Patent ID: 8319082

Claim:
A keyboard for depressing strings of a stringed instrument having a fingerboard with frets, comprising: a. a plate securely suspended above the fingerboard of the stringed instrument, said plate having a bottom above the fingerboard, a top opposite thereto, and two sides, b. said plate having a plurality of rows, each row having dimensions corresponding to an area of the fingerboard beneath that row between adjacent frets of the fingerboard, c. each said row having one access hole formed therein above each string of the stringed instrument, said access holes arranged so that a first set of access holes in each row is positioned substantially near a fret and a second set of access holes in each row is positioned substantially mid-way between two frets, such that for each pair of adjacent strings, one string can be accessed through an access hole which is positioned substantially near a fret and the other string can be accessed through an access hole which is positioned substantially mid-way between two frets, d. a plurality of keys arranged within rectangular channels formed in adjacent positions in said top of said plate, each key comprising: i. a rectangular key top held within each rectangular channel, ii. a key shaft extending downward from the key top through an access hole, and iii. a key tip attached to the key shaft opposite the key top, said key tip being suitable for depressing a string against the fingerboard when the key is pressed, and e. positioning means for raising the key to an original position not touching a string when the key is not pressed, f. wherein each rectangular key top has unique dimensions.