The Percussive Harmonic Instrument (P.H.I.) is a MIDI-based electronic instrument that merges the powerful facility of MIDI with a form inspired by the traditional steelpan. MIDI is an acronym for Musical Instrument Digital Interface which facilitates the communication of electronic music synthesizers over a network.
The P.H.I.'s capabilities can be compared to the electronic keyboard. For percussionists and pannists, in particular, the P.H.I. presents a new performance dimension since they are no longer limited to their respective traditional instrument but can now access an infinite variety of virtual instruments.
The interface design provides a 36-note layout in 12-note concentric circles following the popular spider-web layout of the 4ths and 5ths tenor. This provides an immediately familiar interface to most pannists. The invention is not limited to melodic instruments as the ones mentioned above; performers can access any of the full range of special effects and customized sounds.
The P.H.I. allows performers to access this range of sounds on one interface that is as easy to play as the tenor.
