ECE476 KEYBOARD MANIA

by Carole-Jean Wu & Yang Ching Chang

 

INTRODUCTION

 

HIGH LEVEL DESIGN

 

PROGRAM/HARDWARE DESIGN

 

RESULTS

 

CONCLUSION

 

APPENDIX A: CODE

APPENDIX B: SCHEMATICS

APPENDIX C: PARTS LISTING

APPENDIX D: TASKS

 

REFERENCE

 

 

 

 

Carole-Jean Wu

Yang Ching Chang

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

INTRODUCTION

 

“Keyboard mania gives users an opportunity to learn and gain a unique taste of playing an electronic piano without the presence of a music teacher.”

 

 

 

 

Summary of our Project

We designed an electronic musical instrument, called keyboard mania, able to play an octave of notes with additional features. Features include a menu for user to practice a variety of pre-coded scores. The TV displays the chosen score on the screen and also outputs sounds while the user can play the chosen piano score using the computer keyboard. There is a pacer below every note in each line of the piano score guiding the tempo of the piano score which functions as a tempo indicator. Above every note in each line of the piano score, there is a check mark which informs the correctness of the piano key pressed.

 

Rationale and Sources of our Project Idea

In the recent decades, we are able to transform analog signals of musical instruments to digital music. With advancement in technologies, we can create, record, and edit music using a computer. As well, we can mimic the sounds of music instruments, such as electronic guitar or piano, with today’s technology. Therefore, we decide to design an electronic musical instrument, called keyboard mania. Our keyboard mania has wide applicability as it not only serves as an electronic musical instrument, but also could enable users to practice piano scores in a virtual classroom without the presence of a piano teacher. It provides users a rare opportunity to gain a unique taste of what it is like to play an electronic musical instrument. In addition, the design would save on human resource, music teachers, since users can practice on their own with video and audio results output on the TV. Last but not least, our keyboard mania is very economical, but yet provides a relatively good sound quality and a user-friendly interface. It gives students, who begin to learn piano but cannot afford a YAMAHA keyboard/piano or piano lessens, a chance to learn piano on their own.