Abstract:
An improved pick holder device made from a single length of memory retentive material and having a helical coil ( 20 ) and u-shaped arm assemblies ( 30 ) with cleats ( 24 ) provides convenient insertion, retention, extraction, and storage of a plurality of variously sized stringed musical instrument picks ( 25 ). Removable attachment to an unmodified musical instrument strap ( 26 ) or microphone stand ( 33 ) is both firm and non-damaging. Pick holder manufacturing is accomplished on standard equipment using no special tooling.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Not Applicable 
     FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH 
     Not Applicable 
     SEQUENCE LISTING OR PROGRAM 
     Not Applicable 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of Invention 
     This invention relates to stringed musical instrument peripheral equipment, specifically to a device that releasably holds picks and detachably grips a musical instrument strap or a microphone stand. 
     2. Prior Art 
     Picks are used to pluck the strings of musical instruments. Due to small size and flatness, they are easily lost or misplaced during periods when not being used. The result is either pick replacement or time spent in finding the small article. During performance, searching for a pick distracts from the purpose of the event. 
     Musicians often insert the pick in the musical instrument&#39;s strings such that adjoining strings are alternately above and below the pick. This method has the advantages of holding the pick in place and assuring that it is available next time the musician needs it. It also takes little room and the instrument will likely fit easily into its storage case without interference. The method requires no modification of the instrument or the strap. The disadvantages include distortion of the pick from having been held in a bent position for an extended period of time. Also, if the musician sometimes uses his fingers for striking or plucking the strings, the pick must be stored somewhere else and is again subject to being lost or misplaced. In addition, if the musician needs to have convenient accessibility to more than one pick, then the additional picks cannot be stored in the strings while the instrument is being played because it would prevent the strings from vibrating. If additional picks are stored in a musician&#39;s pocket, they are not easily visible and, when retrieved, time is spent sorting through all pocket contents or selecting the desired pick of several being stored. 
     There are many prior art references to devices that hold picks either on or near the musical instrument. Often, the pick holder is rigidly adhered to the musical instrument itself. U.S. Pat. No. 4,890,531 to Tischer (1990) describes a coil spring device that adheres to the surface of the instrument. The patent indicates that the spring is in slight tension and therefore reduces the compression that is needed to hold the picks tightly in the helical coils. The musician must put the picks under the coils for long term storage or when transporting. The device may prevent storing the guitar in its case because the pick holder could interfere with the closure of the lid. Adherence of the device to the sound board of a musical instrument has the potential to dampen the vibrations and therefore affect the tonal qualities. U.S. Pat. No. 7,847,171 to Kidd, III (2010) describes a coil spring device that attaches alternately to either the strings or to the tuning pegs of a guitar. When attached to the strings, the device may affect tuning, may rattle, and can come loose easily. Also it must be removed prior to storing the guitar in a protective case. U.S. Pat. No. 7,629,522 to Isaacson (2009) describes a device that is attached by means of adhesive and through a matching hole in the wall or soundboard of the guitar. This device also has the potential to distort the tonal qualities of the guitar. U.S. Pat. No. 8,097,799 to Tran (2012) describes a flexible slotted element that adheres to the bottom edge of a guitar. In this configuration the picks are not visible to the musician during a performance. In general, musicians tend to avoid attaching devices to the surfaces of musical instruments for the reasons indicated and because of the potential for marring or damage. 
     Sometimes the pick holder is designed for releasable attachment to the musical instrument. U.S. Pat. No. 3,752,029 to Watrous (1973) describes a device that is intended for mounting adjacent to the strings and on the surface of the musical instrument for use during a performance. This device and the picks would have to be stored and handled each time the instrument is used and does not serve the purpose preventing picks from being misplaced. U.S. Pat. No. 4,785,708 to Vaughan (1988) describes a flexible strip of pick holding pockets that is attached and released from the instrument with a hook-and-loop fastening system. Picks are not compressively held in the pockets and can therefore slide out unintentionally. These picks can get lost or will require time to retrieve. Also, the picks and the holder are not visible to the musician during performance. U.S. Pat. No. Des. 355,667 to Burger (1995) illustrates a spring shape that holds a plurality of picks. However, the dimensions must match the tuning keys of the musical instrument and therefore requires multiple sizes. It would tend to vibrate, making noise during performance. Also it must be detached prior to storing the guitar in its protective case, thus providing opportunity for misplacement or lose of the picks and the holder. U.S. Pat. No. 5,649,634 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,651,468 both to Irizarry (1997) describe an attachment and detachment device with a curved elongated helical coil to hold the picks. The opportunity for misplacement or lose is afforded due to the requirement for detaching any time the musical instrument is to be stored in a case. Attachment by suction cup to the musical instrument is likely to impact the tonal qualities due to dampening of vibrations. When picks are inserted in the helical wire form, they must extend into the inner portion of the curve because that is where the adjacent wires press together. If multiple picks are inserted, they tend to interfere with each other in the inner portion of the spring form, thus creating a practical limit to the number of picks that can be held. The spring form will easily move thus requiring two hands when inserting a pick, one for insertion and the other for holding the spring. U.S. Pat. No. Des. 393,362 to Byers (1998) illustrates a hanging pocket. Picks are not compressively held in the pocket and can therefore slide out unintentionally. These picks can get lost or will require time to retrieve. Also picks must be extracted sequentially so that it may take several extractions to find the preferred pick. Time must then be spent re-inserting the unwanted picks. U.S. Pat. No. 5,796,021 to Longshore (1998) describes a pick holder with releasable adhesive pads. The adhesive properties and thus the utility of the device tend to degrade with multiple attachments and detachments due to the accumulation of debris on the adhesive surface. The device must be detached to store the musical instrument in its case for traveling. Detachment affords the opportunity for accumulation of debris on the adhesive surface and for misplacement or lose of picks and the holder. U.S. Pat. No. 6,639,136 to Judd (2003) describes an elastomer device that attaches and detaches by inserting between the musical instrument strings and twisting. The instrument cannot be played while the device is attached because it prevents the strings from vibrating. When detached, the holder and the picks can be lost or misplaced. When attached, it interferes w/ storage in the instrument&#39;s protective case. 
