Musical blocks

• US 5,949,010 A
• Filed: 05/21/1997
• Issued: 09/07/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 05/21/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: HACKER, L. LEONARD
• Original Assignee: 21st Century Ideas, Ltd.
• Inventors: Hacker, L. Leonard
• Primary Examiner(s): Shoop, Jr., William M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): HSIEH, SHIH YUNG
• Application Number:
  US08/861,284
• Time in Patent Office: 839 Days
• Field of Search: 84/470 R, 84/476, 273/146, 434/171, 434/172
• US Class Current: 84/476
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 15/003 with indication of the keys or strings to be played on instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 15/023 Electrically operated
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 15/04 with sound emitters

Abstract

A music education apparatus for teaching musical concepts. The music education apparatus comprises a block with visual representations on each side designating musical notes, letters representing musical notes, and physical portions on musical instruments, wherein the musical note(s) designated on the other sides are highlighted on the keyboard or other designated physical portion of an instrument. The music education apparatus may also serve as an alarm clock that can be set to sound at a selected time by conventional means, or by lights, sound, temperature, or other stimuli. Voice programming may be featured, whereby a word, name, sentence, etc., is spoken or sung when the alarm sounds. Sides of the music education apparatus may designate one note or a combination of notes, and a keyboard or other physical representation of the playing portion of a musical instrument, wherein a key(s) or string(s) is highlighted to correspond to the note(s) designated on the other sides of the block. Upon activation of a music generator contained within the music education apparatus, the pitch(es) of the designated note(s) is sounded. By including the production of harmonics, the sound producer can also produce the sound of a musical instrument. One embodiment features removable and replaceable sides that thereby permit the sounding of different notes, including combinations of notes (trills, etc.), instruments, and songs or other compositions. Electronic sound chips may be used in conjunction with a power source.

Claims

1. A music education apparatus comprising:

a cubical block having six sides comprising three sets of opposing sides; and

designations, wherein the designations;

are identical on any one set of opposing sides;

are different on each of the other sets of opposing sides;

comprise visual representations of musical indicia of at least one musical note used in writing and playing music compositions;

wherein the musical indicia on at least two sets of opposing sides correspond to the same at least one musical note; and

wherein the visual representations of musical indicia are selected from the group comprising;

at least one musical note between A and G located on a musical score, each musical note having a pitch;

at least one letter between A and G, wherein the letter is identical to the musical note located on the musical score on the same musical block; and

a representation of a physical portion of at least one musical instrument, wherein the physical portion comprises at least one highlighted sound initiator that corresponds to the at least one note and the at least one letter designated on the sets of opposing sides.

2. The music education apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one sound initiator is selected from the group comprising a key, a string, a finger button, a key lever, and a finger hole.

3. The music education apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the at least one musical note is selected from the group comprising a whole note, a half note, a quarter note, an eighth note, and a sixteenth note.

4. The music education apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a different color is selected to correspond to each of the seven notes from A to G.

5. The music education apparatus according to claim 4, wherein different shades of each different color correspond to a different octave.

6. The music education apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the block comprises at least one sound maker for producing a sound that is at the frequency of the at least one musical note.

7. The music education apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the tone produced by the music generator further comprises at least one harmonic of the at least one note.

8. The music education apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the tone produces a sound substantially identical to a sound produced by the designated at least one musical instrument.

9. The music education apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the sound maker is electronic.

10. The music education apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the block further comprises a switch for activating the sound maker.

11. The music education apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the block further comprises at least one power source for energizing the sound maker.

12. The music education apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the power source comprises at least one member selected from the group comprising a battery, a solar cell, and AC electricity.

13. The music education apparatus according to claim 12, wherein the battery is rechargeable.

14. The music education apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the block comprises at least one sound maker for producing a sound that is at the frequency of the at least one musical note and at least one harmonic of the note.

15. A method of music instruction comprising:

a. fabricating at least one cubical block having;

six sides comprising three sets of opposing sides;

designations, wherein the designations;

are identical on any one set of opposing sides;

are different on each of the other sets of opposing sides; and

wherein the designations comprise visual representations of musical indicia used in writing and playing music compositions; and

wherein the visual representations of musical indicia are selected from the group comprising;

at least one musical note between A and G located on a musical score, each musical note having a pitch,

at least one letter between A and G, wherein the letter is identical to the musical note located on the musical score on the same musical block;

a representation of a physical portion of a musical instrument, wherein the physical portion comprises at least one highlighted sound initiator that corresponds to the at least one note and the at least one letter designated on the sets of opposing sides;

a bass clef (F clef) located on a musical score;

a treble clef (G clef) located on a musical score;

a sharp located on a musical score;

a flat located on a musical score; and

a representation of at least one song; and

at least one music generator that produces a tone that is substantially identical to the pitch of the at least one note designated on the sides of the block;

b. activating the music generator of the at least one block; and

c. noting the correspondences among;

the designated at least one note between A and G;

the position of the at least one note on the musical score;

the position of the highlighted sound initiator on the representation of the physical portion of the at least one musical instrument; and

the tone of the at least one note.

16. The method of music instruction according to claim 15, wherein the tone further comprises at least one harmonic of the at least one note.

17. The method of music instruction according to claim 16, wherein the tone produces a sound substantially identical to the sound produced by the designated musical instrument.

18. A music education apparatus comprising a set of at least seven blocks wherein

at least one block designates the musical A by having on one side the letter A, on another side the staff position of the note A, and on yet another side showing the piano key corresponding to the note A;

at least one block designates the musical note B by having on one side the letter B, on another side the staff position of the note B, and on yet another side showing the piano key corresponding to the note B;

at least one block designates the musical note C by having on one side the letter C, on another side the staff position of the note C, and on yet another side showing the piano key corresponding to the note C;

at least one block designates the musical note D by having on one side the letter D, on another side the staff position of the note D, and on yet another side showing the piano key corresponding to the note D;

at least one block designates the musical note E by having on one side the letter E, on another side the staff position of the note E, and on yet another side showing the piano key corresponding to the note E;

at least one block designates the musical note F by having on one side the letter F, on another side the staff position of the note F, and on yet another side showing the piano key corresponding to the note F; and

at least one block designates the musical note G by having on one side the letter G, on another side the staff position of the note G, and on yet another side showing the piano key corresponding to the note G.

19. The music education apparatus of claim 18 wherein each block further comprises a power source, a sound source and a switch wherein the sound source is activated by the switch to give a sound corresponding to the note and the musical instrument designated thereon.