Abstract:
A method and an apparatus for practicing music. A user utilizes the apparatus to generate notation representative of at least one set of musical tones. The user then produces at least one set of musical tones in response to random generation of the notation.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates to music, and more specifically to an apparatuses and methods for practicing music.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     For musicians, practicing music can be a repetitive and tedious process. This is especially true when it comes to practicing the basic musical scales. When practicing scales, musicians often mind-numbingly play and repeat predetermined sequences of scales from a music book. Often musicians&#39; minds wander during this process and they have to repeat the scale to insure that they played them properly. Moreover, because the repetitive nature of the practice bores the musicians, their minds and reflexes do not efficiently absorb the practice. Therefore, what is needed a way of practicing music that engages a musician&#39;s attention in such a manner that practice time is utilized more efficiently than by playing and repeating predetermined sequences of the scales.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     In one example, a method is provided. Notation representative of at least one set of musical tones is randomly generated. The at least one set of musical tones is produced in response to random generation of the notation.  
         [0004]     In another example, a system is provided. The system includes means for randomly generating notation representative of at least one set of musical tones and means for producing the at least one set of musical tones in response to random generation of the notation.  
         [0005]     In a further example, an apparatus is provided. The apparatus comprises a die having musical notation positioned on at least one of its faces.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING  
       [0006]     The forgoing aspects and many of the advantages of the present invention will become readily appreciated by reference to the following detailed description, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:  
         [0007]      FIG. 1  is one example of an eight sided die used to randomly generate a type of scale;  
         [0008]      FIG. 2  depicts exemplary notation, representing different types of scales, that is positioned on the respective faces of the die of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0009]      FIG. 3  is an exemplary embodiment of a twelve-sided die used to randomly generate a key of a scale;  
         [0010]      FIG. 4  depicts exemplary notation, representing keys of scales, that is positioned on the respective faces of the die of  FIG. 3 ;  
         [0011]      FIG. 5  is an exemplary embodiment of an eight-sided die used to randomly generate a mode of a scale;  
         [0012]      FIG. 6  is an illustrative diagram depicting exemplary notation, representative of modes of scales, that is positioned on the respective faces of the eight-sided die of  FIG. 5 ;  
         [0013]      FIG. 7  is an exemplary embodiment of a six-sided die used to randomly generate a permutation of a scale;  
         [0014]      FIG. 8   a  is an illustrative diagram depicting one example of notation of the permutations of scales that can be positioned on the six-sided die of  FIG. 7 ;  
         [0015]      FIG. 8   b  is an illustrative diagram depicting another example of notation of the permutations of scales that can be positioned on the six-sided die of  FIG. 7 ; and  
         [0016]      FIG. 8   c  is an illustrative diagram depicting still another example of notation of the permutations of scales that are can be positioned on the six-sided die of  FIG. 7 .  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0017]     For a better understanding of the present application, reference may be had to the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.  
         [0018]      FIG. 1  depicts an apparatus  100  for randomly generating notation. In one example, the apparatus comprises a die  101  having eight faces  102  or sides. Each side  102  has notation  104  positioned thereon that is representative of a type of musical scale. Notation  104  is positioned on sides  102  through any known means, such as writing, pasting, engraving, etc.  
         [0019]      FIG. 2  depicts exemplary notation representative of the types of musical scales that is positioned on die  101 . For example, side  202  includes the notation “MAJ”, which is representative of a major scale; side  204  includes the notation “NM”, which is representative of a natural minor scale; side  206  includes the notation “HM”, which is representative of a harmonic minor scale; side  208  includes the notation “MM”, which is representative of a melodic minor scale; side  210  includes the notation “JMM”, which is representative of a jazz melodic minor scale; side  212  includes the notation “WT”, which is representative of a whole tone scale; side  214  includes the notation “½W”, which is representative of a half-whole diminished scale; and side  216  includes the notation W½, which is representative of a whole-half diminished scale. It should be noted that  FIG. 2  is not meant to limit the invention to the notation depicted. Alternate forms of notation, such as colors or pictures, could be used to represent types of musical scales.  
         [0020]      FIG. 3  depicts another example of an apparatus  300  for randomly generating musical notation. In one example, apparatus  300  comprises a die  301  having twelve faces  302  or sides. Each face  302  has notation  304  representative of one of the twelve keys of musical scales. Once again, notation  304  is positioned on sides  302  through any known means, such as writing, pasting, engraving, etc.  
