WO2009115641A1

WO2009115641A1 - A method for creating a sound composition, a sound composition, a computer program that implements the method as well as a service provided in an information network

Info

Publication number: WO2009115641A1
Application number: PCT/FI2009/050200
Authority: WO
Inventors: Costi Snellman; Lauri Saine
Original assignee: Pore Oy
Priority date: 2008-03-19
Filing date: 2009-03-13
Publication date: 2009-09-24
Also published as: EP2277169A1; FI20080227A0

Abstract

The object of the invention is a method for creating a sound composition by combining elements. The method is implemented as a service in a public telecommunications network, in which the sound composition is created in real time by users participating at the same time. Users take part in creating the sound composition presented on a computer display from one or more than one computer. Users create elements and combine them with the developing sound composition gradually one element at a time starting from a single element. The development of the sound composition is described visually in the service's user interface on a computer display with a metaphor, the appearance of which permits the history of the work's creation to be seen. The object of the invention is also a sound composition created by the process, as well as a computer program. Still one object of the invention is a service in an information network for implementing the invention, which comprises a user interface, with the aid of which the sound composition and its adaptation and different versions are visualised in real time.

Description

A METHOD FOR CREATING A SOUND COMPOSITION, A SOUND COMPOSITION, A COMPUTER PROGRAM THAT IMPLEMENTS THE METHOD AS WELL AS A SERVICE PROVIDED IN AN INFORMATION NETWORK

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The object of the invention is a method for creating a sound composition by combining elements, which method is implemented as a service in a public telecommunications network. In addition, the object of the invention is a computer software implementing the process and the stated service supplied in the network .

STATE OF THE ART

In the various stages of music making, computer technology is often utilised for making music alone and together with others. Music software to date has mainly been intended for off line work, and has been designed for a traditional studio environment. For example, a sequencer is software or hardware that can be used to create and edit electronic music and to process sound. In particular, the mixing and adjustment of sounds originating from musical instruments and other audio sources is called mixing. A virtual mixer is a software application run on a computer that offers the same functionality as a traditional mixing device. It can have a graphic interface that presents the frequency and amplitude of the sound, and these visualised elements can be used for controlling the mixing

A remix is an alternative version of an original work. In a remix, audio mixing is employed for making an alternative recording by adding or deleting elements (e.g., sounds from some audio source) or simply by altering the balancing (equalisation, frequency correction), dynamics, rise in track, tempo, playing time or any musical component. In some remixes, there are fundamental differences compared to the original work whereas, in others, perhaps only minor things have been altered. These may be done for no particular reason or they are done to fit in with a certain musical style or radio format. There exist a number of state-of-the-art processes in which sequencers and various mixers are employed for making music together.

The most rewarding way to make music together is a situation where all the participants are in the same place and can thereby create music together by improvising.

Globalisation has led to the development of processes for creating music together through information networks by utilizing the stated computer software developed for making music as well as graphic interfaces for visualizing the musical works.

Globe Institute of recording and production markets on its home page http://www.globerecording.com/virtualmixer/vm.htmWvm a graphic user interface of this kind for music-making. The visual performance is based on the audio parameters (sound elements) being presented in the form of visual images on the principle that, in the image, the sound elements overlap each other, for example, whereby the higher sounds appear to be closer than softer sounds. Further, the height of the note/ sound (pitch) is presented whereby the higher sounds are higher up in the image and the lower ones lower down. The higher frequencies are smaller because they take less space and, correspondingly, the lower frequencies are presented in the image in larger size because they cover other sounds. In addition, frequencies (equalisations) () can be visualised. Thereby this interface presents the relationships of different musical elements. The interface can be used in communication between the music-maker and producer (or customer) because the music- making process can be followed by means of the interface.

The Splice company has an internet service at http://vvww.splicemusic.com , in which different people can collaborate in music-making with the aid of a web browser. People can feed their own music onto the site, perform remixes of existing works there, record sound, listen to music recorded by other people and communicate otherwise. A similar service is also provided by the company Jamglue lnc on its home page http://www.iamglue.com and www.indabamusic.com. The latter is an internet service home page, where music-makers can find each other, create and remix music and introduce their works. International patent application WO01 /22398 is also referred to as the state of the art. It describes a service through which people in different places can make music together, providing several different online users with a joint virtual studio, to which users can send soundtracks and multimedia material. In the virtual studio, each user can also edit joint musical output. In the music-making process of this publication, music is made jointly by users connected to the internet or other network. The process works in such a way that there is a mixer software (or sequencer device software) in each user's computer, with which users make music data and send data packets via a server to other users in the form of broad-cast messages.

In addition, the user can be in touch with other users through a "Chat" connection, via which the user can exchange opinions at the same time as he or she receives through another connection other users' changes to the tracks that he or she has sent. Thereby the works alter and develop stage by stage as users receive data messages, discuss them and send changes to them to other users. Users can listen to works simultaneously through the server.

