AU2004202879A1

AU2004202879A1 - A dynamic fingering guide for woodwind musical instruments

Info

Publication number: AU2004202879A1
Application number: AU2004202879A
Authority: AU
Inventors: David Thomas Evan Lloyd-Jones
Original assignee: DAVID LLOYD JONES
Current assignee: DAVID LLOYD JONES
Priority date: 2003-06-03
Filing date: 2004-06-28
Publication date: 2004-12-23

Description

DAVID LLOYD-JONES

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 SPECIFICATION FOR THE INVENTION ENTITLED: "A Dynamic Fingering Guide for Woodwind Musical Instruments" The invention is described in the following statement: A Dynamic Fingeringi Guide for Woodwind Musical Instruments The invention relates to a system for providing dynamic guidance in the proper fingering of a range of woodwind musical instruments.

The invention has been developed primarily for use by students and teachers of musical instruments in the range covered by this invention. However, it will be appreciated that the invention is not limited to this particular field of use.

Musical instruments mn the range covered by this invention are those of the woodwind class that are played by the placement of fingers over holes and/or on keys in a combination that will produce a desired musical note when the player blows into the instrument. "Fingering" is the term used to describe the placement of a player's fingers in that way. For ease of reference, musical instruments in the range covered by this invention are hereinafter collectively referred to as instruments or musical instruments as the context requires. Typical examples of instruments in that range are the clarinet, oboe saxophone and flute.

A student of a musical instrument is faced with the need to learn and remember the proper fingering for that instrument. Each note that the instrument can produce requires a unique placement of the fingers. Moreover, in some cases, and for ease of transition between the playing of consecutive notes, more than one fingering pattern may be used to produce the same note. Thus there are a number of unique fingering patterns that apply to each instrument.

It is not unusual for a musical instrument to be able to produce at least forty different notes. For example, the B flat clarinet can typically produce forty-five notes. Given the multiplicity of fingering patterns for some of the notes, a student could typically be faced with the task of learning well in excess of forty different fingering patterns. Traditionally, students have done this by referring to printed fingering charts that provide a separate fingering diagram for each note and for each alternate fingering for each note as may be relevant. A considerable number of such charts have been produced to date, each professing to have superior qualities to its rivals. However, their large number is itself indicative of the fact that these charts are not particularly easy to use. Compounding the problem is the fact that printed fingering diagram charts typically display the instrument as seen from the front with the mouthpiece uppermost. The problem with that approach is that a student player does not view an instrument in that way when the mouthpiece is in his/her mouth. A further problem with that approach is that the printed fingering diagrams suffer from left-right transposition in that the keys on the left-hand side of the instrument are shown on the right-hand side of the fingering diagram, and vice versa.

From the perspective of the student, it is the bell end of the instrument that appears to be uppermost with the result that the typical printed fingering chart seems to be upsidedown. The student therefore has to mentally up-end each fingering diagram before he/she can recognise where his/her fingers should be placed on the instrument.

Traditional printed fingering charts do, however, portray a musical instrument as seen from the perspective of a teacher. So there is a need to be able to display a fingering diagram in at least two ways. One way should show the mouthpiece of the instrument uppermost. The second way should show the bell end of the instrument uppermost. This second way would eliminate the left-right transposition problem.

In addition to the viewing the instrument fingering diagram with the instrument portrayed as being seen from the front, a player might also visualize the instrument as being seen from the back with the mouthpiece uppermost and the holes and keys visible through the instrument's transparent barrel. That view would simulate the position of the instrument in the player's hands when it is held ready for play with the mouth piece uppermost. It would also not suffer from the left-right transposition problem. A fingering diagram should therefore allow for that manner of presentation, hereinafter referred to as the X-ray view, in addition to the two ways already described.

It is customary for students and teachers to refer to individual keys on the instrument by giving each key a number or name. Given that many different numbering/naming systems are used by conventional printed music tutors, the student and teacher would be advantaged by being able to select for use on the fingering diagram one of a pre-defined set of such numbering/naming systems and to be able to create and use any number of customised numbering/naming systems of their own design.

A beginning student who is not already proficient in playing some other kind of musical instrument will typically be unfamiliar with the standard musical notation that is used to produce sheet music. Thus the beginning student needs guidance in learning standard musical notation so as to be able to read and apply sheet music when playing his/her instrument. In particular, the student needs to be able to recognize and name each note that can be written drawn on a musical staff) over the range of notes covered by his/her instrument. Moreover, the student needs to be able to instantly associate any written note with its equivalent fingering pattern.

Flip cards (otherwise known as flash cards) are a proven way of displaying a large number of individual faicts that need to be committed to memory. Each flip card usually poses a question on its front side and supplies the answer to the question on its rear side.

In use, the flip cards are stacked in random order and are viewed in sequence so that the user is given the opportunity of supplying the answer to the question posed on the front of the uppermost card before determining if that answer is correct by flipping the card to reveal the answer written on its reverse side. Flip cards are therefore a suitable means of providing guidance to the student of a musical instrument in note recognition. Each card should display a written musical note on its front side and the name of that note on its rear side. The stack of flip cards could contain a card for each note in the range of notes on the student's instrument that is usually displayed in fingering charts. In addition 1 the stack of flip cards could be dynamically linked to a fingering diagram so that each time a new flip card is displayed the proper fingering for the note on that flip card is displayed on the fingering diagram.

Some notes can be played by using two or more different fingering patterns. The student needs to know what those patterns are. It is advantageous for the student to be presented by default with the main most usual) fingering pattern for any such note, to be advised of the existence of the number of alternate fingering patterns for that note and to be able to select any of those alternates for the display of its fingering pattern.

