Patent ID: 7977561

Claim:
A modular musical performance system, comprising: a plurality of first modules, each first module including a plurality of keys; a plurality of key switches that operate in response to the striking and releasing of the keys, wherein an arrangement of the keys is such that when connected to another first module the keys of the two modules form a section of a continuous music keyboard; a switch array bus including address lines and data lines each line being connected to a switch such that each switch is attached between only one data line and one address line and no data line is connected to the same address line via two different switches; an element that polls the switch array bus and converts switch closing information into coded messages sent to an adjacent module; and a plurality of second modules, each second module including a component selected from the group consisting of a performance controller, a computer interface, a musical tone generator, a musical accompaniment, a speaker, a performance recorder, an audio amplifier, an audio mixer, an audio processor, and a support extending to the floor, wherein the first and second modules are irremovably connectable to form a single rigid structure.