Piano keyboard layout and piano with same
By adjusting the octave scale and key width of the piano keyboard layout, the problem of the existing design being unsuitable for people with smaller hands has been solved, providing a more comfortable and safer playing experience and a wider range of creative possibilities.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202422853901.7
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Utility models(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2024-11-21
- Publication Date
- 2025-11-07
- Estimated Expiration
- 2034-11-21
AI Technical Summary
The current piano keyboard layout is too simple, which leads to injuries for people with smaller hands, limited music selection, limited creativity, gender-specific issues, and difficulties for children, and fails to meet the diverse needs of people.
Design a piano keyboard layout in which the width of each octave is reduced by 7% to 22%, the width of the white keys is reduced by 11% to 26%, and the width of the black keys is reduced by 7% to 22%, offering a variety of optional sizes to suit the playing needs of different people.
Reduce the risk of hand injuries, expand the selection of music, enhance creative flexibility, cater to a wider range of people, especially women and children, alleviate carpal tunnel syndrome, and provide a more comfortable playing experience.
Smart Images
Figure CN223526858U_ABST
Abstract
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present utility model relates to a piano keyboard layout. More particularly, it relates to a piano keyboard layout for an acoustic piano or a digital piano.
[0002] In addition, the present utility model also relates to a piano with the above-mentioned piano keyboard layout. BACKGROUND
[0003] It is well known that on the currently widely used piano keyboard, each octave contains eight whole notes and five half notes. Therefore, in the octave, there are eight white keys 1 and five black keys 2 arranged in a prescribed manner on the piano keyboard. They are called standard keyboard layout, as shown in Figure 1 .
[0004] Figure 2 A part of the piano keyboard is shown, which contains at least four octaves. It can be seen that the octaves are arranged in succession on the piano keyboard, and the specific number of octaves can vary depending on the length of the piano keyboard.
[0005] Figure 3 The measurement process of a single white key 1 is shown, and it can be seen that the width of the white key 1 is obtained by measuring the length of the leftmost to the rightmost of a single white key 1 in the first 20% area of the white key length, and this measurement value is the width of the white key 1, which is shown by a double-headed arrow in Figure 3 .
[0006] Figure 4 The measurement process of a single black key 2 is shown, and it can be seen that the width of the black key 2 is obtained by measuring the length of the leftmost to the rightmost of a single black key 2 in the first 10% area of the black key length, and this measurement value is the width of the black key 2, which is shown by a double-headed arrow in Figure 4 .
[0007] In the above layout, the standard width O of the octave is 165±2.5mm, in which the standard width W of a single white key 1 is 23.5±1.0mm, and the standard width B of a single black key 2 is 9.5±1.0mm. Such a keyboard layout has existed for nearly 150 years and has not changed significantly.
[0008] That is to say, for those who play the piano, they are faced with a fixed octave size, which is equivalent to that all people can only get a pair of fixed size shoes. For those whose foot size matches the shoe size, there is naturally no problem; but for those whose foot size is smaller or larger than the shoe size, such shoes are obviously not suitable, and a solution needs to be found.
[0009] Similarly, the current piano keyboard layout has been almost exclusively developed for the Western male, and most piano music written over the past 150 years has been written under the assumption that the keys required will be easily accessible to the fingers of a Western male pianist. Such a single choice has several major disadvantages;
[0010] (i) Injury:
[0011] People with smaller hand shapes are at a serious disadvantage when playing many pieces, especially piano music from the Romantic period. Those with smaller hand sizes need to develop special techniques to overcome the difficulty of not being able to easily reach the required keys. In most cases, people with smaller hand shapes are put under pressure in professional competitions to reach the required keys, resulting in injury to the hand tendons, muscles or ligaments, and even long-term or permanent disability of the hand for playing the piano.
[0012] (ii) Limited choice of music to play:
[0013] People with smaller hand shapes have a very limited choice of music to play, as most music is written for people with larger hand shapes, as described previously. In order to play this music that is not ideally suited to him, the person with a smaller hand shape has to work harder and use special techniques, which often limits his ability to express and interpret the music, and in turn limits the diversity and ability of the person with a smaller hand shape to express art creatively in a performance.
