U.S. patent application number 09/731408 was filed with the patent office on 2001-11-15 for music teaching instrument.
Invention is credited to Oren-Chazon, Dorly.
Application Number | 20010039869 09/731408 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 46203979 |
Filed Date | 2001-11-15 |
United States Patent
Application |
20010039869 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Oren-Chazon, Dorly |
November 15, 2001 |
Music teaching instrument
Abstract
A music teaching instrument adapted to teach a player the notes
of a musical scale so that the notes will be remembered. The
instrument includes a sound system having a memory in which is
stored audible tones of the musical scale, and means to reproduce a
tone extracted from the memory so that it can be heard by the
player. A keyboard is provided having a row of keys corresponding
to the tones of the scale. Switching means are associated with the
keys and are coupled to the sound system whereby when a key in the
row is actuated by the player, a corresponding tone is then
reproduced. A row of puppets is behind the row of keys, each puppet
being normally inactive and in registration with a respective key.
Means responsive to actuation of a key serve to activate the
corresponding puppet, whereby the puppet then appears to be voicing
the tone being reproduced.
Inventors: |
Oren-Chazon, Dorly; (Tel
Aviv, IL) |
Correspondence
Address: |
DARBY & DARBY P.C.
805 Third Avenue
New York
NY
10022
US
|
Family ID: |
46203979 |
Appl. No.: |
09/731408 |
Filed: |
December 6, 2000 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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09731408 |
Dec 6, 2000 |
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09079113 |
May 14, 1998 |
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6215057 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
84/1 ;
84/478 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G10H 2230/055 20130101;
G10H 1/0008 20130101; G10H 2220/141 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
84/1 ;
84/478 |
International
Class: |
G09B 015/04 |
Claims
1. A music teaching instrument adapted to teach a player the notes
of a musical scale so that the notes will be remembered the
instrument comprising: A. a sound system having a memory in which
is stored audible tones of the musical scale, and means to
reproduce a tone extracted from the memory so that it can be heard
by the player; B. a keyboard having a row of keys corresponding to
the tones of the scale, and switching means associated with the
keys and coupled to the sound system whereby when a key in the row
is actuated by the player, a corresponding tone is then reproduced;
C. a row of humanoid figures behind the row of keys, each figure
being normally retracted and in registration with a respective key,
and D. means responsive to actuation of a key to cause the
corresponding figure to rise up to face the player, whereby the
figure then appears to be voicing the tone being reproduced.
2. An instrument as set forth in claim 1, in which stored in the
memory of the sound system are spoken sounds of letters
corresponding to the tones of the scale, and further including
means operative when a key is actuated to then reproduce the spoken
letter corresponding to this key.
3. An instrument as set forth in claim 1, in which stored in the
memory of the sound system are spoken sounds of numbers
corresponding to the tones of the scale, and further including
means operative when a key is actuated to reproduce the spoken
number corresponding to this key.
4. An instrument as set forth in claim 1, wherein the keys in the
row thereof each have a distinctive color whereby the player learns
to associate the tones of the scale with the colors of the
keys.
5. An instrument as set forth in claim 1, in which the figures in
the row are of progressively increasing height in accordance with
progressively higher pitches in the tones of the scale.
6. An instrument as set forth in claim 1, in which the figures are
two dimensional and in a retracted state are flat on a horizontal
surface of the instrument.
7. An instrument as set forth in claim 1, which is operative in a
keyboard mode in which it can then be played by the player like a
conventional electronic instrument.
8. An instrument as set forth in claim 7, including means to record
the tones produced by the player when playing a tune on the
keyboard in the keyboard mode, and to replay the recorded tune.
9. An instrument as set forth in claim 1, further including means
to increase or decrease the volume of the sounds produced
thereby.
10. An instrument as set forth in claim 1, in which the tones
stored in the memory are tones which are sung by a singer.
11. A music teaching instrument comprising: A. a sound system
having a memory in which are stored the following sounds: (a)
audible tones of a musical scale; (b) spoken sounds of letters
corresponding to the tones of the scale; (c) spoken sounds of
numbers corresponding to the tones of the scale; and selector means
associated with the memory to extract therefrom the sounds of a
tone, a spoken letter sound or a spoken number and to reproduce the
selected sounds so that it can be heard by the player; B. a
keyboard having a row of keys corresponding to the tones of the
scale, and switching means associated with the keys and coupled to
the sound system whereby when a key is actuated by the player, the
corresponding sounds are then reproduced; C. a row of
normally-retracted humanoid figures mounted behind the keyboard,
each figure being in registration with a respective key in the row
thereof; and D. means responsive to actuation of a key to cause the
corresponding figure to rise up so that it then faces the player
and appears to be issuing the selected sounds then being
reproduced.
