Processor devices functioning as tone-generation-related processing
elements, such as a keyboard, tone generator and speaker, are connected
to a star-type network. Desired processing elements are logically
connected (e.g., a keyboard is logically connected to the input side of
the tone generator and a speaker is connected to the output side of the
tone generator) in an internal network, so that a tone generation system
can be built. Each processor device possesses a content file, and each of
the processor devices has a table storing, for each of the processor
devices, information indicating whether the content file possessed
thereby can be supplied. If a particular one of the processor devices
does not possess a content file to be used, the particular processor
device extracts, from the table, another processor device capable of
supplying the content file to be used and receives the content file from
the extracted processor device.