Talking metronome

Claim 2

A metronome comprising: (a) means for selecting a tempo at which human voice patterns will be reproduced, the selected tempo being variable between a minimum and a maximum frequency; (b) means for selecting a combination of time signature beat pattern at which the human voice patterns will be produced; and (c) means responsive to the means for selecting a tempo and the means for selecting a combination of time signature and beat pattern for producing a human voice pattern comprised of a sequence of successive numbers enunciated at the selected tempo and time signature and beat pattern, the frequency of enunciation of the successive numbers per measure of the selected time signature and beat pattern being equal to the selected tempo and the successive numbers enunciated per measure being a function of the selected time signature.

Claim 3

A metronome in accordance with claim 1, wherein the means for producing the human voice is a speech synthesizer.

Claim 4

A metronome in accordance with claim 2 wherein the selected time signature is chosen from 2/4 time, 3/4 time, 4/4 time and 6/8 time.

Claim 5

A metronome in accordance with claim 2 or 3 wherein the beat patterns are chosen from quarter notes, eighth notes and sixteenth notes.

Claim 6

A metronome in accordance with claim 4 wherein each pair of numbers of a measure which is enunciated with beat patterns of eighth notes is separated by the enunciation of the word "and" which is repeated at the frequency of the selected tempo.

Claim 7

A metronome in accordance with claim 4 wherein each pair of numbers of a measure is enunciated with beat patterns of sixteenth notes and is separated by the voice pattern "e and a" which is repeated at the frequency of the selected tempo.

Claim 8

A metronome in accordance with claim 5 wherein: (a) a measure of 2/4 time with quarter notes is comprised of the human voice pattern "One, two" (b) a measure of 2/4 time with eighth notes is comprised of the human voice pattern "one and two and"; (c) a measure of 2/4 time with sixteenth notes is comprised of the human voice pattern "one e and a two e and a"; (d) a measure of 3/4 time with quarter notes is comprised of the human voice pattern "One, two, three"; (e) a measure of 3/4 time with eighth notes is comprised of the human voice pattern "One and two and three and"; (f) a measure of 4/4 time with quarter notes is comprised of the human voice pattern "One, two, three, four"; (g) a measure of 4/4 time with eighth notes is comprised of the human voice pattern "One, and two, and three, and four, and"; and (h) a measure of 6/8 time with quarter notes is comprised of the human voice pattern of "One, two, three, four, five, six".

Claim 9

A metronome in accordance with claim 7 further comprising means for synthesizing selected numbers of a selected voice synthesized pattern at an increased audio level.

Claim 10

A metronome in accordance with claim 5 wherein each pair of numbers of a measure which is enunciated with a beat pattern of sixteenth notes is separated by the voice pattern "e and a" which is repeated at the frequency of the selected tempo.

Claim 11

A metronome in accordance with claim 1 or 2 wherein the time of duration for producing each human voice sound is a function of the selected tempo.

Claim 12

A metronome in accordance with claim 10 wherein the time of duration for producing each human voice sound is inversely proportional to the selected tempo.

Claim 13

A metronome in accordance with claim 10 wherein a plurality of time durations which get progressively shorter, are available for producing each known voice sound, the longest time duration being used for a range of tempos extending from the slowest tempo to a higher tempo, and each additional time duration being used for successively higher ranges of tempos.