Effects unit device having physical and virtual signal processing utilities
A system and method for an adaptable effects unit is provided. In one aspect, the system allows users to manipulate audio signals transmitted from a musical instrument prior to being output by a speaker. In another aspect, the system allows users to create virtual signal chains that may be used to alter audio signals of a musical instrument without the need of multiple effects units. In yet another aspect, the system may be used in a way that allows a user to customize the controls of a physical effects unit so that the controls better suit the user's needs. Generally, the system allows users alter and customize a physical effects unit via a user interface of a computing device. The physical effects unit is configured in a way such that it may receive instructions from the computing device.
1 . A system for manipulating audio data comprising:
a physical effects unit having at least one virtual effects unit stored as executable instructions in memory of the physical effects unit, wherein said physical effects unit manipulates an audio signal into a manipulated audio signal using said at least one virtual effects unit by executing said executable instructions within the physical effects unit,
a processor operably connected to said physical effects unit,
a computing device operably connected to said processor and having a user interface comprising a graphical user interface configured to present a virtual effects board, wherein said user interface allows a user to manipulate controls of said physical effects unit,
a database operably connected to said processor, wherein said database contains a user profile containing user data and synthesizer data including control unit type and control unit controls for reconfiguring a control surface of the physical effects unit,
wherein said database contains said at least one virtual effects unit,
and a non-transitory computer-readable medium coupled to said processor, wherein said non-transitory computer-readable medium contains instructions stored thereon,
which, when executed by said processor, cause said processor to perform operations comprising:
receiving synthesizer data from said database wherein the synthesizer data defines at least one of (i) a control unit type or (ii) control unit controls for the physical effects unit,
altering said controls of said physical effects unit using said synthesizer data,
transmitting said at least one virtual effects unit to said physical effects unit as executable code for installation in memory of the physical effects unit,
and transmitting a manipulation order to said physical effects unit that specifies an execution sequence of the at least one virtual effects unit within a virtual signal chain.
2 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a control board of said physical effects unit, wherein said at least one virtual effects unit is saved within memory of said control board as a compiled program executable by the physical effects unit to manipulate the audio signal.
3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein said processor sends said manipulation order to said physical effects unit, wherein said manipulation order instructs said physical effects unit of a sequence in which said at least one virtual effects unit is to manipulate said audio signal and create said manipulated audio signal without requiring reordering of physical cabling between effects devices.
4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein said user interface comprises a virtual effects board having said at least one virtual effects unit and configured to allow a user to chain a plurality of virtual effects units into a user-defined virtual signal chain.
5 . The system of claim 4 , wherein said manipulation order determines a sequence in which at least one virtual effects unit of said virtual effects board manipulate said audio signal by specifying an ordered execution graph of the virtual effects units.
6 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising an input device, wherein said input device is operably connected to said physical effects unit, and wherein said audio signal produced by said input device is transferred to said physical effects unit to be manipulated.
7 . The system of claim 6 , wherein said input device is at least one of an electronic string instrument, electronic wind instrument, electronic percussion instrument, and digital disc jockey controller.
8 . The system of claim 6 , further comprising an output device operably connected to said physical effects unit and configured to receive said manipulated audio signal.
9 . A system for manipulating audio data comprising:
a physical effects unit having a control board,
wherein at least one virtual effects unit is saved within memory of said control board as a compiled program configured to be executed to apply an audio effect to the audio signal,
wherein said physical effects unit manipulates an audio signal into a manipulated audio signal using said at least one virtual effects unit by executing the virtual effects unit stored within the memory of said control board,
a processor operably connected to said physical effects unit,
a computing device operably connected to said processor and having a user interface, wherein said user interface allows a user to manipulate controls of said physical effects unit,
an input device operably connected to said physical effects unit and configured to transmit said audio signal thereto,
an output device operably connected to said physical effects unit and configured to receive said manipulated audio signal,
wherein said output device presents said manipulated audio signal transmitted by said physical effects unit,
and a non-transitory computer-readable medium coupled to said processor, wherein said non-transitory computer-readable medium contains instructions stored thereon,
which, when executed by said processor, cause said processor to perform operations comprising:
receiving synthesizer data from a user profile of said user stored in the database and comprising user data identifying the user and synthesizer data defining a virtual signal chain,
altering said controls of said physical effects unit using said synthesizer data by changing at least one of (i) a control type or (ii) a control mapping of a physical control of the physical effects unit,
transmitting said at least one virtual effects unit to said physical effects unit as a compiled program configured to be executed by the physical effects unit to process the audio signal,
and transmitting a manipulation order to said physical effects unit that specifies an ordered execution of the at least one virtual effects unit stored in the control board memory.
10 . The system of claim 9 , wherein said processor sends said manipulation order to said control board, wherein said manipulation order instructs said control board of a sequence in which said at least one virtual effects unit is to manipulate said audio signal and create said manipulated audio signal by executing the at least one virtual effects unit stored in memory of the control board.
11 . The system of claim 9 , wherein said user interface comprises a virtual effects board having said at least one virtual effects unit and configured to allow a user to add, remove, and reorder virtual effects units within the virtual effects board.
12 . The system of claim 11 , wherein said manipulation order determines a sequence in which at least one virtual effects unit of said virtual effects board manipulate said audio signal by specifying an ordered execution of the virtual effects units within the physical effects unit.
13 . The system of claim 9 , wherein said input device is operably connected to said control board via a wireless communication device configured to transmit the audio signal as digital audio data to the physical effects unit for processing by the at least one virtual effects unit.
14 . The system of claim 9 , wherein said input device is at least one of an electronic string instrument, electronic wind instrument, electronic percussion instrument, and digital disc jockey controller.
15 . The system of claim 9 , further comprising an output device operably connected to said physical effects unit and configured to receive said manipulated audio signal.
16 . A method for using an adaptable effects unit comprising steps of:
obtaining a physical effects unit,
obtaining an input device configured to create an audio signal,
obtaining a computing device configured to alter controls of said physical effects unit,
altering said controls of said physical effects unit using said computing device by transmitting synthesizer data that reprograms a control mapping of at least one physical control of the physical effects unit,
selecting a virtual signal chain using said computing device, wherein the virtual signal chain defines an ordered execution of a plurality of virtual effects units within the physical effects unit
wherein said virtual signal chain comprises at least one virtual effects unit that is executable by the physical effects unit to cause said physical effects unit to create a manipulated audio signal from said audio signal,
connecting said input device to said physical effects unit in a way such that said physical effects unit is configured to receive said audio signal from said input device,
and manipulating said input device to produce said audio signal, wherein said audio signal is transmitted to said physical effects unit.
17 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising the step of: obtaining an output device configured to present said manipulated audio signal.
18 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising the step of:
connecting said physical effects unit to said output device in a way such that said physical effects unit is configured to transmit said manipulated audio signal to said output device.
19 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising a user interface of said computing device, wherein said user interface allows a user to alter controls of said physical effects unit using synthesizer data.
20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein said synthesizer data is saved within a user profile.