AU732104B2

AU732104B2 - System to assist teaching music scales

Info

Publication number: AU732104B2
Application number: AU23560/97A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Abraham Cytrynowski
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1996-05-24
Filing date: 1997-05-22
Publication date: 2001-04-12
Anticipated expiration: 2017-05-22
Also published as: AU2356097A

Description

Regulation 3.2 -1-

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 CCOMPL=r.ETE S1PEC I FIC1AT ION S TAzLnARD PATk E M T

APPLICANT:

NUMBER:

FILING DATE: ABRAHAM CYTRYNOWSKI PO 0051/96 24/ 5/1996 Invention Title: SYSTEM TO ASSIST TEACHING MUSIC SCALES The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us: SYSTEM TO ASSIST TEACHING MUSIC SCALES This invention relates to a system for teaching musical scales to music students.

It is a major problem for music teachers to ensure that their students become proficient with their musical scales, especially those set for examinations. Depending on the level of proficiency of the student, the scales can be quite numerous and it is a significant requirement that before progressing from one grade of tuition to the next that all the scales of the lower grade must be completely mastered.

04' Mastery can only be achieved by constant practice but the relative ease or difficulty of any one scale compared to others can be a subjective thing and differ between students. Hence, .the most common method of practising the scales in a set order can be highly inefficient, and 0* a waste of time and effort over those scales which have in fact been mastered whilst not allowing sufficient practice time over those scales which that particular student finds most difficult.

It is in fact this mundane, repetitive, constant practice of the same scales in the same order that alienates many young music students and causes them to desist from practice and to lose interest. That is often because there is no clear satisfaction or feeling that they are progressing, achieving or advancing. Boredom and disinterest follow.

WP51/SPEC/CYTRYWO2.SPC/21 Hay. 1997 The effect can be similarly disheartening to the teacher and parents who see no progress.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a system which allows for instant visual monitoring of the progress of the student through their scales and to keep track of which scales are being mastered, which ones require more learning and practice, and which are completely unknown.

It is a further object of the invention to provide the student with a means of perceiving a real ag progress in their learning and to provide a way to assess their advancement and achievement within any grade and to materially monitor improvement. Thus the invention is seen as a way of making the process of learning musical scales easier on both students and teachers.

The invention in its broadest sense is a system for assisting music students to learn musical scales, consisting of a first series of cards or other recording devices, "Scale cards", the names of the scales being recorded on the front of the card, the back of the card having S..i thereon the actual notes and fingering of the scale; a second series of cards or other recording devices, "Standard cards", onto which the level or standard of learning is recorded, and a means of placing the Scale cards into groups defined by the Standard cards so that those scales that have been learnt or mastered to each particular defined level can be readily identified.

In a first form of the invention, the Scale cards can be of the size of business cards with the WP51/SPEC/CYTRYWO2.SPC/21 May, 1997 names of the scales F Major Contrary, E Minor Arpeggio, B Major etc.) clearly marked on one side of the card, there being only one scale per card. The Scale cards can contain other details, normally in smaller print, such as the actual music grade Grade 3) that the particular set of cards and scales cover, details of the instrument, if required, and individual identifying numbers for each card.

Under the assessment and grading procedures used in the various States and Territories, the student progresses from one grade to the next by examination, one part of which examination is to demonstrate a mastery of the scales relevant for that grade.

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q:o The Standard or level cards are of the same size as the Scale cards, to make for easy handling and storage of the cards, or of a different size. The Standard cards can be coloured or have S. some other way to easily identify them from the Scale cards. These Standard cards will have on them some indicators of a particular level. For one form of the invention there may be three Standard cards which are red, yellow and blue in colour and which contain the words, "Unknown", and "Perfect" respectively, to indicate how well the scales of that particular group are known.

The cards can be kept in some order so that all those cards representing scales known to the

I

"perfect" level can be easily identified as falling into the group covered by that particular Standard card. Similarly for the other Standard cards, as the student masters each scale to a higher standard the card representing that scale can be moved from the group of cards in the WP51/SPEC/CYTRYO02.SPC/21 May, 1997 lower standard to that of the higher standard. Initially as the student starts a new grade, all the scale cards will be in the lowest standard group but gradually they will progress through intermediate levels to the highest standard group. Those Scale cards representing scales the particular student finds easy will progress more quickly. Once all scale cards have progressed to the "perfect" level then the honing down process continues, so that the slightest blemish or hiccup in the performance of a scale may mean that the corresponding scale-card suffers a temporary "change of address" into the "OK" level until it is, indeed, perfected.