[0014] (iii) Limits music composition:
[0015] Composers currently write music for people with larger hand shapes based on the current standard piano keyboard layout. If there were a piano keyboard layout designed for people with smaller hand shapes, it would allow composers to expand their compositional horizons, as the smaller key width would make this layout suitable for a wider range of people.
[0016] (iv) Gender specificity:
[0017] As most pianists during the period when the standard piano keyboard layout was developed, i.e. between 1870 and 1900, were male and lived in Europe, the United States or Eastern Europe, piano products and piano keyboard layouts have been developed mainly to suit Western males. Therefore, such products and layouts are not suitable for at least 50% of the world's population, which includes, in particular, Eastern and Western females. Women are naturally smaller in size and have a smaller hand span than men, especially Western men, and therefore struggle to adapt to the above-mentioned piano keyboard layouts.
[0018] (v) Children:
[0019] Similarly, the eight scale that is not suitable for the size of their hands also creates an obstacle for children who have reached an advanced level of playing skill. The excessively large size of the keys forces these children to use playing skills that can only be used by adults, and over time, these children are at risk of suffering injuries to their fingers.
[0020] To this end, there is a need to design a piano keyboard layout having improved dimensions compared to the conventional key layout to address the various disadvantages and drawbacks as described above. Utility model content
[0021] The present utility model aims to provide a piano keyboard layout having improved dimensions compared to the conventional key layout to adapt to a wider range of people other than western men to play the piano.
[0022] The first aspect of the present utility model relates to a piano keyboard layout, wherein the width of each eight scale in the piano keyboard layout is reduced by 7% to 22% compared to the standard width of the eight scale.
[0023] Further, it is preferable to set the width of each eight scale in the piano keyboard layout to be reduced by 8% to 21% or 9% to 20%, or even 10% to 19% or 11% to 18% or the like compared to the standard width of the eight scale.
[0024] Further, the width of a single white key in the piano keyboard layout is reduced by 11% to 26% (i.e., 126.75 mm to 155.8 mm) compared to the standard width of the white key, and the width of a single black key in the piano keyboard layout is reduced by 7% to 22% (i.e., 6.63 mm to 9.77 mm) compared to the standard width of the black key.
[0025] Similarly, it is preferable to reduce the width of the white key by 10% to 25% or 11% to 24%, or even 12% to 23% or 13% to 22% or the like compared to the standard width of the white key, and to reduce the width of the black key by 8% to 21% or 9% to 20%, or even 10% to 19% or 11% to 18% or the like compared to the standard width of the black key.
[0026] In a first preferred example, the width of each eight scale in the piano keyboard layout is designed to be 152.4 ± 2.5 mm, wherein the width of a single white key in the piano keyboard layout is designed to be 20.75 ± 1.0 mm, and the width of a single black key in the piano keyboard layout is designed to be 8.79 ± 1.0 mm.
[0027] Tests have shown that a pianist who is good at using a standard size keyboard layout for stage performance feels significantly less pressure and tension on his fingers when playing and practicing on the keyboard layout proposed in the first embodiment. Thus, this keyboard layout provides great benefits for a pianist who practices for six to eight hours a day.
[0028] In a second preferred example, the width of each octave in the keyboard layout is designed to be 140.7±2.5mm, wherein the width of a single white key in the keyboard layout is designed to be 19.08±1.0mm, and the width of a single black key in the keyboard layout is designed to be 8.10±1.0mm.
[0029] Tests have shown that women prefer the keyboard layout with the sizes proposed in the second embodiment more than men, which provides women with a more comfortable, flexible and creative playing experience. Moreover, playing different sizes of keys can effectively avoid the same hand movements and hand positions, so that the hand has different tension points when stretching. Thus, carpal tunnel syndrome that plagues pianists is avoided.
[0030] In a third preferred example, the width of each octave in the keyboard layout is designed to be 129.8±2.5mm, wherein the width of a single white key in the keyboard layout is designed to be 17.53±1.0mm, and the width of a single black key in the keyboard layout is designed to be 7.47±1.0mm.
