AN IMPROVED APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED IN HARMONIZING MELODIES, MODULATING, ANALYZING, AND EFFECTING OTHER OPERATIONS IN CONNECTION WITH THE SCIENCE OF HARMONY
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Bligh Sidenham Maitland of Thurloe Square in the
County of Middlesex for an Invention of AN IMPROVED APPARATUS TO
BE EMPLOYED IN HARMONIZING MELODIES, MODULATING, ANALYZING, AND
EFFECTING OTHER OPERATIONS IN CONNECTION WITH THE SCIENCE OF
HARMONY
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Bligh Sidenham Maitland
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 16th April 1883.
BLIGH SIDENHAM MAITLAND of Thurloe Square in the County of Middlesex
"AN IMPROVED APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED IN HARMONIZING MELODIES,
MODULATING, ANALYZING, AND EFFECTING OTHER OPERATIONS IN CONNECTION
WITH THE SCIENCE OF HARMONY
"
My invention consists of an improved apparatus by means of which I can
harmonize melodies, modulate, analyze and effect other operations in connection
with the science of harmony such for instance as finding any given chord in any
key, giving the attendant keys to any tonic, transposing music, or giving intervals.
My apparatus for these purposes is composed of a frame or board having a series
of dovetail or other guides in which a corresponding number of parallel slides
hereinafter described are free to be moved independently up and down (or it might
be across, or in concentric circles within) the said frame or board as required
according to the particular musical operation to be effected. For the purpose of
moving the slides I employ screws fitted in the frame and taking into female
screws in the slides so that the slides are moved up or down according to the
direction in which the screws are turned; or I attach the ends of the slides to
rollers so that by winding up the slides on the one roller or the other the required
position of the slide can be readily obtained; the slides in this case may be com-
posed of a series of horizontal laths connected together like a revolving shutter,
but other arrangements for manipulating the slides may be adopted. Four of the
alides are chord slides; each of them is divided vertically into three parts for the
tonic, dominant and sub-dominant keys respectively, and each of these three parts
has five vertical chord lines representing respectively:-(1) the tonic or common
chord; (2) the dominant 7th, 9, 11th and 13th, the diminished 7th and the minor 9th ;

page_text: (3) the sub-dominant added substituted and Neapolitan 6th; (4) the three forms of
the augmented 6th; and (5) the augmented and diminished triad. These 5 chord
lines bear certain arbitrary marks (corresponding with marks on a given guide or
reference table) representing the various chords according to the laws of harmony
as will be well understood by those conversant with the science of harmony. Each
chord slide is also formed with horizontal lines corresponding with a chromatic
scale on the fixed frame or board and in connection with this chromatic scale are
columns of notes in regular musical succession E, D# or Eb, D, C# or Db, and so
on. Upon each of the chord slides near the middle is any suitable contrivance to
represent the tonic root (or lowest note) of the tonic chord (which always applies
to the tonic key); at the proper distance a little higher up is a contrivance to
represent the relative minor tonic key to a major tonic key; and below the tonic
root is a contrivance to represent the relative major key to the minor tonic key.
On the lines of the chromatic scale I make at each end a hole to receive a peg or
pin and I employ these pegs or pins in pairs connected together by wires or similar
contrivances. Then when it is wished to harmonize on any given. key I insert
pairs of pegs on the lines containing the notes or intervals of a chord accompanying
a given noto in the melody so that by means of the connecting wires which thus
lie across the slides the binding notes of this chord in connection with the next
chord accompanying another given note of the melody can be seen.
Such being the construction and arrangement of my improved apparatus, the
harmonizing of melodies, modulation, analysis and other like operations are effected
by shifting the slides or some of them according to requirement, upon the frame or
board, the respective positions of the slides relatively to each other and to the
columns above described on the frame producing and showing the desired result
in connection with the given guide or reference table before mentioned as will be
well understood.
Although I have described that I employ 4 chord slides this number may be
varied. For example there may be only two chord slides but the results desired
could not be obtained so readily. In addition to the chord slides I employ an
interval slide which I divide vertically into 5 parts for the perfect, major, minor,
augmented and diminished intervals respectively and sometimes I add a sixth part
for the degrees of the scale used in transposing &c. This interval slide has note
lines which are marked according to the laws of harmony with the numeral names
of the various intervals used in harmony. By altering the position of this slide
relatively to one of the columns on the frame, the interval or intervals built on any
given note are ascertained.
