Computer graphic animation, live video interactive method for playing keyboard music

• US 6,388,181 B2
• Filed: 11/29/2000
• Issued: 05/14/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: AI Automation LLC
• Original Assignee: Michael K. Moe
• Inventors: Moe, Michael K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fletcher, Marlon T.
• Application Number:
  US09/726,687
• Publication Number:
  US 20010029829A1
• Time in Patent Office: 531 Days
• Field of Search: 846/00, 844/70.R, 844/71.R, 844/75, 844/77.R, 844/78, 844/79.A, 844/832, 844/84, 844/85.R
• US Class Current: 84/477.00R
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 15/08 Practice keyboards for teaching typing G09B13/02

Abstract

The present invention provides apparatus for, and novel methods of representing the content of a musical score in an animated format that graphically prompts the user of a keyboard instrument. The graphic format elucidates features of the score in a way that may also be useful as a supplement to conventional keyboard instruction. The animation is displayed on the screen of a computer monitor together with a live video image of the user'"'"'s hands on a musical keyboard. Viewing only the images on the monitor, the user guides his fingers to the keys targeted by the animation. He is thus able to play the proper keys on the real keyboard without diverting his eyes from the monitor. In the preferred embodiment, the system provides a real time display of both the score information, keyboard and the user'"'"'s hand placement relative to the keyboard. Preferably, the display of the musical score includes a note position depicted in a horizontal relationship to the keyboard, and includes a temporal indication for the notes.

Claims

1. A method for prompting play of a musical score by a user of a musical instrument having a keyboard actuated by the user'"'"'s hands, comprising the steps of:

displaying a graphical representation of at least a portion of the musical score for viewing by the user,

imaging in real time at least a portion of the keyboard and the said user'"'"'s hands,

displaying to the user at least a portion of the image of the keyboard and user'"'"'s hands in correlation with the display of the graphical representation of the musical score.

2. The method for prompting play of a musical score by a user of a musical instrument of claim 1 wherein the displaying is provided on a monitor.

3. The method for prompting play of a musical score by a user of a musical instrument of claim 1 wherein the musical instrument is a keyboard instrument.

4. The method for prompting play of a musical score by a user of a musical instrument of claim 3 wherein the keyboard instrument is a piano.

5. The method for prompting play of a musical score by a user of a musical instrument of claim 3 wherein the keyboard instrument is an organ.

6. The method for prompting play of a musical score by a user of a musical instrument of claim 1 wherein the notes are depicted by graphical animation which is registered in a horizontal manner to the key to be actuated.

7. The method for prompting play of a musical score by a user of a musical instrument of claim 1 wherein the notes are depicted by graphical animation which is registered in a horizontal manner to the key to be actuated and provided to the user prior to the time of actuation of the key as required by the musical score and progressing over time, culminating in an indication to the user that actuation of the key is then required by the musical score.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the graphical animation of the note is moved in a vertical direction.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the motion in the vertical direction is linear in time.

31. A computer readable code for use in a system for aiding in play of a musical instrument for implementing the method of claims 1, 10 or 26.

10. A method for prompting playing a musical score by the user of a musical instrument having a keyboard actuated by the user'"'"'s hands, comprising the steps of:

displaying the musical notes of the score to the user, wherein the notes are depicted by graphical animation, the depiction of the note being;

registered in a horizontal manner to the key to be actuated, and

provided to the user prior to the time of actuation of the key as required by the musical score and progressing over time, culminating in an indication to the user that actuation of the key is then required by the musical score, and

displaying a real time image of the user'"'"'s hands adjacent the keyboard.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the graphical animation of the note is moved in a vertical direction.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the motion in the vertical direction is linear in time.

13. The method of claim 10 wherein the culmination of the graphical display for a note consists of a juxtaposition of the image with the key to be played.

14. The method of claim 10 wherein the graphical animation of the note changes in size as a function of time.

15. The method of claim 10 wherein the graphical animation of the note changes in intensity as a function of time.

16. The method of claim 10 wherein the graphical animation of the note changes in orientation as a function of time.

17. The method of claim 10 wherein the graphical animation of the note changes in appearance as a function of time.

18. The method of claim 10 wherein the graphical animation of the note changes in color as a function of time.

19. The method of claim 10 wherein the graphical image of the note is present to the user sufficiently prior to the time of actuation to permit the user to place their hands for timely actuation of the key.

20. The method of claim 10 further including an additional graphical display adjacent to the key to be actuated.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein the additional graphical display indicates the desired finger number to actuate the key.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the finger number is a numeric indication.

23. The method of claim 20 wherein the additional graphical display is presented at the same time as the depiction of the note.

24. The method of claim 20 wherein the additional graphical display is fixed in position with its lowest point in contact with the targeted key.

25. The method of claim 10 further including the step of imaging a musical score and generating the graphical animation therefrom.

26. A method for displaying a musical score to a user of a musical instrument having a plurality of keys comprising the steps of:

graphically depicting an object corresponding to a note to be played, the graphical position including a position relative to the key to be actuated, the graphical depiction of the note including a depiction of the method of attack of the play of the note, and

a temporal dimension indicating both the time for actuation of the note and the duration of the activation of the note.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein the graphical depiction further includes the loudness of play of the note.

28. The method of claim 26 wherein the method of attack is selected from the group consisting of:

staccato and slur.

29. The method of claim 26 wherein the graphical depiction further includes an indication of an addition action to be performed by the user.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein the additional action includes pedal actuation.