Functional extensions of traditional music keyboards

• US 20040074379A1
• Filed: 10/10/2003
• Published: 04/22/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/15/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Advance Touchscreen And Gesture Technologies, LLC
• Original Assignee: Lester F. Ludwig
• Inventors: Ludwig, Lester F.
• Granted Patent: US 7,408,108 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 84/645
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/005 Input arrangements through a video camera
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/017 Gesture based interaction, e.g. based on a set of recognized hand gestures interaction based on gestures traced on a digitiser G06F3/04883
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/041 Digitisers, e.g. for touch screens or touch pads, characterised by the transducing means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0412 Digitisers structurally integrated in a display
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0488 using a touch-screen or digitiser, e.g. input of commands through traced gestures
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04883 for inputting data by handwriting, e.g. gesture or text
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/00 Details of electrophonic musical instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/0058 Transmission between separate instruments or between individual components of a musical system G10H1/0083 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/0066 using a MIDI interface
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/348 Switches actuated by parts of the body other than fingers
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/46 Volume control
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/521 Hall effect transducers or similar magnetic field sensing semiconductor devices, e.g. for string vibration sensing or key movement sensing
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/525 Piezoelectric transducers for vibration sensing or vibration excitation in the audio range; Piezoelectric strain sensing, e.g. as key velocity sensor; Piezoelectric actuators, e.g. key actuation in response to a control voltage
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2230/095 Spint zither, i.e. mimicking any neckless stringed instrument in which the strings do not extend beyond the sounding board
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2230/101 Spint koto, i.e. mimicking any traditional asian-style plucked zither with movable bridges
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2230/115 Spint sitar, i.e. mimicking any long-necked plucked string instrument with a large number of additional non-playable sympathetic resonating strings or an additional gourd-like resonating chamber
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2230/145 Spint guitar keyboard, i.e. mimicking a combination of a guitar-like instrument, with or without strings, and a piano-like keyboard, e.g. with white and black keys arranged like on a piano
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2230/271 Spint gong, i.e. mimicking circular flat, nippled or bowl-shaped metallic percussion instruments G10H2230/321 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 3/18 using a string, e.g. electric guitar mechanical features G10D1/085
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 3/26 : using electric feedback
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 84/10 : Feedback

Abstract

An invention extending functionality and applications of traditional music keyboards. Individual musical keyboard keys may have individual key displacement sensors measuring key travel. Individual keys may further include surface sensors measuring two additional parameters, creating three independent continuous parameters essential for controlled rendering of vowel sounds and orchestral timbre spaces. Surface sensors may comprise pressure sensor arrays, which, via geometric image-processing, may produce five to six readily controlled independent parameters per key, useful in controlling expressive soloing and long-duration background sounds. Per-key pressure sensor arrays may comprise mass-produced modular components including intelligent distributed image processing to simplify manufacturing and substantially reduce cost. Synthesized tactile feedback may render variable keyboard actions or create ‘multilevel’ key travel functionality. Miniature keyboards may be provided to idle fingers on other musical instruments. Specialized configurations permit keys of two or more keyboards to be played simultaneously with different fingers of the same hand. Outgoing MIDI signals may also be provided.

Claims

1. An electronic musical instrument control system comprising:

a keyboard comprising a plurality of keys, wherein each key of said plurality of keys is physically displaceable within a key travel range;

a separate key position sensor associated with each key of said plurality of keys, wherein each key position sensor of said plurality of key position sensors responsively provides a key displacement signal corresponding to the position of an associated key within said key travel range; and

at least one displacement sensor interface for receiving said key displacement signals from at least one of said plurality of key position sensors, wherein said at least one displacement sensor interface responsively generates an individual output control signal for each key displacement signal received at said at least one displacement sensor, and wherein each output control signal generated by said at least one displacement sensor is adapted to provide control of sounds generated by an electronic musical system.

2. The control system according to claim 1, wherein an output control signal associated with at least one key of said plurality of keys is adapted to provide volume control of a synthesized sound generated by said electronic musical system, wherein said volume control is obtained by varying the location of said at least one key within said key travel range.

3. The control system according to claim 1, wherein an output control signal associated with at least one key of said plurality of keys is adapted to provide timbre control of a synthesized sound generated by said electronic musical system, wherein said timbre control is obtained by varying the location of said at least one key within said key travel range.