12. An instrument as set forth in claim 11, in which the sound
system is housed in a piano-shaped casing, and the keyboard is
parallel to a planar front wall of the casing.
13. An instrument as set forth in claim 12, in which the row of
figures is parallel to the row of keys.
14. An instrument as in claim 13, in which the keys in the row
thereof are in different colors and the figures in the row thereof
are in matching colors.
15. A music teaching instrument adapted to teach a player the notes
of a musical scale so that the notes will be remembered, the
instrument comprising: A. a sound system having a memory in which
is stored audible tones of the musical scale, and means to
reproduce a tone extracted from the memory so that it can be heard
by the player; B. a keyboard having a row of keys corresponding to
the tones of the scale, and switching means associated with the
keys and coupled to the sound system whereby when a key in the row
is actuated by the player, a corresponding tone is then reproduced;
C. a row of puppets behind the row of keys, each puppet being
normally inactive and in registration with a respective key, and D.
means responsive to actuation of a key to activate the
corresponding puppet, whereby the puppet then appears to be voicing
the tone being reproduced.
16. An instrument as set forth in claim 15, in which the puppets
are formed of transparent plastic material and in the inactive
state are dark, each puppet when activated being illuminated.
17. An instrument as set forth in claim 16, in which the puppet is
illuminated by light rays having a distinctive hue, and the key
which activates the puppet has the same hue.
18. An instrument as set forth in claim 1 in which the audible
tones are digitally stored in a sound card included in a music
synthesizer computer having a video screen and means to extract the
tones of a musical scale from the sound card and to reproduce these
tones, further including software to display on the screen the
keyboard and the row of figures, and means actuated when a player
touches the screen to engage a key and thereby extract from the
sound card and reproduce the related tone, and to cause the related
figure to light up or appear to become erect so that the tone seems
to emanate from the activated figure.
Description
RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application is a Continuation-In-Part of my pending
U.S. application Ser. No. 09/079,113 filed May 14, 1998 entitled
"Sound Generating Educational Musical Toy and Teaching Device, the
entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to a music interactive toy
and/or educational tool. More particularly, the present invention
relates to such toys and/or educational tools for teaching people
of all ages to recognize, by sound and name, the musical notes of
the scale.
[0004] 2. Description of the Prior Art
[0005] Music plays a major role in the lives of most people. Music
is often a universal language, allowing people who do not speak the
same language to nevertheless communicate in one form or another.
For many people, listening to music is an enjoyable, often relaxing
exercise. However, while children are taught the basics of the
speaking language (a, b, c, . . . ) and the numeric, language (1,
2, 3, . . . ), very little, if any, emphasis is placed on the
musical language (do, re, mi . . . ). In fact, even musicians,
while being extremely skilled at their particular instrument,
sometimes have very little knowledge concerning the musical
language. Many musicians learn to play by sound without ever
associating musical notes with their given names ("do", "re", "mi",
"fa", "sol", "la", and "ti").
[0006] But most people do not have the natural born talent to learn
how to play an instrument without knowing the musical language.
Thus, it would be extremely beneficial to begin teaching the
musical scale and the names of the musical notes (i.e., "do", "re",
"mi", "fa", "sol", "la", and "ti") to children at a relatively
young age (even as young as under two years old), when their minds
are the most receptive to new information. However, because most
children have relatively short attention spans, any effective
method of teaching the musical scale to children must hold their
attention while simultaneously educating them.
[0007] A number of systems and aids have been proposed for teaching
the musical scale to children. A form of such a device is disclosed
in U.S. Pat. No. 4,114,501 to Tanaka. That device includes plural
dolls, each of which has a flexible bellows and a uniquely
configured air chamber and air passageway to produce a unique noise
in a particular pitch or tone. This device, however, provides no
means for varying the sound output by the dolls to cater to
different children's interests in an effort to capture and hold
their attention.
[0008] Another proposed device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.
5,540,132 to Hale, and includes plural puppet characters that
incorporate tonal devices such as battery powered electronic
devices that emit a sound in a tone which corresponds to that of
the musical note with which the puppet character is associated. The
tonal device is housed inside the puppet and includes a pressure
sensitive switch to activate it. This device also suffers from the
shortcoming that there is no way to change the output format of the
sound being generated depending on the person using the device.
[0009] Accordingly, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art
that there continues to be a need for an improved music teaching
device for teaching people to distinguish musical notes by sound,
sight and/or name simultaneously. Furthermore, there exists a need
for such a music teaching device that is adaptable to the
particular user of the device and to his or her interests. Also,
the present invention teaches understanding the relative changes in
pitch between the notes by visualizing these changes in a graduated
increase in size of the colored dolls, corresponding to each note.