I also in some cases employ a scale slide divided vertically into three parts for
(1) the major scale ascending and descending, (2) the minor scale ascending, and
(3) the minor scale descending. By altering the position of this slide in con-
junction with the interval slide before described relatively to one of the columns
on the frame a transposition of any given scale or composition is obtained.
In cases where it is desired to produce the chords &c in sound, I make the
arbitrary marks herein before described on the chord slides in the form of buttons
or knobs which can be pressed down by the finger; when so pressed down they
press upon wires forming the note lines of the chromatic scale; each wire thus
pressed upon opens an aperture containing a corresponding toned reed in a wind
box or chamber forming part of the apparatus; or the wires may be made to act
upon tuned strings.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Bligh Sidenham Maitland in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 15th October 1883.
BLIGH SIDENHAM MAITLAND of Thurloe Square in the County of Middlesex
"AN IMPROVED APPARATUS TO BE EMPLOYED IN
HARMONIZING MELODIES,
MODULATING, ANALYZING AND EFFECTING OTHER OPERATIONS IN CONNECTION
WITH THE SCIENCE OF HARMONY."
My invention consists of improved apparatus by means of which I can harmonize
melodies, modulate, analyze and effect other operations in connection with the
science of harmony such for instance as finding any given chord in any key, giving
the attendant keys to any tonic, transposing music or giving intervals.
My apparatus for these purposes is composed of a frame or board having a series
of guides on or in which a corresponding number of parallel slides hereinafter
described are free to be moved independently up and down (or it might be across,
or in concentric circles within) the said frame or board as required according to the
particular musical operation to be effected. Various means for moving the slides may
be adopted such for example as screws fitted in the frame and taking into female
screws in the slides so that the slides are moved up or down according to the
direction in which the screws are turned, but I prefer to arrange the slides as
hereinafter described and shewn in the annexed drawings so that they can be slid
up or down by hand.
Four of the slides are chord slides; each of them is divided vertically into three
parts for the tonic, dominant and sub-dominant keys respectively and each of these
three parts has five vertical chord lines representing respectively (1) the tonic or
common chord; (2) the dominant 7th, 9th, 11th and 13th the diminished 7th and the
minor 9th; (3) the sub-dominant, added, substituted and Neapolitan 6th; (4) the
three forms of the augmented 6th; and (5) the augmented and diminished triad.
These 5 chord lines bear certain arbitrary signs or marks (corresponding with signs
or marks on a given guide or reference table which is hereinafter given) representing
the various chords according to the laws of harmony as will be well understood by
those conversant with the science of harmony. Each chord slide is also formed
with horizontal note lines corresponding with a chromatic scale on the fixed frame
or board and in connection with this chromatic scale are columns of notes in
regular musical succession. Upon each of the chord slides near the middle is a
suitable device such as a thick black line to represent the tonic root (or lowest
note) of the tonic chord (which always applies to the tonic key), at the proper
distance a little higher up is a device such as a double line to represent when placed
on a major tonic key the relative minor to that key; and below the tonic root is a
device such as a waved or zig zag line to represent when placed on a minor tonic
key the relative major to that key. On the lines of the chromatic scale I make at
each end a hole to receive a peg or pin and I employ these pegs or pins in pairs
connected together by wires, the pegs or pins consisting by preference simply of
the ends of the wires turned down at right angles. Thus when it is wished to
harmonize on any given key I insert pairs of pegs on the lines containing the notes
or intervals of a chord accompanying a given note in the melody so that by means
of the connecting wires which thus lie across the slides the "binding notes" of
this chord in connection with the next chord accompanying another given note
of the melody can be seen. By "binding notes" I mean notes which are common
to the two chords.

