FR2943830A1 - Control device for use as keyboard on e.g. harpsichord, has twelve keys distributed into two groups such that one of groups includes eight keys and other group comprises four keys - Google Patents

Abstract

The device has twelve keys distributed into two groups such that one of the groups includes eight keys and the other group comprises four keys. The former group of keys is different from the latter group of keys by visually perceptible characteristics and/or tactile perceptible characteristics. Each key is associated to sound having a predetermined level. The twelve keys are arranged in an orderly manner according to height of the sound, so that each group of keys forms chromatic range of sounds.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to the technical field of musical instruments, and in particular to keyboard instruments. It relates more particularly to a device that can be used as a keyboard on all keyboard instruments, as well as on lamellophones or idiophones. It is distinguished from the known devices by a particular arrangement of the keys.

STATE OF THE ART Many musical instruments use a keyboard having a plurality of keys aligned in a linear row of keys. Each key can be operated by an instrumentalist's finger to produce a defined pitch sound. The best-known keyboard instrument is the piano, which was, until the middle of the 20th century, the most widely used keyboard instrument. Other keyboard instruments are the organ and the harpsichord, historically older than the piano. Today there are also electric or electronic keyboards that produce sounds of different colors; these sounds often mimic those of other instruments.

The piano keyboard has been standardized for a long time. It is a market-driven state of affairs, that is, manufacturers, users, education, and standards. By way of example, the German standard DIN 8996 (Klaviatur für Pianos und Flügel, Malle) defines the dimensions and arrangement of the keys of piano keyboards; this standard serves as a model for almost all keyboards used in pianos, and inspires those of other keyboard musical instruments. Figure 1 shows the arrangement of the keys on such a keyboard according to the state of the art. We recognize white keys and black keys. On this keyboard, we get a range of C major playing only white keys, starting with a Do. Other diatonic scales can also be obtained using black keys.35 This traditional keyboard is ideally suited for diatonic music, and a well-trained instrumentalist will have no trouble performing pieces of music involving all the diatonic harmonies imaginable. Nor will it be difficult to perform music that is not based on traditional major or minor scales. This music is sometimes called atonal, but this term seems inappropriate to the extent that it also covers music based on tones and harmonies insusceptible to be described by the traditional scheme of diatonic music, such as dodecaphonic music or music based on some extra-European harmony systems. The truly atonal music, that is to say, devoid of any link of harmonic order based on horizontal or vertical series of notes, is however rather rare.

However, it is undeniable that the standardized keyboard perpetuates the hegemony of the diatonic system. In particular, the standard keyboard can hinder the instrumentalist's ability to perform a piece of music, and especially improvise a piece of music, designed in some non-diatonic tones. This is partly related to a possible discrepancy between the body gesture (including hands and arms) and the harmonic progressions that naturally arise from these tones. For example, a range such as that shown in Figure 2, which deviates from the diagram of diatonic music, and compositions based on this range, can be played without difficulty on a traditional keyboard, but involve positions fingers and hands as well as complex fingerings that can affect the fluidity of the gestures and the game. It is the same transpositions of this range.

The same problem arises in certain idiophones without a keyboard, for example in xylophones, whose layout of the keys (which represent blades which are vibrated by striking them with a hard object, such as a wooden stick) is similar to that of keyboards, to facilitate their identification.

The problem with which the present invention provides the solution is therefore to present a new keyboard for a musical instrument that facilitates the performance of non-diatonic music, and in particular music based on the range shown in Figure 2 and its transpositions. This keyboard must remain close enough to a traditional keyboard to be easily used by pianists accustomed to the traditional keyboard.

Object of the invention The subject of the invention is a device for controlling a musical instrument comprising a plurality of keys aligned in at least one row of keys, said device comprising at least twelve keys divided into two groups called B and N, the Group B keys differing from the group N keys by one or more visually perceptible features (such as shape, color, graphical symbols, position relative to an axis) and / or one or more features that are noticeably perceptible, and each of said keys being associated or intended to be associated with a sound of determined height, said at least twelve keys being arranged in an orderly manner according to the height of the sound with which they are associated or intended to be associated, so that each group of twelve successive keys forms a chromatic range of sounds, said device being characterized in that each series of twelve successive keys comprises eight keys of group B and four keys of group N.

