WAVEFORM REPRODUCTION APPARATUS

To make possible the smooth compression and expansion of an audio signal without directly culling out or repeating a prescribed segment of the audio signal, in other words, the waveform, by the use of a phase vocoder format and, together with this, making it possible to compress and expand an audio signal that has an abundance of changes. The system includes a storage device in which the data regarding the changes in the amplitude and the frequency of the waveform that accompany the passage of time are stored. The system also includes a time position data generator in which the time position data that indicate the time positions that change such that the time positions of the waveform retrace the passage of time are generated in order. The system also includes a waveform reproducer in which, from the storage means, the amplitude and the frequency data that correspond to the time position of the waveform that indicates the time position data that are generated by the time position data generating means are read out and a waveform that is based on said read out amplitude and frequency is output.