The present invention addresses these needs and others.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] Briefly, and in general terms, the present invention
provides a music teaching device for teaching users to recognize
particular notes by sound and for associating those notes with
their musical names ("do", "re","mi", etc.). The invention includes
one or more sound generating devices operative to generate sound in
a selected output format chosen from plural formats. The device
provides an output format selector that allows a user to select the
particular output format in which the sound will be generated. Upon
selection of an output format and depression of a button
corresponding with a particular pitch, the device retrieves from
memory the corresponding sound bite in the format and pitch and
audibly recreates the sound bite. At least one of the sound bites
is the name of one of the notes; "do", "re", "mi", "fa", "sol",
"la", and "ti".
[0011] Thus, the music teaching device of the present invention in
one preferred embodiment comprises: plural playback buttons being
manipulable to generate discrete playback signals; a memory device
storing sound bites in plural pitches and in plural output formats;
an output format selector with plural settings to determine the
output format of the sound bite to be generated; a processor in
electrical communication with the playback buttons, memory, and
output format selector, the processor being responsive to
manipulation of one of the buttons and setting of the output format
selector to retrieve the corresponding sound bite from the memory;
and a sound playback device in communication with the processor and
operative to audibly reproduce the sound bite retrieved by the
processor.
[0012] In an alternative embodiment of the present invention, the
device includes figurines or dolls that are releasably mounted on a
base unit. The dolls represent one note and the height of the dolls
increase sequentially to correlate with its assigned note. Also,
preferably, each doll is decorated in a particular color, with the
three most dominant notes, "do", "fa" and "sol" being represented
by the three most dominant colors yellow, blue and red,
respectively. By coloring the dolls in accordance with yellow, blue
and red, their importance within the scale, the dolls color
correspond in domination sequence to the domination sequence of the
notes.
[0013] In accordance with a further embodiment of the present
invention, the device can create the sound bite in the basic terms
of music, such as, for example, varying pitch (e.g., high, low),
dynamic (e.g., piano, forte), rate or tempo (e.g., slow, fast),
duration (e.g. beats per second), half-notes, etc.
[0014] Other features and advantages of the present invention will
become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in
conjunction with the accompanying drawings which illustrate, by way
of example, the features of the present invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of
the music teaching device of the present invention;
[0016] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of electronic components included
in the music teaching device of FIG. 1;
[0017] FIG. 3 is a flow chart of the operation of the music
teaching device of FIG. 1;
[0018] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of
the music teaching device of the present invention;
[0019] FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a file storage architecture
including an association table according to the present invention;
and
[0020] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of another embodiment of a
music teaching device for pre-school children; and
[0021] FIG. 7 is a table showing the different expressions of a
musical scale produced by the teaching device.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0022] In the following detailed description, like reference
numerals will be used to refer to like or corresponding elements in
the different figures of the drawings. Referring now to the
drawings, and particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown,
generally, a music teaching device 10 comprising one preferred
embodiment of the present invention. The music teaching device
includes one or more sound generating devices 12, an output format
selector switch 14, and plural playback buttons or switches 16.
Thus, a user may select a desired output format and sequentially
depress one or more of the buttons in order to generate one or more
sounds in the corresponding pitches and in the selected output
format.
[0023] The music teaching device 10 includes a generally
rectangular housing 18. The housing includes a front face 20 in
which is mounted the output format selector switch 14, a speaker
22, and an on-off switch 24, the on-off switch being operative to
selectively empower the music teaching device, as described in
greater detail below. The housing still further includes a top wall
26 in which is mounted the plural playback buttons 16. A handle 35
is connected, for example, to top wall 26 to permit the device 10
to be carried by a user. The top wall is further formed with plural
receptacles (not shown), each of which is configured to releasably
engage a respective box 28 formed with a hinged lid 30, as
described in greater detail below.
[0024] The output format selector 14 is preferably in the form of a
slide switch (FIG. 1) with plural settings corresponding to
different outputs. As shown in FIG. 1, and meant solely as examples
of possible output formats, the settings may correspond with the
names of the notes ("do", "re", "mi", "fa", "sol", "la", and "ti"),
a cat's meow, a dog's bark, a particular song, or a musical
instrument, such as, for example, bells. It will be apparent that
the settings could correspond with any desired output. For example,
the sound output could be the sound of a piano or other
instruments. The notes could sound as "do", "re", "mi", "fa",
"sol", "la", and "ti" or as "A", "B", "C", "D", "E", "F" and "G" as
the notes are currently taught in the United States. Additionally,
the sound can be emitted, for example, in the legato or staccato
style. Additional rhythms, as in conventional synthesizers, can be
played. In addition, in place of a slide switch, a knob with
multiple settings could be used. Movement of the slide switch to
one of the settings results in the generation of a corresponding
signal, as described in greater detail below.
