Abstract:
A playing support device for positioning and supporting a pluck musical instrument such as a guitar in a way which allows the performer to position the instrument in front of the body in a manner as if the instrument were being played in a sitting down position. The playing support device also assists in relieving pull on the shoulder caused by the support strap due to the weight of the instrument. The playing support device includes a cushion attachable to the instrument by adjustable straps which enable a comfortable placement of the cushion between the rear surface of the body of the instrument and the body of the player in the playing position.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention relates to musical instruments such as guitars, banjos and the like, and more particularly to apparatus for assisting placement and retention of the instrument in a comfortable playing position.  
           [0002]    Guitars, both acoustic and electric, are often played from a standing position with the instrument being supported by a strap looped over the shoulder of the player. While a standing position facilitates the ability to move about on a stage and to perform easily in front of an audience and with other performers, the standing position does not adequately allow the performer to play in a position that is both comfortable and allows the performer the full range of motion, optimum accessibility by both hands to the instrument, and adequate sight lines to the instrument. This is particularly the case with an acoustic instrument, which is typically deeper and less contoured, if at all, on the back than it&#39;electric counterpart, although the same principal applies in both cases. Playing an instrument in a standing position necessitates that the front of the instrument face completely away from the performer, with the back of the instrument flush with the performer&#39;storso. Also, the weight of the guitar can become quite uncomfortable for the player after playing the guitar in a standing position over a period of time. The traditional support strap can also cause tension on the neck due to the weight of the instrument.  
           [0003]    Historically, guitars and other similar stringed instruments were designed to be played, and are played, in a sitting down position. This position allows a performer to both tilt the guitar at an angle so that the bottom back edge of the instrument rests on either knee, the top back edge of the instrument only is touching the torso, and a gap is formed between the instrument and the torso. An imaginary line parallel to the face of the instrument and running between the ceiling and the floor thus intersects an imaginary line parallel to the performer&#39;s upright torso. This allows better right hand access to the strings in the vicinity of the sound hole by the right hand, with less strain put on the right wrist because of the angle, and the further ability to hold the forearm off the face of the instrument, thus allowing the instrument to reverberate naturally. The performer also has the ability thus to tilt the neck of the instrument toward the ceiling for better left hand accessibility, and to angle the top leading edge of the neck toward the performer&#39;storso in order to facilitate comfort and maximize the performer&#39;s sight lines to the entire neck in addition to the face of the guitar.  
           [0004]    Another problem sometimes encountered when using a traditional support strap involves damage caused to the rear surface of the instrument by the player&#39;s belt buckle. Using the traditional support strap, the rear surface of the instrument contacts the player&#39;storso as described above. Such contact can result in scratching of the rear surface by a belt buckle or other hard objects, such as jewelry, worn in the front of the player&#39;storso.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0005]    The present invention comprises a playing support device for positioning and supporting a plucked musical instrument such as a guitar or the like, in a way which allows the performer to position the instrument in front of the body in a manner as if the instrument were being played in a sitting down position as described above. This device also assists in relieving pull on the shoulder caused by the support strap due to the weight of the instrument. The instrument includes a body portion having a rear surface and a neck portion connected to a second end of the body portion. A first strap attachment button is attached to a first end of the body portion opposite the second end. Some guitars have a second strap attachment button which is attached to the instrument proximate the region where the neck portion joins the body portion. The playing support device of the present invention is useable with both types. The playing support device comprises a cushion member; a first adjustable strap member having opposite ends, one end being attachable to a first end of the cushion member; and a second adjustable strap member having opposite ends, one end being attachable to a second end of the cushion member. In one embodiment of the present invention, useable with those instruments having first and second strap attachment buttons, the other end of the first adjustable strap member is attachable to the first strap attachment button; and the other end of the second adjustable strap member is attachable to the second strap attachment button. In another embodiment of the invention, useable with those guitars having no second strap attachment button, an auxiliary adjustable support member is useable in place of the second adjustable strap member. In this embodiment, one end of the auxiliary adjustable support member is attachable to the second end of the cushion. The other end of the auxiliary adjustable support member is attachable to a portion of a guitar support strap attached to the guitar. In yet another embodiment of the invention, both adjustable strap members encircle the waist of the player with the other ends of the adjustable strap members attached together to secure the cushion member in position between the body of the player and the rear surface of the body of the instrument. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING  
       [0006]    [0006]FIG. 1 is a front view of an instrument playing support device in accordance with the present invention.  
