transmitting the event data representative of the sample performance to the supervisory computer through the network so that the supervisory computer can work to provide a qualitative evaluation of the sample performance according to the event data to thereby arrange instruction data, the qualitative being different from the quantitative evaluation and being unavailable by the music apparatus;
• receiving the instruction data from the supervisory computer through the network;
• and
• modifying the lesson score in order to improve the skill level of the user based on either of the quantitative evaluation and the qualitative evaluation represented by the received instruction data.

A machine readable medium for use in a music apparatus having a CPU, a display and an instrument manually operable by a user to generate a performance and being communicable with a supervisory computer through a network for remotely training the user in matching with a skill level, the medium containing a program executable by the CPU for causing the music apparatus to perform the method comprising the steps of:

• provisionally preparing a test piece in a user's terminal;
• comparing the test piece with a performance generated by the instrument to determine differences therebetween in order to detect a training level of the user;
• formulating a curriculum corresponding to the training level of the user;
• displaying a lesson score on the display in matching with the skill level of the user according to the curriculum so that the user is prompted to render the displayed lesson score by operating the instrument for generating a sample performance;
• comparing event data representative of the sample performance with note data representative of the lesson score to execute a quantitative evaluation of the sample performance;
• transmitting the event data representative of the sample performance to the supervisory computer through the network so that the supervisory computer can work to provide a qualitative evaluation of the sample performance according to the event data to thereby arrange instruction data, the qualitative evaluation being different from the quantitative evaluation and being unavailable by the music apparatus;
• receiving the instruction data from the supervisory computer through the network;
• and
• modifying the lesson score in order to improve the skill level of the user based on either of the quantitative evaluation and the qualitative evaluation represented by the received instruction data.