Piggyback unit?

[David Randolph]

Dear All:

I am new to the group. In reading some past posts, I see references to a "Janko converter." Is this the same thing as the "piggyback unit" envisioned by Paul Vandervoort back in the '70s? From Contemporary Keyboard, December 1976:

Vandervoort is currently developing a piggyback unit to be set on top of any existing keyboard, so that musicians can experiment with his system conveniently and inexpensively.

Was such a unit ever developed? Is there any documented on the process for building one?

I am interested in working on a purely mechanical project like this, which I assume would be similar to what I see at https://sites.google.com/site/stephenmoseson/projects/janko-keyboard. But I would prefer an apparatus that that does not have to be glued to the piano keys, as was apparently done in Stephen's project. Has anyone built anything similar to this?

Many thanks,
Dave

[Johannes Drinda]

Hi David,

Yes... I built the same type of Kbd, but only 3 layers (years, ago). See my PDF in the attachment.
 Cheers, Joh

_____________________________________________________
Show me yours and I'll show you mine...  Here's mine:
http://jdrinda.tripod.com/ and http://www.web-und-print-design.de/drinda

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Date: Thu, 2 Aug 2012 15:15:14 -0700
From: da...@tuningbell.com
To: diyke...@googlegroups.com
Subject: [diykeyboard] Piggyback unit?

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[Paul Vandervoort]

Yes, I did develop a single piggy-back keyboard which I used professionally for many years with a Fender Rhodes electric piano.  I also played numerous conventional pianos with it.  It works quite well.

I recently decided to offer it for sale.  My price for the keyboard (including carrying case) is US$3,000 plus shipping.  I took some color photos of the keyboard last week.  I am sending these and additional info about the keyboard to your email address, since they are several megabytes, and I don't want to clutter the diykeyboard site.  If anyone else would like to view these files, l am happy to send them.

Paul Vandervoort

[David Randolph]

Dear Joh:

I will probably end up taking an approach like the one you describe. Thanks for sharing your detailed documentation.

But I still want to think about a less "invasive" design. Paul Hirsh's designs look very elegant and easily removable. Does anyone have any experience with them?

Thanks again,
Dave

[Johannes Drinda]

Hi Dave,

I wished it would fit my Tyros Kbd, for it doesn't!!  Also, any such elegant plastic creations are very, very expensive.
Hence, the fact that many Kbds have different key sizes and key down depths and that adds to its costs. Thus, I'm afraid we won't be ever able to buy a Janko adapter which fits our particular Kbd, unless an Einstein brain arises from the ashes... and creates such an all Kbds fitting Janko adapter, you are dreaming about!
At least I am already half-way there, for I already created my very personal "Janko notation" (adapter), which converts WYSIWYG Klavarskribo notation into my preferred Janko notation. Otherwise it would be much harder to relearn the Janko Kbd layout.

On eBay I already ordered those cheap, square (20mm x 20mm) buttons for a 6-layer Janko Kbd layout for my Tyros Kbd. It seems you used the same buttons in your project?

Regards, Joh from St'go de Chile

_____________________________________________________
Show me yours and I'll show you mine...  Here's mine:
http://jdrinda.tripod.com/ and http://www.web-und-print-design.de/drinda

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Date: Fri, 3 Aug 2012 16:03:30 -0700
From: da...@tuningbell.com
To: diyke...@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: [diykeyboard] Piggyback unit?