Device to mark fingerings of a stringed musical instrument relative to capo placement

Abstract

A playing aid for a stringed musical instrument comprised of an elastic member attached to a capo at one end and near the bridge at the other end. The elastic member has marks along its length indicating a certain number of frets between that mark and the capo. When the capo is attached in different locations along the neck, the elastic member stretches such that the number of frets between the capo and each marker is constant regardless of the capo position.

Claims

1. A marking device for use with, a stringed musical instrument and a capo, comprising: 1. an elastic member containing one or more visual markers, 2. a first connections means connecting one end of said elastic member to said capo, 3. and second connection means to connect the other end of said elastic member to said musical instrument; wherein said elastic member is adjacent and substantially parallel to strings over some portion of a fingerboard of the musical instrument.

2. The marking device of claim 1 wherein visual markers are placed adjacent to one or more fingering positions relative to capo placement.

3. The marking device of claim 2 wherein the visual markers are lights, ink, thread or other means known in the art.

4. The marking device of claim 2 wherein said visual markers are a plurality of colors.

5. The marking device of claim 2 wherein a plurality of visual markers are placed at individual fingering locations on the elastic member representing fingerings on individual strings.

6. The marking device of claim 5 wherein said visual markers identify musical scales.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein said first connection means is comprised of two parts; a part connected to said capo and a mating part connected to said elastic member, such that said elastic member is quickly removable from said part connected to said capo.

8. The device of claim 1 wherein said second connection means comprises two parts; a part connected to said musical instrument and a mating part connected to said elastic member, such that said elastic member is quickly removable from said part connected to musical instrument.

9. The device of claim 8 wherein said part connected to said musical instrument is attached by means of removeable adhesive.

10. The device of claim 1 wherein said elastic member is of uniform elasticity over some portion of said elastic member adjacent and substantially parallel to strings.

11. The marking device of claim 1 wherein said elastic member is of uniform elasticity over a portion substantially equal in length, to a distance between where the capo restrains the strings and a saddle of the musical instrument; and substantially rigid over the remaining portions.

12. The marking device of claim 1 wherein said elastic member is composed of substantially rigid portions, and a plurality of portions of different elasticities.

13. The marking device of claim 12 wherein a portion of said elastic member not adjacent to the fingerboard is less stiff, relative to said portion adjacent and substantially parallel to strings, and the total length of the nonrigid portions of said elastic member is shorter than the distance from said capo to a saddle of the musical instrument.

14. The marking device of claim 1 wherein said elastic strip is connected to said musical instrument such that said elastic member passes from the capo, past a point near a saddle of the musical instrument, to an attachment point on said musical instrument and; said elastic member is rigid in the portion between said saddle and said attachment point on said musical instrument.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1FIG. 1 shows a prior art guitar.

(2) FIG. 2FIG. 2 shows the details of the elastic member.

(3) FIG. 3FIG. 3 shows the attachment points of the elastic member.

(4) FIG. 4FIG. 4 shows a capo modified to be used in this device.

(5) FIG. 5FIG. 5 shows different markings of the elastic member.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENT

(6) In the preferred embodiment, an elastic member 20 (FIGS. 2, 3, 4 and 5) is connected to a capo 4 (FIGS. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5) at one end and to a soundboard stop 11 (FIGS. 2, 3, and 5) near the saddle 2 (FIGS. 1, 2 and 3) at the other end. The soundboard stop is fixed to the soundboard by a removable double sided adhesive strip. The elastic member 20 is stretched to nearly the same length as the capo-ed string. Said elastic member is designed to not directly attached at the saddle, since attachment at the saddle requires an irreversible modification of the bridge. To keep the marks in their proper relationship to the frets, the elastic member is rigid over some portions, double thickness over other portion and single thickness over the rest of the elastic member's length.