page_text: In cases where it is desired to produce the chords & in sound I form holes in
the note lines of the chromatic scale and I apply to these holes buttons or knobs
which can be pressed down by the finger; when so pressed down they act upon
the valves of apertures, which are fitted with corresponding toned reeds in a wind
box or chamber forming part of the apparatus; or the wires may be made to act
upon tuned strings; or instead of having the buttons or knobs on the note lines of
the chromatic scale, the arbitrary marks before described on the chord slides may
be in the form of buttons or knobs which when pressed down act upon the reed
valves through the intermediation of blades so placed cross-wise of the frame or
board below the slides that all the buttons in one note line of the same chord slide
or pair of chord slides will act upon the same blade and consequently upon the.
same reed; but as this modification is complicated I do not recommend it.
Although I have described that I employ 4 chord slides this number may be
varied; for example there may be only 2 chord slides but the results desired could
not be obtained so readily.
In addition to the chord slides I employ an interval slide which I divide vertically
into 5 parts for the perfect, major, minor, augmented and diminished intervals
respectively and sometimes I add a sixth part for the degrees of the scale used in
transposing &°. This interval slide has note lines which are marked according to
the laws of harmony with the numeral names, of the various intervals used in
harmony. By altering the position of this slide relatively to one of the note
columns on the frame, the interval or intervals built on any given note are
ascertained; and by inverting the apparatus the "inversion" of the interval is
shown.
I also in some cases employ a scale slide divided vertically into parts for (1) the
major scale ascending and descending, (2) the minor scale ascending, (3) the
minor scale descending, and 3 other forms of minor scales. By altering the
position of this slide in conjunction with the interval slide before described
relatively to one of the note columns on the frame a transposition of any given
scale or composition is obtained.
In the annexed drawings Figure 1 is a plan or face view of my apparatus,
Figure 2 is a section on the line 1 - 1 and Figure 3 a fragmentary section on
the line 2 - 2.
--
--
A A is the frame or board bearing a chromatic scale B B. C¹ C² C³ C³ are
4 chord slides free to be moved up and down upon the frame A; for this purpose
each chord slide is formed with a slot a to slide on two screws b b in the frame A;
or other means of guiding the slides in their movement may be adopted. Each of
the chord slides is divided vertically into three parts D, E, F. of which D in each
slide represents the tonic key, E the dominant key and F the sub-dominant key.
Each of the three divisions D, E, F has 5 vertical chord lines numbered 1, 2, 3. 4, 5
which bear certain arbitrary signs or marks as shewn representing the various
chords according to the laws of harmony, these signs corresponding with the signs
in the following guide or reference table which in practice it will be well to affix
to the face of the frame or board A. itself.

page_text: Each chord slide CC C C has horizontal note lines (as seen in Figure 1)
corresponding with the chromatic scale B and in connection with this scale is a
column G of notes in regular musical succession. Other columns of notes are by
preference also placed at G' G². Across each chord slide are a black line c to
represent the tonic root, a double line d to represent the relative minor tonic key
to a major tonic key, and a waved or zig zag line e to represent the relative major
key to the minor tonic key. In line with the lines of the chromatic scale B I
make at each side a series of holes f.f. to receive pegs or pins on the ends of wires
as and for the purpose already herein explained. Figure 4 represents a pair of

page_text: these pins gg and their connecting wire h the whole consisting of a piece of wire
turned down at the ends. i, i are a series of buttons or knobs applied to holes in
the note lines of the chromatic scale B: each of these buttons i is connected by a
rod k to a lever / carrying a valve m. The valves m fit corresponding apertures n
in a wind box o having a like number of toned reeds p. When one of the
buttons i is pressed down by the finger its rod acts on the lever and opens the
valve m so that air from the box o is allowed to escape by and sound the corre-
sponding reed p. Springs 9 and fitted respectively to the button i and lever
return the parts to their normal position when pressure is removed from the
button. s is an air inlet to the box o and connected by a tube with a bellows or
with a mouthpiece.
H is the interval slide before described capable of being moved up and down
the frame A. in a similar manner to the chord slides C' C³ C³ C'; this slide H is
divided vertically into 6 parts respectively for the (1) perfect, (2) major,
(3) minor, (4) augmented and (5) diminished intervals and (6) for the degrees of
the scale used in transposing; or this last division may be omitted.
I is the scale slide likewise herein before described and capable of being moved
up and down the frane A like the other slides. It is divided vertically into
3 parts respectively for the major scale ascending and descending, the minor scale
ascending and the minor scale descending.