[0025] Each of the buttons 16 correspond to one of the boxes 28,
such that depression of one of the buttons causes the lid 30 of
that box to open, allowing a doll 32 to project outwardly
therefrom. Depression of the button also results in the generation
of an identifiable signal transmitted to the sound generating
device 12, as described in greater detail below. For example, if
switch 14 is aligned with the "song" output, when a user depresses
a button, that figurine will sound out the first word in the song
in the particular note assigned to that button/doll. Thereafter,
the next button that is depressed will result in the next word of
the song being sounded in that second depressed button's assigned
note. In this manner, the user will be making or composing his or
her own music. Additionally, if desired, the device can include a
recording device to record the music composed by the user so that
the recorded music can be played back.
[0026] Each of the boxes 28 includes indicia printed thereon,
preferably in the form of the names of the notes of the scale
(i.e., "do", "re", "mi", etc.) on both the side and top of the box.
The boxes are arranged from left to right, as shown in FIG. 1, in
order from the lowest note ("do") to the highest note ("ti"). Each
of the dolls 32 is formed with a different height, with the
shortest doll being housed in the "do" box, and the tallest doll in
the "ti" box. The eighth box is for the note "do" from the next
scale. In addition, each doll is preferably colored with a
different color to assist a user in associating the dolls with the
different musical notes. The higher the note, the larger or higher
the doll. Preferably, each doll is decorated in a particular color,
with the three most dominant notes "do", "fa" and "sol" being
represented by the three most dominant colors; yellow, blue and
red, respectively. The remaining notes can be represented by
sequentially less dominant colors. For example, "re", "mi", "la"
and "ti" are preferably represented by dark green, light green,
orange and purple. "Do" from the next scale or octave would be
light blue.
[0027] Referring now to FIG. 2, there is shown a block diagram of
the electronic components included in the sound generating device
12. The sound generating device includes a microprocessor 34, a
sound bite storage device 36, preferably in the form of a sound
chip, a sound playback unit 38, and memory 40. The special features
of the sound generating devices are implemented, in part, by
software programs stored in the memory 40. The software programs
are stored in one or more preselected data files and are accessible
by the processor, the function of which is described in greater
detail in connection with FIG. 3. The memory preferably takes the
form of a non-volatile memory device, such as a magnetic or optical
storage unit or the like.
[0028] The sound chip 36, of well known design, includes a standard
digital memory unit (not shown) and is controlled by the processor
34 to access and retrieve a particular sound bite data file stored
in the memory unit at a location indicated by an entry in an
association table included in the memory of the sound chip (FIG.
5), which is discussed in more detail below. Thus, the proper sound
bite may be obtained by referring to the association table and
looking for the user-selected parameters. Alternatively, a sound
card or other similar device could be utilized in place of the
sound chip.
[0029] The sound playback unit 38 includes the speaker 22 mounted
on the front face 20 of the housing 18, an amplifier, and a
digital-to-analog converter to convert the digital sound data
retrieved from the sound chip 36 into an analog signal. The
amplifier then amplifies the converted analog signal and transmits
the amplified analog signal to the speaker for playback.
[0030] The on-off switch 24 is operative to selectively transmit
power from a power supply 42 to the microprocessor 34. The power
supply is preferably a battery, but may take virtually any other
form.
[0031] Referring now to FIG. 3, the operation of the music teaching
device 10 will be described in greater detail. After the device has
been actuated by moving the on-off switch 24 to the "on" position,
the processor 34 waits for one of the playback buttons 16 to be
depressed, at query block 50. Once one of the playback buttons has
been depressed, operation flows to query block 52, and the
processor determines whether the output format selector 14 has been
set to a particular output format. If the selector has been set to
an output format, then operation flows to function block 56, and
the processor retrieves from the sound chip 36 the corresponding
sound bite in the desired output format and pitch. If not, then at
function block 54 a default output format is selected, and
operation flows to function block 56 where the processor retrieves
the corresponding sound bite in the default output format. The
default output format could be the actual name of the note in the
note's pitch, or any other output. The sound bite retrieval is
preferably accomplished by utilizing the association table, with
the processor matching the data corresponding to the selected
output format and particular depressed button with the data in the
association table to determine the location of the corresponding
sound bite. The processor then retrieves that sound bite and
transmits the digital sound bite data to the playback unit 38. At
function block 58, the retrieved sound bite is played back by the
sound playback unit. The digital sound bite data is converted to an
analog signal, amplified, and played through the speaker 22. After
the sound bite has been played back, operation flows back to query
block 50 to await depression of another one of the buttons 16.
