Abstract:
A musical instrument tuning device includes a tuning sleeve and a tuning collar threadingly engaged to the tuning sleeve. The apparatus is mountable onto a first portion of a musical instrument which also has a second portion, the second portion being slidingly adjustable relative to the first portion to change the length of an air passage to tune that musical instrument. In one embodiment, the musical instrument tuning device is mounted on a neck portion of a saxophone to which a mouthpiece is typically engaged. Rotation of the tuning collar moves a saxophone mouthpiece relative to the neck portion and thereby enables a musician to quickly and precisely tune the saxophone.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for use with a musical instrument having two portions which are adjusted relative to one another to change the length of an air passage to tune that musical instrument. In one embodiment, the invention relates to a rotatable adjustment apparatus that allows a musician to make precise adjustments to the tuning components of a reed-type musical instrument such as a saxophone. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Tuning an instrument is a necessary and important prerequisite to any instrumental performance. Many instruments are tuned by adjusting the position of the instrument&#39;s mouthpiece, slides, or other extendable and retractable tuning components. In the case of a saxophone (for example) this is accomplished by sliding the mouthpiece forward or backward along a corresponding cork-covered section of a neck portion of the saxophone until the proper pitch is achieved. As is known to those skilled in the art, the cork-covered section is gently conically tapered to form a frictional fit with the mouthpiece, upon pressing the mouthpiece onto the cork-covered section. 
     However, since the saxophone mouthpiece fits snugly on the saxophone&#39;s neck portion, it is often difficult to precisely position the mouthpiece and thereby acquire the desired pitch setting. Frequently when a musician attempts to tune a saxophone he pushes the mouthpiece in too far, and then attempts to correct the mouthpiece&#39;s position by pulling the mouthpiece out too far. This iterative process can continue indefinitely and is particularly frustrating for new saxophone players who are not familiar with the instrument and the tuning process. 
     Further, for the saxophone to play properly, a musician must continuously moisten the saxophone mouthpiece with saliva. As discussed supra, conventionally tuning a saxophone requires the musician to grasp the mouthpiece and push it in or pull it out. It is not unusual for the musician to get saliva on his hands during the tuning process. Although this is unpleasant for a musician tuning his own instrument, it is particularly unpleasant (and potentially a means for spreading disease) when (for example) a band teacher is attempting to assist multiple new saxophone students. 
     The need exists for a tuning method and apparatus that makes the process of tuning and instrument easier, more precise, and more sanitary. The current invention comprises a method and apparatus whereby a musician adjusts a screw-type tuning collar to position an adjustable portion of an instrument to thereby quickly and effectively tune the instrument. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The current invention is directed to a musical instrument tuning apparatus for tuning a musical instrument having a first portion and a second portion which are movable relative to one another to adjust a length of an air passage of that musical instrument and thereby tune the musical instrument. 
     In one embodiment the musical instrument comprises a saxophone having a neck portion (“first portion”) and a mouthpiece (“second portion”) moved relative to the neck portion to change a length of an air passage of the saxophone, to thereby tune the saxophone. The tuning apparatus includes a threaded tuning sleeve and a corresponding tuning collar. The tuning sleeve slides onto the neck portion of a saxophone and the tuning collar engages the tuning sleeve. The musician then slides the saxophone mouthpiece onto the neck portion of the saxophone until the mouthpiece abuts the tuning collar. The musician tunes the saxophone by adjusting the tuning collar until the instrument is successfully tuned. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of the tuning apparatus of the current invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the tuning apparatus prior to the initiation of the tuning process. 
         FIG. 3  is a side view of the tuning apparatus showing the apparatus in an adjusted (tuned) position. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The present invention comprises a musical instrument tuning apparatus. In the preferred embodiment, the instrument comprises a saxophone, however other instruments should be considered within the scope of the invention so long as they have a first portion which is adjustable relative to a second portion to thereby change a length of an air passage to tune the instrument. 
       FIG. 1  generally shows an exploded view of the musical instrument tuning apparatus  10  as well as other affected traditional saxophone components. Conventionally, a user slides a saxophone mouthpiece  12  directly onto the cone-shaped cork-covered section belonging to a neck portion  14  (“mounting portion”) of a saxophone. To tune the saxophone, the musician plays a tone and then adjusts the position of the saxophone mouthpiece  12  in the direction of the arrow  16  to make the tone sharper, and in the direction of the arrow  18  to flatten the tone. The musician continues this iterative process until he is satisfied that the instrument is in tune. 
     In one embodiment, the musical instrument tuning apparatus  10  of the current invention functions as a musical instrument mouthpiece positioning apparatus. The musical instrument tuning apparatus  10  includes a tubular tuning sleeve  20  and a tubular tuning collar  22 . The tuning sleeve has a first sleeve end  20   a , a second sleeve end  20   b , a sleeve inner surface  20   c  and a sleeve outer surface  20   d  having a first thread  24 . In one embodiment, the inner surface  20   c  of the tuning sleeve  20  is smooth. The tuning collar has a first collar end  22   a , a second collar end  22   b , a threaded collar inner surface  22   c  and a collar outer surface  22   d  having a second thread  26 . The first thread  24  and the second thread  26  are configured to threadingly engage one another, upon screwing. The second collar end  22   b  comprises an abutment surface, which in one embodiment is ring-shaped. 
