Abstract: A string-locking tailpiece for fixed bridge musical instrument which allows for quick string changes. The device eliminates the conventional 3 wraps around the tuning peg. Tuning is stable because the ball end cannot slip thru the tuning peg hole. As well, it also drastically reduces the time necessary for restringing. The tailpiece receives a free end of the string after it has been strung through the tuning pegs and is clamped by a set screw within the tailpiece.

Abstract: A string for a musical instrument, comprising a liquid crystal aromatic polyester fiber. Incorporating a synthetic material having a high modulus of elasticity into a musical instrument string substantially increases the torsional stiffness of the string without causing undesirable property changes such as increasing bending stiffness. This is especially useful when used in conjunction with a multifilament synthetic core.

Abstract: An automatically actuating strap lock mechanism for use on instruments is disclosed. The multiple embodiments disclosed herein use an automatically actuating retaining mechanism to allow a user to attach the end of a strap to a strap button on an instrument without having to manipulate a lever or knob. The retaining mechanism is capable of being moved into the open position using the head of a strap button, allowing a user to slide the mechanism over a strap button. Once a strap button is seated in the strap lock mechanism, the retaining mechanism is automatically released, locking the strap button in place.

Abstract: A strainer system includes an adjustable slide assembly that can be used as a strainer side assembly or a butt side slide assembly for tensioning a snare that will not detune due to sympathetic vibrations. The strainer system may also be configured to easily control the amount of snare contact with the bearing edge on both the strainer side and the butt side of the shell body.

Abstract: A thumb guard apparatus comprising a flat panel portion with a front and back side is disclosed. In one embodiment, the thumb guard apparatus comprises a curved portion or lip contiguous to the flat panel portion, wherein the curved portion or lip extends from the flat panel portion and curves away from the back side of the flat panel portion creating a channel. The channel creates a space which guards the thumb of a guitar player and prevents the thumb from moving on or over the top of the neck of the guitar. The flat panel portion of the apparatus may be attached to the back of the neck of the guitar. A method of use is also disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to improved musical instrument components. In certain embodiments, the present invention relates to a piano plate assembly, wherein the plate assembly comprises a core at least partially surrounded by a shell, wherein the shell comprises a composite fiber material impregnated with a polymeric resin material. In another aspect, the present invention relates to methods of producing such piano plate assemblies.

Abstract: A modular apparatus having at least two connecting members substantially at right angles from each other for self-supported wielding of musical instruments. The modular apparatus is worn over at least one shoulder and around the back of the user's neck while it is detachably connected to a musical instrument, such as a violin. The musical instrument is detachably connected to the modular apparatus via a support attachment, support, strap and fastening mechanism. The plurality of members allows even distribution of pressure and tension throughout the upper body caused by supporting and playing the musical instrument.

Abstract: Systems and devices are arranged as tools for guitar maintenance and particular for removing bridge pins of an acoustic guitar and adjusting stream of pictures of guitars. Eight ‘clamshell’ arrangement of complementary half element form a clan particularly devised to couple with hardware used to mount strength of a guitar i.e. bridge pins. The coupling is such that it is easy to establish and easy to remove whereby superior control of the bridge pin removal is achieved. As bridge pins are removed from a bridge, the bridge pins remain captive with respect to the clamp device thus preventing them from being dropped and/or lost—a problem common in competing alternative systems known in the arts.

Abstract: This apparatus and system provides an acoustic hollow body guitar which allows for the careful adjustment of the instrument neck to body relative angle of inclination and thus the string to fret distance (action height). This adjustment has the capability of being accomplished while the guitar is in the tuned state and in the playing position. The traditional wood jointing is abandoned and replaced by a guitar neck to body hinge-less mounting bracket assembly apparatus. This system employs a single adjusting nut/dial that is accessed through either/and a port in the side of the upper bout or the sound-hole.

Abstract: A method of forming a drum hoop is described and shown. The method can include forming connecting portions into ends of a strip of hoop material. The strip of hoop material can then be rolled such that the connecting portions interconnect. The method can also include forming an elongated edge of the strip and/or hoop of material into a rolled bend, such as a rolled bend toward the outside of the hoop. Finally, the method can include leveling the top and/or bottom surfaces of the hoop, such as leveling the rolled bend. This leveling can be accomplished by stamping one or both of the top and bottom surfaces of the hoop, the top surface in some embodiments being the top of the rolled bend.

Abstract: A musical instrument, particularly a stringed instrument, has a structure that decouples the body of the player from all parts of the instrument which are indirectly responsible for the sound production for preventing the body of the player from damping the vibrations of the instrument. Instead of a top cover being the main source of indirect sound production, the musical instrument now has an annular plate which is positioned between covers. Any damping effect on the resonance of the annular plate is minimized by positioning a bridge on the annular plate to avoid any contact between the bridge and the top cover, and applying an acoustically decoupling layer between the covers and the annular plate. The covers provide protection against any damping effect of the player's body on the annular plate. This structure also minimizes the tendency of an acoustic feedback loop,2 which may occur in the case of an electrically amplified stringed instrument.