Musical compositions are arranged in one or more musical keys of which there are a considerable number. One consequence that flows from this is that the student must become familiar with key signatures that are used in sheet music and must be aware of the effect that each key signature has on the meaning of the notes drawn on a musical staff.

Another consequence is that the student must become proficient in playing scales and arpeggios in each musical key over the usual range of notes on his/her instrument that is expected of a student. To do those things the student needs guidance in key signatures including how they affect the meaning of written notes. The student also needs guidance concerning the notes that are contained in each scale or arpeggio in each musical key.

And the student needs to be able to identify the fingering for each note in any given scale or arpeggio.

A convenient way of visually indicating the sequence of notes in a scale or arpeggio is to mark the corresponding keys on a musical keyboard (hereinafter referred to simply as a "keyboard"). In addition, the keyboard could be dynamically linked to the fingering diagram and to the stack of flip cards such that selecting a key on the keyboard automatically selects for display the corresponding flip card and the fingering pattern that is associated with that flip card. In that way the keyboard could provide a convenient method of selecting a note for the display of that note's fingering diagram and the display of the associated flip card.

Another, and more conventional, way of visually indicating the sequence of notes in a scale or arpeggio is to draw them in sequence on a music staff. It would then be advantageous to dynamically link each drawn note to its associated flip card and keyboard key so that when each written note in the displayed scale or arpeggio is selected the appropriate flip card and keyboard key will be also be automatically selected and the appropriate fingering pattern will be displayed on the fingering diagram.

A key on a musical instrument can often be used to play more than one note. A student player needs to know which notes can be played by any given key. A visual indication of all of the notes that are playable using any particular key on the instrument would allow the student to assimilate that information quickly. Such visual information could be indicated conveniently in two different ways. One way would be to draw all of those notes on a musical staff. The second way would be to mark the keyboard keys that correspond to those notes.

Following selection of a note by use of the flip cards or the keyboard, the visual feed-back given by a fingering diagram can be reinforced by use of an audio feed-back that plays the sound of the selected note as previously recorded by a musical instrument of the same type as the student's instrument.

Some musical instruments are said to be transposed, meaning that, by reference to written sheet music, any given note on the instrument is offset by a standard interval of tones from the equivalent note on a piano keyboard a musical keyboard in concert mode).

For example, the B flat clarinet is transposed by an interval of two tones so that note C on that clarinet is equivalent to note B flat on the piano. Students of a transposed instrument need guidance in understanding the concept. Such guidance can be given by arranging that the keyboard can be shown alternatively in conventional concert mode or in a transposed mode in which, for example, note C on the instrument corresponds to note C on the keyboard. The student can then compare any selected written note on a flip card with its alternative keys on the keyboard in concert and transposed modes.

Some types of musical instrument are available in different tonal ranges and different transpositions. For example, there are typically four different variants of the saxophone being the soprano, alto, tenor and baritone instruments. Each of those four variants has its own tonal range with the soprano saxophone covering the highest range and the baritone saxophone covering the lowest range. All four variants are transposed instruments. The soprano and tenor saxophones are B flat instruments. The alto and baritone saxophones are E flat instruments. The tonal range for each variant can be indicated in two ways.

Firstly, the audio feedback can be adjusted to suit the tonal range of the selected variant.

Secondly, a visual indication of the tonal range can be given by suitably marking the keyboard key for Middle C when the keyboard is displayed in concert mode. The student should be able to select a particular instrument variant so that the audio and visual indication of the instrument's tonal range will correspond to the student's own instrument.

The transition of fingering between consecutive notes in a musical composition is sometimes difficult for a student to learn, particularly when it involves the use of alternate fingering patterns. A student would find it useful to be able to record the fingering of a short phrase consisting of a few consecutive notes. The recorded phrase could then be used to reproduce the fingering sequence as many times as needed to help the student learn it.

In view of the above, there are significant benefits for a student in obtaining guidance on the issues highlighted by being able to use a simulated stack of flip cards and a keyboard, both being dynamically linked to a fingering diagranm, to learn written note recognition and the fingering pattern or patterns associated with each note in the range usually covered by fingering charts for the student's instrument; by being able to visually associate written notes with their counterpart keys on the keyboard; by being able to recognize the notes and keyboard keys that form the sequence of each scale or arpeggio in various musical keys over the range of notes on his/her instrument that is usually expected of a student; by being able to identify all of the notes that can be played using any given key on the instrument; by being able to record the fingering patterns in a short phrase of consecutive notes for repeated examination on replay, and by being able to select a particular instrument variant where more than one variant exists for that instrument. There are also benefits for teachers in being able to use the simulated flip cards in conjunction with the keyboard and fingering diagram to demonstrate to students the relationship between written notes and their fingering counterparts and to quickly select any particular note for the display of its fingering counterpart including all alternate fingerings where relevant.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a system for guiding the student of a musical instrument in the proper fingering of each note in a range of notes on his/her instrument (including alternate fingerings where relevant) in a manner that is readily understandable by the student; for guiding the student in the recognition of all written musical notes in that range; for guiding the student in the recognition of all scales and arpeggios in that range for all musical keys; and, where relevant, in guiding the student to understand how his/her instrument is transposed.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a system for displaying all notes that can be played by any selected key on the instrument.