4. The control system according to claim 1, said control system further comprising:

a separate surface sensor associated with each key of said plurality of keys, wherein each surface sensor of said plurality of surface sensors responsively generates multi-parameter sensor signals corresponding to user contact of an associated key of said plurality of keys; and

at least one surface sensor interface for receiving said multi-parameter sensor signals from at least one surface sensor of said plurality of surface sensors, wherein said at least one surface sensor interface responsively generates a multi-parameter surface sensor output control signal for each multi-parameter sensor signal received at said at least one surface sensor interface, and wherein each multi-parameter surface sensor output control signal generated by said at least one surface sensor interface is adapted to further provide control of sounds generated by said electronic musical system.

5. The control system according to claim 4, said control system further comprising:

a signal processor coupled to said at least one displacement sensor interface and said at least one surface sensor interface, wherein said signal processor responsively generates an outgoing unified control signal based upon individual or selected combinations of output control signals generated by said at least one displacement sensor interface and said at least one surface sensor interface.

6. The control system according to claim 4, wherein each key of said plurality of keys provides for the control of at least three independent, substantially continuous parameters, wherein said at least three independent, substantially continuous parameters are controlled using output control signals generated by said at least one displacement sensor interface and said at least one surface sensor interface.

7. The control system according to claim 4, wherein each surface sensor associated with each key of said plurality of keys comprises a pressure sensor.

8. The control system according to claim 4, wherein each surface sensor associated with each key of said plurality of keys comprises a null contact sensor.

9. The control system according to claim 6, wherein said at least three independent, substantially continuous parameters, for at least one key of said plurality of keys, are adapted to control filter formants of sounds generated by said electronic musical system.

10. The control system according to claim 9, wherein said filter formants are used to control vowel synthesis of sounds generated by said electronic musical system.

11. The control system according to claim 6, wherein said at least three independent, substantially continuous parameters, for at least one key of said plurality of keys, are adapted to control sounds generated by said electronic musical system, wherein said sounds are generated using a timbre-space model.

12. The control system according to claim 11, wherein said timbre-space model is accomplished using volume cross-fading.

13. The control system according to claim 11, wherein said timbre-space model is accomplished using morphable numerical instrument models.

14. The control system according to claim 7, wherein each key of said plurality of keys provides for the control of at least four independent, substantially continuous parameters, wherein said at least four independent, substantially continuous parameters are controlled using output control signals generated by said at least one displacement sensor interface and said at least one surface sensor interface.

15. The control system according to claim 4, wherein each surface sensor associated with each key of said plurality of keys includes a pressure sensor formed with sensor mini-array chips.

16. The control system according to claim 4, wherein each key of said plurality of keys provides per-key modulation control of long-duration notes using output control signals generated by said at least one displacement sensor interface and said at least one surface sensor interface.

17. The control system according to claim 1, wherein one or more pre-determined values of said key displacement signal associated with at least one key of said plurality of keys trigger the generation of particular synthesizer sounds by said electronic musical system.

18. The control system according to claim 1, said control system further comprising:

a control signal generator for generating a physical restoring force signal for each key of said plurality of keys, wherein each physical restoring force signal of said plurality of physical restoring force signals is generated based upon a corresponding key displacement signal generated in response to the position of an associated key within said key travel range, wherein said physical restoring force signal identifies an amount of necessary force to provide a desired level of tactile feedback for said associated key; and

a restoring force actuator coupled to each key of said plurality of keys, wherein said restoring force actuator responsively provides said desired level of tactile feedback in response to an associated physical restoring force signal generated by said control signal generator.

19. The control system according to claim 1, wherein each output control signal of said plurality of individual output control signals comprise signals of MIDI format.

20. A method for controlling an electronic musical instrument, said method comprising:

providing a keyboard comprising a plurality of keys, wherein each key of said plurality of keys is physically displaceable within a key travel range;

associating a separate key position sensor with each key of said plurality of keys, wherein each key position sensor of said plurality of key position sensors responsively provides a key displacement signal corresponding to the position of an associated key within said key travel range; and

receiving said key displacement signals from at least one of said plurality of key position sensors using at least one displacement sensor interface, wherein said at least one displacement sensor interface responsively generates an individual output control signal for each key displacement signal received at said at least one displacement sensor, and wherein each output control signal generated by said at least one displacement sensor is adapted to provide control of sounds generated by an electronic musical system.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein an output control signal associated with at least one key of said plurality of keys is adapted to provide volume control of a synthesized sound generated by said electronic musical system, wherein said volume control is obtained by varying the location of said at least one key within said key travel range.

