Field of invention

The present invention relates to a keyboard. More especially the invention relates to a keyboard with an interactive touch screen and integrated processor in order to provide an effective training aid for song writing, learning and playing.

Background to the invention

There are many different types and styles of keyboards on the market. Such keyboards include interactive displays, for example including touch screens, to display musical keys. Some keyboards provide connectivity to the internet for on-line tutoring. Known "interactive" keyboards of this nature tend though to have quite complex functions and do not readily lend themselves to being able to being simply played easily.

The present invention aims to provide an improved interactive keyboard that is simple to play and that provides a quick and effective training aid, particularly with respect to song writing.

A keyboard constructed in accordance with the following embodiment or embodiments has a number of interactive features to improve its playability and to enhance the users overall learning experience. The keyboard is primarily aimed at music writers but should also be attractive to players and those who want to learn to play the keyboard.

One such feature includes a touch screen for displaying melody keys that can be selected according to the scale and key of the music to be played or taught.

This provides the user with easy access to only specific melody keys that are associated with the piece of music that the user is writing, learning or playing.

Other features include means to allow single finger chords being played in one variant, automatic key prediction and means to enable the sound to replicate an acoustic instrument more closely.

The keyboard will have connectivity to the internet to allow software updates in addition of Cats Network connection for LAN connectivity.

Statement of invention

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a keyboard having first and second sets of keys, the first set of keys taking the form of some or all of a traditional keyboard and the second set of keys displaying only a sub-set of keys of the keyboard.

By "set of keys" it is meant physical keys that are depressed by the finger of a user to produce a note or digital images thereof that are touched by the finger of a user to produce a note. Preferably the second set of keys are displayed on a touch screen. The first set of keys may also be displayed on a touch screen. Preferably the keys displayed in the second set are preselected in accordance with the keys associated to a specific musical scale. Preferably, all other keys of the second display are blank or otherwise rendered inactive. Brief description of the drawings

One embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying figures in which :

Figure 1 is a schematic view of a keyboard constructed in accordance with a first embodiment present of the invention showing a traditional keyboard layout and a touch screen display;

Figure 2 is a similar schematic view of a keyboard constructed in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention; and Figure 3 is graphical illustration showing the effect of a change of frequency of a musical note.

Detailed description of preferred embodiments

Referring first to figure 1, a keyboard 1 constructed in accordance with the invention has a main body 2 having a first set of keys 3 and a second set of keys 4. By "set of keys" it is meant a group of keys either in traditional mechanical form or images displayed on a touch screen, for example. In the embodiment of figure 1 the first set of keys 3 take the form of a full, or part of a traditional keyboard (a full set of keys is shown in this figure) .

The second set of keys 4 takes the form of a subset of images of keys of a traditional keyboard. The images of the keys are displayed on a touch screen 5.

The touch screen display 5 is controlled by a processor and associated electronic circuitry located within the main body 2.

During use, the display 5 only displays a subset of key images that relate to the keys associated with a particular scale and key. The desired scale and key is chosen by the user using a control panel 6 which may also be in the form of a touch screen or may be controlled using buttons, switches or similar means.

The set of keys 4 of the display 5 of figure 1, for example, shows the keys associated with blues scale in the key of C. All other keys are left blank and rendered inactive in order that only the relevant keys can be played such that the harmony can be played simply and effectively by the user with little scope for error.

The controller 6 allows the selection of keys of the second key set to include more than scale at a time. This would ' allow, for example, the user to combine C Major scale and C Blues scales for the melody. All other keys would be blank and rendered inactive.

During use, chords can be played on the traditional keyboard 3 whilst the melody can be played on the touch screen display 5.

The processor may have the ability to analyse and predict the key of the music being played based on chord progression to thereby automatically select the scale of the melody and display the associated keys within the second key set 4.

To increase visibility the selected keys of the touch screen 5 may are backlit using LEDs or similar lighting means.

Figure 2 illustrates a second embodiment of the invention. Here, a second controller 7 is included to allow single finger chords to be played on the first set of keys. Using the controller Ί the user can select chord patterns, for example 3rds, 5ths or 7ths. The single finger chord can then be played using the first key set 3 while the melody is played on the second key set 4.

In an alternative embodiment both the set of keys 3, 4 are formed as images on two separate (or spaced apart on one large) touch screens. This lends the invention as an application for computers, smart phones (together with a variety of "on-line" applications) or tablets.

The processor and electrical circuitry may also include the provision for sound recording and playback. A USB port 8 or the like is provided for connectivity to external hard drives to allow further recording or playback. For online applications the functions will be integrated into software applications that can be downloaded to the processor.

In an alternative embodiment, or as an additional feature on the embodiments described, the first and/or second set of touch-screen keys are configured to be progressive. By "progressive" it is meant that the volume and/or sustain of the key varies depending on whether the key is touched. For example, a key may be configured to generate less volume and/or sustain the higher up the key it is touched. The volume and/or sustain is then increased the lower the key is touched. This provides a similar effect found with traditional keyboards which produce louder and more sustained notes the harder the keys are depressed.

The progressive feature may be enabled or disabled as required by the user.

It is envisaged that the keyboard described lends itself to a number of external accessories. One such accessory may, for example, take the form of an external foot pedal linked wirelessly to the processor. Depression of the pedal send a signal to the processor which changes the tone of the note or notes being played at the time for example by changing the note by up to 4 semitones. This has the effect of mimicking much closer an acoustic sound.

The effect of the change of frequency of a note, modified for example by a foot pedal is illustrated in Figure 3. The graphs show frequency -vs- time and the spike in frequency can be seen in figure 3b when the foot pedal is depressed. It will be understood, that the various embodiments described herein have been described by way of example only and that modifications may be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined in the accompanying claims.