Abstract: A high hat stand for a pair of cymbals, including a support for a stationary cymbal and a vertically slidable coaxial operating rod for a cooperating movable cymbal. A spring returns the movable cymbal off the stationary one. A foot pedal operates the movable cymbal against the stationary cymbal. The connection between the foot pedal and the movable cymbal comprises a pair of rotary members, one connected to and movable by the foot pedal and the other connected to move the operating rod for the movable cymbal. The rotary members are attached to the same axis to rotate together. From the axis of rotation to its point of operative connection, the lever arm of the rotary member connected to the foot pedal is longer than the lever arm of the rotary member connected to the operating rod of the movable cymbal. Each rotary member is defined either by a lever or a sprocket.

Abstract: A teaching aid for keyboard instruments including first and second elongate sections configured to be snapped together to form an aid approximating the length of a typical keyboard. Each section has an outboard end notched so as to engage the end pieces of the instrument and front and rear indicia bearing surfaces with the indicia representing musical notes. The note spacing on the front surfaces comprises a first arrangement and the note spacing on the rear surfaces comprise a second, different arrangement.

Abstract: An improved drumstick is disclosed having a striking tip, a tapered portion, and a straight portion terminating in a butt end and having the center of gravity 35% to 41% from the butt end. There is also disclosed an improved tympani stick having a striking head, and a handle terminating in a butt end, the improvement comprising a weight added near the butt end sufficient to balance the tympani stick 35% to 41% from the butt end.

Abstract: A rotary valve coupled into the principal sound path of a musical wind instrument for selectively inserting and removing one or more acoustic pipe segments from the sound path is disclosed. The valve includes a tapered housing enclosing a tapered lightweight rotor having at least one acoustic passage therethrough. The rotor is comprised of first and second axially coupled portions separated by a biasing spring tending to axially urge the portions apart. Each rotor acoustic passage is coupled inside the rotor to the rotor portions so as to permit the rotor portions to be axially separated from each other a predetermined distance while preserving the airtight seal between the rotor acoustic passage and each rotor portion. Hence, the rotor is axially self-adjusting in the valve housing, maintaining seal integrity of rotor apertures to housing apertures without periodic maintenance or adjustment.

Abstract: A guitar is formed with a one-piece molded fiberglass body having nested oppositely facing inner and outer concavities. A sound board is bonded to one side of the body to enclose the outer concavity and a substantially smaller back is bonded to the other side of the body to enclose the smaller concavity. The inner concavity has a peripheral rim which is recessed to receive the back allowing the back and exterior of the body to be uniformly coated to give the appearance of blending together as a single piece. An optional sound transmitting post may extend between the back and a central portion of the inner concavity. The inner concavity is provided with small openings or f-holes for sound communication between the concavities and the sound board has the conventional central opening.

Abstract: A support device and/or holding device for a musical percussion instrument, particularly for the instrument body of a membranophone which has a resonator. The support device includes a rigid holding member fastened to a support for the instrument. A flexible connecting member is arranged between the rigid support member and the rigid holding member. The connecting member is of a non-metal material with vibration damping and/or vibration absorbing properties. The holding member is exclusively mounted on the outer side of the instrument body and the support body is mounted on the inner side of the instrument body. The flexible connecting member is composed of a part arranged between the support member and the inner side of the instrument body and of a part arranged between the holding member and the outer side of the instrument body. One of the parts engages into openings in the instrument body. Tie rods or anchoring rods extend through the opening between the holding member and the support member.

Abstract: A drum lug includes a lug case and a lug nut. The lug case is fixed to an outer surface of a drum body. A threaded hole with which the lug bolt is threadably engaged is formed in the center of the lug nut. The lug nut is housed in the lug case with one end portion of the lug nut being exposed outside the lug case. A spot-faced hole communicating with the threaded hole is formed in the center of an outer end face of the lug nut in a predetermined depth. The hole diameter of the spot-faced hole is set to be slightly larger than the major diameter of the threaded hole.

Abstract: A hand-held percussion device which can make different sounds when shaken, struck, or scraped is now available. The device comprises a frame that is made of two sound boards interconnected and separated by a top block on one end and joined on the other end. Between the top and bottom of the device, a bridge interconnects and separates the sound boards thereby determining their length and tension. The bridge also creates at least two separated sound chambers in the frame. A top plate is placed over the upper side of the sound boards and a lower plate is placed over the bottom side of the sound boards. The top plate and bottom plate, respectively, can be separated from the sound boards by use of spacers. Filler materials such as "BBs" or other bead-like materials can be placed within one or more of the chambers thereby allowing the device to make noise when vibrated.

Abstract: A drum mute for eliminating overtones and ringing that occurs when a drum head to which the mute is affixed is struck. The drum mute has a thin, flexible, resilient sheet which may be adhered to the drum head. The undersurface of the sheet includes an adhesive to adhere it to the drum head and an area of felt. Preferably, the sheet has an angled bend to resiliently hold the felt against the drum head.

