Auto chord device

Claim 2

Apparatus for forming chords on a stringed musical instrument including a neck having frets spaced longitudinally therealong and strings spaced laterally thereacross, comprising: frame means slidably mounted on said neck for positioning longitudinally along said strings to different fret positions, said frame means including means for shifting said frame means laterally across said strings; and stop means coupled to said frame means and operable between first and second lateral positions of said frame means to form first and second chords for a particular fret position of said frame means along said strings.

Claim 3

The apparatus described in claim 1 including: a slot provided on said neck and extending longitudinally therealong; chat means slidably mounted in said slot; and a set of chord family indications marked on said chart means at each of a plurality of fret locations, each set denoting two chord families spaced five half-tones apart, said chart means being movable in said slot to position each of said sets of chord family indications at different fret locations.

Claim 4

The apparatus described in claim 2 wherein each set denotes: four chord families at a particular fret position along said strings; and the chord family indications at any fret position including a first pair spaced five half-tones apart from each other and a second pair spaced five half-tones apart from each other, the first and second pairs being separated by a predetermined constant number of half-tones from each other.

Claim 5

A chording device for use on a guitar with six strings and a plurality of frets comprising: a frame for disposition on said guitar; a slide mounted on said frame for lateral shifting by one string; bar means mounted on said frame for depressing at least a first, second, third, fifth and sixth strings at an initial fret position; first stop means mounted on said slide for alternately depressing the third and fourth and the fourth and fifth of said strings at a position two frets above said initial fret position in response to the lateral positioning of said slide; second stop means mounted on said slide at a fret position one fret above said initial fret position, for movement to a position alternately adjacent to the second and third strings; and cam means mounted on said frame means for depressing and releasing said second stop means in accordance with the lateral movement of said slide.

Claim 6

A chording device for use on a guitar with six strings and a plurality of frets comprising: a frame for disposition on said guitar; a slide mounted on said frame for lateral shifting by one string; bar means mounted on said frame for depressing at least a first, second, third, fifth and sixth strings at an initial fret position; first stop means mounted on said slide for alternately depressing the third and fourth and the fourth and fifth of said strings at a position two frets above said initial fret position in response to the lateral positioning of said slide; second stop means mounted on said slide at a fret position one fret above said initial fret position, for movement to a position alternately adjacent to the second and third strings; and cam means mounted on said frame means for depressing and releasing said second stop means in accordance with the lateral movement of said slide.

Claim 7

The chording device described in claim 4 including: third stop means mounted on said slide at a fret position two frets above said initial fret positions, for movement between the same lateral positions as said second stop means; operating means for receiving manual operating forces; and means responsive to the operation of said operating means for alternately depressing said third stop, and lifting said third stop while depressing said second stop in accordance with the lateral movement of said slide.

Claim 8

Chording apparatus for use on a guitar comprising: means for depressing a majority of the strings on said guitar at an initial fret position; chord changing means manually movable between first and second positions; means for depressing the second string at one fret position above said initial fret position and the third and fourth strings at two fret positions above said initial fret position when said chord changing means is in said first position, and for depressing the fourth and fifth strings at two fret positions above said first position when said chord changing means is in said second position, whereby to form two minor chords in two chord families spaced at five half-tone intervals; and manually operable means responsive to the position of said chord changing means to alternately depress the second string at two fret positions above said initial fret position when said chord changing means is in said first position, and to depress a third string at one fret position above said initial fret position when said chord changing means is in said second position.

Claim 9

Chording apparatus for use on a guitar comprising: means for depressing a majority of the strings on said guitar at an initial fret position; chord changing means manually movable between first and second positions; means for depressing the second string at one fret position above said initial fret position and the third and fourth strings at two fret positions above said initial fret position when said chord changing means is in said first position, and for depressing the fourth and fifth strings at two fret positions above said first position when said chord changing means is in said second position, whereby to form two minor chords in two chord families spaced at five half-tone intervals; and manually operable means responsive to the position of said chord changing means to alternately depress the second string at two fret positions above said initial fret position when said chord changing means is in said first position, and to depress a third string at one fret position above said initial fret position when said chord changing means is in said second position.

Claim 10

The chording apparatus described in claim 6 including; manually operable means for alternately depressing the first and second strings at three frets above said initial fret position, at the first and second position, respectively, of said chord changing means.

Claim 11

The chording apparatus described in claim 6 including; manually operable means for depressing the fourth string at three frets above said initial fret position and damping the first and sixth strings.

