CHROMATONE／クロマトーンの説明

[PawelWysocki]

now play C major on that keyboard

[MrMultiCyrus]

@PawelWysocki Just press 1-5-8 ;)

[321pocoyo]

wheres is the central C?

[GATTAPADRE]

The black & white keyboard has a good mental reference map missing here.

That's good for finding your starting point or where to make leaps to, so has an advantage over this.

I think this keyboard would be good for new learners to start on, but to give more of a mental map, I would use different colours on keys, one colour for each note of an octave repeating them. That would put adults off switching to this, but for beginners it looks like a good system to start and continue with.

[drgnfrc13]

Awesome, how much do these cost?

[harmono]

I originally played guitar then learned keyboards also, because I like the synth sounds. But I have yet to learn all the scales, and I like to improvise.

[mefodich]

It looks like guitar tuning.

[NailaX]

As a pianist, I think I'd prefer the regular (old?) style piano.

Yes transposing seems easier, but when you're trying to do more complicated things which involve knowledge of scales and keys the positioning of the black and white notes make it EASIER. Not harder. Having the notes with the same spacing on the Chromatone may make it more difficult.

That being said I'd love to play one.

[guitarguy42394]

sounds kinda like benzaie.

[fr3d420]

But thats digital. :P Do they have an acoustic?

[ericoschmitt]

@fr3d420 yes, it was invented about 1880 i think, its the Janko Piano. the key size isnt exactly the same, but the layout is the same of chromatone

[grraadd]

@fr3d420 check this link: squeezehead[dot]com/uniform-ke­yboard

[puddingpimp]

@fr3d420 You can convert a regular piano to a Janko keyboard by removing the keys and replacing them with Janko keys (assuming you can find or have made keys for your piano). The rest of the piano action remains the same.

[realraven2000]

IF the alignment of the fingers does not change from one chords to the next, how do you play legato? Its the change of the fingers that makes phrasing and speed less effort. Also I would be worried about dynamics with such small keys.

[nhsolarguy]

@realraven2000

I play a chromatic accordion, which is simliar (but a different pattern). Dynamics are better - buttons are faster, and you don't have speed, depth, or distance differences from the front of the key to the back.

[jackchabe]

Why could I need this one instead of a regular keyboard?? This is stupid, for nerds.

[sweetlikeADAM]

Now make it an acoustic piano with the same keyboard style!

[IraaGaines]

@sweetlikeADAM It has been done! Look up the Jankó Keyboard on Wikipedia. Paul von Jankó designed it in 1882 and it was praised by the great pianists of the time, but (tragically!) it didn't catch on. The Chromatone is based on Jankó's design.

[sweetlikeADAM]

@IraaGaines Wow, interesting. Thanks! I'm going to read up on this.

[jazzlito]

"technicly easier" doesn't mean "better"! .. it probably isn't better

[jazzlito]

didn't say it's bad.. just wondering if it's really necessary to establish who's the winner.. what the hell, play whatever you like!

[123DTREY123]

I think a NORMAL keyboard is easyer for me lol

[teodortenchev]

I think it's ugly.

[specialross77]

@teodortenchev

It is ugly, looks like a dig typewriter. But I still want one. :)

[specialross77]

@specialross77

*big typewriter

[djaq000arkadian]

my school just got this Yamaha Chromatone piano and for 1hour of learning it , it was more faster to play than regular piano cuz I can do a fast solo without jumping my hands to C3 to C5 :) its really a future of piano

[quartercherries]

invention was taken by child protective services and so it's mother illicitly adopted boredom as her chosen son.

[scarred123]

HAHAHAHAAHAHAHAHHA what does this mean!?!@?

[olirain]

theres a reason why they piano was not made like that....

[watercolour]

Hi, it is because when piano was invented, there wasn't any plastic, and wood was much easier to be crafted with straight lines and regular shape.

So they need to achieve ease of manufacturing in expense of the player's efficiency. Human's hands are not parallel when stretched, they are angled. Chromatic keyboard solved those issue. Playing instrument isn't about how difficult to play, but about efficiency.

Piano itself was evolved from another less effective instrument, remember?