[0032] It will be apparent that the music teaching device 10 of the
present invention could take many different forms. For example, the
device could be embodied in a personal computer, with the
computer's microprocessor being programmed to perform the routine
described above in connection with FIG. 3. The computer's keyboard
or mouse could be used to select the output format and the
particular note to be audibly played back. The digital sound bites
could be stored in the computer's memory or on a disk that is
accessed by the microprocessor through its disk drive.
[0033] In a preferred embodiment, each doll 32 includes a separate
playback unit 38 and sound chip 36 and is removable from its box
28. Thus, the dolls can be removed from the housing and can still
generate notes in their respective pitches upon actuation of a
switch located on each doll.
[0034] Referring now to FIG. 4, there is shown an alternative
embodiment of the music teaching device 100 of the present
invention. The device 100 includes a housing 102, an output format
selector 104, speaker 106, and an on-off switch 108, all of which
are identical to the components included in the device 10 shown in
FIG. 1. In place of the buttons 16, boxes 28, and dolls 32, the
device 100 includes a top surface 110 partitioned into plural
discrete segments 112, each of which corresponds to a particular
note. The device is preferably provided with eight columns
corresponding to the seven notes (plus the first note "do" being
repeated in the next scale), and includes plural rows corresponding
to the different octaves of the major scale. Each segment is
sensitive to touch (i.e., it either comprises a depressible switch
or a touch-sensitive display), such that selection of one of the
segments causes the device to audibly generate the corresponding
sound bite, as described above.
[0035] FIG. 5 shows a file storage architecture 120 comprising an
association table section 122 and a sound data storage section 124
used by the microprocessor 34 as described above to locate the
proper sound bite. The association table section 122 comprises a
series of address lines 126, each of which links an output format
and button with a corresponding sound bite by means of an offset
address designator 128 which points to a predefined start site in
the remainder of the memory where the corresponding sound bite data
is stored. Thus the microprocessor 34 simply accesses the
association table and searches for the matching output format and
button data and, once found, determines the offset location for the
desired sound bite. The sound data storage section 124 comprises a
series of memory blocks 130, each of which stores sound information
comprising a sound bite.
[0036] From the foregoing, it will be apparent that the music
teaching device 10 of the present invention provides an
educational, interactive device for teaching a user to recognize a
note by sound, and to associate the note with the note's name. In
addition, the music teaching device provides plural output formats
to accommodate different user's interests.
[0037] While forms of the invention have been illustrated and
described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that
various modifications and improvements may be made without
departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Thus, the
present invention is not intended to be limited by the illustrative
examples set forth herein. For example, a user can test him or
herself by utilizing the device in a "pick the note" mode. The
device can randomly sound an audible note, and, thereafter, the
user must pick the correct doll or other button or switch that
corresponds to the sounded note. In this manner, the user learns to
identify notes by sound and by association to a particular size
and/or color of a doll. The device can include a record feature so
that the sound bites played by the user can be recorded and played
back for repeated entertainment. The device can also be operated by
remote control, including remote operation of the dolls regardless
of whether they are in or out of the base. Further, the device can
be input as a computer program or game so that the dolls are
illustrated on the screen. The dolls can be actuated by clicking on
the doll to hear the preselected output format. Thus, the mouse of
the computer can be the playback button and can be used to select
the output format. Further, while only one octave has been
illustrated for the device, it is clear that two, three or more
octaves of notes may be utilized by the device in accordance with
the present invention. Additionally, the device may play
half-notes.
[0038] Music-teaching Instrument for Pre-school Children
[0039] The capacity of the human brain to remember in detail for a
prolonged period depends on its ability to place in storage, to
process and to retrieve information in whatever form it is entered
into the brain. An individual can best understand and remember
information presented to him metaphorically as well as literally;
that is by way of analogy and counterparts.
[0040] An eminent thinker is reported as saying that "Man's first
great invention was the wheel--his second, the Metaphor". Metaphor
is a vital aid to memory and human communication. Thus it is far
easier to appreciate and remember the shape of an object when
described as being "pear-shaped" than when described in the
language of geometry.
[0041] Our concern in the present invention is with teaching the
notes of the musical scale to a pre-school child, and to give an
example of where metaphor comes into play, we shall assume that a
kindergarten teacher wishes to teach the child the word BIG and
what it means. This can best be done by the teacher in the
following manner:
[0042] a) By writing the letters of the word on a blackboard.
[0043] b) By vocally pronouncing the word BIG so that the child
knows how it sounds.
[0044] c) By demonstrating how BIG differs from SMALL by making a
loud sound and then a soft sound.
[0045] d) By showing the child an Apple (Big) next to a Cherry
(Little).
[0046] A child in this situation will enter into his memory the
vocal and visual aspects of the work BIG and in doing so he is not
likely ever to forget this word and its meaning.