         [0007]    [0007]FIG. 2 is a rear view of the playing support device of the present invention depicted in FIG. 1.  
         [0008]    [0008]FIG. 3 depicts, in partial phantom view, the playing support device in accordance with the present invention attached to first and second strap attachment buttons on a guitar.  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 4 depicts a portion of the playing support device of the present invention showing an end of a second adjustable strap member attached to the second strap attachment button on the body of the guitar proximate the region where the neck portion joins the body portion of the instrument.  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 5 depicts, in partial phantom view, another embodiment of the playing support device in accordance with the present invention with the first adjustable strap member attached between the first end of the cushion and the first strap attachment button as depicted in FIG. 3, and an auxiliary adjustable support member attached between the second end of the cushion and a portion of a guitar support strap.  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 6 depicts a portion of the embodiment of playing support device of the present invention depicted in FIG. 5 showing an end of the auxiliary adjustable support member attached between the second end of the cushion and a portion of a guitar support strap.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 7 depicts, in partial phantom view, yet another embodiment of the playing support device in accordance with the present invention in which the other ends of the adjustable strap members attached together to secure the cushion member in position between the body of the player and the rear surface of the body of the instrument. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0013]    Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a front view of an instrument playing support device in accordance with the present invention, generally designated  10 . The instrument playing support  10  comprises a cushion member  12  having a first attachment ring  14  attached to a first end of the cushion member  12  and a second attachment ring  16  attached to a second end of the cushion member  12 . The cushion member  12  is preferably oval shaped approximately 8″ by 8″ in size. It should be noted that other shapes and sizes may be suitable and such are considered to be within the scope of the present invention. The cushion member  12  is has a cover preferably constructed of velveteen, non-ridged corduroy, ultrasuede or similar non-abrasive material, filled with cotton, wool, kapok, husks or similar stuffing. The cover preferably has a pleated opening  13  (see FIG. 2) for adding or removing stuffing material. The lip of the pleated opening is folded down to provide a small pocket for accessories such as guitar picks.  
         [0014]    The first  14  and second  16  attachment rings are preferably constructed of brass or hard plastic. In the preferred embodiment, the first  14  and second  16  attachment rings are connected by a heavy ribbon, leather or fabric connection member  18  running through the cushion member  12 . A first adjustable strap member  20  is attached to the first end of the cushion member  12  through the first attachment ring  14 . The first adjustable strap member  20  is preferably a composite nylon Velcro® and leather strap one inch in width. The first end of the first adjustable strap member  20  is looped through the first attachment ring  14  with the end of the strap secured to an intermediate portion of the strap by a Velcro® fastener. The other, second end of the first adjustable strap member  20  has an aperture  24  therein for attaching to a strap attachment button on the instrument to be played.  
         [0015]    Referring to FIG. 2, a second adjustable strap member  26  is attached to the second end of the cushion member  12  through the second attachment ring  16 . The second adjustable strap member  26  is preferably of the same construction as the first adjustable strap member  20 . The first end of the second adjustable strap member  26  is looped through the second attachment ring  16  with the end of the strap secured to an intermediate portion of the strap by a Velcro® fastener. The other, second end of the second adjustable strap member  26  has an aperture  30  therein for attaching to a strap attachment button on the instrument to be played.  
