MUSIC TEACHING DEVICE AND METHOD

• US 20150082971A1
• Filed: 09/20/2013
• Published: 03/26/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Andre M. Lippens, Luc Lippens
• Original Assignee: Andre M. Lippens
• Inventors: Lippens, Andr M., Lippens, Luc
• Granted Patent: US 8,987,573 B1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 84/478
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 15/002 Electrically operated systems
• CPC Class Codes: G10C 3/12 Keyboards; Keys
• CPC Class Codes: G10G 1/02 Chord or note indicators, fixed or adjustable, for keyboard of fingerboards
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/0016 Means for indicating which keys, frets or strings are to be actuated, e.g. using lights or leds
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/34 Switch arrangements, e.g. keyboards or mechanical switches specially adapted for electrophonic musical instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/041 Remote key fingering indicator, i.e. fingering shown on a display separate from the instrument itself or substantially disjoint from the keys
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/056 Hand or finger indicator, e.g. for indicating which hand or which specific finger should be used
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/066 Colour, i.e. indications with two or more different colours
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/126 for graphical editing of individual notes, parts or phrases represented as variable length segments on a 2D or 3D representation, e.g. graphical edition of musical collage, remix files or pianoroll representations of MIDI-like files
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/241 on touchscreens, i.e. keys, frets, strings, tablature or staff displayed on a touchscreen display for note input purposes
• 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

Abstract

A novel Janko-type keyboard with attachable/detachable touch plates is disclosed. The touch plates have a coloring differing from traditional keyboards. A novel music tablature corresponding to the keyboard design is provided. Also a novel piano notation system corresponding to the keyboard design is provided. Finally a method to teach playing Janko-type keyboard is provided, where the method included virtual Janko-keyboard on computer touch screen, optionally an actual electronic Janko-keyboard attached to the computer and computer programs providing music notation on tablature system of this disclosure.

Claims

1. A Janko-type keyboard having three to six horizontal rows, each row comprising:

a multitude of touch plates attached to a support and formed by a front end, a back end, two straight sides, and a top surface in a manner that leaves a hollow cavity inside the touch plate, wherein

the touch plates are widest between the two straight sides;

the top surfaces have a shallow dip simulating form of a fingertip on the widest part of the touch plate;

each straight side has a tapered slot enabling stretching of the cavity to attach and detach the plates to and from the support;

each front end has a narrow tip, and the front ends of adjacent touch plates form a wavelike pattern;

each back end has a narrow tip, and the back ends of adjacent touch plates form a wavelike pattern; and

said wavelike pattern formed by back ends matches with the wavelike patterns formed by the front ends, thereby enabling close connection of the horizontal rows, and

wherein the touch plates for natural notes are colored with one color and the touch plates for accidental notes are colored with another color, and

wherein natural notes are grouped in two groups, one with three keys and another with four keys, and where members of the three key group carry a marking, and wherein accidental notes are grouped in two groups, one with two keys and another with three keys, and where members of the two key group carry a marking.

2. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein touch plates for same notes on individual rows are attached to one support;

said support having a prong for each attached touch plate, and the prongs having measures such that they snugly fit inside the hollow cavity of the touch plates, and

wherein the touch plates can be attached or removed from the support by stretching the cavity by forcing the tapered slot open with a pliers-tool fitting in the tapered slot, and

wherein once the touch plate is attached on the support prong it is held in place by friction.

3. The keyboard of claim 2, wherein a support holds three touch plates.

4. The keyboard of claim 2, wherein the support prongs further have a vertical slit.

5. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein the touch plates for natural notes are colored blue and the touch plates for accidental notes are colored black.

6. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein top surface of the touch plates is smooth for natural notes and slightly grainy for accidental notes.

8. The keyboard of claim 1, wherein the markings are raised from the plate.

7. (canceled)

9. A removable touch plate of a Janko-type keyboard, wherein the touch plate comprises:

a front end;

a back end;

two straight sides with tapered slots;

a top surface; and

a hollow cavity;

wherein the plate is widest between the two straight sides and the front end and the back end form narrow tips;

wherein the top surface has a shallow dip forming a concave half circle toward the back end, simulating form of a fingertip; and

wherein the touch plate can be attached to a prong of a support by stretching the hollow cavities by inserting conical prongs of a pliers-tool into the tapered slots, inserting the support prong inside the hollow cavity and removing the pliers-tool, whereby the touch plate snaps tightly on the support prong and is held in place by friction and is removable by using the pliers-tool to stretch the cavity while sliding the plate off from the prong.

10. (canceled)

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13. (canceled)

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15. (canceled)

16. (canceled)

17. (canceled)

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20. (canceled)