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English Description WYOME

Keyboard for musical typewriting

Scritto da Administrator

Martedì 04 Maggio 2010 19:35

Name

Computational typewriting keyboard for musical notation.

Aim of the invention

Aim of this invention is the creation of a “musical typewriting technique” through the realization of a system of input for computer very similar, from the mechanical and electronic point of view, to the alphanumeric keyboard for computer. But its specific use is different; as a consequence, also the number is different, and the shape and the position of the keys representing the whole set of symbols characterizing the musical writing on pentagram. Then, the serigraphies printed on the keys concern the musical notational system and not the letters, numbers and symbols of the written linguistic communication.

The system develops a typewriting technique and realizes a layout of keys specifically designed for the technique itself. One can easily imagine a development of the “musical typewriting”. Several techniques, even more effective that this one, may originate and alternate. The keyboard univocally and definitively represents a “keyboard for musical typewriting” regardless of the utilized technique. Let’s take the common alphanumeric typewriting keyboard as an example, in order to understand the individual identity of the device suggested. The two techniques used for the alphabetical writing are called “QWERTY” and “DVORAK”: the difference between the two is the different position of the letters of the alphabet. This doubleness does not cancel the generally known univocal connotation of the “alphanumeric keyboard for computer”.

Former technique

The keyboard develops two previous techniques:

Keyboard for computer, or traditional input device;
typewriting position of the keys.

The following devices have been used, so far, for including the musical notation by means of a software:

- Mouse. For the inclusion of each note it is necessary to select, on the toolbar or menu, the corresponding duration. The exact position of the mouse indicator and a click are also required. Compared to the writing of a text, this is the equivalent of the execution of one or two clicks of mouse for each character.

- Alphanumeric keyboard. Thanks to an adaptation, the user has to memorize the correspondence of keys and/or combination of alphanumeric keys to musical symbols.

- Musical keyboard. The duration of the notes can only be indirectly represented through an unlikely metronomic performance (inconsistent with the purpose of the musical typewriting herewith suggested). Furthermore, we cannot distinguish the different simultaneous melodic parts on a pentagram. Nor can we represent the symbols of the musical writing different from the notes themselves.

The various software for musical writing often use a combination of the above input device, looking for the best possible adaptation. But it is still an adaptation, i.e. a use of improper means.

The suggested keyboard is particularly intended for those who create paper or digital size musical scores (musical publishing houses, composers by profession). But also for those who want to write their own or others’ music, creating scores very quickly, very precise and complete thanks to the use of dedicated software.

Short description

Keyboard

The present keyboard is quite small (fig.1) and is suitable to be used simultaneously with the alphanumeric keyboard required for the ordinary management of the operational system.

Computer connection

The compatibility of use with the alphanumeric keyboard is guaranteed by the USB connection not alternative to PS2 or any other USB connection.

Tonal setting

The serigraphies on the keys of the musical notes are the Roman numerals and not the names of the notes, as you may expect. The presence of said symbols underlines and favours the tonal setting of the keyboard, not the chromatic one. Said setting is confirmed by the lack of sharp and flat keys; the inflections, in fact, are applied to the notes according to the tuning system. Furthermore, Roman numerals can be interpreted in a double way by the software:

1) the key marked with “I” stands for C, the key “II” stands for D and so on…The keys will be inflected or not according to the clef inflexion;
2) the key marked with “I” represents the first degree of the tuning system, the key “II” the second degree, and so on.. The keys will be inflected or not according to the clef inflexion.

The user of the keyboard may use either one operating systems according to his own preferences.

The inflections of movements can be inserted by the appropriate keys. (fig. 3-1)

The tonal setting allows:

a) the decrease of the note-keys from 12 (chromatic setting) to 7 (tonal setting) for each row;
b) a greater easiness of learning and manual skill for the musical typewriter;
c) a greater freedom of the musical-typewriting technique in comparison with in-depth musical knowledge; in fact, according to said setting, the typewriter has not to worry whether a note is clef-inflected or not: the software will do that. On the contrary, a hypothetical chromatic setting, i.e. the presence of sharp-flat keys, implies, for the typewriter the in-depth knowledge of the tonalities with the corresponding clef-inflexions.

Fingering (fig. 11)

The fingers that physically write the notes are the 2nd, the 3rd and the 4th of each hand. The 5th finger goes down an octave (left hand) or goes up an octave (right hand). The 1st finger halves the duration values (left hand) or doubles said values (right hand). The 2nd finger of the left hand controls two adjacent central keys. In the natural position it writes E (or III degree); moving towards the centre it writes the pause (connected to the value of the row in use). The second finger of the right hand controls the two adjacent central keys. In the natural position it writes G (or V degree) moving towards the centre it writes F (or IV degree).

