Tastenreihen

Tastenreihen is a German term that denotes the rows or sequences of keys on a keyboard. The meaning varies with context, covering both musical keyboard instruments and typographic or computer keyboards.

In musical instruments, Tastenreihen refers to the rows or manuals of keys on keyboard instruments such as pianos and organs. The piano keyboard presents a repeating pattern of white keys for natural notes and black keys for sharps and flats, arranged in octaves. In organs, the term can also designate separate keyboards, or manuals, each functioning as a distinct Tastenreihe. The arrangement of keys supports standard Western pitch systems, typically 12-tone equal temperament, and underpins fingering, scales, and harmony across the instrument’s range.

In the context of typing and computer keyboards, Tastenreihen describes the horizontal rows of keys used to entry characters. Most modern layouts follow language-specific standards, such as QWERTY for English and QWERTZ for German. The German layout places the Z and Y keys differently compared with the English layout, and additional rows include the number row on top and various punctuation keys. The organization of Tastenreihen aims to optimize typing efficiency and ergonomics, reflecting historical constraints from typewriters and evolving language usage.

The term is used in German-language discussions of instrument construction, keyboard design, and typographic ergonomics. It highlights the structured, repetitive arrangement of keys that enables systematic playing on musical keyboards and efficient text entry on text-entry keyboards.