Stringed instrument with keyboard

• US 20100307314A1
• Filed: 02/18/2010
• Published: 12/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Gregory A. Piccionelli, Michael M. Gerardi
• Original Assignee: Gregory A. Piccionelli, Michael M. Gerardi
• Inventors: Piccionelli, Gregory A., Gerardi, Michael M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,669,458 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 84/285
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/28 to produce arpeggios
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/32 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/342 for guitar-like instruments with or without strings and with a neck on which switches or string-fret contacts are used to detect the notes being played electric guitars in which the tones are generated by the vibration of strings G10H3/18
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2210/395 Special musical scales, i.e. other than the 12-interval equally tempered scale; Special input devices therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2210/425 19 equal intervals per octave, offering better major thirds, far better minor thirds and overall far greater consonance than normal 12-semitone equal temperament, at the cost of a flatter fifth
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2210/525 Diatonic scales, e.g. aeolian, ionian or major, dorian, locrian, lydian, mixolydian, phrygian, i.e. seven note, octave-repeating musical scales comprising five whole steps and two half steps for each octave, in which the two half steps are separated from each other by either two or three whole steps
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/096 using a touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/221 Keyboards, i.e. configuration of several keys or key-like input devices relative to one another
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/301 Fret-like switch array arrangements for guitar necks
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/305 using a light beam to detect key, pedal or note actuation
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/411 Light beams
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2230/145 Spint guitar keyboard, i.e. mimicking a combination of a guitar-like instrument, with or without strings, and a piano-like keyboard, e.g. with white and black keys arranged like on a piano
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2230/281 Spint drum assembly, i.e. mimicking two or more drums or drumpads assembled on a common structure, e.g. drum kit
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 3/18 using a string, e.g. electric guitar mechanical features G10D1/085
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 3/22 using electromechanically actuated vibrators with pick-up means G10H3/24 takes precedence

Abstract

A musical instrument includes a body, a neck attached to the body, a plurality of strings having first ends secured to the body and second ends secured to the neck, and a keyboard secured to the body. Optionally, each of the strings is associated with a plucker.

Claims

1. A musical instrument comprising:

a) a body,

b) a neck attached to the body,

c) a plurality of strings having first ends secured to the body and second ends secured to the neck, and

d) a keyboard secured to the body.

2. The musical instrument of claim 1 wherein the neck and the body are substantially coplanar.

3. The musical instrument of claim 1 wherein the body comprises an extension that is at least partially non-coplanar with the neck.

4. The musical instrument of claim 3 wherein the keyboard is secured to at least a portion of the non-coplanar extension.

5. The musical instrument of claim 3 wherein the non-coplanar extension is curved.

6. A musical instrument comprising:

a) a body,

b) a neck attached to the body,

c) a plurality of metal having first ends secured to the body and second ends secured to the neck,

d) a plurality of pluckers, each string being associated with at least one plucker, and

e) a keyboard secured to the body.

7. The musical instrument of claim 6 wherein the neck comprises a fret board comprising a plurality of sensors in a number sufficient to detect a fingering of a plurality of notes playable on the fret board.

8. The musical instrument of claim 7 wherein the sensors are touch sensors.