At K on the board or frame A is shewn the order of sharps of the "signature";
at L the order of flats at the signature; at M the signature in sharps and at N the
signature in flats. All these are not necessarily applied to the board A but they
should be where they can be casily referred to so as to enable the apparatus to be
most readily applied to the various musical operations for which it is intended.
In the chord slides C' C C C a line above a note (thus for instance ) indicates
that that note has been raised a semi-tone, and a line below a note ☐) indicates that
that note has been lowered a semi-tone. Lines (full or dotted and not being note
lines) running from a note of one chord to a note of another chord shew the
progression and the resolution from the one chord to the other. The sign × on the
chord slides indicates that the note which this sign represents is a repetition of a
note sign which is an octave above or below.
Such being the construction and arrangement of the apparatus, the harmonizing
of melodies, modulations, analysis and other like operations are effected by shifting
the slides or some of them according to requirement upon the frame or board A, 3
the respective positions of the slides relatively to each other and to the note
columns G producing and shewing the desired result in connection with the guide
or reference table herein-before given as will be well understood. I will give a
few examples.
If I wish to modulate from the key of Eb major to the key of E major I place 4
the tonic root, that is to say, the line c of chord slide C¹ and the double line d of
chord slide C' on the note line Eb thereby obtaining the 5 attendant keys on Ep.
I next place the tonic root (the line c) of chord slide and the double line, d of
chord slide C on the note line E thereby obtaining the 5 attendant keys on E.
I next look at N Figure 1 to see what is the signature of Ep major where I find 4
that 3 flats are required for the major key. I next look at L to find their
order which is bb eb and ab. I next look at M figure 1 for the signature of E
which I find to be 4 sharps the order of which is shown at K to be fcg
and d.
After having marked my signature of Eb I take down the major tonic or 50
common chord belonging to the tonic key of the slide C' or Eb (presuming that
I am modulating from the tonic chord) which is done by referring to chord line 1
in the reference table and using only the signs ① which form the major tonic or
common chord I begin at the bottoin of the chord line 1 of the tonic key of chord
slide C¹ I write down the sounds on which these signs fall viz: eb, G, bb, and the 55
octave if necessary of Eb.
I next look to see if any of the sounds eb, G, bb are contained in the dominant

page_text: chord (not the dominant key) of E (chord slide C³) namely any note or notes on
the same note line. I find on the note line Eb on the dominant chord (tonic key)
of slide C³ a small × (shewing that the note is repeated an octave above or below,
the d of the dominant chord of the tonic key of Eb in slide C³) there being
no e in the key of En which is changed according to the signature to d (In
strict theory eb and dit are two distinct sounds but they are so nearly alike that
since the introduction of tempered instruments such as the piano they have been
regarded as the same sound).
If a
I therefore take d as the highest note for contra-punctual reasons i.e:
tone or note occurs in both of 2 chords which are to be connected it is to bo
retained in the same voice, a voice being equivalent to a part. [Richter's Manual
of Harmony]
I then take down the lowest note of the dominant chord of E the tonic key and
build the chord B. f, A, B, and d # the highest note (I omit the din the lower
part of the chord because the 3rd of a chord if major must not be doubled which it
would be if placed in the lower part of the chord).
This being done I follow the lines of resolution which lead from the dominant
chord (line 2) to the tonic chord (line 3) both of the tonic key of E on chord slide
C³ which resolve as follows:-
The root B goes to the root E (all roots can resolve to roots). The d# goes to
Ef having no resolution line can go to either E or g#, the AE goes to g#
and B the octave of the root goes to B.
There are many other ways of showing this as well as other modulations but
they are all worked in the same way and of course one could work through the
attendant keys to obtain the same end.
It sometimes occurs that no note exists connecting the 2 chords; in this case
the assistance of another chord or even of an attendant key is called in and one
works in the same way as above through that key.
In harmonizing, instead of modulating from 1 key to another I modulate or pass
from 1 chord to another.
Say for instance I wish to harmonize " God save the Queen" the melody being
in Eb I place the tonic root, that is the line c of slide C and the double line d
of slide Con Eb (or on whatever key the melody is given) which as before gives
the 5 attendant keys.
