WO2009118724A2

WO2009118724A2 - Apparatus and method for controlling overtone playing on musical string instruments

Info

Publication number: WO2009118724A2
Application number: PCT/IL2009/000289
Authority: WO
Inventors: Michael Harari
Original assignee: Michael Harari
Priority date: 2008-03-25
Filing date: 2009-03-15
Publication date: 2009-10-01
Also published as: WO2009118724A3

Abstract

Apparatus and method for controlling overtone playing on musical string instruments, the apparatus comprising: a housing comprising one actuator per string, elastic pads accommodated under the actuators, means for tuning the actuators, means for pushing the actuators towards the pads, whereby the pads are pushed into contact with the strings, means for retaining the actuators in the pushed position, means for releasing the actuators and attaching means for attaching the apparatus to the string instrument's neck.

Description

APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CONTROLLING OVERTONE PLAYING ON MUSICAL STRING INSTRUMENTS

TECHNICAL FIELD The invention relates generally to stringed musical instruments and more specifically to enhancing guitar overtone playing.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS

This patent application claims priority from and is related to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial Number 61/070,519, filed 25 March 2008, this U.S. Provisional Patent Application incorporated by reference in its entirety herein.

BACKGROUND

The phenomenon of sound is a combination of two components: the fundamental and the overtones. On a guitar, the fundamental is the lowest order of vibration from the moment one strikes the string, and the overtones are 'related' notes that develop through fractional division of string vibration and sound waves. For most musical instruments, the frequencies of these tones are the same as (or close to) the harmonics (integer multiples of the fundamental frequency).

The harmonic overtone series is a mathematical property of a vibrating objects, particularly strings. A vibrating string, as well as vibrating along its full length from one end to the other, has an infinite series of smaller wave patterns contained in the fundamental pattern. These smaller patterns all divide the string into smaller and smaller sections. The sections are all equal to fractions - with whole numbers as numerators and denominators - of the total length of the string. The largest divisions are the strongest contributors, by and large, to the overall sound, but the variations in the relative strength of the various overtones contribute to the unique tone of different instruments.

An overtone is a sinusoidal component of a waveform, of higher frequency than its fundamental frequency, as depicted in Fig. 1. An interesting and attractive property of string instruments is the capability to eliminate the first (basic) harmonic by a careful and delicate manipulation on a string. The basic, lowest new tone of this string is now higher overtone harmonics and excitation of such a string will generate only harmonics of the new basic lowest tone.

In order to play in this overtone mode, the player must exert precise pressure on the selected string, at the exact string division spot (e.g. at fret 12 for the first overtone, at fret 7 for the second overtone or at fret 5 for the third overtone). For example, If you touch the A string very lightly with a fingertip at exactly the midpoint of the string, and then pluck the string with your fingernail near the bridge, you will hear a sound usually called a "harmonic" (the full technical name being "harmonic overtone"). The midpoint of the string is exactly above the 12th fret, and the harmonic will produce the same sound as stopping the note at the 12th fret. When you touch the string lightly at that point, the string continues to vibrate on both sides of your finger, but the vibrating pattern which goes the entire length of the string (the sound of which we call the "fundamental tone") is interrupted, and now we hear only the sound of those vibrations which are 1/2 or less the length of the fundamental pattern. The pattern which vibrates for 1/2 the length of the string is the strongest of these, and is the one which is now heard. The frequency of this sound is 220 hz, twice the frequency of the fundamental tone, and it is exactly one octave higher. The ratio of the harmonic to the fundamental tone is 2 to 1. All multiples of the original frequency which belong to the series 2, 4, 8, 16, 32 etc., will produce octave multiples of the fundamental tone, and they will all have the name "A" - i.e., A-110, A-220, A-440, A-880, A-1760, etc., and their ratios to the fundamental tone will be 4-1, 8-1, 16-1, etc. This is a rather complex procedure that intervenes with smooth playing, which is why the usage of this property is rare and limited.

Additionally, it is humanly impossible to create harmonies combining several overtones on different strings during normal playing.

Thus, there is need for an overtone playing aid that will enable controlled and stable overtone playing on string musical instruments and enhance the number of overtone harmonies played simultaneously.

