Improvements in and relating to the Teaching of Music and in Apparatus therefor.
Year: 1888

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and relating to the Teaching of Music and in
Apparatus therefor.
I, HOLLAND HARLAND, of 1 Queen Mary Avenue, Crosshill, Renfrewshire, Professor
of Music, do hereby declare the nature of my 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, reference being had to the accompanying Sheet of
Drawings, and to the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say:-
My said Invention has reference to and comprises a new or improved system, or
mode and apparatus or appliances for teaching children and adults the rudiments of
music in the Staff and Sol-fa notations, either in classes or individually, and which I
term the "Staff Notation Modulator."
The apparatus herein used or "Staff Notation Modulator" is a specially constructed
black board which is intended to easily show the staff-notation letters and their corre-
sponding solfeggio syllables, also the notes of modulation to the dominant and sub-
dominant of any given scale, and also the position of the relative minor to any major
scale, and the use of the syllable "Chi" in the minor ascending scale,
Doh being
always placed upon or opposite the tonic or key note in the staff notation when the
key is major.
And in order that the nature and novelty of my invention or new system of teaching
music may be properly understood, I hereunto append a sheet of explanatory Drawings
showing one arrangement of apparatus, or mode and means by which it can be carried
into practice.
Figure 1 represents a front elevation of the new apparatus under which I carry into
practice my improved system of teaching music; and Figure 2 represents a sectional
plan as taken on the irregular line 11 of Figure 1; while Figure 3 represents
a transverse vertical section as taken on the line 2- - 2 of Figure 1.
Under one arrangement shown in these Figures, the improved apparatus comprises
a black-board a mounted on two end standards or pillars & with feet 6. This board a
has formed or ruled on it the five horizontal lines of the staff notation c, preferably on

page_text: the left-hand side of the centre line 3 - 3 with any desired number of these staff
lines e on the right-hand side for writing the different transitions from the modulator
as will hereinafter be described. On the left-hand side is formed a broad sliding
panel d, on which the sol-fa syllables and certain notes of modulation are placed, in
three narrow sliding sections or columns, numbered 1, 2, and 3; while the staff
notation letters at, are printed or formed vertically on the stationary part of the
modulator a, preferably on the left-hand side of the panel d. In this arrangement the
panel is made to slide in grooves formed in the sections 1, 2, 3 in the black-
board or modulator a, and a slot or groove " is formed on the lower part of the sliding
panel, and a thumb screw d is passed through this slot" and the stationary board a
to secure the panel d and sections, 1,2,3, in any position of their slots corresponding
to the change of key desired to he effected. These sertions 1, 2, 3, have projecting
knobs or buttons secured to them at ',,, having the sol-fa syllables printed or
formed on them, all as will hereinafter he described.
11
66
"
Referring to these Drawings. In Figure 1 will be seen the staff notation letters
comprising two octaves beginning with the "A" below mid ("in treble clef. In a
perpendicular column opposite these letters is placed the sliding panel d on which the
sol-la syllables and certain notes of modulation are placed in the three columns called
sections 1, 2, 3. The syllable "Doh" in section 1 is placed opposite the note "(!”
in staff-notation column. To modulate through a succession of sharp " keys (which
succeed each other by "fifths") it is necessary to raise the fourth note of the scale
from which the modulation is made by a chromatic semitone, the syllable Fah” is
for that purpose called "Fi," and will be found in sertion 2 opposite "Fah” in
section 1. The key note or tonic of the scale, to which the modulation is to be made,
will he found a semitone above the note "Fi” (“FI” in staff notation column)
and will therefore be "Sol" in section 2 ("1" in staff-notation column). The slide
must now he moved upwards until the Doh" section is opposite "G" in staff
notation column, the corresponding sol-fa syllables and staff notation letters will now
he in horizontal line, and the transition or modulation from "" to "G" is thus
efferted. The same procedure can be repeated throughout the succession of major
keys having sharps" in their signatures, or through any succession of major keys
which succeed each other by fifths or dominants, as for example "Ab" to "Eb,"
"Eb" to "Bb,” “Bb to F," and "F" back to "(." "To modulate to keys
which succeed each other by fourths, as for example from "C" to "F" F to Bb,
"Bb" to "Eb,” electora, reference must be made to section 3, where the note of
modulation “Sa” (the flat 7th) will be found in the Drawing Figure 1, opposite "B"
staff-notation column, the modulator being set in the key of "("In the key
of the note " B must be lowered half a tone to become the flat 7th, and is a
fourth above the key note ""staff-notation column. The slide must therefore now
be moved upwards, so that "Doh" section 1 is opposite "F" staff-notation column.
The same procedure can he repeated through.nt the succession of major keys having
fint in their signatures, or through any suer ssion of Major Keys which succeed
each other by fourths or sub-dominants, as for example from "A" to "D," "D"
to G," and "G" back to "C" The "relative minor to any given major scale
will be found on the modulator Figure 1 at Lah (marked perfect 6th) section 1.
The leading note "Chi" is shown in Figure 1 immediately above "Sol," thus
making "Solan angmented 5th; thus an augmentation is only used in the
ascending minor scale. In the descending minor scale "Sol" (the perfect 5th) and
not "('hi" is to be used. The syllablo "hi" usod in the minor is the sharp 7th and
not the same note as the augmented 5th in the major. The staff lines e shown on the
right-hand side of the modulator a are for the teacher to write on them the music
which he goes over on the modulator.
"
"
6.
It will be understood that the staff-notation modulator may be made of any desirod
size as from a fow inches to twenty square feet, in wood, metal, or other substance;
and that instead of making the panel d with the sections 1, 2, 3, to slide, they may be
stationary, and the vertically set staff letters and horizontal lines e made to slide or
Li

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, 1 declare that what
I claim is,
First. The system. or mode and means, of teaching music in the staff and sol-fa
notations, substantially as and for the advantages herein described in reference to and
shown in the accompanying Drawings.
Second. The construction and use of a music teaching apparatus, or staff-notation
modulator, consisting of a stationary board or surface, having the staff-notation
printed or formed on it, in combination with a sliding panel provided with three
narrow sliding sections or columns on which the syllable and notes of modulation are
indicated, substantially as and operated in the manner, and for the advantages, herein
described, in reference to and shown in the accompanying Drawings.
Dated this 4th day of July Lo
W. R. M. THOMSON & Co.,
Agents.