US1851639A - Coordinate harmonica player - Google Patents

Description

C. F. MILES March 29, 1932.

COORDINATE HARMONI CA PLAYER Filed Aug. 18. 1931 Patented Mar. 29, 1932 CLARENCE F. MILES, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS coonnmarn Harmonica HAYES.

Application nled August 18, 1931. Serial No. 557,755.

This invention relates to an attachment for harmonicas.

The principal objects thereof are to provide a simple and inexpensive device to be applied to a harmonica for simplifying the technique 'of tonguing vthe harmonica; to

provide a means for simplifying the playing of a single melody note or two melody notes .a perfect interval apart so that the chords m sounded when playing melodies, when "using the device, in the different major diatonic scales of the different major diatonic'harmonicas will harmonize with the melody which is being played; to provide 4a device 1.3 for this purpose which will not only be very simple to construct and to use, but will have the means for preventing the escape of air and means by which the harmonica will slide easily with respect to the device, so that the 2o position of the device while being held in `the mouthv will be stationary and the li s nearly stationary on the device, while t e harmonica itself is being moved lengthwisein the device. A Other objects and advantages `of the invention will appear hereinafter. Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a front view of a preferred embodiment of this. invention applied to a harmonica; y

A Fig. `2 is a side view of the same;

v Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view on the eline' 3+3 of Fig. 1, showing the harmonica 86, in dotted lines, and S Fig. 4 is a 'sectional view on the line 1 -4 4\of Fig. 3. vrlhe device itselfA is very simple and can be applied to a harmonica of the form shown or modified slightly to enable it to be lapplied to any other form of harmonica. It consists .simply of a member 10 which is symmetrical and is dprovided with two flanges llon opposite si outside surface -except that a lining of felt l 12 can be. employed, if desired, on the inside of each flange and on the member; The playing part 13 is of considerabl thickness to prevent the chance -of the lips- 5 or the tongue of the .player from-coming in breath to sound notes in the harmonica es of the harmonica shapedtft the contact with the harmonica itself or being pinched and cut between the attachment and the harmonica. This part is provided with one or more, preferably one, .felt pads 14 with openings l5 linched in them in line with the holes in t e device. The felt pads 14 are located'on the under side for engaging the harmonica, and-preventing the escape of air. These pads are located in grooves on the inner side of the attachment.

There are ve of these openings 15 spaced apart as will be described and four slight rounded projections 16 are employed on both' sides of each of the outside openings l5.

As stated in the description, it is of a strictly one-piece construction except for the' felt lining to produce an air-tight construction and a smoothly sliding arrangement and also prevent vibratiom vThis felt is attached to the inside surface of the device by cement or other means. Thev live openings are used when the device is made for use with the major diatonic so-called single reed ten-hole harmonica and are used ftoproduce melgdy in the two upper rjmelody octaves of the harmonica a`nd extend into the bass of the har-A monica when Vso desired. When made for other types of harmonicas it will be modified accordingly, using the same principle, as described. These live openings are equally spaced apart', the same as the ten holes in the harmonica and of course will cover exactly When usingthe device and drawing the any series of five ofthe ten holes in the harmonica can be sounded. According to the diatonic scale arrangement of the major diatonic single key harmonica, the end holes will sound 'perfect intervals an octave, orperfect interval part. The three intervening notes sounded -between the perfect interval'end notes thatare sounded when drawing only, are used forthe time accompaniment. This is accomplished by `beating the end of the tongue uponfthem to the time of the melody in conjunction with the drawing of'thebreath, that is, they are utilized for time accompaniment in conjunction with the sounding of the melody noteswhen drawing lany seriesof ve holes, in the harmonica.

the breath. rlhe whole procedure makes a combination producing one or two, at the will of fthe erformer, melody notes; melody, harmony ciiords and time accompaniment.

When using the device and blowing the breath to sound notes'in the harmonica, any series of Afive of the ten holes in the harmonica can'be sounded, but the lips at either corner of the mouth are now contracted at one end of the device via one set of indicat- Y ing nubs so that only four of the five openin in the device can permit the passage of the breath blown into the harmonica. Thus, according to the diatonic scale arrangement of the major diatonic single key harmonica, the end notes of the four holes 1n the device, when blowing only, will be notes in perfect intervals to each other .an octave apart. In this case the two intervening notes are used for time accompaniment as stated'before, the whole procedure, when blowing and drawing and making melody via the device on a diatonic harmonica, making a combination producing one melody note or two perfect intervals at the will of the performer, melody notes, melody, harmony, chords and time accompaniment. v v

It can be seen readily that when blowing the breath to soundtwo perfect interval notes an octave apart, the device must be instantly transformed from 'a five hole-device into a four hole device to be able to sound, via the major diatonic scale arrangement of the harmonica, two perfect interval notes an octave apart, when blowing only, and when drawin vice versa.. The contracting movement o the lips at one corner of the mouth serve this purpose. By the simplicity of this design or arrangement of this invention, it will be readily seen that mechanical valves, springs serving as valves, air by-paths, slidinv slots, etc. are automatically eliminated.

n both procedures of blowing or drawing for melody, if desired, only one high or low melody note may be sounded at a time while blowing or drawing the breath through only one end hole of the device and the remaining notes higher or lower sounded may be used lfor time accompaniment or only one note at a time sounded to produce the melody, via the tongue, breath, time o melody, etc. When blowmg Aor drawing the breath via the device and sounding only one of the notes of the harmonica at a'time arpeggios may be played.