[0047] UK Patent GB 2112990 takes a similar multifaceted approach
toward teaching a child the notes of the musical scale, knowledge
which is a precursor to learning how to play music on an
instrument. The educational toy disclosed in this British patent,
is adapted to teach a child the notes of the musical scale and the
counterparts thereto in terms of alphabetic letters and Arabic
numerals.
[0048] This teaching toy includes a floor mat divided into a
rectangular array of squares which are designated by letters
corresponding to the notes of the musical scale. When a child steps
on a particular square on the mat, he then hears the musical tone
represented by the letter displayed on the square. Associated with
the mat is a seven-segment visual display which presents the number
of the tone on the scale then being played. Thus a child playing
with this educational toy is taught the notes of the musical scale
and their counterpart letters and numbers.
[0049] However, the toy disclosed in this British patent which
includes a foot-operated mat has a serious drawback in that it does
not simulate a typical musical instrument having a keyboard. Hence
the British toy does not prepare the child to learn how to play a
conventional keyboard instrument.
[0050] This drawback is overcome in the keyboard operated musical
instrument disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,733,591 to Kanebo et al. in
which the instrument includes a keyboard circuit for generating a
pitch data signal which designates the note name of a musical tone
to be produced and a speech signal generator for generating a
speech signal which tells in a human voice the name of the
designated musical tone. Also, included is a multiplexed processing
circuit for time-divisionally processing the pitch data signal and
the speech signal; and a sound signal-producing circuit for
producing the musical tone and the human voice in accordance with
the processed output from the processing circuit. Thus the
instrument speaks the names of the tones as it produces the musical
tones.
[0051] Inasmuch as a music-teaching instrument in accordance with
the invention requires tone and speech generators, and other
circuits similar to those included in the Kanebo et al. patent, the
entire disclosure of this patent is incorporated herein by
reference.
[0052] The practical drawback of a music-teaching instrument of the
type disclosed in the Kanebo et al. patent is that for purposes of
teaching the musical scale to a pre-school child, it lacks an
essential component of the teaching process; namely, the active
participation of a teacher or a surrogate there for.
[0053] Basic information on an elementary level such as Arabic
numerals and the letters of the alphabet cannot be self-taught by a
pre-school child, even though it is best that he acquire this
information before entering the first grade. A pre-school child can
only be taught by a parent or kindergarten teacher to whom the
child is attentive.
[0054] One teaching basic information to a pre-school child need
not be human but can take a humanoid form, such as a puppet. The
advantage of an animated puppet in the role of a teacher is that it
converts the learning process into a play experience and thereby
sustains the interest of the child.
[0055] Thus the most successful TV educational program for
pre-school children in the MUPPETS in which manipulated puppets
teach young viewers of this program the letters of the alphabet as
well as the numbers, one-at-a-time by means of counterparts. Thus
to teach the number 3, the number is displayed by the puppet in its
Arabic number form, it is spoken by the puppet and also is
demonstrated in the form of three blocks and other trios. In this
way, the child is not only taught what number 3 looks like and how
it sounds but also what it means.
[0056] The use of puppets as a means to teach children foreign
languages is disclosed in the periodical Puppetry in Practice (Fall
1999 edition) published by the School of Education, Brooklyn
College CUNY. An instrument in accordance with the invention is
adapted to teach children the language of music, this being carried
out by a gang of puppets, each puppet being assigned the task of
teaching a single note in the musical scale.
[0057] In a music teaching instrument for a pre-school child in
accordance with the invention, a child will not only hear the tones
of the musical scale but will also be made to recognize that the
pitch of each tone increases progressively as one goes up the
scale. This progressive increase is expressed by alphabetical and
numerical counterparts as well as by changes in color.
[0058] By pre-school children is meant those in the range of 2 to 6
years of age. The instrument shown in FIG. 6, generally identified
by numeral 150, is provided with a sound system that may be similar
to that included in the system shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. It therefore
may include a sound chip, a microprocessor and other electronic
circuits necessary to generate the spoken sounds and musical tones
produced by the instrument when its keys are activated. Or the
sound system may be of the type disclosed in the above-identified
Kanebo et al. patent.
[0059] However the format of the instrument shown in FIG. 6 differs
from that shown in FIG. 1 in that it resembles in appearance a
keyboard-operated piano that not only produces the tones of the
musical scale but also four different counterparts thereto. The
collective effect of accompanying each tone with four counterparts
is to greatly enhance the ability of the child playing the
instrument to recognize and long remember the tones of the musical
scale.
[0060] Instrument 150 is housed in a molded, high-strength plastic
casing 151 having a piano-like shape. On the flat horizontal face
of the casing adjacent the planar front side thereof is a keyboard
having a row of ten keys identified by numbers 1 to 8, followed by
numbers 2 and 3. The keys numbered 1 to 8 represent the eight tones
of a musical octave composed of the tones DO-RE-MI-FA-SOL-LA-TI-DO.
