Abstract: An integral music system for use in association with all chromatically scaled musical instruments comprising an improved graphic keyboard design utilized in various mechanical, electric and over-keyboard embodiments, and a cooperative improved hexaline scoring method utilizing octave-designating noteforms, and a cooperative improved graphic referencing method utilizing color, symbol and tactual coding means. The improved graphic keyboard design has essentially coextensive alternately arranged, uniformly narrowed and widened keys. The improved hexaline scoring method has one or more six-line staffs which respectively utilize eight distinct noteforms to provide an eight-octave compass for each staff. The improved graphic referencing method has code formats which correlate the lines and spaces of the improved scoring method with the keying means of the various instruments. The invention additionally comprehends manual and computer assisted methods for converting existing music into the improved scoring format.

Abstract: An improved keyboard for a musical instrument includes a plurality of keys arranged in a side-by-side order, all lying in a common plane. Different embodiments of the invention have a varying number of keys per octave, from as small as 12 keys per octave to as high as 90-120 keys per octave. In those embodiments of the invention in which the number of keys per octave results in a key whose width is too narrow to be uniquely depressed by an operator's finger, associated apparatus determines from a plurality of keys which have been depressed, a particular tone to be produced. The keyboard may be associated with apparatus to distinguish one set of keys from other sets of keys, which apparatus can include a selectively energizable light source associated with each different key or other equivalent apparatus.

Abstract: A novel keyboard for use on pianos, organs and the like comprising two confronting sets of keys, each key having a widened main part and a narrow extension, the two sets of keys being arranged with their main parts in confronting relation and with their extensions interleaved therebetween.