An Improved Attachment to the Finger Boards of Violins and other Stringed Instruments to Indicate the Positions of the 66 Shifts."
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Aug., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 20th Apr., 1893-Accepted, 1st July 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Attachment to the Finger Boards of Violins and
other Stringed Instruments to Indicate the Positions of the
66 Shifts."
I, GEORGE FREDERIC HUSSEY Gallows Tree Common Kidmore End, near
Reading, Berkshire, Musician, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
This invention relates to a new or improved attachment to the finger boards of
violins &c., and has for its object to aid in the learning of the instrument, by clearly
indicating the positions of the "shifts."
A sheet of paper is cut in a shape corresponding to the finger board, or to the
lower part thereof, having a number of lines printed in a prominent colour, in the
positions which the first finger of the player takes up in the various "shifts."
The paper is provided with an adhesive back, so that it can be affixed to the
instrument readily, and removed when desired. The first position I consider
necessary to indicate is the third, and the paper is affixed, when used for full sized
violins, in such a position that this line comes about 3 inches from the end of the
fingerboard, lines being marked to indicate the proper place. On each line I fix
two or more small projections, preferably also coloured, which take up a position
When two are
between the strings, so that they will not interfere with them.
used, they are placed, on violins, between the first and second, and between the
third and fourth strings. These project just far enough to allow the fleshy part of
the fingers to distinguish them at once, showing the proper positions, but are
not prominent enough to interfere with the playing. All the positions may be
indicated by these means, or only the principal ones, the 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 9th, if
desired.
The learner or performer has merely to feel these points, in playing, without
requiring to look at them, to know he is in the right position, thereby reducing
the labour for beginners to a considerable extent. The names of the notes at each
point are also printed, in order that the player may perceive the proper note
immediately.
Dand thin 10th day of At 1800
GEO. H. RAYNER,
37, Chancery Lane, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Attachment to the Finger Boards of Violins and
other Stringed Instruments to Indicate the Positions of the
"Shifts."
I, GEORGE FREDERIC HUSSEY, Gallows Tree Common, Kidmore End, near
Reading Berkshire, Musician, 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 :-
This invention relates, to a new or improved attachment to the finger boards of
violins etc., and has for its object to aid in the learning of the instrument, by clearly
indicating the positions of the "shifts."
A sheet of paper or similar material is cut in a shape corresponding to the finger
board, or to the lower part thereof, having a number of lines printed in a
prominent colour, in the positions which the first finger of the player takes up in

page_text: the various "shifts." The paper is provided with an adhesive back, so that it can
be affixed to the instrument readily, and removed when desired. The first position
I consider necessary to indicate is the third, and the paper is affixed when used for
full sized violins, in such a position that this line comes about 3inches from the
end of the finger board, lines being marked to indicate the proper place. On each
line I fix two or more small projections, preferably also coloured, which take up a
position between the strings, so that they will not interfere with them. When two
are used, they are placed on violins between the first and second, and between the
third and fourth strings. These project just far enough to allow the fleshy part
of the fingers to distinguish them at once, showing the proper positions, but are
not prominent enough to interfere with the playing. All the positions may be
indicated by these means, or only the principal ones, the 3rd, 5th, 7th, and 9th, if
desired.
The learner or performer has merely to feel these points, in playing, without
requiring to look at them to know he is in the right position, thereby reducing the
labour for beginners to a considerable extent. The names of the notes at each
point are also printed, in order that the player may perceive the proper note
immediately. The accompanying sheet of drawings illustrates the invention as
applied to a violin, Fig. 1 being a plan of the strip of paper or like material
marked as above described, Fig. 2 a side view and Fig. 3 a plan of a finger board
of a violin with my attachment affixed.
The strip A is marked with the lines a at the required intervals the 4th 6th octave
& 10th from the note of the open string being shown, corresponding to the
3rd 5th 7th and 9th positions. On each line are fixed the small projections B,
lying as shown in Fig. 3 between the strings C, so as not to interfere with the
fingers in playing.
The strip may of course be furnished with a greater number of lines aud
projections, indicating all or the greater part of the notes, but only those enabling
the performer to find the more difficult positions readily, are generally necessary.
I have shown the attachment for violins, but for the other instruments the arrange-
ment is similar, the position of the lines and projections and the proportions only
being altered.
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 ;-
An attachment for violins and other stringed instruments, consisting of a strip
of paper or like material, having a number of lines at suitable intervals on which
one or more small projections are placed, the strip to be affixed to the finger board
of the instrument, substantially as aud for the purposes specified.
Dated this 18th day of April 1893.
GEO. H. RAYNER,
37, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.