Multi Tone Cymbal

Abstract

Multi tonal cymbals are provided having a metallic structure, the structure having a plurality of radial cuts therein defining a plurality of segments, each of the plurality of segments providing a tone different than another of the plurality of segments. The different tone may be achieved with radial cuts having different dimensions and/or placed on different locations on the cymbal to create different shaped/sized segments.

Claims

1. A cymbal having a metallic structure having a plurality of radial cuts therein defining a plurality of segments, each of the plurality of segments providing a tone different than another of the plurality of segments.

2. The cymbal of claim 1, wherein a first of the plurality of cuts has a length equal to a length of a second of the plurality of cuts.

3. The cymbal of claim 1, wherein all of the plurality of cuts have a common length.

4. The cymbal of claim 1, wherein a first of the plurality of segments has a width between respective cuts that is equal to a width of a second of the plurality of segments.

5. The cymbal of claim 1, wherein all of the plurality of segments have a common width between respective cuts.

6. The cymbal of claim 1, wherein a first of the plurality of cuts has a length equal to a length of a second of the plurality of cuts, and wherein a first of the plurality of segments has a width between respective cuts that is equal to a width of a second of the plurality of segments.

7. The cymbal of claim 1, wherein a first of the plurality of cuts has a length greater than a length of a second of the plurality of cuts, and wherein a first of the plurality of segments has a width between respective cuts that is greater than a width of a second of the plurality of segments.

8. The cymbal of claim 7, wherein a third of the plurality of cuts has a length equal to a length of a fourth of the plurality of cuts, and wherein a third of the plurality of segments has a width between respective cuts that is equal to a width of a fourth of the plurality of segments.

9. The cymbal of claim 1, wherein a first of the plurality of segments has an edge that is non-continuous with an edge of a second of the plurality of segments.

10. The cymbal of claim 1, wherein a first of the plurality of segments has an edge that is non-continuous with an edge of a second of the plurality of segments and a third of the plurality of segments has an edge that is continuous with a fourth of the plurality of segments.

11. The cymbal of claim 1, wherein a first of the plurality of segments has an edge that is concave and a second of the plurality of segments has an edge that is convex.

12. The cymbal of claim 1, wherein a first of the plurality of segments has an arc shaped edge with a radius that is different than a radius of an arc shaped edge of a second of the plurality of segments.

13. The cymbal of claim 1, wherein a first of the plurality of segments has an edge with a compound curve therein.

14. The cymbal of claim 13, wherein the compound curve includes a concave portion and a convex portion.

15. The cymbal of claim 1, wherein the metallic structure comprises a bronze alloy.

16. The cymbal of claim 1, wherein a first of the segments is made from a first alloy and a second of the plurality of segments is made from a second alloy.

17. The cymbal of claim 1, wherein a first of the segments has a thickness greater than a thickness of a second of the plurality of segments.

18. The cymbal of claim 1, wherein a first of the segments has curvature different from a curvature of a second of the plurality of segments.

19. The cymbal of claim 1, wherein the plurality of cuts extend to an outer perimeter of the cymbal.

20. The cymbal of claim 1, wherein at least one of the plurality of cuts terminates prior to an outer perimeter of the cymbal.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0029] FIG. 1A is a top view of a multi tone cymbal according to a first embodiment of the cymbals disclosed herein.

[0030] FIG. 1B is a side view of a multi tone cymbal according to the first embodiment of the cymbals disclosed herein.

[0031] FIG. 2 is a top view of a multi tone cymbal according to at least one other embodiment of the cymbals disclosed herein.

[0032] FIG. 3 is a top view of a multi tone cymbal according to at least one other embodiment of the cymbals disclosed herein.

[0033] FIG. 4 is a top view of a multi tone cymbal according to at least one other embodiment of the cymbals disclosed herein.

[0034] FIG. 5 is a top view of a multi tone cymbal according to at least one other embodiment of the cymbals disclosed herein.

[0035] FIG. 6 is a top view of a multi tone cymbal according to at least one other embodiment of the cymbals disclosed herein.

[0036] FIG. 7 is a top view of a multi tone cymbal according to at least one other embodiment of the cymbals disclosed herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0037] The present application provides multi tone cymbals. The multi tone cymbals may be derived from a method of segmenting the existing cymbal designs, either during the cymbal manufacturing process, or after the cymbal manufacturing process, by making radial cuts or divisions in the bronze cymbal or disc, in each case, either with or without a bell or cup. Belled cymbals or flat cymbals are standard designs, without segmentations, or radial separations. The method and process of creating cymbal segmentation and varying segment sizes differentiates the multi tone cymbal from existing cymbals.

