Music apparatus with dynamic change of effects

A music effector apparatus for processing a digital audio signal to produce a music sound while imparting acoustic effects to the music sound by executing microprograms every sampling period corresponding to the acoustic effects, the music effector apparatus comprising:

• a digital signal processor that has a process capacity only sufficient to execute a limited number of microprogram steps of microprograms within one sampling period to create corresponding acoustic effects in production of the music sound;
• an operating panel operable in advance of the processing of the audio signal for selecting a number of microprograms comprising a first total number of microprogram steps over the limited number of microprogram steps, said operating panel manually operable when changing the acoustic effects during the production of the music sound for setting an acoustic effect to a zero level so that the corresponding microprogram is made inactive, and for setting another acoustic effect to other level than the zero level so that the corresponding microprogram is made active;
• and
• a controller that controls the digital signal processor to execute the active microprograms comprising a second total number of microprogram steps within the limited number of microprogram steps while each inactive microprogram is not executed to thereby achieve efficient use of the process capacity of the digital signal processor.

A method of imparting acoustic effects to an audio signal by executing microprograms every sampling period, comprising the steps of:

• operating a digital signal processor having a process capacity only sufficient to execute a limited number of microprogram steps of microprograms within one sampling period to create acoustic effects in processing of the audio signal;
• selecting in advance of the processing of the audio signal a number of microprograms comprising a first total number of microprogram steps over the limited number of microprogram steps;
• setting a level of the acoustic effect to be created by each of the selected microprograms so that each microprogram is made inactive when the acoustic effect thereof is set to a zero level and otherwise is made active when the acoustic effect is set to other than the zero level;
• and
• controlling the digital signal processor to execute the active microprograms comprising a second total number of microprogram steps within the limited number of microprogram steps while each inactive microprogram is not executed to thereby achieve efficient use of the process capacity of the digital signal processor.

A machine readable medium for use in an effector apparatus having a CPU and a digital signal processor for imparting acoustic effects to an audio signal by executing microprograms every sampling period, the medium containing instructions executable by the CPU for causing the effector apparatus to perform the steps of:

• operating a digital signal processor having a process capacity only sufficient to execute a limited number of microprogram steps of microprograms within one sampling period to create acoustic effects in processing of the audio signal;
• selecting in advance of the processing of the audio signal a number of microprograms comprising a first total number of microprogram steps over the limited number of microprogram steps;
• setting a level of the acoustic effect to be created by each of the selected microprograms so that each microprogram is made inactive when the acoustic effect thereof is set to a zero level and otherwise is made active when the acoustic effect is set to other than the zero level;
• and
• controlling the digital signal processor to execute the active microprograms comprising a second total number of microprogram steps within the limited number of microprogram steps while each inactive microprogram is not executed to thereby achieve efficient use of the process capacity of the digital signal processor.