Method and apparatus for interactively creating new arrangements for musical compositions

Methods and apparatus are provided for interactively creating new arrangements of prerecorded musical works. The musical work is represented on a digital medium in the form of a database comprising a plurality of fixed musical sequences, and a template comprising a plurality of sequence positions. Each sequence position may represent one track of a musical arrangement, such as the performance of one instrumental group, or a musical solo. The various tracks are intended to be played simultaneously, in parallel. In addition, some of the sequence positions may represent fixed-length, partial segments of a single track that are intended to be played serially. Using a menu-driven, graphical interface, a user interactively selects a plurality of the fixed musical sequences, as desired, and allocates the selected sequences among the various fixed sequence positions specified by the template. The musical sequences are then combined in accordance with the user's selections, thus creating a new arrangement of the musical work. In this way, users of varying levels of sophistication can be given a musically structured framework for interactively constructing new arrangements of recorded musical works.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to the field of interactive computer technology, and 
more particularly to an application of computer technology to the problem 
of interactively arranging prerecorded musical compositions. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
Musical works, whether in analog or digital form, have traditionally been 
sold to consumers in relatively non-interactive forms. For example, a 
compact disk or audio cassette containing a prerecorded musical 
performance enables a user to hear and enjoy a faithful reproduction of 
the original musical performance. However, the user is not expected or 
encouraged to alter materially the underlying music. 
That is not to say that no end-user interaction with music has ever 
previously been possible. Indeed, compact disk players and even audio 
cassette players have traditionally allowed users to adjust the volume or 
even the frequency equalization of recorded music; to rewind, 
fast-forward, and skip through recorded music; and to rearrange the play 
order of multiple musical works. However, in the prior art, end-users have 
generally not been provided with convenient facilities enabling them to 
dissect a musical work into its component parts, and to rearrange those 
parts into a new musical work in a musically meaningful manner. 
More recently, a number of supposedly "interactive" musical titles have 
been created for the burgeoning multimedia market, but these titles 
typically do little more than add graphical liner notes, annotations, and 
commentary to the underlying musical performance. In other words, by 
entering interactive input, such as through a mouse or other 
cursor-control device, users of these prior art titles are able to display 
corresponding musical lyrics, sheet music, or even video background 
material about the recording artist, all while listening to the underlying 
prerecorded composition. Some titles further permit users to adjust the 
volume or equalization of a given work's constituent components. However, 
in the prior art, users have not been provided with suitable facilities 
enabling users to dissect and dynamically reassemble the components of 
prerecorded musical compositions and thereby interactively create their 
own, new arrangements of such compositions. 
At the other end of the spectrum, various high-end tools do exist which 
allow the professional recording engineer to digitally process, 
manipulate, and modify prerecorded music. However, such equipment 
generally does not impose meaningful, structural constraints on the degree 
of musical processing and modification that can be performed. In other 
words, such equipment offers too much freedom and complexity, and not 
enough structure and guidance, for less sophisticated end-users. In short, 
what is desired is a structured methodology and architecture that will 
give end-users with varying levels of musical sophistication the rewarding 
experience of dissecting and exploring prerecorded musical works, and of 
interactively constructing new, customized arrangements of those works. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention provides methods and apparatus for interactively 
creating new arrangements for prerecorded musical works. In accordance 
with the present invention, a musical work is stored and represented on a 
digital medium (such a CD-ROM compact disc) in the form of a digital 
database comprising a plurality of fixed musical sequences that 
collectively make up the musical work, and a template specifying a 
plurality of fixed sequence positions for arrangements of the musical 
work. Each sequence position in the template may represent a single track 
within a multi-track musical arrangement, which may correspond to the 
performance of one instrumental group or of a musical solo, for example. 
The various tracks of a multi-track arrangement are intended to be played 
simultaneously, i.e., in parallel. In addition, some of the sequence 
positions may represent component segments of a single track, intended to 
be played serially. 
This digital medium is provided as input to a digital processor system as 
described herein. A user then interactively selects a plurality of the 
fixed musical sequences as desired, and interactively allocates the 
selected sequences among the various fixed sequence positions defined by 
the template. Interactive selection is preferably performed using a 
menu-driven, graphical user interface. The selected musical sequences are 
then combined in accordance with the user's allocation scheme, thus 
creating a new arrangement of the musical work. 