Seeing that the note Eb begins the melody I harmonize with the tonic chord of
that key because if the 1st, 3rd or 5th begins a melody the harmonizing should be
done with the tonic chord. The next note of the melody being another Eb I
change the chord because it is against the law in strict composition for the parts to
succeed in parallel motion; therefore I use that chord which has most notes in
common with the chord of Eb but containing the note Ep in it. I find that chord
to be the tonic chord of the key of C (slide C) the relative minor of the key of Eb
because it has eb and G common to both chords; therefore I write down that
chord. The third note of the melody being F I again as before move to a chord
having F contained in it and either of the notes C, ep, G contained in it. This I
find in the cord of the substituted 6th of the tonic key (line 3 Slide C¹) it having
F for the melody and C of the preceding chord. I write down the chord of the
substituted 6th. The first note of the next bar is D; then as before I take the
chord containing the note D, as well as a b, C, or F of the last chord I find that
the dominant 7th (of the tonic key of Eb) has D of the melody and F and ap of the
last chord, I therefore write down that chord, but to avoid the false progression

page_text: before mentioned I omit the F which although it must exist in the chord need not
always be expressed. The second note of the second bar of the melody is eb.
Here I can either resolve to the tonic of eb or as before take another chord with
the eb of the melody and either of the notes bb. D, F or ab. For a better pro-
pression in the bass particularly as here the eb does not end a theme I use the
sub-dominant chord of the key of Eb (line 3 slide C') it having eb of the melody
and a common to the last chord, therefore I write that chord. The third note of
the second bar of the melody is F. Then as before I take a chord with F in it,
also either of the notes ab Cor eb; I find that the dominant 7th of the tonic key
(line 2 chord slide C') contains F of the melody and ab of the last chord I there-
fore use that chord in its first inversion to avoid consecutive octaves with alto
part, and so on to the end avoiding consecutives & and ending the theme on the
tonic chord uninverted.
Should the major key of slide C¹ become a minor key, the zig-zag line e of
slide C³ is placed on its tonic root giving of course the relative major keys of
slide C' as a minor key.-In the same way if slide C becomes major the double
line d of slide C³ is placed on the same note line as the tonic root c of slide C*
giving in the same way the relative minors of slide C³ as a major key.
To analyze (after having set the instrument as before) I take the first chord of
a composition and find the same on the chord slide and so on marking their
resolutions &.
If I wish to transpose from C to D for example I place the perfect 1st of the
interval slide H on and the root of the scale slide I on D. Wherever I see a
note of the melody to be transposed on the slide H I take the same interval on
slide I which will be the note to which the melody has to be transposed.
Having now described the nature of my said invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed I declare that I claim :-
First An apparatus to be employed in effecting operations in connection with
the science of harmony comprising a frame or board bearing a chromatic scale and
4 or other number of chord slides to move on the said frame or board these slides
being each divided vertically into three parts and each of these parts having
vertical chord lines and each slide bearing arbitrary signs (to correspond with a
guide or reference table) and having also devices to represent respectively the
tonic root, the relative minor key to a major tonic key and the relative major key
to the minor tonic key all substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.
Second-In apparatus to be employed in effecting operations in connection with
the science of harmony and comprising the frame or board A bearing a chromatic
scale B and the chord slides C¹ C³ Cª Čª, I claim the holes f, f, in line with the note
lines of the chromatic scale and pegs or pins g g to fit in said holes and wires h to
connect said pins g g as and for the purpose set forth.
Third-In apparatus to be employed in effecting operations in connection with
the science of harmony and comprising a frame or board A bearing a chromatic
scale B and the chord slides C¹ C³ C³ C, I claim a wind box containing a number
of toned reeds, the valves connected with these reeds being operated by buttons or
knobs on, or in line with, the note lines of the chromatic scale substantially as and
for the purpose set forth.
Fourth In combination with the frame or board A bearing the chromatic
scale B and with the chord slides C' O³ C³ C I claim the interval slide H as and
for the purpose set forth,

page_text: Fifth-In combination with the frame or board A. bearing the chromatic scale
and with the chord slides C1 C2 C3 C' and interval slide H, I claim the scale slide I
as and for the purpose set forth.
In Witness whereof I the said Bligh Sidenham Maitland have hereunto set
my band and Seal this thirteenth day of October One thousand eight hundred
and eighty-three.