Method of adapting a typewriter keyboard to control the production of music

• US 5,088,378 A
• Filed: 11/19/1990
• Issued: 02/18/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 11/19/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Marcus M. Delatorre
• Original Assignee: Marcus M. Delatorre
• Inventors: DeLaTorre, Marcus M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shoop, Jr., William M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kim, Helen
• Application Number:
  US07/615,175
• Time in Patent Office: 456 Days
• Field of Search: 84/423 R, 84/423 B, 84/470 R, 84/600, 84/613, 84/619, 84/615, 84/443, 84/445, 84/DIG. 22, 84/715
• US Class Current: 84/470.00R
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/295 Switch matrix, e.g. contact array common to several keys, the actuated keys being identified by the rows and columns in contact
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 84/22 Chord organs

Abstract

A method of adapting a keyboard musical instrument to produce sound in response to the activation of keys included in a typewriter keyboard is disclosed. A standard typewriter keyboard is coupled to a conventional electronic sound generation platform in lieu of or in addition to a standard piano keyboard. Musical chords are assigned to keys typically operated by a user'"'"'s left hand. Forty-eight chords are producible by multiplexing each of 24 keys located on the left side of the keyboard to produce one of two possible chords. The selection of the one of two possible chords is performed in response to manipulation of the left shift key. Melody notes are assigned to keys typically operated by a user'"'"'s right hand. Thirty-one melody notes are assigned to 26 keys located on the right side of the typewriter keyboard. Thus, five of the 26 keys are multiplexed to produce one of two possible melody notes, selectable through operation of the right shift key. The melody note keys are latched so that once a melody note has been initiated, it continues until another melody note key is activated. Alternatively, operation of the spacebar silences a melody note. When a single melody note is repeated, a momentary silence period is automatically inserted prior to initiation of the repeated note.

Claims

1. A method of emitting tones in response to the activation of keys included in a typewriter keyboard having a first set of keys ergonomically placed for operation by a first hand and a second set of keys ergonomically placed for operation by a second hand, said first and second sets of keys each having said keys thereof positioned within four rows wherein each of said rows includes a plurality of said keys, said method comprising the steps of:

monitoring said keys included in said first-hand and second-hand sets of keys to detect activations and deactivations thereof;

generating a chord, which results from a combination of at least two of said tones, when said monitoring step detects activation of any key from said first-hand set of keys; and

producing a melody note, which represents a single one of said tones, when said monitoring step detects activation of any key from said second-hand set of keys.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein:

said typewriter keyboard additionally has a control key;

said method additionally comprises the step of multiplexing at least a portion of said first-hand set of keys so that each multiplexed key of said first-hand set of keys has two chords associated therewith; and

said generating step comprises, when one of said multiplexed keys has been activated, the step of selecting one of said associated two chords for generation, said selection being responsive to manipulation of said control key.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said keyboard has a spacebar in addition to said first-hand and second-hand sets of keys, and said generating step additionally comprises the steps of:

continuing said chord after said key from said first-hand set of keys is deactivated; and

silencing said chord when any other key from said first-hand set of keys is activated.

4. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said first-hand set of keys includes at least 20 left-hand keys of said typewriter keyboard, and said second-hand set of keys includes at least 24 right-hand keys of said typewriter keyboard.

5. A method as claimed in claim 4 wherein:

said typewriter keyboard is configured as a QWERTY keyboard;

said generating step generates said chord in response to activation of any one of "1", "2", "3", "4", "5", "Q", "W", "E", "R", "T", "A", "S", "D", "F", "G", "Z", "X", "C", "V", and "B" keys; and

said producing step produces said melody note in response to activation of any one of "7", "8", "9", "0", "-", "=", "Y", "U", "I", "0", "P", "H", "J", "K", "L", "N", "M", ",", and "." keys.

6. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said producing step additionally comprises the steps of:

continuing said melody note after said key from said second-hand set of keys is deactivated; and

silencing said melody note when any other key from said second-hand set of keys is activated.

