Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G09—EDUCATION; CRYPTOGRAPHY; DISPLAY; ADVERTISING; SEALS
  • G09B—EDUCATIONAL OR DEMONSTRATION APPLIANCES; APPLIANCES FOR TEACHING, OR COMMUNICATING WITH, THE BLIND, DEAF OR MUTE; MODELS; PLANETARIA; GLOBES; MAPS; DIAGRAMS
  • G09B15/00—Teaching music
  • G09B15/001—Boards or like means for providing an indication of chords
  • G09B15/004—Non-electrically operated systems
  • G09B15/005—Non-electrically operated systems of the slide type
  • G09B15/006—Non-electrically operated systems of the slide type with indication of the keys or strings to be played on instruments

Definitions

• This invention relates to a musical theory slide rule for stringed instruments and has been devised particularly though not solely to enable a musical student to understand the intricacies of the various fret boards of stringed instruments without having to learn them by rote.
• the invention may broadly be said to consist in a musical theory slide rule for a stringed musical instrument, comprising a base member incorporating a representation of the neck of the instrument, one or more masks each relating to a particular chord type or scale type, guide means arranged to guide and restrain each said mask to slide in the base member in the longitudinal direction of the neck, indexing means arranged to indicate the longitudinal position of the mask relative to the base member for any specific chord or scale, and wherein each said mask incorporates masking means arranged to highlight those parts of the neck to be used for fingering the specific chord or scale indicated by the indexing means and of the type determined by that mask.
• the neck representation is provided with a colour coded pattern, there being a different colour for each note and a coloured patch for each fingering position on the neck, producing a note corresponding to that colour.
• the base member is provided with at least one longitudinal calibration of notes, and each mask incorporates indicator means operable in conjunction with the calibration of notes to indicate those notes which can be fingered on the neck of the instrument in the specific chord or scale indicated by the indexing means.
• the base member is formed from a plurality of layers of suitable material including a lower layer on which the neck and calibration of notes are displayed, the layers above the lower layer incorporating a plurality of windows allowing the neck and calibration of notes to be viewed from the top of the base member through the windows, and wherein the intermediate layers define one or more longitudinal channels incorporating the guide means and adapted to receive the masks, and wherein the indicator means comprise a set of apertures in predetermined locations in each mask aligned for the viewing of selected ones of said calibration of notes therethrough, and wherein the masking means comprise a predetermined pattern of holes in the mask arranged to overlay the neck.
• Preferably two such channels are provided, the first channel being adapted to receive masks relating to scale types and the second channel adapted to receive masks relating to chord types, and wherein there are also two calibrations of notes, one adapted for use with masks relating to scale types and the other for use with masks relating to chord types so that one scale mask and one chord mask may be used and set to the desired chord and scale independently and simultaneously, highlighting through the aligned holes in the two masks only those fingering positions usable for that particular chord and scale combination.
• the musical theory slide rule is also provided with a transparent pentatonic scale cursor arranged to slide longitudinally relative to the base member, there being a calibration of notes arrayed longitudinally on the cursor arranged so that each note may be successively aligned with an index mark on the base member as the cursor slides thereover, and wherein the cursor incorporates highlight markings in predetermined locations over the neck area arranged to highlight those fingering positions relating to the pentatonic scale for the particular pentatonic scale name in said calibration of notes which is aligned with the index mark, and wherein the cursor is also provided with further highlight markings aligned with the calibration of notes on the lower layer, arranged so as to highlight those notes which can be fingered in the pentatonic scale.
• Fig. 1 is a plan view of the base member of a musical theory slide rule according to the invention
• Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional elevation on the line II-II of Fig. 1;
• Fig. 3 is a plan view of a typical scale type mask adapted to slide in the base member shown in Fig. 1;
• Fig. 4 is a plan view of a typical chord type mask adapted to slide in the base member shown in Fig. 1;
• Fig. 5 is a plan view of a pentatonic scale cursor for use over the base member shown in Fig. 1;
• Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view on the line VI-VI of Fig. 5.
• a musical theory slide rule for a guitar is constructed as follows, although it will be appreciated that the nature of the slide rule may be readily modified for other stringed musical instruments, such as banjo, bass, etc.
• the slide rule comprises a base member 1 shown in plan view in Fig. 1 and in cross-section in Fig. 2.
• the base member may be made from any suitable material and is preferably built up in layers as shown in Fig. 2 from materials such as sheet plastics or cardboard, etc.
• the base member is laid out in plan view to represent the musical instrument to which it relates and for a guitar the base member incorporates representations of the guitar body 2, the neck 3, the strings 4, the head 5 and the nut 6.
• the neck 3 is provided with transverse lines representing the frets on the guitar neck as will be described further later.
• the base member is provided with two longitudinal channels in intermediate layers of the base member, there being a first channel 7 and a second lower channel 8. These channels are adapted to receive sliding masks which comprise sheet-like members of the same width and thickness as the channels 7 and 8 and which are adapted to slide longitudinally in the channels.
• the neck section 3 of the guitar is represented by a transparent portion 9 in the upper layer 10 which is provided with six longitudinal lines representing the strings of the guitar and a number of transverse lines representing the frets on the guitar neck.
• the neck area is also divided into a plurality of colour coded patches such as those shown as 11, 12 and 13, there being one patch corresponding to each fingering position on the guitar, i.e. to each string and fret combination.
