Dear All, Denemo has just acquired a command to put the PC keyboard into a MIDI keyboard simulator mode. The idea is to use two rows of the normal pc keyboard as the white and black keys on a piano keyboard. In the attached image I stuck bits of black and white paper to the keys to give the idea of the layout.
Then invoking Input->PC Keyboard->Midi Simulation those keys become simulate an octave and a half from middle C. Everything the MIDI keyboard does, this does too - after entering the rhythm you can immediately start entering pitches and the cursor finds the start of the rhythm notes (in brown). From tomorrow's build chord entry is possible as well. There is no pedal but the Tab key starts entering a chord and a further press of the Tab key ends it. Escape finishes the simulation mode. While in this mode other keyboard shortcuts continue to work - only those two rows(*) and Esc are stolen, so you could delete or move with the arrows add slurs etc (and, of course, enter the rhythms on the Numeric Keypad, which would be the main purpose of pretending you had a MIDI keyboard). My bits of paper stuck on the keys doesn't give a good illusion, but I found that not looking at the keyboard I could play on it surprisingly well. There are transparent covers for keyboards, intended for preventing spilling coffee into the keys (search for Universal Silicone Keyboard Protector Skin - they sell for about a dollar/euro/pound on ebay). It may be one could be flipped over the keyboard and by coloring with white and black patches a good impression of a keyboard obtained. I won't have much reason to use this myself, but I think something like this has been asked for a few times in the past, so do try it out if you need it, and give any feedback, ideas etc via the mailing list. Richard (*) well not quite the whole of the two rows, where accidentals are missing between e and f, b and c, there are keys that still retain their original purpose.
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