     Sometimes the device is attached to the strap that musicians use for transferring the instrument&#39;s weight to the musician&#39;s shoulders and for positioning the instrument to play while standing. Attaching to and leaving the pick holder on the strap has the advantage of assuring that the picks are always accessible to the musician every time he attaches the strap to the instrument. When the pick holder grips the strap well, there is no possibility of misplacing or losing either the picks or the holder. The picks are easily visible and the device is within easy reaching distance to either insert the pick into the holder or extract from the holder. The musician typically stores the strap in empty cavities in the musical instrument&#39;s protective case, at the same time as storing the musical instrument, creating no interference with closure of the lid of the case. Often one end of the strap remains attached to the instrument. Therefore the pick, the pick holder, and the strap are always with the guitar. 
     The strap mounted pick holder in U.S. Pat. No. D309,674 to Gervase (1990) is subject to unintended sliding and change of position on the strap. Picks must be inserted and retrieved sequentially. The picks are bent slightly and may retain the distorted shape if left for extended periods. U.S. Pat. No. 5,299,485 to Denton (1994) describes a device that is complicated to manufacture and requires modifying the strap with holes to accommodate attachment screws. It cannot be quickly detached from the strap. U.S. Pat. No. 6,140,564 to Pia (2000) accommodates picks of a plurality of thicknesses but wide picks would overlap causing distortion and twisting that could reduce the holding effectiveness. Also, the holder would tend to slip and perhaps fall from the strap in the presence of flexing that normally occurs during performance and usage. The close arrangement of slots in U.S. Pat. No. 6,215,052 to Giddens and others (2001) makes it difficult to grasp and extract the preferred pick. Also thicker picks will be more difficult to insert and extract than thinner ones. The single sided clip with a single arm will allow twisting of the pick holder during insertion or extraction of picks. 
     Some pick holders are designed to attach to the microphone stand. These have the advantage of easy accessability to the performing muscian. U.S. Pat. No. 5,651,468 to Irizarry (1997) can mount on a microphone stand but requires both hands to operate and cannot alternatively be attached to the musical instrument&#39;s strap. U.S. Pat. No. 4,467,693 to Nasfell (1984) requires disassembly of the microphone stand and is partially focused on holding a multiple pick package of a specific design. Also, it cannot simultaneously accommodate individual picks of different thicknesses. 
     All inventions described above require either special tooling or multiple materials or multiple specialized manufacturing steps that are unique to the design. 
     OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES 
     Accordingly, several objects and advantages of the present invention are: 
     (a) to provide an improved helical coil spring device for holding a plurality of musical instrument picks of varying thickness, widths and shapes; 
     (b) to provide two u-shaped arms that extend from the helical coil spring and either wrap around an edge or both edges and under a musical instrument strap, or wrap around the tubing of a microphone stand; 
     (c) to provide a slippage preventing cleat at the end of each u-shaped arm that either firmly presses against the strap without causing damage or presses against the edges of the strap; 
     (d) to provide a device w/ proper dimensions and angles such that when attached to a strap the u-shaped arms lie in a flat position against the strap; 
     (e) to provide a pick holder that does not distort the sound of the musical instrument; 
     (f) to provide a device that, when attached to a strap or microphone stand, increases the adjacent spring compressing force in the section of the helical coil farthest from the attachment and thereby increases the pick holding robustness; 
     (g) to provide a device that when attached to a strap or microphone stand, decreases the adjacent spring compressing force in the section of the helical coil nearest to the attachment and thereby enhances ease of pick insertion; 
     (h) to provide a pick holder that does not distort or bend the pick; 
     (i) to provide a device that is small enough that it is easily stored with the musical instrument inside the instrument&#39;s protective case; 
     (j) to provide a device that can be both easily attached to or detached from a musical instrument strap or microphone stand; 
     (k) to provide a device that can be attached to the strap alternately with u-shaped arms around the strap or by inserting the u-shaped arms of the device through a slot or hole in the strap; 
     (l) to provide a device that fits a wide variety of strap widths, styles, and thicknesses; 
     (m) to provide a pick holder that allows full pick visibility and easy pick accessibility by the musician while in performance; 
     (n) to provide a pick holder that does not require modification or disassembly of the strap or microphone stand for attachment or detachment; 
     (o) to provide a device that can be manufactured without the need for a plurality of materials, manufacturing steps, tooling, or processes; 
     (p) to provide a device that can be manufactured with common automated spring forming equipment. 
     Still further objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the ensuing description and drawings. 
     SUMMARY 
     In accordance with the present invention a device that releasably grasps musical instrument picks and is strap or microphone stand attachable and detachable comprises a spring wire form with at least one helical coil section and having two u-shaped arms that each terminate with a cleat. Helical coil sections hold the picks. The two u-shaped arms wrap around an edge or edges of the strap. The cleats press against the underside of the strap to prevent pick holder slippage. The interaction of the arms and cleats with the strap modifies the compressive force distribution in the helical coil. The modified compressive force distribution enables easy insertion of the pick into one portion of the helical coil and increases the holding grip on the pick at a different portion of the helical coil. The interaction also modifies the angle of the arms, resulting in flat positioning of the pick holding device on the strap. When used on a microphone stand, the two u-shaped arms wrap around the stand&#39;s tubing. The resulting compressive force distribution is similar to that achieved on the strap. 
    
