Tuner

A tuning device for a musical instrument includes a body and a neck extending out from the instrument's body. The neck has a free end including a headstock. The headstock includes an anterior instrument face, a posterior instrument face essentially opposite to the anterior instrument face, and at least one tuning key disposed on the posterior instrument face. The tuning device includes a tuning display and is engagable with one or more of the at least one tuning key, having a shape of a right-handed triangle fused to an oblong. The tuning display is disposed on the hypotenuse of the triangle. The display is positioned on the tuning device such as to essentially face the instrument's body when the tuning device is both engaged with the one or more tuning key, and entirely disposed above the posterior surface.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a national stage entry of PCT/IL2017/050881 filed Sep. 8, 2017, which claims priority from Israeli patent application 247228 filed on Aug. 11, 2016, the contents of each are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to tuning devices for musical instruments.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Digital tuners allow users to easily tune stringed instruments, such as guitars. In particular, the digital tuner can provide an easy to understand display, which allows the user to quickly determine the note being played, and tune the stringed instrument so that the note produced is the note intended by the user.

However, these digital tuners suffer from a number of drawbacks. For example, they must be close to the stringed instrument in order to produce an accurate reading. If it is not sufficiently close, then the digital tuner will be unable to measure the note properly and tuning the stringed instrument will become difficult or impossible. However, this means that the user is either holding the tuner or balancing it closely to the stringed instrument. Neither is desirable because neither replicates normal play positions by the user.

Some users clip the digital tuner to the headstock on the stringed instrument to ensure proximity. However, this is often a temporary solution at best, as the clip must be removed before transport or before storage on a wall-mount or a rack, or in a case. In addition, the clip and tuner are visible to the audience so it is not aesthetically pleasing to leave on during a performance. Further, the clip can ruin the finish of the stringed instrument while being used, placed or removed.

Accordingly, in U.S. Pat. No. 9,240,170 a system is described that can attach a digital tuner to an instrument at locations other than the headstock. U.S. Pat. No. 9,240,170 describes a stringed instrument mountable device that includes a vibration-sensing device configured to detect a note being played on a stringed instrument. The stringed instrument mountable device also includes an attachment configured to attach the vibration-sensing device to the stringed instrument.

However, as is clear from the figures of U.S. Pat. No. 9,240,170, the tuner must be positioned on the side of the instrument facing away from the user; otherwise, it interferes with the user, and thus is actually visible to viewers. Moreover, there are advantages of engaging a tuner to a headstock that are lost when attaching the tuner elsewhere, such as visibility of the display while playing.

It is an object of the present invention to provide novel tuners that can be directly engaged with a musical instrument, including on the headstock, yet are inconspicuous and/or invisible, in particular when the instruments are used during a performance;

Another object is to provide tuners that allow abrupt movements of the musical instruments without the tuners falling off the instruments.

Yet another object is to allow the tuners to be detachable, i.e. not affixed to the instrument, yet according to desire, capable of being left on the instrument when the instrument is put away in a case, with minimal or no hindrance and movement of the tuner.

Further objects and advantages of this invention will appear as the description proceeds.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to one aspect of the present disclosure, a tuning device for a musical instrument is provided, the instrument having:a body;a neck extending out from the body;the neck having a free end including a headstock;the headstock including:a plane anterior instrument surface;a plane posterior instrument surface essentially opposite to the anterior instrument surface, andat least one tuning key disposed on the posterior instrument surface,the tuning device includes:including a tuning display;means for engaging the tuning device with one or more of the at least one tuning key, andwherein the display is positioned on the tuning device such as to essentially face the body when the tuner is both engaged with the one or more tuning key, and entirely disposed above the posterior surface.

Preferably, the tuning device further includes means for detaching the tuning device from the one or more tuning key. Preferably, means for engaging the tuning device and means for detaching the tuning device are the same.

In particular, the tuning device is preferably magnetically engageable with the one or more tuning key.

According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a tuning device for a musical instrument is provided, the instrument having:a body;a neck extending out from the body;the neck having a free end including a headstock;the headstock including:a plane anterior instrument surface,a plane posterior instrument surface essentially opposite to the anterior instrument surface;the tuning device:including a tuning display;engagable with the posterior instrument surface, andwherein the display is positioned on the posterior instrument surface such as to essentially face the body while the tuner is both engaged with the posterior instrument surface and entirely disposed above the posterior surface.

Preferably, the tuning device engagable with the posterior surface is detachable from the posterior surface.

Optionally, the means for engaging the tuning device with the posterior surface is a suction device.

The musical instrument is for example any of the following: acoustic guitar, electric guitar and bass guitar.

