US 5,088,378 A · Method of adapting a typewriter keyboard to control the production of music

Abstract

A method of adapting a keyboard musical instrument to produce sound in response to the activation of keys included in a typewriter keyboard is disclosed. A standard typewriter keyboard is coupled to a conventional electronic sound generation platform in lieu of or in addition to a standard piano keyboard. Musical chords are assigned to keys typically operated by a user's left hand. Forty-eight chords are producible by multiplexing each of 24 keys located on the left side of the keyboard to produce one of two possible chords. The selection of the one of two possible chords is performed in response to manipulation of the left shift key. Melody notes are assigned to keys typically operated by a user's right hand. Thirty-one melody notes are assigned to 26 keys located on the right side of the typewriter keyboard. Thus, five of the 26 keys are multiplexed to produce one of two possible melody notes, selectable through operation of the right shift key. The melody note keys are latched so that once a melody note has been initiated, it continues until another melody note key is activated. Alternatively, operation of the spacebar silences a melody note. When a single melody note is repeated, a momentary silence period is automatically inserted prior to initiation of the repeated note.

Claims27

Dependent claims

A method of emitting tones in response to the activation of keys included in a typewriter keyboard having a first set of keys ergonomically placed for operation by a first hand and a second set of keys ergonomically placed for operation by a second hand, said first and second sets of keys each having said keys thereof positioned within four rows wherein each of said rows includes a plurality of said keys, said method comprising the steps of:

monitoring said keys included in said first-hand and second-hand sets of keys to detect activations and deactivations thereof;
generating a chord, which results from a combination of at least two of said tones, when said monitoring step detects activation of any key from said first-hand set of keys;
and
producing a melody note, which represents a single one of said tones, when said monitoring step detects activation of any key from said second-hand set of keys.

1 more element

A method of producing tones in response to the activation of keys included in a typewriter keyboard having a first-hand set of keys, a second-hand set of keys, and first and second control keys, said method comprising the steps of:

multiplexing at least a portion of said first-hand set of keys so that multiplexed keys from said first-hand set of keys have first and second chords associated therewith, each of said chords resulting from a combination of at least two of said tones;
multiplexing a portion of said second-hand set of keys so that multiplexed keys from said second-hand set of keys have first and second melody notes associated therewith and so that non-multiplexed keys from said second-hand set of keys have one melody note associated therewith, each of said melody notes representing a single one of said tones;
monitoring said keys of said typewriter keyboard for activations and deactivations thereof;
when one of said multiplexed chord keys is activated, selecting one of said associated first and second chords, said chord selection being responsive to manipulation of said first control key;
generating said selected chord;
when one of said multiplexed melody keys is activated, selecting one of said associated first and second melody notes, said melody note selection being responsive to manipulation of said second control key;
when one of said non-multiplexed melody keys is activated, selecting said one melody note associated therewith;
initiating said selected melody note;
continuing said initiated melody note after said activated key from said second-hand set of keys is deactivated.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method of adapting a typewriter keyboard to control the production of music

Life of this patent

Method of adapting a typewriter keyboard to control the production of music

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims27