System and method of teaching music

Abstract

Teaching methods and systems for teaching music are described. The methods and systems can implement searching methods for helping a student learn how to become more familiar with a keyboard and music in general. The teaching methods and systems can include a set of drills and exercises can be presented to a student to in order to increase a student's musical ability far faster than can be achieved by traditional teaching methods and systems.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . A teaching method comprising:
 showing a student, by a teacher, a key signature comprising a set of one or more flat symbols or one or more sharp symbols, wherein the set identifies a musical key comprising a collection of tones with a tonal-center which corresponds to a name of the key signature;   showing the student, by the teacher, an icon that depicts features that visually represent relative placements of fingers to play keys on a keyboard corresponding to the collection of tones, within the musical key;   performing, by the teacher, one or more keys from the musical key in i) a series of individual keys or ii) three or more keys in a chord; and   instructing the student, by the teacher, to recall the one or more keys from the musical key performed by the teacher corresponding to the musical key of the key signature.   
     
     
         3 . The teaching method of  claim 2 , wherein the icon comprises one or more line segments, wherein each line segment of the one or more line segments represents a transition between two keys of the musical key, wherein each of the one or more line segments comprise one or more vertices located on a first axis or a second axis, wherein the first axis is located above the second axis. 
     
     
         4 . The teaching method of  claim 3 , wherein the icon further comprises a line segment with i) a first vertex located on the first axis and ii) a second vertex located on the second axis, wherein the line segment represents a transition between a black and a white key within the musical key. 
     
     
         5 . The teaching method of  claim 3 , wherein the icon further comprises a line segment with i) a first vertex located on the second axis and ii) and a second vertex located on the second axis, wherein the line segment represents a transition between a first white key followed by a second white key within the musical key. 
     
     
         6 . The teaching method of  claim 3 , wherein the icon further comprises a line segment with i) a first vertex located on the first axis and ii) a second vertex located on the first axis, wherein the line segment represents a transition between a first black key followed by a second black key within the musical key. 
     
     
         7 . The teaching method of  claim 3 , wherein the one or more line segments of the icon comprise a number of vertices on the first axis such that the number of vertices on the first axis corresponds to a combined number of flats and sharps within the musical key. 
     
     
         8 . The teaching method of  claim 3 , wherein the icon comprises a symbol located on the second axis, wherein the symbol conveys additional information to the student regarding playing a sharp key or a flat key that is also a white key within the musical key. 
     
     
         9 . The teaching method of  claim 3 , wherein the icon comprises a line segment that comprises a first vertex that represents playing a first key on the keyboard and a second vertex that represents playing a second key on the keyboard, wherein the first vertex is located left of the second vertex and the first key on the keyboard is located left of the second key on the keyboard. 
     
     
         10 . The teaching method of  claim 2 , wherein the icon is shown from a screen of a display device. 
     
     
         11 . The teaching method of  claim 2 , wherein the icon is shown from a page of printed materials. 
     
     
         12 . A music learning method comprising:
 displaying an icon that depicts features that visually represent relative placement of fingers to play keys on a keyboard corresponding to a collection of tones within a musical key, wherein the icon comprises one or more line segments, wherein each line segment of the one or more line segments represents a transition between two keys of the musical key, wherein each of the one or more line segments comprise one or more vertices located on a first axis or a second axis, wherein the first axis is located above the second axis;   receiving user input comprising i) a selection of a sequence of three or more keys of the keyboard within the musical key or ii) a name of a key signature that is visually represented as a musical notation having a set of one or more flat symbols or one or more sharp symbols on a musical work; and   evaluating the user input by comparing i) the selection of keys of the keyboard to the keys of the keyboard within the musical key or verifying ii) accuracy of the name of the key signature.   
     
     
         13 . The music learning method of  claim 12  wherein a vertex of the one or more vertices is located on the first axis, wherein the vertex represents playing a black key. 
     
     
         14 . The music learning method of  claim 12 , wherein receiving the user input comprises receiving the i) selection of keys of the keyboard responsive to a user playing keys of a keyboard. 
     
     
         15 . The music learning method of  claim 12 , wherein receiving the user input comprises receiving a selection of letters and symbols, representing keys of the keyboard, as part of the i) selection of keys of the keyboard. 
     
     
         16 . The music learning method of  claim 12 , wherein displaying, receiving, and evaluating are performed by a computing device. 
     
     
         17 . A piano-teaching icon set, comprising:
 a horizontal line disposed on a first axis;   a first line segment disposed on the horizontal line;   a second line segment disposed on a second axis that is parallel to the first axis;   a third line segment with a first vertex on the first axis and a second vertex on the second axis   a fourth line segment with a third vertex on the second axis and a fourth vertex on the first axis; and   a first piano teaching icon comprising a combination of at least one of the first line segment, the second line segment, the third line segment, or the fourth line segment to form a first feature that visually represents relative placement of fingers to play keys on a keyboard corresponding to a first collection of tones within a first musical key.   
     
     
         18 . The piano-teaching icon set of  claim 17  further comprising a second icon comprising a second combination of at least one of the first line segment, the second line segment, the third line segment, or the fourth line segment to form a second feature that visually represents relative placement of fingers to play keys on the keyboard corresponding to a second collection of tones within a second musical key that is different that the first musical key, and wherein a portion of the second feature and a portion of the first feature are in common such that one of the first line segment, the second line segment, the third line segment, or the fourth line in the second combination is also in the first combination. 
     
     
         19 . The piano-teaching icon set of  claim 17 , wherein the first line segment represents a transition between a first white key on the keyboard followed by a second white key on the keyboard. 
     
     
         20 . The piano-teaching icon set of  claim 17 , wherein the second line segment represents a transition between a first black key on the keyboard followed by a second black key on the keyboard 
     
     
         21 . The piano-teaching icon set of  claim 17 , wherein the third line segment represent a first transition between a white key on the keyboard and a black key on the keyboard, and wherein the fourth line segment represents a second transition between a black key on the keyboard and a white key on the keyboard.