7. A method as claimed in claim 6 wherein said producing step additionally comprises the step of momentarily silencing said melody note when said key from said second-hand set of keys is re-activated after being deactivated in said continuing step.

8. A method as claimed in claim 7 additionally comprising the step of extending said momentary silencing step for an interval of between 25 msec and 150 msec.

9. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said keyboard has a spacebar key in addition to said first-hand and second-hand sets of keys, and said producing step additionally comprises the steps of:

continuing said melody note after said key from said second-hand set of keys is deactivated; and

silencing said melody note when said spacebar key is activated.

10. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein said typewriter keyboard additionally has a control key, and said method additionally comprises the steps of:

switching between first and second modes of operation by manipulating said control key;

when operating in said first mode of operation, continuing said melody note after said key from said second-hand set of keys is deactivated; and

when operating in said second mode of operation, silencing said melody note in response to deactivation of said key from said second-hand set of keys.

11. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein:

said typewriter keyboard additionally has a control;

key;

said method additionally comprises the step of multiplexing a portion of said second-hand set of keys so that each of a predetermined number of said keys included in said second-hand set of keys has two melody notes associated therewith; and

said producing step comprises, when one of said multiplexed keys is activated, the step of selecting one of said associated two melody notes for production, said selection being responsive to manipulation of said control key.

12. A method as claimed in claim 11 wherein said typewriter keyboard additionally has a "SHIFT" key located near said second-hand set of keys, and said method additionally comprises the step of monitoring said "SHIFT" key so that said "SHIFT" key serves as said control key.

13. A method as claimed in claim 11 wherein:

said second-hand set of keys includes non-multiplexed keys in addition to said multiplexed keys, each of said non-multiplexed keys having its own unique tone associated therewith; and

said method additionally comprises the step of associating first and second melody notes with each of said multiplexed keys, each of said first melody notes having a lower tone than said tones associated with said non-multiplexed keys, and each of said second melody notes having a higher tone than said tones associated with said non-multiplexed keys.

14. A method of producing tones in response to the activation of keys included in a typewriter keyboard having a first-hand set of keys and a second-hand set of keys, said first-hand and second-hand sets of keys each having said keys thereof positioned within four rows wherein each of said four rows includes a plurality of said keys, and said method comprising the steps of:

monitoring said keys included in said first-hand and second-hand sets of keys for activations and deactivations thereof;

generating a chord, which results from a combination of at least two of said tones, when any key from said first-hand set of keys is activated;

initiating a melody note, which represents a single one of said tones, when any key from said second-hand set of keys is activated; and

continuing said melody note after said key from said second-hand set of keys is deactivated.

15. A method of producing tones in response to the activation of keys included in a typewriter keyboard as claimed in claim 14 additionally comprising the step of silencing said melody note when any other key from said second-hand set of keys is activated.

16. A method of producing tones in response to the activation of keys included in a typewriter keyboard as claimed in claim 15 additionally comprising the step of momentarily silencing said melody note when said key from said second-hand set of keys is re-activated after being deactivated in said continuing step.

17. A method of producing tones in response to the activation of keys included in a typewriter keyboard as claimed in claim 14 wherein said keyboard has a spacebar key in addition to said first-hand and second-hand sets of keys, and said method additionally comprises the step of silencing said melody note when said spacebar key is activated.

18. A method of producing tones in response to the activation of keys included in a typewriter keyboard as claimed in claim 14 wherein:

said typewriter keyboard additionally has a control key;

said method additionally comprises the step of multiplexing a portion of said second-hand set of keys so that each of a predetermined number of keys from said second-hand set of keys has two melody notes associated therewith; and

said initiating step comprises, when one of said multiplexed keys is activated, the step of selecting one of said associated two melody notes for initiation, said selection being responsive to manipulation of said control key.

