WO1999021163A1

WO1999021163A1 - Chromatic keyboard for musical instruments

Info

Publication number: WO1999021163A1
Application number: PCT/SK1998/000015
Authority: WO
Inventors: Milan KOLÁR^¿
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1997-10-21
Filing date: 1998-10-14
Publication date: 1999-04-29
Anticipated expiration: 2000-04-21
Also published as: AU9471098A

Abstract

The chromatic keyboard of musical instruments, including manuals and pedals of organs and computers for musical and notographic purposes, consists of the required number of keys arranged in such way that the keys of the lower position (1) and the keys of the upper position (2) alterate each other and are arranged regularly as individual keys into a keyboard. With the half-tone interval between the neighbouring keys a half-tone chromatic keyboard is created, whereby one octave consists of six keys of the lower position and six keys of the upper position. Playing scales, chords, etc. is realised with two fingering sets only. With one for the basic tones belonging to the keys of the lower position (1) and another for the basic tones belonging to the keys of the upper position (2).

Description

CHROMATIC KEYBOARD FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS

Field of the Invention

The invention is related to the chromatic keyboard of musical instruments as organ with manuals and pedal, piano, harmonium, harpsichord, accordion, celesta, electric, electrofonic and electronic keyboard instruments and others, as well as a keyboard connected to a computer for the purpose of playing music or the execution of notographic work. The invention belongs to the production field, usage and eventually redesign of keyboard musical instruments.

State of the Art

Till now a standard constructional design of a keyboard in octave arrangement, perfected in the 14th century, has been well-known and utilized. There are also other keyboards well-known, especially button keyboards in different arrangements.

Most widespread is the standard keyboard consisting of keys in octave arrangement, which is created of irregular arranged octave sections. The consequence of this irregularity is the fact that the scales, chords etc. for twelve different basic tones are to be played with twelve different fingering sets. The demands on the fingering make the playing this keyboard physically and psychologically difficult and complex. They are consuming time during the practical training of playing.

Button keyboards arranged from three to six lines enable to reduce the number of different fingering sets to three, two or even one. These keyboards, especially of advantage in some cases for both manuals of modern accordions, did not find way to instruments of piano type. Besides that they can not be utilized in organ pedal.

Just the necessity to master twelve different fingering sets has been the essential disadvantage of present keyboards of musical instruments, what lead to a new design of a keyboard being the subject of the submitted invention. Background of the Invention

The above mentioned drawbacks are to a major extent eliminated by the chromatic keyboard of musical instruments with manuals and pedals as well as computers for musical and notographic purposes, consisting of keys of lower position and the keys of upper position according to the invention, the core of which consists in the fact that the interval between the keys of the lower position is a whole tone and the interval betweeen the keys of the upper position is also a whole tone. At the same time the interval between neighbouring keys of the lower position and the keys of the upper position is a half-tone. The keys of the lower position and the keys of the upper position alternate with each other and are arranged regularly in the individual keys.

Finally the essence of the invention is also the creation of a half-tone chromatic keyboard consisting of keys of the lower position and the keys of the upper position thereby that between the neighbouring keys there is a half-tone interval.

In that way it is possible to design a keyboard of any required range. The keys of the upper position are set in wholes between the keys of the lower position. Since the tones corresponding to neighbouring keys at a range of a half-tone interval, a half-tone chromatic keyboard is created.

The advantage of the chromatic keyboard in musical instruments is, according to the invention, in the regularity of the alternating arrangement of the keys of the lower and upper positions which enables to create and to utilize in playing two fingering systems only.

The first system for scales and chords of basic tones played with the keys of the lower position.

The second system for scales and chords of basic tones played with the keys of the upper position.

This is resulting in the advantage of the designed keyboard , since there are only two fingering sets related to; unlike the twelve fingering systems used with standard keyboards. Description of the Drawings

The described invention will be explained in detail with the help of drawings, Fig.1 shows the arrangement of keys in the chromatic keyboard in musical instruments seen from above. Fig.2 shows the side view on the keys of the lower line and the keys of the upper line. In Fig.3 there is the front view of the chromatic keyboard in musical instruments according to invention.

Examples of the Invention

Example 1

In this example a chromatic keyboard in a new musical instrument will be represented in the view from above shown in Fig.1. It consists of the keys of the 1 lower positions and the keys of the 2_upper position. The mutual arrangement of the keys of the 1 lower position and the keys of the 2 upper position is such that the keys of the 1 lower position are alterating regularly the keys of the 2 upper position. Practically the keys of the 2_upper position are placed in the wholes of the keys of the 1_lower position. Thereby the length of the keys of the 1 lower position is greater than the length of the keys of the 2 upper position. The width of the keys of the 2 upper position is constant and is smaller than the width of the keys of the 1 lower position, as it may be seen in Fig.3. Besides that the keys of the 2 upper position may be from the upper side sinking to the level of the keys of the 1 lower position in that way as it is seen in Fig.2. The result of such key arrangement is the creation of two quasi separate keyboards. The keys of the 1 lower position have a difference of a whole tone interval. Thereby one whole-tone keyboard is created. The keys of the 2 upper position are also in a range of a whole-tone interval. Thereby the second whole-tone keyboard is created.

The constructional, form, design and material solutions of the chromatic keyboard may be adjusted to the ergonomic needs of playing and to future trends. From the point of view of the visual orientation of the player it is desirable to differentiate the keys of the chromatic keyboard for tones, e.g.: c and f.

For blind players the keys for the tones e.g.: c and fis will have elements of different form for differentiation by touching. It is also possible to place the keys for the c tones for instance in the line of keys of the 1 lower position.

Example 2

It is possible to utilize the invention also in the reconstruction of existing musical instruments by using the chromatic keyboard showed in Example 1.

Example 3

It is possible to apply the invention also in chromatic keyboards as organ pedal with the same principles as in Example 1.

Example 4

By application of the invention it is possible to create musical instruments as e.g.: chine-bells, xylophone, vibraphone, xylorimba and other; and this by the arrangement of playing elements according to the principles of the chromatic keyboard.

The equipment of a musical instrument with a standard keyboard and also of a musical instrument with chromatic keyboard with interface MIDI will enable by the mutual connetion of the instruments to utilize richer sound capacities of the instrument with a standard keyboard while playing the instrument with chromatic keyboard or vice versa, eventually in another way.

During the musical training at musical instruments with chromatic keyboard a higher pace is possible to reach given by the lesser demanding fingering of such playing. The training may be done in all form from the self-taught person to conservatory education and can start with the introduction of the production of musical instruments equiped with the chromatic keyboard.

Claims

C L A I M S

1. Chromatic keyboard of musical instruments with manuals, pedals as well as computers for musical and notographic purposes, consisting of keys of lower position and keys of upper position, characterized in that that the interval between the keys of the (1) lower position is a whole-tone, the interval betweeen the keys of the (2) upper position is also a whole-tone, whereby the interval between the neighbouring keys of the (1) lower position and the keys of the (2) upper position is a half-tone and where the keys of the (1) lower position and the keys of the (2) upper position are arranged as alternated and regularly in the individual keys.

2. The chromatic keyboard of musical instruments according to Claim 1 , characterized in that that with half-tone intervals between the neighbouring keys of the (1) lower position and the keys of the (2) upper position a half-tone chromatic keyboard is created.