blacks???

[Conrad Hoffsommer]

At 21:06 10/01/2001 -0700, you wrote:
>Am i missing something here? what the heck does the subject line "blacks" 
>refer to?
>
>Terry Peterson
>Precision Piano Service
>Torrance, CA

Originally the line "blacks" was referring to those keys on a piano which 
stick up between some others.  I've noticed that, out of every twelve 
contiguous keys on "normal" keyboards, five exhibit this 
characteristic.  It seems that the manufacturers have provided some sort of 
warning to this status by making them a contrasting colo(u)r from the lower 
level keys.  As most of those lower keys are white, the most contrast was 
to be had by making the raised ones black, though I've seen some older ones 
which look closer to brown.

The controversy (?) has been about just how to refer to them, and when.  I 
suspect that they will continue to be called sharps, at least in print, 
because while most typewriter/computer keyboards have a "#" character, it 
really is a chore to find a character for "flat". (I'm not awake enough 
right now to try...)

Does this help???  ;-}


Conrad Hoffsommer -  Decorah, IA  (563)-382-8525

Usually I try to take it one day at a time, but lately several have 
attacked me at once...