SUMMARY

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for controlling overtone playing on musical string instruments, comprising: a housing comprising one actuator per string, elastic pads accommodated under the actuators, means for tuning the actuators, means for pushing the actuators towards the pads, whereby the pads are pushed into contact with the strings, means for retaining the actuators in the pushed position, means for releasing the actuators and attaching means for attaching the apparatus to the string instrument's neck. According to a first embodiment of this aspect, each actuator may comprise a screw and a cylinder, the cylinder adapted to accommodate the lower part of the screw and the means for tuning and pushing may comprise a button connected to the upper part of the screw. According to a second embodiment of this aspect, each cylinder may comprises a niche and the means for retaining the actuators may comprise means for inserting a retaining element into the niche. According to a third embodiment, each mean for releasing the actuators may comprise a pushing pad, each pad connected to a respective retaining element.

According to a fourth embodiment of this aspect, the apparatus may additionally comprise flexible adaptors connected to the attaching means, for adapting the apparatus to various instruments. According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of controlling overtone playing on musical string instruments, comprising the steps of: attaching the apparatus according to the first aspect to the instrument's neck at an overtone location, pushing the actuators over one or more strings for overtone playing and releasing one or more pushed actuators to cancel overtone playing. According to a first embodiment of this aspect, the method may additionally comprise the step of tuning the apparatus, the tuning comprising the steps of: pushing the actuators over one or more strings and adapting the height of the pushed actuators. According to a second embodiment of this aspect, each actuator may comprise a screw and a cylinder, the cylinder adapted to accommodate the lower part of the screw and the step of adapting the height may comprise screwing the screw into the cylinder.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a better understanding of the invention and to show how the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, purely by way of example, to the accompanying drawings. With specific reference now to the drawings in detail, it is stressed that the particulars shown are by way of example and for purposes of illustrative discussion of the preferred embodiments of the present invention only, and are presented in the cause of providing what is believed to be the most useful and readily understood description of the principles and conceptual aspects of the invention. In this regard, no attempt is made to show structural details of the invention in more detail than is necessary for a fundamental understanding of the invention, the description taken with the drawings making apparent to those skilled in the art how the several forms of the invention may be embodied in practice. In the accompanying drawings: Fig. 1 is a schematic drawing showing the harmonic overtones locations and frequencies;

Fig. 2 is a schematic drawing of the apparatus (100) according to the present invention;

Fig. 3 is a schematic exploded assembly drawing of the apparatus (100) according to the present invention; and Figs. 4A and 4B are schematic drawings of a single actuator in the released and pushed position, respectively.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is applicable to other embodiments or of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.

The apparatus according to the present invention is designed to overcome the complexity of playing overtones on a guitar or any string musical instrument and enhance the number of overtone harmonies played simultaneously.

The apparatus is designed to be attached to the instrument's neck, with the capability to be adapted to any string instrument, acoustic or electric, as will be explained in detail below. A single apparatus may be attached, for controlling the same overtone location on all the strings (e.g. 6) simultaneously or intermittently.

Alternatively, multiple apparatuses may be attached at various overtone locations, each controlling one or more mutually exclusive strings. The example below refers to a six-string guitar, but it will be understood that application to any string musical device having a different number of strings only requires scale adaptations. Attention is drawn now to Figs. 2 and 3.

Fig. 2 is a schematic drawing of the apparatus (100) according to the present invention.

Fig. 3 is a schematic exploded assembly drawing of the apparatus (100) according to the present invention.

Apparatus (100) comprises an upper body part (110) and a lower body part (120). Upper body part (110), comprises a housing (105), preferably made of aluminum or an appropriate rigid plastic material, having screw accommodating holes (108) and string actuators (115), one per string. Each actuator (115) has a pushing/screwing button (125), preferably made of rigid plastic material (e.g. ABS), a screw (130) attached to the screwing button (125) and a cylinder (135), preferably made of aluminum, designed to accommodate the screw (130). Cylinders (135) comprise niches (140), designed to hold the pushed actuator in place, as will be explained in detail below.

Upper body part (110) additionally comprises elastic pads (142), preferably made of silicone or rubber, one per actuator, located below the actuators and designed to be pushed by the actuator towards the string. Elastic pads (142) are supported on both sides thereof between upper and lower parts (110, 120) of apparatus (100).

Lower body part (120) comprises levers (145), preferably made of rigid plastic material, one per actuator. The levers (145) are preferably mounted on an elastic steel frame (150). The levers (145) are designed to retain and release the actuators (115). Each lever (145) comprises a pushing pad (147) and a lingual (148) designed to be held in the cylinder's niche (140) when the actuator is pushed. The cylinder body may comprise a slanted bottom wall part (175, Fig. 4) for guiding the lingual (148) into the niche (140).

