System amd method for a song specific keyboard

Abstract

A melody based game system includes a controller, a computing unit, and a display. The controller has a limited number of programmable real keys configured to be manipulated by a player for playing one or more song segments and thereby providing game input. Each of the song segments includes one or more pitches and one or more of the programmable real keys are programmed to generate the one or more pitches comprised within each of the song segments, respectively. The computing unit communicates with the controller and includes a music application. The display is connected to the computing unit and is configured to display prompts for manipulating the one or more programmed real keys in coordination with playing of the one or more pitches of each of the song segments.

1 . A melody based game system configured to receive game input by playing one or more song segments comprising:
 a controller comprising a limited number of programmable real keys configured to be manipulated by a player for playing one or more song segments and thereby providing game input, and wherein each of said song segments comprises one or more pitches and wherein one or more of the programmable real keys are programmed to generate the one or more pitches comprised within each of the song segments, respectively;   a computing unit communicating with said controller and comprising a music application;   a display connected to said computing unit and configured to display prompts for manipulating the one or more programmed real keys in coordination with playing of the one or more pitches of each of the song segments;   wherein said music application simultaneously causes a song segment to be played and provides prompts indicating a manipulation sequence of the one or more programmed real keys corresponding to the playing of the one or more pitches of the song segment; and   wherein manipulation of the one or more programmed real keys by the player coinciding with the displayed prompts in pitch, intensity, and timing during the playing of the one or more pitches of the song segment causes a positive scoring event.   
     
     
         2 . The melody based game system of  claim 1 , wherein said computing unit comprises one of a computer, a tablet computer, an iPad™, an iPhone™, a Smartphone, a Playstation™, an Xbox™, a Wii™, a PlayStation™, a Nintendo DS™, a game controlling device or a handheld game controlling device. 
     
     
         3 . The melody based game system of  claim 1 , further comprising a database comprising musical recordings and data specific to each musical recording that associate pitches of each musical recording with a specific manipulation sequence of said real keys. 
     
     
         4 . The melody based game system of  claim 1 , wherein said musical recordings comprise one of song segments, song fragments, musical arrangements, instrumental musical pieces, or vocal musical pieces. 
     
     
         5 . The melody based game system of  claim 1 , wherein no manipulation of the one or more programmed real keys by the player coinciding with the displayed prompts or manipulation of the programmed real keys by the player not coinciding in pitch, intensity, and timing with the simultaneously displayed prompts during the playing of the one or more pitches of the song segment causes a negative scoring event. 
     
     
         6 . The melody based game system of  claim 1 , wherein the number of the programmable real keys is in the range between 3 and 11. 
     
     
         7 . The melody based game system of  claim 1 , wherein the number of the programmable real keys is seven. 
     
     
         8 . The melody based game system of  claim 1 , wherein the programmable real keys comprise touch areas defined on a screen of a touch enabled display. 
     
     
         9 . The melody based game system of  claim 1  wherein said computing unit comprises a tablet computer having a touch enabled display screen and wherein said controller and said programmable real keys comprise touch areas defined in said touch enabled display screen. 
     
     
         10 . The melody base game system of  claim 1 , wherein said one or more programmable real keys that are programmed to generate the one or more pitches comprised within each of the song segments are designated during the playing of each of the song segments with a designation comprising one of light, colors, shapes, numbers, letters, textures, font type, font size, or key relative position. 
     
     
         11 . The melody based game system of  claim 1 , wherein a melody of any length comprising a plurality of song segments is played by sequential reprogramming of the programmable real keys. 
     
     
         12 . The melody based game system of  claim 1 , further comprising a bidirectional communication mechanism between said computing unit and said controller. 
     
     
         13 . The melody based game system of  claim 1 , wherein said prompts comprise lighted prompts that move along paths terminating onto the programmed real keys. 
     
     
         14 . A melody based game system configured to receive game input by playing one or more song segments comprising:
 a tablet computer comprising a touch enabled display screen and a music application;   a controller comprising a limited number of programmable real keys configured to be manipulated by a player for playing one or more song segments and thereby providing game input, and wherein each of said song segments comprises one or more pitches and wherein one or more of the programmable real keys are programmed to generate the one or more pitches comprised within each of the song segments, respectively;   wherein said music application simultaneously causes a song segment to be played and provides prompts indicating a manipulation sequence of the one or more programmed real keys corresponding to the playing of the one or more pitches of the song segment;   wherein said controller and said programmable real keys comprise touch areas defined in said touch enabled display screen and wherein said prompts are displayed on said touch enabled display screen; and   wherein manipulation of the one or more programmed real keys by the player coinciding with the prompts in pitch, intensity, and timing during the playing of the one or more pitches of the song segment causes a positive scoring event.   
     
     
         15 . A method for a melody based game system configured to receive game input by playing one or more song segments comprising:
 providing a controller comprising a limited number of programmable real keys configured to be manipulated by a player for playing one or more song segments and thereby providing game input, and wherein each of said song segments comprises one or more pitches and wherein one or more of the programmable real keys are programmed to generate the one or more pitches comprised within each of the song segments, respectively;   providing a computing unit communicating with said controller and comprising a music application;   providing a display connected to said computing unit and configured to display prompts for manipulating the one or more programmed real keys in coordination with playing of the one or more pitches of each of the song segments;   wherein said music application simultaneously causes a song segment to be played and provides prompts indicating a manipulation sequence of the one or more programmed real keys corresponding to the playing of the one or more pitches of the song segment; and   wherein manipulation of the one or more programmed real keys by the player coinciding with the displayed prompts in pitch, intensity, and timing during the playing of the one or more pitches of the song segment causes a positive scoring event.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said computing unit comprises one of a computer, a tablet computer, an iPad™, an iPhone™, a Smartphone a Playstation™, an Xbox™, a Wii™, a PlayStation™, a Nintendo DS™, a game controlling device or a handheld game controlling device. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising providing a database comprising musical recordings and data specific to each musical recording that associate pitches of each musical recording with a specific manipulation sequence of said real keys. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said musical recordings comprise one of song segments, song fragments, musical arrangements, instrumental musical pieces, or vocal musical pieces. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein no manipulation of the one or more programmed real keys by the player coinciding with the displayed prompts or manipulation of the programmed real keys by the player not coinciding in pitch, intensity, and timing with the simultaneously displayed prompts during the playing of the one or more pitches of the song segment causes a negative scoring event. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the number of the programmable real keys is in the range between 3 and 11. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the number of the programmable real keys is seven. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said one or more programmable real keys that are programmed to generate the one or more pitches comprised within each of the song segments are designated during the playing of each of the song segments with a designation comprising one of light, colors, shapes, numbers, letters, textures, font type, font size, or key relative position. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein a melody of any length comprising a plurality of song segments is played by sequential reprogramming of the programmable real keys. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein said computing unit comprises a tablet computer having a touch enabled display screen and wherein said controller and said programmable real keys comprise touch areas defined in said touch enabled display screen.