The known processes for music making through a computer network together solve the geographical problem when the makers are not in a position to meet in real, but they have the problem that the opportunity for improvisation is lost and the development of the work is slow compared to the traditional process, in which music-makers meet in real. The object of this invention is to solve this problem and to create a new inspiring setting for creating new audio works and pieces of music in a new kind of social way with the aid of a visual user interface. .

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the invention is a method for creating a sound composition by combining elements. The method is implemented as a service in a public telecommunications network, in which the sound composition is created in real time by users participating at the same time. The users take part in creating the sound composition presented on a computer screen from one or more than one computer. Users create elements and combine them in the developing sound composition gradually one element at a time starting from just a single element. The development of the sound composition is described visually in the service's user interface on the computer screen with a metaphor, the appearance of which permits the history of the composition's creation to be seen.

The object of the invention is also a sound composition presented on a computer screen, containing visualised sound elements.

In addition, the object of the invention is a computer program that is used to create a sound composition according to the invention presented on a screen by combining elements and which program implements the steps of the method according to the invention.

One further object of the invention is a service in an information network for implementing the invention that comprises a user interface by means of which the sound composition and the alteration and different versions of it are visualised in real time by users participating at the same time. The development of the sound composition is described visually with a metaphor visualised on the computer screen, the appearance of which [metaphor] permits the history of the creation of the composition to be seen.

Advantageous embodiments of the invention have the characteristics according to the sub claims.

Thereby the method is implemented in a public telecommunications network, such as the internet, from one or more than one computer in real time by users participating at the same time by moving elements by improvising.

The service makes it possible for all music to be worked collaboratively in real time. In addition, the service can be used to edit the parameters of virtual instruments (e.g., a synthesizer) in real time so that other persons participating in the work at the same moment see the changes on their own computer screen. By altering the sound composition,, numerous versions of it are created by combining elements, adding and deleting them, which different versions are administered by the service by saving the used elements in a database and by presenting them visually with a metaphor, the appearance of which permits the history of the creation of the composition to be seen.

Improvisation refers to the creation of a performance at the moment of performance. It is used in particular in the field of music, but it is equally important also in many other connections, such as acting or entertaining.

The elements are primarily musical elements, such as drum, bass, guitar loops, piano, string themes and/or soundscapes. The users create elements and combine them in the developing sound composition with the aid of music-making software, such as a sequencer or virtual mixer. Users can fetch elements from a database or other location connected to the network and combine them in the developing sound composition . The development of the sound composition is controlled by artificial intelligence software.

In the service's user interface, the development of one or more sound compositions is described visually. The general view of the user interface can be, for example, a garden, in which there are plants such as flowers and trees in different stages of development that visualise sound compositions in different stages of development. In addition, a visualised sound composition can be combined with an image file, such as a drawing or photograph or other audio file, such as a video and/or an environmental architecture visualisation.

There the sound composition is shown on the display visually with the aid of a two- or three-dimensional metaphor. The appearance of the visualised presentation alters and develops in accordance with the elements added to it, deleted from it, mixed with it and/or combined with it. Thereby the development of a sound composition is described visually e.g., with the aid of a tree's growth process, by presenting works in different phases as a different phase of growth of the tree. The invention is implemented as a service in an information network, such as the internet. The service provides users with an opportunity to participate in the creation of sound compositions from one or more than one computer whereby each sound composition can have several makers.

A sound composition is created in the service by combining sound elements, such as musical elements, gradually one element at a time starting from just a single element. Elements are meant to be added and combined with each other until the added sound elements form a sound composition. It is assumed that the elements added in this example are musical elements, such as drum, bass, guitar loops, piano, string themes and/or soundscapes and the audio work created is thereby a piece of music. Elements can be sliced up and mixed at will, for example, to a precision of 1 millisecond.

In the service offered by the invention, for example, first there opens the view in which the service's current developing sound compositions (that are under development) are presented symbolically in order to visualise the stage of development of each sound composition. .

Sound compositions have been described, for example, with trees in different stages of growth. Thereby, for example, a pure seed could visualise in the invention a situation where some user has just started making a sound composition and added to it one element, such as for example, a drum loop. A root could be used to describe, for example, a sound composition in the very initial stage, containing, for example, three sound elements. A young tree could, for example, stand for an audio work containing six sound elements. A fully grown tree could stand for a finished audio work that sounds good, which can, though, be developed and modified further.

The development of emerging sound compositions is described thereby visually in the user interface of the service provided by the invention. There is a link from each visualised sound composition to a more precise view, which visualises the more precise make-up of the sound composition in question in the form of a network- or family tree-like visualisation. The metaphor for the sound composition can be some other developing natural phenomenon such as a star, the phases of the day, the turns of the year, an animal and/or a plant, such as, for example, a flower or tree.

