Method of playing chord inversions on a virtual instrument

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9418645-B2
Application number	US-201514814350-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 30, 2015
Priority date	Mar 6, 2012
Publication date	Aug 16, 2016
Grant date	Aug 16, 2016

Abstract

A user interface implemented on a touch-sensitive display for a virtual musical instrument comprising a plurality of chord touch regions configured in a predetermined sequence, each chord touch region corresponding to a chord in a musical key and being divided into a plurality of separate touch zones, the plurality of chord touch regions defining a predetermined set of chords, where each of the plurality of separate touch zones in each region is associated with one or more preselected MIDI files stored in a computer-readable medium. In some embodiments, the touch zones are configured to provide different harmonic configurations of a base chord associated with the chord touch region. Some harmonic configurations provide progressively wider harmonic ranges across each adjacent touch zone. Other harmonic configurations can provide chords with a progressively higher relative pitch across each adjacent touch zone.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A user interface implemented on a touch-sensitive display for a virtual musical instrument comprising:
a chord touch region divided into a plurality of separate touch zones, wherein each of the plurality of touch zones is associated with one or more preselected audio signals stored in a computer-readable medium,
wherein the chord touch region is associated with a base chord, and
wherein the plurality of touch zones includes:
a first touch zone having a first harmonic configuration of the base chord; and
a second touch zone having a second harmonic configuration of the base chord, wherein the second harmonic configuration includes at least one note that is higher in relative pitch than any note of the first harmonic configuration.

2. The user interface of claim 1 wherein the first harmonic configuration is a non-inverting base chord configuration and the second harmonic configuration is a first inversion configuration.

3. The user interface of claim 1 wherein the plurality of touch zones further includes a third touch zone,
wherein the third touch zone includes a third harmonic configuration of the base chord that includes at least one note that is higher in relative pitch than any note of the second harmonic configuration.

4. The user interface of claim 3 wherein the first harmonic configuration is in a base chord configuration, the second harmonic configuration is a first inversion of the base chord, and the third harmonic configuration is a second inversion of the base chord.

5. A computer-implemented method comprising:
displaying, by a processor, a virtual musical instrument on a touch-sensitive display, the virtual musical instrument including a chord touch region divided into a plurality of separate touch zones,
wherein each of the plurality of touch zones is associated with one or more preselected audio signals stored in a computer-readable medium;
wherein the chord touch region is associated with a base chord, and
wherein the plurality of touch zones includes:
a first touch zone having a first harmonic configuration of the base chord; and
a second touch zone having a second harmonic configuration that is higher in relative pitch than the first touch zone;

receiving, by the processor, a user input corresponding to touch or swipe on one of the first or second touch zones; and
playing the corresponding harmonic configuration of the base chord based on the user input.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5 wherein the first harmonic configuration is a non-inverting base chord configuration and the second harmonic configuration is a first inversion configuration.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 5 wherein the plurality of touch zones further includes a third touch zone,
wherein the third touch zone includes a third harmonic configuration of the base chord that is higher in relative pitch than the second harmonic configuration.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 7 wherein the first harmonic configuration is in a base chord configuration, the second harmonic configuration is a first inversion of the base chord, and the third harmonic configuration is a second inversion of the base chord.

9. A computer-implemented system comprising:
one or more data processors;
one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media containing instructions configured to cause the one or more processors to perform operations including:
displaying a virtual musical instrument on a touch-sensitive display, the virtual musical instrument including a chord touch region divided into a plurality of separate touch zones,
wherein each of the plurality of touch zones is associated with one or more preselected audio signals stored in a computer-readable medium;
wherein the chord touch region is associated with a base chord, and wherein the plurality of touch zones includes:
a first touch zone having a first harmonic configuration of the base chord; and
a second touch zone having a second harmonic configuration that is higher in relative pitch than the first touch zone;

receiving a user input corresponding to touch or swipe on one of the first or second touch zones; and
playing the corresponding harmonic configuration of the base chord based on the user input.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the first harmonic configuration is a non-inverting base chord configuration and the second harmonic configuration is a first inversion.

11. The system of claim 9 wherein the plurality of touch zones further includes a third touch zone,
wherein the third touch zone includes a third harmonic configuration of the base chord that is higher in relative pitch than the second harmonic configuration.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the first harmonic configuration is in a base chord configuration, the second harmonic configuration is a first inversion of the base chord, and the third harmonic configuration is a second inversion of the base chord.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Little Alec H
• Manjarrez Eli T

Classifications

• G10H1/0008 Primary

  Associated control or indicating means · CPC title

• G10H2220/096

  using a touch screen · CPC title

• G10H2210/095

  Inter-note articulation aspects, e.g. legato or staccato · CPC title

• G10H2230/021

  Mobile ringtone, i.e. generation, transmission, conversion or downloading of ringing tones or other sounds for mobile telephony; Special musical data formats or protocols therefor · CPC title

• G06F3/041

  Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means · CPC title