GB2200235A

GB2200235A - Tuning a stringed musical instrument

Info

Publication number: GB2200235A
Application number: GB08801260A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Joseph David Aled Hughes; Alan James Wootton
Original assignee: UK Secretary of State for Trade and Industry
Current assignee: UK Secretary of State for Trade and Industry
Priority date: 1987-01-21
Filing date: 1988-01-20
Publication date: 1988-07-27
Also published as: GB8701308D0; GB8801260D0

Abstract

A method of assisting in tuning a stringed musical instrument such as a piano includes the steps of comparing at 19 the frequency emitted by a sounding board 14 with a stored record 18 of a frequency which should be emitted and of displaying the resufts of the comparison on a visible display 30. The display may be in the form of a frequency difference, or may show both the emitted and stored frequencies, or may be in the form of a direction and amount by which the string tension should be adjusted. The comparator 19 may control an electromagnet acting on magnetic material attached to the sounding board 14, for automatic tuning. <IMAGE>

Description

TUNING OF MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS The present invention relates to musical instruments such as pianos.

A piano is a musical instrument having a plurality of keys each associated with one or more strings. The strings are tuned so that each string combination of one or more strings when struck by its associated key vibrates with a particular frequency.

Vibration is passed to a sounding board which amplifies the effect of the vibration to produce an audible tone. The string combinations are arranged in an orderly succession, and the frequency to be emitted by each can be defined mathematically. The arrangement is such that should a particular string combination emit the wrong frequency it can be corrected by adjustment of string tension.

The tuning of a piano is accomplished with the aid of tuning forks which are carefully designed to vibrate at particular frequencies, and requires great skill.

Unfortunately pianos easily go out of tune as a result of 1 for example, movement, changes in humidity and even as a result of the passage of time. Equally unfortunately the number of people with the required skill to tune pianos is diminishing.

The present invention provides a method and apparatus for assisting in tuning a musical instrument.

According to the present invention, a method of tuning a musical instrument includes the steps of comparing a frequency emitted by a sounding board, accoustically connected to a string combination, when the string combination is vibrated, with a stored record of a frequency which should be emitted by the sounding board, and of visually displaying the results of the comparison.

The visual display of the comparison may be in the form of a frequency difference, of the emitted and stored frequencies, or of the directit~in which the tension of the string combination should be adjusted to bring the emitted frequency to the required value.

Adjustments may be made in an iterative manner, but the visual display may be adapted to give a reading in the form of a single required adjustment to string combination tension.

Apparatus for carrying out the invention includes a microcomputer having; a memory in which is stored a series of frequencies each of which should be emitted when a particular string combination is vibrated; input means for inputting frequencies emitted by a sounding board accoustically connected to the string combinations; a comparator for comparing a frequency emitted by the sounding board when a string is vibrated with the stored frequency associated with that string combination; the microcomputer having or being connected to a visible display whereby the results of the comparison may be displayed.

An example of the invention as used with a piano will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying diagramatic drawing of a piano connected to apparatus according to the invention.

A piano has a plurality of string combinations of which one is shown at 10, each maintained in tension between two mounting points 11 and each having associated therewith a key 12. (Although a string combination may have more than one string (usually three for higher notes), for ease of understanding a single string combination is illustrated and described.) Each string 10 has an acoustic connection indicated at 13 to a sounding board 14.

The key 12 and sounding board 14 have inputs 15, 16 respectively to a reading circuit 17 of a microcomputer 20 which also contains a memory unit 18 and a comparator 19.

The comparator 19 is connected to a visible display unit 30.

When it is desired to tune the piano each key 12 is actuated in turn.

The actuation of a key 12 results in'an input to the reading unit 17 of the key operated and of the frequency produced by the associated string combination 10. The frequency is passed through the reading unit 17 to the comparator 19, whilst the key indication is passed to the memory unit 18 which calls up the appropriate frequency which should be produced and passes that to the comparator 19. As a result of the comparison of the two frequencies a signal is passed from the micro computer 20 to the display unit 30 to provide a visible display of the comparison. Using this display the tension of the string combination 10 can be adjusted such that the correct frequency is emitted when a particular key 12 is actuated.

The visible display may be in one of many forms: for example a) a display of actual and of required frequencies, b) a display of the amount by which actual and required frequencies differ, c) a display of the direction in which the tension of a string combination should be adjusted, d) a display of the direction and amount by which the tension of a string combination should be adjusted.

It will of course be realised that in practice the effect of striking a piano string 10 with a key 12 is to produce a note with a plurality of frequencies - a main frequency and various harmonics.

However a string can only be tuned to its main frequency, hence the word frequency has been used in this Specification.

It will also be realised that whilst the invention has been described with respect to a piano it can also be used for the tuning of other string-instruments such as violins.

A microcomputer 20 and display unit 30 may be installed in an instrument as a fixture, or may be attached to the instrument only when tuning is required.

The frequencies stored in the memory unit 18 may be set on the completion of manufacture and tuning of a piano when the microcomputer 20 is a fixture therein. When an instrument is used for tuning a number of pianos it may have its memory unit 18 set using a master instrument.

When the microcomputer 20 is installed as a fixture it may be adapted to provide an automatic tuning facility such that the correct frequencies are obtained during playing of the instrument. This can be achieved by, for example, adapting the comparator to control an input to an electromagnet acting on magnetic material attached to the sounding board 14.

Claims

Claims What is claimed is:

1) A method of tuning a musical instrument including the steps of comparing a frequency emitted by a sounding board accoustically connected to a string combination, when the string combination is vibrated, with a stored record of a frequency which should be emitted by the sounding board; and of visually displaying the results of the comparison.

2) A method as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the display is in the form of a frequency difference.

3) A method as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the display shows both emitted and stored frequencies.

4) A method as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the display is in the form of a direction as to how a string combination tension should be adjusted.

5) Apparatus for assisting in the tuning of a stringed instru ment including a microcomputer having; a memory in which is stored a series of frequencies each of which should be emitted when a particular string combination is vibrated; means for inputting frequencies emitted by a sounding board accoustically connected to the string combination; a comparator for comparing a frequency emitted by the sounding board when a string combination is vibrated with the stored frequency associated with that string combination; the microcomputer having or being connected to a visible display whereby the results of the comparison may be displayed.

6) A method of tuning a musical instrument substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawing.

7) Apparatus as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawing.

8) A musical instrument including apparatus as claimed in Claim 5 or in Claim 7.

9) A musical instrument as claimed in Claim 8 in the form of a piano.