         [0021]      FIG. 4  depicts exemplary notation  304 representative of the keys of musical scales that are positioned on the sides  302  of the die  301  of  FIG. 3 . For example, side  306  includes the notation “A”; side  308  includes the notation A#; side  310  includes the notation “B”; side  310  includes the notation “C”; side  312  includes the notation “C”; side  314  includes the notation C#; side  316  includes the notation D; side  318  includes the notation D#; side  320  includes the notation “E”; side  322  includes the notation “F”; side  324  includes the notation F#; side  326  includes the notation G; and side  326  includes the notation “G#”. It should be noted that  FIG. 4  is not meant to limit the invention to the notation depicted. Alternate forms of notation, such as colors or pictures, could be used to represent keys.  
         [0022]      FIG. 5  depicts another example of an apparatus  500  for randomly generating notation. In one example, the apparatus  500  is a die  501  having eight faces  502  or sides. Notation  504  is positioned on the respective faces  502  of the die, which is representative of different modes of musical scales. Once again, notation  504  is positioned on sides  502  through any known means, such as writing, pasting, engraving, branding, etc.  
         [0023]      FIG. 6  depicts exemplary notation  504  that is positioned on the respective faces  502  of the die  501  of  FIG. 5 . For example, side  506  includes the notation “1”; side  508  includes the notation “2”; side  510  includes the notation “3”; side  512  includes the notation “4”; side  514  includes the notation “5”; side  516  includes the notation “6”; side  518  includes the notation “7”; and side  520  includes the notation “wild”. The designation “wild” on side  520  allows the user to choose any one of modes  1 - 7  when the die lands with side  520  facing up.  
         [0024]     In an alternative embodiment, side  506  includes the notation “Ionian”; side  508  includes the notation “Dorian”; side  510  includes the notation “Phygian”; side  512  includes the notation “Lydian”; side  514  includes the notation “Mixo-Lydian”; side  516  includes the notation Aeolian; side  518  includes the notation “Locrian”; and side  520  includes the notation “wild”. It should be noted, however, that these modes are only compatible with the major scale type. Accordingly, this alternative embodiment can not be utilized with apparatus  100  because the scale type can only be major. Therefore, it is necessary to randomly generate a scale type. Moreover, the user would not be able to play a randomly generated scale type, other than major, with the modes listed under the alternative embodiment of die  501 . It should be noted that  FIG. 6  is not meant to limit the invention to the notation depicted. Alternate forms of notation, such as colors or pictures, could be used to represent mode.  
         [0025]      FIG. 7  depicts another example of an apparatus  700  for randomly generating musical notation. In one embodiment, the apparatus comprises a die  701  having six faces  702  or sides. Musical notation  704  is positioned on the respective faces  702  of the die  701 . Musical notation  704  is representative of different permutations of musical scales. Once again notation  704  is positioned on die  701  through any known means, such as engraving, etching, branding, etc.  
         [0026]      FIGS. 8   a ,  8   b , and  8   c , depict exemplary notation which can be positioned on sides  702  of die  801 . Any one of the three notation arrangements depicted in  8   a ,  8   b , or  8   c  can be used with die  801 , depending on what the user wishes to practice. For an easier scale, the user may choose to use the notation arrangement depicted in  FIG. 8   a  in which three faces of the six-sided die would be marked with “scale” and the other three faces of the six-sided die would be marked with “arpeggio”. For example, sides  706 ,  708 , and  710  could include notation representative of full scale (“scale”) permutations and sides  712 ,  714 , and  716  include notation representative of arpeggio (“arpeggio”) permutations.  
         [0027]     For an intermediate scale, the user may choose to use the notation arrangement depicted in  FIG. 8   b , which consists of full scale (“scale”), arpeggio (“arpeggio”), and thirds (“thirds”) permutations. In this arrangement, two faces of the six-sided die would be marked with “scale”, another two faces of the six-sided die would be marked with “arpeggio”, and the remaining two faces of the six-sided die would be marked with “thirds”. For example, sides  706  and  708  are marked “scale”; sides  710  and  712  are marked arpeggio; and sides  714  and  716  are marked “thirds”.  
