Stringed instrument keyboard

• US 8,319,082 B1
• Filed: 10/07/2010
• Issued: 11/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: George Donald Bacon
• Original Assignee: George Donald Bacon
• Inventors: Bacon, George Donald
• Primary Examiner(s): Donels, Jeffrey
• Application Number:
  US12/924,825
• Time in Patent Office: 782 Days
• Field of Search: 843/14.R, 843/15
• US Class Current: 84/314.R
• CPC Class Codes: G10D 3/08 Fingerboards in the form of keyboards

Abstract

A stringed instrument keyboard consists of a plate secured above a fingerboard of an instrument with multiple keys uniquely arranged on that plate. Each key consists of a rectangular key top, a key shaft extending downward from the key top through an access hole in the plate toward the fingerboard, and a key tip attached to the opposite end of the key shaft suitable for depressing an instrument string against a particular fret on the fingerboard. Pressing the key top causes the associated key tip to apply pressure to the string beneath that key in an opportune position to hold the string against an adjacent fret. Thumb levers may be used to depress certain keys. The keyboard facilitates learning how to play a stringed instrument, by simplifying the manipulation required to hold strings in appropriate positions and minimizing the pain associated with holding strings with finger tips.

Claims

1. A keyboard for depressing strings of a stringed instrument having a fingerboard with frets, comprising:

a. a plate securely suspended above the fingerboard of the stringed instrument, said plate having a bottom above the fingerboard, a top opposite thereto, and two sides,

b. said plate having a plurality of rows, each row having dimensions corresponding to an area of the fingerboard beneath that row between adjacent frets of the fingerboard,

c. each said row having one access hole formed therein above each string of the stringed instrument, said access holes arranged so that a first set of access holes in each row is positioned substantially near a fret and a second set of access holes in each row is positioned substantially mid-way between two frets, such that for each pair of adjacent strings, one string can be accessed through an access hole which is positioned substantially near a fret and the other string can be accessed through an access hole which is positioned substantially mid-way between two frets,

d. a plurality of keys arranged within rectangular channels formed in adjacent positions in said top of said plate, each key comprising;

i. a rectangular key top held within each rectangular channel,

ii. a key shaft extending downward from the key top through an access hole, and

iii. a key tip attached to the key shaft opposite the key top, said key tip being suitable for depressing a string against the fingerboard when the key is pressed, and

e. positioning means for raising the key to an original position not touching a string when the key is not pressed,

f. wherein each rectangular key top has unique dimensions.

2. A keyboard for depressing strings of a stringed instrument having a fingerboard with frets, comprising:

a. a plate securely suspended above the fingerboard of the stringed instrument, said plate having a bottom above the fingerboard, a top opposite thereto, and two sides,

b. said plate having a plurality of rows, each row having dimensions corresponding to an area of the fingerboard beneath that row between adjacent frets of the fingerboard,

c. each said row having one access hole formed therein above each string of the stringed instrument, said access holes arranged so that a first set of access holes in each row is positioned substantially near a fret and a second set of access holes in each row is positioned substantially mid-way between two frets, such that for each pair of adjacent strings, one string can be accessed through an access hole which is positioned substantially near a fret and the other string can be accessed through an access hole which is positioned substantially mid-way between two frets,

d. a plurality of keys arranged within rectangular channels formed in adjacent positions in said top of said plate, each key comprising;

i. a rectangular key top held within each rectangular channel,

ii. a key shaft extending downward from the key top through an access hole, and

iii. a key tip attached to the key shaft opposite the key top, said key tip being suitable for depressing a string against the fingerboard when the key is pressed, and

e. positioning means for raising the key to an original position not touching a string when the key is not pressed,

f. wherein each key shaft above a single string has a unique length which differs from a unique length of each key shaft above each other string.

3. A keyboard according to claim 2, wherein the unique length of each key shaft corresponds to thickness of the string beneath that key shaft and distance between the key tip connected to that key shaft and a fret on which a string beneath that key shaft is being depressed.

4. A keyboard for depressing strings of a stringed instrument having a fingerboard with frets, comprising:

a. a plate securely suspended above the fingerboard of the stringed instrument, said plate having a bottom above the fingerboard, a top opposite thereto, and two sides,

b. said plate having a plurality of rows, each row having dimensions corresponding to an area of the fingerboard beneath that row between adjacent frets of the fingerboard,

c. each said row having one access hole formed therein above each string of the stringed instrument, said access holes arranged so that a first set of access holes in each row is positioned substantially near a fret and a second set of access holes in each row is positioned substantially mid-way between two frets, such that for each pair of adjacent strings, one string can be accessed through an access hole which is positioned substantially near a fret and the other string can be accessed through an access hole which is positioned substantially mid-way between two frets,

d. a plurality of keys arranged within rectangular channels formed in adjacent positions in said top of said plate, each key comprising;

i. a rectangular key top help within each rectangular channel,

ii. a key shaft extending downward from the key top through an access hole, and

iii. a key tip attached to the key shaft opposite the key top, said key tip being suitable for depressing a string against the fingerboard when the key is pressed, and

e. positioning means for raising the key to an original position not touching a string when the key is not pressed,

f. wherein said plate is securely suspended above the fingerboard by a plurality of support pegs extending downward from said bottom of said plate to engage the fingerboard of the stringed instrument in a manner that does not touch the strings, each such support peg having a height sufficient to suspend said plate a desired height above the fingerboard so that each key tip does not touch a string when the key of that key tip is in said original position and each key tip does press a string when the key of that key tip is pressed.

