A set of teaching methods and system for implementing such teaching methods is disclosed for helping a music student learn how become more familiar with a keyboard and music in general. A set of drills and exercises are presented which will increase a student's musical ability far faster than can be achieved by traditional teaching methods. In addition, a set of humorous characters Moreover, a system is presented which will allow implementation of these exercises.

The present invention provides a computer-assisted method and a computer system for teaching a student to play a musical instrument having a keyboard, in particular a piano, which requires and allows the student to listen to a piece of music, before playing the music by analyzing and imitating what is heard and reading the notation of the music. The method and the system of the present invention enable the process of learning piano to become a fun and enjoyable game.

A method of playing a musical keyboard comprises four main steps. The first step involves providing a guide comprising multiple columns aligned with keys on the musical keyboard. The columns are further divided into rows defining multiple blocks containing color codes and numbers. The numbers are arranged in arithmetic progression in each color code extending across a single row. The second step involves playing a first key on the musical keyboard based on a selected color code represented in each predetermined row. The third step involves playing the subsequent keys on the musical keyboard as per the arithmetic progression of numbers in the subsequent rows. The fourth step involves shifting to a subsequent row of the sheet, to start playing a selected key and the subsequent keys on the musical keyboard based on the next color code and corresponding numbers represented in the subsequent rows.

A display device displays a musical score image where musical notes indicative of individual tones or sounds constituting a music piece are arranged on a time axis and pitch axis. Pitch information indicative of one or more pitches is acquired in response to an operation on a keyboard, and a note matching any one of the one or more pitches indicated by the acquired pitch information is identified from among the notes included in the musical score image. When any note has been identified as matching any one of the one or more pitches indicated by the acquired pitch information, a display style of the matching note is changed. Only when no note has been identified as matching any one of the one or more pitches indicated by the acquired pitch information, a display mode of a portion of the musical score image other than the notes is changed.

Systems and methods for simplifying music rhythms based on multiple criteria are provided herein. A user inputs a musical selection, or chooses one from an existing library of musical selections, and inputs a player proficiency level. The user then receives a music notation selection that has been adjusted to display rhythms that are appropriate for that player's proficiency level. The system is capable of receiving information and adjusting music notation arrangements in real time.

A musical instrument indicator apparatus for aiding at least one user in learning to play at least one musical instrument, the musical instrument indicator apparatus includes: at least one user indicator device configured for attachment to at least one component of the at least one musical instrument and further configured to indicate when the at least one component of the at least one musical instrument should be used by the at least one user; and at least one controller configured to control indication from the at least one user indicator device.

According to embodiments of the present invention, a musical performance evaluation method utilizes a musical composition database stored on a server containing musical encodings of all notes to be performed in a musical composition. A student user performing requested musical composition for evaluation may use a client application from a client computing device to receive audio input from the performance and compare identified frequencies to intended frequencies, and identify deviations from pitch, rhythm, and tempo throughout the performance. Deviations may be identified by switching between several pitch detection algorithms based upon a type of note (single note, chord, or plucked string) expected to be played by a student user in real time. Factors for deducting from a performance pitch score and a performance rhythm score are determined and used to calculate a performance pitch score and a performance rhythm score. Error data and scores generated may be transmitted to a server and stored in a historical session database. A student user and an instructor user may review the historical session database to determine the student's progress in musical education.

The invention disclosed herein comprises a method for visually representing music to be played on a musical instrument by providing a tablature staff which is divided into individual measures by segmenting the tablature staff with measure lines. Each measure is then further divided into proportional time subdivisions using subdivision lines. Alphanumeric notes are then printed between these subdivision lines on the tablature staff, wherein each alphanumeric note represents a tone to be played on a musical instrument and wherein the duration of each alphanumeric note is indicated by the number of time subdivisions within a measure and its corresponding font size.

A stringless portable electronic training device for a stringed instrument, such as a contrabass, has the shape of a fingerboard with just enough neck to provide realistic left hand position, and just enough body to contain actuators corresponding with strings, electronics, a speaker, and an output jack. On the fingerboard are rows of push buttons corresponding with the location of the notes. The push buttons are held down to select notes which are sounded by actuators at a lower end of the fingerboard. Actuating without the pressing of a button produces the note of the open string. The actuators may include a set of flippers that replicate the plucking of strings and a set of elongated buttons that sustain a bowed sound as they are pressed down. The sound is produced electronically through a built-in speaker and/or output jack.

An apparatus to detect, analyze, record, and display audio data, including an input unit to allow a user to input musical notes corresponding to the audio data, a processor to analyze the musical notes and to save the musical notes into a file, and a display unit to display notes corresponding to the musical notes on a virtual instrument.