Lower body part (120) additionally comprises two vertical sidewalls (155), and two respective attaching wings (160), preferably made of aluminum or rigid plastic material. The wings (160) are designed to attach the apparatus to the guitar's neck, each wing rotatably connected by a hinge (165) to the respective sidewall (155). Each sidewall (155) may comprise a stopper (167), namely a step built into the sidewall, for accommodating the guitar's neck. An elastic adaptor (180), preferably made of silicone or rubber, may be attached between each vertical wall (155) and its corresponding attaching wing (160). When the guitar's neck is placed under the stoppers (167) and the wings (160) are fastened around the guitar's neck, the elastic adaptors (180) are distorted by the pressure, filling the empty space between the apparatus and the neck, thus tightening the attachment. Different elastic adaptors (180) may used for adaptation to different instruments.

Figs. 4A and 4B are schematic drawings of a single actuator (115), showing pushing/screwing button (125), cylinder (135) with niche (140), screw (130), elastic pad (142) and a string (170). In Fig. 4A the actuator is shown in the released position, with lingual (148) resting against the sloped cylinder wall (175) and the elastic pad (142) not touching the string (170).

In Fig. 4B the actuator is shown in the pushed position, with lingual (148) inside the niche (140) and the elastic pad (142) touching the string (170). Operating the overtone apparatus according to the present invention comprises two steps. In the first step - the tuning step - the apparatus is attached to the guitar's neck, over the desired fret and each pushing/screwing button (125) is pushed and then rotated so as to bring the actuator to the exact overtone playing position on the string, for creating the optimal overtone sound. Alternatively, for instruments such as a violin having no frets, the apparatus is attached at the appropriate string division position, as shown in Fig. 1 and the tuning is performed in a similar manner.

The tuning is preserved throughout multiple transitions between the locked and unlocked positions of the actuator. The tuning step enables adaptations of the apparatus to various instruments, to multiple locations along the strings and to various string heights (action).

In the second step - the playing step - the player pushes one or more actuators at any given moment. The pushed actuator applies downward force on the cylinder (135), causing the corresponding lingual (148) to slide into the niche (140) of the corresponding actuator's cylinder, thus holding the actuator in the pushed position. The elastic pads (142) corresponding to the pushed actuators are now in contact with the strings, ready for overtone playing. In this position, tones other than overtones may be played by pressing the string on either side of the apparatus, whereby the string is momentarily distanced from the rubber pad.

When the player wishes to release an actuator, he pushes the corresponding lever's pushing pad (147), whereby the lingua (148) slides out of the niche (140) and the released elastic pad (142) springs back to position in a sling-like manner and pushes the actuator back to its released position. It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to what has been particularly shown and described hereinabove. Rather the scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims and includes both combinations and sub-combinations of the various features described hereinabove as well as variations and modifications thereof, which would occur to persons skilled in the art upon reading the foregoing description.

Claims

1. Apparatus for controlling overtone playing on musical string instruments, comprising: a housing comprising one actuator per string; elastic pads accommodated under said actuators; means for tuning said actuators; means for pushing said actuators towards said pads, whereby said pads are pushed into contact with said strings; means for retaining said actuators in the pushed position; means for releasing said actuators; and attaching means for attaching said apparatus to the string instrument's neck.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each said actuators comprises a screw and a cylinder, said cylinder adapted to accommodate the lower part of said screw; and wherein said means for tuning and pushing comprise a button connected to the upper part of said screw.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein each said cylinders comprises a niche; and wherein said means for retaining said actuators comprise means for inserting a retaining element into said niche.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein each said means for releasing said actuators comprises a pushing pad, each said pads connected to a respective retaining element.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , additionally comprising flexible adaptors connected to said attaching means, for adapting the apparatus to various instruments.

6. A method of controlling overtone playing on musical string instruments, comprising the steps of: attaching the apparatus of claim 1 to the instrument's neck at an overtone location; pushing the actuators over one or more strings for overtone playing; and releasing one or more pushed actuators to cancel overtone playing.

7. The method of claim 6, additionally comprising the step of tuning said apparatus, said tuning comprising the steps of: pushing the actuators over one or more strings; and adapting the height of said pushed actuators.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein each actuator comprises a screw and a cylinder, said cylinder adapted to accommodate the lower part of said screw; and wherein said step of adapting the height comprises driving said screw into said cylinder.