22. The method according to claim 20, wherein an output control signal associated with at least one key of said plurality of keys is adapted to provide timbre control of a synthesized sound generated by said electronic musical system, wherein said timbre control is obtained by varying the location of said at least one key within said key travel range.

23. The method according to claim 20, said method further comprising:

associating a separate surface sensor with each key of said plurality of keys, wherein each surface sensor of said plurality of surface sensors responsively generates multi-parameter sensor signals corresponding to user contact of an associated key of said plurality of keys; and

receiving said multi-parameter sensor signals from at least one surface sensor of said plurality of surface sensors using at least one surface sensor interface, wherein said at least one surface sensor interface responsively generates a multi-parameter surface sensor output control signal for each multi-parameter sensor signal received at said at least one surface sensor interface, and wherein each multi-parameter surface sensor output control signal generated by said at least one surface sensor interface is adapted to further provide control of sounds generated by said electronic musical system.

24. The method according to claim 23, said method further comprising:

coupling a signal processor to said at least one displacement sensor interface and said at least one surface sensor interface, wherein said signal processor responsively generates an outgoing unified control signal based upon individual or selected combinations of output control signals generated by said at least one displacement sensor interface and said at least one surface sensor interface.

25. The method according to claim 23, wherein each key of said plurality of keys provides for the control of at least three independent, substantially continuous parameters, wherein said at least three independent, substantially continuous parameters are controlled using output control signals generated by said at least one displacement sensor interface and said at least one surface sensor interface.

26. The method according to claim 23, wherein each surface sensor associated with each key of said plurality of keys comprises a pressure sensor.

27. The method according to claim 23, wherein each surface sensor associated with each key of said plurality of keys comprises a null contact sensor.

28. The method according to claim 25, wherein said at least three independent, substantially continuous parameters, for at least one key of said plurality of keys, are adapted to control filter formants of sounds generated by said electronic musical system.

29. The method according to claim 28, wherein said filter formants are used to control vowel synthesis of sounds generated by said electronic musical system.

30. The method according to claim 25, wherein said at least three independent, substantially continuous parameters, for at least one key of said plurality of keys, are adapted to control sounds generated by said electronic musical system, wherein said sounds are generated using a timbre-space model.

31. The method according to claim 30, wherein said timbre-space model is accomplished using volume cross-fading.

32. The method according to claim 30, wherein said timbre-space model is accomplished using morphable numerical instrument models.

33. The method according to claim 26, wherein each key of said plurality of keys provides for the control of at least four independent, substantially continuous parameters, wherein said at least four independent, substantially continuous parameters are controlled using output control signals generated by said at least one displacement sensor interface and said at least one surface sensor interface.

34. The method according to claim 23, wherein each surface sensor associated with each key of said plurality of keys includes a pressure sensor formed with sensor mini-array chips.

35. The method according to claim 23, wherein each key of said plurality of keys provides per-key modulation control of long-duration notes using output control signals generated by said at least one displacement sensor interface and said at least one surface sensor interface.

36. The method according to claim 20, wherein one or more pre-determined values of said key displacement signal associated with at least one key of said plurality of keys trigger the generation of particular synthesizer sounds by said electronic musical system.

37. The method according to claim 20, said method further comprising:

generating a physical restoring force signal for each key of said plurality of keys using a control signal generator, wherein each physical restoring force signal of said plurality of physical restoring force signals is generated based upon a corresponding key displacement signal generated in response to the position of an associated key within said key travel range, wherein said physical restoring force signal identifies an amount of necessary force to provide a desired level of tactile feedback for said associated key; and

coupling a restoring force actuator to each key of said plurality of keys, wherein said restoring force actuator responsively provides said desired level of tactile feedback in response to an associated physical restoring force signal generated by said control signal generator.

38. The method according to claim 20, wherein each output control signal of said plurality of individual output control signals comprise signals of MIDI format.