It is a flirther object of the invention to provide a system for recording, saving, retrieving and playing, through the sequential selection of appropriate flip cards and/or keyboard keys, a short phrase of consecutive notes, hereinafter referred to as a musical phrase, including the fingering for each note in that musical phrase and further including an indication as to which, if any, alternate fingering is used for each note in that musical phrase where more than one fingering pattern is available for that note It is a further object of the invention to provide a system that allows different key numbering/naming systems to be constructed, remembered and used so that an appropriate key numbering/naming system can be selected for use on the fingering diagram in conjunction with, for example, a conventional printed music tutor that uses that numbering/naming system.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a system that allows teachers to quickly display to their students the written notation for, and a fingering diagram that displays the proper fingering of, any selected note on the student's musical instrument in the range usually expected of a student.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a system that allows different fingering systems to be constructed, remembered and used so that fingering differences can be accommodated as between variants of the same type of instrument and between differently manufactured instruments of the same variant type.

In a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of displaying a fingering diagram for a musical instrument, displaying and using a simulated stack of flip cards, and displaying and using a keyboard wherein the fingering diagram, flip cards and keyboard are linked in such a manner that the proper fingering of a note is displayed on the fingering diagram whenever that note is selected by use of the flip cards or the keyboard, including the steps of: allowing for the selection of a particular instrument variation where more than one variation is provided for; displaying a diagram of the instrument in one or more parts in a vertical or horizontal orientation appropriate to the instrument so as to show all relevant holes and/or keys on the instrument; allowing the fingering pattern for any selected note to be displayed on that diagram, hereinafter referred to as the fingering diagram; allowing the display or the non-display of the fingering diagram; allowing any alternate fingering pattern for any selected note to be displayed on the fingering diagram; allowing for different fingering systems to be used for the purpose of displaying fingering patterns in the fingering diagram for all notes in the range of the transposed notes that are available on the instrument so as to allow for the possibility that some instruments may require different fingering patterns for some notes than do other instruments of the same general woodwind class; allowing for the selection of a fingering system from a range of pre-determined fingering systems; defining a means of creating a customised. fingering system by allowing the identification of one or more fingering patterns for each note that can be played on the instrument, and for recording, saving, and retrieving for use any number of such customnised fingering systems; distinguishing in the fingering diagram between holes and/or keys that are used and those that are not used for a selected note by colouring the used holes and/or keys with a single colour and colouring the unused holes and/or keys with a single different colour; allowing for the display or non-display of numbers or names on the keys in the fingering diagram; allowing for the display of numbers or names on all keys or only on those keys that are used for the selected note; allowing for different key numbering/naming systems to be used for the purpose of displaying numbers or names on the keys in the fingering diagram; allowing for the selection of a key numbering/naming system from a range of predetermined systems; defining a means of creating a customised key numbering/naming system by allowing the identification of a desired key number or name with each key on the instrument, and for recording, saving, and retrieving for use any number of such customised key numbering/naming systems; allowing a vertically oriented fingering diagram to be presented with the mouthpiece uppermost or with the bell end uppermost.

allowing a vertically oriented fingering diagram to be presented as seen from behind the instrument with the mouthpiece uppermost and with the holes and keys visible through the transparent body of the instrument; allowing the display or the non-display of the stack of flip cards; defining the front side of each card to display a short musical staff containing a treble clef and one musical note drawn on that staff in the form of a semnibreve or some other single type of note symbol with optionally a flat sign or a sharp sign according to the note being displayed; defining the rear side of each card to display as two smaller card outline images, the first containing a reduced image of the front side of the card and the second containing the written name of the note that is displayed on the front side; defining the simulated stack of flip cards to contain a separate card for each note in a pre-defined range of notes that is playable on the instrument; allowing the selection of a flip card so that the selected card is displayed as the top card of the stack; allowing the selection of a card displaying a particular note by the use of a computer pointing device mouse, stylus, tablet, trackball) or by the use of a computer keyboard to indicate the position of that note on the staff drawn on the front side of the currently displayed top card; allowing the temporary display of additional lines above and below the standard five lines of the staff on the front side of the currently displayed top card so as to provide visual guidance in relation to the use a computer pointing device or the use of a computer keyboard in selecting a note outside the range of the standard five lines; allowing the selection of different flip cards in random order within a pre-selected range of notes; automating the display of different flip cards in random order within a pre-selected range of notes and at a pre-selected time interval; allowing the pre-selected display range to be set from any note that is playable on the instrument to any higher note that is playable on the instrument within a predefined range of notes; allowing the pre-selected time interval between the automated displays of any two cards to be selected from a pre-defined range of delay times; allowing the display or the non-display of the keyboard; displaying on the keyboard keys for a pre-defined range of transposed notes that are available on the instrument; displaying the keyboard keys in the pre-defined range in a conventional manner with the white keys coloured white and the black keys coloured black; displaying additional keys on the keyboard to the left and right of those for the predefined range of transposed notes that are available on the instrument and differentiating the additional white keys by colouring them in a single colour other than black or white; allowing the selection of a keyboard key in the pre-defined range of the transposed notes that are available on the instrument by use of a computer pointing device or by the use of a computer keyboard to indicate the position of the required key on the keyboard; distinguishing a selected keyboard key by colouring it with a colour other than black or white and other than the colour that is used to differentiate the additional white keyboard keys to the left and right of the pre-defined range of transposed notes that are available on the instrument; displaying or not displaying the name of the selected keyboard key above or below the keyboard; displaying or not displaying colour-coded bars above or below the keyboard, each bar being positioned proximate to a range of consecutive keyboard keys so as to indicate that those keys are contained in a particular register (for example the bar for the chalumeau register on the B flat clarinet may be positioned above or below the transposed keys for notes Low E to Throat B flat); allowing the keyboard to be displayed in transposed mode or in concert mode; distinguishing the keyboard key for Middle C when the keyboard is displayed in concert mode by marking that key with the symbol "MC".

