US1172228A - Perforated note-sheet. - Google Patents

Description

1. H. SHALE.

PERFORATED NOTE SHEET.

APPLlcAloN FILED 050.19.1910.

1, 172,228. Patented Feb. 15, 1916.

H @e/c@ ALLEGHD UNTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH H. SHALE, 0F NEW ROCHELLE, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO AMERICAN PIANO COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

PERFORATED NOTE-SHEET.

Application filed December 19, 1910.

7b all 107mm it may concern.'

Be it known that I. .hlosnri-I H. SHALE, a citi/"cn of the llnited States. and a resident oi' New Rochelle. in the countv ot' lVestchestcr and State of New York. have invented an lmprovement in Perforated Note- Sheets. ot which the following description, in connection with the accompanving drawings. is a specification. like letters on the d rawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to prime controllers, such for instance as note sheets. for automatic or partly automatic musical instruments: and pertains more particularly to informative data or indicia for instructing the operator respectingr the control of the instrument to suit the composition which is being played.

Among other objects. the invention is designed to provide a system of informative notation for note sheets and the like. which Shall be readily readable and understandable by the operator and preferably shall be aptly instructive of the proper manner and extent of operation of mechanical devices for controlling the instrument so that the composition to be played may be rendered with the desired effects.

The character oi." the invention may be explained conveniently by reference to an illustrative embodiment shown in the accompanying` drawing' which, represents a perforated note sheet having' thereon varions symbols indicating' the manner and extent ol operation ot controlling devices. Such controlling devices as may be used rnfacticallv in coniunction with the illustrative notation of the drawing. are well exemplified by expression controlling levers of cert well-known types of piano players or pla a' pianos in which variations of expression are produced by moving toward and from the strings of the piano a sectional or tlexible hammer rail. One type of such instrument has a flexible hammer rail comnrisingl` three principal sections sub-tendine reraiectiwlj.' bass. middle and treble divisions. saisl sections being controlled each by omr et three expression levers. yll`hese levers7 when in their normal positions of rest. leave the llexil'fle hammer rail at its point oi" nearest approach to the strings, tl ereby prescribing tl c minin'nun distance of throw for the hammers for playing pianissimo. lVhcn Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 15, 1916.

Serial No. 598,200.

the levers are depressed to the fullest extent. they move the hammer rail to its maximum distance from the strings. thereby giving` the hammers their maximum throw for playing fortissimo. Then the levers are depressed to intermediate positions` the hammer rail is moved correspondingly for playing' mezzo-forte, ctc.

The illustrative perforated note sheet of the drawings may be described conveniently bv reference to three hammer-rail-controlling levers oi the character explained in the next preceding paragraph. For example, three circles Q. 3 and 4 constitute illustrative lever symbols, the symbol Q representing.r the expression lever for the bass division; the symbol 3. the lever for the middle division: and the svmbol 4. the lever for the treble division. Each lever-symbol comprises or is accompanied by some distinctive device, character. mark. or the like which gives to the symbol a distinctive character or appearance indicating that the lever corresponding to such symbol should be operated in a predetermined manner or to a predetermined extent. For example. the illustrative symbol 2 comprises a circle marked upon the note sheet and containing a letter D (a convenient abbreviation for depressionl indicating to the operator that the bass lever corresponding' to the svmbol 2 should be depressed to the fullest extent tor playing fortissimo in the bass. Similarly the symbols 3 and l comprise respectively letters D indicating that the middle and treble levers should be tullv depressed for playing' fortissimo in the middle and treble divisions. These three symbols indicate respectively the extent to which the levers should be operated; and said symbols may be placed upon the note sheet in any practicable position so that they shall appear to the operator in the travel ot the note sheet in sutiicient season to enable him to manipulate the levers, in accordance with the instruction conveyed by the svmbols, so as to atleet these notes to which the intended expressicn pertains. For instance. the symbtls Q. 3 and l are located on the illustrative sheet sliefhtly in advance of the alinement of the three nete perfcrations 5, 6 and 7. `Vith this arrangement, as the symbols 2. 3 and 4 apprcach or reach the tracker, the operator will be instructed promptly to depress all three levers so that when the nete perforations 5, 6 and 7 register With the tracker, their nctes will be played subject to the expression prescribed by depression of the three levers. This specific illustrative relatien betiveen the symbols and nete perforations is nrt essential and any relation will suffice which Will expose the symbols to view at an appropriate time, as will le well understood by these skilled in the art.

