Machine with which stringed instruments will be picked or plucked

A machine for placement on the fingertips of players of stringed instruments with which the strings will picked or plucked. Designed as a set, the two picks do not collide as the musician moves his or her fingers to pick the stringed instrument, The abrasion of the interior of the picks, prevents pick slippage, even when worn comfortably loose, The forefinger pick is designed with a unique diagonal wrap that may be adjusted to fit a range of finger sizes, The middle finger pick is designed with wings that provide a gap which allows the adjacent pick to touch the skin of the middle finger instead of allowing metal to touch metal, The forefinger wrap is placed to avoid the metal of the middle finger pick and instead touch the skin of the middle finger, and The shank (the tip portion) may be adjusted or bent to the conformation desired by any given musician.

Not Applicable

DESCRIPTION OF ATTACHED APPENDIX

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to the field of finger picks and more specifically to a machine for placement on the fingertips of players of stringed instruments with which the strings will be picked or plucked.

Ever since the invention of stringed instruments, musicians have striven for the optimum method of plucking or strumming the strings of their chosen instrument. In the earliest of times, strings could be plucked or strummed with the fingernails of the musician because all strings were made from animal sinew or gut. With the onset of steel strings, it was learned that the fingernails of most musicians who chose to pick finger style would not stand up to the harshness of steel strings. In time, some inventor devised a metal device that was installed on the fingertip and supplanted the fingernail as the chosen method of plucking or strumming finger style.

However, from that time forward, myriad problems have plagued the users of the accessory. Early fingerpicks were comprised of two wraparound wings that were designed to be installed around the fingernail area of the finger. This design, currently still in use and sometimes referred to as the “National” design, usually manufactured from metal or plastic, requires that the picks be squeezed on tightly in order to keep the pick from dislodging and flying off the finger. The tightly installed picks often results in no small amount of pain after only a few minutes of use. Secondarily, because the pick is squeezed onto the fingertip, the rear portion of the pick wrap usually rests against the cuticle of the fingernail. During the picking process, the pressure on the pick face causes the rear of the pick wrap to dig into the cuticle. This very often results in painful hangnails, which have been and still are a constant problem. A less painful but nevertheless a very annoying problem is that of pick collisions during musical performances. This results in a clicking noise that very often disrupts and interferes with recording sessions. These pick collisions also diminish many musician's ability to finesse a musical piece.

Over the years, many designs have been offered as a replacement for that early pick. There have been fingerpicks with double wrap wings and numerous other wrap designs, none of which have completely overcome the problem of pick collisions during musical performances or the problem of hangnails and the pain associated with tightly installed fingerpicks.

The Alaska pick was designed as an attempt to more closely replicate the fingernail. This device was designed to slip over the top portion of the finger and embodies a slot into which the fingernail goes. This is to supposedly counter the torque imposed when the string is plucked. While many of this pick design has been sold to date, they are nevertheless not widely used.

The National design has also been manufactured from plastic. This, however, enjoys limited appeal as the memory in plastic prevents the user from permanently forming the pick to an ideal shape to fit his or her finger. Plastic may be reshaped by heating in hot water, but the process is much more burdensome than reshaping metal picks.

Various fingerpick designs have been manufactured from numerous materials, none of which until now, have truly overcome the challenges associated with the use of fingerpicks.

A musician who is able to pick with fingernails enjoys the ultimate in musical “touch.” The tip of the finger as well as the fingernail is able to touch the strings, providing the musician with the ability to add finesse and dynamics to his or her music, a luxury that has been unattainable with fingerpicks. Additionally, while playing with fingernails, the skin of the fingers may touch each other while playing. This adds additional awareness of exactly what the fingers are doing during the process of picking.

The National pick design is designed to be worn around the fingernail region of each finger. This usually results in the picks colliding during play. This not only diminishes the musician's touch, but also results in a clicking sound that is often heard during recording sessions.

The National fingerpick design is inherently unstable when in use. Many musicians are forced to continuously push the picks back onto the fingertip during use, despite the fact that they are installed tightly. Very often, when the tip of the pick catches a string on the top side of the tip of the fingerpick, the pick will fly off, resulting in the ruination of the musical piece.

Until now, no fingerpick designs have been invented with two different shapes, designed specifically to overcome the challenges associated with the national, or old style fingerpicks. The most a musician could have hoped for was purchasing picks of different sizes to accommodate fingers of different sizes, but which were and are the same shape. The device described herein was designed as a set. In that configuration, this device overcomes the four (4) major problems associated with most other fingerpicks.

Some prior patents:

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary object of the invention is: The two picks are shaped differently, thereby obviating most collisions during use, offering a more perfect touch during musical performances. Another object of the invention is: each pick is designed to be installed near the first knuckle of the finger for which the given pick was specifically designed.

Another object of the invention is: Because the new style picks are worn above the fingernail and cuticle, hangnails are altogether avoided. This is in part due to the fact that the pressure that is normally exerted by the national style pick against the cuticle is, with this new design, distributed behind the cuticle, against the top of the finger, resulting in comfort for long periods of use.

Another object of the invention is: Because the two picks are shaped differently, they rarely touch during use, thereby offering a more Perfect Touch during the performance of musical pieces.

A further object of the invention is: The inside of the picks is abraded, thereby preventing slippage, this allows the picks to be worn comfortably loose, or snug avoiding the pain associated with tightly installed conventional picks.

In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, there is disclosed a two-part machine for placement on the fingertips of players of stringed instruments with which the strings will be picked or plucked comprising the following: The picks may be manufactured from either thin sheet metal or formed plastic, Designed as a complimentary set, the two picks do not collide as the musician moves his or her fingers to pick the stringed instrument, The abrasion of the interior (portion of the picks that touch the finger) of the picks, prevents the picks from slipping and or being dislodged, even when worn comfortably loose, or snug The forefinger pick is designed with a diagonal wrap that may be adjusted to fit a range of finger sizes, The middle finger pick is designed with wings that provide a gap which allows the adjacent pick or picks to touch the skin of the middle finger instead of metal, The forefinger pick wrap is strategically placed to avoid the metal of the middle finger pick and instead to touch the skin of the middle finger.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention is comprised of two components, a middle finger pick and a forefinger pick. However, because the middle finger pick has a gap on the ring finger side17, a forefinger pick may also be worn on the ring finger with the same advantage enjoyed by wearing it on the forefinger.

Turning first toFIG. 1, the middle finger pick is comprised of a pick shank1with which the strings of the instrument are picked or plucked, two wing wraps3&4, with which the pick is held onto the finger during use, an abraded interior2with which slippage of the pick is prevented, a wing gap (both sides of the pick)9&17which allows the adjacent pick to touch the flesh of the middle finger instead of metal, thereby resulting in a more perfect touch while in use. Turning now toFIG. 2, the forefinger pick is comprised of a pick shank5with which the strings of the instrument are picked or plucked, diagonal wraps7&8, with which the pick is held onto the finger during use, an abraded interior6with which slippage of the pick is prevented, diagonal wraps7or8, which moves through one or other of the wing gaps on the middle finger pick during use.FIG. 3depicts the middle finger pick and the forefinger pick installed on their appropriate finger. This view more readily depicts how the wrap of the forefinger pick avoids the metal of the middle finger pick by moving through the gaps12and or17.FIG. 4is a side view of both components of the present invention. Once again, it is made clear how the diagonal wrap16of the forefinger pick moves through the gap15of the of the middle finger pick. This view also shows the pick shanks18&19. These may be adjusted by the musician to the desired shape to satisfy the given musician's preference as to how the tip of the pick addresses the strings.