allowing the selection of a musical key by use of a computer pointing device or by the use of a computer keyboard to indicate the position of the keyboard key that plays the tonic note for the required musical key; allowing the selection of a musical key from a diagram of the twelve key signatures by use of a computer pointing device or by the use of a computer keyboard to indicate the required key signature in combination with the selection of major, melodic minor, or harmonic minor variations; displaying or not displaying the selected key signature to the left of the keyboard; allowing the selection of playing or not playing a sound recording of a selected note for a pre-selected duration each time that a new note is selected; defining methods for the selection of flip cards, keyboard keys, key signatures, fingering systems, key numbering systems and all selectable display options in relation to the fingering diagram, flip cards and keyboard including, but not limited to, the use of a computer pointing device and the depressing of computer keyboard keys either singly or in combination; allowing the selection of one key symbol at a time on the fingering diagram by the use of a computer pointing device or by the use of a computer keyboard; identifying a selected key symbol on the fingering diagram symbol by displaying a small coloured dot by the side of the key symbol; defining a small musical staff, hereinafter referred to as the instrument key staff, for the display of all notes that can be played using a selected key on the instrument as indicated by the currently selected key symbol on the fingering diagram; allowing the display or the non-display of the instrument key staff; defining a musical staff, hereinafter referred to as the phrase staff, containing a treble clef for the display of musical notes in a musical phrase; allowing the display or the non-display of the phrase staff; defining a means of identifying and recording the fingering of consecutive notes in a musical phrase by the use of a computer pointing or by the use of a computer keyboard, and saving and retrieving for use any number of such phrases; defining a means of displaying on the phrase staff in sequence each musical note in a recorded musical phrase each note being drawn in the form of a semnibreve or some other single type of note symbol with optionally a flat sign or a sharp sign according to the note being displayed and with an indication of which, if any, alternate fingering pattern is used for that note; defining a means of playing the sequence of notes in a recorded musical phrase at a pre-selected time interval such that playing each note displays the flip card for that note, selects the appropriate keyboard key for that note and displays the recorded fingering for that note in the fingering diagram.

In preferred embodiments, the first method further includes the step of changing the fingering diagram and the selected keyboard key whenever a different flip card is selected so that the fingering diagram and the selected keyboard key match the displayed note on the selected flip card.

Preferably, the first method further includes the step of changing the fingering diagram and the selected flip card whenever a different note on the keyboard is selected so that the fingering diagram and the selected flip card match the newly selected note on the keyboard.

Preferably, the first method further includes the step of displaying or not displaying any or all of the fingering diagram, the simulated stack of flip cards and the keyboard in any combination.

Preferably, the first method further includes the step of displaying the keyboard either in transposed mode wherein for example note C on the keyboard is linked to the flip card for same note C on the instrument, or in concert mode wherein for example note C on the keyboard is linked to the flip card for the transposed note on the musical instrument that is equivalent in pitch to that note C on a piano.

Preferably, the first method further includes the step of displaying a coloured bar above or below the keyboard, the bar being positioned above or below only those keys that represent the notes that have been selected as the range in which the flip cards shall be displayed in random order.

Preferably, the first method further includes the step of identifying the keyboard keys for the notes for one or more octaves in a scale or arpeggio in a selected musical key by colouring part or all of the tips of those keys with a single colour other than black or white such that a keyboard key that is used when playing both up and down a scale has its tip wholly coloured, a keyboard key that is only used when playing up the scale has the right side of its tip coloured, and a keyboard key that is only used when playing down the scale has the left side of its tip coloured.

Preferably, the first method further includes the step of automating the selection of colour-tipped keys on the keyboard in sequence from the lowest to the highest or from highest to lowest at a pre-selected time interval so as to simulate the playing of a scale or arpeggio in correct sequence in the selected musical key over one or more octaves.

Preferably, the first method further includes the step of automating the selection of colour-tipped keys on the keyboard in sequence from the lowest to the highest and back to the lowest, or vice-versa, at a pre-selected time interval so as to simulate the playing of a scale or arpeggio in correct sequence in the selected musical key over one or more octaves.

Preferably, the first method further includes the step of displaying each of the notes that are played in a scale or arpeggio by drawing them in sequence on a separate music staff such that each individual note can be selected manually by use of a pointing device and all of the notes can be selected in sequence automatically at a pre-selected time interval.

Preferably, the first method further includes the step of identifying the selected note on the separate music staffby displaying a small coloured symbol below the selected note.

Preferably, the first method further includes the step of linking the scale or arpeggio notes that are drawn on the separate music staff to the keyboard keys, flip cards and fingering pattern so that when each note is selected on the separate music staff the keyboard key, flip card and fingering diagram appropriate to that note are also automatically selected.

Preferably, the first method further includes the step of identifying the musical notes that are playable by any single key on the instrument as identified by a selected key symbol on the fingering diagram by drawing each note on the instrument key staff, each note being drawn in the form of a semibreve or some other single type of note symbol with optionally a flat sign or a sharp sign according to the note being displayed.

Preferably, the first method further includes the step of identifying the keyboard keys for the musical notes that are playable by any single key on the instrument as identified by a selected key symbol on the fingering diagram by painting a coloured stripe on those keyboard keys using two colours other than black or white such that each keyboard key that relates to a note that is played by the instrument key using the main (or only) fingering for that note is coloured with one of those colours and each keyboard key that relates to a note that is played by the instrument key using an alternate fingering is coloured with the other colour.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a system for guiding a student of a musical instrument in written note recognition, in the proper fingering of notes, in the identification of scales and arpeggios in all musical keys and in the transposition of the student's instrument if relevant, and for aiding a teacher to display the proper fingering for any note on the student's instrument, including a computer operating in accordance with the method according to the first aspect of the invention or any of its preferments.