• the matrix of colour coded patches is marked on the base member on the bottom layer 14 over the area 15 corresponding to the representation of the neck on the top layer and which can be viewed through the transparent window 9 in the top layer.
• the slide rule is adapted for use with one or more scale type masks, one of which is typically shown in Fig. 3.
• This mask relates to the major scales, but it will be appreciated that other similar masks may be used for the other scale types such as minor scales, etc.
• the mask 16 is sized to slide within the scales channel 8 in the intermediate layer 17 of the base member. To this end the width of the mask is the same as the width of the longitudinal channel 8 and the edges of the channel form guide means to guide the mask accurately within the channel.
• the mask 16 is provided with indexing means in the form of a longitudinal array 18 of the scale names which are positioned on the mask so as to be visible through a window 19 in the top two layers 10 and 20. As the scales mask slides longitudinally in the channel 8, successive ones of the scale names become visible through the window 19.
• the scales mask 16 is provided with masking means in the form of a predetermined pattern of holes 21 positioned to overlay the neck colour coding 15 so as to highlight predetermined ones of the fingering positions to be played on the neck of the guitar.
• the pattern of holes is arranged so that when, for example, the note E from the longitudinal array 18 is aligned beneath the window 19, only those fingering positions which can be used in the E major scale are visible through the holes 21.
• cutout apertures are sized and positioned so as to reveal only those notes on the calibration 22 which are contained within the scale presently showing through the window 19. For example, when the mask is set with the letter C under the window 19 then the indicator apertures 25 will reveal only those notes on the calibration 22 which are contained within the scale C major.
• the representation of notes in the calibration 22 is also colour coded in the same manner as the neck 3 so that it is easy for the user to determine the names of the notes shown on the neck and also to correlate those names with the fingering positions suitable for use with that scale.
• the slide rule is provided with a further set of masks or sliders which relate to the musical chords and which may be used in conjunction with the scales masks or independently.
• a typical chords mask 26 relating to the major chords, is shown in Fig. 4 and is designed to be inserted and slid longitudinally in the channel 7 in the second layer 20.
• the chords mask is similar to the scales mask described with reference to Fig. 3 and incorporates a predetermined pattern of holes 27, indexing means in the form of a longitudinal array of chord names 28 and indicator apertures 29 used in combination with a calibration of notes 30 (which correspond to the scales calibration of notes 22) through the apertures 29.
• chord type masks may be provided, e.g. relating to other chord types such as minor chords, diminished chords, seventh chords, etc.
• the only fingering positions which are revealed on the colour coded array 15 are those which correspond to both the scale and the chord set by that particular mask and determined by the scale name visible through the window 19 and the chord symbol visible through the chord window 31.
• the chord mask 26 is provided with an elongate aperture 30A enabling the index 18 on the scales mask to be read through the aperture 30A and the window 19. In this manner the user is quickly and simply able to determine complex patterns of fingering which relate to particular chord and scale combinations.
• the chord slider may be used on its own.
• the slide rule may be provided with a cursor shown in Figs. 5 and 6 relating to the pentatonic scale.
• the cursor 35 is formed from a transparent material and is provided with wrap-around flanges 36 adapted to engage the edges of the base member so that the cursor may slide longitudinally over the base member.
• the pentatonic cursor is provided with a longitudinal calibration of notes 37 arranged to align successively with an index mark 38 on the base member in a similar manner to the alignment of the chord or scales masks.
• the cursor is further provided with a plurality of highlight markings in a predetermined array 39 which may, for example, comprise circles marked on the transparent material which align with the neck portion of the base member.
• the array of markings is such that when, for example, the letter E in the calibration of notes 37 is aligned with the pentatonic scale name marker 38, then the markings 39 are positioned over those fingering positions which relate to the pentatonic E scale on the neck of the guitar.
• the cursor is also provided with further highlight markings 40 arranged to be used in conjunction with the calibration of notes 22 so as to highlight those notes which can be fingered in the pentatonic scale for the particular setting of the cursor relative to the index mark 38.
• the pentatonic scale cursor may be used in conjunction with a scales mask to highlight the pattern of fingering positions relative to any particular scale.
• the pentatonic cursor has been described as a wrap around overlay it may also be provided as a slide adapted to be inserted into the channel 7 in place of a chord mask.
• a musical theory slide rule is provided which simply and conveniently assists the user in learning the fingering positions for various chords and/or scales on the neck of his stringed instrument which also enables the user to readily determine those notes which are available in any particular chord or scale or combination thereof. It also facilitates the determination of any feasible theoretical chord/scale combination.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Multimedia (AREA)
• Business, Economics & Management (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Educational Administration (AREA)
• Educational Technology (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
• Stringed Musical Instruments (AREA)

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• 1983
  • 1983-10-25 JP JP83503390A patent/JPS60500512A/ja active Pending
  • 1983-10-25 WO PCT/AU1983/000154 patent/WO1984001845A1/en not_active Ceased
  • 1983-10-25 EP EP19830903361 patent/EP0122276A4/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 1983-10-25 AU AU21229/83A patent/AU2122983A/en not_active Abandoned

Patent Citations (1)

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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