Keyboard system for multi-student training and visualization

Abstract

Embodiments generally relate to providing a multi-user keyboard system. In one embodiment, a multi-user keyboard system comprises a display screen, a first keyboard apparatus, a second keyboard apparatus, and one or more digital processors, all operably connected together. The display screen is viewable simultaneously by first and second users of the first and second keyboard apparatuses. An image directly related to the use of at least one of the keyboard apparatuses by a corresponding user is displayed on the display screen by at least one of the one or more digital processors.

We claim:  
     
         1 . A multi-user keyboard system comprising:
 a display screen operably connected to a first keyboard apparatus, a second keyboard apparatus, and one or more digital processors;   wherein the display screen is viewable simultaneously by a first user of the first keyboard apparatus and a second user of the second keyboard apparatus; and   wherein an image, directly related to the use of at least one of the first and second keyboard apparatuses by a corresponding one of the first and second users, is displayed on the display screen by at least one of the one or more digital processors.   
     
     
         2 . The keyboard system of  claim 1 , wherein the display screen, the first keyboard apparatus, and the second keyboard apparatus are positioned substantially in the same plane. 
     
     
         3 . The keyboard system of  claim 1 , wherein the displayed image includes a visual cue to prompt either the first user to press a key on the first keyboard apparatus or the second user to press a key on the second keyboard apparatus. 
     
     
         4 . The keyboard system of  claim 3 , wherein the visual cue is displayed in spatial association with the key cued to be pressed. 
     
     
         5 . The keyboard system of  claim 4 , wherein the spatial association includes displaying the visual cue in linear alignment, as viewed by the prompted user, with the key cued to be pressed. 
     
     
         6 . The keyboard system of  claim 1 , wherein one of the one or more digital processors determines when a key is pressed by either one of the first and second users, and causes the displayed image to include a visualization feature associated with the key determined to have been pressed. 
     
     
         7 . The keyboard system of  claim 6 , wherein the visualization feature is displayed in spatial association with the pressed key. 
     
     
         8 . The keyboard system of  claim 7 , wherein the spatial association includes displaying the visualization feature in linear alignment, as viewed by whichever of the first or second users pressed the key, with the key determined to have been pressed. 
     
     
         9 . The keyboard system of  claim 7 , wherein a first coordinate system in the plane of the display screen corresponds to the first user, a second coordinate system in the plane of the display screen corresponds to the second user, and the displayed visualization feature is located at a position, relative to the coordinate system corresponding to whichever of the first and second users pressed the key, determined by the location of the pressed key relative to the keyboard apparatus including the pressed key. 
     
     
         10 . A multi-user keyboard system comprising:
 a display screen operably connected to a first keyboard apparatus and one or more digital processors;   wherein the display screen displays a virtual keyboard apparatus; and   wherein an image, directly related to the use of at least one of the first keyboard apparatus by a first user and the virtual keyboard apparatus by a second user, and simultaneously viewable by the first and second users, is displayed on the display screen by at least one of the one or more digital processors.   
     
     
         11 . The keyboard system of  claim 1 , wherein the display screen is the display screen of a tablet computer. 
     
     
         12 . The keyboard system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first keyboard apparatus and the second keyboard apparatus includes a piano-type keyboard. 
     
     
         13 . The keyboard system of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first keyboard apparatus and the second keyboard apparatus includes a qwerty-type keyboard. 
     
     
         14 . A method for providing a musical experience shared by a first user and a second user, the method comprising the following act performed by one or more digital processors:
 displaying an image on a display screen operably connected to a first piano-style keyboard apparatus, a second piano-style keyboard apparatus, and the one or more digital processors, the displayed image being directly related to the use of the first piano-style keyboard apparatus by the first user and the use of the second piano-style keyboard apparatus by the second user.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the display screen, the first keyboard apparatus, and the second keyboard apparatus are positioned substantially in the same plane. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the displayed image includes a visual cue to prompt at least one of the first and second users to press a key on the corresponding keyboard apparatus, the visual cue being displayed in spatial association with the key to be pressed. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein one of the one or more digital processors determines when a key is pressed by either one of the first and second users, and displays a visualization feature associated with the key determined to have been pressed on the display screen. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the visualization feature is displayed in spatial association with the pressed key. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein a first coordinate system in the plane of the display screen corresponds to the first user, a second coordinate system in the plane of the display screen corresponds to the second user, and the displayed visualization feature is located at a position, relative to the coordinate system corresponding to whichever of the first and second users pressed the key, determined by the location of the pressed key relative to the keyboard apparatus including the pressed key. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising the act, performed by one of the one or more digital processors, of playing a musical composition.