Complete transposable notation and keyboard music system for typists

• US 4,655,117 A
• Filed: 06/19/1985
• Issued: 04/07/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/1984
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lars D. Roose
• Original Assignee: Lars D. Roose
• Inventors: Roose, Lars D.
• Primary Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Application Number:
  US06/746,271
• Time in Patent Office: 657 Days
• Field of Search: 84/423, 84/404, 84/483
• US Class Current: 84/423.00B
• 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 2220/231 Alphanumeric, used for musical purposes or with additional musical features, e.g. typewriter or pc-type keyboard reconfigured such that letters or symbols are assigned to musical notes

Abstract

A typewriter keyboard instrument wherein the keyboard is arranged as a standard typewriter with only letters, numbers, and symbols of the standard keyboard wherein the key with the letter N is assigned to play the note middle C, and wherein each succeeding key to the right plays a note which is a half-step higher than the note played by the preceeding key, and two expanded keyboards; the first expanded keyboard having five additional keys on each end of each row, wherein each additional key plays a note one half-step lower or higher than the adjacent key; and the second expanded keyboard having five additional keys on the right hand end of each row of keys and seven additional keys on the left end of each additional row wherein each additional key plays a note which is one half-step higher or lower than the adjacent keys, and wherein the music for the standard and the expanded keyboards is written with a key designation in the clef and wherein the dark notes have a light letter corresponding to the key to be pressed and the light notes have a dark or black letter in the center thereof to designate the key to be pressed, and wherein an ordinary typist with only a basic knowledge of music can sit down to the instrument, readily read the music, automatically correlate the music to the keyboard, play the instrument and, at will, transpose to any new key to play the music in, simply by moving the placement of his/her home row fingers location to the left or right of the original home row on the expanded keyboards.

Claims

1. A keyboard for a musical instrument of a type which includes means for producing musical tones when the keys are touched, wherein each key of the keyboard when pressed plays a particular note, said keyboard comprising a standard typewriter keyboard wherein each key has a letter, symbol, or number, and wherein the keys of the standard keyboard are arranged in four horizontal rows of ten keys in each row, and wherein the bottom row is closest to a person playing the instrument, and wherein the row next to the bottom row has its keys offset approximately one-half key-width to the left with respect to the bottom row, and wherein the third row of keys is offset approximately one-quarter key-width from the next to the bottom row of keys to the left, and wherein the fourth and top row of keys is offset to the left with respect to the third row of keys approximately one-half key-width, and wherein the sixth key from the left in the bottom row when pressed plays the note middle C, and wherein the notes played when keys in any row are pressed sequentially from left to right are successively one half-step higher than the note played when the preceding key is pressed, and wherein the first key in all rows, but the bottom row, when pressed play a note one half-step higher than the note played when the key at the right hand end of the next lower row is pressed, and wherein five additional keys are added to the right hand end of each row, and seven additional keys are added to the left hand end of each row, and wherein the additional keys at the right hand end of each row when pressed sequentially from left to right play a note which is one half-step higher than the note played by pressing the key immediately adjacent to the left, and wherein the additional keys at the left end of each row when pressed sequentially from right to left play a note one half-step lower than the note played when the key immediately adjacent to the right is pressed, and wherein, therefore the additional keys on the left end of the bottom row play lower notes than any keys on the standard keyboard, and wherein, therefore, the additional keys to the right of the top row play notes which are higher than any notes played by pressing any keys of the standard keyboard, and wherein the additional keys, when pressed, on the left end of the second, third and top rows play redundant notes and these additional keys are designated with the same letter or symbol as the key in the standard keyboard which plays the same note, and wherein the additional keys on the right hand end of the bottom, second and third rows also play redundant notes when pressed, and these additional keys are designated with the letter, symbol, or number of the key in the standard keyboard which when pressed play the same note, and wherein the additional keys to the right of the top row are from left to right designated 11, 12, 13, 14, and 15, and the additional keys to the left of the bottom row are designated respectively from right to left as I, II, III, IV, V, VI, and VIII, and wherein the music written for the said instrument comprises a standard musical score with a key designation in a ball in a clef, and said key designation being indicated by a letter in the ball, and wherein the letter in the ball designates the specific key which a typist would normally finger using his/her left hand little finger to strike the closest and furthest left key using normal touch typing techniques thereby designating a home row to the typist, and wherein the notes which are normally light in the center would have dark letters, numbers, or symbols which indicate which key the typist should press, and those notes which are normally dark in the center would have light letters in the center, wherein a typist could sit to the instrument, read the letters, numbers, and symbols on the sheet of music and using his/her normal typing expertise immediately begin playing the musical score.

2. A keyboard for a musical instrument of a type which includes means for producing musical tones when the keys are touched, wherein each key of the keyboard when pressed plays a particular note, said keyboard comprising a standard typewriter keyboard wherein each key has a letter, symbol, or number, and wherein the keys of the standard keyboard are arranged in four horizontal rows of ten keys in each row, and wherein the bottom row is closest to a person playing the instrument, and wherein the row next to the bottom row has its keys offset approximately one-half key-width to the left with respect to the bottom row, and wherein the third row of keys is offset approximately one-quarter key-width from the next to the bottom row of keys to the left, and wherein the fourth and top row of keys is offset to the left with respect to the third row of keys approximately one-half key-width, and wherein the sixth key from the left in the bottom row when pressed plays the note middle C, and wherein the notes played when keys in any row are pressed sequentially from left to right are successively one half-step higher than the note played when the preceding key is pressed, and wherein the first key on the left end in all rows, but the bottom row, when pressed play a note one half-step higher than the note played when the key at the right hand end of the next lower row is pressed, and wherein five additional keys are added to each end of each row of the standard keyboard, and wherein the additional keys at the right hand end of each row when pressed sequentially from left to right play a note which is one half-step higher than the note played by pressing the key immediately adjacent to the left, and wherein the additional keys at the left end of each row when pressed sequentially from right to left play a note one half-step lower than the note played when the key immediately adjacent to the right is pressed, and wherein, therefore the additional keys on the left end of the bottom row play lower notes than any keys on the standard keyboard, and wherein, therefore, the additional keys to the right of the top row play notes which are higher than any notes played by pressing any keys of the standard keyboard, and wherein the additional keys, when pressed, on the left end of the second, third, and top rows play redundant notes and these additional keys are designated with the same letter or symbol as the key in the standard keyboard which plays the same note, and wherein the additional keys on the right hand end of the bottom, second and third rows also play redundant notes when pressed, and these additional keys are designated with the letter, symbol, or number of the key in the standard keyboard which when pressed will play the same note, and wherein the additional keys to the right of the top row are from left to right designated 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, and the additional keys to the left of the bottom row are designated respectively from right to left as I, II, III, IV, and V, and wherein the music written for the said instrument comprises a standard musical score with key designation in a ball in a clef, and said key designation being indicated by a letter in the ball, and wherein the letter in the ball designates the specific key which a typist would normally finger using his/her left hand little finger to strike the closest and furthest left key using normal touch typing techniques thereby designating a home row to the typist, and wherein the notes which are normally light in the center would have dark letters, numbers, or symbols which indicate which key the typist should press, and those notes which are normally dark in the center would have light letters in the center, wherein a typist could sit to the instrument, read the letters, numbers, and symbols on the sheet of music and using his/her normal typing expertise immediately begin playing the musical score.