39. An electronic musical control system comprising:

a musical keyboard comprising a plurality of keys;

a separate surface sensor associated with each key of said plurality of keys, wherein each surface sensor of said plurality of surface sensors responsively generates multi-parameter sensor signals corresponding to user contact of an associated key of said plurality of keys; and

at least one surface sensor interface for receiving said multi-parameter sensor signals from at least one surface sensor of said plurality of surface sensors, wherein said at least one surface sensor interface responsively generates a multi-parameter surface sensor output control signal for each multi-parameter sensor signal received at said at least one surface sensor interface, and wherein each multi-parameter surface sensor output control signal generated by said at least one surface sensor is adapted to provide control of sound generated by an electronic musical system.

40. The control system according to claim 39, wherein an output control signal associated with at least one key of said plurality of keys is adapted to provide volume control of a synthesized sound generated by said electronic musical system.

41. The control system according to claim 39, wherein an output control signal associated with at least one key of said plurality of keys is adapted to provide timbre control of a synthesized sound generated by said electronic musical system.

42. The control system according to claim 39, said control system further comprising:

a key switch associated with each key of said plurality of keys, wherein each key switch of said plurality of key switches responsively provides a key switch signal whenever an associated key experiences a threshold level of user contact; and

at least one key switch interface for receiving said key switch signals from said plurality of key switches, wherein said at least one key switch interface responsively generates an individual output control signal for each of said plurality of said key switch signals, and wherein each output control signal of said plurality of individual output control signals is adapted to provide control of sounds generated by said electronic musical system.

43. The control system according to claim 39, wherein each key of said plurality of keys provides for the control of at least three independent, substantially continuous parameters, wherein said at least three independent, substantially continuous parameters are controlled using output control signals generated by said at least one surface sensor interface.

44. The control system according to claim 39, wherein each surface sensor associated with each key of said plurality of keys comprises a pressure sensor.

45. The control system according to claim 39, wherein each surface sensor associated with each key of said plurality of keys comprises a null contact sensor.

46. The control system according to claim 43, wherein said at least three independent, substantially continuous parameters, for at least one key of said plurality of keys, are adapted to control filter formants of sounds generated by said electronic musical system.

47. The control system according to claim 46, wherein said filter formants are used to control vowel synthesis of sounds generated by said electronic musical system.

48. The control system according to claim 43, wherein said at least three independent, substantially continuous parameters, for at least one key of said plurality of keys, are adapted to control sounds generated by said electronic musical system, wherein said sounds are generated using a timbre-space model.

49. The control system according to claim 48, wherein said timbre-space model is accomplished using volume cross-fading.

50. The control system according to claim 48, wherein said timbre-space model is accomplished using morphable numerical instrument models.

51. The control system according to claim 44, wherein each key of said plurality of keys provides for the control of at least four independent, substantially continuous parameters, wherein said at least four independent, substantially continuous parameters are controlled using output control signals generated by said at least one surface sensor interface.

52. The control system according to claim 39, wherein each surface sensor associated with each key of said plurality of keys includes a pressure sensor formed with sensor mini-array chips.

53. The control system according to claim 39, wherein each key of said plurality of keys provides per-key modulation control of long-duration notes using output control signals generated by said at least one surface sensor interface.

54. The control system according to claim 39, wherein each output control signal of said plurality of individual output control signals comprise signals of MIDI format.

55. A method for controlling an electronic musical control system, said method comprising:

providing a musical keyboard comprising a plurality of keys;

associating a separate surface sensor with each key of said plurality of keys, wherein each surface sensor of said plurality of surface sensors responsively generates multi-parameter sensor signals corresponding to user contact of an associated key of said plurality of keys; and

receiving said multi-parameter sensor signals from at least one surface sensor of said plurality of surface sensors using at least one surface sensor interface, wherein said at least one surface sensor interface responsively generates a multi-parameter surface sensor output control signal for each multi-parameter sensor signal received at said at least one surface sensor interface, and wherein each multi-parameter surface sensor output control signal generated by said at least one surface sensor is adapted to provide control of sound generated by an electronic musical system.

56. The method according to claim 55, wherein an output control signal associated with at least one key of said plurality of keys is adapted to provide volume control of a synthesized sound generated by said electronic musical system.

57. The method according to claim 55, wherein an output control signal associated with at least one key of said plurality of keys is adapted to provide timbre control of a synthesized sound generated by said electronic musical system.

58. The method according to claim 55, said method further comprising:

associating a key switch with each key of said plurality of keys, wherein each key switch of said plurality of key switches responsively provides a key switch signal whenever an associated key experiences a threshold level of user contact; and

receiving said key switch signals from said plurality of key switches using at least one key switch interface, wherein said at least one key switch interface responsively generates an individual output control signal for each of said plurality of said key switch signals, and wherein each output control signal of said plurality of individual output control signals is adapted to provide control of sounds generated by said electronic musical system.

