Appliances for use in an Improved System of Imparting Instruction in Music and Harmony and in Matters relating thereto.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Feb., 1889
Complete Specification Left, 9th Dec., 1889-Accepted, 25th Jan., 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Appliances for use in an Improved System of Imparting Instruction
in Music and Harmony and in Matters relating thereto.
I, EMMANUEL BALL, of 48 Westbourne Street, Walsall in the County of Stafford,
professor of music, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows
My improved system of imparting instruction in music and harmony and in matters
relating thereto, luus for its object more especially to enable a learner by the use of a
very simple appliance to work out or exercise any given lesson several times in
succession without any record being left from a previous to a subsequent working out
or exercise so that no part can be copied from the previous markings, and the system
comprises also means whereby any authorized person (such as a parent) may be able
to examine each working out or exercise and point out any errors therein, even though
such person has no knowledge of music.
According to this invention the musical staff, and any bars, notes or other signs or
indications relating to the subject of music and harmony, as to which it is intended
that the learner shall exercise by writing down the denominations thereof or otherwise
making marks to indicate his knowledge thereof, such as hy words, letters or notes,
are marked permanently on or in the surface of a slate or other tablet which is capable
of receiving distinct marks from a slate pencil, crayon or instrument of like
character, but which admits of such latter marks being readily rubbed or wiped out
so as to leave no indication of their character. Bristol board formed with a slate
surface, and which is an article well known to stationers, makes a convenient tablet
for use as above described.
As an instance of how this invention may be employed, 1 may here state that
the musical staff together with the bars thereon and any notes which it is desired
shall be learnt, whether on the staff or on or between ledger lines, are permanently
marked in enamel, paint, or other suitable substance on the surface of the tablet, or
are impressed into, or embossed upon, the surface thereof in the process of manufac-
ture, when the nature of the material makes such method of marking convenient, or
are engraved or cut into such surface. Space is left below or above, or below and
above, the permanent markings, and in such space the learner puts such marks as
shew what he understands to be meant by the permanent marks; for instance he may
put letters in such space below (or above) the notes indicating what he understands
the notes to be, or signs or figures indicating what be understands should be the
proper fingering of the notes. Permanent vertical lines may pass down across the
space in which the temporary marks are to be made so as to facilitate the placing of
such marks in proper position. In the case of chords, that is to say when notes occur
one above the other vertically, a number of spaces divided by permanent vertical lines
may be provided corresponding to the number of notes in a chord, in which to place
the temporary marks, a set of such spaces being marked off for each chord.
A key is provided in which all the marks, including those indicating the denomina-
tions of the notes and corresponding particulars, are permanently marked, and such
key may be of paper, cardboard or any convenient material, and may be retained and
the exercise examined by any person even though ignorant of music; and after the
exercise has been examined and corrected the temporary marks may be wiped out,
and again made as an exercise by the student, and this may of course be repeated any
number of times.
Any convenient number of examples may of course be permanently marked on a
tablet and if desired on both faces thereof

page_text: For giving a lesson in fingering the tablet may be permanently marked alike on
both sides and on one side the lesson in fingering may be also permanently marked so
that the student ran first read off the fingering on one side and then turn the tablet
over and mark the fingering on such lattor "side in a material which can be roadily
wiped off.
Dotal thin with S 1400
STEPHEN
WATKINS,
Walsall and Wolverhampton, Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Appliances for use in an Improved System of Imparting Instruction
in Music and Harmony and in Matters relating thereto.
I, Emmanuel Ball, of 48 Westbourne Stroot, Walsall in the County of Stafford,
professor of music, do bereby 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 improved system of imparting instruction in music and harmony and in matters
relating thereto, has for its object more especially to enable a learner by the use of a very
simple appliance to work out or exercise any given lesson several times in succession
without any record being left from a previous to a subsequent working out or exercise
so that no part can be copied from the previous markings, and the system comprises
also means whereby any authorized person (such as a parent) may be able to examine
each working out or exercise and point out any errors therein, oven though such
person has no knowledge of music.
According to this invention the musical staff, and any bars, notes or other signs or
indications relating to the subject of music and harmony, as to which it is intended
that the learner shall exercise by writing down the denominations thereof or other-
wise making marks to indicate his knowledge thereof, such as by words, letters,
notes, or signs, are markel permanently on or in the surface of a prepared sheet or
hoard or of a slate or other tablet which is capable of receiving distinct marks
from a slate pencil, crayon or instrument of like character, but which admits of
such latter marks being readily rubbed or wiped out so as to leave no indication
of their character and without materially injuring the surface by frequently repeated
operations. Bristol board formed with a slato surface, or what is known in the
stationery trade as "elastic" slate, makes a convenient material for use as above
described.
I will now proceed, by way of example, to describe the invention by reference
to the accompanying drawings, when its purpose and the moans of carrying it ont
will be readily understood by persons living knowledge of the science to which the
invention relates.
The lessons or exercises which it may be desired to teach are shewn on sheets 1
and 2, and the key on sheet 3. All that is shown on sheets 1 and 2 (except the
letters of reference) would be permanently marked on or in the surface of the sheet,
board, slate or tablet; that on sheet I might be marked on one side and that on
sheet 2 on the other side of such sheet, board, slate or tablet. The key may
be printed or lithographed on paper or card. In all casos in which an exercise is
marked on the key it is indicated on the left hand side by the corresponding letter
to that by which it is similarly indiented on the lesson (that is on slicet 1 or 2 as
the case may be). Referring to the exerciso marked A, spaces a' are left below
the staff and between vertical lines within which the pupil may insert any
numerals indicating the line or space on or within which the note immediately
thoreabove occurs. Thus in the first space a¹ he would mark the numernis 1, 3, 2,
4, 3, 5 in consecutive order corresponding to the position of the notes on the lines.