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a computer configured for the guidance of a student of a musical instrument in written note recognition, in the proper fingering of notes, in the identification of scales and arpeggios in all musical keys and in the transposition of the student's instrument if relevant, and for aiding a teacher to display the proper fingering for any note on the student's instrument, the program operating in accordance with the method according to the first aspect of the invention or any of its preferments.

Thus, there is provided a system for guiding a student of a musical instrument in written note recognition, in the proper fingering of notes, in the identification of scales and arpeggios in all musical keys and in the transposition of the student's instrument if relevant, and for aiding a teacher to display the proper fingering for any note on the student's instrument.

Preferred embodiments also provide a system which will guide the student of a musical instrument mn the recognition of major, melodic minor and harmonic minor variations in the scales and arpeggios of all musical keys.

Two preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: FIGS 1 to 21 are screen snapshots from the first preferred embodiment involving a system for providing dynamic guidance in the proper fingering of a B flat clarinet, and FIGS 22 to 24 are screen snapshots from the second preferred embodiment involving a system of providing dynamic guidance in the proper fingering of four different variants of the saxophone.

In each of these two preferred embodiments there is provided a system of displaying a fingering diagram for a musical instrument, a simulated set of flip cards and a keyboard such that all three elements are dynamically linked. In the system a computer is configured to display and maintain all three elements by means of a computer program.

Representative screen views or screen snapshots of the program shown in the FIGs are hereinafter referred to as an example to better describe the system. It is noted that each of the screen snapshots of the computer program show only one preferred display.

The first preferred embodiment relates to the B flat clarinet. The second preferred embodiment relates to the saxophone.

In the first preferred embodiment, the user selects the fingering diagram the simulated stack of flip cards and a transposed keyboard for display. The option to show a selected note's name by the keyboard is also selected. By deftult the system shows the clarinet in the fingering diagramn with the mouthpiece uppermost. Also by default, the system selects the flip card showing note Low C and displays the front of that card. The system configures the fingering diagram to show the proper fingering for note Low C by colouring the holes that are used red and all unused holes and keys white. The system shows a transposed keyboard containing all notes on the B flat clarinet up to High G and colours the lowest C key on the keyboard yellow to indicate that that key has been selected. The system displays the name below the selected keyboard key. See FIG 1 which shows all indicated elements as being displayed. The caption for FIG 1 reads "This example shows the simulated stack of flip cards to the left of the clarinet fingering diagram and above the transposed keyboard. Note Low C is displayed on the selected flip card and the fingering for that note is shown by the fingering diagram. The equivalent C keyboard key is selected on the keyboard." The user flips the top flip card and the system displays small images of the front and reverse sides of the flip card. The reverse side of the flip card confirms that the selected note is indeed C. See FIG 2. The caption for FIG 2 reads: "The reverse side of a flip card shows the name of the note that is drawn on the front side." The user flips the fingering diagram and the system displays the instrument as seen from the player's perspective. See FIG 3. The caption for FIG 3 reads "The fingering diagram can be flipped so as to show the bell end of the instrument uppermost as thus show the instrument as seen from the perspective of the student player." The option to display the three registers on the instrument is taken by the user and the system displays colour-coded bars below the keyboard to delineate the keys in each of the three registers. See FIG 4. The caption for FIG 4 reads '"The registers on the instrument can be visually indicated by colour-coded bars below the keyboard." The option to display the keyboard in concert mode is taken by the user. The system changes the keyboard to display its keys in concert piano mode and selects the keyboard key for B flat below the previously selected keyboard key. The result is the identification of the keyboard key on a concert piano that corresponds to a note played on the instrument. See FIG 5. The caption for FIG 5 reads "The b flat clarinet being a transposed instrument, note C on the clarinet is equivalent to note B flat on a concert piano keyboard." The user re-selects the transposed keyboard and flips the top flip card. The system displays a transposed keyboard and the front side of the top flip card. The user then uses the keyboard to select a different note (Low E) and the system selects the appropriate flip card and fingering diagram. There are two alternate fingering patterns for this note and the system displays the main one by default. See FIG 6. The caption for FIG 6 reads: "A musical note can be selected by using a pointing device a computer mouse) to point to the appropriate key on the keyboard. When a new note is selected in this way the system selects the flip card that displays that note and displays by default the main (or only) fingering for that note in the fingering diagram." The user selects the alternate fingering pattern for the selected note and the system displays that alternate fingering in the fingering diagram. See FIG 7. The caption for FIG 7 reads: "On request, the system displays an alternative fingering for the selected note." The user accesses a screen display that is designed for use in creating; saving and retrieving customised key numbering systems and retrieves from file a previously recorded customised key numbering system for examination and possible use. The system displays the retrieved key numbering system. See FIG.8. The caption for FIG 8 reads "A screen for creating customised key numbering systems is used to retrieve a system that was previously recorded and saved to file." However, the user selects the option for displaying key numbers on all keys in the fingering diagram using one of two pre-defined numbering systems (in this case System 2) and the system displays a number on each key according to that pre-defined system.

See FIG 9. The caption for FIG 9 reads "The system can display numbers on all of the keys in the fingering diagram or only on the keys that are used according to a selected numbering system. In this case numbers in the supplied System 2 are displayed on all of the keys." The user activates the option to directly select flip cards by use of a computer pointing device and a new note (in this case Throat A sharp) is selected by pointing to the appropriate position on the staff that is drawn on the top flip card and selecting the sharp variation from a list of possible variations for that position. The user also selects the option for displaying key numbers only on keys that are used. The system displays the newly selected flip card as well as selecting the keyboard key for the same A sharp on the keyboard. The system also configures the fingering diagram so as to display the proper fingering for Throat A sharp and fuirther displays key numbers only on the keys that are used. See FIG. 10. The caption for FIG 10 reads "An alternative to selecting a note by use of the keyboard is to use a pointing device a computer mouse) to point to the appropriate position of the note on the staff that is drawn on the top flip card. In this case Throat A sharp has been selected and in response the system selects the equivalent A sharp key on the keyboard and displays the main (and only) fingering for that note in the fingering diagram. In addition, the option has been taken to show key numbers on only those keys that are used and the system responds by removing key numbers from the unused keys" The user activates the random selection of flip cards over the range of Low E to Throat B flat (thereby effectively selecting the Chalumeau register of the B flat clarinet) and a new flip card is selected by the system at random within that range (in this case Low F sharp).

