The world has been shocked by the discovery that keyboards can be used to communicate with one another for hundreds of years. The term ‘keyboard’ comes from the Latin word konsultis, meaning “one who holds a secret or something valuable”; this idea came into popular use with the writing on cave walls in Egypt around 1500 BC. Today, keyboards are used by millions of people across the globe, especially those who write novels and memoirs. You can pick up a book or listen to an audiobook on your phone or computer whenever you want to get in touch with someone. I have recently seen several examples during lockdown of keyboard conversations across different time zones, in which we were able to converse over WhatsApp. This means that you can talk about life and death and other topics without the fear of being judged or ignored by others. Asking the same questions over video call is more appealing and engaging than using a screen. But even before Zoom, there was Morse Code (another form of communication at the time). In 1950, George Mead had invented what is now called the ‘Morse Code’, a simplified version of Morse code – but it became obsolete on July 18, 1953 when he published his paper in Nature – an era gone! Not wanting to lose his job after spending so many hours typing away, Mead invented the new ‘Keyboard Diagram’ which would take us all back to our roots. This invention took off with huge success, and today most of the inventions I have mentioned use keyboards as their main tool. Maybe they are too complex for today’s computers or maybe they can be taught to use them with a good old fashioned pen and paper. So how can we connect with each other? Well, the dictionary defines Keyboard as “a device, usually found in a typewriter or other electronic instrument, with keys that enable users to enter data, such as simple letters, numbers, punctuation and special characters. Most modern keyboards feature at least two sets of keys: lower and upper ”. We all know the basic layout of a conventional keyboard, but sometimes these do not suffice to carry out our tasks as well. For example: if one wants to send a message with a large file, then using just a number pad will not suffice. Similarly, if one needs to type a long paragraph, then having only a small arrow key will not suffice. It turns out that you can send messages or write books on a keyboard instead of using a computer. We all carry with us the innate need for language when communicating – and computers often fail to fulfill this need. So it goes with being a musician, artist or writer when it comes to creating art or entertainment. A keyboard allows us to speak to and collaborate with each other and in doing so, find its place in history. Nowadays, you don’t have to sit down and think about when exactly the invention of the piano was made. There is no doubt that if the technology were not readily available, we would have never learnt to play our instruments or compose music. On this note, it is also worth remembering the significance of musical instruments as catalysts in social and economic development. During colonial times, the percussion instrument was played by enslaved Africans across Africa. Once again, musical instruments took over the roles once played by slaves in their former land. According to John Stowe, author of ‘Inventing America through Music: Essays on Jazz, Blues, Reggae & Rock n Roll’, keyboard is an essential tool that is still played by African Americans. It may take some time, but within a few months, one will experience the difference between the sound of a traditional drum beat and a virtual keyboard that takes command of the internet. What can we learn from the past? One of the things we can learn from the past is that if we can achieve our goals, then anything is possible. That is why we should learn to accept challenges head-on, and not let anyone else tell us that we cannot accomplish something. How about you? Do you believe you can play the Piano even though you have a little problem with accuracy? Then perhaps you are part of the reason why pianos take so much effort to learn to play. You might just need to wait to see what happens.
Josephine Mbiemba, December 27, 2020
Josephine is based in the United States where she teaches creative literacy at Howard University. She was born in Kenya and studied law in England. Her interests include jazz culture and psychology.
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