KVR Audio

DeepFiber · Post by **DeepFiber** » Thu Oct 15, 2009 8:33 am

I wonder why it looks like this on a keyboard
W B W B W W B and so on instead of W B W B W B W B?

Whats the purpose of this with 2 whites in a row?

Shabdahbriah · Post by **Shabdahbriah** » Thu Oct 15, 2009 8:37 am

DeepFiber wrote:I wonder why it looks like this on a keyboard
W B W B W W B and so on instead of W B W B W B W B?

Whats the purpose of this with 2 whites in a row?

To make it less confusing as to WHERE the next "C" is. Could just be me though.

C00kie · Post by **C00kie** » Thu Oct 15, 2009 9:38 am

Because it is layed out for the major scale of C (Ionian mode) and not for hexatonic (augmented).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Major_scale
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hexatonic_scale

jopy · Post by **jopy** » Thu Oct 15, 2009 9:58 am

because if the scale works out with all white keys, the space from the 3rd to 4th scale degrees is only a half step (no black key in between); same thing with the space from the 7th to the 8th.

geroyannis · Post by **geroyannis** » Thu Oct 15, 2009 10:45 am

It just looks cooler this way.

Ogg Vorbis · Post by **Ogg Vorbis** » Thu Oct 15, 2009 12:46 pm

DeepFiber wrote:I wonder why it looks like this on a keyboard
W B W B W W B and so on instead of W B W B W B W B?

Whats the purpose of this with 2 whites in a row?

I suppose the keyboard could have been laid out BWBWBW etc. But having all the natural notes as white keys provides two advantages that I can see... one is that you have the "lower layer" as the natural "base" keys that are not flatted or sharped (at least in most keys) and the alterations would normally require a black key. This seems less confusing than having F#/Gb a white key on the same level as D or E.

The other thing that the break between black keys provides is a visual cue to the notes on the keyboard. You can see the pattern of black keys easily and just place your fingers where they need to go. If it were BWBWBW etc., then you'd have to color code the keys somehow...

ZombyWoof · Post by **ZombyWoof** » Thu Oct 15, 2009 12:54 pm

I think it's racism.

Aziraphal · Post by **Aziraphal** » Thu Oct 15, 2009 12:57 pm

ZombyWoof wrote:I think it's racism.

And reverse racism on harpsichord!

mellotronaut · Post by **mellotronaut** » Thu Oct 15, 2009 12:59 pm

i ate the rest

cheers

Shabdahbriah · Post by **Shabdahbriah** » Thu Oct 15, 2009 1:01 pm

ZombyWoof wrote:I think it's racism.

standalone · Post by **standalone** » Thu Oct 15, 2009 1:01 pm

It is widely reckoned as an homage paid by the keyboard's inventor to his mother's teeth.

Shabdahbriah · Post by **Shabdahbriah** » Thu Oct 15, 2009 1:03 pm

standalone wrote:It is widely reckoned as an homage paid by the keyboard's inventor to his mother's teeth.

He USED "his mothers" teeth...

egbert · Post by **egbert** » Thu Oct 15, 2009 1:11 pm

I'll give 7/5 odds it was invented by some jive-assed honky.

DeepFiber · Post by **DeepFiber** » Thu Oct 15, 2009 2:28 pm

C00kie wrote:Because it is layed out for the major scale of C (Ionian mode) and not for hexatonic (augmented).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Major_scale
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hexatonic_scale

This is greek for me.

thecontrolcentre · Post by **thecontrolcentre** » Thu Oct 15, 2009 2:33 pm

DeepFiber wrote:
C00kie wrote:Because it is layed out for the major scale of C (Ionian mode) and not for hexatonic (augmented).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Major_scale
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hexatonic_scale
This is greek for me.

No kidding?

Why is the number of black keys less?