US 4,537,111 AGranted

System for aiding note transpositions for stringed instruments

OwnerJoseph R. Heathinventor

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Abstract

A note aid transposer for guitars and other instruments has a plurality of independent slides in a frame holding them parallel; each slide represents a separate string of an instrument; parallel with the slides but at the top of the frame a numbered fret array indication co-acts with equally spaced one-note measures therebeneath on a scale displaying the notes and below them the corresponding names of the notes; along the left side of the frame a slide retaining strip at a right angle to the fret array and overlying a portion of the slides in a position aligned with the left edge of the zero fret position has a separate open string notation for each slide; a similar strip lies to the right edge of the highest fret position but provides a different open string indication for the respective slides, which can project from either side of the frame for adjustment to the desired open string tuning position and thus indicate resultant note values at all fret locations.

In a system for aiding note transpositions for stringed instruments, said system having a frame, means on the frame slidably mounting in parallel a plurality of slides, the frame having means parallel with the slides for simulating a spaced succession of stringed instruments fret locations between first and second ends of said means for simulating, each slide having a succession of musical scale elements therealong on a spacing corresponding to the spacings of said means for simulating, the improvement comprising:

first and second strips on the frame with each of said first and second strips overlying a portion of the plurality of slides, said first and second strips parallel-spaced a distance substantially aligning an edge of the first strip with the first end of the means for simulating and an edge of the second strip with the second end of the means for simulating;
each of said first and second strips having thereon a succession of open string identifications spaced to coincide respectively with respective slides, each musical scale element including a measure corresponding in length to said spacing of the fret locations and in said measure a note on a scale and the name of said note, the entirety of each slide being visible except for said portion overlain by the first and second strips, each slide being freely slidable past the first strip and past the second strip, said frame comprising a unitary rectangular sheet, said means slidably mounting comprising structure of said unitary rectangular sheet defining a plurality of rectangular windows parallel with each other between said first and second strips and further defining a respective slot outboard each rectangular window, said unitary rectangular sheet having first and second inwardly folded margins, each fold being medianly through a respective said slot, means for securing said inwardly folded margins and forming a flattened tube of said frame, and said rectangular windows and slots having substantially the same height as said slides.

Abstract

Claims1