Abstract: A portable mellophone instrument having two interchangeable leadpipes and pitched in real F. The mellophone plays in the key of real F, and has a stable, deep, mellow sound. The mellophone allows French horn players to use their own mouthpiece to play the mellophone without an adapter, and allows trumpet players to play the mellophone using a familiar mouthpiece.

Abstract: An adapter for the finger appendage of a brass instrument has an adapter body. An outboard side and an inboard side of the adapter body are spaced apart along a width. The adapter includes a fitting portion defining the outboard side of the adapter body and a spacer portion defining the inboard side of the adapter body. The fitting portion defines a mounting opening configured to receive the first portion of the adapter body to mount the adapter body on the finger appendage such that the spacer portion is received in the finger gap and the inboard side of the adapter body opposes the second portion of the finger appendage to define a reduced gap having a width that is less than the width of the finger gap.

Abstract: B/F tenor trombone for children, comprising a sound part and a slide, composed of an inner slide and an outer slide being movably disposed thereon, wherein the total length formed by sound part and slide has a tubing length Ls1+Ls2+Ls3+Lz1+Lz2+Lz3, and wherein in the 1st register, the slide has a tubing length Lz1+Lz2+Lz3 of less than 150 cm, and wherein the sound part has a tubing length Ls1+Ls2+Ls3 of more than 125 cm.

Abstract: The moveable double slide assembly of the comprises a backslide which is connected to the double slide with a link that allows free floatation of the backslide rather than a fixed connection, and thus, the double slide experiences less resistance during travel of the moveable portion.

Abstract: A dual rotor axial-flow rotor valve structure includes a rotor valve seat for rotatably receiving rotatable first and second rotor valves. The rotor valve seat has a first and a second extension sections connected to end sections of a second and a first tuning slide assembly s. The first rotor valve communicates with end sections of first and second flow passages with a mouthpiece and the other end of the second tuning slide assembly and communicate the other end of the second flow passage with the first or second extension section. The second rotor valve communicates ends of the first and second flow passages with the other end of the first tuning slide assembly and a main tuning slide assembly and communicate the other end of the second flow passage with the first or second extension section.

Abstract: A musical instrument such as a trombone is manufactured by moulding from polymeric material. The instrument has a moulded body section which has an internal bore through which air is blown by the player. The internal diameter of the bore has a restriction formed thereon so that the diameter of the bore tapers along the section for tuning or tonal adjustment of the instrument.

Abstract: The present invention provides a valve assembly designed to regulate air flow through a musical instrument and is designed to avoid bumps typically associated with valve construction that result in distortion and other harmful effects on vibrating columns of air that pass there-through. The valve assembly comprises: a cylindrical-shaped valve casing having openings formed therein that define at least one ingress and at least one egress through which vibrating columns of air pass; and a valve piston received within the valve casing and linearly displaceable therein, the valve piston comprising at least one passageway having a cross-section that is open and u-shaped, whereby other passageways formed in the valve piston are bump-free.

Abstract: A straight-through rotary valve structure includes: a case having an internal conic receiving space with an opening, a first extension section being disposed at a tip of the receiving space, a second extension section being disposed beside the first extension section; a conic rotary valve block having a pivot shaft and formed with a first hole and a second hole, the first hole communicating with a third hole formed at a tip of the rotary valve block in communication with the first extension section, the second hole communicating with a fourth hole formed on a conic face of the rotary valve block; and an outer cover blocking the opening of the case. The outer cover is formed with a central shaft hole through which the pivot shaft passes. The outer cover is further formed with a first perforation and a second perforation corresponding to the first and second holes respectively.

Abstract: A musical instrument such as a trombone is manufactured by moulding from polymeric material. The instrument has a moulded body section which has an internal bore through which air is blown by the player. The internal diameter of the bore has a restriction formed thereon so that the diameter of the bore tapers along the section for tuning or tonal adjustment of the instrument.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for its use are provided that relate to an octave/register key for musical wind instruments that combines (i) a vent formed by alignment of an opening of a core and a sidewall aperture of a sleeve, wherein the core is slidably and coaxially mounted within the sleeve, or a vent formed by alignment of sidewall apertures on an inner chamber slidably mounted within an outer chamber, and (ii) the mechanism to open and close such a vent. The device, upon actuation, vents the wind instrument air column to remove the fundamental pitch frequency, and can be mounted anywhere on the body of a musical wind instrument or onto any existing tone hole key of the instrument.