         [0016]    An auxiliary adjustable strap member  32  is attachable to the second attachment ring  16  for use with instruments having only one strap attachment button as will be hereinafter described. The auxiliary adjustable strap member  32  comprises a flexible cord  34  having a clip  36  at one end thereof. The instrument playing support device  10  is configured as shown in FIG. 1 when used with instruments having only one strap attachment button. In this configuration, the cord  34  is looped through the second attachment ring  16  with the end of the cord  34  secured by a half hitch made in the cord. The other end of the auxiliary adjustable support member is attachable to a portion of a guitar support strap attached to the guitar as will be described later. The second adjustable strap member  26  is stowed preferability by folding it back on itself as shown in FIG. 1 or may be removed entirely. When used with instruments having two strap attachment buttons, the instrument playing support device  10  is preferably configured as shown in FIG. 2 with the auxiliary adjustable strap member  32  removed.  
         [0017]    Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4, there is shown the instrument playing support device  10  being used in connection with a guitar  40  including a body portion  42  having a rear surface  44  and a neck portion  46  connected to a second end of the body portion  42 . A first strap attachment button  48  is attached to a first end of the body portion opposite the second end. A second strap attachment button  50  is attached to the guitar proximate the region where the neck portion  46  joins the body portion  42 . A guitar strap  52  is connected between the first  48  and second  50  strap attachment buttons and looped over the shoulder of the player  54  in the playing position. The instrument playing support device  10  is attached to the guitar  40  by inserting the first strap attachment button  48  through the aperture  24  located at the end of the first adjustable strap  20 , and inserting the second strap attachment button  50  through the aperture  30  located at the end of the second adjustable strap  26 . The first  20  and/or second  26  straps are adjusted as required to provide a comfortable placement of the cushion member  12  between the rear surface  44  of the body  42  of the instrument  40  and the body of the player  54  in the playing position.  
         [0018]    Referring now to FIGS. 5 and 6, there is shown the instrument playing support device  10  being used in connection with a guitar  40  including a body portion  42  having a rear surface  44  and a neck portion  46  connected to a second end of the body portion  42 . A first strap attachment button  48  is attached to a first end of the body portion opposite the second end. The guitar depicted in FIGS. 5 and 6 has no second strap attachment button attached to the guitar proximate the region where the neck portion  46  joins the body portion  42 . With the guitar  40  depicted in FIGS. 5 and 6, the guitar strap  52  is connected between the first strap attachment button  48  and an attachment point  56  located on the neck portion  46  proximate the tuning knobs  58 . The guitar strap  52  thus attached to the guitar  40  is looped over the shoulder of the player  54  in the playing position. The instrument playing support device  10  is attached to the guitar  40  by inserting the first strap attachment button  48  through the aperture  24  located at the end of the first adjustable strap  20 . The auxiliary adjustable strap member  32  is attached to the second attachment ring  16  as depicted in FIG. 1 and described above. The end of the auxiliary adjustable strap member  32  is attached to the guitar strap  52  by a half hitch made in the cord. The first adjustable strap  20  and/or the auxiliary adjustable strap member  32  are adjusted as required to provide a comfortable placement of the cushion member  12  between the rear surface  44  of the body  42  of the instrument  40  and the body of the player  54  in the playing position.  
         [0019]    Referring now to FIG. 7 there is shown the instrument playing support device  10  in accordance with the present invention in which the ends of the first  20  and second  26  adjustable strap members are attached together to secure the cushion member  12  in position between the body of the player  54  and the rear surface  44  of the body  42  of the guitar  40 . In this configuration, the first  20  and second  26  adjustable strap members are connected to the cushion member  12  as depicted in FIG. 2 and described above. The first  20  and second  26  adjustable strap members are then wrapped around the body of the player  54  with the ends being attached by clips. The first  20  and/or second  26  straps are adjusted as required to provide a comfortable fit around the body and placement of the cushion member  12  between the rear surface  44  of the body  42  of the instrument  40  and the body of the player  54  in the playing position.