The Samchillian Tip Tip Tip Cheeepeeeee (or samchillian, for short) is a type of electronic keyboard instrument invented by Leon Gruenbaum, that uses keys to trigger melodic intervals aka changes of pitch rather than the traditional fixed pitches.
The Samchillian is listed as a "non-traditional" MIDI interface according to the MIDI Manufacturers Association. According to this source, patent #5,565,641 is applicable to the device.
Explanation
Synthesizers and midi instruments are commonly controlled with a piano-style keyboard, where each key triggers a specific pitch and are arranged in a low to high, left right configuration, where the 12 pitches of the equal tempered chromatic scale occur in succession with natural notes lying closer to the player, and accidentals aka flats and sharps staggered slightly forward and away from the player. Traditionally, keys triggering natural notes are colored white, and the keys triggering accidentals are colored black. (Notable exceptions are 1960s electronic organ designs such as the Vox Continental, which inverts the colors of the keys, and some accordions, where the accidental keys may be colored the same way as the body, a swirly dark red, for example.)
The samchillian, being interval based in all twelve keys, doesn’t require a natural/accidental visual delineation. Its particular innovation is that a scalar interval is adhered to while using the same key. The samchillian compensates for narrowing or widening of that interval, aka minor or Major 2nds, 3rds, 6ths, and 7ths – as well as flat 5ths or augmented 4ths. For example, the key for ascending 2nds in a diatonic major scale will compensate for distances of half or whole steps. So, in C Major, this key depression will go up a whole step from C to D, D to E, F to G, G to A, A to B, and a half step up from E to F, and B to C. The ascending 5ths key will go up a perfect 5th until it reaches B, where it will go up a flat 5th to the diatonically correct F natural. Similarly, the descending 4ths key will go from B down a diatonically correct 4th to F natural. (Of course, there are non-diatonic keys available for chromatic half, whole, and minor 3rd steps in either direction.)
Once a scale has been set, it is possible to play melodic sequences without altering fingering to compensate for half-step, whole-step alternation in a given scale or mode, and the spatial elements of physically moving low to high on an instrument are largely eliminated. This initially provides a notion of easy virtuosity on a samchillian, although eventually, players will realize that maximum benefit from the instrument will only be gained by memorizing and being able to use the interval keys to execute more specific musical intentions.
The Samchillian Tip Tip Tip Cheeepeeeee gives built-in access to non-diatonic scales as well. Chromatic, pentatonic, a scale named “Hebrew,” and microtonal scales are part of the basic samchillian set up, but it is also possible to create your own scales within the software. The single key directional interval function applies in these as well.
History
In the late 1980s, keyboardist and woodwind player Leon Gruenbaum had the idea to invent a musical keyboard based on musical intervals, in contrast to the traditional fixed pitch keyboard, where a key activates one specific note. Initially, the idea came from thinking about the shape and melodic contours of modern bebop, and wanting an instrument that could more immediately access and focus on those kinds of melodic sequences, and melodic sequences in general. He names this instrument the Samchillian Tip Tip Tip Cheeepeeeee. Samchillian for short.
Originally, Gruenbaum planned to trigger the samchillian via a traditional piano style keyboard, but with remapped functions, but later decided for functional and aesthetic reasons, to switch to an ergonomic keyboard made by Kinesis. Some touch sensitivity was sacrificed, but spatial access to intervals was greatly reduced. Via MIDI, the samchillian has been able to control any number of digital sound sources, but also analog sources such as acoustic player pianos.
The key/interval assignments were decided on after Gruenbaum studied the alternate keyboard layout concepts of August Dvorak.
There are hardware and “at home” software versions of the samchillian. The hardware unit features indicator lights based on the last 3 digits in binary of the MIDI note number, a knob that serves as a pitch wheel, the ability to plug in an expression pedal (controlling parameters of vibrato, wah, etc.,) and an 8-bit 11 kHz sine wave to allow the instrument to be used in a standalone mode without the need for an external sound source to be triggered.