System and method for coordinating music display among players in an orchestra

1. In a network of computerized devices each containing programming for displaying music on a display device, the computerized devices being used by each of a plurality of players in an orchestra under direction of a conductor, a method for facilitating leading of the orchestra, the method comprising:

registering an identity of an instrument in use by each player and the corresponding computerized device being used by the player;

receiving at a computerized device in use by the conductor a change to a musical arrangement represented in a handwritten format, the conductor's computerized device comprising means for converting changes from handwritten format to electronic music type format;

allowing the conductor to select whether the change is to be sent to all players in the orchestra or only to one or more players using an instrument impacted by the change;

if the conductor selects to send the change only to the player or players using an instrument impacted by the change, determining which instrument or instruments are impacted by the change and identifying the corresponding computerized device or devices registered for that instrument;

allowing the conductor to select whether the change should be converted to electronic music type format before transmission to the one or more players; and

transmitting the change to one or more players in accordance with the conductor's selections.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of receiving the conductor's change comprises receiving the change through a touch screen display device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of receiving the conductor's changes comprises receiving the changes through a digitizer and electronic stylus.

4. The method of claim 1, comprising displaying the changes in the received handwritten format on the conductor's computerized device.

5. The method of claim 4, comprising displaying the changes in the received handwritten format on the player's computerized devices to which the changes are transmitted.

6. The method of claim 5, comprising converting the changes from the received handwritten format to an electronic format for display on each player's computerized devices.

7. A graphical user interface system for a musical composition and orchestration system, the method comprising:

means for allowing a conductor to electronically input a change to a musical score displayed on a display device in a handwritten format;

means for allowing the conductor to select whether an input change is to be transmitted to all of a plurality of players in an orchestra or only to those one or more players playing an instrument affected by the change;

means for determining which one or more players are affected by the input change;

means for allowing the conductor to select whether to convert the handwritten change to a music type format prior to transmission of the change to the player or players; and

means for transmitting the change to the player or players in accordance with the conductor's selections.

8. The system of claim 7, comprising a musical keyboard operatively coupled to a computer keyboard.

9. In a network of computerized devices each containing programming for displaying music on a display device, the computerized devices being used by a plurality of players in an orchestra under direction of a conductor, a method for facilitating leading of the orchestra, the method comprising:

receiving at a computerized device in use by the conductor a change represented in a handwritten format to a musical arrangement, the conductor's computerized device comprising means for converting changes from handwritten format to electronic music type format;

allowing the conductor to select whether the change should be converted to electronic music type format before transmission to at least one player of the plurality of players; and

transmitting the change to the at least one player in accordance with the conductor's selection.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of receiving the conductor's change comprises receiving the change through a touch screen display device.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of receiving the conductor's change comprises receiving the change through a digitizer and electronic stylus.

12. The method of claim 9, comprising displaying the change in the received handwritten format on the conductor's computerized device.

13. The method of claim 9, comprising displaying the change in the received handwritten format on computerized devices of players to which the change is transmitted.

14. The method of claim 9, comprising converting the change from the received handwritten format to an electronic format for display on computerized devices of players to which the change is transmitted.

15. The method of claim 9, comprising displaying the changes on the conductor's computerized device having a musical keyboard operatively coupled to a computer keyboard.

16. The method of claim 9, comprising displaying the change on the at least one player's computerized device having a musical keyboard operatively coupled to a computer keyboard.

17. A graphical user interface system for a musical composition and orchestration system, the system comprising:

means for allowing a conductor to electronically input a change in a handwritten format to a musical score displayed on a conductor's display device;

means for allowing the conductor to select whether to convert the handwritten change to a music type format prior to transmission of the change to at least one player; and

means for transmitting the change to the at least one player in accordance with the conductor's selection.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the conductor's display device comprises a musical keyboard operatively coupled to a computer keyboard.

19. The system of claim 17, comprising means for displaying the changes a display device of the at least one player, wherein the display device of the at least one player comprises a musical keyboard operatively coupled to a computer keyboard.

