Chording apparatus for stringed musical instrument
AssigneeMarvin R. Glemmings
InventorsMarvin R. Glemming, Walter I. Bieger
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A chording apparatus for stringed musical instruments is provided that automatically forms complex chording arrangements on the instrument keyboard in response to the simple depression of a single button. The chording apparatus hereof includes a unique arrangement of selection buttons, actuating arms, and string depressing hammers, to allow for the selection of a maximum number of chords with a minimum number of apparatus parts. The chording apparatus also includes a unique, one piece biasing plate that urges each of the string depressing hammers to their string clearing positions. The apparatus can be quickly attached or detached from the neck of a string instrument, is adaptable to keyboards of various widths, and is particularly designed for ease of assembly.
Claims8
A chording apparatus for a musical instrument having a plurality of strings extending along a keyboard, comprising
- means for manually selecting a chord to be played;
- a plurality of individual string depressing means shiftable between string clearing and string depressing positions, each of said individual depressing means being operably engageable with predetermined ones of said strings when in said string depressing position;
- actuating means responsive to said chord selecting means for shifting predetermined ones of said depressing means to said string depressing positions, at least some of said string depressing means being shiftable by more than one of said actuating means whereby said individual depressing means can be used in multiple chord combinations;
- and
- a biasing plate having a plurality of resilient biasing elements integrally molded as part of said plate, each biasing element being operably coupled with a respective one of said string depressing means for urging said respective string depressing means to said string clearing position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.