Pitch altering mechanism for reeded instrument
AssigneeJames F. Antaki
InventorJames F. Antaki
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Abstract
A system for altering the pitch produced by a reed of a reeded instrument. The system comprises a reed having a first portion structured to be coupled to the instrument and a second portion generally free to vibrate and a magnet adjustably disposed adjacent the reed. The reed comprises a magnetic material.
Claims21
A system for altering the pitch produced by a reed of a reeded instrument, the system comprising:
- a reed having a first portion structured to be coupled to the instrument and a second portion generally free to vibrate;
- and
- a magnet disposed adjacent the reed,
- wherein the reed comprises a magnetic material and wherein the position of the magnet is adjustable with respect to the reed so as to selectively affect the reed in a manner which alters the pitch produced by the reed.
A method of playing a musical instrument having a number of reeds, the method comprising:
- producing a first musical pitch from at least one reed of the number of reeds;
- and
- altering the pitch by moving a magnet disposed adjacent the at least one reed with respect to the at least one reed.
A method of playing a harmonica, the harmonica comprising at least one reed disposed adjacent a cell and a magnet disposed adjacent the at least one reed, the at least one reed adapted to produce a musical pitch when air is one of blown into or drawn from the cell, the method comprising:
- blowing air into, or drawing air out of one of the number of cells in a manner that causes the at least one reed to vibrate in a manner that produces a first pitch;
- and
- altering the pitch to a second pitch by moving the magnet with respect to the at least one reed.
A harmonica comprising:
- a comb defining a number of cells therein;
- a number of reeds, each reed of the number of reeds coupled to the comb at or about a respective one of the number of cells, at least one reed of the number of reeds comprising a magnetic material;
- and
- a number of magnets, each magnet of the number of magnets adjustably coupled to the comb at or about a respective reed of the number of reeds in a manner such that the pitch of the at least one reed may be adjusted by adjusting the position of the magnet disposed at or about the at least one reed with respect to the at least one reed.
A reed assembly having an adjustable tip gap, the assembly comprising:
- a reed plate;
- and
- a reed having a first portion and a second portion ending in a tip, the first portion being coupled to the reed plate by a clamping mechanism and the second portion being generally free to vibrate, wherein the clamping mechanism is adapted to move the first portion relative to the reed plate in a manner that causes the tip of the second portion to move relative to the reed plate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.