Patent ID: 7112736

Claim:
An electronic musical instrument, comprising: a waveform memory storing audio waveform data; a tempo setting operator for receiving user input specifying a playback tempo for the waveform data; a readout position change operator that is operable by a user to indicate, during operation of the readout position change operator, a desired amount of waveform data readout position change; and a computer readable medium storing programming instructions for causing the instrument to perform processing comprising: generating first waveform data readout positions in accordance with a playback tempo set by the tempo setting operator; when the readout position change operator is being operated, generating second waveform data readout positions during and in accordance with operation of the readout position change operator and playing back said audio phrase in accordance with said second waveform data readout positions; and after the duration of operation of the readout position change operator, when the readout position change operator is not being operated, playing back said audio phrase in accordance with said first waveform data readout positions; wherein, upon termination of operation of the readout position change operator, playback of the waveform data returns to synchronization with the specified playback tempo at a readout position that would be the current readout position had the readout position change operator not been operated.