59. The method according to claim 55, wherein each key of said plurality of keys provides for the control of at least three independent, substantially continuous parameters, wherein said at least three independent, substantially continuous parameters are controlled using output control signals generated by said at least one surface sensor interface.

60. The method according to claim 55, wherein each surface sensor associated with each key of said plurality of keys comprises a pressure sensor.

61. The method according to claim 55, wherein each surface sensor associated with each key of said plurality of keys comprises a null contact sensor.

62. The method according to claim 59, wherein said at least three independent, substantially continuous parameters, for at least one key of said plurality of keys, are adapted to control filter formants of sounds generated by said electronic musical system.

63. The method according to claim 62, wherein said filter formants are used to control vowel synthesis of sounds generated by said electronic musical system.

64. The method according to claim 59, wherein said at least three independent, substantially continuous parameters, for at least one key of said plurality of keys, are adapted to control sounds generated by said electronic musical system, wherein said sounds are generated using a timbre-space model.

65. The method according to claim 64, wherein said timbre-space model is accomplished using volume cross-fading.

66. The method according to claim 64, wherein said timbre-space model is accomplished using morphable numerical instrument models.

67. The method according to claim 60, wherein each key of said plurality of keys provides for the control of at least four independent, substantially continuous parameters, wherein said at least four independent, substantially continuous parameters are controlled using output control signals generated by said at least one surface sensor interface.

68. The method according to claim 55, wherein each surface sensor associated with each key of said plurality of keys includes a pressure sensor formed with sensor mini-array chips

69. The method according to claim 55, wherein each key of said plurality of keys provides per-key modulation control of long-duration notes using output control signals generated by said at least one surface sensor interface.

70. The method according to claim 55, wherein one or more pre-determined values of said key displacement signal associated with at least one key of said plurality of keys trigger the generation of particular synthesizer sounds by said electronic musical system.

71. The method according to claim 55, wherein each output control signal of said plurality of individual output control signals comprise signals of MIDI format.

72. An electronic musical instrument control system comprising:

a musical keyboard comprising a plurality of keys, said musical keyboard configured to cooperatively operate with a non-keyboard musical instrument comprising a body and a music creating area, wherein said musical keyboard is attachable to said body of said non-keyboard musical instrument in a location that is sufficiently adjacent to said music creating area to facilitate simultaneous operation of said musical keyboard and said non-keyboard musical instrument;

a key switch associated with each key of said plurality of keys, wherein each key switch of said plurality of key switches responsively provides a key switch signal whenever an associated key experiences a threshold level of user contact; and

a processor for receiving said key switch signals from said plurality of key switches, wherein said processor responsively generates an individual output control signal for each of said plurality of said key switch signals, and wherein each output control signal of said plurality of individual output control signals is adapted to provide control of sounds generated by an electronic musical system.

73. The control system according to claim 72, wherein said musical keyboard is integrated with said body of said non-keyboard instrument.

74. The control system according to claim 72, wherein said musical keyboard is removably attachable to said body of said non-keyboard instrument.

75. The control system according to claim 72, wherein said non-keyboard instrument comprises a stringed guitar, and wherein said music creating area comprises a string strumming or string picking area.

76. The control system according to claim 72, said control system further comprising:

a plurality of said musical keyboards proximately arranged relative to each other, wherein each musical keyboard of said plurality of musical keyboards are attachable to said body of said non-keyboard musical instrument and in a location that is sufficiently adjacent to said music creating area to facilitate simultaneous operation of any single musical keyboard of said plurality of musical keyboards and said non-keyboard musical instrument.

77. The control system according to claim 76, wherein each musical keyboard of said plurality of musical keyboards are attachable to said body of said non-keyboard musical instrument and in a location that is sufficiently adjacent to said music creating area to facilitate simultaneous operation of each musical keyboard of said plurality of musical keyboards and said non-keyboard musical instrument.

78. The control system according to claim 72, wherein each output control signal of said plurality of individual output control signals comprise signals of MIDI format.

