Abstract: A greeting card assembly having an electronics unit is embedded into the card. Electronics that play a length of music containing consecutive notes that can be selectively played over the speaker. A graphic of at least one instrument is displayed in the card. At least one activation sensor is provided within the graphic. Each activation sensor can be triggered by touching the graphic where the activation sensor is located. When an activation sensor is triggered, the electronics unit plays only one or two notes from the length of music. In this manner, to play the full length of music, the activation sensor must be repeatedly triggered. By strategically positioning the activation sensor in the graphic of the instrument, the repeated triggering of the activation sensor provides the appearance that a user is actually playing the instrument depicted in the graphic.

Abstract: A material for a key of a keyboard instrument may include, but is not limited to, a base resin; and particles of a moisture control material that performs chemical sorption of moisture. The moisture control material increase in volume with moisture-sorption. The moisture control material decrease in volume with moisture-desorption.

Abstract: A keyboard-type tone plate percussion instrument which is simple in construction and light in weight and capable of easily unifying key-operation feelings and efficiently outputting well-balanced sounds. Percussion units are arranged to respectively correspond to keys and tone plates and each strike a corresponding tone plate when driven by a key depressing operation. A resonance box has resonance chambers corresponding to the tone plates and each having an opening side thereof close to a corresponding tone plate. The tone plates are constructed into a single-stage structure where they are arranged in an order of tone pitch in a direction of array of the keys so that tone plates neighboring in specific tone pitch are arranged adjacent to each other. The percussion units are constructed into a single-stage structure where they are arranged to correspond to array of the tone plates.

Abstract: A tone plate which makes it easy to reduce the entire length and width thereof, thus increasing the degree of freedom in design. The tone plate includes an antinode portion, front and rear ends, and first and second supporting holes which are located closer to the front and rear ends than to the antinode portion and at which a vibration node can be formed. There are provided first and second mass concentrating portions extending toward the front and rear ends from locations on a side close to the first and rear ends with respect to the supporting holes. First and second thinner portions are respectively provided between the antinode portion and the supporting holes. The tone plate vibrates to generate a musical tone of a specific tone pitch when struck with being supported at the supporting holes.

Abstract: A keyboard apparatus for musical instruments such as pianos, organs, clavichords, and harpsichords, and methods for making and using the apparatus. The apparatus includes a frame assembly, a plurality of keys, a plurality of lever assemblies each operably connected with its corresponding key, and a main fulcrum that together replicate the touch of an acoustic piano keyboard. It can be used in electronic and acoustic instruments, can be adjusted to simulate the feel of a selected type of keyboard instrument, and is simple and cost-effective to manufacture.

Abstract: There is provided a keyboard apparatus which has a high durability, portability, and operability, and facilitates adaptation to a wide range of musical scenes and to multi-model production. Each adjacent pair of four main cases are pivotally connected to each other via connecting portions, whereby the main cases are allowed to assume a folded position which enables the keyboard apparatus to be carried with ease, and a flat unfolded position in which the keyboard can be played. Each main case has a keyboard unit arranged therein. Three main cases for lower tone ranges each have four white keys arranged therein, and a main case for a highest tone range has three white keys arranged therein, and a total of 25 keys are arranged on the keyboard apparatus. The main case for the highest tone range also has a group of operating elements arranged therein.

Abstract: An operation apparatus is responsive to a physical action for inputting a control parameter of a musical sound into an electronic musical instrument. The operation apparatus is provided with a plurality of movable members individually responsive to the physical action to undergo a reciprocal movement. A frame mounts the plurality of the movable members in aligned manner. A tension member having a length is supported at both ends thereof by the frame to extend along the movable members such that each movable member may come into contact with the tension member during the course of the reciprocal movement of each movable member. A detector is connected to the tension member for detecting a deflection of the tension member caused by the contact of the movable member, and generates a signal corresponding to the detected deflection as the control parameter.

