MELODY CHORD CONSTRUCTOR FOR STRING INSTRUMENTS

• US 3,748,947 A
• Filed: 01/10/1972
• Issued: 07/31/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Roger E. Freiheit
• Original Assignee: Roger E. Freiheit
• Inventors: Freiheit, Roger E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Wilkinson, Richard B.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Franklin, Lawrence R.
• Application Number:
  US05/216,550
• Time in Patent Office: 568 Days
• Field of Search: 84/470-473,477R,482,485
• US Class Current: 84/485.00R
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 15/006 with indication of the keys or strings to be played on instruments

Abstract

After a brief discussion of the construction and operation of a typical stringed instrument, such as a guitar, a melody chord constructor therefor is shown which includes a base unit having located thereon symbols denoting the instrument'"'"''"'"'s musical notes which are arranged in rows and columns corresponding to the fingerboard'"'"''"'"'s strings and frets. A transparent member is relatively slidable on the base unit and has located thereon a plurality of numerical symbols arranged in rows and columns corresponding to those of the base unit. In one position, the symbols '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'1'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' on the slide member register with note symbols on the base unit corresponding to the root notes of an arbitrarily chosen scale, such as G. The remainder of the numerical symbols correspond to the major scale degrees useful in melody chord construction, that is, the 3, 5, 6, 7, b7, 9 and 11 degrees, and register with the corresponding notes of the G major scale on the base unit. By translating the slide member relative to the base unit, the notes corresponding to the root and degrees of any other major scale can be readily ascertained. Additional slide members having the various minor scale degrees thereon can be interchanged with the major scale slide member.

Claims

1. A melody chord constructor for use with a stringed instrument having a plurality of strings and frets arranged along a fingerboard, said constructor comprising a base unit having means located thereon which comprise a plurality of note symbols, said note symbols being arranged in rows and columns corresponding to the strings and frets of the instrument'"'"''"'"'s fingerboard, said note symbols denoting the notes capable of being sounded by the iNstrument when a string depression is made at a corresponding location on the fingerboard, and a member relatively slidable with respect to said base unit, said member including means located thereon which comprise a plurality of numerical symbols arranged in rows and columns corresponding to the strings and frets of the instrument'"'"''"'"'s fingerboard, said plurality of numerical symbols representing the degrees of a musical scale, said plurality of numerical symbols being arranged so that when said member and said base unit are in a predetermined positional relationship, said plurality of numerical symbols are in registry with corresponding ones of said plurality of note symbols on said base unit for an arbitrarily chosen musical scale.

2. A melody chord constructor as recited in claim 1, wherein said member is composed of a transparent material and said plurality of numerical symbols are located thereon so as to overlie corresponding ones of said plurality of note symbols.

3. A melody chord constructor as recited in claim 1, wherein said plurality of numerical symbols represent the degrees of a major scale.

4. A melody chord constructor as recited in claim 1, wherein said plurality of numerical symbols represent the degrees of a minor scale.

5. A melody chord constructor as recited in claim 1, wherein said plurality of numerical symbols are separated into groups of distinct indications, one for the triad degrees, one for the superimposition degrees, and one for the b7th degree.