The following two keys 2 and 3 represent the beginning of the next
octave. Hence the tones produced by successively operating the keys
are of progressively higher pitch.
[0061] Directly above the row of keys on the keyboard is a row 152
formed by a series of cylindrical signs which identify the tones
(DO,RE,MI, etc.) generated when the keys are activated. The sign
row 152 not only identifies the tones in the scale but also creates
a barrier between the keyboard and a row 153 of two-dimensional
humanoid figures P.sub.1 to P.sub.10 behind the barrier and
parallel to the keyboard. Figures P.sub.1 to P.sub.10 in row 153
are puppet-like, each figure being aligned with a respective key on
the keyboard. The two-dimensional puppets P.sub.1 to P.sub.10 are
of progressively greater length or height corresponding to the
increasing pitch of the tones produced when the keys are
successively actuated.
[0062] Each puppet has printed on its torso a staff ST displaying
the staff position of the tone represented by the puppet. The
puppets in the row are normally retracted to lie flat on the
horizontal face of the instrument casing. But when a key is
actuated to produce a tone in the musical scale, the related puppet
then stands up to face the player and to make it appear that the
tone is coming from him. Thus each puppet functions as a virtual
teacher whose subject is limited to a respective tone in the scale
and the counterparts thereto.
[0063] The puppets are hingedly mounted and are spring biased so
that they normally are retracted to lie flat on the casing. The
mechanism for erecting each puppet can be an electromagnetic
actuator which is energized by a key switching action, the actuator
serving to swing the puppet upwardly to an erect position.
[0064] Housed within the casing of the instrument is a sound system
that includes a memory in which is digitally stored (a) the tones
of the musical scale related to the ten keys on the keyboard, (b)
the spoken speech sounds of the alphabetical letters related to
these tones, and (c) the spoken speech sounds of the Arabic
numerals related to these tones.
[0065] Preferably the recorded tones and the spoken sounds of the
numbers and letters are derived from the singing and speaking voice
of a music teacher. As previously explained, an effective teaching
process for pre-school children depends on there being a virtual or
surrogate teacher. Hence what the child hears when playing the
instrument is the voice of his teacher-puppet, the higher the pitch
of the tone, the taller is its teacher.
[0066] In order to make it seem that the voice is coming from a
puppet, the loudspeaker of the system is mounted at the bottom of
the instrument casing which is raised above the table by short legs
157, so that the sound then actually emanates from below the
puppet. The underside of casing 151 serves as the baffle board for
the speaker.
[0067] The sound of a human voice produced when a key is operated,
whether the sound is a tone in the musical scale, a spoken number
or a spoken letter, depends on the operating mode of the
instrument. This is selectively determined by mode switch buttons
M1, M2 and M3. When button M1 is pressed by the player, the
instrument then operates in a NOTES mode. In this mode, when a key
is actuated, this causes the sound system to extract from its
memory and then reproduce a particular tone in the scale. Thus when
key 3 is actuated by a player, puppet P3 then stands up and sings
out the tone Mi. But when key 5 is pressed, puppet P5 is raised to
sing the tone Sol.
[0068] When mode switch M2 is operated, it puts the instrument in
its LETTERS mode. Hence each time a key is actuated by the player,
he hears the voice of the puppet who then stands up, speaking the
letter related to this key. Thus if the player actuates key 5, the
player then hears the puppet say the letter G representing the tone
La. When mode switch M3 is operated to put the instrument in the
Numbers mode, then when say key 4 is pressed, one hears the raised
puppet P4 speak the number 4 representing the note Fa.
[0069] The instrument is color-coded, each key and its related
puppet having the same color which depends on the position of the
corresponding tone in the musical scale. For example, the colors
may be in the following spectrum:
[0070] KEY 1--RED
[0071] KEY 2--LIGHT GREEN
[0072] KEY 3--GREEN
[0073] KEY 4--YELLOW
[0074] KEY 5--BLUE
[0075] KEY 6--ORANGE
[0076] KEY 7--PURPLE
[0077] The note signs in row 152 are correspondingly colored. Thus
the child is taught by the instrument to understand that each tone
in the musical scale is distinctive, just as colors related thereto
are distinctive.
[0078] The instrument includes a volume control 155 to raise the
volume to a "Forte" level, and a volume control 156 to lower the
volume to a "Pianissimo level". And it is provided with an On-Off
switch 154.
[0079] When the child simply wishes to play the instrument in the
manner of a conventional electronic instrument, he then presses
button M4 to put the instrument in a KEYBOARD mode. In this mode,
the keyboard is associated with a sound card whereby operation of
the keys then produces the tones of an organ or other keyboard
instrument. If now the player wishes to record what he is playing
in the KEYBOARD mode, he then actuates RECORD switch S1. The system
then proceeds to record whatever is then being played by the child.