There is access from the sound composition at some stage in the interface to a more detailed presentation of the sound composition,, for example, by clicking the visualised sound composition, , such as a tree in some stage of growth), in which case there opens a view in which the different elements of the sound composition are seen whereby the sound composition is shown as a family tree in which different elements are described as branches and parts of branches in the intervals between the tree's branching points.

The development of a sound composition can also be described in more detail by presenting the sound composition as a network in which different elements are described between the points of contact of the network.

The development of a sound composition is described by presenting, for example, the front page of the file, showing the stage of the sound composition as well as the connection's accesses to participants and to listening to the composition.

The core idea is thus a work that several users can make together but which also simultaneously generates different versions (arrangements, remixes) by several users. A single user can have open, say, his or her own piece as well as a friend's piece, to which he or she at the same time makes changes at the same time as a third user participates in the composing of both of these. The diversity/flexibility of the logic as well as the real time character of all the work phases are at the centre.

Through the service provided by the invention, a real-time, interactive, constantly living audio work is created on the internet. Users can live in real time combine, mix, add to it and/or delete from it drum, bass, and/or guitar loops developed by service maintainers in, for example, a separate library connected to the service, as well as piano and string themes, soundscapes etc. as well as bits developed by the user himself and create new compositions from these. The method according to the invention, run in an internet browser, is a communal virtual music-making process, by means of which several different persons can together compose and produce pieces of music in real time using virtual instruments based on audio synthesis and audio clips. The service administers automatically new versions generated from sound compositions created with it, visualises them, for example, like a family tree and enables created elements to be shared with and adapted for other users of the service.

The user can open from the same work of music numerous different versions and he can work several different compositions of music at the same time. The uniqueness of the service is based on the continuity and branching of the compositions of music. The user can continue pieces from the saved phases of the composition in the direction that he or she wishes and all users have a continuous opportunity to examine each version of a composition in real time.

The invention concerns a composition of music that develops like a family tree, which several different people from different parts of the world could participate in at the same time.

The invention implements its objective by providing a communal internet service, in which users make music together. The operating system enables effortless interaction between all users and also provides an opportunity for working music in real time together. In addition, what is unique is the continuity and branching of the compositions of music; the user can continue pieces from the saved phases of the composition in the direction that he or she wishes. In one embodiment, the person starting each piece can set the conditions concerning the extent to which his or her work can be accessed and all users have a continuous opportunity to examine each version of the composition work. The networking logic resembles thereby a family tree.

The operating system of the invention is built up from three basic views (the garden view containing the pieces, the sequencer that enables the actual music-making (virtual mixer) and the user profiles with their communal characteristics) as well as the Messenger-style software that enables easy communication and online chatting. The sound library connected to the operating system (and the opportunity to introduce one's own samples into the pieces) is of great significance here.

Although the invention is in the first hand designed for the internet, it also works in one embodiment as a mobile service, which broadens the options for use. The service can be built in such a way that different users have different characteristics in use depending on which additional characteristics or samples each user is entitled to.

An internet service like the invention provides different cultures with an opportunity for communication and for reinforcing a communal identity through music-making. At the same time, it provides representatives of alternative cultures with an opportunity to publicise their own viewpoints.

As people network and communicate in the service of the invention, they gain ideas, inspiration and criticism from others. The service according to the invention is meant to be used in artistic activity in order to form both music and visual, kinetic and audiovisual material. It is a unique virtual community that enables its user to establish new contacts, for example, in order to gain contracts.

The invention can be used, inter alia, for teaching purposes, for example, in schools (secondary school, senior high school, music schools, schools of art), in new media and in meetings of musicians around the world.

As a composition of music according to the invention develops, its graphic presentation starts to resemble a family tree in a garden. Signs can be attached to branches, and by clicking them the makers' profiles and contents open, and from where remixed pieces of the works of music can be found. Comments that have been made about the compositions can also be advantageously examined from these.

The service has a number of dimensions. One dimension is the remix art form that originates in reggae culture. There users can thus improve, i.e., "remix" works or "real" songs made by others. The music should in that case be multitrack so that each instrument can be changed. The invention provides a unique collective, where, once they have registered, people can work their own material. The most important thing is the music, but also images, moving images and audiovisual material on-line.

The user can start making pieces without his or her own loops (sound elements) with the aid of the service's ready sound library, from where sound elements can be downloaded for use.

Existing communal music services function like electronic mail. They provide their users with a server and user interface for sharing soundtracks created with their own tools.

The invention can be for its part compared to a browser-based chat environment, in which composition work takes place with the software provided by the service according to the invention from the start. Users do not share content which they have created in their own home environment, but, rather, create it in real time together. The service provides all the requisite elements and tools for working the music.