•Thus, unlike scale-manuals or other scale teaching systems currently in use, this particular 2 card system encourages students to continually redefine and raise their own understanding or S•expectation of what the concept "perfect" may mean in relation to scale playing.

•o Once all the scales are comfortably at the "perfect" level, this is an indication to both teacher and student, that the student is prepared for the scale-requirement section of a particular examination level.

The cards can be kept in a card filing system or similar filing means so that the teacher, parent or student can see at a glance those cards for a particular level and can run through them in order.

In a second form of the invention, information useful to the student (such as the actual notes of the scale, fingering etc.) is printed on the back of the scale cards.

WP51/SPEC/CYTRY002.SPC/21 NMay, 1997 ii 6 In a third form of the invention the Standard card can show information and can be of such a number and so detailed as to try and quantify the actual level or standard for each standard card.

Whilst, the embodiment described herein is principally designed for pianoforte it is to be understood that this is only exemplary, and versions can be made for any musical instrument.

It should be realised that the forms of the invention using cards are one form only by way of example and that data and information systems other than cards can be used.

For example, in a further form of the invention, the system could use a loose leaf book in 00 which each page is equivalent to a Scale card and with dividers for separating pages being equivalent to the Standard cards.

B. B Alternatively, the folder could be considered equivalent to the Standard cards and comprise leaves each of which has a number of pockets, each of which pockets can receive a Scale o. card.

In yet another form of the invention the cards could be kept filed in their standard groups in plastic pages containing multiple pockets so the ten or more cards can be seen at a glance on one page of the folder or book.

It is envisaged that a further form of the invention could use a computer or computer based WP51/SPEC/CYTRYNO2.SPC/21 May. 1997 database system to maintain and display the "cards" or Scale and Standard details on a computer screen or printer or hand held memo-type computing machine.

The forms of the invention discussed above are by way of example only and it will be realised that other inventions include other forms of organising and grading scales.

e e WP51/SPEC/CYTRYTO2.SPC/21 May, 1997

Claims

1. A system for assisting music students to learn musical scales, consisting of a first series of cards or other recording devices, "Scale cards", the names of the scales being recorded on the front of the card, the back of the card having thereon the actual notes and fingering of the scale; a second series of cards or other recording devices, "Standard cards", onto which the level or standard of learning is recorded, and a means of placing the Scale cards into groups defined by the Standard cards so that those scales that have been learnt or mastered to each particular defined level can be readily identified.

2. A system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the Scale cards have on their front as well as S.the name of the scale, other information which permits them to be classified.

3. A system as claimed in claim 2 wherein the other information on the Scale cards includes the assessment level at which the card is to be used.

4. A system as claimed in claim 2 or claim 3 wherein the other information on the scale cards includes the instrument with which the cards are to be used. A system as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 4 wherein the Standard cards include an indication of the student's knowledge of a particular scale.

WP51/SPEC/CYTRYO2.SPC/21 HMay, 1997 ,i .I 9

6. A system as claimed in claim 5 wherein the student's knowledge is graded from full knowledge to not having learnt the scale.

7. A system as claimed in claim 5 or claim 6 wherein the Standard cards are of a different colour from the Scale cards so as to be readily identified therefrom.

8. A system as claimed in claim 7 wherein the Standard cards are of different colours.

9. A system as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the Scale cards and Standard cards are in a form other than physical cards. •0

10. A system as claimed in claim 9 wherein the cards are in the form of pages in a loose leaf folder ot the like.

11. A system as claimed in claim 9 wherein the cards are records in a computer database.

12. A set of cards or other recording devices, comprising two separate type of scale cards, one set being, "Scale cards", which have the names of the scales recorded on the front of the card, the back of the card having thereon the actual notes and fingering of the scale; a second series of cards or other recording devices, "Standard cards", onto which the level or standard of learning is recorded, and a means of placing the Scale WP51/SPEC/CYTRYO02.SPC/21 Ny. 1997 b o cards into groups defined by the Standard cards so that those scales that have been learnt or mastered to each particular defined level can be readily identified.

13. A set of cards claimed in claim 12 devices being records maintained in a database.

14. A system for assisting music students to learn musical scales substantially as hereinbefore described.

15. A set of cards substantially as hereinbefore described S 9* 5 S 5. S. S 5*GS S S S S 55 5 5* S. DATED THIS 21st DAY OF May 1997 ABRAHAM CYTRYNOWSKI By his Patent Attorneys A. TATLOCK ASSOCIATES. WP51/SPEC/CYTRYO2.SPC/21 May, 1997