EP4036906A1

EP4036906A1 - Capo for a stringed instrument and use of said capo with a stringed instrument

Info

Publication number: EP4036906A1
Application number: EP22153529.7A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Giuseppe Cipriani; Simone CIPRIANI
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2021-01-27
Filing date: 2022-01-26
Publication date: 2022-08-03
Anticipated expiration: 2042-01-26
Also published as: EP4036906C0; EP4036906B1

Abstract

A nut device (30) for a stringed instrument (10) is described. The nut device includes a slider nut (32), which is shaped like a stick, rod or beam, and a support frame (33) including a guide bar (35) intended to be mounted on one side of a neck (15) of the stringed instrument (10). The slider nut (32) is in turn slidably mounted on the guide bar (35) so as to assume a plurality of positions along the guide bar. The slider nut (32) is intended to make contact with all the strings (19). Each of the said plurality of positions along the guide bar (35) corresponds to a plurality of positions along the neck (15) of the stringed instrument (10) above the strings (19). The present disclosure also relates to use of a nut device and a method for playing a stringed instrument by means of a nut device.

Description

The present disclosure relates to a device for stringed instruments for altering the tuning of the stringed instrument. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a nut device for a stringed instrument, and a stringed instrument in combination with this nut device, as well as use of said nut device with a stringed instrument, and a method for playing a stringed instrument by means of said nut device. Possible stringed instruments which can be used with the nut device according to the invention may be for example a lute, a theorbo, a guitar and other similar stringed instruments.
The nut device is a well-known accessory used by musicians and instrument players of all times in particular for stringed instruments with a chromatic fretboard. A nut device is a known device which is placed on the strings in order to press them against the neck and allow variation of the entire tuning system of the instrument with increasing frequencies. The nut device is usually positioned at intervals of one semitone on the fingering frets of the instrument neck.
With this apparatus it is possible to choose a playing tonality different from that of the original tuning generated by the nut device fixed to the top of the neck. The musician may therefore displace his/her fingering depending on the new position of the movable nut which is set on the neck of the instrument, there being no difference in the fingering positions compared to the positions used with the fixed nut device.
The conventional movable nut device is formed by a kind of screw-type or lever-type locking clamp for performing the displacement, which adapts to and embraces the neck of the instrument. Moreover, the known movable nut device does not determine directly the length of the strings, but replaces the fingers in the function of making the strings press against the closest fret. Basically, a known movable nut device is configured to exert a clamping action on the strings of the stringed instrument so as to cause the strings to press against the closest fret.
The present disclosure is based on the realization by the author of the present disclosure that, with a known movable nut device, each new position of the nut device excludes the possibility of playing the lower notes in relation to the new position of the conventional movable nut device, since the latter in fact acts as a barrier for the sound vibration of the said string. In short, all the strings between the fixed nut device and the movable nut device are not accessible and in any case do not make any sound if plucked.
Moreover, the change in position requires not easy manual adaptation when used for example between the two tempos of a piece of music.
Last but not least, the author of the present invention has noticed that the use of a known movable nut device with an acceptable sound is limited to the first positions along the neck. In fact, with each shortening of the range of notes the characteristic timbre of the instrument is gradually distorted.
Based on said recognitions, a problem underlying the present disclosure is that of providing a nut device which is able to overcome the said drawbacks of the known movable nuts and may result in further advantages,
The aforementioned technical problem is solved by a nut device, a stringed instrument in combination with said nut device, a playing method and use of a nut device according to the respective independent claims, Secondary characteristics and particular embodiments forming the subject of the present disclosure are defined in the corresponding dependent claims.
In particular, a nut device for a stringed instrument is provided, wherein said nut device includes a slider nut, shaped like a stick, rod or beam, and a support frame including a guide bar intended to be mounted on a side of a neck of the stringed instrument. The slider nut is in turn slidably mounted on the guide bar so as to assume a plurality of positions along the guide bar. The slider nut is intended to contact the strings, without causing them to make contact with the neck of the stringed instrument, i.e. without exerting any clamping action on the strings. Each of the said plurality of positions along the guide bar corresponds to a plurality of positions along the neck of the stringed instrument above the strings.
The nut device in question therefore consists of a movable slider nut which is situated tangential above all the strings and may be applied on instruments with plucked strings. The slider nut, moreover, since it is slidably mounted on the guide bar, may be configured for a rapid change of all the tonalities.
Furthermore, owing to the fact that the slider nut rests on / is in contact with the strings, it may be understood that a stringed instrument, once it has been provided with the nut device according to the present disclosure, may be played by fingering the frets of the neck both upstream of the slider nut, i.e. towards the tuning pegs of the stringed instrument, and downstream of the slider nut towards the bridge above the soundbox of the stringed instrument. The string in fact, even though it is perfectly able to produce a sound, is not constrained in this position since the slider nut (which is tangential) only rests on the string, which is not displaced into contact with the front surface of the neck. In other words, the slider nut touches the string such that the string may be played, but does not cause it to press against the front surface of the neck.
This innovative system of intercepting the strings allows the sound ranges of the instrument to be increased considerably.
In other words, with the nut device according to the present disclosure it is possible to solve the problem affecting the known stringed instruments which offer only a limited choice of harmonic combinations, in particular at the notes situated further anyway, owing to the necessary geometry of the fingering positions, i.e. the available notes which can be played, defined by the intersection of the strings with the frets and the strings which can be reached by the opening width of the hand.
Further advantages, characteristic features and modes of use of the subject of the present disclosure will become clear from the following detailed description of a number of preferred examples of embodiment thereof, provided by way of a nonlimiting example. It is nevertheless evident that each embodiment may have one or more of the advantages listed above; in any case it is nevertheless not necessary that each embodiment should have simultaneously all the advantages listed.
Reference will be made to the figures of the attached drawings in which:

Figure 1 shows a schematic view of a stringed instrument provided with a nut device according to the present disclosure;
Figure 2 shows a schematic view, from above, of a detail of the stringed instrument according to Figure 1, provided with a nut device according to the present disclosure;
Figure 3 shows a schematic view, from one side, of a detail of the stringed instrument according to Figure 1, provided with a nut device according to the present disclosure;
Figure 4 shows a further schematic view, from below, of the nut device of the preceding figures, associated with the neck of a stringed instrument;
Figure 5 shows a further schematic view, again from below, of the nut device of the preceding figures, associated with the neck of a stringed instrument;
Figures 6 and 7 shows a corresponding number of schematic views of details of the nut device of the preceding figures, associated with the neck of a stringed instrument.

With reference to the attached figures, the reference number 10 identifies a stringed instrument provided with a nut device 30 according to the present disclosure.
The stringed instrument 10 is a lute in the example of embodiment. The lute includes in a known manner a soundbox 12, a sound hole 13, a board 12, a neck 15 and tuning pegs 16. The lute also includes strings 18 which are stretched over a front plane or face 17, between a fixed nut 11 and a bridge or bridge-piece 18. The front plane 17 of the neck 15 acts as a support for the fretboard 22 of the stringed instrument 10, namely for a series of frets 21 which are suitably spaced at intervals on the neck 15. The frets 21 are lines, i.e. metal linear tracks which are inserted in the fretboard 22. Usually, with reference to a single string, each fret corresponds to a semitone.
Since it is a known instrument, it is considered that a person skilled in the art is well-informed about the structure and functions of the lute and an additional description is not necessary,
Normally, the stringed instrument 10 is played by keeping the soundbox 12 resting against the chest of the person playing so that the fingers of the left-hand can be placed on the front plane 17 of the neck 15.
In the description below, any spatial reference, such as front, rear, side, etc., is made without thereby being understood in a limiting manner, with reference to said position of use. An upstream or downstream position along the neck 15 must also be understood as being respectively a position towards the fixed nut 11 (upstream) or towards the soundbox 12 (downstream), when the stringed instrument 10 is played.
The arrangement of a nut device 30 along the fretboard 22 allows the tonality of the string which is being played to be varied,
In particular, the nut device 30 according to the present disclosure includes a slider nut 32, which is shaped like a stick, rod or beam, and a support frame 33 including a guide bar 35 and fixing ties 36 or fasteners 36. The guide bar 35 of the support frame 33 is mounted parallel to the neck 15 of the lute and fixed there on one side by means of the fixing ties 36. The slider nut 32 is in turn slidably mounted on the guide bar 35 so as to extend substantially orthogonal to the guide bar 35 and be positioned above the front plane or face 17 of the neck 15, above all the strings 19. Expressed differently, the slider nut 32 is intended to be positioned facing, or in front of, the front plane 17 and the strings 19. In particular, during use, the strings 19 are located interposed between the front plane 17 of the neck 15 and the slider nut 32. The nut device 20 is configured, that is, so that the slider nut 32 is arranged, during use, so as to be situated on the opposite side of the strings 19 to the front plane 17. The slider nut 32 is therefore arranged transverse with respect to the guide bar 35 and to the neck 15 and orthogonal to the strings 19.
The position of the fixing ties 36 is chosen depending on the height which the slider nut 32 must have with respect to the front face 17.
The support frame 33 acts as a frame for mounting or supporting the slider nut 32, which represents the key element for operation of the nut device 30, with respect to a stringed instrument 10. The slider nut 32 extends between a constrained end 37 and a free end 38 which extends so as to cover the whole width of the neck 15 of the lute and reach all the strings 19.
According to a first aspect of the present disclosure, the slider nut 32 rests in contact with the strings 19, i.e. without any mechanical constraint, substantially tangential thereto. Namely, the nut device 32 does not clamp the strings, but only displaces them slightly from their position in the stringed instrument 10, but without causing them to make contact with the front plane/surface 17 of the neck 15. In other words, during use, a free space, or void, is present between the front surface/plane 17 of the neck 15 and the strings in contact with the slider nut 32.
According to this configuration, it is possible for a person playing to apply a pressure on one or more of the strings 19 so as to release them from the slider nut 32 and leave free to be played. In this way, the stringed instrument 10 may be played in three different ways: without fingering any of the strings 19, or fingering the strings 19 downstream of the slider nut 32, or also fingering the strings 19 upstream of the slider nut 32. The instrument may also be played by fingering the strings 19 on either side of the slider nut 32, namely fingering some of the strings 19 upstream and other strings 19 downstream of the slider nut 32.
The expression "fingering" means that a person playing the instrument may press the strings 19 on the neck of the stringed instrument before the slider nut or after the slider nut 32 or both before and after, albeit in the immediate vicinity thereof.
In other words, the nut device is such that a pressure of the fingers corresponds to a released condition of at least one string 19 from the slider nut 32 and that said nut device is configured to allow said stringed instrument 10 to be played in any one of the following conditions:

without fingering any of the strings 19, or
fingering the strings 19 downstream of the slider nut 32,
or fingering the strings 19 upstream of the slider nut 32.