Symbols of the general character described may be located at desired intervals along the sheet at Whatever points it is desired that the expression shall be changed. For example, after playing the three notes of perforations 5, 6 and 7, fortissimo, it may be desired to play pianiss'mo a treble division note 1l, a middle division note 12, and a bass division note 13. The necessary instruction for this purpose is conveyed by symbols 8, 9 and 10 each having an illustrative distinctive appearance contributed by a letter R (a convenient abbreviation of release) informing the operator that all three levers should be fully released for playing pianissimo. The release indicated by the bass symbol R causes the bass note of perforation 13 to be played pianissimo. ln like manner, the middle symbol 9 and treble symbol 1() pertain respectively to the middle division note perforation 1Q and the treble division note perforation 11. It may next be desired to play mezzo-forte a treble note 17, a middle note 18, and a bass note 19, and to this end symbols 14, 15 and 16 may be used, each including. for its distinctive appearance, a letter M indicating the middle position or semi-depression of the lever.

The foregoing suffices to illustrate three illustrative types of lever symbols by which three operative positions thereof may be readily denoted upon the note sheet, to Wit: the fully depressed, the semi-depressed. and the released positions. If it bc desired to indicate more than these three operative positions of the levers, this may be done by employing additional distinctive features, as, for instance, a letter Q to indicate a quarter depression, and a letter T to indicate a three-quarter depression. For practical purposes, however, it is considered suiicient to indicate merely the three principal operative positions referred to above. Obviously, these three types of distinctive symbols may be used in any desired combination in a group, for indicating different extents of operation for the respective levers. For example, all three types are represented in the group comprising the symbols 20, 21 and Q2. The symbol 20 indicates that the bass lever is to be released for playing the note of perforation 23 pianissimo; the symbol 2l indicates that the middle lever is to be fully depressed for playing the note of perforation 2l fortissimo; and the symbol Q2 indicates that the treble lever is to be semi-depressed to the middle position for playing the treble note fortissimo with the bass accompaniment' note of perforation pianissimo and the treble accompaniment note of perforation 25, mezzo-forte. For convenience, arbitrarily selected perforations illustrative of theme note perforations are indicated in the drawing by the letter t.

The symbols hcrein'nefore described. anu employed in the various combinations of which they are susceptible, serve to indicate the extent to which the expression levers, respectively, are intended to be operated. Some supplemental indicia are desirable to indicate additionally the manner in which the levers should be operated to one extent or another in order to accent a selected note or notes, or in order to produce crescendo, diminuendo or other eli'ects. Such supplemental indicia are exemplified, in connection with the lever symbols 26. J7 and 28, bv accent marks 29, 29, The lever symbols QG, 27 and 28 each comprising the distinctive character "D", indicate that the levers are to be fully depressed to play fortissimo, thereby showing the extent to which said levers are to be operated; and the supplemental accent marks 29 inform the operator that the levers are to bc fully depressed rapidly, and promptly released, in order to produce a fortissimo accent,- therebv indicating the manner in which the lever is to be operated. Thus each said symbol and its accompanying accent mark cooperate to indicate both the extent and manner of operation of the expression lever. Thus, When the symbols 26, 27, 28 and 29 approach or reach the tracker, the operator will suddenly fully depress and promptly release the three levers, wherebv the notes of perforations 30, 31 and will be given each a fortissimo accent. The prompt release of all three levers causes the next succeeding notes of perforations 33, 84 and 35 to be played pianissimo.

It may be desired to give a note merely a mezzo-forte accent, and an indication for this purpose may comprise a middle-position symbol 36, accompanied bv an accent mark 37. lVith this last named indication there may be a` full-depression symbol 38, and an accompanying accent mark 39: and also a full-depression symbol 40, Without any accent mark. Thus the operator ivill be instructed b v the symbols 36 and 37 to give a sudden half depression and release to the bass lever, to give the bass note of perforation 41 a mezzo-forte accent; and by the symbols 38 and 39, to give the middle note 42 a fortissimo accent; and by the symbol 40, to play the treble note 43 fortissimo, and to continue fortissimo playing in the treble division. The accenting and immediate release in the bass and middle divisions will cause the following notes 44 and 45 t0 be played pianissimo; while the continued fortissimo playing, as indicated by the symbol 40, will cause the treble note 46 to be played fortissimo, for instance, if the note 46 is a theme note desired to be emphasized above the others.

F or further illustration it may be assumed that the theme passes from the treble note 46 to the middle division note 47; and that it is desired to play the latter fortissimo. It may be desired ralso to ,give the accompaniment notes 48 and 49 mezzo-forte accents. All this may be indicated to the operator by the lsgroup of illustrative indicia comprising the middle-position symbol 50 with its accent mark 51; the full-depression symbol 52; and the middle-position symbol 53 with its accent mark 54. The symbol 52 indicating the continued depression of the middle lever, the following theme notes of perforations 56 and 57 will be played fortissimo while following the accents on the bass and treble divisions, the accompaniment notes of perforations 58, 59, will be played pianissimo.

