GB2269046A

GB2269046A - Tutor for a stringed finger-board instrument

Info

Publication number: GB2269046A
Application number: GB9215719A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Adrian Arthur Cook; David Howard Aylwyn Bowen
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1992-07-23
Filing date: 1992-07-23
Publication date: 1994-01-26
Also published as: GB9215719D0

Abstract

A diagram 30 representing a guitar fret board includes a first set of lines 33 representing the six strings, and a second set of lines 34 representing frets. The finger positions for the notes are represented by circles 35. A number of transparent overlays 20, 21 and 22 each carry a set of circles 25 which are arranged in chord and scale patterns so that one or more overlays can be superimposed in various positions on the diagram 30 to demonstrate finger positions. The base diagram and overlays may be held in a ring binder. <IMAGE>

Description

STRINGED INSTRUMENT TUTOR TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a tutor which is intended to assist the understanding of the musical chords, scales and note patterns which are obtainable on the fingerboard of a stringed instrument such as a guitar, banjo, mandolin or lute for example.

BACKGROUND Current tutorial methods employ numerous individual graphic diagrams to illustrate the multiplicity of combinations of scales, chords and note sequences which can be produced on the fret board of a guitar or similar instrument. It is thus extremely difficult for a student player to digest, transpose or cross-relate the information. This makes the task of learning the instrument extremely difficult and tedious.

An aim of the present invention may be viewed as being to present the information in a more simple, easily understood and memorable form than has hitherto been the case.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention proposes a tutor for a stringed finger-board instrument, comprising a two dimensional representation of a finger-board, and a set of transparent overlays for superimposing on the representation of the finger-board in various positions along said representation, the overlays being marked to represent various finger patterns on said finger-board which are used in playing the instrument.

The representation of the finger-board preferably includes a set of parallel lines representing the strings of the instrument. In the case of a fretboard instrument such as a guitar a further set of parallel lines may be included extending substantially perpendicular to the first set of lines to represent frets.

The lines representing strings may be intersected at intervals by rows of shapes bearing the names of notes, the rows being arranged substantially perpendicular to the lines representing strings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The following description and the accompanying drawings referred to therein are included by way of non-limiting example in order to illustrate how the invention may be put into practice.

The drawing shows a three dimensional representation of part of a guitar tutor of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS A two dimensional diagram 30 representing a guitar fret board is printed onto a suitable flat opaque carrier such as, for example, a rectangular sheet of cardboard 32. The six strings E, A, D, G, B and E, are represented by parallel lines 33, and the frets, numbered 1 to 17, are represented by a series of transverse spaced parallel lines 34. The correct finger position for each note of every string is indicated at the respective fret position by a circle 35 containing the name of the note.

A number of overlays, only three of which are shown at 20, 21 and 22, are formed of transparent plastics film.

The overlays each carry a set of circles 25 which are printed on the film, the positions of the circles 25 being arranged such that when the overlay is superimposed in the appropriate position on the diagram 30 the circles 25 coincide with selected circles 35.

The circles 25 on the overlays 20 - 22 are clearly distinguished from the circles 35 on the diagram 30, e.g. by being of thicker outline. On some of the overlays 22 the circles 25 are arranged to form chord patterns whereas on other overlays, 20 and 21, the circles are arranged to form scale patterns, in this case the major and pentatonic scales. Notes of particular relevance within the scale or chord can be further highlighted by use of other graphic symbols.

For example, in the overlays shown, the note giving its name to the chord or scale is identified by a graphic symbol 26 having a circular inner boundary a square outer boundary.

The base diagram 30 and the overlays 20 - 22 can, for example, be removably held in a ring binder together with the appropriate instructions for use.

The main benefits of the tutor can be seen when a student is instructed to move the overlay to another position along the fret board diagram 30, the circles 25 again being indexed with the circles 35. It will then be apparent to the student that the basic scale or chord pattern depicted on the respective overlay is repeted at different positions along the fret board.

For example, when the "minor chord" overlay 22 is at the position of the fifth fret the chord of A minor is depicted, whereas if the same overlay is moved two fret positions to the seventh fret the chord of B minor is depicted.

Another advantage of the tutor is that the overlays bearing different patterns can be indexed one on top of another to demonstrate further combinations which are useful to musical knowledge. For example, by indexing the illustrated "minor chord" overlay 22 over the illustrated "pentatonic scale" overlay 21 it can be demonstrated to the student that the chord is made up from the notes of the scale, and vice versa. Hence, the student is able to identify the melody or solo line from the scale to play over the relevant chord.

Conversely, by learning to play part of the solo or melody line and identifying the relevant scale from which -they are taken, an appropriate chord can be chosen. The tutor also assists students in composing their own melodies and solo lines over a given chord by selecting the notes from an appropriate scale.

It will be appreciated that although the above example refers to a six stringed guitar the tutor could equally well be adapted for a four stringed bass guitar.

Furthermore, similar tutors can be produced for other stringed finger-board instruments such as the banjo, mandolin and lute.

Claims

1. A tutor for a stringed finger-board instrument, comprising a two dimensional representation of a finger-board, and a set of transparent overlays for superimposing on the representation of the finger-board in various positions along said representation, the overlays being marked to represent various finger patterns on said finger-board which are used in playing the instrument.

2. A tutor according to Claim 1, in which the representation of the finger-board includes a first set of parallel lines representing the strings of the instrument.

3. A tutor according to Claim 2, in which the finger-board includes a second set of parallel lines representing frets, which intersect the first set of lines substantially perpendicular thereto.

4. A tutor according to Claim 2 or 3, in which the lines which represent strings are intersected at intervals by shapes bearing the names of notes.

5. A tutor according to Claim 4, in which said shapes are arranged in rows which extend substantially perpendicular to the lines representing strings.

6. A tutor accprding to Claim 4 or 5 as appended to Claim 3, in which each line representing a string is intersected by a single shape between each pair of lines representing frets.

7. A tutor for a stringed finger-board instrument, substantially as described with reference to the drawings.