5. A keyboard according to claim 4, wherein said plate is further securely suspended above the fingerboard by at least one clamp connecting said plate to the fingerboard and holding said plate at said desired height.

6. A keyboard according to claim 4, further comprising:

a. a vertical edge extending from each side of said plate downward to opposite sides of the fingerboard, and

b. clamping mechanism connecting each edge to the fingerboard.

7. A keyboard for depressing strings of a stringed instrument having a fingerboard with frets, comprising:

a. a plate securely suspended above the fingerboard of the stringed instrument, said plate having a bottom above the fingerboard, a top opposite thereto, and two sides,

b. said plate having a plurality of rows, each row having dimensions corresponding to an area of the fingerboard beneath that row between adjacent frets of the fingerboard,

c. each said row having one access hole formed therein above each string of the stringed instrument, said access holes arranged so that a first set of access holes in each row is positioned substantially near a fret and a second set of access holes in each row is positioned substantially mid-way between two frets, such that for each pair of adjacent strings, one string can be accessed through an access hole which is positioned substantially near a fret and the other string can be accessed through an access hole which is positioned substantially mid-way between two frets,

d. a plurality of keys arranged within rectangular channels formed in adjacent positions in said top of said plate, each key comprising;

i. a rectangular key top held within each rectangular channel,

ii. a key shaft extending downward from the key top through an access hole, and

iii. a key tip attached to the key shaft opposite the key top, said key tip being suitable for depressing a string against the fingerboard when the key is pressed, and

e. positioning means for raising the key to an original position not touching a string when the key is not pressed,

f. wherein at least one key shaft extends downward from the key top to which said key shaft is attached at a position which is not centered with respect to said key top.

8. A keyboard for depressing strings of a stringed instrument having a fingerboard with frets, comprising:

a. a plate securely suspended above the fingerboard of the stringed instrument, said plate having a bottom above the fingerboard, a top opposite thereto, and two sides,

b. said plate having a plurality of rows, each row having dimensions corresponding to an area of the fingerboard beneath that row between adjacent frets of the fingerboard,

c. each said row having one access hole formed therein above each string of the stringed instrument, said access holes arranged so that a first set of access holes in each row is positioned substantially near a fret and a second set of access holes in each row is positioned substantially mid-way between two frets, such that for each pair of adjacent strings, one string can be accessed through an access hole which is positioned substantially near a fret and the other string can be accessed through an access hole which is positioned substantially mid-way between two frets,

d. a plurality of keys arranged within rectangular channels formed in adjacent positions in said top of said plate, each key comprising;

i. a rectangular key top held within each rectangular channel,

ii. a key shaft extending downward from the key top through an access hole, and

iii. a key tip attached to the key shaft opposite the key top, said key tip being suitable for depressing a string against the fingerboard when the key is pressed, and

e. positioning means for raising the key to an original position not touching a string when the key is not pressed,

f. further comprising a thumb lever mechanism for depressing at least one key by engaging said thumb lever mechanism with a user'"'"'s thumb, said thumb lever mechanism comprising;

i. thumb lever compartment attached to a side of said plate, said compartment having opposing compartment sides with matching holes formed in each compartment side,

ii. a thumb lever rod extending through said matching holes in each compartment side,

iii. at least one thumb lever comprising;

A. a thumb lever centerpiece having a top and a bottom, said centerpiece having a hole formed therein suitable for receiving said thumb lever rod so that said thumb lever pivots around said thumb lever rod,

B. a thumb lever tip extending from said top of said thumb lever centerpiece so that said thumb lever tip presses a key adjacent to said thumb lever when the thumb lever is pivoted around the thumb lever rod, and

C. a thumb lever activator extending from said bottom of said thumb lever centerpiece suitable for engaging with a user'"'"'s thumb, so that engaging said thumb lever activator causes the thumb lever to pivot around said thumb lever rod, causing said thumb lever tip to press the key adjacent to said thumb lever, thereby depressing a string below said adjacent key.

9. A keyboard for depressing strings of a stringed instrument having a fingerboard with frets, comprising:

a. a plate securely suspended above the fingerboard of the stringed instrument, said plate having a bottom above the fingerboard, a top opposite thereto, and two sides,

b. said plate having a plurality of rows, each row having dimensions corresponding to an area of the fingerboard beneath that row between adjacent frets of the fingerboard,

c. each said row having one access hole formed therein above each string of the stringed instrument, said access holes arranged so that a first set of access holes in each row is positioned substantially near a fret and a second set of access holes in each row is positioned substantially mid-way between two frets, such that for each pair of adjacent strings, one string can be accessed through an access hole which is positioned substantially near a fret and the other string can be accessed through an access hole which is positioned substantially mid-way between two frets,

d. a plurality of keys arranged within rectangular channels formed in adjacent positions in said top of said plate, each key comprising;

i. a rectangular key top held within each rectangular channel,

ii. a key shaft extending downward from the key top through an access hole, and

iii. a key tip attached to the key shaft opposite the key top, said key tip being suitable for depressing a string against the fingerboard when the key is pressed, and

e. positioning means for raising the key to an original position not touching a string when the key is not pressed,

f. having a thumb lever mechanism for depressing at least one key by engaging said thumb lever mechanism with a user'"'"'s thumb adjacent to each strip of access holes.