79. A method for controlling an electronic musical instrument, said method comprising:

providing a musical keyboard comprising a plurality of keys, said musical keyboard configured to cooperatively operate with a non-keyboard musical instrument comprising a body and a music creating area, wherein said musical keyboard is attachable to said body of said non-keyboard musical instrument in a location that is sufficiently adjacent to said music creating area to facilitate simultaneous operation of said musical keyboard and said non-keyboard musical instrument;

associating a key switch with each key of said plurality of keys, wherein each key switch of said plurality of key switches responsively provides a key switch signal whenever an associated key experiences a threshold level of user contact; and

receiving said key switch signals from said plurality of key switches using a processor, wherein said processor responsively generates an individual output control signal for each of said plurality of said key switch signals, and wherein each output control signal of said plurality of individual output control signals is adapted to provide control of sounds generated by an electronic musical system.

80. The method according to claim 79, wherein said musical keyboard is integrated with said body of said non-keyboard instrument.

81. The method according to claim 79, wherein said musical keyboard is removably attachable to said body of said non-keyboard instrument.

82. The method according to claim 79, wherein said non-keyboard instrument comprises a stringed guitar, and wherein said music creating area comprises a string strumming or string picking area.

83. The method according to claim 79, said method further comprising:

proximately arranging a plurality of said musical keyboards relative to each other, wherein each musical keyboard of said plurality of musical keyboards are attachable to said body of said non-keyboard musical instrument and in a location that is sufficiently adjacent to said music creating area to facilitate simultaneous operation of any single musical keyboard of said plurality of musical keyboards and said non-keyboard musical instrument.

84. The method according to claim 83, wherein each musical keyboard of said plurality of musical keyboards are attachable to said body of said non-keyboard musical instrument and in a location that is sufficiently adjacent to said music creating area to facilitate simultaneous operation of each musical keyboard of said plurality of musical keyboards and said non-keyboard musical instrument.

85. The method according to claim 79, wherein each output control signal of said plurality of individual output control signals comprise signals of MIDI format.

86. An electronic musical instrument control system comprising:

a first musical keyboard comprising a plurality of keys;

a second musical keyboard comprising a plurality of keys;

a fastener proximately locating said second musical keyboard over said first musical keyboard to define a horizontal and vertical offset between said first and second musical keyboards, and wherein said horizontal and vertical offset permits fingers of the same hand of a user to simultaneously operate said first and second musical keyboards;

a key switch associated with each key of said plurality of keys, for said first and second musical keyboards, wherein each key switch of said plurality of key switches responsively provides a key switch signal whenever an associated key experiences a threshold level of user contact; and

at least one key switch interface for receiving said key switch signals from said plurality of key switches, wherein said at least one key switch interface responsively generates an individual output control signal for each of said plurality of said key switch signals, and wherein each output control signal of said plurality of individual output control signals is adapted to provide control of sounds generated by an electronic musical system.

87. The control system according to claim 86, said control system further comprising:

a third musical keyboard comprising a plurality of keys, wherein said fastener proximately locates said third musical keyboard over said second musical keyboard to define a horizontal and vertical offset between said third and second musical keyboards, and wherein said horizontal and vertical offset between said third and second musical keyboards permits fingers of the same hand of a user to simultaneous operate said first, second and third musical keyboards, and wherein

said key switch is associated with each key of said plurality of keys of said first, second and third musical keyboards, wherein each key switch of said plurality of key switches responsively provides a key switch signal whenever an associated key experiences a threshold level of user contact.

88. The control system according to claim 86, wherein said key switch signals from said plurality of key switches are obtained using scanning electronics shared across said first and second musical keyboards.

89. The control system according to claim 86, said control system further comprising:

a separate surface sensor associated with each key of said plurality of keys, for said first and second musical keyboards, wherein each surface sensor of said plurality of surface sensors responsively generates multi-parameter sensor signals corresponding to user contact of an associated key of said plurality of keys; and

at least one surface sensor interface for receiving said multi-parameter sensor signals from at least one surface sensor of said plurality of surface sensors, wherein said at least one surface sensor interface responsively generates a multi-parameter surface sensor output control signal for each multi-parameter sensor signal received at said at least one surface sensor interface, and wherein each multi-parameter surface sensor output control signal generated by said at least one surface sensor interface is adapted to provide further control of sound generated by said electronic musical system.

90. The control system according to claim 89, wherein each surface sensor associated with each key of said plurality of keys, for at least one musical keyboard of said first and second musical keyboards, comprises a pressure sensor.