The system also selects the equivalent F sharp key on the keyboard and configures the fingering diagram so as to show the main fingering for that note. See FIG. 11. The caption for FIG 11 reads: "The option for random selection has been taken and the range of notes to be used has been selected to run from Low E to Throat B flat. The selected range is visually indicated by a coloured bar above the keyboard and the system selects a note at random from that range (in this case Low F sharp). The system then selects the appropriate keyboard key and displays the main fingering diagram for the selected note." The user takes the option for automatic card selection using a selected time interval of two units. The system responds by continuing to select a new note at random in the defined range of notes (in this case Low F, to Throat 13 flat) at the time interval selected until the user de-activates the option for automatic card selection. (This is not illustrated in the accompanying drawings.) The user takes the option to display a scale or arpeggio with selections for a major key over one octave at a time when the selected key on the keyboard is F sharp. The system displays a key signature to the left of the keyboard based on that selected note (in this case the displayed key signature is F sharp major). The system also paints a red bar on the tips of certain keyboard keys to represent the notes that are contained in one octave of the musical key of F sharp major starting with the selected keyboard key. See FJG.12.

The caption for FIG 12 reads "The option to display a scale or arpeggio is taken with selections for a major scale over one octave. A key signature is displayed to the left of the keyboard based on the note that is selected on the keyboard (in this case the selected note is the lowest F sharp and the displayed key signature is F sharp mjor). Red bars are painted on the keyboard keys to represent the notes that are contained in one octave of the scale of F sharp major starting with the selected keyboard key." The user takes the option to "play" a selected note receive an audio play-back of a recording of that note) using a pre-selected short duration. The user then selects each redtipped key on the keyboard in sequence by use of a computer pointing device. The system responds each time by selecting the associated flip card and displaying the proper fingering for each selected note and producing an audio signal representing that selected note. In effect, this simulates the playing of the instrument over the indicated scale so providing guidance for learning the fingering sequence for any scale or arpeggio over any pre-defined range of the instrument. (This is not illustrated in the accompanying drawings.) The user takes the option to automate the process of "playing" the displayed scale by activating the "play scale or arpeggio" option using one of the four pre-selectable direction settings up; down; up and down; or down and up) and using a pre-selected time interval between notes. (This is not illustrated in the accompanying drawings.) The user selects a different note on the keyboard (in this case the lowest D) as the basis for a new key signature and options are taken to display an arpeggio in the melodic minor variation over two octaves. The system displays the key signature for D minor and marks the tips of various keyboard keys with a red bar to indicate two arpeggios in that musical key starting from the selected keyboard key. See FIG. 13. The caption for FIG 13 reads: "A different pattern of marked keys is requested by selecting a note on the keyboard (in this case the lowest D) as the basis for a new key signature and selecting to display an arpeggio in the minor melodic variation over two octaves. The system responds by displaying the key signature for D minor and marking the keyboard keys for arpeggios over two octaves starting from the selected keyboard key." The user examines the option for using an alternative method of selecting a musical key that involves the system displaying a diagram containing images of twelve key signatures and the user selecting a variation type major, melodic minor, etc.) and pointing to the image of the required key signature with a computer pointing device. See FIG.14. The caption for FIG 14 reads "An alternative method of selecting a key signature is to use a diagram of twelve key signatures and to use a pointing device computer mouse) to select the key signature required and its major, minor melodic or minor harmonic variation." The user selects the image containing one sharp for a major scale, thereby selecting the key signature for G major and the system responds by displaying that key signature to the left of the keyboard and marks the keys according to the existing settings for the display of a scale or arpeggio and the number of octaves. The user selects the options to display a scale for a single octave and the system re-marks the keys according to the new selection.

See FIG.15. The caption for FIG 15 reads: "After a new musical key (in this case G major) and the options for a scale display over one octave have been selected the system responds by displaying the appropriate key signature, selecting the keyboard key for the scale's tonic note and marking the appropriate keys on the keyboard upwards from that point." It is noted that the selection of flip cards, the exercise of pre-determined options in relation to flip cards, the selection of keys on the keyboard, the exercise of predetermined options in relation the keyboard, and the exercise of pre-determined options in relation to the fingering diagram may be made in any order. Regardless of which selection or option is made, the system gives effect to its impact on the other display elements so that the flip cards, keyboard and fingering display are always kept in synchronization with each other, On-line help is available to users through a supplied help file. See FIG.16. The caption for FIG 16 reads "The system offers reasonably comprehensive help via an accompanying help file." The user selects the fingering diagram, the simulated stack of flip cards and a transposed keyboard for display. The option to show a selected note's name by the keyboard is also selected. The user selects to view the clarinet in the fingering diagram as seen in X-ray view and the system displays that view. The user selects to see key numbers on keys that are used using a supplied key numbering system. The user selects the flip card showing note Low C and displays the front of that card. The system configures the fingering diagram to show the proper fingering for note Low C by colouring the holes that are used red and all unused holes and keys white. The system shows a transposed keyboard containing all notes on the B flat clarinet up to High G and colours the lowest C key on the keyboard yellow to indicate that that key has been selected. The system displays the name below the selected keyboard key. See FIG 17. The caption for FIG 17 reads: "The X-ray view of the clarinet is selected showing the holes and keys as seen from behind through a transparent instrument having its mouthpiece uppermost." The user selects a key symbol on the fingering diagram and the system responds by displaying a small green dot by the side of the selected key symbol and by painting green stripes on four of the keyboard keys to indicate the notes that can be played using the clarinet key that is represented by the selected key symbol. Three keyboard keys have a bright green stripe to indicate that the main (or only) fingering pattern is used by that clarinet key to play those notes. One keyboard key has a dull green stripe to indicate that an alternate fingering pattern is used by that clarinet key to play that note. See FIG 18.

