Vocal training device

• US 6,617,503 B2
• Filed: 08/30/2001
• Issued: 09/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Joseph W. Geopfert
• Original Assignee: Joseph W. Geopfert
• Inventors: Geopfert, Joseph W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Donels, Jeffrey
• Application Number:
  US09/943,472
• Publication Number:
  US 20030041720A1
• Time in Patent Office: 740 Days
• Field of Search: 844/61, 844/66, 844/70.R, 434/318
• US Class Current: 84/461
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 15/00 Teaching music metronomes G04F5/02

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system for playing back, via a plurality of speakers, the melody, harmony, and the harmony'"'"'s components which comprise a song. Specifically, the present invention allows the user to select a song from a plurality of songs that have been formatted to allow playback of individual melody and/or harmony or the harmony'"'"'s sub-components. Additionally, the present invention allows the user to select a desired playback mode which includes: melody only, harmony only, melody and harmony, multi-unit playback of melody, harmony and harmony'"'"'s components.

Claims

1. A vocal training system comprising:

a means for selecting a desired song to be played back;

a means for selecting a desired playback mode;

a means for storing a preformatted song, whereby the song is comprised of a plurality of components, having at least one melody component, and at least one harmony component; and

a means for playing back the selected melody and harmony components of the desired song.

2. A vocal training system as recited in claim 1, wherein the means for selectively playing back comprises the doll containing at least two speakers, one speaker playing one selected component, the other speaker playing a different selected component.

3. A vocal training system as recited in claim 1, further comprising the doll containing a means for receiving from another doll and a means for transmitting to an other doll.

4. A vocal training system as recited in claim 2, further comprising a system for connecting a plurality of vocal training systems together, thereby allowing a first connected training system to playback preselected portions of a song'"'"'s harmony or melody through a second plurality of connected training systems.

5. A vocal training system as recited in claim 4, wherein the playback mode selection system allows a user to playback the discrete melody and harmony components in a desired configuration via a plurality of connected vocal training units.

6. A vocal training system as recited in claim 5, wherein the connecting system allows a user to connect a plurality of training systems together via a connecting cable.

7. A vocal training system as recited in claim 5, wherein the connecting system comprises a wireless communications system thereby allowing a plurality of training systems to wirelessly transfer or receive harmony and/or melody portions of a selected song, whereby selected components of the harmony and/or melody are received and played back on dedicated training units.

8. A vocal training device as recited in claim 2, further comprising a removable data storage system.

9. A vocal training device as recited in claim 2, further comprising a system capable of downloading a plurality of preformatted songs from a computer network.

10. A vocal training devices as recited in claim 2, wherein the selected son is formatted for playback of a four-part harmony comprising:

soprano, alto, tenor, and bass portions of the song.

11. A method for learning to sing the melody and/or harmony of a song comprising the steps of:

selecting a pre-formatted song to be played back on a first playback unit;

selecting a desired playback mode on the first playback unit from the group consisting of melody only, harmony only, melody and harmony, sub-components of harmony, and sub-components of harmony with melody; and

playing back the selected components of the song, thereby allowing the user to learn how to sing the desired harmony/melody portion of the selected song.

12. A method for learning to sing the melody and/or harmony of song as recited in claim 11, further comprising the steps of:

connecting a plurality of playback units using a plurality of connectors disposed on the plurality of playback units, whereby each user selected component of the harmony and/or melody is capable of being discretely played back via individually dedicated playback units.

13. A method for learning to sing the melody and/or harmony of a song as recited in claim 11, further comprising the steps of:

placing only a single training unit in a transmit mode;

placing at least one training unit in a receiving mode, whereby the receiving unit is capable of wirelessly receiving the melody, harmony, or harmony sub-components that are transmitted by the transmitting unit; and

playing back the melody, harmony, and/or the sub-components of the harmony via a plurality of speakers located on a plurality of training units.