Preferably, in a further aspect of the present invention, the various 
musical sequences correspond to performances of the musical work in 
distinctive musical styles and by different instrument groups. A preferred 
structure and size is also disclosed for those musical sequences that 
represent component segments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
FIG. 1 depicts the general architecture of a digital processor-based system 
for practicing the present invention. Processor 100 is preferably a 
standard digital computer microprocessor, such as a CPU of the Intel x86 
series, Motorola PowerPC series, or Motorola 68000 series. Processor 100 
runs system software 120 (such as Apple Macintosh OS, Microsoft Windows, 
or another graphically-oriented operating system for personal computers), 
which is stored on storage unit 110, e.g., a standard internal fixed disk 
drive. Musical composition software 130, also stored on storage unit 110, 
includes computer program code for the processing steps described below, 
including providing graphical user interfaces ("GUI's"), and accessing and 
assembling digital music tracks and segments in response to interactive 
user selections. Processor 100 is further coupled to standard CD-ROM drive 
140, for receiving compact disc 150 which contains the musical database 
and template information described in more detail below. Users utilize 
standard personal computer keyboard 160 and cursor control device 165 
(e.g., a mouse or trackball) to enter the GUI input commands discussed 
below, which are then transmitted to processor 100. Display output, 
including the GUI output discussed below, is transmitted from processor 
100 to video monitor 170 for display to users. Musical works as arranged 
by processor 100, under the control of composition software 130 and based 
upon the data of digital medium 150, are transmitted to sound card 180, 
preferably a standard personal computer sound card, and are thereafter 
output to audio loudspeakers 190 for listening. 
In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, a musical composition 
as illustrated in FIG. 2, is comprised of an ensemble accompaniment 200 
and a simultaneous solo track 240 of shorter duration (in the preferred 
embodiment eight musical measures long). This structure is intended to 
correspond to the actual structure of music composition in many classical 
and popular genres which structures include solo segments and 
accompaniments incorporated into single musical works. 
The ensemble accompaniment 200 is further comprised, in the preferred 
embodiment, of two or more single instrument tracks. In FIG. 2, these are 
represented by 210 (accompanying track 1), 220 (accompanying track 2), and 
230 (accompanying track 3). According to the present invention, the user 
may interactively select from a plurality of individual instrumental 
sections to be composed as a single ensemble accompaniment by combining 
user selections as accompanying tracks 1, 2, and 3 in the template spaces 
marked 210, 220, and 230 in FIG. 2, and as further described below. 
The solo track 240 is further comprised of four two-musical-measure 
segments 242, 244, 246, and 248 arranged serially. It is readily apparent 
that the segments 242, 244, 246, and 248 may be of any uniform length, 
which length roughly corresponds to natural musical phrases. In accordance 
with the present invention, the user may interactively select from a 
plurality of two-measure solo instrumental or vocal sections to 
re-assemble items 242, 244, 246, and 248 in a different serial order to 
comprise a new solo track 240, which the digital computer plays back 
simultaneously with the ensemble accompaniment 200. 
The solo track 240; the ensemble accompaniment 200; the accompaniment 
tracks 210, 220 and 230; and the solo segments 242, 244, 246 and 248 must 
be of specific durations in order to preserve musical rhythms. Methods of 
creating digitally encoded sounds of specified durations such that those 
sounds may reliably be re-assembled in a rhythmically correct manner are 
well known to those of ordinary skill in the art. SMPTE time code is an 
example of one such commonly used method. 
The user interactively selects from a musical database illustrated in FIG. 
3 when choosing various musical elements to comprise the musical 
composition structure illustrated in FIG. 2. In the preferred embodiment, 
the musical database is comprised of a plurality of pre-selected ensemble 
accompaniment sections 300, 310, and 320. Each ensemble accompaniment is 
pre-composed by an expert musician and adheres to a particular musical 
style, such that ensemble accompaniment 300 adheres to style 1, ensemble 
accompaniment 310 adheres to style 2, and ensemble accompaniment 320 
adheres to style 3. Each ensemble accompaniment is in turn comprised of 
three or more instrumental parts; for example, piano (segments 302, 312, 
and 322), drums (segments 304, 314, and 324), and bass (segments 306, 316, 
and 326). In the preferred embodiment, the user may interactively select 
one piano segment 302, 312, or 322; one drum segment 304, 314, or 324; and 
one bass segment 306, 316, or 326, such that each ensemble accompaniment 
(FIG. 2, Section 200) shall be assembled by the user making these 
selections for all or some of these three instruments. 