The device may comprise at least one series of twelve successive keys Tn, Tn + 1, ..., Tn + 11 whose sequence is defined by the diagram: T1 = TB1, T2 = TB2, T3 = T "s, T4 = TB4, T5 = TB5, T6 = TN6, T = 7, T8 = TB8, Tg = TBg, T10 = T10, T11 = TB11, T12 = TB12, where TB is a group B and T key. a touch of group N

The device may include a plurality of series having said pattern. In one embodiment, within a sequence of twelve successive keys Tn, Tn + 1,..., Tn + 11, the keys are arranged substantially symmetrically with respect to a line separating the neighboring keys. TB5 and TB8. If the device comprises at least two series having said pattern, their keys may be arranged substantially symmetrically with respect to a line separating the key TB12 from the series corresponding to the lower sounds, and the key TB1 of the series corresponding to the higher sounds, close to said TB12 key.

The key T1 corresponds to a note selected in the group of notes do, do #, re, re #, mi, fa, fa #, sol, sol #, la, the #, if, and preferably to the f #.

In one embodiment, the keys TB and TN are arranged in two substantially parallel rows, said rows being separated by a center line. They can be part of a keyboard.

Another object of the present invention is a musical instrument incorporating at least one device according to the first object. It can be an electric or acoustic piano, a harpsichord, an organ, an electric or electronic keyboard, a harmonium, an accordion, a melodica, or a idiophone, such as a celesta, a xylophone, a vibraphone, a marimba, a carillon, a glockenspiel.

Figures Figure 1 shows a keyboard according to the state of the art.

Figure 2 shows a non-diatonic range. Figure 3 shows an embodiment of a device according to the invention, comprising eight white keys and four black keys. This figure corresponds to a preferred embodiment of the invention, insofar as the key TB is assigned to the note f #.

FIG. 4 shows another embodiment of a device according to the invention, comprising a group of eight keys and a group of four keys, arranged on either side of a center line M. This embodiment can to be used in some idiophones without keyboard. Figure 5 shows a keyboard according to the invention which extends over two chromatic octaves. FIG. 6 shows a variant of the embodiment described in FIG. 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION FIG. 1 shows a control device for a musical instrument according to the state of the art, comprising a plurality of keys aligned in at least one row of keys, said device comprising at least twelve keys Tn, Tn ,,,. .., Tm divided into two groups called B and N. The seven keys of the group B (designated TB) differ from the five keys of the group N (designated TN) by their shape, their color and their position. In such a device according to the state of the art, each of said keys T is associated or intended to be associated with a sound S of determined height. Said at least twelve keys Tn, Tn + ,, ..., Tm are arranged in an ordered manner according to the pitch of the sound Sn, Sn + ,, ... Sm with which they are associated or intended to be associated, so that each group of twelve successive keys Ta, T a +,..., Ta + has a chromatic range of sounds, each sound Sb of said chromatic scale being separated from the neighboring sounds Sb + 1 and / or Sb_1 by an interval of a semitone, and the first key Ta and the twelfth key Ta + 12 forming the interval corresponding to eleven semitones.

The device according to the invention has these same characteristics. According to the invention, within an interval of eleven semitones defined by the first (Ta) and last (Ta + 12) of twelve successive keys, the number of keys TB is eight, and the number of keys T "is four, two such devices are shown in Figures 3 and 4.

In the device according to the invention, advantageously, the sequence of the keys Tn, Tn + 1, ..., Tn + 11 is defined by the scheme: T1 = TB1, T2 = TB2T3 = T3, T4 = TB4, T5 = TB5, T6 = T6, T7 = T7, T8 = TB8, T8 = TB9, T1o = T10, T11 = TB11, 12 = TB12. In such a device, within a sequence of twelve successive keys Tn, Tn + 1,..., Tn + 11, the keys are arranged substantially symmetrically with respect to an axis of symmetry Z which separates the neighboring keys TB5 and TB8.

