Performance instructing apparatus

Claim 2

A performance instructing apparatus comprising: music piece-reproducing means for reproducing a music piece according to automatic performance data; display means for displaying a drawing of a display keyboard such that keys of said display keyboard are arranged in the same direction as a direction in which keys of a keyboard through which a player enters pitch information are arranged with respect to the player, and for displaying a key operation region corresponding to each key of said display keyboard, said key operation region representing a period from a point of time when said each key is to be depressed by the player to a point of time when said each key is to be released by the player; and scroll means for scrolling said key operation region in a direction normal to the direction in which said keys of said display keyboard are arranged such that the region approaches said display keyboard as the music piece is reproduced by said music piece-reproducing means.

Claim 3

A performance instructing apparatus according to claim 1, further including key correctness-determining means for comparing a pitch of a key that is depressed by the player on said keyboard, with a pitch of the automatic performance data that are being reproduced, and for determining whether said pitch of the key depressed by the player coincides with said pitch of the automatic performance data, based on a result of said comparison; and wherein said key display mode-changing means changes a display mode in which a key of said display keyboard corresponding to said key that is depressed by the player, depending upon a result of said determination by said key correctness-determining means.

Claim 4

A performance instructing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said key display mode-changing means changes color in which said key of said display keyboard is displayed.

Claim 5

A performance instructing apparatus according to claim 1, further including syllable name/pitch-name display means for displaying at least one of a syllable name and a pitch name of said each key in the vicinity of said key operation region corresponding to said each key.

Claim 6

A performance instructing apparatus according to claim 1, further including pausing means for temporarily stopping reproduction of the music piece by said music piece-reproducing means and scrolling of said key operation region by said scroll means, if the player fails to depress a key corresponding to the key operation region displayed by said display means when the key operation region has reached a corresponding key of said display keyboard, said pausing means pausing the reproduction and the scrolling until the player depresses said key.

Claim 7

A performance instructing apparatus according to claim 1, further including key operation region display mode-changing means for changing a display mode in which said key operation region is displayed, depending upon a type of said each key corresponding to said key operation region.

Claim 8

A performance instructing apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said key operation region display mode-changing means changes color in which said key operation region is displayed.

Claim 9

A performance instructing apparatus according to claim 1, further including key operation region display mode-changing means for changing a display mode in which said key operation region is displayed, depending upon whether said each key corresponding to said key operation region is to be depressed by a right hand or a left hand of the player.

Claim 10

A performance instructing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said key operation region display mode-changing means changes color in which said key operation region is displayed.

Claim 11

A performance instructing apparatus according to claim 1, further including operation region display mode-changing means for changing a display mode in which said key operation region is displayed, depending upon a type of said automatic performance data.

Claim 12

A performance instructing apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said operation region display mode-changing means changes said display mode, depending upon velocity included in event data of said automatic performance data.

Claim 13

A performance instructing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said music piece-reproducing means produces key-depression events relating to depression of keys of said keyboard and timing-line events representing a particular timing of performance, as the music piece is reproduced by said music piece-reproducing means; and wherein said display means comprises a display area including a predetermined number of minimum display units, said display means displaying a key depression region as said key operation region upon occurrence of each of said key-depression events, and a timing line upon occurrence of each of said timing-line events; and wherein said scroll means displays said key depression region in a first display mode in M pieces of the minimum display units located in an end portion of said display area, upon occurrence of said each key-depression event during reproduction of the music piece by said music piece-reproducing means, and displays said timing line in a second display mode in at least one (N) of said M pieces of the minimum display units, upon occurrence of said each timing-line event during reproduction by said music piece-reproducing means, while displaying the rest of said M pieces of the minimum display units in said first display mode, said scroll means shifting a predetermined display region including said end portion by an amount corresponding to said M pieces of the minimum display units per unit time and copying data in said predetermined display region into a region to which the predetermined display region is scrolled, said scroll means rewriting said at least one (N) of said M pieces of the minimum display units in said end portion, in the display mode of the minimum display units that exclude said at least one (N) of said M pieces of the minimum display units.

