Method and apparatus for facilitating group musical interaction over a network

1. A method for facilitating real-time competition between players of a game, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving music performance input from a local player;

(b) generating audio output responsive to the received input;

(c) receiving emulation data extracted from a remote musical performance; and

(d) generating a local approximation of the remote musical performance using the emulation data, the local approximation synchronous with the local musical performance.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein step (a) comprises receiving music performance input from a local player via a game pad.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein step (a) comprises receiving music performance input from a local player via a fake musical instrument.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein step (b) comprises playing a note to indicate a successful input.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein step (b) comprises playing an error message to indicate unsuccessful input.

6. A method for facilitating musical interaction over a network, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) receiving emulation data representing a remote user's musical performance; and

(b) locally generating an approximation of the remote user's musical performance using the received emulation data, the approximation synchronous with a local musical performance.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein step (a) comprises receiving emulation data, the emulation data comprising a moving average of recent remote musical performance events.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein step (a) comprises receiving emulation data, the emulation data comprising a moving average of timing deltas between recent remote musical performance events.

9. The method of claim 6 wherein step (a) comprises receiving emulation data, the emulation data comprising an identification of recent remote musical performance events.

10. The method of claim 6 further comprising extracting local emulation data representing a local musical performance.

11. A means for facilitating musical interaction over a network, comprising:

(a) means for receiving emulation data representing a remote user's musical performance; and

(b) means for locally generating an approximation of the remote user's musical performance using the received emulation data, the approximation synchronous with a local musical performance.

12. The means for facilitating musical interaction over a network of claim 11 further comprising means for receiving music performance input from a local player.

13. The means for facilitating musical interaction over a network of claim 12 wherein the means for receiving music performance input from a local player further comprises means for receiving music performance input from a local player via a game pad.

14. The means for facilitating musical interaction over a network of claim 12 wherein the means for receiving music performance input from a local player further comprises means for receiving music performance input from a local player via a fake musical instrument.

15. The means for facilitating musical interaction over a network of claim 11 further comprising means for extracting local emulation data representing a local musical performance.

16. The means for facilitating musical interaction over a network of claim 11 further comprising means for generating audio output responsive to the received input.

17. The means for facilitating musical interaction over a network of claim 16 wherein the means for generating audio output responsive to the received input further comprises means for playing a note to indicate a successful input.

18. The means for facilitating musical interaction over a network of claim 16 wherein the means for generating audio output responsive to the received input further comprises means for playing an error message to indicate unsuccessful input.