Method of and means for producing musical note relationships

• US 5,741,990 A
• Filed: 06/25/1997
• Issued: 04/21/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Notepool Limited
• Original Assignee: Notepool Limited
• Inventors: Davies, Peter Max Crofts
• Primary Examiner(s): LEE, EDDIE C H
• Application Number:
  US08/882,361
• Time in Patent Office: 300 Days
• Field of Search: 84/423 R, 84/424, 84/425
• US Class Current: 84/423.00R
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 15/004 Non-electrically operated systems
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 15/005 of the slide type
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 15/006 with indication of the keys or strings to be played on instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 15/007 using disc-shaped boards
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 15/04 with sound emitters
• CPC Class Codes: G10C 3/12 Keyboards; Keys

Abstract

In a method of and means for producing musical note relationships there is provided an array of staggered lines or rows or columns of symbols, in which each symbol represents a musical note. Each line may comprise a repeated series of twelve symbols forming a musical series of semitones known as a chromatic scale, and each line is staggered with respect to adjacent lines such that groups of the symbols which represent the same musical note relationship, such as intervals, scales, chords, etc., form the same visual configuration, for example diagonal configurations or vertical configurations at respective locations in the array. The array may comprise a keyboard including a plurality of keys each representative of a particular musical note. Each line may comprise generally vertical columns of keys in which any given key in a given column and the key immediately above it in that column produce an interval of a fifth, whilst the two keys on either side of the given column which lie between the given key and the key immediately above it form intervals of a minor third and a major third respectively with the given key. The keyboard may be incorporated in a keyboard device including means for successively scanning each of the keys and for generating first signals indicative of the state of play of each key, and microprocessor means for receiving and correlating the first signals and for generating second signals indicative of musical sequences represented by the states of play of the keys. The device may also include output means for conveying the second signals to sound generating means to produce sound indicative of the musical sequences.

Claims

1. A keyboard for a musical instrument, the keyboard comprising a plurality of keys arranged in a two-dimensional array and means associated with each key for producing a signal indicative of a particular musical note, said array consisting of parallel columns of said keys in which any given column is arranged relative to an adjacent column which is immediately to one side of said given column such that successive keys of said given column each lies between two successive keys of said adjacent column, and wherein said means associated with any given key of said given column are adapted to produce a signal indicative of a first musical note, said means associated with a key immediately above said given key of said given column are adapted to produce a signal indicative of a second musical note, and said means associated with keys which lie between said given key and the key immediately thereabove and which are respectively in the adjacent columns on either side of the given column are adapted to produce signals indicative of a third and a fourth musical note respectively, and wherein the first and second musical notes form a musical interval of a fifth, the first and third musical notes form a musical interval of a minor third, and the first and fourth musical notes form a musical interval of a major third.

2. A keyboard as claimed in claim 1, wherein each key is hexagonal in shape.

3. In an instrument for use in producing musical tones, a keyboard comprises a plurality of parallel columns of keys arranged in a two-dimensional array, the keys of adjacent columns being staggered relative to each other, and wherein said means associated with any given key of said given column are adapted to produce a signal indicative of a first musical note, said means associated with a key immediately above said given key of said given column are adapted to produce a signal indicative of a second musical note, and said means associated with keys which lie between said given key and the key immediately above it and which are respectively in the adjacent columns on either side of the given column are adapted to produce signals indicative of a third and a fourth musical note respectively, and wherein the first and second musical notes form a musical interval of a fifth, the first and third musical notes form a musical interval of a minor third, and the first and fourth musical notes form a musical interval of a major third.

4. A keyboard for a musical instrument, the keyboard comprising a plurality of keys arranged in a two-dimensional array and means associated with each key for producing a signal indicative of a particular musical note, said array consisting of parallel rows of said keys in which any given row is arranged relative to an adjacent row which is immediately to one side of said given row such that successive keys of said row each lies between two successive keys of said adjacent row, and wherein said means associated with successive keys of each row are adapted to produce signals indicative of successive semi-tones of a musical chromatic scale, said means associated with any given key of said given row being adapted to produce a signal indicative of a first semi-tone and said means associated with two successive keys of an adjacent row with said given key lying therebetween being adapted to produce signals indicative of second and third semi-tones respectively, such that musical intervals formed by said first and second semi-tones and said first and third semi-tones comprises a major third and a minor third respectively.

5. A keyboard according to claim 4, wherein the second and third semi-tones are fourth and fifth semi-tones respectively in a chromatic scale starting with said first semi-tone and increasing in pitch, and said given key of said given row is positioned between two further successive keys of another row which is immediately to another side of said given row, said means associated with said two further successive keys being adapted to produce signals indicative of fourth and fifth semi-tones respectively in a chromatic scale starting with said first semi-tone and decreasing in pitch.