Claim 14

A performance instructing apparatus according to claim 5, further including number changing means for changing the number of said M pieces of the minimum display units.

Claim 15

A performance instructing apparatus comprising: music piece-reproducing means for reproducing a music piece according to automatic performance data; display means for displaying a drawing of a display keyboard that is oriented in the same direction as a keyboard through which a player enters pitch information, and for displaying a key operation region corresponding to each key of said display keyboard, said key operation region representing a period from a point of time when said each key is to be depressed by the player to a point of time when each key is to be released by the player; and scroll means for scrolling said key operation region such that the region approaches said display keyboard as the music piece is reproduced by said music piece-reproducing means; and key display mode-changing means for changing a display mode in which said key is displayed, when said corresponding key operation region reaches said each key of said display keyboard.

Claim 16

A performance instructing apparatus comprising: music piece-reproducing means for reproducing a music piece according to automatic performance data; display means for displaying a drawing of a display keyboard that is oriented in the same direction as a keyboard through which a player enters pitch information, and for displaying a key operation region corresponding to each key of said display keyboard, said key operation region representing a period from a point of time when said each key is to be depressed by the player to a point of time when each key is to be released by the player; and scroll means for scrolling said key operation region such that the region approaches said display keyboard as the music piece is reproduced by said music piece-reproducing means; and key display mode-changing means for changing a display mode in which said key is displayed, when said corresponding key operation region reaches said each key of said display keyboard.

Claim 17

A performance instructing apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said key display mode-changing means changes color in which said each key is displayed.

Claim 18

A performance instructing apparatus according to claim 14, further including key correctness-determining means for comparing a pitch of a key that is depressed by the player on said keyboard, with a pitch of the automatic performance data that are being reproduced, and for determining whether said pitch of the key depressed by the player coincides with said pitch of the automatic performance data, based on a result of said comparison; and wherein said key display mode-changing means changes a display mode in which a key of said display keyboard corresponding to said key that is depressed by the player, depending upon a result of said determination by said key correctness-determining means.

Claim 19

A performance instructing apparatus according to claim 14, further including syllable name/pitch-name display means for displaying at least one of a syllable name and a pitch name of said each key in the vicinity of said key operation region corresponding to said each key.

Claim 20

A performance instructing apparatus according to claim 15, further including syllable name/pitch-name display means for displaying at least one of a syllable name and a pitch name of said each key in the vicinity of said key operation region corresponding to said each key.

Claim 21

A performance instructing apparatus according to claim 14, further including pausing means for temporarily stopping reproduction of the music piece by said music piece-reproducing means and scrolling of said key operation region by said scroll means, if the player fails to depress a key corresponding to the key operation region displayed by said display means when the key operation region has reached a corresponding key of said display keyboard, said pausing means pausing the reproduction and the scrolling until the player depresses said key.

Claim 22

A performance instructing apparatus according to claim 15, further including pausing means for temporarily stopping reproduction of the music piece by said music piece-reproducing means and scrolling of said key operation region by said scroll means, if the player fails to depress a key corresponding to the key operation region displayed by said display means when the key operation region has reached a corresponding key of said display keyboard, said pausing means pausing the reproduction and the scrolling until the player depresses said key.

Claim 23

A performance instructing apparatus according to claim 14, further including key operation region display mode-changing means for changing a display mode in which said key operation region is displayed, depending upon a type of said each key corresponding to said key operation region.

Claim 24

A performance instructing apparatus according to claim 15, further including key operation region display mode-changing means for changing a display mode in which said key operation region is displayed, depending upon a type of said each key corresponding to said key operation region.

Claim 25

A performance instructing apparatus according to claim 14, further including key operation region display mode-changing means for changing a display mode in which said key operation region is displayed, depending upon whether said each key corresponding to said key operation region is to be depressed by a right hand or a left hand of the player.

