US1459802A - Means of teaching piano playing - Google Patents

Description

`fune 26, 1923.

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JNVENToR.

A TTORNEY June 26, 1923.

I. M. SMITH MEANS OF TEACHING PIANO PLAYING 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 5, 1919 ATTORNEY FISA.

1919 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 I. M. SMITH MEANS OF TEACHING PIANO PLAYING Filed June 5,

June 26, 1923.

INVENTOR. BY Im mgm m'wk @Q .n4/wwf# ATTORNEY F'lg.

June 26, 1923.

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IN V EN TOR.

A TTORNE Y Patented June 26, 1923.

UNITED STATES IBVING M. SMITH, OF SAN DIEGO,

PAT

CALIFORNIA, ASSICI'NOR T0 THE Q B B MUSIC COMPANY. i

MEANS OF TEACHING PIANO PLAYING,

Application led June 5,

To all wlwm z't may concern: Be it known that I, IRVING M. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at San Die o, in the county of San Diego and State of alifornia, have invented a certain new and useful Means of Teaching Piano Playing, of which the following 1s a specification.

My invention relates to a means and method of teaching piano playing by the use of a player piano with a special roll provided with short music exercises with illustrative, descriptive and linstructive subject matter properly positioned relatively to said music and the objects of my invention are: First, to provide a new and novel means and method of teaching pupils piano playing; Second, to provide a 'music roll adapted fol` layer` pianos with'music exercises to be played on the player piano and with illustrative, descriptive and instructive subjectmatter on the face of the roll and in close proximity to the music bein played so that thev pupil may watch van finger the player piano and thereby receive exact illustrative operation and fin ering habit of the piano on the' music p ayed; Third, to provide a music roll of this class with exercises in diilerent progressive stages for'the pupil to take up as he progresses; Fourth, to provide a means and method of this class whereby a student may learn all the fundamental principles of music by illustration, instruction and operation of a player piano in their combined relation and without personal instruction; Fifth, to provide a new and novelly constructed player piano music roll; Sixth, to provide a means and method for teaching piano playing by means of a player piano and special rollin which one or more rolls of ordinary length contains all the necessary instructions, music, illustration, demonstration and operation necessary .to a complete and practical understanding of piano playing and Seventh, to provide a means and method of this class which is very simple and economical of construction, durable, easy to operate and eicient in its action. n

With these and other objects in view as will appear hereinafter, my invention consists of certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts and portions and the certain steps taken as 1919. Serial'No. 301,958.

will be hereinafter described in detail and particularly set forth in the appended claims, reference bein had to the accompanying drawings an to the characters of reference thereon which form a part of this application, in which:

Figure l is a vplan and diagrammatical view of a fragmentary portion of a music roll illustrating the first or elementary lessons and exercises; Fig,- 2 is a similar view illustrating several of the more diiicult exercises; Fig. 3 is a similar view illustrating the third and fourth and more advanced eX- ercises; Figa is a similar view illustrating the fifth and sixth and more advanced exercises; Fig. 5 'is a similar view illustratin the seventh-and eighth and more advanced exercises; Fig. 6 is a similar view illustrating the ninth and tenth and more advanced exercises; Fig. 7 is a similar view illustrating the eleventh and more advanced exercise and Fig. 8 is a similar view illustrating the twelfth and more advanced exercise.`

The music roll is of the conventional width for use on the player piano and is of the conventional shape and form generally and provided with the usual music perforations. It is provided on its vface near the beginning with a staff with a complete scale ofhalf notes with letters designating each particular note of the scale and its position on the staff, the upper portion of the staff is shown in treble clef and the lower portion in base clef all designated by the numeral l. 2 represents a blank staff. 3 represents a staif with numerals indicating the lines of the stai". 4 represents a staff with numerals indicating the spaces between the lines. 5 represents the staff in the base clef with letters positioned on the lines and in the spaces between the lines indicating the positions of the notes on the 'stail". 6 is a similar staff in treble or G clef. 7 represents a staff in the base or F clef with the ledger lines with letters indicating the position of the notes on the ledger lines. 8 represents a similar staff in the treble or G clef. 9 represents the right and left hand positions, with .the iingers properly marked and l0 represents the perforation exercise in the music roll for use on the player piano and it will be noted that each` perforation is provided with a number and letter indicating the finger and the scale in which it is played and that this 4the player piano as well as watching the` in connection with the perforations 10 thereis provided descriptive matter for the pupil to read while the exercise is being played on scale and notes on the staff 1.

In Fig. 2 of the drawings is shown a continuation of the music roll from Fig. 1.

There is provided a staff 11 with varying musical characters thereon with descriptive matter describing each character in a concise manner more particularly relating to time.

It will be here noted that 12 on the various views indicates the tempo in which the various exercises are to be played. The exercise perforations 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 and 18 show the exercises as illustrated in the scale 1l to be played on the player-piano and on the one side of said perforations is the staff showing the position of the notes relatively to the statil and upon the other side is descriptive matter setting forth the kind of notes such as whole notes, half notes, quarter notes, etc. The descriptive matter is to be followed while 'the exercises 13 to 18 inclusive are being played on the player piano.

