Abstract: An apparatus for teaching a person to play a musical instrument, particularly a keyboard instrument. The chord and melody notes of a musical passage are stored in a memory in the form of chord words and melody words each comprising a predetermined number of data elements. The data elements in each chord word represent all of the chord notes for a bar of the musical passage and in addition an indicator element which indicates whether the next word is a chord word or a melody word. The data elements in each melody word represent a melody note and timing for a bar of music and an indicator element. The data words are read out of the memory in a sequential manner. Each chord word is transferred into a chord storage register where it is held until the chord is correctly played. The melody words for the particular chord are transferred into a melody storage register at a predetermined rate depending on the timing data in each melody word.

Abstract: This invention relates generally to electrically energizing visual representations of music by means of a portable attachment for the keyboard of pianos and organs; and it has particular application in providing a concept of music that is especially enjoyed by deaf persons, though by no means restricted in that sense.

Abstract: A teaching device for use with a musical keyboard or equivalent, such as a piano, organ or multistringed instrument; the device including a compact housing for containing control means, and indicating means including light emitting elements for positioning relative to the keys of a keyboard or selected positions on a multistringed musical instrument, and flexible optical cable means for transmitting light from a source to selected light emitting elements as determined by the operation of the control means.

Abstract: A system for instruction in the manipulation of the chord portion of a keyboard of a musical instrument in 3-4 or 4-4 time includes uniquely written music which provides a student with an identity of the root note of each chord to be played and the timing (but not necessarily the identity) of the corresponding chord triad to follow the root note. In conjunction with the music, an apparatus senses the depression of the root note key by the student, provides a sustained confirming identification of that note, and provides the identity (but not the timing) of the triad notes. The indication is retained until a different note key is depressed. The apparatus is useful independently of the written music or keyboard instrument to demonstrate the 5-2-1 system of fingering chords as set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 3,335,630.