Claim 12

Apparatus for forming chords on a stringed musical instrument comprising: frame means for positioning along said strings; and stop means coupled to said frame means and operable between first said second positions to form first and second chords which are in chord families spaced five half-tones apart, for a particular position of said frame means along said strings, said stop means comprising: a slide movable between two substantially laterally spaced positions with respect to said frame means; a stop mounted on said slide for lateral movement with it, said stop movable toward and away from the position of said strings; and cam means for moving said stop toward and away from the position of said strings in response to the lateral movement of said slide.

Claim 13

Apparatus for forming chords on a stringed musical instrument comprising: frame means for positioning along said strings; and stop means coupled to said frame means and operable between first said second positions to form first and second chords which are in chord families spaced five half-tones apart, for a particular position of said frame means along said strings, said stop means comprising: a slide movable between two substantially laterally spaced positions with respect to said frame means; a stop mounted on said slide for lateral movement with it, said stop movable toward and away from the position of said strings; and cam means for moving said stop toward and away from the position of said strings in response to the lateral movement of said slide.

Claim 14

Apparatus for forming chords on a stringed musical instrument comprising: frame means for positioning along said strings; and stop means coupled to said frame means and operable between first and second positions to form first and second chords which are in chord families spaced five half-tones apart, for a particular position of said frame means along said strings, said instrument having six strings and frets spaced along the length of said strings, said stop means comprising: a slide movable substantially laterally between two positions spaced by approximately the lateral separation of two adjacent strings; barring means coupled to said frame means for depressing substantially all of said strings to establish an initial fret position; first stop means mounted on said slide for depressing two of said strings at a fret position two frets higher than said initial fret positions; second stop means mounted on said slide for depressing one of said strings at a fret position one fret higher than said initial fret positions; and cam means mounted on said frame means for depressing and lifting said second stop means in response to the lateral movement of said slide.

Claim 15

Apparatus for forming chords on a stringed musical instrument comprising: frame means for positioning along said strings; and stop means coupled to said frame means and operable between first and second positions to form first and second chords which are in chord families spaced five half-tones apart, for a particular position of said frame means along said strings, said instrument having six strings and frets spaced along the length of said strings, said stop means comprising: a slide movable substantially laterally between two positions spaced by approximately the lateral separation of two adjacent strings; barring means coupled to said frame means for depressing substantially all of said strings to establish an initial fret position; first stop means mounted on said slide for depressing two of said strings at a fret position two frets higher than said initial fret positions; second stop means mounted on said slide for depressing one of said strings at a fret position one fret higher than said initial fret positions; and cam means mounted on said frame means for depressing and lifting said second stop means in response to the lateral movement of said slide.

Claim 16

Apparatus for forming chords on a stringed musical instrument comprising: frame means for positioning along said strings; slide means mounted on said frame means for substantially lateral translation between a plurality of lateral positions; and stop means responsive to the lateral position of said slide means for depressing said strings in a plurality of fretting patterns, each of said fretting patterns defining two chords which are five half-tones apart for a predetermined position of said frame means along said strings; and stop means comprising: a multiple stop member mounted on said slide for lateral movement therewith, said stop member having first and second longitudinally spaced end portions and first and second stops on said first and second end portions, respectively; cam means mounted on said frame means for depressing and releasing said first end portion of said stop member in response to the lateral positioning of said slide means; pivot means mounted on said frame means for engaging and releasing said second end portion of said stop member in response to the lateral position of said slide means; and manually operable pressing means for depressing said stop member at a position spaced from said pivot means.

Claim 17

Apparatus for forming chords on a stringed musical instrument comprising: frame means for positioning along said strings; slide means mounted on said frame means for substantially lateral translation between a plurality of lateral positions; and stop means responsive to the lateral position of said slide means for depressing said strings in a plurality of fretting patterns, each of said fretting patterns defining two chords which are five half-tones apart for a predetermined position of said frame means along said strings; and stop means comprising: a multiple stop member mounted on said slide for lateral movement therewith, said stop member having first and second longitudinally spaced end portions and first and second stops on said first and second end portions, respectively; cam means mounted on said frame means for depressing and releasing said first end portion of said stop member in response to the lateral positioning of said slide means; pivot means mounted on said frame means for engaging and releasing said second end portion of said stop member in response to the lateral position of said slide means; and manually operable pressing means for depressing said stop member at a position spaced from said pivot means.