To replay the tune or whatever else the child has recorded, one
then presses REPLAY switch S2.
[0080] Also stored in the instrument are existing multi-track
musical recordings for pre-school children, such as simple tunes
and songs. To hear these recordings, one presses the DEMO switch
button S3. In the DEMO mode, the keys on the keyboard then function
as a selector for the recorded sound tracks.
[0081] The table illustrated in FIG. 7 exhibits the multifaceted
character of the music teaching instrument. The top row R1 of the
table identifies the series of tones (Do, Re, etc.) produced by the
ten keys of the keyboard. Row R2 identifies the corresponding
alphabetical letters. In Row R3 we see the corresponding numerals,
while R4 identifies the distinctive colors associated with the
notes. And in Row R5 we see represented the different pitches of
the notes expressed in terms of the varying height sizes of the
puppets associated with the notes.
[0082] Thus the pre-school child who plays this instrument by means
of its keyboard is able to produce the tones of the music scale,
each tone being expressed by four different counterparts which
collectively function to impress the tones on the child's memory.
And because the task of teaching each tone to the child is assigned
to a teacher-puppet whose voice sings the tones and speaks the
numerals and letters, this serves to sustain the child's interest
in being taught the tones of the musical scale.
[0083] In practice, instead of switching from a tone to a letter
and then to a number, the system may be arranged so that when a key
is pressed, then one hears the related tone followed by its letter
and then by its number.
[0084] Modifications
[0085] Instead of providing in an instrument of the type shown in
FIG. 6 a gang of two-dimensional puppets hinged to a horizontal
panel the puppets normally lying flat and swinging to an erect
position when the corresponding keys are actuated, the puppets may
be in a jack-in-the-box arrangement.
[0086] In this arrangement, each puppet in an erect position is
concealed in a box placed below the top panel and closed by a lid.
When a key is pressed, the lid or trap door of the box containing
the corresponding puppet is caused to swing open to release the
puppet which now rises out of the box. But when the key is
released, then after a predetermined interval, the puppet is pulled
back into its box.
[0087] To simplify the instrument and avoid the need for mechanisms
for erecting and retracting the puppets and the danger of an erect
puppet being broken off, the puppets in the gang may be in an array
affixed to an upwardly inclined platform; hence all of the puppets
can be seen and are never concealed or retracted. But they are
normally inactive.
[0088] In order to activate these puppets in response to the keys
on the keyboard, a lighting system is provided which when a
particular key is pressed this causes the corresponding puppet to
light up and glow in a color corresponding to the color of the
pressed key.
[0089] To this end, the puppets are molded in acrylic plastic or
similar highly transparent material having good light transmitting
characteristics which lends itself to edge-lighting. Associated
with the lower edge of each two-dimensional puppet is a light bulb
which when turned on illuminates the entire puppet.
[0090] Interposed between the edge of the plastic puppet and the
bulb is a color filter which imparts to the rays emanating from the
bulb the same hue as the color of the corresponding key. Hence when
the red key is depressed, one then sees a puppet glowing in red.
And one now hears from this illuminated and active puppet, the tone
produced by the key.
[0091] As in the other embodiments, the gang of puppets is of
progressively increasing height to indicate the increasing pitch of
the tones. Again it must be stressed that unique to this instrument
for teaching the language of music is that each puppet in the gang
teaches a single note in the musical scale and that the color and
height of the puppet are associated with this note.
[0092] In practice, the keyboard may have more than an octave and a
portion of the next octave, as shown in FIG. 6. It may have two or
more octaves or even as many octaves as a piano.
[0093] An instrument in accordance with the invention may be
created by means of an existing music synthesizer computer having a
sound card in which is digitally stored the tones of the music
scale, and means to extract and reproduce these tones. By means of
appropriate software, the keyboard and row of puppets shown in FIG.
6 are displayed on the CRT screen of the computer, the computer
being arranged so that when a player touches the video screen to
engage a key thereon, this causes the related puppet to light up to
appear to stand up and then voice the tone related to the actuated
key. Thus an existing computer functioning as a music synthesizer
can be converted to create as it were, a vertical music teaching
instrument in accordance with the invention.
[0094] While there has been disclosed and illustrated preferred
embodiments of a music teaching instrument in accordance with the
invention, it is to be understood that many changes may be made
therein without departing from the spirit of the invention. Thus
the instrument may be designed to teach adults the notes of the
musical scale. In that design, the puppets can be two-dimensional
figures of famous composers, such as Bach, Beethoven, Brahms and
Mozart in different heights. A Bach puppet is particularly
appropriate, for it is a historical fact that he taught the
language of music to his many children, two of whom became
composers of note.
* * * * *