Claim 26

A performance instructing apparatus according to claim 15, further including key operation region display mode-changing means for changing a display mode in which said key operation region is displayed, depending upon whether said each key corresponding to said key operation region is to be depressed by a right hand or a left hand of the player.

Claim 27

A performance instructing apparatus according to claim 14, further including operation region display mode-changing means for changing a display mode in which said key operation region is displayed, depending upon a type of said automatic performance data.

Claim 28

A performance instructing apparatus according to claim 15, further including operation region display mode-changing means for changing a display mode in which said key operation region is displayed, depending upon a type of said automatic performance data.

Claim 29

A performance instructing apparatus according to claim 14, wherein said music piece-reproducing means produces key-depression events relating to depression of keys of said keyboard and timing-line events representing a particular timing of performance, as the music piece is reproduced by said music piece-reproducing means; and wherein said display means comprises a display area including a predetermined number of minimum display units, said display means displaying a key depression region as said key operation region upon occurrence of each of said key-depression events, and a timing line upon occurrence of each of said timing-line events; and wherein said scroll means displays said key depression region in a first display mode in M pieces of the minimum display units located in an end portion of said display area, upon occurrence of said each key-depression event during reproduction of the music piece by said music piece-reproducing means, and displays said timing line in a second display mode in at least one (N) of said M pieces of the minimum display units, upon occurrence of said each timing-line event during reproduction by said music piece-reproducing means, while displaying the rest of said M pieces of the minimum display units in said first display mode, said scroll means shifting a predetermined display region including said end portion by an amount corresponding to said M pieces of the minimum display units per unit time and copying data in said predetermined display region into a region to which the predetermined display region is scrolled, said scroll means rewriting said at least one (N) of said M pieces of the minimum display units in said end portion, in the display mode of the minimum display units that exclude said at least one (N) of said M pieces of the minimum display units.

Claim 30

A performance instructing apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said music piece-reproducing means produces key-depression events relating to depression of keys of said keyboard and timing-line events representing a particular timing of performance, as the music piece is reproduced by said music piece-reproducing means; and wherein said display means comprises a display area including a predetermined number of minimum display units, said display means displaying a key depression region as said key operation region upon occurrence of each of said key-depression events, and a timing line upon occurrence of each of said timing-line events; and wherein said scroll means displays said key depression region in a first display mode in M pieces of the minimum display units located in an end portion of said display area, upon occurrence of said each key-depression event during reproduction of the music piece by said music piece-reproducing means, and displays said timing line in a second display mode in at least one (N) of said M pieces of the minimum display units, upon occurrence of said each timing-line event during reproduction by said music piece-reproducing means, while displaying the rest of said M pieces of the minimum display units in said first display mode, said scroll means shifting a predetermined display region including said end portion by an amount corresponding to said M pieces of the minimum display units per unit time and copying data in said predetermined display region into a region to which the predetermined display region is scrolled, said scroll means rewriting said at least one (N) of said M pieces of the minimum display units in said end portion, in the display mode of the minimum display units that exclude said at least one (N) of said M pieces of the minimum display units.

Claim 31

A performance instructing method comprising: a music piece-reproducing step of reproducing a music piece according to automatic performance data; a display step of displaying a drawing of a display keyboard such that keys of said display keyboard are arranged in the same direction as a direction in which keys of a keyboard through which a player enters pitch information are arranged with respect to the player, and for displaying a key operation region corresponding to each key of said display keyboard, said key operation region representing a period from a point in time when said each key is to be depressed by the player to a point of time when said each key is to be released by the player; and a scroll step of scrolling said key operation region in a direction normal to the direction in which said keys of said display keyboard are arranged such that the region approaches said display keyboard as the music piece is reproduced by said music piece-reproducing step.

Claim 32

A performance instructing method comprising: a music piece-reproducing step of reproducing a music piece according to automatic performance data; a display step of displaying a drawing of a display keyboard such that keys of said display keyboard are arranged in the same direction as a direction in which keys of a keyboard through which a player enters pitch information are arranged with respect to the player, and for displaying a key operation region corresponding to each key of said display keyboard, said key operation region representing a period from a point in time when said each key is to be depressed by the player to a point of time when said each key is to be released by the player; and a scroll step of scrolling said key operation region in a direction normal to the direction in which said keys of said display keyboard are arranged such that the region approaches said display keyboard as the music piece is reproduced by said music piece-reproducing step.