    
     
       DRAWINGS 
       Figures 
       In the drawings, closely related figures have the same number but different alphabetic suffices. 
         FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of the pick holder indicating its various functional parts. 
         FIG. 2  shows a perspective view of the pick holder attached to a strap with u-shaped arms and holding a single pick indicating both strap attachment and pick holding functions. 
         FIG. 3A  shows an orthogonal top view of the pick holder in its relaxed unattached configuration. 
         FIG. 3B  shows an orthogonal top view of the pick holder attached to the strap indicating the position of the tangential extensions. 
         FIG. 3C  shows an orthogonal bottom view of the pick holder attached to the strap indicating the position of the cantilever struts. 
         FIG. 4A  shows an orthogonal side view of the pick holder in its relaxed unattached configuration showing the angle of the u-shaped arm extensions. 
         FIG. 4B  shows an orthogonal side view of the pick holder in its strap attached configuration indicating the change in shape and the method of grasping the strap with cleats. 
         FIG. 5A  shows an orthogonal end view of the pick holder in its relaxed unattached configuration. 
         FIG. 5B  shows an orthogonal end view of the pick holder indicating in exaggerated fashion the spreading or opening of adjacent wires in the helical coil when attached to a strap. 
         FIG. 5C  shows a perspective view of picks being inserted from two different directions. 
         FIG. 6A  shows a perspective view of a button hole that is a common feature on musical instrument straps. 
         FIG. 6B  shows a perspective topside view of a pick holder attached through a strap button hole. 
         FIG. 6C  shows a perspective underside view of a pick holder attached through a strap button hole. 
         FIG. 7  shows a perspective top view of a pick holder attached to a narrow strap. 
         FIG. 8  shows a perspective view of the pick holder grasping a pick and attached on a musical instrument strap showing visibility and accessibility. 
         FIG. 9A  shows a perspective view of a pick holder mounted on a microphone stand indicating visibility and accessibility by a musician. 
         FIG. 9B  shows a perspective view of a pick holder mounted on the microphone stand indicating how the arm loops wrap around the cylindrical tube. 
         FIGS. 10A and 10B  show orthogonal side views of a pick holder with alternate helical coil configurations and alternate u-shaped arm angles. 
         FIGS. 10C ,  10 D,  10 E, and  10 F show orthogonal top views of a pick holder with alternate helical coil configurations. 
         FIGS. 11A and 11B  show an orthogonal top view of a pick holder with alternate u-shaped arm assembly bend configurations. 
         FIG. 12  shows an orthogonal top view of a pick holder with a plurality of helical coils. 
         FIG. 13A  shows orthogonal top view of a pick holder with an arm configuration indicating an alternative embodiment optimized for attaching through a strap button hole. 
         FIG. 13B  shows a perspective view of the pick holder indicating an alternative embodiment with end loops terminating the u-shaped arms. 
         FIGS. 14A and 14B  show orthogonal top views of a pick holder with alternate u-shaped arm configurations indicating an alternative embodiment for attaching to one side of a strap. 
         FIG. 15A  shows a perspective view of a pick holder with an alternate helical coil orientation and u-shaped arms that attach to only one side of the strap. 
         FIGS. 15B and 15C  show orthogonal top views of a pick holder with an alternate helical coil connection strut orientations and with alternate u-shaped arm configurations. 
         FIGS. 16A and 16B  show perspective views of a pick holder with an alternate configuration for a cantilever strut for accommodating storage of a guitar slide. 
     
    
    
     DRAWINGS 
     Reference Numerals 
     Because the device is symmetrical, some parts of the device are identified by the same number to indicate an identical but oppositely formed component. Also, a part may be identified by number and a different alphabetic suffix when it appears in different orientations or is no longer symmetrical. 
     
