Electronic musical instrument having a function to indicate keys to be

Abstract

Indicators are provided in corresponding relations to individual keyboard keys. For each of plural phrases of a given music piece, information is supplied that represents at least the highest-pitch note to the lowest note in the phrase. During performance of the music piece and on the basis of the supplied information, the indicators, for each phrase, indicates all notes within a range from the highest-pitch note to the lowest note of the phrase. Thus, the player can easily position his hands over accurate keys and thereby can comfortably carry out performance operations for each phrase. Notes to be performed in each phrase after a first note corresponding to predetermined performance timing in the phrase may be indicated in different manners (for example, by varying degrees of brightness) depending on performance timing differences, from the first note performance timing, of the notes. Alternatively, individual notes of each phrase may be sequentially indicated quickly in advance of the actual phrase performance. These modifications allow the player to intuitively recognize the order of performance, Further, by indicating at least one of the current and next notes in a manner different from other notes, it is advantageously shown very visibly which notes should be performed now and next.