polyphonic squarewave mini- keyboard with audiogames

This keyboard is almost identical with the Yamaha HS-200, but like Bontempi HT 313.10 it features additional "music games" to teach note and chord recognition, melody play etc. using an LCD display.

different main features:

• 5 built-in audiogames with each 3 levels
• LCD display to indicate note letters and game scores
• multi-chip hardware:
• sound CPU= "Yamaha YM-1018B, 24 07 21" (GH-2 | 24 pin DIL)
• game CPU= "IG06070, E2210K-208" (64 pin SMD)

(I strongly retouched this photo, because my original box is very bleached out.)

eastereggs:

test mode: Press "function" + "start" during power-on to start the LCD segment test, which shows a pattern of 2 alternating combinations (flashing through 4 phases) on the display. The keyboard works like normal during this.

notes:

The audiogames include various polyphonic sound effects and jingles played in the current main voice preset sound. At the end of each game (usually after time runs out) the game score is displayed to indicate how well the player played. The games are selected with the 'function' button, the level with 'level'. To begin press 'start'. I have downloaded the manual from Yamaha; it contains various additional pen and paper learning games to recognize note sequences, however it does not seem to be complete; e.g. game 6 and higher levels are not mentioned at all in that manual. The games also don't have names in it, thus they were named by me.

function 1: keyboard play

Normal keyboard play mode; the last played note letter is indicated on the LCD. Strange is that also here the 'level' button cycles through '1'..'3' despite these and the 'start' button seem to change nothing in this mode.

• function 2: play displayed notes

The instrument displays note letters and the player has to play the corresponding notes before the next note comes. When played well, the instrument plays a fanfare. Each note scores 5 points. Game time is 60 seconds. Score up to 45 = poor, 50..80 = good, over 90 = very good (fanfare).

levels:
1. = play 1 note (monophonic)
2. = play 2 notes together
3. = play 3 notes together

• function 3: play heard notes

The instrument slowly plays notes (one per second). The player has to hit the corresponding key in time. Correct hits play a glissando sound. Game time is 80 seconds. Score up to 45 = poor, 50..80 = good, 90..100 = very good (fanfare).

levels:
1. = instrument repeats note until correct key is hit.
2. = instrument plays ascending and descending tone scales (only naturals).
3. = instrument plays ascending and descending notes including sharps.

• function 4: repeat the note sequence

The instrument slowly plays a monophonic 7 note sequence. The player has to repeat that sequence with correct note length. Leading wrong notes are ignored. Score up to 25 = poor, 30..40 = try not to play too fast or too slow, 50..65 = try to play each note the same length, 70..85 = fairly good, 90..100 = very good (fanfare).

levels:
1. = sequence is made from 3 adjacent note pitches (only naturals).
2. = sequence is made from 4 adjacent note pitches (only naturals).
3. = sequence is made from any notes within an octave.

• function 5: repeat the chord

The instrument plays a 3 note chord. The player has to repeat that chord on the keyboard. When he plays wrong 2 times , the correct note letters are displayed. Until you reach 30 points, the instrument plays only 3 different chords (C, F, G); the 3 notes play separately before the chord sounds. After 30 points only the chord sounds. Score = 5 points per chord question; 2 points when you answer correctly the 2nd try. (20 chord questions in total => perfect score = 100). After 50 and 70 points the instrument each uses 3 additional chords

levels:
1. = only naturals
2. = with sharps
3. = like 2 (but more different chord types?)

• function 6: audio tennis

This is a 2 player game in the tradition of Pong. But instead of seeing a tennis ball, you only hear its position as a glissando. The 1st player serves the ball by pressing the lowest F key. Then a line of ascending notes sounds to indicate the ball position. The 2nd player has to press the corresponding key on the right keyboard halve to return the ball (which makes the note line descend again). When he misses the ball, he has to serve the next ball with the high E key. Wrong key presses take no effect. They play notes only while the ball is not flying. Remember, this is an audiogame, not a videogame, thus the LCD only displays the score (like "1-3").

levels:
1. = slow, only natural keys
2. = faster, natural & sharp keys
3. = like 2, but only one try to hit a flying ball (i.e. any previous wrong key press misses the ball).

A very similar keyboard with yellow case and different audiogames (shows musical notes on the LCD) was released as Yamaha HS-501. A HS-500 variant without games (nor LCD) was the Yamaha HS-200.
 

removal of these screws voids warranty...
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