       
         
               
               
               
               
             
           
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                 20 
                 Helical coil 
                 21 
                 Tangential extension 
               
               
                 22 
                 Arm loop 
                 23  
                 Cantilever strut 
               
               
                 24 
                 Cleat 
                 25 
                 Pick 
               
               
                 26 
                 Strap 
                 27  
                 Strap gap 
               
               
                 28 
                 Button hole 
                 29  
                 Pick holder and pick assembly 
               
               
                 30 
                 U-shaped arm assembly 
                 31  
                 Arm angle 
               
               
                 32 
                 Coil connection strut 
                 33  
                 Microphone stand tube 
               
               
                 34  
                 Pick insertion gap 
                 35 
                 End loop 
               
               
                 36  
                 Connection bend 
                 37  
                 Guitar slide 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Preferred Embodiment—FIGS.  1 ,  3 ,  4 ,  5 ,  10 ,  11 A,  11 B, and  16 A 
     A preferred embodiment of a pick holder of the present invention is illustrated in  FIG. 1  (perspective view),  FIG. 3A  (orthogonal top view),  FIG. 4A  (orthogonal side view), and  FIG. 5A  (orthogonal end view). 
     The figures show a device having a helical coil  20  comprised of a plurality of substantially parallel circular loops of a shape resilient material of substantially circular cross section. These loops are helically displaced and adjacent loops generally touch. In the spring forming industry this shape is commonly referred to as a close wound coil. Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 3A , extending from the helical coil  20  are two tangentially projecting members referred to as u-shaped arm assemblies  30 . Both u-shaped arm assemblies  30  have substantially the same shape but are oppositely positioned and extend in generally opposite directions from the helical coil  20 . Each u-shaped arm assembly  30  is comprised of four distinct components: a tangential extension  21 , an arm loop  22 , a cantilever strut  23 , and a cleat  24 . The device is formed from a single continuous length of the shape resilient material. 
     In the preferred embodiment, loops of the helical coil  20  have a generally circular shape with an inside diameter of roughly 20 mm. However, larger or smaller helical coil  20  diameters will work. Smaller diameters have the advantage of less material required for manufacture and therefore a lower cost. A larger diameter makes it easier to insert a plurality of picks into the pick holder because the compressive forces between loops are slightly lower. Also, with a larger diameter, the picks can be fanned out more, allowing more room for the musician&#39;s fingers to manipulate the pick during the insertion and extraction process. More fanning also makes it easier for the musician to see individual picks. Helical coil  20  loops do not have to be circular in shape and do not have to continuously touch. For instance, as shown in  FIG. 10A , helical coil  20  loops can be elliptical.  FIG. 10B  shows triangular helical coil  20  loops.  FIGS. 10C , and  10 D show helical coil  20  loops offset slightly from the adjoining loop. Also, diameter could be changing from one loop to the adjoining one. Many other variations are obvious to those skilled in wire shaping. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 3A , tangential extensions  21  extend from both ends of the helical coil  20 . Both tangential extensions  21  have substantially the same shape but are generally oppositely positioned and extend in substantially opposite directions from the helical coil  20 . The two tangential extensions  21  form an arm angle  31  ( FIG. 4A ) of roughly 170 degrees when measured opposite the helical coil  20 . The arm angle  31  can be different from 170 degrees as illustrated in  FIG. 10A . Both tangential extensions  21  connect to an arm loop  22  ( FIG. 1  and  FIG. 3A ). In the preferred embodiment, indicated in  FIG. 3A , an arm loop  22  is a generally a semi-circular shape of approximately 180 degrees. However, the angle of the semi-circular shape can be greater or less than 180 degrees. An arm loop  22  does not have to follow a semi-circular shape. For instance, an arm loop  22  can be formed with two 90 degree bends ( FIG. 11B ) or three 60 degree bends, etc. In the preferred embodiment ( FIGS. 1 ,  3 A, and  4 A) a plane that bisects the length of shape resilient material along the arm loop  22  and tangential extension  21  is substantially aligned parallel with the axis of the helical coil  20 . However, other relative displacements of the helical coil  20  and u-shaped arm assemblies  30  will also work. As indicated in  FIGS. 1 and 3A , each arm loop  22  connects to a cantilever strut  23 . Cantilever struts  23  are displaced in a direction that is substantially parallel to the tangential extension  21  that is of the same u-shaped arm assembly  30 . In the preferred embodiment, the tangential extension  21  and cantilever strut  23  that have a contiguous arm loop  22  are displaced on opposite sides of the helical coil  20  ( FIG. 3A ). However tangential extension  21  and cantilever strut  23  that have a contiguous arm loop  22  can be displaced on the same side of the helical coil  20  ( FIG. 11A ). In the preferred embodiment, the arm loop  22  has a radius sufficient to achieve a strap gap  27  ( FIGS. 1 and 3A ), located between the tangential extension  21  and the cantilever strut  23 , of approximately 6.5 mm. However, as indicated in  FIGS. 10E and 11A , the strap gap  27  can be adjusted to different dimensions. Referring to preferred embodiments  FIGS. 1 and 3A , the distance from the inside of the arm loop  22  to the center of the axis of the helical coil  20  is roughly 27 mm. This 27 mm dimension is not required and may be adjusted to accommodate alternative embodiments. The end of each cantilever strut  23  is terminated with a cleat  24  ( FIGS. 1 ,  3 A, and  4 A) which is formed by bending the shape resilient material in a direction that is generally toward the helical coil  20  and approximately 90 degrees to a plane formed through the arm loop  22 , tangential extension  21 , and cantilever strut  23 . In the preferred embodiment, the shape resilient material bend has a roughly 2 mm radius and each cleat  24  has a length of roughly 3.7 mm. The bend radius can be larger or smaller. The cleat  24  length can be longer or shorter. As indicated in  FIGS. 1 ,  3 A, and  4 A, in the preferred embodiment, the length of the cantilever strut  23  is sufficient to generally align the cleat  24  with a plane that is tangent to the circumference of the helical coil  20 . However, as indicated in  FIG. 16A , the lengths of the cantilever struts  23 L and  23 S can be longer or shorter. 
     In the preferred embodiment the shape resilient material of substantially circular cross section has a diameter of roughly 1.6 mm. However, the shape resilient material diameter can be larger or smaller and the cross section is not restricted to circular. The preferred diameter of the shape resilient material was determined by insertion of commercially available picks of thicknesses generally from 0.52 mm to 0.93 mm to validate functionality. Larger or smaller diameters may be appropriate for picks of different thickness. 
     In the preferred embodiment, the shape resilient material is a rust resistant spring steel such as stainless steel wire. However the material can be any that has, without fracturing or losing strength, long life shape resilience sufficient to repeatedly compressively hold and release a pick between the loops of the helical coil  20  and to continuously supply compressive force at the cleats  24  in a direction that is toward and generally normal to a strap on which it is affixed. 
     OPERATION 
     Preferred Embodiment—FIGS.  2 ,  3 A,  3 B,  3 C,  4 A,  4 B,  5 A,  5 B,  5 C,  6 ,  7 ,  8 ,  9 A, and  9 B 
     One use of the pick holder is illustrated in  FIG. 2 . The pick holder both attaches to a strap  26  and grips a pick  25  that has been inserted into the helical coil  20 . The adjacent loops of the helical coil  20  compress against the pick  25 , holding it in place until it is extracted by the musician. Although  FIG. 2  shows only one pick  25 , the pick holder can be used to hold a pick  25  between each set of adjacent loops of the helical coil  20 . When a plurality of picks  25  are being gripped, any one pick  25  can be extracted while all others remain compressed in the loops. The picks  25  are not distorted or bent while being gripped by the helical coil  20 . Also, the pick holder is useful for picks of any combination of sizes, shapes, or thicknesses. 
       FIGS. 2 ,  3 B, and  3 C illustrate the attachment of the pick holder to the strap  26 .  FIG. 3A  shows a top view of the pick holder unattached to a strap. This view illustrates the strap gaps  27  between the tangential extensions  21  and the cantilever struts  23 . The strap  26  fits through the strap gaps  27  and between the arm loops  22 .  FIGS. 2 ,  3 B and  3 C illustrate the u-shaped arm assemblies wrapping around both edges and underneath the strap  26 . The helical coil  20  and the tangential extensions  21  are on one side of the strap  26  ( FIG. 3B ) and the cantilever struts  23  are on the other side of the strap  26  ( FIG. 3C ). The pick holder can be easily attached or detached from the strap  26 . 
       FIGS. 4A and 4B  illustrate the action of the cleats  24 . The cleats  24  press against the underside of the strap  26  ( FIG. 4B ) to prevent slippage. The cleats  24  have a generally flat compressive surface that prevents penetration into and damage to the strap  26  but imparts sufficiently high force to embed the cleats  24  into the surface texture variations of strap  26 . When attached to the strap  26 , it stays in position, even when the strap  26  is relaxed as in storage.  FIG. 4A  shows a side view indicating the unattached position of the cleats  24 , the tangential extension  21 , and the cantilever strut  23 . It shows the arm angle  31  of about 170 degrees.  FIG. 4B  shows the change in position of the cleats  24  and tangential extensions  21  and cantilever struts  23  when attached to the strap  26 . The position when attached to strap  26  is generally flat, about 180 degrees, and the helical coil  20  is held against the strap  26 . The cleats  24  have dual functions of gripping the strap  26  to prevent slippage and of pressing the strap  26  firmly against the helical coil  20  to add stability to the device so that the musician need use only one hand during pick insertion and extraction. 