Claim 33

A machine readable storage medium storing a program for instructing execution of a performance instructing method comprising: a music piece-reproducing step of reproducing a music piece according to automatic performance data; a display step of displaying a drawing of a display keyboard that is oriented in the same direction as a keyboard through which a player enters pitch information, and for displaying a key operation region corresponding to each key of said display keyboard, said key operation region representing a period from a point of time when said each key is to be depressed by the player to a point of time when said each key is to be released by the player; and a scroll step of scrolling said key operation region such that the region approaches said display keyboard as the music piece is reproduced by said music piece-reproducing step.

Claim 34

A machine readable storage medium storing a program for instructing execution of a performance instructing method comprising: a music piece-reproducing step of reproducing a music piece according to automatic performance data; a display step of displaying a drawing of a display keyboard that is oriented in the same direction as a keyboard through which a player enters pitch information, and for displaying a key operation region corresponding to each key of said display keyboard, said key operation region representing a period from a point of time when said each key is to be depressed by the player to a point of time when said each key is to be released by the player; and a scroll step of scrolling said key operation region such that the region approaches said display keyboard as the music piece is reproduced by said music piece-reproducing step.

Claim 35

A performance instructing apparatus comprising: a music piece-reproducing device which reproduces a music piece according to automatic performance data; a display which displays a drawing of a display keyboard such that keys of said display keyboard are arranged in the same direction as a direction in which keys of a keyboard through which a player enters pitch information are arranged with respect to the player, and displays a key operation region corresponding to each key of said display keyboard, said key operation region representing a period from a point of time when said each key is to be depressed by the player to a point of time when said each key is to be released by the player; and a controller which controls said display to scroll said key operation region in a direction normal to the direction in which said keys of said display keyboard are arranged such that the region approaches said display keyboard as music piece is reproduced by said music piece-reproducing device.

Claim 36

A performance instructing apparatus comprising: a music piece-reproducing device which reproduces a music piece according to automatic performance data; a display which displays a drawing of a display keyboard such that keys of said display keyboard are arranged in the same direction as a direction in which keys of a keyboard through which a player enters pitch information are arranged with respect to the player, and displays a key operation region corresponding to each key of said display keyboard, said key operation region representing a period from a point of time when said each key is to be depressed by the player to a point of time when said each key is to be released by the player; and a controller which controls said display to scroll said key operation region in a direction normal to the direction in which said keys of said display keyboard are arranged such that the region approaches said display keyboard as music piece is reproduced by said music piece-reproducing device.

Claim 37

A performance instructing apparatus comprising; a music piece-reproducing device which reproduces a music piece according to automatic performance data; a display which displays a drawing of a display keyboard such that keys of said display keyboard are arranged in the same direction as a direction in which keys of a keyboard through which a player enters pitch information are arranged with respect to the player, and displays a key operation point corresponding to each key of said display keyboard, said key operation point representing timing in which said each key is to be operated by the player; and a controller which controls said display to scroll said key operation point in a direction normal to the direction in which said keys of said display keyboard are arranged such that point approached said display keyboard as the music piece is reproduced by said music-reproducing device.

Claim 38

A performance instructing apparatus comprising; a music piece-reproducing device which reproduces a music piece according to automatic performance data; a display which displays a drawing of a display keyboard such that keys of said display keyboard are arranged in the same direction as a direction in which keys of a keyboard through which a player enters pitch information are arranged with respect to the player, and displays a key operation point corresponding to each key of said display keyboard, said key operation point representing timing in which said each key is to be operated by the player; and a controller which controls said display to scroll said key operation point in a direction normal to the direction in which said keys of said display keyboard are arranged such that point approached said display keyboard as the music piece is reproduced by said music-reproducing device.