20. In a network of computerized music display devices, a method for facilitating communication of a change to a musical composition from a first computerized music display device of the network to one or more other computerized music display devices of the network, the one or more other computerized music display devices being for use by one or more players in an orchestra, the method comprising:

allowing a conductor, using the first computerized music display device, to enter the change to a portion of the musical composition;

allowing the conductor to select, from at least two different display formats, a first display format of the at least two different display formats in which the changed portion of the musical composition is to be sent to the one or more other computerized music display devices; and

sending the changed portion of the musical composition to the one or more other computerized music display devices to be displayed in the selected first display format.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the first display format displays a handwritten change.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein allowing a conductor to enter the change comprises the first computerized music display device displaying at least a portion often musical composition.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein allowing a conductor to enter the change comprises allowing the conductor to enter the change through a touch screen display device.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein allowing a conductor to enter the change comprises allowing the conductor to enter the change through a digitizer and electronic stylus.

25. The method of claim 22, wherein allowing a conductor to enter the change comprises allowing the conductor to enter the change through at least one of a musical keyboard, alphanumeric keyboards and an integrated musical-alphanumeric keyboard.

26. The method of claim 22, comprising displaying the changed portion on the first computerized music display device.

27. The method of claim 20, wherein the first display format is a handwritten format, and wherein sending the changed portion of the musical composition to the one or more other computerized music display devices to be displayed in the selected first display format comprises sending the changed portion of the musical composition to the one or more other computerized music display devices to be displayed in a handwritten format.

28. The method of claim 20, wherein the first display format is ax electronic type format, and wherein sending the changed portion of the musical composition to the one or more other computerized music display devices to be displayed in the selected first display format comprises sending the changed portion of the musical composition to the one or more other computerized music display devices to be displayed in an electronic type format.

29. The method of claim 20, wherein allowing the conductor to select a first display format in which the changed portion is to be sent to one or n: ore other computerized music display devices comprises allowing the conductor to assign at least one of the one or more other computerized music display devices to at least one of a plurality of conductor-actionable buttons.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein actuating one of the conductor-actionable buttons sends the changed portion to at least one of a single, a plurality, and all of the one or more other computerized music display devices.

31. The method of claim 20, wherein sending the changed portion to the one or more other computerized music display devices comprises sending the changed portion to those at least one of the one or more computerized music display devices identified by the conductor.

32. The method of claim 20, wherein the one or more other computerized music display devices display the changed portion in the selected first display format.

33. The method of claim 20, further comprising at lest temporarily recording the change.

34. The method of claim 33, comprising recording the change using a removable media storage device comprising at least one of a magnetic media removable recording device and an optical media removable recording device.

35. The method of claim 20, wherein the at least two different display formats consist of two display formats, and wherein allowing the conductor to select, from at least two different display formats, a first display format comprises allowing the conductor to select, from the two display formats, a first display format.

36. The method of claim 20, wherein the at least two different display formats consist of a handwritten format and an electronic type format, and wherein allowing the conductor to select, from at least two different display formats, a first display format comprises allowing the conductor to select the handwritten format and the electronic type format, a first display format.

37. A computer usable medium storing program code which, when executed on a computerized device, causes the computerized device to execute, in, a network of computerized music display devices, a method for facilitating communication of a change to a musical composition from a first computerized music display device of the network to one or more other computerized music display devices of the network, the one or more other computerized music display devices being for use by one or more players in an orchestra, the method comprising:

allowing a conductor, using the first computerized music display device, to enter the change to a portion of the musical composition;

allowing the conductor to select, from at least two different display formats, a first display format of the at least two different display formats in which the changed portion of the musical composition is to be sent to the one or more other computerized music display devices; and

sending the changed portion of the musical composition to the one or more other computerized music display devices to be displayed in the selected first display format.

38. The computer usable medium of claim 37, wherein allowing a conductor to enter the change comprises the first computerized music display device displaying at least a portion of the musical composition.

39. The computer usable medium claim 37, wherein the method comprises displaying the changed portion on the first computerized music display device.

40. The computer usable medium of claim 37, wherein the method comprises recording the change using a removable media storage device comprising at least one of a magnetic media removable recording device and an optical media removable recording device.

41. The computer usable medium of claim 37, wherein the at least two different display formats consist of two display formats, and wherein allowing the conductor to select, from at least two different display formats, a first display format comprises allowing the conductor to select, from the two display formats, a first display format.

42. The computer usable medium of claim 37, wherein the at least two different display formats consist of a handwritten format and an electronic type format, and wherein allowing the conductor to select, from at least two different display formats, a first display format comprises allowing the conductor to select, from the handwritten format and the electronic type format, a first display format.