Abstract: A grand piano have a keyboard implemented by white and black keys selectively depressed by a player for specifying the notes of tones to be generated, and action units are linked with the white and black keys so as to give rise to free rotation of associated hammers through escape, wherein a key-touch regulator is provided between the key frame and the white and black keys for partially canceling the moment initially exerted on the white and black keys due to the self-weight of the action units and the hammers so that any lead weights is not required for regulating the key-touch.

Abstract: A musical keyboard has keys arranged and marked for generating tones of a twelve-tone scale. A first register of keys generates first sets of six tones being whole tones apart in the twelve-tone scale. A second register of keys generates second sets of six tones being whole tones apart in the twelve-tone scale. The tones of each first set are disjoint and half-tones apart from the tones of each second set, and the tones of the first and second set correspond alternately to the twelve-tone scale. The keys on the first register are linearly arranged between the keys on the second register, and the keys on the second register are linearly arranged between the keys on the first register. The keys have markings arranged in units of three unique markings, and the units of three unique markings repeat identically and sequentially on the keys of the first and second registers.

Abstract: Portable and foldable modular electronic keyboard which includes a keyboard having a plurality of white and black keys capable of reproducing the notes of a piano through an individual headphone by using associated electronics. The foldable keyboard is formed from a plurality of modules, each module having a plurality of white and black keys, and each module being joined to another module by a flexible membrane. When the modules are folded together, the keyboard has the volume of a book. When the modules are unfolded, the keyboard presents a genuine piano keyboard with seven octaves. The white keys and the black keys forming each module have a low thickness.

Abstract: A new musical keyboard and musical scale is provided by subdividing each octave into a larger number of parts, or notes. In one case, each octave contains sixteen notes, rather than the conventional twelve. In another case, each octave contains twenty notes. The new musical system enables new musical sounds and special effects to be created.

Abstract: A universal keyboard for hand in which the keys are composed of main keys for natural tones and subkeys for derivative tones, the keys being arranged in the order of musical scale of half tones and in equidistance, the upper operation surfaces of the subkeys being lower than the upper operation surfaces of the adjacent main keys, and further there being provided intervals between the side and upper portions of the adjacent keys respectively. By this arrangement, it becomes easy to play the natural tones and to enable a transposition.

Abstract: A black key making of a resin composition comprising a cellulose derivative resin, silicon oxide and at least 0.3 part by weight of a carbon black based on 100 parts by weight of the cellulose derivative, the carbon black having a pH of 6 and below and a BET specific surface area of 260 m.sup.2 /g and above, a keyboard comprising white keys and above-described black keys and a musical instrument having the above-described keyboard are disclosed. The black key is excellent in productivity and processability and is hygroscopic and excellent in the touch to fingers during playing. The black key is preferably made by injection molding.

Abstract: A performer-supported keyboard is designed to be worn by a performer or technician, either while standing, or walking, or seated. The keyboard has an arcuate shape, and a rigid support frame, to be supported by one shoulder and the opposite waist of the performer or technician. Second or third keyboards may be associated with the performer-supported keyboard disclosed, and the entire assembly is designed to be readily put on or removed by a performer, and to permit maximum mobility.

Abstract: A keyboard for a piano, organ, or similar instrument in which the keys are arranged in groups of three, each having a pair of flat keys with a raised key inset between. The flat keys are on a common plane in the manner of the white keys of a conventional keyboard, the raised keys being short in length and spaced between the front edge of the flat keys and the back board of the instrument. In one form of the keyboard a second set of raised keys is positioned adjacent the backboard and mechanically coupled to the basic set of raised keys, so that either raised key in a pair may be used to play a particular note for the convenience of fingering. Four groups of three keys represent the twelve tones of the chromatic scale and a related notation system identifies each tone clearly, without the need for sharp and flat symbols. The keys also have a physical relationship to the note positions in the musical notation, which simplifies playing.