A virtual Janko Keyboard project written in HTML, CSS and JAVASCRIPT by Femi Oyeniyi ACTAM Project 2021
Janko keyboard is special type of keyboard with a distinct layout which appears uniform in its arrangement. It is often referred to as uniform keyboard or a whole-tone keyboard
Janko keyboard was introduced in 1882 by Paul von Janko with the aim of rationalizing the octave layout into two set of six notes and overcoming the limitations of large-scale geometry of keys on traditional keyboard.
The traditional keyboard has a major limitation for people with small hands such that it is difficult for them to stretch beyond an octave or a ninth chord. However, with Janko keyboard we can overcome such limitations because of the tonal organization of the keys.
Janko keybord layout image
KEY LAYOUT
The key arrangement is as a result of a tone distance from each previous key, while the half tone lies slightly diagonal above it. On one row there are two sharps (C#, D#) and four natural keys (F G A B), on the second row below it there are three natural keys (C D E) and three sharps (F# G# A#). This pattern is arranged successively in octaves, and this provides an alternative position for playing different scales or chords with the same fingering across the octaves.
My designed virtual janko keyboard layout
Advantages of Janko keyboard
• Easy to transpose with same fingering
• Much less stuffs to learn
• Good for small hand users
THE PROJECT
The repository contains the whole files needed for the implementation and use of the Janko keyboard. Run the HTML file with Google chrome to play the instrument, You can either operate the virtual Janko keyboard with a mouse click event or your computer keyboard.