IMPROVEMENTS RELATING TO THE PRINTING OF MUSIC
Year: 1868

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Lang, of Paisley, in the County of
Renfrew, North Britain, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
RELATING TO THE PRINTING OF MUSIC."
Sealed the 14th July 1868, and dated the 15th January 1868.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Lang at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
15th January 1868.
I, JOHN LANG, of Paisley, in the County of Renfrew, North
Britain, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS RELATING TO THE PRINTING OF MUSIC," to be as follows, that
is to say:-
This Invention has for its object the printing of music in an improved
manner, and which is more particularly adapted for vocal purposes in
connection, for example, with what is known as the sol-fa system.
Singers accustomed to that system find it a great convenience, and
conducive to accuracy, to have the ordinary printed musical notes
accompanied by letters or other suitable marks indicating the names
of such notes according to such system, this constitutes a double
indication of each note; and the present Invention consists in effecting

page_text: such double indication by applying letters or other suitable marks
within the ordinary notes, or within any suitable forms of printed notes
that may be substituted for the ordinary ones. These letters or marks
will be made in a black color or its equivalent within those musical
notes which are usually printed open; whilst in the case of the notes
usually printed solid they will be shown in white. With this arrange-
ment the printed music will be more clear and distinct than what
has hitherto been printed for a similar purpose; whilst it can be printed
in a more compact form, and so as to economise material.
The improved system is applicable to lithographic or plate printing,
but is of most advantage in printing music from types, as the types
being originally formed with the additional marks or letters will require
no further attention or skill in composing than ordinary music types.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Lang in the Great Seal Patent Office, on
the 14th July 1868.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
LANG, of Paisley, in the County of Renfrew, North Britain, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of January, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight, in the thirty-
first year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said John Lang, Her special licence
that I, the said John Lang, my executors, administrators, and assigns,
or such others as I, the said John Lang, my executors, administrators,
and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to
time and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed should
and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend within the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and
Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS RELATING TO THE PRINTING
OF MUSIC," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said John
Lang, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in writing
under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention and in what

page_text: manner the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be
filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next
and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Lang, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by
the following statement in writing, that is to say :-
My said Invention has for its object the printing of music in an
improved manner, and which is more particularly adapted for vocal
purposes in connection with what is known as the sol-fa or "movable
do "
system. Singers accustomed to that system find it a great
convenience, and conducive to accuracy, to have the ordinary printed
notes indicating absolute pitch accompanied by letters or other suitable
marks indicating the names of such notes according to such system,
this constitutes a double indication of each note; and my present
Invention consists in effecting such double indication by applying
letters or other suitable marks within the ordinary notes, or within any
suitable forms of printed notes that may be substituted for the ordinary
ones.
And in order that my said Invention, and the manner of performing
the same may be properly understood, I have hereunto appended an
explanatory Sheet, having thereon two examples of vocal music printed
according to my improved system.
The letters or marks constituting what may be termed the key
relationship or "key" indications (as distinguished from the ordinary
notes or indications of absolute pitch) are made in a black color or its
equivalent within those (ordinary) notes which are usually printed
open; whilst in the case of the notes usually printed solid they are
shown in white.
The pieces annexed as examples are in different "keys," in order to
illustrate an important feature of my improved system. The added
marks or letters are applied not for the purpose of assisting the
indications of absolute pitch that the positions of the notes afford, but
as indications of a different set of names expressing key relationship,
which varies relatively to absolute pitch for the different "keys," as
is understood by those acquainted with the sol-fa system.
Thus in one example, which is in the key of A, D the initial of "do"
of the sol-fa scale is placed on the note on the second space, or A of

page_text: absolute pitch, and all the other letters of the sol-fa scale on notes on
corresponding lines and spaces; whilst in the other example, which is
in the key of F, D (for "do") is upon the note on the first space, or F
of absolute pitch, and all the other letters are correspondingly shifted
in their positions.
My improved printed music is more clear and distinct than what has
hitherto been printed for a similar purpose, whilst it can be printed in
a more compact form, and so as to economise material. The added mark
being within the note the eye takes in the double indication at a
glance; whereas any mark added outside of the note renders the whole
comparatively confusing to the eye, and not nearly so easily read.
My improved system is applicable to lithographic or plate printing,
but is of most advantage in printing music from types, as the types
being originally formed with the additional marks or letters will
require scarcely any further attention or skill in composing than
ordinary music types.
Having thus particularly described my said Invention, and the
manner in which the same is to be performed, I have to state that
what I believe to be novel and original and claim as the Invention
secured to me by the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is, the
printing of music with marks within the ordinary notes, such marks
indicating the key relationship of the notes, substantially as herein-
before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Lang, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Thirteenth day of July, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-eight.
Witness,
EDMUND HUNT,
Patent Agent,
Glasgow.
JOHN LANG. (L.S.)

page_text: 1.
A harp there is whose thrilling sound Swells thro' the choir of heav'n a-bove;
O'er the blus arch its
notes
re
sound, While an-gels catch the song of love.