91. The control system according to claim 89, wherein each surface sensor associated with each key of said plurality of keys, for said first and second musical keyboards, comprises a null contact sensor.

92. The control system according to claim 86, wherein each output control signal of said plurality of individual output control signals comprise signals of MIDI format.

93. The control system according to claim 86, wherein each key of said plurality of keys, for said first and second musical keyboards, is physically displaceable within a key travel range, said control system further comprising:

a separate key position sensor associated with each key of said plurality of keys, for at least one of said first and second musical keyboards, wherein each key position sensor of said plurality of key position sensors responsively provides a key displacement signal corresponding to the position of an associated key within said key travel range; and

at least one displacement sensor interface for receiving said key displacement signals from at least one of said plurality of key position sensors, wherein said at least one displacement sensor interface responsively generates an individual output control signal for each key displacement signal received at said at least one displacement sensor interface, and wherein each output control signal generated by said at least one displacement sensor interface is adapted to provide further control of sounds generated by said electronic musical system.

94. A method for controlling an electronic musical instrument, said method comprising:

providing a first musical keyboard comprising a plurality of keys;

providing a second musical keyboard comprising a plurality of keys;

proximately locating said second musical keyboard over said first musical keyboard to define a horizontal and vertical offset between said first and second musical keyboards, and wherein said horizontal and vertical offset permits fingers of the same hand of a user to simultaneously operate said first and second musical keyboards;

associating a key switch with each key of said plurality of keys, for said first and second musical keyboards, wherein each key switch of said plurality of key switches responsively provides a key switch signal whenever an associated key experiences a threshold level of user contact; and

receiving said key switch signals from said plurality of key switches using at least one key switch interface, wherein said at least one key switch interface responsively generates an individual output control signal for each of said plurality of said key switch signals, and wherein each output control signal of said plurality of individual output control signals is adapted to provide control of sounds generated by an electronic musical system.

95. The method according to claim 94, said method further comprising:

providing a third musical keyboard comprising a plurality of keys;

proximately locating said third musical keyboard over said second musical keyboard to define a horizontal and vertical offset between said third and second musical keyboards, and wherein said horizontal and vertical offset between said third and second musical keyboards permits fingers of the same hand of a user to simultaneous operate said first, second and third musical keyboards; and

associating said key switch with each key of said plurality of keys of said first, second and third musical keyboards, wherein each key switch of said plurality of key switches responsively provides a key switch signal whenever an associated key experiences a threshold level of user contact.

96. The method according to claim 94, wherein said key switch signals from said plurality of key switches are obtained using scanning electronics shared across said first and second musical keyboards.

97. The method according to claim 94, said method further comprising:

associating a separate surface sensor with each key of said plurality of keys, for at least one of said first and second musical keyboards, wherein each surface sensor of said plurality of surface sensors responsively generates multi-parameter sensor signals corresponding to user contact of an associated key of said plurality of keys; and

receiving said multi-parameter sensor signals from at least one surface sensor of said plurality of surface sensors at least one surface sensor interface, wherein said at least one surface sensor interface responsively generates a multi-parameter surface sensor output control signal for each multi-parameter sensor signal received at said at least one surface sensor interface, and wherein each multi-parameter surface sensor output control signal generated by said at least one surface sensor interface is adapted to provide further control of sound generated by said electronic musical system.

98. The method according to claim 97, wherein each surface sensor associated with each key of said plurality of keys, for at least one musical keyboard of said first and second musical keyboards, comprises a pressure sensor.

99. The method according to claim 97, wherein each surface sensor associated with each key of said plurality of keys, for said first and second musical keyboards, comprises a null contact sensor.

100. The method according to claim 94, wherein each output control signal of said plurality of individual output control signals comprise signals of MIDI format.

101. The method according to claim 94, wherein each key of said plurality of keys, for said first and second musical keyboards, is physically displaceable within a key travel range, said method further comprising:

associating a separate key position sensor with each key of said plurality of keys, for said first and second musical keyboards, wherein each key position sensor of said plurality of key position sensors responsively provides a key displacement signal corresponding to the position of an associated key within said key travel range; and

receiving said key displacement signals from at least one of said plurality of key position sensors using at least one displacement sensor interface, wherein said at least one displacement sensor interface responsively generates an individual output control signal for each key displacement signal received at said at least one displacement sensor interface, and wherein each output control signal generated by said at least one displacement sensor interface is adapted to provide further control of sounds generated by said electronic musical system.