The additional advantages of the invention compared to prior known music services are also

- The opportunity to compose together on the internet, because the earlier [ones] provide only a user interface and opportunity for sharing tracks, but the composition and editing of the music take place with the user's own software

- the tracks of a virtual mixer can be sliced up and mixed at will to a precision of 1 ms

- in the virtual mixer, there is the option of sequencing individual sounds directly onto the track (in tracker style, with a precision of 1ms)

- in the interface, such as a garden view ("on the main page") there are ready audio and sound and loop libraries

- visualisation of the creation of the work (cf. process of growth of tree or growth of network) - option of real-time, collaborative editing of effects relating to the virtual mixers' tracks (for example, the parameters of a virtual instrument such as a synthesiser can be . altered in real time) Above all, the invention offers for the first time a visual environment in which people can really in real time make music together by improvising and at the same time.

In the following, the invention is described in order to illustrate it by means of a diagram, the details of which the invention is not meant to be confined to.

FIGURES

Figure 1 shows an example of a sound composition made by the process according to the invention presented graphically

Figure 2 shows a second example of a sound composition made by the method according to the invention presented graphically

Figure 3 shows a third example of a sound composition made by the method according to the invention presented graphically

Figure 4 shows a fourth example of a sound composition made by the method according to the invention presented graphically

Figure 5 shows an example of a sequencer view shown in the service, in which the users' added elements are seen in detail

Figure 6 shows an architectural image of a telecommunications network in which the method according to the invention can be implemented

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

It is assumed here that the sound composition of the invention has been presented in more detail in Diagram 1 as a "family tree". The musical work according to figure 1 can start to be created whereby the first user, i.e., the user that starts making the work and creates starting point A1 logs on to the service and commences the visualised composition of music (in this case a tree), for which it is practical to give some name, which is seen on the interface of the users' computers.

The family tree in figure 1 describes a relatively developed sound composition. It shows more precisely by clicking according to figureδ that the work has been started by adding to the virtual mixer a drum element, which in figurei leads from starting point A1 to branching point A2. By clicking, one can also find out the name of the person who has started the work (not shown in figure 1). The service can be drawn up so that the person that started a composition work "owns" it and can dictate what may be added to it and how it can be altered. He or she can then add/delete as many elements as he or she wishes and develop new parts. He or she is responsible administratively for how the composition develops and when it is ready.

According to one embodiment, data (added personally) by someone can be found out by clicking, for example, a name, in which case there opens up a view of those personal data which the person in question has added to it. Access to data on the person that added the element has thus been added to one or more than one element of the tree.

Further, it can be seen from figure 1 that someone else or the same person has added an element at point A2 (one can find out what kind more precisely by clicking, in which case a new view is opened which is not shown here) to the work of music, which contains the stated drum element (visualised as the trunk of a tree between points A1 and A2) and a bass element (visualised as a branch or from an alternative viewpoint as an extension of the trunk of a tree between points A2 and A3). The composition work develops further with a trunk section as far as point A4, where, for example a piano sound and an echo have been added as a "joint element", and on as far as point A5 with a trunk section, where a saxophone sound has been added and finally to point A6, where there are percussion instrument sounds.

The tree branches at point A4. "Aaro" has added a synthesiser at point E1 and a synthesiser bass has been added as far as point E2. Another branching point is also at point El, to which some element has been added. Diagram 1 has been simplified to illustrate solely the principle of how the tree is seen to the user when it is opened from the interface's garden.

Another branching point is at point A3. An organ sound element has been added at point D1 and a trumpet sound at point D2. Another branching point is also at point Dl.

Yet another branching point is at point A2. A song sound element has been added at point C1 and played ("parts [voices]") as far as to point C2. Figurei also illustrates the fact that elements in two "directions" have been added from branching point C2.

From branching point C1 there leaves another branch, between points C1 and B1 there is, for example, a branch that visualises the bass sound and between points B1 and B2 there is, e.g., a branch that visualises a guitar sound. From point B2 there leave still the final branches visualising added sound elements.

Thereby figurei actually visualises several compositions, which have partly common elements. More precisely, the tree according to figurei visualises, for example, compositions A1+A2+A3+A4 as well as A1+A2+B1+B2+some element. Of course, one can also think that each element is a single composition and that thereby also, for example, a composition that leads to point E1 (from points A3 and A4) is a composition of its own.

In the user interface, the sounds of different musical instruments can be distinguished from each other by showing the branches describing them, for example, in different colours or by drawing differently the branches presenting the elements, or then elements added by different users can be visualised with different colours.