The musical database is further comprised in the preferred embodiment of 
three different solo track versions, from which the user may select two 
measure blocks to assemble in serial for the solo track represented as 
block 240 in FIG. 2. Within the musical database, in the preferred 
embodiment, each of four solo track versions 330, 340, 350, and 360 is 
comprised of a musical solo as played by a single performer on a single 
instrument. Each solo track version, in turn, is comprised of four 
two-musical-measure segments assembled serially so that solo track version 
A 330 is comprised of two-musical-measure blocks 332, 334, 336, and 338; 
solo track version B 340 is composed of two-musical-measure blocks 342, 
344, 346, and 348; solo track version C 350 is comprised of 
two-musical-measure blocks 352, 354, 356, and 358; solo track version D 
360 is comprised of two-musical-measure blocks 362, 364, 366, and 368. The 
present invention enables the user interactively to select from any of the 
twelve two-musical-measure segments comprising all four of the Solo 
versions when assembling the user's own solo track as represented in block 
240 of FIG. 2. 
Assembly of elements from the musical database represented in FIG. 3 into 
the musical composition architecture represented in FIG. 2 follows the 
steps illustrated in FIG. 4. 
The music database described above is defined, stored and inputted into a 
memory device, which, in the preferred embodiment, is the compact disk 
150. As previously described, the present invention enables the end-user 
of the compact disk 150 to interactively select elements from the 
pre-selected music database stored on the Compact Disk 150 and 
interactively assemble such selections into the musical composition 
architecture illustrated in FIG. 2. FIG. 4 is a flow diagram showing the 
basic steps of this process. At step 400, a music expert defines sections 
of a pre-recorded musical performance and divides them into the ensemble 
accompaniment Tracks and solo tracks as discussed above. At step 410, that 
definitional information is inputted into the database and recorded on the 
Compact Disc 150 for end-user use (such as a CD-ROM, or internet server). 
Steps 420, 430, and 440 illustrate the end-user's "Read Only" access to 
the pre-defined music database. At step 420, the present invention permits 
end-users to interactively select accompanying tracks to comprise the 
ensemble accompaniment 200 section of the musical composition. At step 
430, the present invention allows the end-user interactively to select the 
solo segments 242, 244, 246, 248. At step 440, the present invention 
permits the end-user interactively to select a serial sequence for the 
solo segments selected in step 430. 
At step 450, the present invention, using time code, that has been inputted 
into the database at step 410, combines the accompaniment tracks 210, 220 
and 230 into the ensemble accompaniment 200 and combines the solo segments 
242, 244, 246, and 248 into the sequence selected by the end-user to 
comprise the solo track 240. The timecode designation may be according to 
SMPTE or other well known methods. At 460, the present invention outputs 
the user-defined musical arrangement to the computer sound-card and 
speakers. 
The great variety of different musical variations obtainable under the 
present invention is worthy of note. 559,872 different musical 
compositions may be assembled based only on the 21 musical components 
contained in the preferred embodiment. Three styles are available for each 
of three instruments used to comprise the ensemble accompaniment, for 27 
(3*3*3=27) possible compositions of the ensemble accompaniment 200. 12 
individual solo segments are available for each of the solo segments 242, 
244, 246, and 248, for 20,736 possible compositions of the solo track 240. 
In total there are 27 ensemble accompaniments which may be combined with 
any of 20,736 solo tracks for 559,872 different musical compositions which 
end users may create using the preferred embodiment of the present 
invention. 
FIG. 5 is a sample user interface from which the end-user may interactively 
select styles for ensemble accompaniments in accordance with the present 
invention. Block 540 displays the title of the overall musical 
composition. Block 550 displays the user's choices of ensemble 
accompaniment styles. In this illustration, the user may select from 
fusion style icon 560, be-bop style icon 570, or latin style icon 580. 
When the user clicks on the fusion style icon 560 in this illustration, he 
hears the fusion style ensemble accompaniment playing through the sound 
card 180 and the loudspeakers 190. When the user clicks on the be-bop 
style icon 570 in this illustration, he hears the be-bop style ensemble 
accompaniment playing through the sound card 180 and the loudspeakers 190. 
When the user clicks on the latin style icon 580 in this illustration, he 
hears the latin style ensemble accompaniment playing through the sound 
card 180 and the loudspeakers 190. Furthermore, in this illustration, the 
blocks 510, 520, and 530 illustrate the identity of the solo artists 
performing the solo segments. 
