IMPROVED NOTATION SLIP FOR FINGER BOARDS OF STRINGED INSTRUMENTS
Year: 1885

page_text: I JOHN BURTON of 144 Westminster Bridge Road in the County of Surrey,
Professor of Music, do hereby declare the nature of said invention for IMPROVED
NOTATION SLIP FOR FINGER BOARDS OF STRINGED INSTRUMENTS, to be as follows:-
The improvements consist in furnishing the finger board of all stringed instru-
ments other than pianos with a fixed or detachable finger and musical notation
guide slip or plate whereby the player is directed where to place his fingers on the
strings of the instruments to produce accurate pitch.
The invention is performed by making the guide slip or plate to fit the neck of
the instrument and lie on it, marking off on the guide the various pitch lengths
and notes, which will vary according to the size of the instrument, this guide can
be made of paper and attached to the neck of the instrument in any way, pre-
ferably it may be loose, held in place by a sheet of glass passing over it and under
the strings whereby reflection is given, and it is convenient to mark the notes,
on the line blue, and spaces red, or any two colours differing from each other may
be used also on the guide may be musically written the full compass of the
instruments as well as the denomination of the strings.
The object of the improvements is to train the learner "stopping" in tune, when
he is proficient the guide slip can be removed, or when not practising.

page_text: Instruments.
I, JOHN BURTON of 144 Westminster Bridge Road in the County of Surrey,
Professor 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 :—
The improvements consist in furnishing the finger board of "finger stopped"
stringed instruments with a finger and musical notation guide slip or plate whereby
the player is directed where to place his fingers on the strings of the instruments
to produce accurate pitch.
The invention is performed by making one or more guide slips or plates of paper
or other convenient material to fit or pass under the finger board of the instru-
ment and lie on it, marking off on the guide or guides the various, pitch lengths
and notes, which will vary according to the size of the instruinent, this guide or
guides can be best made of paper and attached to or placed under the finger board
of the instrument in any way; preferably it may be loose and made to slide in and
out of sight when held in place by a finger board composed of a sheet of glass
coloured as desired, or otherwise, furnished with a clear space or spaces or apertures
and passing over the guide slip and under the strings, whereby reflection is given
and the pitch lengths and notes appear at the aperture or apertures under the cover
or finger board. It is convenient to mark the notes on the guide slip on the line
blue, and spaces red, or one or more colors differing from each other may be used-
also on the guide slip or on the cover plate may be musically written the full
compass of the instrument as well as the denomination of the strings.
The object of the improvements is to train the learner" stopping" in tune; when
he is proficient the guide slip can be slided or moved out of sight or wholly
removed, when not practising or required.
The accompanying drawings show the invention applied to the finger boards of a
banjo and violin Fig. 1 being a front elevation of a banjo showing the notation
slip exposed. Fig. 2 front elevation showing the same slided out of sight or
removed. Fig. 3 cross section at A, B Fig. 1. Fig. 4 front view of a violin finger
board and cover Fig. 5 section of same at C, D Fig. 4. Like letters refer to like
parts-A is the finger board stock, X is a fixed glass cover or transparent finger
board, generally painted black except the spaces B left blank as in Fig. 2. These
are the spaces or openings therein through which the sliding notation slip Y
appears when the stop C which is fixed to it is actuated-in Fig. 1 the stop C is
shown in front and pushed up home and consequently the notations on the slip Y
are visible as shown in proper position under the strings and glass. The stop C,
may however be otherwise placed. On pulling down the stop C the notation slip
will be covered and the finger board will appear as in Fig. 2-of course the
notation slip might be fixed and the glass made to slide. Referring to Figs 4 and 5
the space Z is for the insertion of notation slips under the cover X so as to be
visible to the player.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
The combination with "finger stopped" stringed instruments of the improved
notation slip or slips Y the actuating stop C together with the glass or other
cover X-all substantially as described and illustrated and for the purposes set
forth.