Points can also be assigned codes indicating the chronological time when the element in question has been added to the composition. For example, branches leading to letters B have been added prior to branches leading to letters C etc. In figurei , the points have nevertheless been named by assigning the same letters to the point that connects the elements of the same composition. In addition, branching points can be either two-dimensional or three-dimensional or they can be thought to be even four-dimensional if time is treated as a dimension of its own whereby different routes start out from the branching points depending on the chosen time of observation. Three-dimensionality provides an opportunity for elements to be combined still in a third dimension. If a sound composition (or sound compositions) is to be visualised three-dimensionally in order to create more different combinations of elements than two- dimensionality permits, the method of presentation according to figure3 may be more illustrative.

The letters A-E referred to the moment in time when each person joined in and logged on to the service. It has been thought here by way of an example that A connected to the service first and E the last. The creative work is nevertheless, in accordance with the invention, real-time, even though the actual technology naturally also permits work in turn. Even in that case, the real-time aspect may be important in that several users may be connected to the service simultaneously even though not necessarily all of them are involved at every moment in actually making the work. When some user then later takes part, it has a significance of its own that the user in question has been connected to the service as a listener/observer and perhaps even influenced the making of the composition work with his or her opinions outside the making of the work. That is why the service itself is also new in kind because it enables several users to be connected simultaneously. Users can thus also alter/make a composition or only a part of it at the same time. Users can connect to the service thus at different times, e.g., A the first and E the last. In addition, all these persons may be working the work at the same time.

The example according to figure 1 has been simplified in order to illustrate the invention, and it does not express directly all the options of the invention. A variety of things can take place between two points in the diagram. For example, some user adds only a little of some effect to an individual track or then some user plays some simple piano melody, and some other user then almost completely revamps the entire work and makes additions and a host of changes. Figure 2 shows an alternative way to visualise the development of a sound composition (or sound compositions containing common elements). In figure 2, the lines between the points visualise sound elements correspondingly as the branches and trunk extensions in figure 2. In figure 3, there can be the same functionalities as in figure 2. The different elements have thereby been described between the network's points of contact A1 - A3, B1 - B3, D1 - D4, E1 - E4, F1 - F5, G1. A1 can be viewed as the start of the composition work whereby the first added element in the sound composition described by figure 3 is between points A1 and A2, another one is between points A1 and B1 etc. Just as in figure 2, many users have in accordance with the invention connected to the service simultaneously and make music together on-line.

Thereby figure 3 actually visualises numerous works that partly have common elements. More precisely, the network according to figure 3 visualises works that are built between points of contact A1 - A3, B1 - B3, D1 - D4, E1 - E4, F1 - F5, G1 , and so it visualises, for example, composition A1-A3, work A1 - A2, composition A1 - D1 - D4 etc.

Figure 3 shows still one alternative way to visualise the development of a sound composition (or sound compositions containing common elements).

The lines between the points a1-a2, b1-b2, c1, d1 and e1 describe the stages in which the work is developed alone or together with many users. Thereby numerous users participate simultaneously on-line, and the composition is developed in real time by numerous users at the same time. The work is carried out at the same time and the making of the composition is seen on the displays of all the participants. At some stage, an added element is saved or elements added together are saved and thereby the addition to the emerging composition is "settled". Saving is visualised in the user interface as a point, i.e., points A2 - A3, B1 - B2, C1 , D1 and E1 in figure 3.

The service can be programmed either so that when some element is altered, the change in question is also saved in earlier versions or it is programmed so that the change is seen only in the final version. Just as in figures 1 and 2, the different elements have thereby been described between the network's points of contact A2 - A3, B1 - B2, C1 , D1 and E1. Each line can thereby describe just a single element or several elements added by a specific user or several elements added by several users, which have been combined in collaboration on-line.

A1 describes in figure 3 the point from where the making of the work began, i.e., some user saved one or more than one musical element in the emerging work.

Again figure 3 also visualises numerous works that partly have common elements. More precisely, the network according to figure 3 visualises that are built between points of contact A1 - A3, B1 - B2, D1, and E1 , and so it visualises, for example, composition A1 - A3, composition A1 - A2, composition A1 -A2 - D1 , composition A1 -A2 - B1 - C1 etc.

Each version can be used as a starting point for a new version (except when it is locked). In the diagram, the point that looks like reference number 4 describes a locked point, i.e., from this point the work of music can no longer be developed or altered. Administratively, locking rights can be arranged as desired, for example, the person adding the starting point or point in question has such rights). The network is updated in real time as new versions are saved in it. The point that looks like reference number 1 describes the starting point. The point that looks like reference number 2 describes the fact that the composition is ready for listening/presentation and the point that looks like reference number 3 describes a work that is currently being developed.

A composition visualised in accordance with figure 3 is updated as new versions are published (saved). This also applies to figures 1 and 2.

