MUSICAL INSTRUMENT INPUT DEVICE

• US 20080173163A1
• Filed: 01/23/2008
• Published: 07/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Jonathan E. Pratt
• Original Assignee: Jonathan E. Pratt
• Inventors: Pratt, Jonathan E.
• Application Number:
  US12/018,264
• Publication Number:
  US 20080173163A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 84/645
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/20 for transposition
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/34 Switch arrangements, e.g. keyboards or mechanical switches specially adapted for electrophonic musical instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/221 Keyboards, i.e. configuration of several keys or key-like input devices relative to one another details of individual keys or key-like devices G10H2220/265; continuous keyboards or keyboards implementing specific musical scales, e.g. quartertone G10H2210/395; switch matrix keyboards, e.g. on guitar necks G10H2220/295
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/251 arranged as 2D or 3D arrays; Keyboards ergonomically organised for playing chords or for transposing, e.g. Janko keyboard special keyboards for playing chords, e.g. accordion G10H2230/245
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2240/311 MIDI transmission G10H2240/056 takes precedence

Abstract

A musical instrument input device includes a frame having a latitudinal top surface and an array of equally sized and spaced apart keys mounted onto the latitudinal top surface. Each of the keys corresponds to a note on a chromatic scale and each of the keys is arranged in a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns. The keys in each row are arranged to correspond to a chromatic scale and the keys in any selected row are in a scalar transposition by a predetermined interval relative to each row adjacent to the selected row so that each key in a column corresponds to a note that is shifted from a note corresponding to an immediately adjacent key in the column by the predetermined interval. A note generator generates a sound corresponding to a note associated with a selected key when the selected key is activated.

Claims

1. A musical instrument keyboard device, comprising:

a. a frame that includes a latitudinal top surface;

b. an array of equally sized and spaced apart keys mounted onto the latitudinal top surface, each of the keys corresponding to a note on a chromatic scale and each of the keys arranged in a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns, wherein the keys in each row are arranged to correspond to a chromatic scale and wherein the keys in any selected row are in a scalar transposition by a predetermined interval relative to each row adjacent to the selected row, so that each key in a column corresponds to a note that is shifted from a note corresponding to an immediately adjacent key in the column by the predetermined interval; and

c. a note generator that generates a sound corresponding to a note associated with a selected key when the selected key is activated.

2. The musical instrument keyboard device of claim 1, wherein each of the keys comprises a spring loaded switch and wherein the note generator comprises a musical instrument digital interface processor that receives input from each of the spring-loaded switches and that generates a digital message onto a digital message output of a musical instrument digital interface when a selected switch of the array is depressed so that the digital message corresponds to a note associated with the selected switch.

3. The musical instrument keyboard device of claim 2, further comprising a synthesizer that generates a sound corresponding to the note associated with the selected switch when the selected switch is in an “

on”

state.

4. The musical instrument keyboard device of claim 1, wherein the note generator comprises:

a. an analog sound generating circuit that generates an electronic signal corresponding to a selected sound when a key is activated;

b. an amplifier that amplifies the electronic signal; and

c. a speaker that transforms the electronic signal into a sound.

5. The musical instrument keyboard device of claim 1, wherein the note generator comprises an acoustic sound generating mechanism.

6. The musical instrument keyboard device of claim 1, further comprising a structure configured to support the frame so as to maintain the latitudinal top surface in a substantially horizontal position.

7. The musical instrument keyboard device of claim 6, wherein the structure comprises a rectangular box.

8. The musical instrument keyboard device of claim 6, wherein the structure comprises a collapsible stand that includes an attachment that is configured to affix the frame to the collapsible stand.

9. The musical instrument keyboard device of claim 1, wherein selected ones of the keys are color coded to provide a user with an indication of the notes corresponding to the keys.

10. An electronic musical instrument, comprising:

a. a frame that includes a latitudinal top surface;

b. an array of equally sized and spaced apart keys mounted onto the latitudinal top surface, each of the keys corresponding to a note on a chromatic scale and each of the keys arranged in a plurality of rows and a plurality of columns, wherein the keys in each row are arranged to correspond to a chromatic scale and wherein the keys in any selected row are in a scalar transposition by a predetermined interval relative to each row adjacent to the selected row, so that each key in a column corresponds to a note that is shifted from a note corresponding to an immediately adjacent key in the column by the predetermined interval;

c. a plurality of spring-loaded switches in which each switch is coupled to a different key of the array of equally sized and spaced apart keys;

d. a musical instrument digital interface processor that receives input from each of the spring-loaded switches and that generates a digital message onto a digital message output of a musical instrument digital interface when a selected switch of the array is depressed so that the digital message corresponds to a note associated with the selected switch; and

e. a sound generating system, coupled to the digital message output, that generates a sound corresponding to a digital message received from the musical instrument digital interface processor.

11. The electronic musical instrument of claim 10, further comprising a synthesizer that generates a sound corresponding to the note associated with the selected switch when the selected switch is in an “

on”

state.

12. The electronic musical instrument of claim 10, further comprising a structure configured to support the frame so as to maintain the latitudinal top surface in a substantially horizontal position.

13. The electronic musical instrument of claim 12, wherein the structure comprises a rectangular box.

14. The electronic musical instrument of claim 12, wherein the structure comprises a collapsible stand that includes an attachment that is configured to affix the frame to the collapsible stand.

15. The electronic musical instrument of claim 10, wherein selected ones of the keys are color coded to provide a user with an indication of the notes corresponding to the keys.

16. An electronic musical keyboard, comprising:

a. a frame that includes a latitudinal top surface;

b. an array of spring-loaded switches, disposed on the latitudinal top surface, arranged in a plurality of parallel rows and a plurality of parallel columns so that the array has an arrangement of spring-loaded switches that spatially correspond to an array of guitar fret-guitar string intersections on a guitar fingerboard, wherein each of the spring-loaded switches corresponds to a different guitar fret-guitar string intersection;

c. a musical instrument digital interface processor that receives input from each of the spring-loaded switches and that generates a digital message output of a musical instrument digital interface when a selected switch of the array is depressed so that the digital message output corresponds to a note associated with the selected switch; and

d. a structure that is configured to support the frame so that the latitudinal top surface is maintained at a substantially horizontal attitude.

17. The electronic musical keyboard of claim 16, wherein the structure comprises a rectangular box.

18. The electronic musical keyboard of claim 16, wherein the structure comprises a collapsible stand that includes an attachment that is configured to affix the frame to the collapsible stand.

19. The musical keyboard of claim 16, further comprising a synthesizer that generates a sound corresponding to the note associated with the selected switch when the selected switch is in an “

on”

state.

20. The musical keyboard of claim 16, wherein selected ones of the keys are color coded to provide a user with an indication of the notes corresponding to the keys.