Logic positioning of the notes: “melodic zone” and “rhythmic zone”

There are too many notes to be represented univocally by the keys of a computer keyboard. A piano, which covers the total range used by the musical system, has got 88 notes. The values, i.e. the figures representing their duration, are 9. The total number of the notes to be represented is, then, 88 x 9, i.e. 792.

The solving of this problem is represented by the current keyboard as follows. The 24 central keys, 8 columns x 3 rows, are a sort of “moving zoom” of notes and values in respect of said 792 symbols, positioned on the octave in use (columns) and on the more used values (rows)(fig. 2 and fig. 9). In this way one will not compromise the inclusion speed, combining, pressing only one key, the pitch and the value of a note. More specifically, the central row represents the current octave and the value of current duration (fig. 1-1). The lower row represents the current octave and the value halved vis-à-vis the central row (fig. 1-2). The upper row represents the current octave and the value doubled in comparison with the central row (fig. 1-3). The current octave, like the value of duration associated with the three rows of notes, can be changed, as described hereinafter, in a fast and intuitive way. In this way, only 7 notes - out of 792 representable – which belongs to the “melodic zone” are “at hand” (fig. 9) and also the 3 most utilized duration values (“rhythmic zone”) (fig. 10). All this, thanks to the easy movement of the melodic-rhythmic “zoom”, which is small enough to allow a closed position of the hand, but big enough to consider sporadic the use of melodic and rhythmic shifting keys, and therefore little important within the fingering times.

Melodic zone and rhythmic zone shifting keys

There are four main keys involved in the change of the melodic – rhythmic structure of the keyboard. Two keys change the pitch of the current octave, two change the value of duration of the three rows of notes (fig. 5).

The keys that change the current octave, cover the whole pitch of the three rows of keys and are located to be easily fingered by the 5th finger of both hands (typewriting ) (fig. 5-1) in any of the three rows you are writing. The 5th finger of the left hand goes down an octave, while the 5th finger of the right hand goes up an octave. Said structure allows a nearly immediate and very intuitive octave change.

In the alphanumeric keyboard, the keys that change the value of duration of the three rows of notes are where the space-bar is, next to the other (fig. 5-2). They are large enough to be fingered with the thumbs. These keys may halve or double the value of duration of a position. According to the definite structure the central row of keys represents the crotchets, the upper row represents the minims and the lower row represents the quavers.

Pressing the key corresponding to the left thumb replaces the above mentioned values by quavers, crotchets, semiquaver.

Pressing the key corresponding to the right thumb replaces, again starting from the pre-established approach, the above mentioned values by minims, semibreves, crotchets (fig. 10). Subsequent pressures will cause further shifting of the values up or down.

Shift 1 and shift 2 keys

There are two “shift” keys (shown on each side) (fig. 6-1,2) which when associated to the key notes of the upper and lower row, increase the change (with respect to the central row) of the duration value by 2 or 4 times (shift 1 or shift 2). The simultaneous pressure of the two shifts further doubles the effect. Said use of the shift keys is useful in the case of occasional recurrence of value of duration slightly diverging from the “rhythm” selected.

Secondary notation keys (fig. 3)

The following musical symbols fall within the pitch and duration of the notes: sharp, flat and natural (fig. 3-1), as per the pitch; dot, ligature and staccato (fig. 3-2), as per duration. As they are frequently used notation keys, they are located near the main notation keys.

Notation special keys (fig. 4)

The keys of notation which change the normal inclusion flow of notes (triplet, chord, etc.) are called “special” and are placed next to the central body of the keyboard (fig. 4).

Operational keys (fig. 6)

Operational common keys, such as delete, “enter”, “lock”, etc.., and the above mentioned shift and the movement of octave and movement of value keys, are placed on the right, on the left and down vis-à-vis the central part.

Keys of installation score (fig. 7)

Some keys for the installation of the score (clef, beat, polyphony) are placed on the upper row.

Expression marks (fig. 8)

Like the special characters and the punctuation marks of the alphanumeric keyboards, the expression marks and marks of different kind which, further to the musical notes are part of a musical score, are represented by the keys surrounding the three central rows of the notes. In particular, the row of keys above the upper row of the set of notes are intended to this end. (fig. 8)

Conclusion

It is evident that the above described system allows the quick fingering of all the notes, and the values associated to them, on a musical pentagram, combining the effectiveness of the typewriting technique and the entire musical notational system.

Synthesis

The keyboard for writing on a PC of the Musical Notation is similar to the keyboard for PC, but smaller. It is characterized by the exclusive presence of signs and musical symbols. The aim of said keyboard is to write musical score with the same easiness, speed and precision of a linguistic text written using the alphanumeric system of input.