Access to data on the person that added the element has been added to one or more than one element of figures 1 - 3. These can comprise, for example, the users' personal data, contact particulars as well as the date of the addition/additions of an element/elements.

Access to a view in which the users' elements are seen in detail has been added to one or more than one element of figures 1 - 3. Advantageously, the service is formed so that by clicking some "saving point" in the user interface (such as, for example, points A1 , A2, B1, B2 and B3 in Diagram 2) a sequencer view opens up. Such a [view] is shown in figure 5.

Figure 4 shows a fourth example of a sound composition made by the process according to the invention, presented graphically. It is otherwise identical to figure 3 but there can be seen still when the work has been started at point A1 (Tom added an element/elements and published in on 2^nd March 2009, at 11 :45 a.m. This is seen in the picture "original version by Tom" underneath the Log of changes, and the starting date and time are seen underneath the Time stamp.

It is possible from each point to open up the time when each user or group of users joined the work and when the user or group of users in question published and saved its work thus generating a new version in the sound composition. .

Figure 5 shows an example of a view presented in the service, in which the users' added elements are seen in detail. The view shown in figure 5 is the Virtual Sequencer's graphic interface shown very simply solely to illustrate what is seen in the view from the viewpoint of the invention. The sequencer is a software application run on a computer. It can be used, for example, to mix real or recorded sound that is fed in. The diagrammatically presented graphic interface in the simplified example of figure 5 shows the type of instrument 5 of the sound of the musical elements added by the users, the duration of the sound 9, the volume of the sound 6 as well as special effects 7. It can be seen from the position of the Volume button how loudly the track is playing and it can be adjusted as desired.

Virtual Studio Technology (VST) can, for example, be employed for sound editing in the sequencer according to figure 5 employed in the invention. VST relates to a standard, according to which sound is edited with the aid of an application made for the purpose using an audio synthesizer and sound effect software and it also provides a standardised user-friendly user interface. In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the service user can add sound elements from the sound element library connected to the service. Alternatively, his or her own recordings or elements taken from elsewhere can be added to it.

The added sound elements are seen in the view according to figure 5 as tracks 10 - 13. It is assumed that these tracks describe figure 2's drum, bass, guitar and piano elements, which are between joint points A1 , A2, B1 , B2 and B3.

Usually, in this kind of software, there is by each track a small area, where the instrument's or track's "caption" can be written, i.e., which instrument's sound it is. In figure 1, the instrument is shown in its own column 5 for the sake of clarity and the instrument can, of course, be indicated as desired, and the mode of expression is not relevant to the invention. Thereby there may be, instead of a written explanation, for example, a simple pictorial symbol, i.e., by a guitar track a picture of a guitar, by a bass track a picture of a bass etc.

In addition, according to one embodiment, "musical elements" taken from the sound library connected to the service can be named ready, e.g., Tom guitar (not shown). And when the user selects Tom's guitar element from the library with "drag and drop", i.e., drags it with the computer mouse to the track, the text "Tom guitar" appears automatically.

Apart from the views presented above instrument 5, sound volume 6, sound effects 7 and duration 9, the sequencer view according to figure 5 also shows possibly the tempo (not shown), key (not shown) and structure (not shown) of each track. Possibly a notation characteristic can also be added to the sequencer (not shown). In other words, in that case, the music is [the notes are] also revealed from a specific window in the sequencer view. The sequencer also has a panorama button (not shown), with the aid of which it can be decided at which point (behind, in front, to the right, to the left etc.) of the "audio image" the track or instrument in question ends.

Possible Mute/Solo buttons 15, 16 (M, S) show whether a track is playing "alone" as a solo or whether it has been switched off to the mute position. If neither Mute nor Solo is on, the track then plays perfectly normally with the other tracks. The sequencer also has a Fast Forward button 17, which corresponds to the fast forward on an old-fashioned cassette recorder. Rewind 18 stands for rapid rewinding. Play 19 is pressed when the user wants the entire work to play, for example, from start to finish. The sequencer can also be used to outline some specific part of a work of music and refine only that. In that case, Play 19 starts the composition from the desired point.

An example of a used effect is that there may be an echo in a piano sound and equalization has been employed in the read track. If a song track has been recorded in the work, it does not usually sound good as such but it is equalised slightly, i.e., certain frequencies that play most beautifully are emphasized and echo may also be added. Delay echo is employed, for example, a great deal in dub-style music (one music style genre).

In the view of figure 5, it can also be indicated whereabouts the sound library is located, for example, on the left edge of the mixer, and what elements have been added.

A sound element as such can be an audio file taken from almost any audio source and it can be based on, e.g., a disc's drum comping or a part of it or a sound in nature (e.g., waves of the sea etc.) or lilting or a guitar riff (a guitar diagram, based either on chords or a note, that is repeated). The track shows the form of the sound element added to the sequencer and processed there.

