What if you had a MIDI controller where you could tell it "The Key of D" and all of the keys in the key of D would light up so you would know which keys you could use to stay within that key. You could further implement further parameters like flats, minors, fifths, whatever and all of the keys that fall within your parameters would light up.

I use coloured tape and put little squares on my keyboard so that if I want to play in "A" for example, I have a quick way to see the notes while noodling. A keyboard set up to do this with little lights on the keys would be way cooler and quicker to change around than tape! Not to mention, keep your keyboard from getting sticky like mine!

Quote Distinct Broadcasting:

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all of the keys in the key of D would light up

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Which keys is that, then ?

erm ...... transpose function and play everything in C ..?

(or A minor... lol)

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Veni, Vidi, Aesculi
(I came, I saw, I conkered)

I'm pretty sure the lame home entry level keyboards have these kinds of easy-play-along features. If you're learning music, might not be a bad idea to pick one of those things up. If they have a MIDI out or USB port you could also use them as a controller.

Quote desmond:

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lame home entry level keyboards

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The concept doesn't have to dwell in the "lame keyboard only" category. Why not on an Akai or M-Audio? It wouldn't be for the purpose of learning how to play the piano, it would be for the purpose of programming quickly while trying to write in a particular key.

I've been taping my keyboards for years during song writing sessions, if you don't "play" the piano but you sequence melodies it is a handy trick.

Not what you were asking about, but if you are interested in a different approach to a MIDI keyboard that is designed around harmonic relationships you might want to look at the AXiS from C-Thru Music.

Andy

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When the going gets weird, the Weird turn Pro.

I think its a great idea though I've never seen it. Maybe if manufacturers are reading they can use the idea. Or try emailing the suggestion to them.

If anything there is prob software to display it on your screen. Not as good but easier to implement. Maybe someone makes a midi plugin for daw that displays this.

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Gear list: If you can't find it, grind it

There was a Casio piano which had keys which lit up - not sure if that did 'keys' as well but worth googling.

However, I would seriously question the value of what you are doing. TTSTTTS is not radically difficult to remember and once you get the hang of that, it's all plain sailing. There are other strategies as well - look at the standard progression for 12 bar blues. It is 1-4-5, so for C, it would be C, F and G which results in the notes C, E, G, F, A, B at the very least (think of the triads under your hands). The key of E (as favoured by stringists) would be chords E, A and B resulting in the notes E, G#, B, A, C#, F#, D#. etc. So for major scales, it gets easier. Then all you have to remember is the relationship between major and minor scales (drop 3 semitones) so a key of A minor would be the notes in the scale of C major. Simples.

By sticking coloured tape on keys, I would worry that you are limiting what you can do. I'm no classically trained muso, but if a numpty like me can wrap my head around it, then _anyone_ can.



Oh .. and guitarists cheat and learn the pentatonic scale which only needs five notes and spans multiple keys. And quite a few of them make a living from it ..



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Veni, Vidi, Aesculi
(I came, I saw, I conkered)

It's how I roll!

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Edited by Distinct Broadcasting (26/04/12 07:03 PM)