In the device according to the invention, the keys of the group B can be white and the keys of the group N can be black. Group keys B and N can also all be of the same color, for example white or black, as long as they have a visually or tactually perceptible characteristic that allows them to be assigned to one of the two groups. In the embodiment of the invention described in FIGS. 3 and 5, the shape of the keys makes it possible to identify which group they belong to, either visually or in a tactile manner. In this embodiment, typically and in a manner similar to the standard keyboard according to the state of the art, the black keys are narrower than the white keys, and their upper plane is above the top plane of the white keys. Two of the four keys of group N (T "3 and T" 10 in FIG. 3) are located between two keys of group B (in this case between TB2 and TB4, and between TB9 and TB11). The other two (T "6 and T" 7 in Figure 3) are each embedded in a key of Group B (in this case in T85 and T88); this recessed arrangement does not exist on keyboards according to the state of the art. Advantageously, the gap between the keys forming the interval of an octave is the same on a keyboard according to the invention as on a traditional piano, because the pianist trained on a traditional keyboard is highly accustomed to this reference interval. Given the fact that in this case, this interval then has eight white keys instead of seven on keyboards according to the state of the art, each white key must be slightly narrower than on keyboards according to the state of the art. . This does not present any major drawback. The width of the black keys may be substantially the same as on known keyboards.

But it is also possible to envisage other embodiments of the device according to the invention, for example those described in FIGS. 4 and 6, on which the keys all have the same color, but can be attributed to groups B and N by their positioning relative to a center line M.

Figure 5 shows a device according to the invention which extends over two chromatic octaves. It comprises two sets of keys (noted in Figure 5: T1 to T12 and T13 to T24) having the scheme shown above. Note that the keys of the two series are arranged substantially symmetrically with respect to an axis of symmetry N which separates the key TB12 (called in Figure 5: T12) of the series corresponds to the lower sounds, and the key TB1 ( referred to in FIG. 5: T13) of the series which corresponds to the higher-pitched sounds, close to said key TB12.

In the device according to the invention, advantageously, within each octave, the sounds Sp, Sp + 1, • • •, Sp + 11 correspond to an equal temperament. T1 can then correspond to a note selected in the group of notes do, do #, re, re #, mi, fa, fa #, sol, sol #, the, the #, if. In a particular embodiment, T1 corresponds to the fa #; in this case, the eight keys of group B make it possible to play the non-diatonic range reproduced in FIG. 2. The inventor considers that this range, whose starting point (fa #) forms the interval of the triton (fourth quarter or diminished fifth) with the starting point (do) of the traditional diatonic harmonic system, may be the basis of a new harmonic system.

In a general manner, in the device according to the invention, the keys can be arranged in such a way that: a) each of said keys TB (labeled TBu,..., TB,) has at least one corner PBu, PBp +1, ..., PB, located on a straight or curved line LB which connects all the keys (TBu, TBp + 1, ..., TB,) in their corners P, and b) each of said keys TN (located TN ,,, TN ,, + ,, ..., T "x) has at least one PNW, PN1 N + ,, ..., PNx corner located on a straight or curved LN line which connects all the keys (T" ,,, TN ,, + ,, ..., TNx) at their PN corners, said lines LN and LB being parallel.

This is illustrated in Figure 4, which shows the corners PB1, PB2 and PN3 (the other corners are not marked so as not to clutter the figure) and the two lines LN and LB, which are parallel.

In another embodiment, the LN and LB lines may be identical. This is the case for example in a keyboard, in which all the keys form a single row, as shown in FIGS. 1, 3, and 5.

In general, embodiments of the invention are preferred in which the upper surface of the keys of group N is situated in a plane which is greater than the plane in which the upper surfaces of the keys of group B are located. This is known as such from piano keyboards and vibraphones according to the state of the art.