         [0028]     Finally, the user may choose to use an advanced notation arrangement, which is depicted in  FIG. 8   c . This arrangement consists of full scale (“scale”), thirds (“thirds”), fourths (“fourths”), fifths (“fifths”), sixths (“sixths”), and sevenths (“sevenths”) permutations. Each face of the six-sided die would be marked with a different permutation. For example, side  706  is marked “scale” to represent full scale; side  708  is marked “thirds”; side  710  is marked “fourths”; side  712  is marked fifths; side  714  is marked “sixths”; and side  716  is marked “sevenths”.  
         [0029]     It should be noted that  FIGS. 8   a  through  8   c  are not meant to limit the invention to the notation depicted. Alternate forms of notation, such as colors or pictures, could be used to represent permutations. Moreover, different combinations of the permutations on a particular die are envisioned as part of the disclosure.  
         [0030]     A detailed description of the use of the apparatuses shown in  FIGS. 1 through 8  is now provided for illustrative purposes.  
         [0031]     A method of practicing music begins by using any combination of apparatuses  100 ,  300 ,  500 ,  700  to randomly generate musical. When the musical notation is generated a user then produces the tones represented by the musical notation. For example, a user might utilize die  101  and die  301  to produce notation representative of a type of scale and the key of scale. The user individually rolls both the eight-sided die  101  and twelve-sided die  301  to generate the musical notation results. In another example, the user simultaneously rolls the two dice  101  and  301  to generate the musical notation.  
         [0032]     If the eight-sided die  101  results in the notation MM and the twelve-sided die  301  results in the notation F#, the user would then produce a melodic minor scale in F sharp. As another example, if the eight-sided die  101  results in the notation ½W and the twelve-sided die  301  results in the notation B, the user would then produce a half-whole diminished scale in B. In one example, the user produces the scale using a musical instrument. In another example, the user produces the scale using another means, such as voice (singing) or digital/electronic musical equipment.  
         [0033]     In a further example, apparatus  500  is used, in conjunction with apparatus  100  and apparatus  300 , to randomly generate musical notation of the mode of the scale that the user is to produce. The user may roll die  101 , die  301 , and die  501  individually, or simultaneously. As an illustrative example, the user rolls the three dice  101 ,  301 , and  501 . If the eight-sided die  101  resulted in the notation MAJ, the twelve-sided die  301  resulted in the notation D, and the eight-sided die  501  resulted in the notation “4”, the user would then produce a major scale in D in the fourth mode.  
         [0034]     In still yet another example, apparatus  700  is used, in conjunction with apparatuses  100 ,  300  and  500  to randomly generate notation of the permutation of the scale that the user is to produce. The user may roll the dice  101 ,  301 ,  501 ,  701  individually, or may choose to roll the dice simultaneously.  
         [0035]     As an illustrative example, the user rolls the four dice  101 ,  301 ,  501 , and  701  (using the notation arrangement depicted in  8   a ). If the eight-sided die  101  resulted in the notation WT, the twelve-sided die  301  resulted in the notation A#, the eight-sided die  501  resulted in the notation “1”, and the six-sided die  701  resulted in the notation arpeggio, the user would then produce a whole tone arpeggio in A sharp in the first mode.  
         [0036]     As another illustrative example, the user rolls the four dice  101 ,  301 ,  501 , and  701  (using the notation arrangement depicted in  8   b ). If the eight-sided die  101  resulted in the notation JMM, the twelve-sided die  301  resulted in the notation G, the eight-sided die  501  resulted in the notation “2”, and the six-sided die  701  resulted in the notation scale, the user would then produce a jazz melodic minor scale in G in the second mode.  
         [0037]     As a final illustrative example, the user rolls the four dice  101 ,  301 ,  501 ,  701  (using the notation arrangement depicted in  8   c ). If the eight-sided die  101  resulted in the notation HM, the twelve-sided die  301  resulted in the notation E, the eight-sided die  501  resulted in the notation “3”, and the six-sided die  701  resulted in the notation sevenths, the user would then produce a harmonic minor seventh in E in the third mode.  
         [0038]     In the forgoing specification, the present invention has been described with reference to specific exemplary embodiments thereof. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that a person understanding this invention may conceive of changes or other embodiments of variations, which use the principles of this invention without departing from the broader spirit or scope of the invention. The specification and drawings are, therefore, to be regarded in an illustrative rather than restrictive sense.