Abstract: A bridge for a stringed musical instrument comprises a thin wooden body having a bottom base portion adapted to be supported upon a resonant body member of the instrument and a top crown portion that is formed with grooves for holding individual strings. The base and crown portions have opposed edges that are generally parallel with respect to each other. The crown is formed with baffle slits located adjacent the grooves that are oriented obliquely with respect to the crown edge for redirecting sound waves emitting from strings back to the grooves to produce a ringing tonal effect or to the base to reduce sound attenuation within the bridge.

Abstract: A percussion instrument comprises an oblong plastic block having a generally rectangular block portion with a front face and top and bottom surfaces, and a flange extending outwardly from the sides and rear. An elongated slot in the front face extends rearwardly to the rear flange, and laterally between the side flanges. The block has a raised ridge on the top face adjacent the front face for striking. In addition, landings are formed in the flanges which, together with a cooperating bracket assembly, act as a means for mounting the block.

Abstract: A high hat stand for a pair of cymbals, including a support for a stationary cymbal and a vertically slidable coaxial operating rod for a cooperating movable cymbal. A spring returns the movable cymbal off the stationary one. A foot pedal operates the movable cymbal against the stationary cymbal. The connection between the foot pedal and the movable cymbal comprises a rotary member connected to and movable by the foot pedal and connected to move the operating rod for the movable cymbal. From the axis of rotation to its point of operative connection, the lever arm of the rotary member connected to the foot pedal is longer than the lever arm of the rotary member connected to the operating rod of the movable cymbal. The rotary member is defined either by a lever or a wheel. An additional swingable arm may be connected to the axis of the rotary member to enable the axis to swing with respect to the movable cymbal operating rod when the connection from the rotary member to the rod swings through an arc.

Abstract: A flute headjoint having superior playing characteristics, said headjoint comprising a lip plate coupled to a headjoint tube by means of a chimney, the lip plate, chimney bore and headjoint tube having apertures aligned to form an air passsageway, the lip plate and chimney forming an enbouchure wall having a top surface, a rear surface and a front surface which splits the stream of air from a flute player's lips into a first air stream which flows into the air passageway and a second air stream which flows over the top surface of the embouchure wall. The rear portion of the lip plate is shaped so as to channel the second air stream downwardly and towards the middle of the lip plates rear portion. Flutes fitted with such a headjoint are believed to have quicker attack, cleaner tonal qualities, and greater sound volume while retaining flexibility of play.

Abstract: An apparatus for joining the neck and body of a stringed instrument includes a connecting flange of reduced thickness at the base of the neck and a cavity in the upper portion of the body for receiving the connecting flange and creating a junction having a thickness substantially equal to that of the base of the neck.

Abstract: A tremolo device for a stringed instrument has a tailpiece for anchoring and moving one end of the strings. The tailpiece pivots on a screw post which is attached to the body. A counterspring provides a force on the tailpiece which opposes the tension of the strings on the tailpiece. The counterspring is attached at a first end thereof to the body of the instrument and a second end thereof to the tailpiece. A screw received in and rotatable relative to the tailpiece is attached to the second end of the counterspring. Be rotating the screw, the distance from the tailpiece to the second end of the counterspring is varied, thereby varying the moment applied to the tailpiece by the force of the counterspring.

Abstract: A holder for stringed instrument picks is provided in which picks may be temporarily stored by inserting them between adjacent pairs of parallel vanes, which are resiliently displaced to retain the pick. In one embodiment, the vanes may be formed by the coils of a helical spring, and the holder may be attached to the face of a musical instrument or to another convenient flat or curved surface. For more secure or longer term storage, a pick may be inserted in compression between the spring and an underlying pad. A rod may be passed through the spring coils to prevent distortion and movement of the spring.

Abstract: An improved foot activated, musical drum pedal device for use in conjuction with a musical drum is provided with a pulley wheel on the toe end of the pedal. A lever member attached to a crossarm activates a mallet with a soft mallet head poised towards the drum. The lever member and pulley are interrelated to magnify the up/down motion of the toe end of the pedal into the swinging action of the mallet.

Abstract: A stringed musical instrument comprises a body portion having a front surface, a side surface and a concave back surface, a neck portion projecting from the side surface of the body portion and having a leading end, and a plurality of strings stretched over the front surface and the neck portion, so that a player's body is received into the concave, thereby supporting the musical instrument in a stable manner during a performance.

Abstract: A musical instrument which may be used to play a complete major scale without coordinated mouth and finger operations is formed as two or three horns having a single, shared mouthpiece, and pitched one or two half tones apart. One or both the of the horns may have one or two ports to enable one to play a complete major scale and other scale notes.

Abstract: A chin or shoulder pad for use with violins and violas is disclosed which includes a soft, flexible, resilient body having gradually rounded sides and a flexible, resilient neck attached to or near one rounded corner of the body and extending diagonally therefrom. The body mounts flush against the underside surface of the resonance body of the musical instrument on a lower end portion thereof below the C-shaped bouts such that the neck extends around and over the chin rest turnbuckle or screw assembly. A pair of straps connect opposite corner portions of a distal end of the neck to corresponding corners at the base of the body to form a pair of loops which extend around lower inside corners of the resonance box bouts. The straps connecting the pad to both bouts tends to inhibit sliding movement of the body and neck caused by rubbing movement of a musician thereagainst.