Abstract: In a brass musical instrument having two substantially parallel adjacent braces between portions of the instrument windpath tubing, the improvement comprising a cross-brace extending in planes substantially parallel to a plane of the parallel braces and having two opposed edges each with two spaced contact regions secured to a respective one of the parallel braces and a recessed region between the contact regions, thereby allowing elimination of other windpath bracing and providing a beneficial site for sound-modifying components.

Abstract: A player changes the pitch of tones produced through a trombone by controlling the breath and a slide, and the control of slide is not easy for children, handicapped persons and old players; a supporting system is combined with the trombone, and includes a manipulating board fitted to an appropriate portion of the trombone close to the slide, a driving mechanism connected to the slide and a controlling unit connected to the manipulating board and driving mechanism; when the player wishes to change the pitch of tones through the sliding motion of the slide, he moves a lever on the manipulating board by a distance shorter than a target stroke of the slide, and the controlling unit calculates the target stroke so as to supply a driving signal to the driving mechanism; and the driving mechanism exerts force on the slide so as to assist the player in varying the length of the column of air.

Abstract: The present invention is for valved musical wind instruments in the musical keys of BB-flat, CC, E-flat, and F with progressive cylindrical mid-section bore or gradual conical mid-section bore expansion or a combination, not to exceed 0.85 inch bore within the first 65% of instrument length and bell throat diameters not to exceed 3 inches measured 10 inches from the bell flare, in which bass trombone tone qualities prevail. Progressive mid-section bore is novel, enhances responsiveness, and enables “early” valve placement options. A 4-valve B-flat bass valve trombone, B-flat cimbasso, or B-flat Tu-Bone is claimed, and may have a single constant cylindrical mid-section bore, or progressive cylindrical mid-section bore or gradual conical mid-section bore expansion or a combination. A valved B-flat bass inverted full double trombone, cimbasso, or Tu-Bone is claimed, as well as a “compensated” version and a full double euphonium. Invention valves may be any piston or rotary valves.

Abstract: A valve for use in musical wind instruments, associated musical instruments, and methods of fabricating such valves and musical instruments are provided. An exemplary rotor valve includes a solid rotor body having a first, substantially straight passage defined therein extending from a first opening in a peripheral surface of the rotor body to a second opening in the peripheral surface. Second and third passages are formed and extend from associated openings in the peripheral surface to associated openings in a face surface of the rotor body. The first passage may define a first, primary flow path of the instrument and the second and third passages cooperatively define a second flow path of the instrument, which incorporates an added length of tubing. In one embodiment, an interchangeable tube insert may be installed in the first passage to define flow characteristics in the first flow path.

Abstract: A contrabassoon has a body, a tuning slide, a bocal pipe and a novel register system. The body, tuning slide and bocal pipe form a tube having a continuous bore. The register system comprises 5 vent holes formed in the tube. Key mechanisms for selectively opening and closing the vent holes are described. The contrabassoon further comprises linkage to selectively operate a low E vent pad, and an alternative C-sharp tone hole, with accompanying key mechanism.

Abstract: Disclosed is a mechanism for attaching a tuning bell of a musical instrument to the musical instrument. The mechanism includes a rail attached to the tuning bell and a hollow channel attached to a part of the musical instrument such as, for example, to a valve cluster. The channel has an exterior surface and an interior surface. The mechanism includes an adjustable clamp engaging the exterior surface of the channel. Also disclosed is method of using the mechanism which comprises the steps of positioning the rail within the channel and adjusting the clamp to compressibly engage the interior surface of the channel against the exterior surface of the rail until the rail is secured against the interior surface to prevent movement of the rail within the channel.

Abstract: A trombone has a rotary valve unit inserted between two parts of a main tube and further connected to a bypass tube, and a player manipulates the rotary valve unit for changing the length of vibrating air column, wherein the rotary valve unit has a cylindrical casing connected at both end surfaces thereof to the parts of the main tube, a first pair of ports formed on the side surface thereof and connected to both ends of the bypass tube and a second pair of ports, a short tube connected between the ports of the second pair and a rotor rotatable inside the cylindrical casing and having two air passages spaced from one another in the direction of the rotational axis thereof and connecting one of the parts of the main tube through the short tube to the other part at a first angular position and one of the parts through the bypass tube to the other part so that the rotary valve unit is compact.

