GB2312076A

GB2312076A - A device for teaching of stringed instrument playing

Info

Publication number: GB2312076A
Application number: GB9607555A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Stephen Carl Humphreys; Alan Tappy
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1996-04-11
Filing date: 1996-04-11
Publication date: 1997-10-15
Also published as: GB9607555D0

Abstract

The device 1 facilitates reading and playing of guitar and other stringed instrument music and comprises a flexible sheet 3 of self-cling vinyl which can be wrapped around the neck of the guitar and beneath the strings thereof. The flexible sheet 3 bears markings 5 which indicate where fingering should take place in order to produce particular musical notes. The device 1 can be easily replaced by a similar device which relates to a different musical key.

Description

IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO THE TEACHING OF STRINGED INSTRUMENT PLAYING This invention relates to the teaching of stringed musical instrument playing.

The invention is applicable to the playing of guitars, violins, violas, cellos, and the double-bass.

For many years people have endeavoured to learn and to play stringed instruments. In recent years the guitar has been the most popular instrument. Much of its popularity is due to it having six strings and long fretboard which combine to offer a wide range of musical notes and keys.

This wide range of choice means the person learning to play the guitar must become familiar with the musical notes and be able to locate them in their musical sequence as easily and quickly as possible.

The present invention seeks to make the learning/teaching process less difficult and more interesting for both tutor and pupil, by providing a device for facilitating reading and playing of stringed instrument music.

According to the present invention a device for facilitating reading and playing of stringed instrument music comprises a flexible sheet of selfadhesive material which can be adhered to the neck of a stringed instrument and beneath the strings thereof, the sheet bearing markings indicating where fingering should take place in order to produce particular musical notes.

Preferably the markings indicate where fingering should take place in order to produce the notes of a particular scale and/or chord.

The markings may comprise colour codings, different colours indicating different musical notes.

Preferably the flexible sheet is large enough to wrap around the neck of the stringed instrument, and is of self-clinging plastics material, such as vinyl.

The device may be formed with slots to accommodate the frets of a fretted stringed instrument.

The invention also comprises the combination of a stringed instrument, such as a guitar, and one or more devices as aforesaid.

The invention may also comprise the combination of one or more devices as aforesaid, plus a printed or video guide to playing of a stringed instrument.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figure 1 is a front view of a device according to the invention, and Figure 2 is a fragmentary view which illustrates the upper part of a guitar with the device in place.

With reference to the figures, a device 1 for facilitating reading and playing of a six string fretted guitar 2 comprises a flexible sheet 3 of self-adhesive, non-stick, material. The material of the sheet 2 is a self-clinging vinyl of about 0.020 inches (0.5080 mm) in thickness.. The sheet 2 is transparent and on its reverse side bears printed markings 5 indicating where fingering should take place (immediately behind the guitar frets) in order to produce particular musical notes when associated strings 4 of the guitar 2 are struck.

The printed markings 5, which comprise geometrical shapes in the form of rectangles 10 and 20, are printed on the reverse side of the flexible sheet 2 so that they are not damaged in use by prolonged fingering. Alternatively, or in addition, other geometrical shapes, such as triangles may be used.

The example of sheet 2 illustrated by Figures 1 and 2 is the 'Blues Scale' in the key of A. The correct musical name is the pentatonic minor scale, which holds only 5 notes. Early Blues guitarists added an extra note and gave it the name 'Blues Scale'. These added notes are represented by small area rectangles 20 and are coloured orange.

Blues guitarists usually include a full verse solo in an arrangement of a song. The harmonic pattern of the solo normally follows the melody of the song. Early Blues guitarists often used this scale to musically 'mimic' or answer a question given by the melody. They would often sing a melody in one bar of music and in the next bar harmonise (using the Blues Scale) with the guitar, thus: vocal melody guitar solo (riff)* WELL YOU GET UP IN THE MORNING DA, DA, DA, DE, DUM * portrayed here phonetically.

This scale has evolved over the years taking in added notes to increase its musical 'vocabulary' and been adapted to many different styles. Its basic form is a vital backbone to guitar soloing.

As mentioned above, Figures 1 and 2 show the scale notes to use in the key of A. For example, if a student played the notes marked on the scale against a chord progression in the key of A major, he/she would be able to harmonize without sounding out of tune.

The scale illustrated has'minor' qualitites (pentatonic minor scale) and when played against the 'bright' sound of the major chord/melody, gives a sombre reply, hence 'The Blues'.

The device 1 provides visual references directly on the guitar neck, thus aiding finger memory. It is expected that children in particular will find the colour references appealing and easy to follow.

