Music training instrument and method
AssigneeJohn R. Shaffer
InventorsJohn R. Shaffer, Craig Bradley
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An improved method and apparatus for learning to play a musical instrument retrieve a stored sequence of musical notes and other data from a source, and determine locations on the musical instrument corresponding to the sequential music data from the source, and then indicate to the user upon the musical instrument the locations thereon where the instrument should be engaged to produce the note or chord to be played in the sequence.
Claims17
A method for visually assisting a user to play a stringed musical instrument, said method comprising the steps of:
- storing a musical data sequence, arranged in a predetermined order, in a data storage medium, where said musical data includes data representing musical notes;
- inputting a segment of said musical data sequence in its predetermined order from said data storage medium into a controller mounted in said musical instrument;
- determining by means of said controller a location on the musical instrument corresponding to musical data where the user should physically engage the instrument to produce a selection of musical notes by vibration of at least one string;
- dynamically indicating to the user upon the musical instrument the determined location at which the user should engage the instrument in order to produce notes in the sequence corresponding to the selection of musical notes in the stored musical data;
- and
- producing a vibration in at least one string of said instrument to generate a musical tone.
A stringed musical instrument providing visual user assistance, said instrument comprising:
- a body and means mounted to the body for engaging the strings;
- at least one string attached to the body for producing a musical tone, said tone produced at least partially by vibration of the string;
- display means including a plurality of individual annunciators for dynamically indicating a location on the engaging means at which the user should physically engage the musical instrument to produce a note;
- and
- means mounted in the body for reading data from a data storage medium, said data storage medium storing musical data representative of a selection of musical notes to be played on the musical instrument in a sequence;
- and
- controller means mounted in the body and having an input port coupled to the reading means for receiving said musical data, said controller analyzing musical data received at said input port to supply actuating signals to selected ones of the annunciators of the display means in the sequence.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.