Abstract: An apparatus for marking slide positions on a conventional trombone having an inner hollow slide slidingly journalled in an outer hollow slide includes a magnet sensor mountable on the outer hollow slide for sensing proximity of a magnet mounted within the inner hollow slide. The magnet sensor may be first magnets mountable in longitudinally spaced apart slide positions on the outer hollow slide. A second magnet is mountable within the inner hollow slide. The magnet sensor indicates the proximity of the second magnet by feedback to a user sliding the outer hollow slide over the inner hollow slide.

Abstract: An improvement to the tone and responsiveness of brass instruments is achieved by holding preshaped pieces of damping material, preferably a waxy, hot-melt adhesive, pressed against surfaces of the instrument tubing sections such as valve casings and tubing sections at particular locations, to reduce sympathetic vibrations of the instrument structure.

Abstract: A rotary valve for selectively inserting and removing a slide loop from the sound path of a musical instrument is disclosed. The valve includes a cylindrical rotor housed in a cylindrical casing coupled to the instrument's lead pipe, main bore and slide loop leading and trailing ends. The rotor has two passages extending through it. The first passage is generally "Y" shaped with two leading ends and a trailing end, while the second passage is generally straight having a leading end and a trailing end. In a first valve position, the first leading end and the trailing end of the "Y" shaped rotor passage coaxially align with the instrument's lead pipe and main bore, respectively, providing an air pathway excluding the additional slide loop.

Abstract: A brass wind instrument which changes pitch by varying the tube lengths thereof which includes a slide portion which is substantially half the physical length of a conventional slide. The slide assembly comprises two substantially U-shaped tubes which slidably engage corresponding tubes on a fixed portion of the trombone. The fixed portion of the trombone accommodates a conventional bell and a conventional mouthpiece. The slide assembly includes first and second substantially U-shaped slide tube members each having a pair of adjacent legs that slidably engage the fixed portion of the trombone. The slide assembly is configured such that customary pitch positions are obtainable.

Abstract: A rotary valve for musical instruments is provided. The valve is specially designed to have three internal passages with gentle curves and continuously circular passageways to provide true tonal qualities and a minimum of distortion. The valve passages have a bend radius of at least the diameter of the valve passage and the casing of the valve approximates three times the diameter of the passages. The valve passages to and from the loop are positioned on opposite sides of and cross over a through passage from the mouthpiece to the bell for economy of space and gentle passage curvature. The inlet and outlet openings or end holes in the loop engaging passages are located approximately 45.degree. from one another along their axes to avoid substantial changes in the direction of air flow. The 45.degree. angle is between diameters of the openings and can also be expressed as 135.degree. around the circumference of the rotor. Continuous flow during valve operation is provided in a modification.

Abstract: A wind instrument is described which includes an elongated tubular body and a helical member in the tubular body extending longitudinally therein for inducing a helical airflow in the tubular body from air blown into the mouthpiece. A helical member is also described for insertion within a wind instrument to induce helical airflow through at least part of the instrument.

Abstract: The trombone guide of the present invention provides a novel guide for positioning the first and second finger and thumb of the trombonist to ensure proper slide technique.

Abstract: An improvement to the tone and responsiveness of brass instruments is achieved by holding preshaped pieces of damping material, preferably a waxy, hot-melt adhesive, pressed against surfaces of the instrument tubing sections such as valve casings and tubing sections at particular locations, to reduce sympathetic vibrations of the instrument structure.

Abstract: A plurality of tubular members are incorporated in a wind instrument for forming an air passage, and each of the tubular members has a tubular portion and a guide portion larger in diameter than the tubular portion and rounding therefrom for forming a hollow space open to the inner space of the tubular portion, thereby preventing the external appearance of the wind instrument from residual electrolyte confined during a plating bath.

Abstract: A slide trombone is provided which has an attachment that is activated by a single thumb trigger to lower the basic pitch of the trombone by a perfect fifth. This attachment configuration permits the player to play all the chromatic tones between the tenor range and the pedal notes using a standard length slide.

