Calculator for guitar chords

Claim 1

An electronic device in the nature of a hand held calculator, for illustrating on a display area the required string and fret positions of a fretted stringed instrument to be fingered to play the notes making up a particular chord, comprising: (a) a series of manually operable basic chord information buttons, each associated with a corresponding chord information switch, one chord information switch for each chord for which finger position information is desired; (b) a visual representation of the strings of the fretted instrument and of the frets over a particular range; (c) electronically actuated fret and string finger position indicator means associated with the fret and string representation, each of the string finger positions for each of the frets having electronically actuable indicator means associated with it; (d) electronically actuated open string position indicator means associated with each string of the fret and string representation to indicate when a corresponding string is not fingered; (e) electronically actuated first fret reference indicator means to represent a fret reference point for a selected chord; (f) manually operable select means associated with select switch means; (g) ROM means programmed with chord table information relating chords to desired keys with related fret and string finger position information; (h) microprocessor means electronically associated with the chord information switches, open string position indicator means, first fret reference indicator means, fret and string finger position indicator means and select switch means, the microprocessor adapted to store information concerning the particular chord information switch or switches actuated until the select switch means is actuated, and then search the ROM for fret and finger position information corresponding to the chord information switch or switches actuated, and display that information on the appropriate fret and string finger position indicator means, open string position means and first fret reference indicator means; (i) manually operable switch means electronically associated with the microprocessor and fret and string finger position indicator means to clear information displayed on the fret and string representation as required; whereby the device provides an accurate visible indication on the fret and string representation, of the strings and fret positions to be fingered for a selected predetermined chord.