page_text: Having repented the exercise in this manner as often as desired (rubbing out the
marks so as to repeat the exercise) he may rub out all the marks he has made
and may then practice an exercise in marking in the spaces a¹ the letters denoting
the notes on the staff immediately above. The notes marked in this manner are
5 shewn on the corresponding exercise of the key. A space is loft at the commence-
ment of the staff for the insertion of any key signature, and therefore the exercise
may be written out in all keys. In such case the sharps and flats must, of course, be
marked below the letters. The key notes are marked as shewn with the letter s, and
the pupil will test his knowledge in exercising by finishing his exercise on the right
O key note according to the key signature. The exercises on the different key signatures
are not shewn upon the key but of course they may be marked thereon, if desired.
Exercise B shews the bass and treble clefs to follow one another in rapid succession
and gives an opportunity for the pupil exercising himself thoroughly in both the clefs
almost simultaneously. In the corresponding exercise of the key the notes are marked
5 in the spaces left blank below the staff. This exercise can also be used for the
purpose of marking the intervals. For instance, the pupil would put in the first
of such spaces Ma under the notes c d and Mi under the notes d'c. This form of
2
7
the exercise is not marked on the key, but may be so, if desired. Referring now to
exercise C, it will be seen that the kinds of notes and rests which it is desired that the
pupil shall exercise himself in making are marked along as a heading, and the exercise
is to be written with the notes above and the corresponding rests below the line e¹. One
breve and corresponding rest are shewn to be marked, the one above and the other
below this line, by way of example. This exercise of course does not require marking
upon the key as the copy is given above. Referring now to exercise D, five tables
on time and five on the dot are given on the left hand side of the sheet, and on the
right hand side of the sheet corresponding blank spaces are loft with corresponding
vertical lines, and with the first note of each table written therein, and within these
blanks the exercise is filled in by the pupil. Exercise E, for learning the timo
signatures and natural accents of the bar, will be readily understood as will also the
exercise at the end thereof on the double dot. Exercise F is for exercising the pupil
on the notes and ledger lines above and below the staff, and is shewn also on the key.
Exercise G shews the position of the sharps and flats on the staff. The pupil exercises
by writing, in the spaces left between the vertical lines below the staff, the letter
indicating the note and the sharp or other sign to the right of the letter.
This
exercise is not marked upon the key though it may of course be so if desired.
Exercise H is to enable the pupil to exercise himself in the names of the major
and minor key notes, and this exercise is marked also upon the key. The pupil
may also exercise himself by this exercise in the principal chords. This is not
shewn marked upon the key but may be so if required. Exercise J corresponds
with exercise E, before described, on the time signatures and natural accents of the
bar, being an exercise in triple and compound time. K is an exercise on the major
and minor scales. The pupil exercises himself in this case by marking in the spaces
between the vertical lines below the staff the proper fingering of the notes, both for
right and left hand, and also by marking the letters indicating the notes and the
necessary sharps and flats or other signs according to the key signature. This is
clearly shewn on the key.
While it will usually be found more convenient to make the permanent markings
of the lesson on a surface of the same character as that which is to receive the
temporary markings as described, the purpose of the invention will of course be
answered if that portion only of the surface of the sheet, board, tablet or slate which
is to receive the temporary markings is of the character described as required for
such purpose, that is to say, permanent markings may be printed on a paper or card
surface and a slaty or other suitable surface be laid on the parts where the temporary
markings have to be made.

page_text: 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:-
Appliances for use in the improved system herein described of imparting instruc-
tion in music and harmony and in matters relating theroto, which consist each of a
prepared sheet or board, or of a slate or other tablet, on or in the surface of which
the musical staff, and any bars, notes or other signs or indications relating to the
subject of music and harmony, or any or all of such matters, as to which it is intended
that the learner shall exercise by writing down the denominations thereof or otherwise
making marks or signs to indicate his knowledge thereof, such as by words, lotters,
notes or signs, aro marked permanently and on which distinct marks may be made
from a slate pencil, crayon or instrumont of like character, which may be readily
rubbed or wiped out so as to leave no indication of their character and without
materially injuring the surface by frequently repeated operations, substantially as
described, for the purpose set forth; and also the modification of such applicances
in which only portions of the surface are rendered capable of receiving the temporary
markings, substantially as described, for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 6th day of Musambar 1880
STEPHEN WATKINS,
Walsall and Wolverhampton, Agent for the Applicant.
STEPHEN
WATKINS,
Walsall and Wolverhampton, Agent for the Applicant.