Here are some youtube videos related to Virtual Trumpet that may
be helpful:
You play the Virtual Trumpet with your computer's
keyboard. There are some alternate keys (mentioned below),
but these are the main ones:
| Key(s) |
Description |
| B |
Blows the current note. Release the key and
blowing stops. |
| J |
Pushes the 1st valve down. |
| K |
Pushes the 2nd valve down. |
| L |
Pushes the 3rd valve down. |
| 1 through 8 |
Press your top row number keys (1 through 8) to
select the range segment or position number. Each of these
segments has a specific group of notes that can be played.
You can lift your finger from any of these numbers - range segments
are only switched on a key down event. |
| ESC |
Stops all notes from blowing - normally not
needed. |
Just like a real trumpet, you will need to press down any or all
combinations of the J, K, L (valve 1, 2, and 3) keys to play the
various notes. And just like a real trumpet, your "valving"
should be smooth and accurate.
If you are not pressing any valves down (using the J, K and/or
L) keyboard keys and you press B (blow) an "open" note will
play. With Virtual Trumpet there are 8 range segments and
each segment has only 1 open note.
The Virtual Trumpet has a "Range Segment" graphical indicator
display that will show you which "segment" you're in. This
indicator can also give you hints as to when you'll need to switch
ranges in order to get to the next group of notes. But like a
real trumpet, you can jump around the range segments as the music
requires.
» Virtual
Trumpet Fingering Chart
Using the J, K and L keys
for the valves (where your right hand is on the computer
keyboard when you type) seemed like the best choice. Not
all laptop keyboards have a number key group. That said, I
did implement the right-most number keys (NUM PAD 1, 2, 3) which
correspond to the Virtual Trumpet valves 1, 2 and 3.
Additionally, the LEFT ARROW, DOWN ARROW and RIGHT ARROW keys are
mapped to valves 1, 2, and 3, however, my tests with these key
mappings were not always succesful, at least with the machines I
test on. It is, I believe, the product of what hardware
engineers call "keyboard ghosting" - since you're holding multiple
computer keyboard keys down, certain combinations of simultaneous
keys down will mask another key down key out; this makes
it difficult to code against since one can't
detect that the key is actually down anymore.
So my advice is to stick with the J, K and
L keys corresponding to valves 1, 2, and 3.
The SPACE BAR is not used in this current version. I seems
to me that this would be a logical "blow" key but it proved to be
difficult to capture. The "B" key is positioned nicely and at
least in English it's short for "Blow Baby!"
Enjoy!
Rob Birdwell