(7) The elastic member 20 is constructed from a single length of uniform elastic strip, typically used in clothing manufacturing. The elastic strip begins at point D (FIG. 2). The elastic strip is then looped around the soundboard stop 11 and is glued to itself in section CD. The elastic strip then wraps around a pin 12 (FIGS. 4 and 5). Said pin 12 (FIG. 4) is press fitted into a hole in the capo 4 (FIG. 4). The elastic strip wraps around said pin as a means to attach the elastic member to the capo. In section GH the member is again glued back to itself to create a loop to receive the pin. The remainder of the elastic strip is doubled in section GF, and glued to itself in section EF. A cyanoacrylate is used to glue the elastic member to itself. A sufficient amount of glue is used to make the elastic member rigid in the glued sections (relative to the compliance of the elastic member that is not glued).

(8) The elastic member is constructed such that the total of the lengths of the rigid sections: AB, CD and EF, equals the length of the single thickness section DE. The lack of deflection in the rigid sections is compensated for by the doubled deflection of the single thickness section. In this way the deflection of point F deforms as would a doubled elastic strip fixed at point A. Point G is aligned with the capo-ed fret, so deformation of the elastic member begins at the cape-ed fret. Over section FG, the elastic member in FG acts as would a uniform double thickness elastic strip connected at the capo-ed fret and the saddle. As a result, marks placed on section FG align with the frets as the capo is moved.

(9) In the preferred embodiment, the elastic member is marked as in 31 (FIG. 5) as taught for fixed markers in the prior art. FIG. 31 shows the nut 1, frets 3, the capo 4 at the second fret. Only the portion of the elastic member 20 that covers the edge of the fretboard is shown in all embodiments in FIG. 5.

(10) In another embodiment 32, the elastic member is marked with colored markers or symbols representing musical intervals, where 1, 5 and 7 represent different colors or markers.

(11) In another embodiment 33, the elastic member is marked with several lines representing strings. The elastic member is marked to show a G (with no capo) major scale played on a standard tuned guitar. Using these markings with said capo on the second fret results in a A major scale. It should be obvious to those in the art that the marks also show related modes in different keys. Marks on said lines are finger positions of the major scale. Replaceable elastic members may also show markings for minor, pentatonic, mixolydian, gypsy, Indian or other scales known in the art.

(12) In another embodiment 34, the device shows marking for a fretless instruments. The marks are placed where the string should be fingered for the desired notes and not between frets as for the fretted instrument.

(13) In another embodiment 35, a marking for an open tunings is depicted. The following notation is used for the description of open tunings. 1 denotes the string that when played open is the tonic of the key of the tuning. 5 denotes strings that when played open are a musical 5th of the key. All strings that are octaves of each other have the same fingering. Comparing the 1 and 5 strings, only one finger position in an octave is different in the seven western mode scales: Ionian, Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeolian and Locrian. The color code taught here is to use a first color for notes that are fingered on the same fret on both the 1 and 5 strings depicted as o's in 35, a second color for notes only played on the 1 string only, depicted as 1's, and a third color for notes only played on the 5 string, depicted as 5's. The markings in 35 are for a Major scale. Similar marking can be used for other scales.

(14) It should be clear to anyone in the art that this device could be used with any stringed musical instrument tunings.

(15) Magnets, hooks, adhesive or other means of attachment known to the art may also be used to attach the ends of the elastic part.

(16) The elastic member can be marked with embroidery, ink, decals or beads and applied by a computer controlled device, silk screened or hand drawn.

(17) The elastic member can be constructed of any material with sufficient elasticity.

(18) The elastic member can be recessed into the fingerboard or covered with a transparent cover so that the players hand does not contact the elastic member when the hand is wrapped around the neck.

(19) The device may be used with the capo located at the nut as a means to located frets relative to the nut.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

(20) Sale as an accessory for a capo used with a stringed instrument.

CITATION LIST

(21) Shubb U.S. Pat. No. 4,250,790.

(22) Gunnar DE 4141390.