       FIGS. 5A and 5B  further illustrate the response of the pick holder when attached to the strap  26 . The unattached pick holder is shown from an end view in  FIG. 5A . It can be seen that in the free undistorted shape, the ends of the cleats  24  point up in a direction that is generally parallel with the loops of the helical coil  20 . The arm loops  22  are substantially at 90 degrees to the loops of the helical coil  20 . The displacement of the pick holder when mounted on a generally stiff strap  26  is illustrated and exaggerated for explanation in  FIG. 5B . The cleats  24  are pushed against the strap  26  and are now angled by a few degrees with respect to the axis of the helical coil  20 . The resulting angle causes one edge of the flat end of the cleats  24  to be slightly closer to the strap  26 . The result is a tilted cleat  24  wherein one edge of the circular face presses with greater force in the strap  26 . The edge of the circular face of the cleat  24  that is closer to the helical coil  20  embeds slightly deeper in the strap  26  than the edge on the opposite side of the same cleat  24 . This results in a slightly tighter grip without penetration and defacement of the strap  26 . The arm loops  22 , when attached to the strap  26 , are angled slightly down and away from the helical coil  20 , becoming a lever that torsionally acts through the tangential extension  21 . This torsional force is transmitted to the adjacent loops of the helical coil  20 . If the strap  26  is stiff or thick, it causes the adjacent loops near the strap  26  to spread slightly, creating small pick insertion gaps  34 , while simultaneously increasing compression between adjacent loops of the top of the helical coil  20 . The adjacent loops of the helical coil  20  are no longer parallel. If the strap  26  is flexible, it reduces the compressive force between adjacent loops near the strap  26  without creating pick insertion gaps  34 . With either a stiff or flexible strap  26 , the result is an increase in compressive force between adjacent loops at the top, farthest from the strap  26 . 
       FIG. 5C  illustrates top and side insertion of the pick. In  FIG. 5C  one pick  25 T is shown being inserted into the helical coil  20  in a direction from the top of the pick holder. Another pick  25 S is shown being inserted into the helical coil  20  from the side of the pick holder. The pick holder receives picks from either top or side. However, the side direction allows easier pick insertion due to reduced compressive forces or slight pick insertion gaps  34  ( FIG. 5B ) between the adjacent loops. 
       FIG. 6A  shows a perspective view of a button hole  28  through the strap  26 . Button holes  28  in straps  26  typically fit on projections or “buttons” on the musical instrument for quick and easy strap  26  attachment and detachment. Sometimes the strap  26  has an unused button hole  28 . Also, the button hole  28  can be added to the strap  26  if desired. Some straps  26  have a series of slots for adjusting the length of the strap  26 . An unused slot can serve the same purpose as a button hole  28 . The hole can be of a different shape and can be more than one. For example, two smaller holes that each accepts one u-shaped arm assembly  30  ( FIG. 6B ) would work.  FIG. 6B  shows a perspective view of the pick holder which is mounted through the button hole  28 . The helical coil  20  rests against the strap  26 .  FIG. 6C  shows a perspective view of the other side of the strap  26  illustrating how the u-shaped arm assemblies  30  extend through the button hole  28  and the cleats  24  press against the strap. The pick holder always remains tightly gripped on the strap  26  but is easily removable if the musician desires. When the strap  26  is attached to the musical instrument, the pick holder is easily seen and reached by the musician. A plurality of picks are tightly gripped. Picks are easily individually inserted, selected, or removed. 
       FIG. 7  is a perspective view that illustrates mounting the pick holder of preferred embodiment on a narrow strap  26 . Note that cleats  24  do not press against the underside of the narrow strap  26 . Instead they extend on the sides of the strap  26 . In this position, they act as clamp faces, pressing against the edges of the strap  26 , to help hold the pick holder in place. The helical coil  20  is held in correct position, pressing against the strap  26 . The u-shaped arm assemblies  30  shift from the angled position of  FIG. 4A  to a generally flat position. When cleats  22  press against the edges of the strap  26 , the objectives and advantages of the pick holder are still intact. The pick holder will hold a plurality of picks of many different sizes and thicknesses. It will remain on the strap in the position that the musician places it. 
       FIG. 8  illustrates the functional convenience of the pick holder when attached to the strap  26 . The pick holder and pick assembly  29  are visible and within easy reach of the musician when attached to the strap  26 . Alternatively, when the strap  26  is stored with the pick holder still attached, the pick  25  remains in the holder and is always in a predictable location and is immediately available without separate effort by the musician. 
       FIGS. 9A and 9B  are perspective views that illustrate mounting the pick holder of preferred embodiment on a microphone stand tube  33 .  FIG. 9A  shows the pick holder and pick assembly  29  mounted on the microphone stand tube  33 .  FIG. 9B  shows that the u-shaped arms  30  wrap around and frictionally grasp the cylindrical shape of the microphone stand tube  33 . The loops of the helical coil  20  are displaced as previously indicated. Adjacent circular loops of the helical coil  20  are no longer parallel. Circular loops nearest to the stand separate slightly to create the pick insertion gap  34  that enhances the ease of pick insertion from the sides, using only one hand. Circular loops farthest from the stand are compressed toward each other to enhance the pick holding force. Accordingly, the objectives and advantages of the pick holder are preserved when attached to a microphone stand. The pick holder will hold a plurality of picks of many different sizes and thicknesses. It will remain on the microphone stand in the position that the musician places it. As illustrated in  FIG. 9A , full visibility and easy reach functionality of the pick holder are also preserved when attached to microphone stand. 
     DESCRIPTION 
     Alternative Embodiment Number 1—FIG.  12   