The nextgroup of lever symbols 60, 61 and 02 indicates pianissimo for all three divisions; and the symbol 63 indicates a ,gradual though rapid depression of the treble lever to the full-depressed position indicated by the full-depression symbol 64 of the next group, whereby the treble run 65 will be played with rapid crescendo and the note 66 will be played fortissimo. The symbol 67 indicates a slow, gradual depressi-on of the middle lever division to the middle-position indicated by the symbol 68 whereby the lgroup of notes 69 will be played with a slow gradual crescendo and the not-e 70 will be played mezzo-forte. In the bass division following; the release symbolL 60 the group of notes 71 will be played pianissimo until by instruction of the symbol 72 the bass lever is semi-depressed to play the note 73 mezzo-forte.

Followingr the treble fortissimo indicated by the symbol 64, a rapid gradual release symbol 75 indicates a gradual though rapid release of the treble lever to the full released position indicated by the symbol 76, whereby the notes of the treblgfgroupaof perforations 77 will be played with a` rapid diminuendo and the noto 78 will be played pianissimo following` the full release. From the middle position indicated by the symbol 68, the symbol 79 indicates a slow gradual depression to the full depressed position indicated by the symbol 80'whereby the notes of the group 81 of perforations will be played with a slow gradual crescendo. Following the middle position symbol 72 foil the bass lever, there is a slow gradual release symbol 83 followed by the full release symbol 84 indicating' that the notes 85 will be played with a slow gradual diminuendo and the note 86 will be played pianissimo, after the full release.

The full depression symbol 80 unaccompanied by any further indicia pertaining to the middle division, would indicate a continued depression of the middle lever for playing continued fortissimo. 1t may be desired, however, to indicate an immediate release of the middle lever (just the reverse of an accent) in order that the next fcllowing note 90 of the middle division shall be played pianissimo. This illustrates an abrupt drop to pianissimo from a crescendo ending with fortissimo. This may be indicated by a symbol S8 instructingr the operator immediately to release the middle lever for playing the note 90 pianissimo.

Followingr the full release symbol 76 is a slow gradual depression symbol 92, followed in turn by the middle position symbol 93 and an immediate release symbol 94, indicating that the treble notes 95. 96 are to be played crescendo and the treble note 97 is to be played pianissimo upon the release of the treble lever. The middle symbols 98, 99 indicate that the middle division lever to be quickly semi-depressed and released so as to play the niiddle division theme note 100 with a. mezzo-forte accent, the next preceding middle division note 101 having been played pianissimo following the release of the middle lever indicated by the symbol SS. Following the full release symbol 84 is a slow gradual depression symbcl 1.02 followed in turn, the middle position symbol 103 and the immediate relcrse symbol 104, indicating that the bass notes 105. 106 are to be played with a slow gradual crescendo and the note 107 is to be played pianissimo after release of the bass lever.

It will be noted that the three lever symbols 93, 96 and 103 are all middle position symbols indicating semi-depression of the levers respectively. One of these symbols is accompanied by the accent symbol 99; and the other two are accompanied by the immediate release symbolsthe desired effeet being that the notes 110, 111 and 112 shall all be played pianissimo following the indicated releases of the levers.

By comparing` the symbols 63 and 67, for example, it will be seen that the greater angle between the two lines constituting' the symbol 63 indicates, in comparison with the angle of the symbol 67, a more rapid crescendo from the piano indicated by the sym- CII bol 62 to the foi-te indicated by 64, than the more gradual crescendo from the piano indicated by the symbol 61 to the mezzo-forte indicate-:l by the symbol 68.

The foregoing description of illustrative symbols and arrangement theieof will sullice to indicate the .General character of the invention, such symbols being well adapted for use to instruct the operator in the manipulation of oneor more mechanical or cther'devices for regulating or controlling the rendition of a composition. As illustrated and described, the specific symbols pertain to the regulation of volume or intensity characteristics of notes, but it is to be understood that the invention is not essentially limited thereto.

Vhen symbols of the described character are used to denote volume or intensity characteristics, they may be accompanied by indications of the tempo of the composition which may be varied, as well understood in the art, by varying the speed of travel of the note sheet. For example, the general basic tempo of the composition niav be indicated by an appropriate word (in full or abbreviated) as, for instance, the word allegro indicated in dotted lines at the bottom of the illustrative sheet in the drawing. Likewise, other tempo words, abbreviations, initials, or symbols, may be employed along the length of the sheet where it is desired to maintain or change the tempo of the playing. Illustrative tempo indications are shown in dotted lines at the right hand margin of thcnote sheet. Any of the welllrnown tempo indicia may be suitably employed. It may be preferred, however, to use lever symbols or the like and other indicia to indicate volume or intensity characteristics upon a note sheet in which the tempo is inherent in the note perforations themselves-as in the case of a sheet having its perforations cut, as to length and relative position, by reference to a record of an artists performance. Such a sheet may be driven at uniform speed, without any variation whatever, and the mere inherent arrangement of the note perforations will eX- actly reproduce the desired tempo of the original recorded performance by the artist. Thus, such a note sheet having the tempo inherent in the note perforations themselves, need be provided with nothing more than volume or intensity notations, in order that the note sheet shall be fully informative of every control or governance which the operator must exercise in order to play a given composition with its desired characteristics. Gbviously, a note sheet combining the inherent tempo and the simple, readily understood notation of volume or intensity, constitutes a very valuable article of manufacture commending itself highly to users. This is especially truel in such anote sheet having the volume or intensity notations confined within a narrow area of the sheet such that, by devoting his attention wholly to that narrow, easily followed area.y the operator can cause any composition to be played with the highest degree of brilliancy.

