Modulating keyboard with relative transposition mechanism for electronic keyboard musical instruments
AssigneeMercurial Modulation, LLC
InventorsD. Kevin Laughlin, James L. Laughlin
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A modulating keyboard having a relative transposition in an electronic keyboard musical instrument and a method for relative transposition are provided. An instrument includes a keyboard having a plurality of first keys alternating with a plurality of second keys and a modulator system coupled to the keyboard. The modulator system is configured to assign note values to each of the first keys and the second keys such that, for each key signature, notes associated with the key signature are assigned to the plurality of first keys and notes not in the key signature are assigned to the plurality of second keys.
Claims20
An electronic keyboard musical instrument comprising:
- a keyboard including a plurality of first keys alternating with a plurality of second keys;
- and
- a modulator system, coupled to the keyboard, configured to assign note values to each of the first keys and the second keys such that, for each key signature, notes associated with the key signature are assigned to the plurality of first keys and notes not in the key signature are assigned to the plurality of second keys.
A method for transposing an electronic keyboard, the method comprising:
- assigning, by a microcontroller coupled to the electronic keyboard, for a current key signature, note values to each of a plurality of first keys of the electronic keyboard, such that notes associated with the current key signature are assigned to the plurality of first keys, the electronic keyboard including the plurality of first keys alternating with a plurality of second keys;
- assigning, by the microcontroller, for the current key signature, note values to each of the plurality of second keys of the electronic keyboard, such that notes not in the key signature are assigned to the plurality of second keys;
- receiving a selection indicating a transposition to a target key signature;
- and
- modifying, by the microcontroller, responsive to the selection, note values assigned to each of the first keys and the second keys according to a relative transposition mapping, to shift one or more notes that the current key signature and the target key signature do not have in common, and such that notes associated with the target key signature are assigned to the plurality of first keys.
A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium programmed to include instructions that, when executed by one or more processing devices, cause the one or more processing devices to perform functions including:
- assigning, for a current key signature, note values to each of a plurality of first keys of an electronic keyboard, such that notes associated with the current key signature are assigned to the plurality of first keys, the electronic keyboard including the plurality of first keys alternating with a plurality of second keys;
- assigning, for the current key signature, note values to each of the plurality of second keys of the electronic keyboard, such that notes not in the key signature are assigned to the plurality of second keys;
- receiving a selection indicating a transposition to a target key signature;
- and
- modifying, responsive to the selection, note values assigned to each of the first keys and the second keys according to a relative transposition mapping, to shift one or more notes that the current key signature and the target key signature do not have in common, and such that notes associated with the target key signature are assigned to the plurality of first keys.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.