19. A method of producing tones in response to the activation of keys included in a typewriter keyboard as claimed in claim 18 wherein:

said second-hand set of keys includes non-multiplexed keys in addition to said multiplexed keys, each of said non-multiplexed keys having its own unique tone associated therewith; and

said method additionally comprises the step of associating first and second melody notes with each of said multiplexed keys, each of said first melody notes having a lower tone than said tones associated with said non-multiplexed keys, and each of said second melody notes having a higher tone than said tones associated with said non-multiplexed keys.

20. A method of producing tones in response to the activation of keys included in a typewriter keyboard as claimed in claim 14 wherein:

said typewriter keyboard additionally has a control key;

said method additionally comprises the step of multiplexing at least a portion of said first-hand set of keys so that each multiplexed key of said first-hand set of keys has two chords associated therewith; and

said generating step comprises, when one of said multiplexed keys has been activated, the step of selecting one of said associated two chords for generation, said selection being responsive to manipulation of said control key.

21. A method of producing tones in response to the activation of keys included in a typewriter keyboard as claimed in claim 14 wherein:

said keyboard is configured as a QWERTY keyboard;

said generating step generates said chord in response to activation of any one of "1", "2", "3", "4", "5", "Q", "W", "E", "R", "T", "A", "S", "D", "F", "G", "Z", "X", "C", "V", and "B" keys; and

said initiating step initiates said melody note in response to activation of any one of "7", "8", "9", "0", "-", "=", "Y", "U", "I", "O", "P", "H", "J", "K", "L", "N", "M", ",", and "." keys.

22. A method of producing tones in response to the activation of keys included in a typewriter keyboard having a first-hand set of keys, a second-hand set of keys, and first and second control keys, said method comprising the steps of:

multiplexing at least a portion of said first-hand set of keys so that multiplexed keys from said first-hand set of keys have first and second chords associated therewith, each of said chords resulting from a combination of at least two of said tones;

multiplexing a portion of said second-hand set of keys so that multiplexed keys from said second-hand set of keys have first and second melody notes associated therewith and so that non-multiplexed keys from said second-hand set of keys have one melody note associated therewith, each of said melody notes representing a single one of said tones;

monitoring said keys of said typewriter keyboard for activations and deactivations thereof;

when one of said multiplexed chord keys is activated, selecting one of said associated first and second chords, said chord selection being responsive to manipulation of said first control key;

generating said selected chord;

when one of said multiplexed melody keys is activated, selecting one of said associated first and second melody notes, said melody note selection being responsive to manipulation of said second control key;

when one of said non-multiplexed melody keys is activated, selecting said one melody note associated therewith;

initiating said selected melody note;

continuing said initiated melody note after said activated key from said second-hand set of keys is deactivated.

23. A method as claimed in claim 22 additionally comprising the step of silencing said initiated melody note when another key from said second-hand set of keys is activated.

24. A method as claimed in claim 23 additionally comprising the step of momentarily silencing said initiated melody note when said activated key from said second-hand set of keys is re-activated after being deactivated in said continuing step.

25. A method as claimed in claim 22 wherein said keyboard has a spacebar key in addition to said first-hand set, second-hand set, and first and second control keys, and said method additionally comprises the step of silencing said initiated melody note when said spacebar key is activated.

26. A method as claimed in claim 22 wherein said multiplexing said second-hand set of keys step comprises the steps of:

defining each of said first melody notes to have a lower tone than said tones associated with said non-multiplexed melody keys; and

defining each of said second melody notes to have a higher tone than said tones associated with said non-multiplexed melody keys.

27. A method as claimed in claim 22 wherein:

said keyboard is configured as a QWERTY keyboard;

said generating step generates said selected chord in response to an activation of any one of "1", "2", "3", "4", "5", "Q", "W", "E", "R", "T", "A", "S", "D", "F", "G", "Z", "X", "C", "V", and "B" keys; and

said initiating step initiates said selected melody note in response to activation of any one of "7", "8", "9", "0", "-", "=", "Y", "U", "I", "O", "P", "H", "J", "K", "L", "N", "M", ",", and "." keys.