[0031] Tests have shown that children prefer the keyboard layout with the sizes proposed in the third embodiment more than adults, which provides children with a more comfortable, safer and minimized injury playing experience. In addition, the sizes proposed in the third embodiment can also significantly alleviate the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome.
[0032] In the above preferred examples, the keyboard layout can be applied to an acoustic piano or a digital piano.
[0033] The second aspect of the utility model relates to a piano keyboard layout as described in the first aspect of the utility model.
[0034] The piano keyboard layout according to the utility model can obtain the following advantages:
[0035] For a long time, the size of a piano, especially the size of the piano keys, has been unchanged, and a technical bias has gradually formed, that is, various manufacturing sizes of the piano for people to play should not be changed to maintain a kind of almost paranoid "standard". The utility model breaks through the traditional piano manufacturing size, by reducing the width of the octave in the keyboard layout:
[0036] (1) enabling people with small hand size to easily reach the desired keys without causing injury to the hand tendons, muscles or ligaments due to the need to develop special playing techniques, and without causing long-term or even permanent activity impairment of the hand due to playing the piano;
[0037] (2) removing the limitations imposed on the players with small hand size when playing music due to their hand size, thereby stimulating their ability to express art in diversity and creativity in artistic performance;
[0038] (3) changing the habits of composers in writing music for players with large hand size based on the current standard piano keyboard layout, expanding their creative vision; and
[0039] (4) providing piano products and piano keyboard layouts that match the hand size and span of other groups of people, such as women or children, other than western men, reducing the artificial difficulties encountered by these groups of people when playing the piano, and increasing the fun and experience of them in playing. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0040] In order to further illustrate the technical effects of the piano keyboard layout according to the present application, the present application will be described in detail below in conjunction with the drawings and specific embodiments, in which:
[0041] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of an octave in the traditional piano keyboard layout;
[0042] Figure 2 shows a part of the piano keyboard, which contains at least four octaves;
[0043] Figure 3 shows the measured length of a single white key, which corresponds to the width of the white key;
[0044] Figure 4 shows the measured length of a single black key, which corresponds to the width of the black key;
[0045] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of an octave in the piano keyboard layout according to the first embodiment of the present application;
[0046] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of an octave in the piano keyboard layout according to the second embodiment of the present application; and
[0047] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram of an octave in the piano keyboard layout according to the third embodiment of the present application.
[0048] REFERENCE NUMERALS
[0049] 1 white key
[0050] 2 black key
[0051] O standard width of an octave
[0052] O1-O3 width of an octave
[0053] W standard width of a white key
[0054] W1-W3 width of a white key
[0055] B standard width of a black key
[0056] B1-B3 width of a black key DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0057] Various dimensions of the piano keyboard layout according to the present application and technical effects thereof will be described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
[0058] It should be apparent that the embodiments described herein are merely exemplary embodiments of the present application and are not meant to be limiting to the scope of the present application. All other embodiments that would be readily apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art based on the embodiments described herein, without having to make any inventive leap, are within the scope of the present application.
[0059] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this application belongs. The terminology used in the description herein is for describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the application. The use herein of terms such as "comprise", "comprises", "comprising", "containing", "contain", "contains", "include", "includes", "including", "have", "has", "having", or the like are intended to be inclusive of a statement of scope, and are intended to permit the inclusion of items such as "comprises", "comprises", "comprising", "containing", "contain", "contains", "include", "includes", "including", "have", "has", "having", or the like preceding the embodiment title and the section titles of the present application, and the items "comprise", "comprises", "comprising", "containing", "contain", "contains", "include", "includes", "including", "have", "has", "having", or the like are intended to be inclusive of a statement of scope, and are intended to permit the inclusion of items such as "comprises", "comprises", "comprising", "containing", "contain", "contains", "include", "includes", "including", "have", "has", "having", or the like preceding the embodiment title and the section titles of the present application.
[0060] As previously described, in a standard keyboard layout, the width of an octave O is designed to be 165 ± 2.5 mm, wherein the width of a single white key 1 W is designed to be 23.5 ± 1.0 mm, and the width of a single black key 2 B is designed to be 9.5 ± 1.0 mm.
