Network system for ensemble performance by remote terminals

A performance apparatus being allocated with one of a plurality of performance parts and storing phrase performance information of the plurality of the performance parts to conduct an ensemble performance composed of the plurality of the performance parts in communication with other performance apparatus through a network, the performance apparatus comprising:

• an input device that is manually operable to input operational information relating to the performance part allocated to the performance apparatus;
• a receiver device that receives operational information being inputted by other performance apparatus and relating to other performance part allocated to other performance apparatus via the network;
• and
• a sound device that reproduces the phrase performance information of the performance part allocated to the performance apparatus in response to the inputted operational information and that concurrently reproduces the phrase information of other performance part allocated to other performance apparatus in response to the received operational information to thereby conduct the ensemble performance composed of the plurality of the performance parts.

A performance apparatus being allocated with one of a plurality of performance parts and storing phrase performance information of the plurality of the performance parts to conduct an ensemble performance composed of the plurality of the performance parts in communication with other performance apparatus through a network, the performance apparatus comprising:

• an input device that is manually operable to input operational information;
• a control device that operates when the inputted operational information is adequately relating to the allocated performance part for transmitting the inputted operational information to other performance apparatus via the network so as to conduct the ensemble performance in other performance apparatus, and that operates when the inputted operational information is inadvertently relating to other performance part allocated to other performance apparatus for prohibiting transmission of the inputted operational information;
• and
• a sound device that reproduces the phrase performance information of the allocated performance part in response to the inputted operational information when the inputted operational information is adequately relating to the allocated performance part, the sound device prohibiting reproduction of the phrase performance information when the inputted operational information is inadvertently relating to other performance part allocated to other performance apparatus.

A machine readable medium for use in a computer machine being allocated with one of a plurality of performance parts and storing phrase performance information of the plurality of the performance parts to conduct an ensemble performance composed of the plurality of the performance parts in communication with other computer machine through a network, the machine readable medium containing a program executable by the computer machine to carry out an ensemble performance process comprising the steps of:

• inputting operational information relating to the performance part allocated to the computer machine;
• receiving operational information being inputted by other computer machine and relating to other performance part allocated to other computer machine via the network;
• reproducing the phrase performance information of the performance part allocated to the computer machine in response to the inputted operational information, and
• concurrently reproducing the phrase information of other performance part allocated to other computer machine in response to the received operational information to thereby conduct the ensemble performance composed of the plurality of the performance parts.

A machine readable medium for use in a computer machine being allocated with one of a plurality of performance parts and storing phrase performance information of the plurality of the performance parts to conduct an ensemble performance composed of the plurality of the performance parts in communication with other computer machine allocated with other performance part through a network, the machine readable medium containing a program executable by the computer machine for carrying out an ensemble performance process comprising the steps of:

• inputting operational information;
• transmitting the inputted operational information to other computer machine via the network when the inputted operational information is adequately relating to the allocated performance part so as to conduct the ensemble performance at other performance apparatus;
• prohibiting transmission of the inputted operational information when the inputted operational information is inadvertently relating to other performance part allocated to other computer machine;
• reproducing the phrase performance information of the allocated performance part in response to the inputted operational information when the inputted operational information is adequately relating to the allocated performance part in the ensemble performance at the computer machine;
• and
• prohibiting reproduction of the phrase performance information when the inputted operational information is inadvertently relating to other performance part allocated to other computer machine.

A machine readable medium for use in a computer machine designated as either of a master and a member and being allocated with one of a plurality of performance parts to conduct an ensemble performance in communication via a network with other computer machine allocated with other of the plurality of the performance parts under initiative by the master, the machine readable medium containing a program executable by the computer machine to carry out an ensemble performance process comprising the steps of:

• configuring an input device to provide a first operator operable to input operational information effective to execute the allocated performance part and to provide a second operator allocated with a special function and being operable to input information effective to initiate the ensemble performance;
• enabling the second operator when the computer machine is designated as the master so as to input the command information and so as to transmit the inputted command information to other computer machine via the network to initiate other computer machine;
• and
• disabling the second operator when the computer machine is designated as the member so as to prohibit inputting of the command information.

A server apparatus connected via a network to a plurality of performance apparatuses each storing phrase performance information of a plurality of performance parts and each being allocated with one of the performance parts to conduct an ensemble performance composed of the plurality of the performance parts, the server apparatus comprising:

• a receiver device that receives operational information from each of the performance apparatuses via the network, the operational information being inputted by each of the performance apparatuses and relating to the performance part allocated to each of the performance apparatuses;
• and
• a transmitter device that transmits the operational information inputted by each of the performance apparatuses to other of the performance apparatuses via the network, thereby enabling each of the performance apparatuses to receive the operational information relating to other performance part allocated to other of the performance apparatuses and to reproduce the phrase information of other performance part allocated to other of the performance apparatuses in response to the received operational information, while allowing each of the performance apparatuses to reproduce the phrase performance information of the performance part allocated to each performance apparatus in response to the inputted operational information to thereby conduct the ensemble performance composed of the plurality of the performance parts.

A performance apparatus being assigned with one of a plurality of performance parts to execute a joint performance composed of the plurality of the performance parts in communication with other performance apparatus through a network, the performance apparatus comprising:

• storing means for storing performance information representing music contents of the plurality of the performance parts;
• input means manually operable to input operational information effective to execute the performance part assigned to the performance apparatus;
• receiving means for receiving operational information inputted by and transmitted from other performance apparatus via the network, the received operational information being effective to execute other performance part assigned to other performance apparatus;
• and
• sound means for reading out the performance information of the performance part assigned to the performance apparatus from the storing means in response to the operational information inputted by the input means, and for concurrently reading out the performance information of other performance part assigned to other performance apparatus from the storing means in response to the operational information received by the receiving means, thereby executing the joint performance composed of the plurality of the performance parts.

A method of executing a joint performance composed of at least a first performance part and a second performance part by means of a first performance apparatus assigned with the first performance part in communication with a second performance apparatus assigned with the second performance part through a network, the method comprising the steps of:

• storing performance information representing music contents of the first performance part and the second performance part in the first performance apparatus;
• inputting first operational information effective to execute the first performance part by the first performance apparatus;
• receiving second operational information inputted by and transmitted from the second performance apparatus via the network, the second operational information being effective to execute the second performance part assigned to the second performance apparatus;
• reading out the first performance information of the first performance part assigned to the first performance apparatus in response to the first operational information inputted by the first performance apparatus;
• and
• concurrently reading out the second performance information of the second performance part assigned to the second performance apparatus in response to the second operational information received by the first performance apparatus, thereby executing the joint performance composed of the first performance part and the second performance part.