Abstract: A tactile or haptic sensation simulation device designed to oppose the movement of a manual control component with a reaction reflecting the movement of the control, where the said device has a chamber containing a magneto-rheological fluid, a mobile element interacting mechanically with the fluid and intended to be linked mechanically to the control component, where the said element is mobile between two predetermined positions, at least one sensor with a cinematic and/or dynamic range that is representative of the movement of the control component, a control component and means for the generation of a suitable magnetic field around the chamber so as to apply a magnetic field that is dependent on the dynamic characteristics to be simulated for the movement of the manual control component, and the real-time measurements, the whole being such that the apparent viscosity of the magneto-rheological fluid varies over the travel of the manual control component.

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 system for determining a musical modulation from a source key to a target key, such that the source key and the target key are selected from a cycle of musical keys. The system includes a relational tool and a bridging tool. The relational tool is capable of determining a primary modulation reference correlated to the displacement between the source key and the target key. The bridging tool includes a selected set of at least one bridge. The selected set is correlated to the primary modulation reference. The present invention also has a method for determining a musical modulation from a source key to a target key, such that the source key and the target key are selected from a cycle of musical keys.

Abstract: An in-line keyboard provides a large number of music producing actuators in a small space. Each actuator corresponds to a note on a musical scale. The actuators are arranged in perpendicular columns and rows. The actuators of each column are played by a single finger. The actuators corresponding to natural notes have a first tactile feel, such as cylindrical. Actuators corresponding to sharp and flat notes have a different tactile feel. The actuators corresponding to the sharp and flat notes are arranged in columns between the columns of the natural note actuators. The natural notes are further arranged such that pairs of adjacent actuators in a column correspond to perfect fifths of a musical scale.

Abstract: A musical instrument, comprising a neck and a body. A chord selector is present on the neck, and a note selector is present on the body. The chord selector comprises a plurality of locations, each having a tonic and a quality. The note selector is a touch sensitive strip that is linearly arranged like a piano keyboard. A note is sounded only if it is simultaneously pressed on the note selector, and is present in one of the chords selected on the chord selector. Thus, once a chord is selected, it may be picked, strummed, or arpeggiated by employing different hand motions upon the note selector.

Abstract: Musical equipment enables the row of front digitals of a musical keyboard to sound either the diatonic scale or a six-tone musical scale. Thus music written by different methods of notation can be played on the keyboard by a musician trained in either one of the methods. Musical notation based on a six-tone musical scale can depict intimately the consonant sounds of music, and it can have a system of key signatures that is much easier to learn and to use than the traditional system of key signatures. When a keyboard digital is played, a digital identifying number for that keyboard digital is transmitted in binary code for a separate sound generator. Translating apparatus intercepts this transmission and transforms the digital numbers into associated pitch numbers in such a way that the front digitals of the keyboard can play either the diatonic scale or a six-tone scale, and can play either scale in any musical key with its key signature automatically actuated.

Abstract: When a musical keyboard is being played, "Note On" messages, each accompanied by one or more digital identifying numbers, are transmitted to a separate sound generator. A key signature actuator intercepts these transmissions and changes the numbers electronically so that the sharps or flats in a selected key signature will be automatically actuated. The messages accompanied by the changed numbers are sent on to the sound generator, where the proper sharps or flats are automatically sounded when front digitals of the keyboard are played. A uniform pitch changing parameter can also be selected. This parameter can be added to the pitch numbers before transmission to the sound generator so as to change the overall pitch of its musical output.

Abstract: When a musician presses the digital of a musical instrument, a digital identifying number is transmitted to a separate sound generator, where a tone of the appropriate pitch is generated. A musical scale selecting and musical key signature actuating apparatus intercepts this transmission. The apparatus contains a number changer which can change the numbers transmitted to the sound generator so that the same sequence of instrument digitals can sound either the diatonic scale or a musical scale having only six tones per octave, and a musician can play from music written in different diatonic musical keys with the sharps or flats in its key signature automatically actuated.

Abstract: An electrically-keyed musical instrument has a double-row keyboard in which back digitals alternate with front digitals throughout the keyboard. The keyboard is provided with two sets of landmarks to assist playing from either the traditional notation or a six-tone notation. The musical instrument has an electronic key signature actuator apparatus which may be set to physically actuate any key signature of music written in the traditional notation, so that the diatonic tones in the selected key can be played entirely on the front digitals of the keyboard. The other five tones of the chromatic scale must be played on back digitals of the keyboard. The electronic apparatus also allows the front digitals to play the whole-tone scale or a hexachord scale, and to play the hexachord scale in any selected one of twelve different hexachord keys. A person trained on the instrument in a six-tone notation can, by throwing a switch, easily play music written in the traditional notation.

Abstract: The organ plays either a hexatonic scale or the diatonic scale on its front digitals. The organ has a tone transposition apparatus comprising a scale selector apparatus, a key selector apparatus and an absolute pitch changer switch. The key selector apparatus includes a hexachord key selector switch in cascade with a diatonic key selector switch. Each key selector switch is formed by two linear arrays of movable contacts sliding along two linear arrays of stationary contacts. Either of these key selector switches can be set to physically activate key signatures of written music. The key selector apparatus operates on the top octave of tones; lower tones are derived from the top octave by frequency division.