Tablature is a well-known system of notation designed specially for guitarists. The tablature stave comprises six lines. Each line represents a string of the guitar, string 1 being the highest line and string 6 the lowest.

2 T 4 6 'Fret' numbers placed on the lines of guitar tablature advise the student which fret to play on a given string. Fret 1 is the fret nearest to the tuning pegs and '0' indicates an unfretted or 'open' string.

CCR T 1 56 , 8, 58 ,~.

L Using the colour reference from the scale shown in Figure 1, the tablature evetem cAn he made easier to understand.

|T C 7 Q ~ C IT w\v I 5\o 'CA Below is transcribed a small part of an early Blues solo from a classic called 'Stagolee'. It is written in standard notation, tablature, and tablature combined with the device 1. It is in the key of A and the first two bars are here played STANDARD NOTATION

against the A-Major-7 chord.

g4 1J Qg W GUITAR TABLATURE

A T Lf-f R 14 , r 7 I w 7 J [ n I r

T I pvi H GUITAR TAB DEVICE TAB ;Ft7 1 DEVICE 1-1 Y I 'CA q'L Each note of the scale is identified by a particular colour. In the example illustrated by Figures 1 and 2, the colour coding comprises white for 'A', blue for 'G', red for C', green for 'D', yellow for 'E' and orange for 'D&num; and Eb' The colours are applied to the rectangles 10 and 20, so as to infill the same.

In Figure 1, the letters denoting the notes, such as G and C, within rectangles 10 and 20, are here included to assist in the understanding of the invention. In practice, these particular letters may be omitted. However, the letters enclosed in boxes 11 should be present.

The sheet 2 is formed with laterally-extending slots 12 to accommodate the frets 13 of the guitar 2.

Figure 2 illustrates how the device 1 is adhered to the neck 14 of the guitar 2. The device 1 is slid beneath the strings 4 of the guitar and aligned with the fingerboard thereof. It is then stretched firmly into place, with the flexible sheet 3 wrapped around the guitar neck 14, as indicated by the double-headed arrows 15.

The slots 12 allow the frets 13 of the guitar to protrude through the sheet 3.

Although the sheet 3 self-adheres to the guitar neck 14, it does not become a permanent fixture. Instead it can be stripped away from the neck 14 and replaced by another sheet, bearing markings related to different musical notes.

Different size sheets 3 may be provided, so as to suit different size guitars.

A plurality of flexible sheets 3 may be provided, the sheets having markings relating to different musical scales and/or chords.

The invention may also comprise a plurality of such sheets, in combination with a stringed instrument, such as the guitar 2, and/or a printed or video guide to playing of a particular stringed instrument, such guides being currently sold at music shops.

The invention avoids any need to apply paint or other markings to the stringed instrument itself.

Claims

1. A device for facilitating reading and playing of stringed instrument music, comprising a flexible sheet of self-adhesive material which can be adhered to the neck of a stringed instrument and beneath the strings thereof, the sheet bearing markings indicating where fingering should take place in order to produce particular musical notes.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the markings indicate where fingering should take place in order to produce the notes of a particular scale.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein the markings indicate where fingering should take place in order to produce the notes of a particular chord.

4. A device as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein the markings comprise colour codings, different colours indicating different musical notes.

5. A device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein the markings comprise letters identifying particular musical notes.

6. A device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein the flexible sheet is large enough to wrap around the neck of the stringed instrument.

7. A device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6 wherein the flexible sheet is of self-clinging plastics material.

8. A device as claimed in claim 7 wherein the self-cling plastics material is a self-clinging vinyl.

9. A device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8 wherein the markings comprise geometrical shapes.

10. A device as claimed in claim 9 wherein the geometrical shapes comprise rectangles.

11. A device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 10, for use with a fretted stringed instrument, formed with slots to accommodate the frets of the instrument.

12. A device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 11 wherein the flexible sheet is of transparent material, and the markings are applied to the side of the sheet which, in use, is the reverse side.

13. A plurality of devices each according to any one of claims 1 to 12, the devices having markings relating to different musical scales.

14. The combination of a stringed instrument and a device according to any one of claims 1 to 12, or a plurality of devices according to claim 13.

15. The combination of claim 14 wherein the stringed instrument is a guitar.

16. The combination of a device according to any one of claims 1 to 12, or a plurality of devices according to claim 13, and a printed or video guide to playing of a particular stringed instrument.

17. A device for facilitating reading and playing of stringed instrument music, substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to the accompanying drawings.