6. A keyboard as claimed in claim 4, wherein each key is hexagonal in shape.

7. A keyboard as claimed in claim 4, wherein the rows form concentric circles.

8. In an instrument for use in producing musical tones, a keyboard comprises a plurality of parallel rows of keys arranged in a two-dimensional array, the keys of adjacent rows being staggered relative to each other, and means associated with each key for producing a signal indicative of a specific musical note, said means associated with any given key of any given row being arranged to produce a signal indicative of a first semi-tone and said means associated with two successive keys located either side of said given key in an immediately adjacent row being arranged to produce signals indicative of second and third semi-tones respectively forming musical intervals of a major third and a minor third with said first semi-tone.

9. In a keyboard for a musical instrument, comprising a plurality of keys arranged in a two-dimensional array and means associated with each key for producing a signal indicative of a particular musical note, the improvement, which enable groups of said keys producing the same musical note relationships in different musical keys to form the same visual configuration at respective locations within the array, consists of arranging said keys of said array in parallel columns in which any given column is arranged relative to an adjacent column which is immediately to one side of said given column such that successive keys of said given column each lies between two successive keys of said adjacent column, and wherein said means associated with any given key of said given column are adapted to produce a signal indicative of a first musical note, said means associated with a key immediately above said given key of said given column are adapted to produce a signal indicative of a second musical note, and said means associated with keys which lie between said given key and the key immediately thereabove and which are respectively in the adjacent columns on either side of the given column are adapted to produce signals indicative of a third and a fourth musical note respectively, and wherein the first and second musical notes form a musical interval of a fifth, the first and third musical notes form a musical interval of a minor third, and the first and fourth musical notes form a musical interval of a major third.

10. A keyboard-type musical instrument comprising a surface having a plurality of contact positions arranged in a two-dimensional array and means associated with each contact position for producing a signal indicative of a particular musical note, said array consisting of parallel columns of said contact positions in which any given column is arranged relative to an adjacent column which is immediately to one side of said given column such that successive contact positions of said given column each lies between two successive contact positions of said adjacent column, and wherein said means associated with any given contact position of said given column are adapted to produce a signal indicative of a first musical note, said means associated with a contact position immediately above said given contact position of said given column are adapted to produce a signal indicative of a second musical note, and said means associated with contact positions which lie between said given contact position and the contact position immediately thereabove and which are respectively in the adjacent columns on either side of the given column are adapted to produce signals indicative of a third and a fourth musical note respectively, and wherein the first and second musical notes form a musical interval of a fifth, the first and third musical notes form a musical interval of a minor third, and the first and fourth musical notes form a musical interval of a major third.

11. In an instrument for use in producing musical tones, a keyboard-type device comprises a surface having a plurality of parallel columns of contact positions arranged in a two-dimensional array, the contact positions of adjacent columns being staggered relative to each other, and wherein said means associated with any given contact position of said given column are adapted to produce a signal indicative of a first musical note, said means associated with a contact position immediately above said given contact position of said given column are adapted to produce a signal indicative of a second musical note, and said means associated with contact positions which lie between said given contact position and the contact position immediately thereabove and which are respectively in the adjacent columns on either side of the given column are adapted to produce signals indicative of a third and a fourth musical note respectively, and wherein the first and second musical notes form a musical interval of a fifth, the first and third musical notes form a musical interval of a minor third, and the first and fourth musical notes form a musical interval of a major third.

12. In a keyboard-type device for a musical instrument, comprising a plurality of contact positions arranged in a two-dimensional array and means associated with each contact position for producing a signal indicative of a particular musical note, the improvement, which enables groups of said contact positions producing the same musical note relationships in different musical keys to form the same visual configuration at respective locations within the array, consists of arranging said contact positions of said array in parallel columns in which any given column is arranged relative to an adjacent column which is immediately to one side of said given column such that successive contact positions of said given column each lies between two successive contact positions of said adjacent column, and wherein said means associated with any given contact position of said given column are adapted to produce a signal indicative of a first musical note, said means associated with a contact position immediately above said given contact position of said given column are adapted to produce a signal indicative of a second musical note, and said means associated with contact positions which lie between said given contact position and the contact position immediately thereabove and which are respectively in the adjacent columns on either side of the given column are adapted to produce signals indicative of a third and a fourth musical note respectively, and wherein the first and second musical notes form a musical interval of a fifth, the first and third musical notes form a musical interval of a minor third, and the first and fourth musical notes form a musical interval of a major third.