In terms of its technical characteristics, a sequencer (virtual mixer) can have, for example, a maximum of 32 soundtracks, and it can also incorporate the opportunity to alter the starting and end points of a track as well as the option of turning the track the wrong way.

Diagram 6 shows an architectural image of a telecommunications network, in which the method according to the invention can be implemented. The telecommunications network is, for example, the information network according to the example according to figure 6, such as for example internet 1 , in which the service according to the invention works. The service working in server 2 provides users with an opportunity to take part in creating sound compositions from one or more than one of computers 3 - 9 simultaneously whereby each sound composition can have several makers. Users of computers connected to the service can create music as individuals such as from computer 5 or in groups, as shown in figure 6, group 3 computers, group 5 computers, group 6 computers as well as the computers in groups 7 or 9.

Each group's computers can interact with each other relating to the same content in real time by keeping open just a single connection to server 2 as shown in figure 6 or then by keeping two or more connections open to server 2 (not shown). The connection to the internet service supplied by server 2 takes place through the browser software in the users' computers, through which the connection to the internet operates.

Server 2 holds the project data, user profiles, and the application (service) is on the server. Users add to it their own content and share it.

Independent users who have logged onto the service can join groups and make music together with them.

Project data, such as data on an emerging work, user profiles and the service software are on the service provider's server 2. All that computers 3 - 9 require is a browser that can be used to establish a connection to a server and the service that it provides.

Users of computers 3 - 9 can add to an emerging work their own content and share it with other users connected to the service.

The development of the sound composition is described visually in the service's user interface, which is seen on the display of the users' computers. The sound composition shown on the display is created with a computer program, which is used to create the sound composition according to the invention shown on the display by combining elements and it implements the steps of the method according to the invention.

Users create elements and combine them with the developing sound composition with the aid of a virtual mixer. Users can look for elements in a database or in another location connected to the network and combine these with the developing sound composition. The development of the sound composition is controlled by artificial intelligence software. Through the service provided by the invention, there is created on the internet a real-time, interactive, continuously living sound composition, which users can "live" in real time combine with, mix with, add to and/or delete from sound elements in, for example, a separate library connected to the service, that are developed by the persons maintaining the service.

The invention concerns a work of music that develops like a family tree, in which several different people from different parts of the world can participate at the same time.

The invention provides a communal internet service, in which users make music together. The operating system enables effortless interaction between all users and also provides an opportunity for working music in real time together.

Claims

1. A method for creating a sound composition by combining elements, which method is implemented as a service in a public telecommunications network, characterized in that the sound composition is created in real time by users participating at the same time in a service, in which the users participate in the creation of a sound composition shown on a computer display from one or more than one computer, the users create elements and combine them with the developing sound composition by combining elements gradually one element at a time starting from a single element and the development of which sound composition is described visually in the service's user interface on a computer display with a metaphor, the appearance of which permits the history of the composition's creation to be seen.

2. A method according to claim ^characteri zed in that the telecommunications network is a public network, such as the internet.

3. A method according to claim 1 or 2, c h a ra cteri ze d in that the elements are musical elements, such as drum, bass, guitar loops, piano, string themes and/or soundscapes.

4. A method according to any of claims 1 -3, ch a ra cteri zed in that the sound composition is created by combining elements gradually one element or elements at a time starting from a single element.

5. A method according to any of claims 1 -4, c h a ra cte ri zed in that the sound composition is created by altering an existing composition by combining, mixing, deleting and/or adding elements and/or other works to it.

6. A method according to any of claims 1 -5, characterized in that elements are combined, added and/or deleted by several users from one or several computers.

7. A method according to any of claims 5 or 6, characterized in that by altering the sound composition numerous versions of it are created by combining, adding elements and by deleting them, which different versions are administered by the service by saving the used elements in a database and by presenting them visually with a metaphor, the appearance of which permits the history of the composition's creation to be seen.

8. A method according to any of claims 5- 7, c h a racte ri zed in that, when the sound composition is altered by altering some element, the change is saved in one or more than one version of the sound composition .

9. A method according to any of claims 1 -6, c h a racte ri zed in that the sound composition is shown on a display visually by means of a two- or three-dimensional metaphor.

10. A method according to claim 7, ch a ra cteri zed in that the appearance of the metaphor alters and develops in accordance with the elements added to it, deleted from it, mixed with it and/or combined with it.

11. A method according to any of claims 1 - 9, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the development of the sound composition is described visually with the aid of the growth process of a tree, by presenting works in different phases as a different growth phase of the tree.

12. A method according to any of claims 1 - 10, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the development of the sound composition is described in more detail by visualising different elements by presenting the sound composition as a family tree, in which the different elements are described as branches and parts of branches in between the tree's branching points.

