System for playing music having multi-colored musical notation and instruments

• US 6,831,220 B2
• Filed: 11/06/2003
• Issued: 12/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Rainbow Music Corporation
• Original Assignee: Rainbow Music Corporation
• Inventors: Varme, Byron K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Donels, Jeffrey W
• Application Number:
  US10/702,282
• Publication Number:
  US 20040074376A1
• Time in Patent Office: 404 Days
• Field of Search: 844/832, 844/64.R
• US Class Current: 84/483.2
• CPC Class Codes: G10G 1/00 Means for the representation of music
• CPC Class Codes: G10G 1/02 Chord or note indicators, fixed or adjustable, for keyboard of fingerboards
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/0008 Associated control or indicating means
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/34 Switch arrangements, e.g. keyboards or mechanical switches specially adapted for electrophonic musical instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/015 Musical staff, tablature or score displays, e.g. for score reading during a performance. graphical musical score editing G10H2220/121; musical score displays resulting from a transcription G10H2210/086

Abstract

Disclosed is a system for colorizing music for converting black and white musical scores into colorized musical scores through the use of a method that can be implemented by a computer wherein each whole tone and half tone is assigned a unique color and pattern, respectively, using a septuary system of colors. The unique colors and patterns are applied to piano keyboards, keyboard guides and to other musical instruments. Colorized musical scores in standard format or, alternatively, in a linear format on one or more computer screens or special display devices are displayed for viewing by the musician. The musical instruments are colored according to the musical score notes to facilitate playing of music.

Claims

1. A method for colorizing musical scores having black and white notes into musical scores having colored and patterned notes, comprising;

(a) obtaining a first data structure, wherein the first data structure includes a plurality of note fields, each note field containing at least one black and white note;

(b) obtaining a second data structure, wherein the second data structure includes a note field containing notes corresponding to notes in the first data structure, a color field having a color corresponding with each note in the note field of the second data structure, and a pattern field having a pattern corresponding with each note in the note field of the second data structure;

(c) matching each black and white note in the first data structure with a note from the note field in the second data structure and assigning the color and pattern corresponding with the note to create a plurality of colorized and patterned notes from black and white notes; and

(d) creating a third data structure, wherein the third data structure includes a plurality of note fields having the colorized and patterned notes arranged in a musical score wherein the first and the second data structure further includes an octave field having a plurality of octaves, and wherein each note in the first and second data structure is assigned to one of the octaves.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising scanning a musical score having black and white notes to obtain the first data structure.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the musical scores having black and white notes are in digital format.

4. A method for transferring a computer program product from a first computer to a second computer connected to the first computer through a communications medium, comprising:

(a) accessing on a first computer, computer executable instructions for execution by a computer, the computer executable instructions for performing the method for colorizing musical scores having black and white notes into musical scores having colored and patterned notes, comprising;

(a) obtaining a first data structure, wherein the first data structure includes a plurality of note fields, each note field containing at least one black and white note;

(b) obtaining a second data structure, wherein the second data structure includes a note field containing notes corresponding to notes in the first data structure, a color field having a color corresponding with each note in the note field of the second data structure, and a pattern field having a pattern corresponding with each note in the note field of the second data structure;

(c) matching each black and white note in the first data structure with a note from the note field in the second data structure and assigning the color and pattern corresponding with the note to create a plurality of colorized and patterned notes from black and white notes; and

(d) creating a third data structure, wherein the third data structure includes a plurality of note fields having the colorized and patterned notes arranged in a musical score; and

(b) transferring the computer executable instructions from the first computer to the second computer.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the musical scores having black and white notes are in digital format.

6. A method for converting musical scores having black and white notes into musical scores having colorized notes, comprising:

(a) scanning an image of a musical score having black and white notes to obtain raw data representing the musical score having black and white notes;

(b) searching for recognition of the black and white notes in a database having notes corresponding to the black and white notes, wherein the notes in the database are assigned coordinates or digital instructions and a color and pattern from a master color matrix having a color and a pattern for each note in the database;

(c) creating coordinates or digital instructions for each black and white note;

(d) matching the black and white note coordinates or digital instructions with the coordinates or digital instructions of the notes in the database;

(e) creating an index comprising the coordinates or digital instructions of the notes in the database that have been matched with the black and white note coordinates or digital instructions and assigning the color and pattern according to the master color matrix;

(f) saving the index as data in a file; and

(g) generating an image of a musical score having colorized and patterned notes from the data.