This attachment or device can'be made of metal, aluminum, Celluloid, hard rubber, bakelite or 'other suitable material. It is formed to somewhat resemble the outside ofa harmonica and its top is practically the same as the top of a harmonica, except that it is somewhat longer, for proper bearing surface forthe harmonica when playing in the bass or high octave. It has, as stated, less blow holes. The top fis .made of thick conaeareee ofthe anges. There will always be a lining on the ilat surfaceof the device where the blow and draw holes of the device make up with the blow and draw holes of the harmonica.

lt is provided on each side near the bottom with end holes 17 and with arrows 18 ointing beyond them. These holes provi e for .visual indication, when desired, to check the position of the reed holes of the harmonica with the position of the holes inthe attach-k ment. Through these holes 17, numbers or indicia placed on the harmonica by the manufacture will show through to thus check the position of the lharmonica within the device, whenever this is desired, the arrows point beyond the edge of the device and are a further indication of the position of the harmonica within the device.

The four small raised rounded projections 16 on each side of the two end holes on top of the attachment are for the purpose of indi eating through the lips of the operator at the corners of the mouth the exact number of blow and draw holes in the device that it is desired to open to the harmonica at any time while playing. ln other words, they will indicate to the performer the position of the mouth on the device and the number .of openings in the device exposed to the breath.

By having the mouth of the player rest upon the device instead of the harmonica the rasping edect of the harmonica upon the lips of the player is eliminated, also the use. of saliva upon the harmonica for the purpose of a lubricant is likewise eliminated.

When this attachment is used with this system of employing the breath, tongue and lips, it presents an extremely simplified method of single or double note melody tonguing with time accompaniment. The whole produces melody, harmony, chords and time accompaniment altogether or singly, as desired. With its use it provides ease in playing a` single melody note or two perfect interval melody notes an octave apart and the notes between as stated. It also permits the sounding of imperfect intervals closer, than a perfeet interval. When -hlowing or drawing in conjunction with the openings in the device,

Although have illustrated and described only one form of my invention, I am aware of the fact that modifications can be made therein by any person skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as expressed in the claims. Therefore, lt do not wish to be limited to all the' details of construction herein shown and described, but what l do claim is y 1. As an article of manufacture, an attachment for a harmonica consisting of a single piece adapted y to be placed over the harmonica and having a plurality of holes, the end ones being spaced an octave apart with respect to the harmonica.

2. As an article of manufacture, an attachment for a harmonica consisting of a single piece of material having two opposite flanges provided with or without a lining engaging and fitting the sides of a harmonica and a central part materially thicker and provided with a number of openings all the way through, spaced at the same distance apart as the blow openings of the harmonica, the two end ones being an-octave apart when drawing and one hole less when blowing to complete the octave, and with a lining of soft, material for the spaces between and around the ends of the opening on the flush part of the bottom of the top of the device to facilitate the easy sliding of the harmonica in the device and prevent the escape of air when it is in proper registration.

3. As an article of manufacture, a monica attachment provided with two opposite flanges adapted to lit the sides of a harmonica and a central part of thicker material having live openings therethrough spaced the same as the blow openings of the harlmonica and having on both sides of each end opening on the outside of the top of the device a slight projection that will enable and assist the operator in recognizing with his lips theposition of his mouth upon the five openmis, the part o the attachment beyond the end openings being imperforate and extending substantially. throughout vthe length ment for a harmonica consisting of a single piece of material having two opposite anges providedwith a lining engaging and fitting the sides of, a harmonica and a central part materially thicker and provided with a number ot openings all the way through, spaced at the same distance apart as the blow openings of the harmonica, the two end ones being an octave apart when drawing and our v harl of the device which is longer than the harmonica.

4. As an' article of manufacture, a harmonica attachment provided with two opposite flanges adapted to fit the sides of a harmonica and a central part having openings therethrough spaced the same as the blow openings of the harmonica, the part of the attachment beyond the end openings being imperforate and extending substantially throughout the length of the device, and provided with openings in said linges through which indicia on the harmonica itself can be 4 observed and arrows line with the open- 'igs and projecting beyond the flanges to enable the position of the harmonica, 1n the d cvice, to befurther registered visually.

5. As an article of manufacture, an attachthe bottom and both ends open, the sides

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