According to another aspect of the present disclosure, since the slider nut 32 is slidably mounted on the guide bar 35, it is displaceable, in particular translatable, along the support frame 33 so as to allow easy displacement by means of sliding along the neck 15 and easy variation of the tonalities.
The guide bar 35 of the support frame 33 therefore has the function of a rail so as to allow the slider nut 32 to be positioned along the whole neck 15 and be rapidly positioned just behind, namely upstream of, the respective preselected tonality fret 21.
The slider nut 32 is a rod or bar with a substantially rectangular cross-section tapered towards the free end 38, for lightening and reducing the dimensions. The length of the slider nut 32 is related to the width of the neck 15.
In the zone of contact with the strings 19, the slider nut 32 preferably has a widthwise dimension of between 3 mm and 5 mm, preferably between 3.5 mm and 4.5 mm and even more preferably equal to 4 mm. Said widthwise dimension, during use, is oriented substantially parallel to the front plane 17 of the neck 15.
In the zone of contact with the strings 19, the slider nut 32 has preferably a height dimension of between 10 mm and 6 mm, preferably between 9 mm and 7 mm, and even more preferably equal to 8 mm in height. Said height dimension, during use, is oriented substantially orthogonal to the front plane 17 of the neck 15.
The slider nut 32 is made of metal, for example brass.
The guide bar 35 of the support frame 33 is also made preferably of metal, for example brass.
The guide bar 35 extends along the neck 15, is substantially as long as the neck; preferably has a length of between 600 mm and 400 mm, even more preferably between 550 mm and 450 mm and even more preferably equal to 500 mm.
The guide bar 35 has a cross-section such as to ensure that it is sufficiently strong to support the slider nut, for example a cross-section of 25 mm by 3 mm.
As mentioned above, the guide bar 35 is fixed, preferably at the ends, with two fixing ties 35 rigidly connected to the side of the neck 15.
According to another aspect of the present disclosure, the nut device 30 includes an adjustment assembly 40 for adjusting the position of the slider nut 32. The adjustment assembly 40 is preferably positioned at a zone of intersection between the slider nut 32 and the guide bar 35. Even more preferably, the adjustment assembly 40 connects a constrained end 37 of the slider nut 32 to the guide bar 35,
Even more preferably, the adjustment assembly 40 is configured to allow adjustment in all the planes and axes of the slider nut 32, i.e. a heightwise adjustment with respect to the plane of the front face 17, an angular adjustment along a plane parallel to the front face 17 of the neck 15 as well, as mentioned, an adjustment along the guide bar.
For example, the adjustment assembly 40 includes, as a single metal piece, a C-shaped body 42 and a block body 44. The C-shaped body 42 defines a hollow zone where the guide bar 35 of the support frame 33 is inserted.
The block body 44 has a first receiving hole 45 for seating the constrained end 37 of the slider nut 32. The seating depth of the constrained end 37 of the slider nut 32 allows the position of the slider nut 32 to be adjusted above the neck 15. The adjustment assembly 40 also includes angular adjustment elements for fixing both the constrained end 37 and for adjusting the angular position of the slider nut 32 with respect to an axis orthogonal to the neck 15. The angular adjustment elements are for example three screws 47, 48, 49 arranged substantially parallel to the neck 15 and/or to the guide bar 35 of the support frame 33 of the nut device 30 and received inside respective threaded holes formed in the block body 44. Two screws 47, 49 directed in the same direction and a central screw 48 directed in the opposite direction are inserted inside corresponding threaded holes of the block body 44. Tightening of the three screws 47, 48, 49 to a more or less greater depth allows adjustment of the direction of the slider nut 32.
