Music – Instruments – Electrical musical tone generation
Reexamination Certificate
2001-04-11
2003-12-16
Donels, Jeffrey (Department: 2837)
Music
Instruments
Electrical musical tone generation
C084S291000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06664461
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a stringed musical instrument and, more particularly, to an electric stringed musical instrument with a frame.
DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART
A violin, viola, cello and double-bass are members of the violin family, and the violin family is essential musical instruments of an orchestra. A standard cello is of the order of 120 centimeters, and is twice longer than a standard violin. The standard cello is four times wider than the standard violin. The double-bass is of the order of 2 meters long, and is almost twice as long as the cello. The compass of a stringed musical instrument is dependent on the length of the string, the specific gravity of the string and the tension exerted on the string. The longer the string is, the lower the pitched part is. For this reason, the compass of the cello is lower than that of the violin, and is higher than that of the double-bass.
The string player puts the body of the violin between the chin and the shoulder, and holds the neck with the left hand. The string player takes the bow with the right hand, and plays the violin. The string player plays the viola in a similar manner. However, the string players stand the cello and the double-bass on a floor. The string player sits on a chair, and puts the cello between the knees. The cello inclines toward the string player, and the body and/or the neck are put on the chest and/or shoulder, and bows the strings. The double-bass is usually played by a string player standing on a floor.
The body is an essential component part of the bowed stringed musical instrument of the violin family, and a resonator is formed in the body. A neck projects from the body, and strings are stretched over the neck and the body. When a player bows the strings, the strings vibrate, and the vibrations are propagated to the body. The body also vibrates for generating tones, and the resonator makes the tones loud. Thus, the bowed stringed musical instrument generates the loud tones through the resonator. Lower pitched tones require a large resonator. For this reason, the double-bass has the largest body in the violin family. A stringed musical instrument with a resonator is hereinbelow referred to as “acoustic stringed musical instrument.” The violin, the viola, the cello and the double-bass described hereinbefore are categorized in the acoustic stringed musical instrument.
The acoustic bowed stringed musical instruments are prominently used in an orchestra. Although other orchestra members generate tones through other musical instruments in a symphony, the other tones do not drown the tones from the acoustic bowed stringed musical instruments, and the audience can discriminate the tones of the acoustic bowed stringed musical instruments from the other tones in a concert hall. Thus, the string player appreciates the resonator for the loudness. However, the loud tones are often a nuisance to the neighborhood. The string players feel it difficult to seek a practice room.
Although the loudness is reduced to some degree with muted strings, it is impossible to keep the acoustic stringed musical instruments silent during the practice. If the resonator were removed from the acoustic stringed musical instrument, the string player would practice the acoustic stringed musical instrument anytime anywhere. However, the resonator or the body is a delicate component part of the acoustic stringed musical instrument. For this reason, the acoustic stringed musical instrument is indecomposable.
In this situation, manufacturers for musical instruments offer electric stringed musical instruments such as an electric cello and an electric double-bass. Any acoustic resonator is not incorporated in the electric stringed musical instruments. While a string player is playing a tune on the electric stringed musical instrument, the vibrations of the strings are converted to an electric signal by means of a pick-up, and an electronic circuit imparts an appropriate envelope to the electric signal so as to give the tones the timbre close to that of the acoustic double-bass. The electric signal is supplied to a sound system, and the unique tones are produced in the sound system. The loudness is easily changeable. In fact, the loudness is drastically reduced to a tenth, and the acoustic energy is of the order of a hundredth. The four strings of a prior art electric stringed musical instrument are averaged at −20 dB. The drastically reduced loudness is as faint as whispers of human voice. Using the electric stringed musical instrument, the string player practices a tune at his or her home anytime.
FIGS. 1 and 2
show the prior art electric bowed stringed musical instrument. The prior art electric bowed stringed musical instrument is corresponding to the acoustic double-bass, and is hereinbelow referred to as “electric double-bass”. The prior art electric double-bass is designated in its entirety by reference numeral
1
.
The prior art electric double-bass
1
comprises a trunk
2
, four strings
3
and a framework
4
. The width of the trunk
2
is increased from the lower end to an intermediate portion, and is decreased from the intermediately portion toward the upper end. In other words, the trunk
2
slightly bulges. The trunk
2
is broken down into a relatively thick base, a relatively thin neck and a fingerboard
2
a.
The relatively thick base portion is integral with the neck. The fingerboard
2
a
is laminated on the relatively thin neck, and extends over the relatively thick base.
A peg box
4
is formed in the relatively thin neck of the trunk
2
, and is provided with a scroll
5
. Four pegs
7
are rotatably supported by the peg box
4
. The four pegs
7
are associated with the four strings
3
, respectively. The peg box
4
, the scroll
5
and the pegs
7
are similar to those of the acoustic double-bass. A tail piece
8
is anchored to the lower end of the trunk
2
, and is gradually spaced from the other end portion of the trunk
2
toward the fingerboard
2
a.
A nut
9
a
is embedded into the upper end of the fingerboard
2
a,
and another bridge
9
b
is upright to the trunk
2
. The four strings
3
extend between the pegs
7
and the tail piece
8
. The four strings
3
are anchored to the tail piece
8
, and are wound on the associated pegs
7
. The nut
9
a
and the bridge
9
b
give tension to the strings
3
. Thus, the four strings
3
are stretched over the fingerboard
2
a
and the trunk
2
.
The framework
4
is broken down into a yoke
4
a
and a shaping board
4
b.
The yoke
4
a
is fixed to the trunk
2
, and projects from a side surface of the trunk
2
. The yoke
4
a
is shaped like a part of the side board of the acoustic double-bass defining the resonator together with the soundboard. The shaping board
4
b
is fixed to the other side surface of the trunk
2
, and sideward projects from the trunk
2
. The shaping board
4
b
is curved like the outline of a half of the body forming a part of the acoustic double-bass. The shaping board
4
b
is connected at both ends thereof to the side surface of the trunk
2
, and is spaced from the trunk
2
between the connected portions. Any soundboard is not put over the space between the trunk
2
and the shaping board
4
b.
For this reason, any resonator is not formed in the prior art electric double-bass.
While a string player is bowing for playing the prior art electric double-bass, the shaping board
4
b
and the yoke
4
a
are held in contact with player's body for keeping the attitude of the prior art electric double-bass. For this reason, the shaping board
4
b
and the yoke
4
a
are shaped like the body of an acoustic double-bass.
An end-pin
10
projects from the lower end of the trunk
2
. The end-pin
10
is retractable into the trunk
2
. The end pin
10
is pressed against a floor so that the prior art double-bass is maintained over the floor by the string player. Though not shown in the figures, a pick-up unit is provided on the trunk
2
, and vibrations of the strings
3
are converted to an electric signal.
Dickstein , Shapiro, Morin & Oshinsky, LLP
Donels Jeffrey
Yamaha Corp.
LandOfFree
Electric stringed musical instrument having detachable frame does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Electric stringed musical instrument having detachable frame, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Electric stringed musical instrument having detachable frame will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3141917