In the preferred embodiment, the user may interactively select three 
instrumental tracks that comprise the ensemble accompaniment: piano, drums 
and bass. FIG. 6-A illustrates a graphical user interface permitting the 
user to select the desired musical style for each of the three instrument 
accompanying tracks within the ensemble accompaniment. For each instrument 
(bass, drums and piano), the user may select from one of three styles: a 
latin icon 610 latin, a be-bop icon 620, or a fusion icon 630. By clicking 
on the corresponding image, the user may interactively select a drums 
version (612, 624, and 632), a bass version (614, 622, and 636), and a 
piano version (616, 626, and 634). In the current illustration, the user's 
drums selection appears in a juke box icon 640; the user's bass selection 
appears in a juke box icon 660; and the user's piano selection appears in 
juke box 680. 
FIG. 7A illustrates a screen that allows users to select the four 
two-musical measure segments that comprise the eight measure solo track in 
the preferred embodiment. In the present illustration, icons representing 
the four segments of a trumpet solo track 710 are arranged in the order 
intended by the original performer or musical expert (first 712, then 714, 
then 716, and last 718). Similarly, icons representing saxophone and 
guitar solo tracks (720 and 730, respectively) are arranged in the order 
intended by the original performer or musical expert (saxophone: first 
722, then 724, then 726 and last 728; guitar: first 732, then 734, then 
736, and last 738.) The user may listen to or audition any particular 
solos segment by first clicking on the desired segment icon (712, 714, 
716, 718, 722, 724, 726, 728, 732, 734, 736 or 738) and then clicking on 
an audition button 780. For instance, if the user first selected segment 
icon 722, and then clicked on the audition button 780, he would hear the 
first individual segment of the saxophone solo track. In order to assemble 
four solo segments into the solo track 240, the user clicks on each 
desired solo segment icon and then drags the selection into one of four 
desired sequence positions represented by icons 740, 750, 760, and 770. 
The solo segment icon placed in the position 740 will play first. The solo 
segment icon placed in position 750 will play second. The solo segment 
icon placed in position 760 will play third, and the solo segment icon 
placed in position 770 will play last. In the present illustration when 
the user selects a button 790, the computer system in FIG. 1 plays the 
entire user defined musical composition, including solo track and ensemble 
accompaniment. 
Once the user interactively selects solo segments by clicking on individual 
solo segments and dragging them into the sequence position icons 740, 750, 
760 and 770 in sequence, the display shown in FIG. 7-B results. The 
preferred embodiment of the present invention permits users to access 
other information about the music and manipulate the music in other ways. 
FIG. 8 illustrates a graphic user interface for invoking these additional 
features of a preferred embodiment of the present invention. By 
interactively selecting an icon 810 the user may view a transcription of 
his own musical composition created in accordance with the present 
invention. By clicking on an icon 820 the user may listen to individual 
instrumental voices within the musical composition he created in 
accordance with the present invention, or the original musical composition 
intended by the original performer. By clicking on an icon 830, the user 
can view additional data pertaining to the musical performers, including 
video text and interviews. By clicking on an icon 840 the user may speed 
up or slow down the tempo of his own musical composition created in 
accordance with the present invention, or the musical composition as 
intended by the original performer. Because the present invention is 
implemented through the use of digitally encoded audio, the tempo of music 
may be slowed down or increased without affecting the music's timbre or 
pitch. By clicking on an icon 850 the user may select individual voices or 
instruments to be deleted from the musical composition created by user in 
accordance with the present invention or the original musical composition 
as intended by the original performer. By clicking on an icon 860 the user 
may access the MIDI-code of the user's own musical composition assembled 
in accordance with the present invention, or the musical composition as 
intended by the original performer. Accessing the MIDI-code corresponding 
to the digitally encoded audio allows the user to manipulate the musical 
composition using a variety of third-party computer software music tools. 
Other Variations 
Detailed illustrations and preferred embodiments of the present invention 
have been provided herein for the edification of those of ordinary skill 
in the art, and not as a limitation on the scope of the invention. 
Numerous variations and modifications within the spirit of the present 
invention will of course occur to those of ordinary skill in the art in 
view of the preferred embodiments that have now been disclosed. Such 
variations, as well as any other systems embodying or practicing any of 
the following claims, all remain within the scope of the present 
invention: