mnailor wrote:Some things to consider when designing a proposed replacement for the traditional keyboard.
A brief intro to the organ might give the impression that keyboard players press buttons at the right time, and hold them until it's time to release the note. Even for the organ -- one of the least touch-sensitive keyboard instruments -- this is hardly even close to the artistry involved in musical keyboard touch.
Yes, for an electronic organ or electric action pipe organ, buttons are plausible enough for a beginner before you try to learn artistic phrasing, agogic accents, all the many types of connections between notes/chords and the space of time between them, and the effect of fingering sequence on the articulation for certain traditions. Those are all facilitated by the traditional keyboard layout, maybe mostly because that's what the composers wrote for.
You're right. I am not suggesting that the midi instrument now as I play would be able to replace the organ manuals. There would have to be developments on it in future models.
mnailor wrote:But most important a keyboardist plays *levers*, not buttons. The levers are connected to a mechanism that matters, for a tracker organ or clavichord, but much more so for a grand piano. The latter's mechanics are very little changed since the 19th century and most of the piano literature depends on it working the way it does to enable the nuances of the music.
Substituting buttons here is a little like saying a violinist should strum the strings, since that's enough to play chords if their left hand is nimble enough. All that bowing is just pointlessly hard!
Yes certainly. I am not suggesting the mechanics of how the instruments produce sound should be replaced - only modified to accommodate the keygrid layout - for the company / developer that decides to do so. And for the market that wants it.
mnailor wrote:The traditional layout of keys, which did evolve a bit since early organs moved away from big levers sticking out of a cabinet that you pounded with your fists, has been stable for centuries other than minor wrinkles like short octaves and split #/b keys. It has important properties that a matrix of buttons doesn't provide, even if the buttons are touch-sensitive.
That's aside from the benefits of having a common layout for students to learn the organ, piano, harpsichord, clavichord, and harmonium. Forgot the accordion.
This is certain. I am not suggesting an acoustic keygrid instrument simply be 'buttons'. But you do bring up an important point - properties that a matrix of buttons doesn't provide. This may indeed be a compromise - but to the degree it is important, we'll find out. Note that the size of the keygrid matrix can be modified, the keys on the keygrid can be made slightly bigger, etc. in the acoustic models I am proposing for thought.
mnailor wrote:The piano is the example that totally breaks alternative keyboard layouts. A student of the piano, attempting to reach the point where they can play even the simplest Chopin work, has to know how to use dozens of touches (all depending on that key lever, hammer throw physics, and escapement lever for repeated notes), how to use just the right arm weight to hep control tone from massive to leggiero, how to lead the hand with the elbow for lateral jumps or to help get the right degree of legato, when to rotate the forearm to pull slightly on one side of the hand to help get different note dynamics in the same chord, how to use movements of the wrist to assist in everything from playing octaves to repeated chords to pianissimo. It's just not all done by fingers.
I could drone on some more, but the point is, the keyboard layout and key lever mechanism are essential to most of two centuries of piano music, and no, there's not enough music written in just the 21st century to compensate for giving all that up.
You are right - to what degree this is possible on the keygrid is yet to be proven. I have the conviction that these elements of playing are possible on the keygrid layout, and it will take quite some time to get there to explore it.
mnailor wrote:Back to the organ, being able to reach 2 or 3 manuals (keyboards) close enough together to play notes using the thumb of the same hand playing on the next manual up is necessary for some music, so keyboards have to be designed to be close together but still not interfere with each other. Some organs need 4 - 5 manuals (okay, 7), so space and reach matter.
Keygrid 'manuals' could be designed to stack as manuals - this will take some development.
A different type of grid you can see here is the Soundplane https://madronalabs.com/soundplane
I show those to make it evident that keygrid layouts can also be more horizontal than square.
mnailor wrote:Does a pedalboard made up as a grid work well? At least you only need one pedalboard.
The keygrid is certainly an interesting idea.
I began learning on the pedalboard with Hauptwerk [a pedamidikit 27 key] - to have that capacity to play with my feet and explore organ music. I will not propose the 'pedalgrid' concept right now It will take longer than the keygrid to be considered. Although I have brainstormed a few ideas. As an instrument it would have to be made at some prototype level to least demonstrate the idea further.