Abstract: A slide trombone is provided having a complete chromatic range extending from the tenor range to the pedal notes of the basic B.sup..music-flat. windpath. The trombone of the present invention includes two trigger activated attachments which are "in-line." The first attachment is thumb activated to lower the pitch of the basic windpath by a minor third. The second attachment is finger activated to lower the basic windpath by approximately six semitones so that the two attachments together lower the basic windpath by a minor sixth.

Abstract: A slide housing having a plurality of rows of side wall ports directed into the side walls of the housing is arranged to receive a slide block within the housing, wherein the slide block includes through-extending bores arranged for alignment with the side wall bores, with a helical wind tube mounted to the side walls, with the wind tube having individual coils, and each coil including a coil exit port, and the coil exit ports are mounted to the side wall ports, with the slide arranged to effect intercommunication between a selected number of the individual coils to effect pitched change in use of the instrument. The slide block includes a slide conduit received within an instrument bell conduit in pneumatic communication with the instrument bell.

Abstract: An apparatus for outputting a pitch data corresponding to a relative distance between a pair of movable members or a position of a second movable member relative to a first movable member. Data indicating the output relative distance or data indicating the output relative position is converted to corresponding pitch data in accordance with one of a plurality of conversion characteristics selected by a selection section. A pitch corresponding to the converted pitch data is determined. An electronic musical instrument outputs a musical tone having the determined pitch. The musical tone is controlled in accordance with a flow state of air passing through a mouthpiece or a bite pressure.

Abstract: A bracket assembly for mounting on a trombone to provide an alternative and more comfortable holding position for the instrument comprising a framework of connected tubular members including a pair of spaced side frame members and at least two spaced cross braces connected therebetween, an angularly oriented mounting portion connected to each of the side frame members, an attachment member on the free end of each mounting portion for engagement with angularly related tubular portions of the trombone, clamping means for attaching the attachment members to the trombone, and a transversely extending member attached to one of the side frame members for engagement by the hand that supports the instrument so located that said hand can optionally be positioned farther forward from the mouthpiece than if the instrument is supported by the same hand in the conventional manner.

Abstract: A trombone has an other slide member fabricated from graphite tube. The graphite tube is 60-66% graphite and 40-34% expoxy resin and has a wall thickness in the range between 0.023 and 0.029 inches. The resulting trombone is lightweight and durable, resistant to bending or denting of the tube and has a smooth slide action.

Abstract: A brass wind instrument incorporating a compact slide configuration comprising two U-shaped slide tube members, each having two tube lengths which are proximate to each other and which are coupled together with a minimum length crook. The two U-shaped slide tube members, in the preferred embodiment, are in parallel planes and are permitted to reciprocate, during use, on four corresponding fixed length receiver tube members.

Abstract: A rotary valve for selectively inserting and removing a slide loop from the sound path of a musical instrument is disclosed. The valve includes a rotor having an outer surface portion that is substantially conical and also includes a casing with a substantially conical inner surface portion that receives the outer surface portion of the rotor. Two sound passages entending through the rotor are no more than slightly curved. These passages align axially with the instrument's lead pipe, main bore, and slide loop ends so that a minimum of undesired harmonics are added to the tone of the instrument due to presence of the valve in the sound path.

Abstract: The embodiment of the invention disclosed herein is directed to a novel tenor trombone construction. The tenor trombone is capable of performing as a standard slide trombone and/or as a piston valve trombone. The trombone can be operated in these two modes simultaneously or individually. The piston valves can be manipulated by the left hand of the user while the slide member can be manipulated by the right hand, without requiring the player to remove either hand from its normal playing position, or from interrupting his hold on the instrument while playing. The piston valves are so positioned as to enable the user to operate the piston valves with the right hand. Holder means is provided for the slide member assembly to hold it in place when the piston valves are being manipulated by the right hand.

Abstract: The embodiment of the invention disclosed herein is directed to a wind instrument made of tubular metal and having an initial straight portion beginning at a mouthpiece receiving end and terminating in a sound-emanating bell portion. The wind instrument is provided with a plurality of piston valves to be manipulated to produce a multitude of different musical notes. A pair of spaced apart tubes is held in a fixed relation relative to one another and to the wind instrument. These tubes have terminating ends extending in a direction opposite that of the mouthpiece receiving end portion. A slide member has a U-shaped end portion which leads into a pair of straight parallel spaced apart portions having open ends fitted over the terminating ends of the tubes and is movable therealong to enable a player to obtain a multitude of different musical notes without manipulation of the piston valves.