     In accordance with one embodiment, the musician first removes the conventional mouthpiece  12  from the saxophone neck portion  14 . Then the musician slides the tuning sleeve  20  over the neck portion  14 , which serves as a mounting portion, until the leading end of the cone-shaped cork-covered section of the neck portion  14  protrudes from the second end  20   b  of the tuning sleeve  20 . In one embodiment, the tuning sleeve&#39;s inner surface  20   c  is sized such that it is frictionally retained by the cork-covered section, upon sliding therealong for a predetermined distance. This leaves some of the cork-covered section exposed so that one may still mount the mouthpiece  12  thereon. Thus, like the mouthpiece  12 , the tuning sleeve  20  is sized to fit snugly on the saxophone neck portion  14 . Also, musician purposely positions the tuning sleeve  20  slightly further up the neck portion  14  of the saxophone than the approximate “tuned” position of the mouthpiece  12 . The musician then screws the internally threaded tuning collar  22  onto the tuning sleeve  20 . Next, the musician slides the mouthpiece  12  onto the neck portion  14  until the distal end of mouthpiece  12  abuts the tuning collar  22 , such as at the latter&#39;s second collar end  22   b .  FIG. 2  shows the tuning apparatus  10  in this assembled but “un-tuned” configuration. As shown in phantom, the leading end of the cork-covered section protrudes through the tuning sleeve  20 . 
     Once the tuning apparatus  10  is assembled, the musician adjusts the position of the mouthpiece  12  by rotating the tuning collar  22  (preferably) in the counter-clockwise direction, thereby causing the tuning collar  22  to move gradually in the direction of the arrow  18 . The tuning collar  22  may have a finger-actuated adjustment portion  23 , such as a protrusion, textured surface or one or more a recesses formed on the collar outer surface  22   d  to facilitate rotation of the tuning collar  22 . As the tuning collar  22  moves in the direction of the arrow  18 , it gradually pushes the saxophone mouthpiece  12  in the direction of the arrow  18 . This process continues until the saxophone mouthpiece reaches the “tuned” configuration shown in  FIG. 3 . As shown in phantom, even in the tuned configuration, the leading end of the cork-covered section still protrudes through the tuning sleeve  20 . 
     In operation, to tune a saxophone using the tuning apparatus  10  of the current invention, a musician first assembles the tuning apparatus  10  on the saxophone so that the components are generally positioned as shown in  FIG. 2 . Note that the initial positions of the musical instrument tuning apparatus  10  and the mouthpiece  12  are further up the neck portion of the saxophone than the usual tuned position. Based on the musician&#39;s experience (or the instructions of his teacher), the musician knows that in this position, the saxophone will initially have a sharp tone. 
     Once the musical instrument tuning apparatus is in place, a musician plays an initial tone and, based on the tone, starts to rotate the tuning collar  22  so that the tuning collar gradually slides the mouthpiece  12  in the direction of the arrow  18 . The musician continues to adjust the tuning collar  22  until the instrument is successfully tuned. 
     The musical instrument tuning apparatus  10  may be used with all conventional saxophones and mouthpieces so that no additional hardware (other than the tuning apparatus  10 ) is required. 
     In the embodiment described above, the rotation of the tuning collar in a first direction pushes the mouthpiece in the direction of arrow  18  to increase the length of an air passage while rotation of the tuning collar in a second direction opposite the first direction has no effect on either the position of the mouthpiece or on the length of the air passage. In another embodiment, instead of simply abutting and pushing the mouthpiece  12  only in the direction of arrow  18 , the tuning collar  22  may be coupled to mouthpiece  12  in some manner so that the mouthpiece  12  may be selectively adjusted in the direction of either arrow  18  or arrow  16 , depending on the direction of rotation of the tuning collar  22 . 
     In such a “bi-directional” positioning apparatus, the second end  22   b  of the tuning collar  22  may be provided with a swivel joint that is coupled to the mouthpiece  12 . The tuning collar  22  can then rotated without causing the mouthpiece  12  to also rotate therewith. Instead, rotation of the tuning collar  22  in either rotational direction causes the mouthpiece to translate in an associated direction. For instance, when the musician rotates the tuning collar  22  clockwise, the mouthpiece  12  may move forward in the direction of the arrow  16 , whereas when the musician rotates the collar  22  counterclockwise, the mouthpiece may move in the rearward in the direction of the arrow  18 . 
     For the foregoing reasons, it is clear that the invention provides an innovative saxophone tuning apparatus. 
     The current invention may be modified in multiple ways and applied in to various instruments. For example, the current invention could be adapted to be used on instruments with slide-type tuning configurations, such as brass instruments including trumpets, trombones, tubas, and the like, so long as they have a first portion that is adjustable relative to a second portion to thereby change a length of an air passage to tune the instrument. 
     Furthermore, a musical instrument, such as a saxophone, may have a neck portion already provided with an external thread. The external thread may be integrally formed to have one-piece construction with the neck portion, or may be fixedly mounted thereto. In either case, an appropriately sized tuning collar may be provided to threadingly engage the external thread. It is understood that the manufacturer or seller of the musical instrument will generally provide a tuning collar matched to the threaded portion at the time the musical instrument is provided. 
     The current invention may also be customized as required by a specific operation or application, and the individual components may be modified and defined, as required, to achieve a desired result. Although some of the materials of construction are not explicitly described, they may include a variety of compositions consistent with the function of the invention. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are intended to be included within the scope of the following claims.