Patent ID: 6093879
Filing Date: 2000-07-25
Classification: G10C,G10G

Abstract:
In combination,A) a stepped-pitch musical instrument;B) a plurality of sound selection devices controlling a minimum of twelve elements, said devices subject to operator selection, said elements sufficient to provide a defined chromatic scale of pitches containing twelve pitch stations;C) wave propagating means responsive to activation of said elements, said wave propagating means enabling the production of sound waves of distinct frequency corresponding to said selection of said selected devices;D) said devices further arranged such that said defined chromatic scale contains both a first and a second tone-string of said sound waves, such that said first tone-string contains the tonic pitch of said defined chromatic scale, and such that said second tone-string contains the tritone pitch of said defined chromatic scale, whereas said tonic pitch and said tritone pitch of said defined chromatic scale are together termed the tonic pair;E) said devices further arranged such that the particular pitches of each of said first and second tone-strings are not shared in common and such that both of said first and said second tone-strings each have a precise minimum of four similar intervals linking five of said particular pitches in ascending succession, where similar is defined as identical within a specified tolerance, where said specified tolerance is a cent value no greater than 1.5 cents;F) said devices further arranged such that said first and said second tone-strings together contain six rung intervals separating six tritone pairs, whereby the value of a particular rung interval is the same rung interval within said specified tolerance for a basic minimum of five of said six tritone pairs;G) said devices further arranged such that an actual minimum of ten of said twelve pitch stations of said defined chromatic scale are isomorphic within said specified tolerance relative to either of said pitches of said tonic pair when either is used as the zero degree station for said chromatic scale, and where the remaining five tritone pairs not including said tonic pair are categorized as modulating pairs;H) said devices further arranged such that the values of a majority of the semitone intervals of said defined chromatic scale do not equal or do not approximate within a precise tolerance of 0.5 cents a 100.0 cent semitone interval.