Typically, the tuning device of claim further include a first plane face and an essentially parallel second plane face, wherein when engaged and entirely disposed adjacent to the plane posterior instrument surface, the first plane face faces the plane posterior instrument surface and the second face faces away from the posterior instrument surface.

For example, the second plane face of the tuning device is disposed less than 15 mm from the plane posterior instrument surface and parallel thereto.

Preferred embodiments are configured to allow manual movement of the instrument without disengagement of the tuning device from the instrument.

In preferred embodiments, the posterior instrument surface has a first colour, and the tuning device has a second colour, wherein the first colour and the second colour are substantially similar.

In more preferred embodiments, the second colour is visually essentially undistinguishable from the first colour.

Some embodiments have a trapezoidal prism shape including a slanted face, wherein the display is on the slanted face.

Some embodiments have the shape essentially as illustrated inFIG. 5c.

In some preferred embodiments, the instrument includes least two tuning keys disposed on the posterior instrument surface, and the tuning device is engagable with two or more of the at least two tuning keys.

According to another aspect of the present disclosure, a kit including the tuning device and any of the instruments above is provided, further including a case having a shelf to hold up the neck near the headstock and an accommodation space facing the posterior of the headstock, wherein the case the case can accommodate the tuner and headstock combination unhindered, and wherein the tuner is compact so it can stay attached to the headstock while the instrument is stored in the case.In some preferred kit embodiments, the tuning device is engaged by the means for engaging the tuning device with the tuning keys and/or with the posterior instrument surface, and is not engaged with the instrument anterior surface.

Alternatively, the tuning device can be engaged with the posterior instrument surface as shown inFIG. 8, by using a “spider” clamp having resilient ends.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1ais an overview of a section of the side of a prior-art musical instrument10, specifically the headstock19and part of the fretboard of a guitar. The strings11are visible, indicating that this side of the instrument typically faces an audience when the instrument10is played. The instrument10has a plane anterior instrument surface12.

FIG. 1bis an overview of the opposite side of the same instrument10. The strings are not visible from this side. The instrument10has a plane posterior instrument surface14, which is typically hidden from audience view.

The instrument further includes instrument-tuning keys16that are typically, manually adjustable to tune the strings11coupled thereto. The keys16are affixed to the instrument10and disposed on the anterior instrument surface12and on the posterior instrument surface14.

The strings11require periodical tuning. The tuning can be accomplished before a performance; however, often the instrument10requires additional retuning during a performance. A tuner, alternatively referred to as a tuning device, is then typically used to do the retuning.

FIG. 1cshows in a side view the entire instrument10. The instrument10further includes a body15and a neck17extending thereform. The neck17has a free end including the headstock19.

As shown inFIG. 2, the keys16, although usually more conspicuously jutting out from the instrument10in parallel to the anterior and posterior instrument surfaces14, also extend essentially perpendicular out from the posterior instrument surface14.

As further shown inFIG. 2, a device110for tuning the musical instrument10is provided. The tuning device110includes a tuning display118. The tuning device110is engagable with at least one tuning key16. The display118is positioned on the tuning device110such as to essentially face the body15when the tuning device110is both engaged with the one or more tuning key16, and entirely disposed above the posterior instrument surface14.

In alternative embodiments, the tuning device is engageable with the posterior instrument surface14instead of or in addition to engageability with the tuning keys16.

The position and structure of the tuner allow a player holding and playing the instrument10to tune the instrument10according to readings on the display118.

At the same time, the configuration of the tuning device110may allow the tuning device110to have minimum visibility to an audience and provide stability to the engagement of the tuning device110, i.e., the tuning device110may not travel across the posterior instrument surface14, in particular when the instrument is rather energetically manipulated, such as an electric guitar is sometimes handled at live performances.

In some preferred embodiments, the tuning device110is engagable with at least two of the tuning keys16, to enhance the engagement. The enhanced engagement may further stabilize the position of the tuning device110over the posterior instrument surface14.

In preferred embodiments, the tuning device110is detachable, i.e., not affixed to the instrument. The detachable device110may be laid flat against the posterior instrument surface14and shunted along the posterior instrument surface14until engaging with the tuning keys16. Detachment requires moving the tuning device110away from the keys16.

The musical instrument10and the tuning device110may be provided as a kit100.

As shown inFIG. 3, in some embodiments the kit100further includes a case20to allow secure encasing of the musical instrument10therein. The kit100allows unhindered placing of the musical instrument10in the case20, without disengaging the tuning device from the instrument10, while the tuning device is engaged with the tuning keys16. Note that in the figure the tuning device is not visible as the musical instrument10is typically placed in the case20with the anterior instrument surface12facing inwards.

The musical instrument is selected from a group including: electric guitar, acoustic guitar, and bass guitar.