.In Fig. 3 is 'shown a continuation of the music roll from Fig. 2 showing the more advanced exercises 3 and 4 and illustrating together with the music a staff 19 with the notes in position with 'their reference letters in connection therewith and with numerals indicating the finger for both left and right hand, also the perforations 20 in said roll with corresponding letters and numerals indicating the linger markings shown in exercise 3 while exercise 4 shows a more advanced exercise with letters indicating the notes and numerals indicating the fingers with perforations 21 for the player piano corresponding with the music shown on the stati' 22. Fig. 4 is a continuation of 'the roll from that of Fig. 3 and illustrates an exercise for both hands together in half notes with perforations 22 on the roll for playing on the player piano While the music is be ing watched by the pupil and exercise 6 on the same figure is a more advanced exercise. In the Figs. 5, 6, 7 and 8 which are continuations of the roll, there are provided more advanced exercises gradually eliminating the lettering and finger markings in connection with the perforations and music as the exercises become more advanced.

It will be noted 'that the roll may be car ried on to very advanced Stages if desired or several rolls may be used, each exercise with the perforations for playing on a player piano being provided with the music and descriptive, illustrative and instructive matter in connection therewith for the pupil to watch as it is being played on the piano so that the pupil acquires a knowledge and practice of practically perfect time and position as the pupil may count aloud as the mu sic is played on the player piano and Watch the keys of the player piano in connection with the music as the music is played. That the pupil may place his lingers on keys of the player piano as the music is being played and watch the finger markings beside the perforations as shown in Fig. 3, exercise 3, thus acquiring the habit of proper fingering.

It will be also noted that in F ig. 8, exercise 12 there is provided music to be played in three-four time with descriptive matter thus providing the descriptive illustrative matter together with the perforations for the music on the player piano. All previous counts being four counts for each measure, while in this instance there are only three counts for each measure.

Though I have shown and described a particular means and method of teaching piano playing I do not wish to be limited to this particular means and method as illustrated and described but desire to include in the purview of my invention the means and method substantially as set forth in the appended claims.

v Having thus describedmy invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent` is:

1. A music instruction strip comprising, a movable sheet bearing visual textual precept, and an immediately following ration adapted to result in an actuation of a musical instrument in audible illustration of the precept, combined substantially as set forth.

2. A music instruction strip comprising, a movable'sheet bearing a visual textual precept, a pictorial illustration following the precept, and a contiguous perforation adapted to result in an actuation of a musical instrument in audible illustration of the preperfocept and illustration, combined substantially as`set forth.

3. A music roll for pla er pianos provided with a pluralit of sets o music perforations and note and nger'markings at the sides of and in close proximity with each set of perforations.

4. A Vmusic roll for player pianos provided with a plurality of sets of music perforations, note and finger markings 1n close proximity with each set of perforations and music on the face of the roll in close proximity thereto adapted to be seen as the roll is being played. A

5. A music roll for player pianos provided with a plurality of sets of music rforations, note and finger markings in proximity with each set of perforations, music on the face of the roll so positioned that it is adapted to be seen as the roll is being played and descriptive, instructive and illustrative matter on the face ofthe roll at the side of, and adjacent the perforations adapted tobe seen While the roll is being played.

6. A music roll for player pianos provided with a plurality of music perforations, note and finger niarkin at the sides of and in close proximity Wit each perforation, music on the face of the roll at the side of and adapted to be seen as the roll is being played, descriptive, instructive and illustrative matter on the face of the roll at the side of and adapted to be seen While the roll is being played and more difficult exercises on the same roll following immediatel thereafter with illustrative, instructive an descriptive matter relating thereto in close proximity thereto.

7. In a music roll for player pianos, the

combination of the ordinary music roll with l perforations and instructive, illustrative and descriptive matter mounted on the face of the roll at the side of and in close proximity with said perforations, whereby the same may be readily observed and read while the music is being layed.

8. A device, ildr use with an automatic musical instrument, provided with means for selectively causing the sounding of the notes of a selection, and provided also With means ior indicating to a pu il how the selection is to be played manual y.

9. A device, for use with an automatic musical instrument, provided With means for causing the sounding of the notes of a selection, and provided also with means for indicatin to a pupil how the hand is to be used 1n manually causing the corresponding notes to be sounded.

10. A device, for use with an automatic keyboard musical instrument, provided with means for selectively causing the sounding of the notes of a selection, and provided also With means for indicating to a pupil the keys which should be struck in playing the selection manually.

ll. A device, for use with an automatic key-board musical instrument, provided With means for selectively causing the soundinnr of the notes ol' a selection, and provided also with means for indicating to a pupil what fingers are to be used in manually playing the selection.

12. A device, for use with an automatic musical instrument, provided with means for selectively causing the sounding of the notes of a selection, and provided also with means for indicating to a upil What keys are to be struck7 and what ngers are to be used, in manually playing the selection.

13. A device, for use with an automatic musical instrument, provided with means for selectively causing the sounding of the notes of a selection, and provided also With means for indicating to a pupil how the selection is to be played manually, and provided also vvith the Writte!` score of the musical selection.

14. A music roll comprising a strip with perforations to control the roduction -of notes, the strip having insignia adjacent to a perforation to indicate the note sounded by said perforation, and also insignia to indicate the finger to be used in manual playing of the identified note.

15. A music roll comprising a strip with perforations to produce a melody and also associated notes, and having insignia adjacent each perforation to indicate the finger and hand to be used in manual playin of the notes, and having an indicator for i entifying the melody notes.

16. A music roll for player pianos provided With a plurality of music perforations and note and finger markings in close proX- imity with each perforation.

In testimon whereof, I have hereunto set my hand at ban Diego, California this 31 day of May 1919.

IRVING M. SMITH.

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