It will be noted that the preferred arrangement of symbols illustrated in the drawings represents all of the symbols as located within a comparatively narrow transverse area of vthe sheet, as within a narrow marginal area thereof. This permits the operator to confine his attention to a very small part of the sheet without the necessity to follow widely separated symbols or symbols which are disposed extensively across the sheet. Furthermore, the arrangement of the Symbols of each group preferably in a direct transverse line permits successive groups to be placed as close together as desired so that expression changes of substantial Variety may be indicated.

It is to be understood that the invention is not essentially limited to the details of construction and operation hereinbefore described for purposes of illustration. On the contrary the exemplary embodiment of the invention described and the illustrative manner of its use may be widely varied. It is not indispensable that all of the features of the invention be used conjointlj,1 since they may be used to advantage in different combinations and sub-combinations.

Claims.

l. A perforatednote sheet having thereon and confined within a narrow marginal area thereof a plurality of separate groups of lever symbols, each group comprising a plurality of symbols and each symbol indicating by its distinctive appearance the mode of operation of a controlling device; and additional indicia correlated with said lever symbolsindicating the manner of operation of such controlling devices to the extents indicated by the lever symbols themselves.

2. A perforated note sheet having thereon and confined within a narrow area disposed lengthwise the sheet, a plurality of separate groups of indicia, each group comprising a plurality of lever symbols alined transversely of the note sheet, and each symbol indicating by its distinctive appearance the mode of operation of a controlling device.

3. A perforated note sheet having thereon and confined within a narrow area disposed lengthwise the sheet, a plurality of groups of indicia, each gropp. comprising a plurality of lever skvfnboslocated at different points along the length of said narrow area at points of change of expression, each group comprising a plurality of lever symbols in substantially the same relative positions on the sheet as those of the other iis groups and indicating expression changes by variations in the distinctive appearance of different symbols.

et. A perforated note sheet having thereon a plurality of independent lever symbols disposed at variable intervals along the length of the sheet, said symbols indicating the mode of operation of a controlling device; and additional indicia indicating the manner of operation of said device.

5. perforated note sheet having thereon a plurality of independent discontinuous lever symbols indicating by their distinctive appearance the mode of operation of a controlling device; and indicia of the manner of operating said device to such extent.

6. A perforated note sheet having thereon a plurality of independent groups of indicia variably spaced lengthwise the sheet and comprising indicia of the manner and extent of operation of a controlling device.

7. A perforated note sheet having thereon a plurality of independent groups of indicia variably spaced lengthwise the sheet and comprising indicia of the speed and extent of operation of a controlling device.

8. A prime controller for an automatic player having thereon a, plurality of independent indicia variably spaced lengthwise the controller and comprising indicia of the manner and extent of operation of the controlling device.

9. A prime controller for an automatic player comprising a plurality of independent indicia spaced lengthwise the controller and located to indicate points of expression control, the spacing being determined by said points, said indicia having different distinctive appearances to indicate the manner and extent of operation of a controlling device.

l0. A perforated note sheet having its note perfor-ations cut in accordance with the tempo desired in an interpretation of a composition and different from the tempo prescribed by the score thereof, in combination ivith informative indicia on the sheet of expression changes to be effected during playing' at such tempo, said indicia having a predetermined location relative to the perforations, controlling the note, the expression of which is to be changed.

ll. A perforated note sheet having its note perforations arranged by reference to a. record of an actual interpretation and having the tempo of such intepretation inherent in the arrangement of the perforations whereby such tempo will be produced by operating the note sheet at a substantially uniform speed; in combination vvith informative indicia on the sheet instructing the operator respecting expression changes appropriate to such tempo, said indicia having a predetermined location relative to the perforations controlling the note, the expression of which is to be changed.

In testimony whereof, l have signed my name to this speciication, in the presence of tvvo subscribing Witnesses.

JOSEPH H. SHALE. Witnesses FREDERICK L. EMERY, SIDNEY C. Moos.

Copies of lthis patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

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