13. A method according to any of claims 1 - 10, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the development of the sound composition is described in more detail by visualising the elements comprising the sound composition by presenting the sound composition as a network, in which the different elements are described between the network's points of contact.

14. A method according to any of claims 1 - 12, characteri zed in that the sound composition is created by adding, deleting, combining or mixing elements and/or sound compositions with the aid of the instructions in the software.

15. A method according to any of claims 1 - 13, ch aracterized in that access to data on the person adding the element is added to one or more than one element of the tree.

16. A method according to any of claims 1 - 14, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the development of the sound composition is described by presenting the front page of the file, which shows the stage of the sound composition as well as the connection's accesses to participants and to listening to the composition.

17. A method according to any of claims 1 -15, characterized in that the visualised sound composition can contain different versions of the sound composition, created by creating a new branch to the tree, which one or more than one desired element has been deleted from and one or more desired element has been added to, combined or mixed with.

18. A method according to any of claims 1 -16, characterized in that the elements are fetched from a database or other location connected to the network and are combined with the developing sound composition .

19. A method according to any of claims 1 - 17, characterized in that the created sound composition is combined with an image file, such as a drawing or photograph or other audio file, such as a video and/or environmental architecture visualisation.

20. A method according to any of claims 1 - 19, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the development of the sound composition is controlled by artificial intelligence software.

21. A sound composition presented on a computer display, which contains visualised elements in a metaphor, the appearance of which permits the history of the composition's creation to be seen.

22.A sound composition according to claim 21, characterized in that the elements are musical elements, such as drum, bass, guitar loops, piano, string themes and/or soundscapes.

23.A sound composition according to any of claims 21 - 22, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the visualised sound composition has been combined with an image file, such as a drawing or photograph and/or other audio file, such as a video and/or environmental architecture visualisation.

24.A sound composition according to any of claims 21 -23, characterized in that the elements comprising the sound composition have been visualised by presenting the sound composition as a family tree, in which the different elements are described as branches and as parts of branches in between the tree's branching points.

25. A sound composition according to any of claims 21 -23, characterized in that the elements comprising the sound composition have been visualised by presenting the sound composition as a network in which the different elements have been described between the network's points of contact.

26.A sound composition according to any of claims 21 -25, characterized in that the sound composition has been visualised with the aid of the front page of the file, the development of the sound composition is described by showing the front page of the file, which shows the phase of the sound composition as well as the connection's accesses to participants and to listening to the composition.

27. A sound composition according to any of claims 21 - 24 or 26, characterized in that access to data on the person adding the element has been added to one or a number of elements of the tree.

28.A sound composition according to any of claims 21 - 27, characterized in that the visualised sound composition can contain different versions of the sound composition, created by creating a new branch to the tree, which one or more than one desired element has been deleted from and one or more than one desired element has been added to, combined or mixed with.

29.A computer program for creating a sound composition shown on a display according to one or more of claims 21-28 by combining elements.

30. A computer software according to claim 29, characterized in that it implements the steps of the method according to one or more than one of claims 1 - 20.

31. A service in a public information network for creating a sound composition shown on a computer display by combining elements from one or more than one computer, char acterizedin that it comprises a user interface, by means of which users create elements and combine them in the developing sound composition by combining elements gradually one element at a time starting from a single element and in which service the sound composition and its adaptation and different versions are visualised in real time by users participating at the same time and the development of which sound composition is described visually with a metaphor visualised on the computer display, the appearance of which permits the history of the composition's creation to be seen.

32. A service according to claim 31, characterized in that it administers the creation and alteration of a composition and its versions by saving the used elements in a database and by presenting them visually as a metaphor, the appearance of which permits the history of the composition's creation to be seen.

33.A service according to claim 31, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that developing sound compositions are presented in the user interface symbolically in order to visualise the stage of development of each sound composition

34.A service according to any of claims 31 -33, characterized in that the metaphor for one or more than one sound composition is a developing natural phenomenon such as a star, phases of the day, turns of the year, animal and/or plant, such as, for example, a flower or tree.

35. A service according to any of claims 31 - 33, characterized in that the phases of development of the sound composition are described with the various stages of growth of a tree, such as a seed, root, sapling, young tree, and fully developed tree.

36. A service according to any of claims 31 - 33, characterized in that the phases of development of the sound composition are described with the various phases of growth of a flower, such as a seed or bulb, shoot, bud, full-blown flower, and finally possibly a withered flower.

37.A service according to any of claims 31 -33, characterized in that the general view of the user interface is a garden, in which there are plants, such as flowers and trees in various stages of development, that visualise sound compositions in various phases of development.

38. A service according to any of claims 31 -33, characterized in that there is a link from each visualised sound composition to a view that visualises the more precise make-up of the sound composition in question in the form of a network or family tree.