Methods and apparatus for structuring audio data

A computerized device comprising:

• a memory;
• a processor;
• a communications interface;
• an interconnection mechanism coupling the memory, the processor and the communications interface;
• and
• wherein the memory is encoded with an audio formatting application that when executed on the processor provides an audio formatting process causing the computerized device to perform the operations of:
• identifying a score of audio information operable to be rendered by a rendering application, wherein identifying the score of audio information includes identifying audio files representing track elements of the score necessary for constructing a score having varying durations;
• enumerating aspects of the score, the aspects operable to define renderable features of the score, the aspects further define a duration modifiable by the rendering application to a predetermined duration that preserves a tempo of the score, wherein enumerating aspects of the score comprises:
• enumerating at least one field associated with each aspect of the score, fields indicative of rendering the score, each field defines properties of the score specific to a respective aspect, wherein enumerating at least one field associated with each aspect of the score comprises:
• enumerating a location of the aspect in the score, the location defining an offset time relative to a reference point in the score, the offset time defining a cue point for inserting the aspect into the score;
• enumerating a modifiable attribute associated with at least one aspect of the score, the modifiable attribute representing a qualitative value associated with the audio information that does not impact a duration of the score;
• and
• enumerating a sequential assignment of an aspect relative to at least one other aspect of the score, the sequential assignment describing an ordering of the parts and an ordering of clips within the parts;
• enumerating a part aspect that identifies parts of the score, each of the parts defining a segment of the score operable as a rearrangeable element, the part aspect includes a subordinate part variation aspect that defines part variations;
• and
• enumerating a song aspect that identifies available song variations of the score, the song aspect including fields defining part aspects of the song variations and a default part variation used in rendering the audio information, the fields defining part aspects defining a minimum number of times and a maximum number of times that a respective part is playable in a particular song variation;
• and
• storing the enumerated aspects according to a predetermined syntax operable to indicate to the rendering application a manner of accessing each of the aspects of the score.

A computer program product having a computer-storage medium operable to store computer program logic embodied in computer program code encoded thereon as an encoded set of processor based instructions that perform audio formatting comprising:

• computer program code for identifying a score of audio information operable to be rendered by a rendering application, wherein identifying the score of audio information includes identifying audio files representing track elements of the score necessary for constructing a score having varying durations;
• computer program code for enumerating aspects of the score, the aspects operable to define renderable features of the score, the aspects further define a duration modifiable by the rendering application to a predetermined duration that preserves a tempo of the score, wherein computer program code for enumerating aspects of the score comprises:
• computer program code for enumerating at least one field associated with each aspect of the score, fields indicative of rendering the score, each field defines properties of the score specific to a respective aspect, wherein computer program code for enumerating at least one field associated with each aspect of the score comprises:
• computer program code for enumerating a location of the aspect in the score, the location defining an offset time relative to a reference point in the score, the offset time defining a cue point for inserting the aspect into the score;
• computer program code for enumerating a modifiable attribute associated with at least one aspect of the score, the modifiable attribute representing a qualitative value associated with the audio information that does not impact a duration of the score;
• and
• computer program code for enumerating a sequential assignment of an aspect relative to at least one other aspect of the score, the sequential assignment describing an ordering of the parts and an ordering of clips within the parts;
• computer program code for enumerating a part aspect that identifies parts of the score, each of the parts defining a segment of the score operable as a rearrangeable element, the part aspect includes a subordinate part variation aspect that defines part variations;
• and
• computer program code for enumerating a song aspect that identifies available song variations of the score, the song aspect including fields defining part aspects of the sons variations and a default part variation used in rendering the audio information, the fields defining part aspects defining a minimum number of times and a maximum number of times that a respective part is playable in a particular song variation;
• and
• computer program code for storing the enumerated aspects according to a scripting language operable to indicate to the rendering application a manner of accessing each of the aspects of the score.