[0061] The inventors have conducted extensive tests on the width O of the octave and the width W, B of the single white key 1 and the single black key 2, allowing the pianists to freely choose their preferred piano keyboard size, just like the customers can choose different sizes of shoes in a store. However, since the piano cannot be conveniently transported like shoes, and it has seven different octaves, only a limited number of options are available in the tests to meet the needs of most piano players as much as possible.
[0062] It is found in the tests that many institutions and schools would like to offer smaller sizes of octaves for selection. Therefore, the inventors provide a series of standardized small size options for the testers, thousands of pianists including ordinary students, music school professional students and professional piano players participate in the tests, and at the same time their hand spans are measured. The inventors not only measure the hands of women and men, but also measure the hands of people from many nations and races around the world. The tests find that setting the width of each octave in the piano keyboard layout to be reduced by 7% to 22% compared to the standard width of the octave can meet the needs of about 98% of the testers. In other words, the vast majority of testers choose the octave with a width O of 126.75 mm (i.e., (165 mm - 2.5 mm) x 78%) to 155.8 mm (i.e., (165 mm + 2.5 mm) x 93%).
[0063] Of course, it is also suboptimal to set the width of each octave in the piano keyboard layout to be reduced by 8% to 21% or 9% to 20%, or even 10% to 19% or 11% to 18%, etc. compared to the standard width of the octave. Due to individual differences, the values provided by the testers according to personal feelings often have a large deviation, but in the context of a large number of samples, the closer to the center value of the numerical range, the more popular it is among the testers.
[0064] In the above piano keyboard layout, the width W1 to W3 of the single white key 1 is reduced by 11% to 26% compared to the standard width W of the white key 1, and the width B1 to B3 of the single black key 2 is reduced by 7% to 22% compared to the standard width B of the black key 2. In other words, the single white key 1 with a width of 16.65 mm (i.e., (23.5 mm - 1 mm) x 74%) to 21.80 mm (i.e., (23.5 mm + 1 mm) x 89%) and the single black key 2 with a width of 6.63 mm (i.e., (9.5 mm - 1 mm) x 78%) to 9.77 mm (i.e., (9.5 mm + 1 mm) x 93%) are popular among the testers.
[0065] It is clear that it is suboptimal to reduce the width of the white key 1 by 10% to 25% or 11% to 24%, or even 12% to 23% or 13% to 22%, etc., compared to the standard width W of the white key 1, and to reduce the width of the black key 2 by 8% to 21% or 9% to 20%, or even 10% to 19% or 11% to 18%, etc., compared to the standard width B of the black key 2.
[0066] In the inventor's tests, it was found that the dimensions presented in the following examples were most preferred by the testers.
[0067] First embodiment
[0068] Figure 5 A piano keyboard layout according to a first embodiment of the present utility model is shown. In this embodiment, the width O1 of each octave in the piano keyboard layout is designed to be 152.4 ± 2.5 mm, wherein the width W1 of a single white key 1 in the piano keyboard layout is 20.75 ± 1.0 mm, and the width B1 of a single black key 2 in the piano keyboard layout is 8.79 ± 1.0 mm.
[0069] People who play with a standard-sized keyboard layout often suffer from a condition called tendinitis. This is a condition caused by overuse of the muscles and tendons, which causes severe pain and stiffness in the fingers. In particular, the tendons of the middle finger, ring finger, and little finger are most affected, as these are the ones that stretch the most.
[0070] In the inventor's tests, pianists who are skilled at using a standard-sized keyboard layout for stage performances tested the piano keyboard layout presented in the first embodiment and compared it to a standard-sized keyboard layout. The pianists confirmed that they could play and practice on the piano keyboard layout presented in the first embodiment and felt less pressure and tension on their fingers. It was thus seen that the piano keyboard layout presented in the first embodiment provided great benefits to pianists who practice for six to eight hours a day.