The caption for FIG 18 reads: "A key on the clarinet is selected. The key is identified with a small green dot on its left-hand side. The notes that can be played using that key are indicated on the keyboard by painting green stripes on the relevant keyboard keys. The bright green stripes indicate that the main (or only) fingering is used to play the indicated notes.

The dull green stripe indicates that an alternate fingering is used to play the indicated note." The user selects to view the instrument key staff. The system responds by displaying the instrument key staff alongside the flip cards and draws on that staff all of the notes that can be played by the clarinet key that is represented by the selected key symbol. See FIG 19. The caption for FIG 19 reads "The display of a drawing of the notes is selected. This displays a small staff alongside the flip cards. The notes that can be played using the selected clarinet key are drawn on the small staff." The user selects one of the keyboard keys that are painted with a bright green stripe. The selected key is for note A flat. The system responds by displaying the flip card for note A flat and changes the fingering diagram to show the fingering for that note. The selected key symbol on the fingering diagram is now coloured red confirming that the clarinet key that it represents is used to play note A flat. See FIG 20. The caption for FIG 20 reads: "One of the keyboard keys that are painted with a bright green stripe is selected.

The selected clarinet key is coloured red confirming that it is used to play the note now indicated by the selected keyboard key and the top flip card." The user activates a window containing a staff for recording and playing a phrase of music. The user records a short phrase and gives it a name preparatory to playing it back.

See FIG 21. The caption for FIG 21 reads: "The Phrase feature is selected and a short phrase is recorded for later play-back." In the second preferred embodiment, the user activates a window for the selection of any of four identified variants of the saxophone. See FIG 22. The caption for FIG 22 reads "The user may select any of four different instrument variations for the saxophone.

The user's choice affects the tonal range of the audio feedback given when the user chooses to hear the sound of a selected note. It also affects the placement of Middle C in the concert keyboard see FIG 23." The user sequentially selects for use each of four different variants of the saxophone. In each case the concert keyboard is selected for display. The tonal range of each of the four instrument variants is visually indicated by the placement of Middle C on the keyboard.

See FIG 23. The caption for FIG 23 reads: "Concert keyboard displays for each of the four types of the saxophone. The location of Middle C is indicated by the symbol The user activates a window for the recording, saving and retrieval of any number of customised fingering systems. See FIG 24. The caption for FIG 24 reads "The customised fingering system feature is selected and a window is displayed that allows the user to create, save and retrieve for later use any number of different fingering systems. To change the main or any alternate fingering diagram for a selected note, the user first selects the appropriate main alternate cell for a note and then uses the fingering diagram on the left side of the window to build the required fingering pattern. Once a fingering diagram has been established the word "Set" is displayed in the relevant cell. The user can optionally create a new fingering system by specifically building a diagram for each main and alternate way of fingering each note. Alternatively, the user may create a new fingering system by altering an existing fingering system (including any supplied default system)." The foregoing describes only two preferred embodiments of the present invention and modifications, obvious to those skilled in the art, can be made thereto without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Claims