The tuning device110preferably extends parallel to the posterior instrument surface14substantially more than perpendicular out of the plane posterior instrument surface14, i.e. the tuning device110is essentially flat, wherein when mounted, the device first face119that faces the plane posterior instrument surface14is essentially flat, and the device second face115that faces away from the plane posterior instrument surface14is essentially flat as well and parallel to the first device face119. The flatness lends stability to the position of device110, for example, when the instrument is jerked around during playing, as well as minimizing the visibility of the tuning device110to an audience, and allows storage of the instrument with the tuning device thereon, on a wall-mount or a rack, or in a case.

Most preferably, the tuning device extends no more than 15 mm perpendicular to the posterior instrument surface14, and has edges parallel to the posterior instrument surface14with a length of at least 15 mm.

The posterior instrument surface14has a first colour, and the tuning device110has a second colour. In some preferred embodiments, the first colour and the second colour are substantially similar.

In some preferred embodiments, the second colour is visually undistinguishable from the first colour.

FIG. 4illustrates in perspective cutout view one device embodiment110aincluding a clamp111a. The clamp111ais configured to allow the tuning device110ato resiliently engage the tuning keys16, as the clamp111aincludes a spring113ain the base112aof the tuning device. Experiments with a prototype of the embodiment110afound the device110ato have a fairly stable engagement.

FIGS. 5a-5dshow another device embodiment110bthat can be coupled to the headstock with an adaptor120.FIG. 5adepicts a top view of the adaptor120andFIG. 5bshows the adaptor120in perspective view.FIG. 5cpresents the tuning device110balone andFIG. 5dshows the tuning device110band the adaptor120assembled. Typically, tuning device110bis shaped as a right-handed triangle111bfused to an oblong113b. The base of the triangle111bis contiguous with a long side of the oblong113b. A side119bof the triangle111b, normal to the base, is fused to a short side of the oblong113band is longer than or equal to the short side of the oblong113b. The tuning display is typically disposed on the hypotenuse116bof the triangle111b. Preferably, the tuning device110bis magnetically engaged with the one or more tuning key by a magnet [not shown].

The tuning device110b, while having minimum size to be as invisible as possible, has sufficient size to allow firm engagement, yet has a large sloped116bface for a tuning display (see the embodiment depicted below and inFIG. 7).

FIGS. 6a-6cillustrate how the adaptor120and device110bare mounted on the instrument10and appear, from various views.FIG. 6ashows a view of the posterior instrument surface14;FIG. 6bshows a view of the anterior instrument surface12, andFIG. 6cdepicts a top view of the instrument10.

The tuning device110bis completely stable on the instrument10, and cannot be inadvertently dislodged, and the adaptor120is essentially transparent. However, we aspired to design an embodiment that is invisible from the viewpoint of the anterior instrument surface.

FIG. 7illustrates in perspective view a device embodiment110c.

The tuning device110chas a trapezoidal prism shape including a slanted face116c, wherein the tuning display118cis on the slanted face116c. The tuning device110cis engaged with the tuning keys16via a first device side face112csuch that the display118cis oriented essentially straight at the body15and at the player holding the instrument10. Optionally, tuning device110cis shaped as a right-handed triangle111cfused to an oblong113c. The base of the triangle111cis contiguous with a long side of the oblong113c. A side of the triangle111c, normal to the base, is fused to a short side of the oblong113cand is longer than or equal to the short side of the oblong113c. The tuning display is typically disposed on the hypotenuse116cof the triangle111c. Preferably, the tuning device110cis magnetically engaged with the one or more tuning key by a magnet117c.

As briefly mentioned above, some device embodiments (not shown) are engagable with the posterior instrument surface instead of/in addition to with the tuning keys, and also have a display that is oriented towards the body when engaged therewith. Such engagement preferably does not involve fixation. For example, the engagement can be by vacuum/suction, such as via suction cups. Care should be exercised to avoid damage to the paint and/or varnish on the instrument from the engagement.

Alternatively, the tuning device can be engaged with the posterior instrument surface, at least at the edges thereof, as schematically shown inFIG. 8, with a “spider” clamp having resilient ends.

In preferred device-instrument kit embodiments the tuning device is not engaged directly or indirectly with the anterior instrument surface when engaged with the posterior instrument surface and/or tuning keys, so that there are no extraneous parts visible on the anterior surface.

In more preferred embodiments, the tuning device110is magnetically engageable with the tuning keys16. Typically, the tuning device110includes a magnet117or magnetized material, on or proximal to a second device side surface114(seeFIG. 2) that is generally normal to the first device side surface112, wherein the keys16include ferromagnetic material.

At present, I believe that this embodiment operates most efficiently, but the other embodiments are also satisfactory.