Improved Means for Teaching Music.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Aug., 1894-Accepted, 13th Oct., 1894
Improved Means for Teaching Music.
I ALBERT JAMES PRATT of Darlinghurst, Thurlow Road Torquay, Devon,
Organist and Teacher of Music, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement:―
My invention relates to improved means for teaching music, and has for its object
to provide means, having the nature of a game, whereby a knowledge of music
may be attained by any number of individuals, in a pleasant, enjoyable and at the
same time, efficient manner.
According to my invention, I divide the game into three sections, easy,
elementary, and advanced, respectively, and for the first and last-named, I provide
a number of rectangular pieces of wood or other material, similar to dominoes,
suitably marked with musical notes etc., cards having various musical symbols
displayed thereon, being employed for teaching the second or elementary section.
In order that the said invention may be the more readily understood, I have
shewn same upon the accompanying sheet of illustrative drawings, in which :-
Fig. 1 illustrates the devices employed for the first section.
Fig. 2 shewing those for the second section, while
Fig. 3 shews the devices employed for the third or advanced section of the
game.
Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings, I have there shewn as examples four
rectangular pieces formed of wood, ivory, metal or other suitable material, a similar
to the pieces employed in the game of dominoes.
I preferably employ twenty-eight of these pieces, and display upon each, in any
suitable manner, a stave of five lines in the centre of which is a double bar with
repeating dots and a pause sign, the following notes with their corresponding rests
being also displayed, viz.: semi-breves, minims, crotchets, quavers, semi-quavers,
and demi-semi-quavers.
In use, the domino-like pieces so marked, are played to each other by the
respective players, in a similar manner to ordinary dominoes, notes of an equal
value being played to each other, (instead of pips as in the former game), as
follows:
A semi-breve is played to a semi-breve, a minim to a minim, a crotchet to a
crotchet, a quaver to a quaver, a semi-quaver to a semi-quaver, and a demi-semi-
quaver is played to a demi-semi-quaver.
This section of the game is intended to familiarize the players with the various
notes and rests employed in music.
For the second section of the game, I employ a number of cards 6 (Fig. 2)
preferably thirty-six, upon the face of each of which is printed or otherwise
displayed, a stave of five lines, each line and space being distinctly indicated.
At the beginning of the stave, is marked either a treble or a bass clef, (the
thirty-six cards being divided eighteen into the treble clef and a like number into
the bass clef) and at the end is marked a double bar with repeating dots. Upon
each end is displayed the key signature in sharps or flats, and the name and length
of the key note in the stave.
The notes I preferably employ are (bass clef) lines G. B. D. F. A. spaces
A. C. E. G. and (treble clef) lines E. G. B. D. F. spaces F. A. C. E.
Such notes are marked as semi-breves, minims, crotchets, quavers, semi-quavers

page_text: This section enables the players to become familiar with the vario is keys, notes,
clefs, rests and the like, that are employed in music.
Referring to Fig. 3 I have there shewn the means I employ for the third or
advanced section of the educational game, and which consist of a number of
domino-like pieces e similar to those shewn in Fig. 1 having suitably displayed
upon their faces, whole bars of music in various and different forms, tunes and
values.
I preferably employ forty-eight of these pieces, and display upon each a stave
of five lines, with a double bar and repeating dots. Full bars of music of different
notes and measures are also displayed upon each piece, together with the various
expression marks, and the different ninety-six bars of music are made up by the
use of semi-breves, minims, crotchets, quavers, semi-quavers, and demi-semi-quavers,
with their corresponding rests.
In playing the same each piece so marked, has to be matched with one of equal
time or value by the players, viz. time to time; time to time; time
to time; and common time to common time.
As the playing of this advanced section of the game requires special attention,
thought and care, the musical knowledge of the players, is rapidly increased
thereby.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The improved means for teaching music, substantially as described and
illustrated.
Dated this 25th day of August. 1894
HUGHES & YOUNG,
12, Basinghall Street, London.