text: The present invention relates to a sound data processing device and method for processing sound data on the basis of performance operation etc., as well as a program for causing a computer to function as such a sound data processing device.
  Heretofore, there has been known a technique for combining a plurality of accompaniment sound waveforms extracted from a plurality of different accompaniment sound sources and reproducing the thus-combined accompaniment sound waveforms. For example, Japanese Patent No. 2550825 (hereinafter referred to as “patent literature 1”) discloses a technique which allows a user to execute an automatic accompaniment, based on an ensemble of accompaniment patterns of a plurality of performance parts, by searching for accompaniment patterns (sound generation patterns) of each of the plurality of performance parts by inputting a text, such as a letter string and logical operator and then combining searched-out accompaniment patterns (sound generation patterns) of the individual performance parts. Further, Japanese Patent No. 3480433 (hereinafter referred to as “patent literature 2”) discloses a technique which, in a multi-track digital recording/reproduction apparatus, allows a particular number of recording tracks to be freely set and allows reproduction to be performed via a maximum number of usable reproducing tracks in accordance with the setting of the particular number of recording tracks.
  However, with the search method disclosed in patent literature 1, where the user searches for accompaniment patterns by inputting a text, the user cannot input a rhythm or melody pattern intuitively and sensorily. If, in searching through accompaniment sound sources, the user is allowed to intuitively input a rhythm or melody pattern to be made an object of search, the search method would be able to provide more operability to the user.