On Jun 18, 2009, at 5:41 AM, Horace Brock wrote:
The sharps were an afterthought, which is why they
are in a different plane from the white notes.
That may be the reason for the physical configuration of the keyboard,
but I thought there were ergonomic reasons (even before anyone had
thought of that term!). The configuration fits the fingers and thumb
- so much so that the chromatic irregularity of the resulting patterns
has not resulted in a re-design.
When I was in high school (1954), there was a girl who played an
accordion with a symmetrical keyboard design (perfectly easy
transposition!). It had two whole tone scales a half step apart (I'm
having a hard time describing this without a drawing - it make take
the proverbial thousand words). The part closest to the player
started on C, the next "manual," situated about as far back as the
spot where the beginning of the black keys would start, started on C#
and was displaced a half key space to the right. The keys were
colored black and white in the usual configuration but were all on the
same plane. Then there was a third manual that was part of the first,
the keys on the 1st and 3rd manual were one piece with parts cut out
in which the second manual fit. This was necessary to accommodate the
shape of the hand and fingers that needed to be able to move back and
forth (closer and further away from the player, according to the
required scale/chord shapes and how they fit in the hand). So this
extra manual had to be added because, as beautifully logical as the
configuration was for the way the brain understands things, every
similar chord or scale retained its pattern, half step transpositions
moved a half key (necessarily displacing either one manual closer or
further away, depending on where you started), whole step
transpositions merely shifted one key higher or lower, etc. It was
visually logical and intellectually compelling and made a lasting
impression, but no one uses it, because it does not fit the hand as
well as the brain. I guess our brains are more adaptable than our
bodies.
That took such along description, I wish there were a picture of it.
Chuck
BTW, my name is Horace Brock. I live in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and my
primary use of Finale is to transcribe my favorite music for brass
band. I'm currently working on Schubert's Unfinished Symphony, which
is working surprisingly well.
Horace
On Thu, 18 Jun 2009 14:33:50 +1000, you wrote:
Hi Chuck and others.
I've found Finale list to be a terrifically helpful bunch of folk.
I have
not yet had a problem that someone else didn't know the solution
to. And I
usually get interesting answers to non-Finale questions, too.
Can't resist asking somethingn that has intrigued me, that I have
not yet
foundn the answer to:
I hope I'm not making an idiot of myself here!
It seems that the modes predate keyboards. If this is correct, why
is it
that the standard modes
Ionian
Dorian
Phrygian
Lydian
Mixolydian
and
Aeolian
fit so beautifully on the white keys of our keyboards?
You would think that they had been derived from the keyboard, they
sit there
so easily.
David McKay
www.aussiemusician.blogspot.com
Piano and Musicianship teacher
Father of four, two of whom eke out an existence [very enjoyable but
Spartan] as musicians, and grandfather of three terrific grandsons,
and
husband of Joan, who made it all possible and who is now joining me
in using
Finale.
2009/6/18 Chuck Israels <[email protected]>
I'd be happy to know more about the people with whom I
correspond. I visit
websites whenever they are posted in the signatures. The URL
below will
tell more about my history than some might care to explore.
Anyway, I'm
happy to share it and curious about others. I've met some
(including Jari
Williamson on a trip that took me to Gothenburg a few years ago),
and it has
always been interesting. I've made a few friends and learned some
things
about the folks who have been generous with their help.
Chuck
On Jun 17, 2009, at 8:15 PM, Noel Stoutenburg wrote:
Friends,
Back in December 2004 - January 2005, there was a thread devoted
to bios,
who we were, and where we are. Is it time to revisit this thread?
Noel Stoutenburg
Finale User since version 2k;
Principal interests: choral music, chamber music, hymns.
Dallas, Texas.
_______________________________________________
Finale mailing list
[email protected]
http://lists.shsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/finale
Chuck Israels
230 North Garden Terrace
Bellingham, WA 98225-5836
phone (360) 671-3402
fax (360) 676-6055
www.chuckisraels.com
_______________________________________________
Finale mailing list
[email protected]
http://lists.shsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/finale
_______________________________________________
Finale mailing list
[email protected]
http://lists.shsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/finale
Chuck Israels
230 North Garden Terrace
Bellingham, WA 98225-5836
phone (360) 671-3402
fax (360) 676-6055
www.chuckisraels.com
_______________________________________________
Finale mailing list
[email protected]
http://lists.shsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/finale