     Generally, alternative embodiments are variations on the elements of the preferred embodiment. The alternative embodiment shown in top view in  FIG. 12  is comprised of a coil connection strut  32  connected to adjacent helical coils  20 . Each helical coil is connected to a single u-shaped arm assembly  30 . The central axis of the helical coils  20  are parallel but are separated by a distance greater than the average outside diameter of the helical coils  20 . The helical coils  20  can be different diameters. The entire assembly is formed from a single continuous length of shape resilient material. 
     OPERATION 
     Alternative Embodiment Number 1—FIG.  12   
     Operation of the alternative embodiment, shown in orthogonal top view in  FIG. 12 , is the same as the preferred embodiment with the following exceptions. As a result of the coil connection strut  32  connecting adjacent helical coils  20  and the pick holder having more than one helical coil  20  the length of the device is increased, allowing it to fit on wider straps and increasing the number of picks that can be stored in the device. Helical coils  20  may have different diameters to enhance marketing based on perceived fitness for various pick sizes. This embodiment retains all the objectives and advantages of the preferred embodiment. 
     DESCRIPTION 
     Alternative Embodiment Number 2—FIGS.  13 A and  13 B 
       FIG. 13A  shows an orthogonal top view of an alternative embodiment of the pick holder comprised of a helical coil  20 , tangential extensions  21 , and end loops  35 .  FIG. 13B  shows a perspective view of a pick holder with end loops  35  instead of cleats  24 . Some preferred embodiment elements are removed and one additional element, an end loop  35 , is added. The end loop  35  extends from the outermost end of the shape resilient material in a circular form of about 270 degrees. The entire assembly is formed from a single continuous length of shape resilient material. 
     OPERATION 
     Alternative Embodiment Number 2—FIGS.  13 A and  13 B 
     Operation of the additional embodiment of  FIG. 13A  is the same as the preferred embodiment with the following exceptions. Detachably gripping the strap  26  with arms can be done only through a button hole  28 . Also, this embodiment will not attach to a microphone stand tube  33 . The advantage is that it requires less material to manufacture. Operation of the additional embodiment of  FIG. 13B  is the same as the preferred embodiment. The advantage is that it allows attaching to a strap  26  of loosely woven fabric without penetration through the strap of the cleat  24 . Otherwise both alternative embodiments retain all the objectives and advantages of the preferred embodiment. 
     DESCRIPTION 
     Alternative Embodiment Number 3—FIGS.  14   a  and  14   b    
       FIGS. 14A and 14B  show orthogonal top views of an alternative embodiment that includes the coil connection strut  32  of  FIG. 12 . In this embodiment, the helical coils  20  have generally the same central axis. However, they could each have different central axis. The coil connection strut  32  is contiguous at each end with a connection bend  36 . A tangential extension  21  of each helical coil  20  is contiguous with one of the connection bends  36 .  FIG. 14A  has connection bends  36  contiguous with tangential extensions  21  of the inside faces of helical coils  20  and the u-shaped arm assemblies  30  terminate between two helical coils  20 .  FIG. 14B  has connection bends  36  contiguous with tangential extensions  21  of the helical coils  20  at the outside face and the u-shaped arm assemblies  30  terminate outside the two helical coils  20 . Other embodiments are possible to one who is knowledgeable in the art of wire forming. An example is a device formed with one u-shaped arm assembly  30  terminating between the helical coils  20  and the other u-shaped arm assembly  30  terminating outside the helical coils  20 . The entire assembly is formed from a single continuous length of shape resilient material. 
     OPERATION 
     Alternative Embodiment Number 3—FIGS.  14 A and  14 B 
     Operation of the additional embodiment is the same as preferred embodiment with the following exceptions. The alternative embodiment shown in  FIGS. 14A and 14B  allows attachment on a single edge of the strap to accommodate wider straps. It includes two helical coils  20  and thereby increases the number of picks that can be stored in the device. This embodiment retains all the objectives and advantages of the preferred embodiment except the ability to attach to a microphone stand tube and the ability to attach through a button hole. The embodiment of  FIG. 14A  will use less of the shape resilient material than the embodiment of  FIG. 14B . However, greater distance between cleats  24  in  FIG. 14B  provides greater stability during the insertion and extraction of picks. The entire assembly is formed from a single continuous length of shape resilient material. 
     DESCRIPTION 
     Alternative Embodiment Number 4—FIGS.  15 A,  15 B, and  15 C 
       FIG. 15A  shows a perspective view and  FIGS. 15B and 15C  show orthogonal top views of alternate embodiments of a pick holder. It is similar to  FIGS. 14A and 14B  with the following exceptions. Referring to  FIG. 15A , each helical coil  20  has a central axis which is generally perpendicular to the strap surface. In addition, the distance between the non-coincident axis of each helical coil  20  is generally greater than the average of the outside diameters of the two helical coils  20 . The two helical coils  20  can be different diameters. The u-shaped arm assemblies  30  are oriented such that a line perpendicular to an imaginary plane that generally bisects both tangential extensions  21  and cantilever struts  23  is also generally parallel to the central axis of both helical coils  20 .  FIG. 15A  shows a perspective view wherein the cleats  24  project up through the helical coils  20 .  FIG. 15B  shows an orthogonal top view wherein the cleats  24  are outside of the helical coils  20 .  FIG. 15C  shows an orthogonal top view of the alternative embodiment with u-shaped arm assemblies  30  extending in generally opposite directions from the helical coils  20 . 
