GB2392295A

GB2392295A - Floating blade plectrum

Info

Publication number: GB2392295A
Application number: GB0303240A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Peter John Glyde
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2002-08-07
Filing date: 2003-02-13
Publication date: 2004-02-25
Anticipated expiration: 2023-02-13
Also published as: GB2392295B; GB0218294D0; GB0303240D0

Abstract

The floating blade plectrum comprises a 'blade' 1 with a 'non-rigid attachment' 2 between this and two 'rigidity layers' 3 and 4. The 'rigidity layers' 3 and 4 are enclosed between two 'grip layers' 9 and 10. The 'moment plates' 11 and 12 are attached to the 'grip layers' 9 and 10 and are made of a thin rigid material. The floating blade plectrum is a general purpose plectrum suitable for all types of acoustic guitar playing. It eliminates having to swap plectra whilst playing whilst maintaining dynamic control and sound quality and remains in position in the fingers. The presence of the 'moment plates' increases the sensitivity of the floating blade plectrum such that for a similar increase in grip pressure the rigidity of the plectrum is greater, the minimum rigidity is unaltered but the maximum rigidity is increased.

Description

Floating Blade Plectrum This irl-ention relates to a floating brace

plectrum suitable for playing a steel strung acoustic guitar.

A plectrum is one means of playing the strings of an acoustic steel strung guitar. Typically a plectrum is an egg shaped piece of thin plastic approx. 25m long ó 20 wide. It is usually held between the thumb and the first finger of the playing hand in a pen-holding grip.

There are a number of ways in which the plectrum can be used to play the guitar. The strings can be sounded in rapid succession, i.e. strummed or picked individually' i.e. single note Playing. A combination of the two styles is galled 'flat picking'. Coventional plectra are supplied in various thicknesses depending on the style and loudness of playing, e.g. soft strumming, loud strumming, single note playing and flat picking. The disadvantages of using conventional plectra are as follows. Firstly, the player cannot easily change the style of playing, say from soft to loud strumming as this requires putting down one plectrum and picking up the next. Secondly, the sound quality obtained with thin plectra is poor due to high plectrum 'clatter' or 'white noise' compared to the actual musical notes the instrument is producing. Thirdly, the dynamic control, i.e. the ability to play very softly and very loudly with the same plectrum is poor. Fourthly, conventional plectra are difficult to grip and tend to move and leave the fingers when in uses Fifth_y, for fast flat picking and smooth strumming it is advantageous to have the plectrum stiffer on the down stroke than on the up stroke, conventional plectra cannot provide this. The floating blade plectrum is a single general purpose plectrum which eliminates all the listed disadvantages.

According to the present invention there is provided a 'blade' of relatively thick plastic material with a 'non-rigid attachment' between this and two 'rigidity layers'. The upper and lower 'rigidity layers' are each made of a soft flexible material of uniform thickness, the upper layer being of greater thickness than the lower. The 'rigidity layers' can be contoured to adjust the rigidity they confer to the plectru. The 'rigidity layers' are enclosed between two 'grip layers'.

Each 'grip layer' is made of a soft flexible non-slip material or a soft flexible material coated with a soft flexible non-slip surface.

Each 'grip layer' is of uniform thickness And the thickness of each is the same. There is a 'moment plate' of relatively thin rigid material, one above the 'blade' and one below the 'blade' mzLing two in all. Each moment plate' may be attached above or below the 'grip layer' or rigidity layer' or embedded within the 'grip layer' or 'rigidity layer'. The plectrum is held in a peu-holding grip between the thumb and first finger. When little or no pressure is applied this allows free movement of the 'blade' between the 'rigidity layers'. idien maximum pressure is exerted the 'blade' is held securely between the finger and thumb. Varying the grip pressure between the two extremes gives a plectrum of infinitely varying rigidity. The presence of the moment plates' increaes the sensitivity of the floating blade plectrm such that for a similar increase in grip pressure the rigidity of the plectrum is greater; the minimum rigidity is unaltered but the maximum rigidity is increased. The different thicknesses of the 'rigidity layers' means that the plectrum is always stiffer on the down stroke than on the up stroke, A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawing in which

Fig. 1 shows in perspective the 'blade' with 'non-rigid attachment'.

Fig. 2 shows in perspective the 'blade' with 'non-rigid attachment' fixed to the 'rigidity layers I. Fig. 3 shows in perspective the above with the 'grip layers' and moment plates' to make the complete floating blade plectrum.

Referring to the cravings the floating blade plectrum comprises a 'blade' 1 of relatively thick plastic material with a 'non-rigid attachment' 2 as shown in Fig.1. Upper and lower 'rigidity layers' 3&4 are attached by fixings 5&6 as shown in Fig.2 using, for example, staplúse The 'rigidity layers' 3&4 have been contoured 7&8 to adjust the rigidity they confer to the plectrum as shown in Fig.2. The 'grip layers' 9&10 are attached to the 'rigidity layers' 3&4 as shown in Fig.3 by, for example, adhesive backing already present on one side of the 'grip layers' 910 or the application of a rubber solution based adhesive which is soft and flexible on setting. The 'moment plates' 11&12 are attached to the 'grip layers' 9&10, the underside of the upper 'grip layer' and the upper side of the lower 'grip layer' by, for example) the application of a rubber solution based adhesive. The trailing edge of each 'moment plate' extends beyond the rear edge of the 'blade'.

Claims

CLAM 1. A floating blade plectrum comprising a 'blade' of relatively thick

plastic material with a 'non-rigid attachment' between theiblade' and the two 'rigidity layers' each 'rigidity layer' being made of a soft flexible material of uniform thickness, the upper layer being of greater thickness than the lower, the 'rigidity layers, may be contoured to adjust the rigidity they confer to the plectrum, with the 'rigidity layers' being enclosed between two 'grip layers', each being of uniform thickness and each being of the same thickness, each being of a soft and flexible non-slip material or a soft and flexible material with a soft, flexible, non-slip coating, a 'moment plate' of relatively thin rigid material, one above the 'blade' and one below the 'blade' making two in all, each 'moment plate' may be attached above or below the 'grip layer' or 'rigidity layer' or embedded within the 'grip layer' or rigidity layer'.
2. A floating blade plectrum as claimed in claim 1 with the 'blade' made from hard Nylon material.
3.4 floating blade plectrum as claimed in claim 1 or claim Wherein the 'non-rigid attachment' comprises close weave cotton fabric attached ó epoxy adhesive to the 'blade'.
4. A floating blade plectrum as claimed in claim l or claim 2 or claim 3 wherein the 'rigidity layers' comprise soft, flexible rubber of uniform thickness, the upper layer being of greater thickness than the lower, the 'rigidity layers' may be contoured to adjust the rigidity they confer to the plectrum.
5. A floating blade plectru as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 or claim 3 or claim k wherein the 'grip layers' comprise adhesive backed soft, flexible, non-slip micro-cellular rubber of uniform thickness or adhesive backed soft, flexible, micro-cellular rubber of uniform thickness with a non-slip coating, the upper and lower 'grip layer' being of the same thickness.
6. A floating blade plectrum as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 or claim 3 or claimed or claim 5 wherein the 'moment plate' is made from thin aluminium alloy plate of uniform thickness.
7. A floating blade plectrum as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 or claim 3 or claim or claim 5 or claim 6 wherein the upper 'moment plate' is attached to the underside of the upper 'grip layer' by a rubber solution based adhesive and the lower 'moment plate' is attached to the upper side of the lower 'grip layer' by a rubber solution based adhesive.