Stringed instrument with keyboard

• US 8,669,458 B2
• Filed: 02/18/2010
• Issued: 03/11/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gregory A. Piccionelli, Michael M. Gerardi
• Original Assignee: Gregory A. Piccionelli, Michael M. Gerardi
• Inventors: Piccionelli, Gregory A., Gerardi, Michael M.
• Primary Examiner(s): UHLIR, CHRISTOPHER J
• Application Number:
  US12/660,038
• Publication Number:
  US 20100307314A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,482 Days
• Field of Search: 846/22
• US Class Current: 84/622
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/28 to produce arpeggios
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/32 Constructional details
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 1/342 for guitar-like instruments with or without strings and with a neck on which switches or string-fret contacts are used to detect the notes being played electric guitars in which the tones are generated by the vibration of strings G10H3/18
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2210/395 Special musical scales, i.e. other than the 12-interval equally tempered scale; Special input devices therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2210/425 19 equal intervals per octave, offering better major thirds, far better minor thirds and overall far greater consonance than normal 12-semitone equal temperament, at the cost of a flatter fifth
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2210/525 Diatonic scales, e.g. aeolian, ionian or major, dorian, locrian, lydian, mixolydian, phrygian, i.e. seven note, octave-repeating musical scales comprising five whole steps and two half steps for each octave, in which the two half steps are separated from each other by either two or three whole steps
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/096 using a touch screen
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/221 Keyboards, i.e. configuration of several keys or key-like input devices relative to one another
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/301 Fret-like switch array arrangements for guitar necks
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/305 using a light beam to detect key, pedal or note actuation
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2220/411 Light beams
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2230/145 Spint guitar keyboard, i.e. mimicking a combination of a guitar-like instrument, with or without strings, and a piano-like keyboard, e.g. with white and black keys arranged like on a piano
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 2230/281 Spint drum assembly, i.e. mimicking two or more drums or drumpads assembled on a common structure, e.g. drum kit
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 3/18 using a string, e.g. electric guitar mechanical features G10D1/085
• CPC Class Codes: G10H 3/22 using electromechanically actuated vibrators with pick-up means G10H3/24 takes precedence

Abstract

A musical instrument includes a body, a neck attached to the body, a plurality of strings having first ends secured to the body and second ends secured to the neck, and a keyboard secured to the body. Optionally, each of the strings is associated with a plucker.

Claims

1. A musical instrument comprising:

a) a body, the body comprising an extension,

b) a neck attached to the body, the neck defining an axis, the neck and body defining a first plane, wherein a second plane is defined that is substantially perpendicular to the first plane, passes through the first plane and contains the axis, and wherein the extension comprises at least a portion that is non-coplanar with the first plane and has a cross-section that is at least partially contained in the second plane,

c) a plurality of strings having first ends secured to the body and second ends secured to the neck,

d) a plurality of pluckers, each string being associated with at least one plucker,

e) a processor in communication with the plurality of pluckers,

f) a control device in communication with the processor, the control device providing a signal to the processor whereby at least one of the plurality of pluckers is activated, thereby plucking the string associated with the at least one plucker to produce a musical note,

and

g) a keyboard secured to the body such that at least a portion of the keyboard is secured to the non-coplanar portion of the extension, the keyboard comprising a plurality of keys for producing sounds,

the musical notes produced by the pluckers activated by control device f) and the sounds produced by the keys of keyboard g) being produceable substantially simultaneously.

2. The musical instrument of claim 1 wherein the neck comprises a fret board comprising a plurality of sensors in a number sufficient to detect a fingering of a plurality of notes playable on the fret board.

3. The musical instrument of claim 2 wherein the sensors are touch sensors.

4. The musical instrument of claim 1 wherein the processor is in communication with the keyboard.

5. The musical instrument of claim 1 wherein the control device comprises a foot pedal.

6. The musical instrument of claim 1 wherein the control device comprises a touch-sensitive neck insert.

7. The musical instrument of claim 1 wherein the keyboard comprises a control that enables an arpeggiation pattern to be produced by the activation of a specified group of pluckers in a specified order when a key of the keyboard is depressed.

8. The musical instrument of claim 1 wherein the body comprises a lower surface, and wherein the non-coplanar portion of the extension extends away from the lower surface of the body.

9. The musical instrument of claim 1 wherein the extension is detachable.

10. The musical instrument of claim 8 wherein the non-coplanar portion of the extension has a cross-section in a third plane that forms an acute angle with the first plane.

11. The musical instrument of claim 10 wherein the non-coplanar portion of the extension is curved.

12. A musical instrument comprising:

a) a body, the body comprising a lower surface, the body further comprising a curved extension,

b) a neck attached to the body, the neck defining an axis, the neck and body defining a first plane, wherein a second plane is defined that is substantially perpendicular to the first plane, passes through the first plane and contains the axis, and wherein the curved extension comprises at least a portion that is non-coplanar with the first plane, extends away from the lower surface of the body and has a cross-section that is at least partially contained in the second plane,

c) a plurality of strings having first ends secured to the body and second ends secured to the neck,

d) a plurality of pluckers, each string being associated with at least one plucker,

e) a processor in communication with the plurality of pluckers,

f) a control device in communication with the processor, the control device providing a signal to the processor whereby at least one of the plurality of pluckers is activated, thereby plucking the string associated with the at least one plucker to produce a musical note,

and

g) a keyboard secured to the body, the keyboard such that at least a portion of the keyboard is secured to the non-coplanar portion of the extension, the keyboard comprising a plurality of keys for producing sounds,

the musical notes produced by the pluckers activated by control device f) and the sounds produced by the keys of keyboard g) being produceable substantially simultaneously.

13. The musical instrument of claim 12 wherein the curved extension is detachable.

14. A musical instrument comprising:

a) a body, the body comprising a lower surface, the body further comprising an extension,

b) a neck attached to the body, the neck defining an axis, the neck and body defining a first plane, wherein a second plane is defined that forms an acute angle with the first plane, and wherein the extension comprises at least a portion that is non-coplanar with the first plane, extends away from the lower surface of the body and has a cross-section that is at least partially contained in the second plane,

c) a plurality of strings having first ends secured to the body and second ends secured to the neck,

d) a plurality of pluckers, each string being associated with at least one plucker,

e) a processor in communication with the plurality of pluckers,

f) a control device in communication with the processor, the control device providing a signal to the processor whereby at least one of the plurality of pluckers is activated, thereby plucking the string associated with the at least one plucker to produce a musical note,

and

g) a keyboard secured to the body, the keyboard such that at least a portion of the keyboard is secured to the non-coplanar portion of the extension, the keyboard comprising a plurality of keys for producing sounds,

the musical notes produced in step f) and the sounds produced in step g) being produceable substantially simultaneously.

15. The musical instrument of claim 14 wherein the extension is detachable.