In the device according to the invention, the keys are typically connected, directly or indirectly, to a sound generating element. Such a device, in the form of a keyboard, can be used for example in keyboard instruments, such as: the piano, the harpsichord, the organ, the electric or electronic keyboard, the harmonium, the accordion, melodica, keyboard idiophones, such as celesta. In these instruments, each key T is typically operated by a finger of the instrumentalist; each key controls a mechanism connected to a device that generates a sound S, which has for each key a specific height. The sound generating device may be a string (in the case of acoustic piano or harpsichord, for example, actuated by means of a hammer), an electronic sound generator (in the case of the electric organ operated by via an electrical contact), an organ pipe (in the case of the organ or of the harmonium, actuated by means of a valve), a vibrating blade (in the case of the accordion), a vibrating plate (in the case of a celesta). The device can also be made in the form of a pedal, for example for an organ.

In another embodiment of the device according to the invention, the keys TB and TN are arranged in two substantially parallel rows, said rows being separated by a center line M. FIG. 4 shows schematically this embodiment, with a only series of twelve keys. Each of the two rows represents a group of keys. FIG. 6 shows a variant of this embodiment in which the keys of the group N are located in a plane greater than that of the keys B. The same types of devices can be produced with a plurality of series having said diagram, which then allows to produce sounds that span two, three, or even four octaves.

This arrangement according to Figures 4 and 6 can be used advantageously in some instruments belonging to the family of idiophones, such as: the xylophone, the vibraphone, the marimba, the chime, the glockenspiel. In these instruments, each key must be struck by a solid or elastic object, actuated by the instrumentalist, to be vibrated, which generates the sound, which is typically amplified by resonators and / or electric amplifiers. In the case of a xylophone for example, the keys are typically metal plates, the size of which has been adjusted to produce a sound of desired height, which is amplified by an acoustic resonator.

The musical instruments comprising the device according to the invention are particularly suitable for the performance of musical pieces using non-diatonic harmonies, such as the range of FIG. 2 and its transpositions.

Claims (10)

Revendications1. A control device for a musical instrument comprising a plurality of keys aligned in at least one row of keys, said device comprising at least twelve keys divided into two groups called B and N, the keys of the group B being different from the keys of the group N by one or more visually perceptible characteristics and / or one or more features that are tactilely perceptible, and each of said keys being associated or intended to be associated with a sound of specific height, said at least twelve keys being arranged in an orderly manner according to the height of the sound to which they are associated or intended to be associated, so that each group of twelve successive keys forms a chromatic range of sounds, said device being characterized in that each series of twelve successive keys comprises eight keys of group B and four keys of group N. 2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises at least one series of twelve successive keys Tn, Tn + 1, ..., Tä + 11 whose sequence is defined by the scheme: T, = TB1, T2 = TB2, T3 = T3, T4 = TB4, T5 = TB5, T6 = T6, T7 = T7, Ts = TB8 T9 = TB9, T10 = T10, T1, = TB11, T, 2 = TB12, where TB is a key of group B and TN is a key of group N. 3. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that it comprises a plurality of series having said pattern. 4. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that within a sequence of twelve successive keys Tn, Tn + 1, ..., Tn + 11, the keys are arranged substantially symmetrically with respect to a line separating the neighboring keys TB5 and TB5. 5. Device according to claim 4, characterized in that it comprises at least two series having said diagram, and in that the keys of the two series are arranged substantially symmetrically with respect to a line that separates the key TB12 of the series corresponds to to the more serious sounds, and the key TB1 of the series which corresponds to the higher sounds, close to said key TB12. 6. Device according to any one of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that the key T1 corresponds to a note selected in the group of notes do, do #, re, re #, mi, fa, fa #, ground, ground #, the, the #, if, and preferably at the f #. 7. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the keys TB and TN are arranged in two substantially parallel rows, said rows being separated by a center line. 8. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that it is a keyboard. 9. A musical instrument incorporating at least one device according to any one of claims 1 to 6. 10. Musical instrument according to claim 7, characterized in that it is selected from the group consisting of: the piano, the harpsichord, the organ, the electric or electronic keyboard, the harmonium, the accordion, the melodica idiophones; the idiophones being preferably selected from the group consisting of: the celesta, the xylophone, the vibraphone, the marimba, the chime, the glockenspiel.