[0038] Variations of pitch or tone in the multi tone cymbal are created either by variation in the width of each segment, the length of each segment, by the length of a given cut between segments or tuning or by the hammering process. This method can be applied to any diameter cymbal. The design concept is not changed by the size, measured by diameter, of the cymbal utilizing the segmentation process. The method for creating a multi tone cymbal is not relegated to a fixed diameter of a given standard cymbal. Given the vast number of pitches or tones possible, the multi tone cymbal concept is not dependent upon a set or given arrangements of pitches (e.g., fixed or accepted musical scales, notes or random pitches, tuned or otherwise). The method allows for any and all possible pitches or tones.

[0039] The desired pitches or notes could be achieved by tuning to a chosen note and pitch value by the effect of creating different lengths or widths of the individual segments as well as methods of fine tuning, such as the use of accepted traditional hammering techniques, by hand or machine, to modify the profile shape or tension to additionally raise or lower the pitch of each segment in conjunction with segment size. The technique of hammering a cymbal for altering the sound characteristics is a common method of cymbal production tuning and applies to the manufacturing of the multi tone cymbal as well. Both sizing and hammering of the segments is a necessary process and technique used to create the desired effect on pitch and tone in addition to segmenting the original cymbal form during production of the multi tone cymbal. Hammering the curvature and profile of a segment can raise or lower the inherent segment's pitch to achieve the final desired pitch, thus allowing for control of the note value of each segment by comparison to the next segment depending on the degree of hammering and the profile produced. Thus, two equal sized segments could be tuned to two distinctly different pitches using this method. This hammering method is how the final tone is fine tuned to the desired pitch in conjunction with segment size to create and control pitch values in relation to each other on a single multi tone cymbal. This is achieved by the craftsman during the manufacturing process and is subjective to the will of the craftsman in determining the final pitches to be created. The same applies to the length and width of each segment in determining the desired pitch or note. Since the range of pitches or scales is so vast and varied, all methods of changing the pitch are needed to reach the final desired arrangement of notes.

[0040] Referring to FIGS. 1A-1B, the multi tonal cymbal according to a first embodiment is shown with variations in segment width (W), except with equal length radial cuts (L). As can be seen, the cymbal 100 includes a plurality of segments 102, 104, 106, etc. defined by a width (W) measured in degrees or otherwise and length (L). In this embodiment, the cuts defining the segment extend radially from the center A and/or the bell edge (B) of the cymbal and the length L is constant for each of the plurality of the segments. The cymbal 100 may be configured so that no two segments have the same width.

[0041] Referring to FIG. 2, an embodiment is shown with the length of the cuts 208, 206 varying, whereas the width of each of the segments remains essentially the same. In this regard, segment 202 and 204 may have the same width whereas the length of the consecutive segments 206, 208 may vary, i.e., one segment is greater than the other. That is, L5>L4>L3>L2>L1. In this regard, the cymbal 200 may be configured so that no two segments have the same length.

[0042] FIG. 3 shows a cymbal 300 according to one embodiment in which both the length and width of the segments vary, preferably so that no two segments have the same length and width. In certain embodiments, some but not all of the lengths and/or widths are equal. For example, L1>L2>L3, but at least two segments have a cut L2 and at least two segments have a cut L3. In certain embodiments, a plurality of segments may have the same dimensions but differ with respect to the forming technique to give a different tone, for example, hammering vs. not hammering, thickness, etc.

[0043] FIGS. 1-3 embodiments show circular symbols. In certain embodiments, the cymbals can be non-circular, such as oval, square, rectangular, or any geometric shape. In additional to cymbals with a continuous perimeter, non-continuous shaped cymbals may also be used, such as those shown in FIGS. 4-6.

[0044] Referring to FIG. 4, the cymbal 400 includes a plurality of non-continuous segments 402, 404, etc., and a plurality of continuous segments 406, 408. As with the other embodiments, the width and length of each of the segments may vary. The embodiment shown in FIG. 5 includes all non-continuous segments. Embodiments 400, 500 have arc shaped edges with essentially the same radius. In FIG. 6, the segments have arc shaped edges with unequal radii. Moreover, the arcs may be convex or concave, or a combination thereof, as shown. Moreover, each of these segments may further be segmented to achieve the desired tone/pitch. The cuts may extend radially to the outer perimeter of the cymbal, as shown in FIGS. 1-6, or may terminate prior to the outer perimeter, as shown in FIG. 7. In this embodiment, the cuts may include holes at the proximal and distal ends as shown.

[0045] While the foregoing invention has been described in some detail for purposes of clarity and understanding, it will be appreciated by one skilled in the art, from a reading of the disclosure, that various changes in form and detail can be made without departing from the true scope of the invention.