The adjustment assembly 40 comprises a further screw-type adjustment knob 50 for adjusting the position of the slider nut 32 along the guide bar 35 of the support frame 33. Basically, the C-shaped body 42 includes a hole for seating the guide bar 35 and a further hole intended to receive the stem of the screw-type adjustment knob 50. The latter interacts with the guide bar 35 so as to lock the adjustment assembly 40 in the desired position. A further screw opposite to the knob 50 may be provided in order to stabilize the heightwise position of the adjustment assembly and therefore of the slider nut 32 on the guide bar 35.
As a result, the slider nut 32 is adjustable preferably in all the positions by means of screws. Said adjustment consists of an adjustment both in a plane parallel to the front face 17 of the neck 15 and an adjustment, closer or further away, of the slider nut 32 as well as a possible heightwise adjustment with respect to the front face 17 of the neck 15.
It should be pointed out that, in the preferred embodiment shown, once the optimum configuration has been found, it will no longer be necessary to adjust the angular and transverse position of the slider nut 32, but only to position the slider nut 32 along the guide bar 35 of the support frame 33 to a desired tonality. It may be understood that a person skilled in the art may envisage alternative solutions to this adjustment structure, all of these falling within the scope of the present disclosure. In other words, a person skilled in the art may find the optimum mechanical solution for adjusting the position of the slider nut 32 with respect to the guide bar 35.
Even more preferably, in order to allow optimum adjustment of the stringed instrument 10, the strings 19 have a distance of about 5-7 mm from the front plane 17 of the neck. Obviously, the distance of the strings 19 from the front plane 17 of the neck 15 depends on the type of stringed instrument, and a person skilled in the art may adjust the distance in order to obtain the best and most suitable resonance.
As mentioned, the slider nut 32 rests on the strings 19. Therefore, the slider nut 32 does not replace the fingers like a conventional movable nut which makes use of the frets of the neck in order to determine the length of the string. The slider nut 32 makes contact with the strings 19, but keeps them in fact suspended. Namely, during use, there is an empty space, or interstice, between each string and the front plane 17.
The slider nut 32 according to the present disclosure operates from above the strings 19, substantially inversely compared to a conventional nut. In fact, only the pressure of the fingers releases the string from the reference position of the slider nut 32, allowing the frets upstream or downstream of the slider nut 32 to be used, employing the entire length of the string 19.
In one embodiment, in order to allow the stringed instrument 10 to be sonorous and balanced in all the twenty-four tonalities (corresponding to twelve positions on the neck), it may be convenient to lengthen the neck 15 of the modified instrument by about 25-30 cm, consequently increasing the number of frets. A person skilled on the art may understand the overall length of the neck to be obtained, on the basis of the sonority to be obtained.
A lengthening of the neck 15, while not being essential, allows also the far lying tonalities to be covered without any difficulty during execution and an optimum compromise to be obtained in the timbre of the tonalities furthest from the centre of the neck.
In fact, what is of importance in the context of the present disclosure is the fact that it is possible to obtain a stringed instrument with an innovative and improved performance by means of a different positioning layout of the strings along the height of the fingering plane of the neck owing to the nut device.
Basically, instead of playing the string in the two known configurations:

1) free string not fingered
2) string fingered downstream of a fixed nut device (or movable nut device where applied),

stringed instrument

1) free string not fingered
2) string fingered downstream of the slider nut 32,
3) string fingered upstream of the slider nut 32.

Basically, a person playing the instrument may position the left hand which may be entirely upstream or downstream or even astride the nut device 32 with frets fingered on different strings also simultaneously. The string, that is, subject to the pressure of the finger is separated from the slider nut 32 (which in fact remains temporarily non-functional in a different plane), potentially making use of all the frets on the neck which can be reached by the hand. Consequently, during use, it is as though the stringed instrument 10 combined with the nut device 30 according to the present disclosure were provided with a very much higher number of strings which can be fingered.
With the nut device 30 according to the present disclosure it is possible to achieve an unusual harmonic performance on fretted instruments. Moreover the nut device 30 frees the musical composer and the playing musician from the rigid constraints and limitations imposed on the hand when fingering from the conventional configurable positions.
The subject of the present disclosure has been described hitherto with reference to preferred embodiments. It is to be understood that other embodiments relating to the same inventive concept may exist, these all falling within the scope of protection of the claims which are attached herein below.

Claims

Nut device (30) for a stringed instrument (10), wherein said stringed instrument (10) includes a neck (15) with frets (31) and a plurality of strings (19) stretched on a front face (17) of the neck (15) of the stringed instrument (10), wherein said nut device (30) includes a slider nut (32), shaped like a stick, rod or beam, and a support frame (33) including a guide bar (35) intended to be mounted on a side of the neck (15) of the stringed instrument (10), wherein said slider nut (32) is in turn slidably mounted on the guide bar (35) and extends in a transverse direction with respect to the guide bar (35) so as to assume a plurality of positions along the guide bar (35), wherein said slider nut (32) is configured to contact all the strings (19) without causing them to make contact with the front face (17) of the neck (15), and wherein each of said plurality of positions of said slider nut (32) along the guide bar (35) corresponds to a plurality of positions along the neck (15) of the stringed instrument (10) above the strings (19).
Nut device (30) according to claim 1, wherein said nut device (30) is such that a pressure of the fingers corresponds to a released condition of at least one string (19) from the slider nut (32) and that said nut device is configured to allow playing of said stringed instrument (10) in any one of the following conditions:
- without fingering of any of the strings (19), or

