Unified Musical Notation Keyboard for Direct Symbol Input
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing digital sheet music input systems are complex, difficult to master, require multiple devices, and lack unification of input methods for musical notation symbols, making it hard for users to input musical notes directly and efficiently, especially on mobile devices.
Innovation Solution
A keyboard designed with a unified set of control elements that allows direct input of musical notation symbols by single actions, following the principles of music handwriting, where each symbol corresponds to a specific control element, enabling easy access and operation without additional actions, and adaptable for various devices including touch screens.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If existing digital sheet music input systems are used, then musical notation symbols can be input, but the systems are complex and difficult to master requiring significant user effort
Solution Approach 1:
The keyboard is divided into distinct sections: a musical staff area with key groups corresponding to different staff positions, and a separate duration indicator area. This segmentation allows users to input notation symbols by simply pressing keys in the appropriate section without navigating complex menus or understanding system architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The keyboard integrates multiple input functions into a single unified device. It combines pitch input (through staff-positioned keys), duration input (through dedicated duration keys), and note head selection (through the staff interface itself), eliminating the need for separate MIDI keyboards, computer keyboards, and mouse operations.
2Ease of operation
If existing input systems are used, then musical notation can be input, but multiple devices are required which decreases convenience
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges pitch input, duration input, and note head selection into a single keyboard device. The musical staff area handles pitch and note head input while the duration indicator area handles duration, combining functions that previously required separate MIDI keyboards, computer keyboards, and mice into one unified instrument.
3Productivity
If existing input systems are used, then musical notation symbols can be input, but different groups of symbols are distributed between different levels requiring switching between menus
Solution Approach 1:
The keyboard is segmented into functional areas: the musical staff area for pitch and note head input, and the duration indicator area for duration input. All symbol groups are made accessible from their respective areas without menu switching, allowing users to input any notation symbol directly from the appropriate section.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from a hierarchical menu structure to a spatial layout where different symbol groups are arranged in different areas of the keyboard. The musical staff area and duration indicator area are positioned adjacently, allowing users to access all symbols across different 'dimensions' of the keyboard without navigating through multiple interface levels.
4Productivity
If existing input systems are used, then musical notes can be input, but pitch and duration use different input methods requiring different devices
Solution Approach 1:
The keyboard merges pitch input and duration input into a single unified device. The musical staff area with its key groups handles pitch input, while the duration indicator area with dedicated duration keys handles duration input, allowing both parameters to be input simultaneously without switching between different devices or methods.
5Ease of operation
If existing input systems are used, then musical notation symbols can be input, but the system lacks unification of input methods making it hard to master
Solution Approach 1:
The keyboard provides a unified input method for all musical notation symbols. Whether inputting pitch, duration, note heads, or other notation elements, users always interact with the keyboard in the same way—pressing keys in the appropriate area—providing a consistent and universal interface that eliminates the need to learn different input methods for different symbol types.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to the digital music writing being a digital musical notation symbols input tool. The invention is a keyboard specially dedicated for digital input of musical notation symbols. The keyboard is used for digital input of sheet music. The keyboard can be implemented as a physical device and shaped as combination of images in a touch screen. Every musical notation symbol shall be inputted with the keyboard control element specially dedicated for input of such symbol. Novelty of the invention is that the keyboard is a device specially dedicated for input of musical notation which does not require any accessories; all the musical notation symbols can be inputted using this keyboard only with the combination of two actions: indication of the symbol's location and the symbol itself; all the symbols shall be inputted as such, not by indication of their values; all the symbols which consist of elements, which have the values of their own shall be inputted by elements; the note heads, located vertically in different positions on the musical staff shall be considered as independent signs.