     OPERATION 
     Alternative Embodiment Number 4—FIGS.  15 A,  15 B, and  15 C 
     Operation of the additional embodiment is the same as preferred embodiment with the following exceptions. Picks are inserted and held in a plane that is generally parallel to the strap. The configuration indicated in  FIGS. 15A and 15B  removably attaches to only one edge of the strap. This embodiment retains all the objectives and advantages of the preferred embodiment except the ability to attach to a microphone stand and to attach through a strap button hole. 
     DESCRIPTION 
     Alternative Embodiment Number 5—FIGS.  16 A and  16 B 
       FIGS. 16A and 16B  show perspective views of an alternate embodiment of the pick holder where one of the cantilever struts  23 L is longer than the preferred embodiment cantilever strut  23 S. One cantilever strut  23 S presses against the strap as described previously. The other cantilever strut  23 L is of sufficient length to extend through a hollow cylindrical guitar slide  37 . 
     OPERATION 
     Alternative Embodiment Number 5—FIGS.  16 A and  16 B 
     Operation of the additional embodiment is the same as preferred embodiment with the following exceptions. The cleat  24 L on the longer cantilever strut  23 L allows convenient retention and extraction of a guitar slide  37 . The guitar slide  37  is a hollow cylindrical or tubular device sometimes used by a guitarist to change tones by pressing it against strings instead of pressing strings against frets on the neck of the guitar. The guitar slide  37  is securely retained by inserting the cantilever strut  23 L through the hollow cylindrical shape of the guitar slide  37 . The guitar slide  37  is thus springily held against the strap  26 . The cleat  24 L acts as a retainer to prevent the guitar slide  37  from falling off the pick holder device. The position retention and firmness of gripping the strap is retained by the one cleat  24  and u-shaped arm assembly  30  of the preferred embodiment. 
     CONCLUSION, RAMIFICATIONS, AND SCOPE 
     Accordingly the reader will see that the pick holder of this invention provides a highly reliable, easy to manufacture, economical, and convenient device for both releasably gripping one or a plurality of musical instrument picks and for detachably gripping a musical instrument strap or a microphone stand. The device prevents misplacement of picks and provides for their convenient visual accessibility during use of the musical instrument. It can grip many styles, thicknesses, and shapes of both picks and musical instrument straps. The device, with or without picks, is conveniently stored with the musical instrument and, because it is attached to the strap, has no effect on tonal qualities. In addition, the device prevents pick shape distortion. 
     While the above description contains many specificities, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of the invention, but as exemplifications of the presently preferred embodiments thereof. Many other ramifications and variations are possible within the teachings of the invention. For example, the shape resilient material can have a larger or smaller diameter or a cross-section shape different than circular; the tangential extension can be longer or shorter or non-symmetrical and can be at a different angle; the u-shaped arm bend can have some other configuration than a circular arc and can be other than parallel to the helical coil axis; the cantilever strut can have a plurality of lengths and can be other than parallel to the tangential extension; the cleat can be of different lengths and different angles and can be pointed or missing; the device can be fabricated in colors; it can be constructed from sub-assemblies; the shape resilient material can be plastic or elastomeric and can be molded; the configuration can distribute compression forces with greater force near the strap and lesser force away from the strap, making it easier to insert the pick from the top; the distance between adjacent helical coils can be adjusted to compressively hold other items such as cigarettes. Any combination of the elements described or shown can be combined. 
     Also, even though the device is conceived as a holder of picks, it can functionally hold other items useful to the musician. Examples include but are not limited to sheet music, a list of song chords, or stage notes. Also the device can be used as an attachment point for stage display such as, but not limited to, streamers, trinkets, or flowers. In addition, the device may also serve as an attachment point for a pocket or bag to temporarily hold valuables that the musician may desire not to leave back-stage during a performance. Also, the device can be attached to other straps such as those attached to a canvas musical instrument case or other bags that have a generally flat strap. 
     While the device was conceived as peripheral to musical instruments, it can also be useful for non-musical purposes. For instance, it can be easily affixed to straps of back-packs and used as an attachment point for carrying supplies or equipment for school or hiking trips, as examples. When detached from the backpack, the same device can be used with light cord as a grappling hook. The device can also removeably attach to tree limbs to serve as temporary and non-damaging attachment points for camping equipment such as lanterns or cords. Also, the device can be affixed to belts for the attachment of tools, key rings, etc. 
     Thus the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents, and not by the examples given.