- fingering of the strings (19) downstream of the slider nut (32), or

- fingering of the strings (19) upstream of the slider nut (32).
Nut device (30) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the slider nut (32) has a constrained end (37) connected to the guide bar (35) and a free end (38).
Nut device (30) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the slider nut (32) extends substantially orthogonal to the guide bar (35).
Nut device (30) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the support frame (33) includes fasteners (36) for stably fastening in a spaced relationship the guide bar (35) to the neck (15) of the stringed instrument (10).
Nut device (30) according to any one of the preceding claims, including an adjustment assembly (40) configured to adjust the position of the slider nut (32) along the guide bar (35).
Nut device (30) according to any one of the preceding claims in combination with claim 3, wherein the constrained end of the slider nut (32) is connected to the guide bar (35) in an intersection zone and the adjustment assembly (40) is mounted in the intersection zone.
Nut device (30) according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the adjustment assembly (40) is configured to adjust an angular orientation of the slider nut (32) relative to the guide bar (35) in a plane parallel to the front face (17) of the neck (15) and/or wherein the adjustment assembly (40) is configured to adjust a height position of the slider nut (32) with respect to the front face (17) of the neck (15).
Nut device (30) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the slider nut (32) has a width dimension of between 3 mm and 5 mm, preferably between 3.5 mm and 4.5 mm and even more preferably equal to 4 mm, and wherein the slider nut (32) preferably has a height dimension of between 10 mm and 6 mm, preferably between 9 mm and 7 mm and even more preferably equal to 8 mm in height.
Nut device (30) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the guide bar (35) extends alongside the neck (15) and has a length of between 600 mm and 400 mm, more preferably between 550 and 450 mm and even more preferably equal to 500 mm.
Stringed instrument (10) in combination with a nut device according to any one of the preceding claims, including a neck (15) provided with a front plane (17), and strings (19) stretched on the front plane (17), wherein said slider body (32) rests on top of all the strings (19).
Stringed instrument (10) according to claim 11, wherein said slider body (32) is supported, substantially tangential, without mechanical constraint above the strings (19) and without making them lean against the front plane (17) of the neck (15).
Stringed instrument (10) according to claim 11 or 12, wherein the guide bar (35) of the support frame (33) is mounted parallel to the neck (15) and fixed thereon on one side, and wherein the slider nut (32) is placed transversely on the front face (17) of the neck (15), on a parallel and tangential plane above all the strings (19), preferably with an orientation orthogonal to the strings (19).
Stringed instrument according to the preceding claim, wherein the slider nut (32) extends so as to cover a whole width of the neck (15).
Use of a slider nut (32) for a stringed instrument (10), wherein the stringed instrument (10) includes a neck (15) over which strings (19) are stretched, and wherein the slider nut (32) is shaped like a stick, rod or beam, and is positioned above the neck (15) of the stringed instrument (10) and contacts all the strings (19) from above without moving them from their position on the stringed instrument (10) into contact with a front surface (17) of the neck (15) so that a pressure of the fingers may release at least one string (19) from the slider nut (32) so that said stringed instrument (10) may be played without fingering any of the strings (19), or fingering the strings downstream of the slider nut (32), or fingering the strings (19) upstream of the slider nut (32),
and wherein the slider nut (32) can be moved into a plurality of positions along the neck (15) of the stringed instrument (10) above the strings (19).
Method for playing a stringed instrument, wherein the stringed instrument (10) includes a neck (15) over which strings (19) are stretched, and wherein the method involves positioning a slider nut (32) shaped like a stick, rod or beam, above the neck (15) of the stringed instrument (10) and contacting all the strings (19) from above without moving them into contact with the neck (15), wherein the pressure of the fingers releases the string (19) from the slider nut (32) allowing the use of frets upstream or downstream of the slider nut (32) so that one can play in three modes:
1) free string not fingered;

2) string fingered downstream of the slider nut (32);

3) string fingered upstream of the slider nut (32).
Method according to claim 16, which is performed by means of the stringed instrument (10) according to any one of claims 11 to 14 in combination with a nut device (30) according to any one of claims 1 to 10.