2. A method of providing dynamic guidance in the proper fingering of a musical instrument according to the first claim further including the step of variously displaying a fingering diagram with the mouthpiece uppermost or with the bell end uppermost and as seen either from the front of the instrument or in X-ray view from the rear of the instrument..
3. A method of providing dynamic guidance in the proper fingering of a musical instrument according to any of the preceding claims further including the step of displaying the fingering diagram with numbers or names on some or all of the key symbols according to a selectable system of key numbering/naming.
4. A method of providing dynamic guidance in the proper fingering of a musical instrument according to any of the preceding claims fujrther including the step of providing a facility tbat allows the user to create one or more customnised key numbering/naming systems and to save each one to disk file for later retrieval and use in the fingering diagram. A method of providing dynamic guidance in the proper fingering of a musical instrument according to any of the preceding claims further including the step of displaying alternate fingerings for notes as appropriate to the instrument. 6 A method of providing dynamic guidance in the proper fingering of a musical instrument according to any of the preceding claims fur-ther including the step of providing a facility that allows the user to create one or more customised fingering systems and to save each one to disk file for later retrieval and use in the fingering diagram 7 A method of providing dynamic guidance in the proper fingering of a musical instrument according to any of the preceding claims fuirther including the step of providing a facility that provides the user with alternative views of the front and the back of each flip card.
8. A method of providing dynamic guidance in the proper fingering of a musical instrument according to any of the preceding claims further including the step of displaying a flip card as the uppermost card of the stack following direct selection by use of a computer pointing device or by the use of a computer keyboard to indicate the appropriate position of the required note on the musical staff drawn on the uppermost flip card in conjunction With the selection of any sharp or flat variation that may apply to that note.
9. A method of providing dynamic guidance in the proper fingering of a musical instrument according to any of the preceding claims fuirther including the step of displaying additional lines above and below the standard five lines of the staff on the front side of the uppermost flip card so as to provide visual guidance in relation to the use a computer pointing device or the use of a computer keyboard in the selection of a note outside the range of the standard five lines of the staff. A method of providing dynamic guidance in the proper fingering of a musical instrument according to any of the preceding claims further including the step of defining a selectable range of notes within which the selection of flip cards for display will be confined, the range being from any note that is playable on the instrument to any higher note that is playable on the instrument.
11. A method of providing dynamic guidance in the proper fingering of a musical instrument according to any of the preceding claims fuirther including the step of automating the selection of a single new flip card at random within a selectable range of notes.
12. A method of providing dynamic guidance in the proper fingering of a musical instrument according to any of the preceding claims fuirther including the step of automating the repeated selection of different flip cards at random within a selectable range of notes.
13. A method of providing dynamic guidance in the proper fingering of a musical instrument according to any of the preceding claims further including the step of alternatively displaying the keyboard in transposed or concert mode.
14. A method of providing dynamic guidance in the proper fingering of a musical instrument according to any of the preceding claims further including the step of displaying above or below the keyboard the name of the note that is selected on the keyboard. A method of providing dynamic guidance in the proper fingering of a musical instrument according to any of the preceding claims further including the step of displaying above and below the keyboard coloured bars that variously indicate the range of notes that has been selected for use with the random selection of flip cards and the keys that are contained in each of the registers on the instrument.
16. A method of providing dynamic guidance in the proper fingering of a musical instrument according to any of the preceding claims further including the step of indicating the location of the keyboard key that represents note Middle C by marking that key with a symbol such as "MC" when the keyboard is displayed in concert mode.
17. A method of providing dynamic guidance in the proper fingering of a musical instrument according to any of the preceding claims further including the step of displaying a key signature based on the selected keyboard key in combination with a selection of major, melodic minor or harmonic minor variations.
18. A method of providing dynamic guidance in the proper fingering of a musical instrument according to any of the preceding claims fuirther including the step of displaying a key signature selected from a diagram of twelve key signatures by use of a computer pointing device or by the use of a computer keyboard in combination with a selection of major, melodic minor or harmonic minor variations.
19. A method of providing dynamic guidance in the proper fingering of a musical instrument according to any of the preceding claims further including the step of marking the tips of selected keys with a colour other than black or white in one or more octaves to represent a scale or arpeggio related to the currently selected musical key such that a keyboard key that is used when playing both up and down a scale has the whole of its tip marked, a keyboard key that is only used when playing up the scale has one half of its tip marked, and a keyboard key that is only used when playing down the scale has the other half of its tip marked. A method of providing dynamic guidance in the proper fingering of a musical instrument according to any of the preceding claims fuirther including the step of automating the sequential selection of notes in a scale or arpeggio in an upwards direction, or in a downwards direction or in a combination of upwards and downwards directions over a pre-selected range of octaves and at a wre-selected time interval;
21. A method of providing dynamic guidance in the proper fingering of a musical instrument according to any of the preceding claims further including the step of displaying on a separate music staff all of the notes in one octave of a selected scale or arpeggio and providing a means whereby each of the notes mnta octave can be selected individually or all of the notes can be automatically selected in sequence such that when a note is selected the fingering pattern on the fingering diagram, the flip card and the keyboard key appropriate to that note is also automatically selected for display.
22. A method of providing dynamic guidance in the proper fingering of a musical instrument according to any of the preceding claims further including the step of displaying or not displaying the fingering diagram, the flip cards, the keyboard and a key signature in any combination.
23. A method of providing dynamic guidance in the proper fingering of a musical instrument according to any of the preceding claims further including the step of reproducing an audio signal representing the playing of one note on the instrument each time that that note is selected by use of the flip cards or the keyboard.
24. A method of providing dynamic guidance in the proper fingering of a musical instrument according to any of the preceding claims further including the step of providing a facility that allows the user to select any key symbol in the fingering diagram and responding by displaying the range of musical notes that can be played by the instrument using the instrument key indicated by the selected key symbol, the display taking the form of drawing those notes on a musical staff and painting each keyboard key that represents one of those notes with a stripe of one of two colours other than black or white, one of those colours being used to indicate that the note concerned is played using the main (or only) fingering pattern and the other colour being used to indicate that the note concerned is played using an alternate fingering pattern. A method of providing dynamic guidance in the proper fingering of a musical instrument according to any of the preceding claims further including the step of providing a ficility that allows the user to create a record of the fingering for the notes in one or more musical phrases, to save each musical phrase to electronic storage medium for later retrieval and use, to display the musical phrase on a musical staff and to play a selected musical phrase by automatically sequentially selecting the fingering pattern, flip cards and keyboard key for each note in the phrase at a selectable time interval.
26. A method of providing dynamic guidance in the proper fingering of a musical instrument according to any of the preceding claims fuirther including the step of providing a facility that allows the selection of one of a pre-determined range of variations of the instrument such that the configuration of the transposed keyboard, the tonal range of the audio feed-back and the marking of the keyboard key for note Middle C when the keyboard is displayed in concert mode are all appropriate to the variation selected.
27. A system of providing dynamic guidance in the proper fingering of a musical instrument including a computer operating in accordance with any of claims 1 to 26 described above.
28. A computer configured for providing dynamic guidance in the proper fingering of a musical instrument, the program operating in accordance with any of claims 1 to 26 described above.
29. A method of providing dynamic guidance in the proper fingering of a musical instrument, the method being substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
30. A system of providing dynamic guidance in the proper fingering of a musical instrument, the system being substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
31. A computer configured for providing dynamic guidance in the proper fingering of a musical instrument and being substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Dated this 24th June 2004 By: DAVID LLOYD-JONES Applicant