Music teaching aid

• US 6,031,172 A
• Filed: 06/13/1997
• Issued: 02/29/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/1992
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Musacus International Limited
• Original Assignee: Musacus International Limited
• Inventors: Papadopoulos, Marios Gabriel
• Primary Examiner(s): Nappi, Robert E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LOCKETT, KIMBERLY R
• Application Number:
  US08/874,865
• Time in Patent Office: 991 Days
• Field of Search: 84/470 R, 84/471 R, 84/474
• US Class Current: 84/470.00R
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 1/20 and bearing the symbols on a surface parallel to the axis of rotation
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 15/004 Non-electrically operated systems

Abstract

A music teaching aid having a number of reference rings that are positioned so as to have independent rotatable movement on a base member. Depending on the shape of the base member, the reference rings are either substantially coaxial cylindrical sleeves or concentric rings. Each reference ring has an outside surface which is divided into segments each of which displays indicia representing a note of the chromatic scale and which is identifiable by a predetermined color coding system such that when segments of the reference rings are aligned in accordance with the predetermined color coding system, corresponding segments of each successive ring will represent the notes of a non-chromatic scale.

Claims

1. A music teaching aid comprising a plurality of reference rings each independently rotatable about a common axis, each ring having a surface divided into twelve segments with each segment comprising indicia representing a note of the chromatic scale with indicia for a musical note which has enharmonic equivalents displaying both enharmonic equivalents, each segment individually identified by a color in a color coding system such that when the reference rings are rotated relative to one another to align selected segments of successive of said reference rings according to the color coding system the indicia of the selected and aligned segments representing the notes of a non-chromatic scale, the color coding system being such that non-diatonic notes are indicated by brighter or flatter versions of a color of a diatonic note.

2. A music teaching aid according to claim 1 comprising seven or more said reference rings.

3. A music teaching aid according to claim 1 wherein the colors of segments of the ring alter prismatically along the ring.

4. A music teaching aid according to claim 3 wherein a segment having indicia for a note which is a sharp or a flat of a note indicated on a next adjacent segment of the same ring is of a different hue to that color of said next adjacent segment.

5. A music teaching aid according to claim 1, wherein the color of a segment of a reference ring which has indicia representing a note between the diatonic notes of a scale is a color which is intermediate between the colors of segments of the same reference ring which represents the diatonic notes on each side.

6. A music teaching aid according to claim 1, wherein a segment having said indicia representing both enharmonic equivalents of a musical note is divided into two semi-segments each semi-segment containing an indicia representing a respective one of said enharmonic equivalents.

7. A music teaching aid according to claim 6 wherein said semi-segments are a different hue of a color of the basic note.

8. A music teaching aid compromising seven or more reference rings each independently rotatable about a common axis, each ring having a surface divided into twelve segments with each segment comprising indicia representing a musical note such that successive segments represent the successive notes of the chromatic scale, each segment also being individually identified by a color in a color coding system in which non-diatonic notes are indicated by brighter of flatter hues of a color of a basic diatonic note such that when the reference rings are moved relative to one another to align segments of successive said reference rings according to the color coding system, the indicia of the selected and aligned segments of represent the notes of a non-chromatic scale, each ring also including segments which have indicia representing both enharmonic equivalents of a musical note such as to identify which of the enharmonic equivalents is correct for the type of non-chromatic scale represented by the segments aligned according to the color coding system, each segment having said indicia representing both enharmonic equivalents of a musical note is divided into part segments each part segment containing indicia representing a respective one of said enharmonic equivalents, a part segment containing a musically incorrect enharmonic equivalent is colored in a color which is distinguishable from a color of an adjacent segment of an adjacent reference ring.

9. A music teaching aid according to claim 8 wherein the notes of the C, D, E, F, G, A and B major scales have ascribed thereto recognized colors of the visible spectrum.

10. A music teaching aid according to claim 9 wherein segments located between segments having indicia representing said notes of the C, D, E, F, G, A and B major scales are coded by a hue or hues of the color of an adjacent segment representing notes between the notes of the C, D, E, F, G, A and B major scales.

11. A music teaching aid according to claim 10 wherein the reference ring has tonic notes of fifteen recognized major scales.

12. A music teaching aid comprising a plurality of reference rings each independently rotatable about a common axis, each ring having a surface divided into twelve segments with each segment comprising indicia representing a note of the chromatic scale and individually identified by a color in a color coding system such that when the reference rings are rotated relative to one another to align selected segments of successive of said reference rings according to the color coding system, the indicia of the selected and aligned segments represent the notes of a non-chromatic scale, and further including a housing in which an integral metronome to generate an audibly repetitive beat is housed.