Teaching instrument for keyboard music instruction

Claim 2

A teaching instrument for music instruction wherein a student is provided with preprogrammed audio instructions accompanied by activation of sound producers, indicator lamps, or both, to illustrate the audio instructions, comprising; a set of electrically operated sound producers for a musical instrument; a set of playing keys connected to corresponding sound producers and being operable by a student to play said musical instrument; a first set of electrical switches corresponding to and operable to activate said sound producers; a set of electrically operated lamp indicators corresponding to and associated with said playing keys for identifying said keys and indicating operations to be carried out by the student in playing said instrument; a second set of electrical switches corresponding tO and operable to activate said lamp indicators, a magnetic tape recorder having an audio channel carrying prerecorded audio instructions and a digital channel carrying prerecorded digital signals, said channels being simultaneously operable to produce synchronized audio instructions and digital signals, respectively; decoding means connecting said digital channel through said first set of switches to said electrically operated sound reproducers and through said second set of switches to said electrically operated lamp indicators and responsive to digital signals in said digital channel to selectively activate said sound reproducers and corresponding lamp indicators; speed control means connected to said recorder for selectively increasing and decreasing the speed thereof to permit variation in the pace of instruction; and additional decoding means responsive to digital signals in said digital channel for selectively activating and deactivating said first and second sets of switches whereby said sets of sound producers and lamp indicators may be selectively activated for instructing a student.

Claim 3

The teaching instrument of claim 1, further including a filmstrip projector, and projector control means connected to said additional decoding means, said additional decoding means being responsive to digital signals in said digital channel to operate said projector.

Claim 4

A teaching instrument for keyboard music instruction comprising: a first set of accompaniment playing keys arranged for convenient opeation by a student''s left hand; a second set of solo playing keys arranged for convenient operation by a student''s right hand; a first set of electrically operated sound producers associated respectively with said first set of playing keys; a second set of electrically operated sound producers associated respectively with said sound set of playing keys; a first set of electric indicator lamps located adjacent said first set of playing keys; a second set of electric indicator lamps located adjacent said second set of playing keys; a magnetic tape player having a first audio channel and a second digital channel; an amplifier and a translating device connected to said first audio channel; a decoder connected to said digital channel, said decoder having a first series of accompaniment DC output terminals, a second series of solo DC output terminals, and a third series of control output terminals, all of said output terminals capable of being energized selectively with DC potential in response to data prerecorded on said digital channel; first electrically operated switch means for selectively connecting said first series of accompaniment DC output terminals to operate said first set of electrically operated sound producers; second electrically operated switch means for selectively connecting said first series of accompaniment DC output terminals to operate said first set of electric indicator lamps; third electrically operated switch means for selectively connecting said second series of solo DC output terminals to operate said second set of electrically operated sound producers; fourth electrically operated switch means for selectively connecting said second series of solo DC output terminals to operate said second set of electric indicator lamps; and connections between said third series of control output terminals and said electrically operated switch means for causing the selective operation thereof.

Claim 5

A teaching instrument for keyboard music instruction comprising: a first set of accompaniment playing keys arranged for convenient opeation by a student''s left hand; a second set of solo playing keys arranged for convenient operation by a student''s right hand; a first set of electrically operated sound producers associated respectively with said first set of playing keys; a second set of electrically operated sound producers associated respectively with said sound set of playing keys; a first set of electric indicator lamps located adjacent said first set of playing keys; a second set of electric indicator lamps located adjacent said second set of playing keys; a magnetic tape player having a first audio channel and a second digital channel; an amplifier and a translating device connected to said first audio channel; a decoder connected to said digital channel, said decoder having a first series of accompaniment DC output terminals, a second series of solo DC output terminals, and a third series of control output terminals, all of said output terminals capable of being energized selectively with DC potential in response to data prerecorded on said digital channel; first electrically operated switch means for selectively connecting said first series of accompaniment DC output terminals to operate said first set of electrically operated sound producers; second electrically operated switch means for selectively connecting said first series of accompaniment DC output terminals to operate said first set of electric indicator lamps; third electrically operated switch means for selectively connecting said second series of solo DC output terminals to operate said second set of electrically operated sound producers; fourth electrically operated switch means for selectively connecting said second series of solo DC output terminals to operate said second set of electric indicator lamps; and connections between said third series of control output terminals and said electrically operated switch means for causing the selective operation thereof.

Claim 6

A teaching instrument according to claim 3, said instrument including a third set of pedal keys, said decoder further including a fourth series of pedal DC output terminals capable of being energized selectively with DC potential in response to data prerecorded on said digital channel, a third set of electrically operated sound producers associated respectively with said third set of pedal keys, and fifth electrically operated switch means for selectively connecting said fourth series of pedal DC output terminals to operate said third set of electrically operated sound producers.

Claim 7

A teaching instrument according to claim 3 and in which said magnetic tape player includes an on terminal, an off terminal and a repeat terminal for controlling its operation by the application of operating potentials to said terminals; a source of operating potential; an on switch connected between said source of operating potential and said on terminal; a repeat switch connected between said source of operating potential and said repeat terminal, and means controlled by said third decoder series of terminals for applying operating potential to said off terminal in response to data recorded on said digital channel.