[CxC2007]

Stupid, its a wast of time, lern in a REAL keybord, or Piano, It will NEVER exist a Chopin Competition performed in this SHIT !

[watercolour]

u r the idiot, even piano has been changed since the time of Chopin.

Chopin himself didn't use the same type of piano that we use today.

[CxC2007]

Keys still the same.

[watercolour]

but modern pianos are easier to play.

[watercolour]

and chromatic keyboard are easier to play than modern piano.

[CxC2007]

uhm, I can't say no to that.

[apelsinljuice]

the future is here! or maybe only in japan..

[ChinoRdrgz]

check out Yamaha's instrument, the "Tenori-On". developed by yamaha japan & toshio iwai, the instrument is comprised of 256 LED lights. you press a light, it lights up & makes noise. modes/scales built in for ease of understanding.

check it out, they're awesome little instruments!

[junkmouth1]

This thing is ridiculous.

[Adamfort08]

Bach is turning in his grave. This is horrible. Cut. Print. GAY.

[watercolour]

Adamfort08, when the piano was invented in the 18th century, even Bach (as a harpsichord player) himself was quite disapproval regarding the piano.

The fact is, people always feel disapproval to new things, and fail to see its greatness because it is more comfortable to stick with what u r used to.

[CaramelMarshmallow]

@watercolour That's because the piano was nothing like it is today. Besides, towards the end of his life, he did approve of the new model that Cristifori showed him.

This is an entirely new way of playing the instrument. The harpsichord and piano have the same keyboard. This is just extremely confusing.

[KDBJR617]

this shit looks to hard....I rather stay with the piano

[dewaldjacobs86]

sick...it seems to be almost like guitar becuae of the shapes that stays the same

[plimbuff]

I agree completely with dk215.

I believe this does not work too well without at least any markings where e.g. the C is.

And even with (colored) markings, the hand would have no tactile pointer on the keyboard -- which is very important because playing does to a large part happen "blindly".

Also, the considerably bigger surface area on a traditional keyboard is much more safe for the fingers to land on in fast playing.

Is there any difficult classical played on this instrument????

[tinyctlo]

this is good for beginners for sure. Impossible for someone who already plays piano! i think? hahaha

[dk215]

I believe this does not work too well without at least any markings where e.g. the C is.

And even with (colored) markings, the hand would have no tactile pointer on the keyboard -- which is very important because playing does to a large part happen "blindly".

Also, the considerably bigger surface area on a traditional keyboard is much more safe for the fingers to land on in fast playing.

Is there any properly played music (say a Bach invention) done ont this keyboard?

[darksideofdarkness]

dk215: hmmm I afraid that you are completely wrong. I strongly recommend you to check other videos such as any of nigirizushi3. I did not see classic, but this guy play some complex jazz pieces (you can see for example traditional song "Donna Lee" on youtube in /watch?v=mTRtCgaAEDE). But you will see how natural the fingering is.

it's hard to think in a different way, but I think all is about perspective. You have to move what is called "normal". Janko is much more "logic" than the piano...

[dk215]

Maybe that's because he is a bass player first place (the bass is very good), maybe it's because the Chromatone's action is poor compared to a real Janko which has a real piano action behind it.

Donna Lee has some awkward jumps for a standard keyboard, but this tempo is nothing revolutionary. Easily done on a piano, even faster, and certainly more accurate.

[dk215]

Oops... YouTube swallowed my first reply (split into two):

Thanks for the comment; I am always open to new ideas!

The guy's playing in that example, however, is really sloppy. Very uneven dynamics, lots of swallowed notes, no good rhythm. Hardly an endorsement.

[jdean9]

google walter rehberg he made some recordings on a janko piano which has the same layout as this

[JimWAllan]

Sorry to shout but...

WHY DOESN'T ANYONE MAKE A STRAIGHFORWARD JANKO-PIANO STYLE MIDI CONTROLLER?????!!!!!!!

The Janko keyboard layout was endorsed by Franz Liszt and Artur Rubinstien, yet only this discusting chromatone Janko rip-off is available, which looks more like a typewriter than a musical instrument. We don't want these cheapo buttons, we want proper keys. The player's hands look awkward, the fingers don't 'dance' over the keys, they just press buttons!

[Challa4me]

Cool!