[0071] Second embodiment
[0072] Figure 6 A piano keyboard layout according to a second embodiment of the present utility model is shown. In this embodiment, the width O2 of each octave in the piano keyboard layout is designed to be 140.7 ± 2.5 mm, wherein the width W2 of a single white key 1 in the piano keyboard layout is 19.08 ± 1.0 mm, and the width B2 of a single black key 2 in the piano keyboard layout is 8.10 ± 1.0 mm.
[0073] The inventor found through testing that most women preferred a piano keyboard layout having the dimensions presented in the second embodiment, which provided women with a more comfortable, flexible, and creative playing experience.
[0074] In addition, all pianists can suffer from carpal tunnel syndrome. This occurs when the nerves that pass through the carpal tunnel are over-stimulated and pressed together because they are in an over-stretched position. The remedy is to avoid the same hand movements and hand positions. For pianists, this can be achieved by playing different sized keys. The hand has different points of tension when stretched and small changes in key size can have a beneficial effect on the regular pianist.
[0075] While the dimensions proposed in the first embodiment can partially alleviate carpal tunnel syndrome as described above, the dimensions proposed in the second embodiment have a more pronounced alleviating effect than the first embodiment.
[0076] Third embodiment
[0077] Figure 7 A piano keyboard layout according to a third embodiment of the present application is shown. In this embodiment, the width O3 of each octave in the piano keyboard layout is designed to be 129.8 ± 2.5 mm, wherein the width W3 of a single white key 1 in the piano keyboard layout is 17.53 ± 1.0 mm and the width B3 of a single black key 2 in the piano keyboard layout is 7.47 ± 1.0 mm.
[0078] The inventors have found through testing that most children prefer a piano keyboard layout having the dimensions proposed in the third embodiment, which provides a more comfortable, safer and minimally injurious playing experience for children with the relatively smallest hand shapes.
[0079] In addition, similar to the second embodiment, the dimensions proposed in the third embodiment also have a pronounced alleviating effect on carpal tunnel syndrome.
[0080] While the dimensions of the piano keyboard layout according to the present application and the technical effects thereof have been described above in connection with a number of preferred embodiments and the accompanying drawings, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the above examples are merely intended to be illustrative and not restrictive of the present application. Thus, modifications and variations of the present application can be made within the spirit and scope of the claims, and such modifications and variations would fall within the scope of the present application as defined by the claims.
Claims
1. A piano keyboard layout, characterized in that, The width of each octave (01-03) in the piano keyboard layout is reduced by 7% to 22% compared to the standard width of an octave (O).
2. The piano keyboard layout of claim 1, wherein, The width of a single white key (1) in the piano keyboard layout (W1-W3) is reduced by 11% to 26% compared to the standard width of the white key (1) (W), while the width of a single black key (2) in the piano keyboard layout (B1-B3) is reduced by 7% to 22% compared to the standard width of the black key (2) (B).
3. The piano keyboard layout of claim 2, wherein, The width of each octave (01) in the piano keyboard layout is 152.4 ± 2.5 mm.
4. The piano keyboard layout of claim 3, wherein, The width of the white key (1) in the piano keyboard layout (W1) is 20.75 ± 1.0 mm, while the width of the black key (2) in the piano keyboard layout (B1) is 8.79 ± 1.0 mm.
5. The piano keyboard layout of claim 2, wherein, The width of each octave (02) in the piano keyboard layout is 140.7 ± 2.5 mm.
6. The piano keyboard layout of claim 5, wherein, The width of the white key (1) in the piano keyboard layout (W2) is 19.08 ± 1.0 mm, while the width of the black key (2) in the piano keyboard layout (B2) is 8.10 ± 1.0 mm.
7. The piano keyboard layout of claim 2, wherein, The width of each octave (03) in the piano keyboard layout is 129.8 ± 2.5 mm.
8. The piano keyboard layout of claim 7, wherein, The width of the white key (1) in the piano keyboard layout (W3) is 17.53 ± 1.0 mm, while the width of the black key (2) in the piano keyboard layout (B3) is 7.47 ± 1.0 mm.
9. The piano keyboard layout of any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein, The piano keyboard layout is suitable for an acoustic piano or a digital piano.
10. A piano having a piano keyboard layout as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8.