Abstract: A frog for a stringed instrument bow is disclosed which has a hollow metal body, which may be made, for example, of direct laser metal sintered titanium. The hollow body has a top side adapted to engage a bow stick of the stringed instrument bow, and a bottom side adapted to support a hair bundle of the stringed instrument bow. A back stop is positioned proximate the bottom side in the interior of the hollow metal body and a cam attached to the bottom side of the hollow metal body is adapted to slide or rotate with respect to the hollow metal body, from an open position in which a hair bundle can be inserted in the hollow metal body and a closed position in which the cam forms a pinch point with the back stop to secure the hair bundle.

Abstract: The present inventive disclosures are generally directed to various improved versions of locking compensated nuts for fretted stringed musical instruments. Many embodiments are especially directed to improved locking compensated nuts that can be more-easily retrofitted into existing guitars and other stringed musical instruments without requiring any major reconfigurations or modifications of the base instruments, and some variations are directed to a detachably coupled tuner-mount device that will facilitate enhanced tuning capabilities because of improved vibrational communication between the instrument strings and the tuner. In addition, some improved locking compensated nuts described herein feature interchangeable compensated inserts to allow for easy adaption to alternate string sets.

Abstract: A capo (10) suitable for a twelve string guitar, where string pairs of different gauges are used. The capo (10) includes a clamp arm (11) with a contact surface (12) for contacting the strings that includes a plurality of inclined portions (18) relative to a lateral extent of the clamp arm (11). The nature of the inclined portions (18) is such that adjacent strings (1st to 6th) of different gauges can be contacted with relatively even pressure upon the fingerboard (21).

Abstract: A musical notation for piano music includes a top line including right finger numbering denoting finger positions of fingers of the right hand on keys of a piano and a bottom line including left finger numbering denoting finger positions of fingers of the left hand on keys of the piano. Each of the right and left finger numbering includes the numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 that correspond to the thumb, the pointer finger, the middle finger, the right finger, and the pinky finger, respectively. Each of a right hand position change and a left hand position change is denoted by a symbol. A chord is denoted by stacked finger numbering.

Abstract: A string stretching apparatus, system and method are described. The string stretching apparatus may include lower and upper raised portions at an outer surface of a body of the stretching apparatus. A portion of the body of the string stretching apparatus may be placed in contact with a neck of a musical instrument. The lower and upper raised portions may be configured to extend outwardly to extend a distance between the neck of the musical instrument and at least one string of the musical instrument. The string stretching apparatus may be manipulable in a longitudinal direction of the neck of the musical instrument, and either or both of the lower and upper raised portions may be configured to rotate, in order to increase or decrease string tension.

Abstract: A sound post, in particular for stringed instruments, and a sound post assembly set. The sound post is composed of at least two sound post components and has end pieces which can be pivoted at the end faces of the sound post. The second sound post component has a threaded portion, and the first sound post component has an inner thread which corresponds to the threaded portion such that the sound post components can be screwed together and thus adjusted vertically or longitudinally relative to each other. The threaded portion has a fine thread. Furthermore, a scale with an equidistant graduation is arranged on one of the at least two sound post components. The graduation of the scale corresponds to the pitch of the fine thread.

Abstract: A single reed woodwind ligature system has an upper U-shaped structure for contacting the upper portion of a mouthpiece at one or more small areas of contact and for engaging a lower structure, preferably by threaded ends and nuts. A reed contactor plate contacts a reed at a portion of its bottom curved surface. At least one ball bearing sphere is located in aligned cavities of the lower structure and the reed contactor in a spaced-apart configuration and forms a pivot mechanism capable of roll, pitch and yaw rotations in three dimensions around the approximate center of the at least one sphere. Embodiments include multiple spheres and sphere-bearing pin contact combinations forming the three-dimensional adjustable pivot. A retainer holds the spherical pivot components together when the ligature system is not clamping the reed to the mouthpiece without hampering user adjustments in the three normal (roll, pitch and yaw) dimensional ranges.

Abstract: A drum tuning key includes a body having a longitudinal axis, a first end and a second end, the first end including a keyed interface configured to releaseably engage an element of a tuning assembly of a drum for cooperative rotation therewith and the second end including a radially-extending portion configured to be manipulated by a user to apply a torque in relation to the longitudinal axis to operate the tuning assembly, and a magnet carried by the body and having a first end, a second end, and an axis of magnetization extending between the first end and the second end, wherein at least one of the first end or the second end of the magnet is located at or adjacent an outer surface of the body.

Abstract: A side plate configured for use on a percussion instrument includes a base plate having a first surface and a second surface. A receiving portion is configured to removably connect to the base plate. The receiving portion extends beyond the second surface of the base plate when connected thereto. The receiving portion includes a hole extending parallel to the first and second surface of the base plate. A tuning rode is receivable within the hole and is configured to restrict movement of the receiving portion relative to the base plate.