Method and apparatus for generating and representing chord note positions of a stringed instrument

Claim 3

The method of claim 1 wherein said graphically outputting step comprises the step of graphically outputting on a single grid a representation of each said allowable combination of chord note positions.

Claim 4

The method of claim 2 wherein said graphically outputting step further comprises the step of graphically outputting said grid representations in a regular array, said grid elements of said array being arranged in a first axial direction corresponding to each chord type and in a second axial direction corresponding to said combinations of at least three fret positions.

Claim 5

The method of claim 1 wherein said determining step comprises the steps of determining a note corresponding to each combination of a string and allowable fret positions for said instrument, comparing each note of a designated chord type with the notes of said at least three fret positions for each said string, storing for each chord note which matches the note of a string-fret position intersection a representation of the location of the match, and editing the matches to render invalid matched string-fret notes which correspond to notes which cannot be played.

Claim 6

The method of claim 4 further wherein said editing step comprises, for each successive chord-"moving fret window" combination, the steps of checking that each note of a chord occurs in at least one match, removing for each chord note, for which there is exactly one match, all other matched string-fret notes on the same string, removing for each chord note for which there are exactly two matches, both occurring on the same string, all other matched string-fret notes on that same string, and removing, for each chord note pair, each note of said pair occurring exactly twice and one match from each pair occurring on each of two different strings, whereby the notes have a mutual interdependency, all other matched string-fret notes on said two different strings.

Claim 7

The method of claim 5 further comprising the step of repeating at least once said checking and all removing steps in editing the found matches when at least one match is found to be invalid.

Claim 8

The method of claim 5 further comprising the step of expanding the "moving-fret window" to include a greater number of fret positions up to a maximum number of fret positions, whenever said checking step determines that at least one note of a chord is not matched, and repeating said allowable combinations determining step.

Claim 11

Apparatus for exhaustively determining the chord note positions for selected chord types for a stringed instrument comprising means for designating the number of strings for the instrument, means for designating the tuning of the instrument strings, means for designating the chord types for which playable chord note positions will be determined, means for designating the allowable fret positions for playing chords on the instrument, means for determining, for each chord type and each allowable combination of at least three fret positions, all allowable combinations of chord note positions for playing said each chord type, and means for graphically outputting, for each chord type and each allowable combination of at least three fret positions, said allowable combinations of chord note positions.

Claim 12

Apparatus for exhaustively determining the chord note positions for selected chord types for a stringed instrument comprising means for designating the number of strings for the instrument, means for designating the tuning of the instrument strings, means for designating the chord types for which playable chord note positions will be determined, means for designating the allowable fret positions for playing chords on the instrument, means for determining, for each chord type and each allowable combination of at least three fret positions, all allowable combinations of chord note positions for playing said each chord type, and means for graphically outputting, for each chord type and each allowable combination of at least three fret positions, said allowable combinations of chord note positions.

Claim 13

The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said graphically outputting means comprises means for graphically outputting on a single grid, a representation of each said allowable combination of chord note positions.

Claim 14

The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said determining means comprises means for determining a note corresponding to each combination of a string and allowable fret positions for said instrument, means for comparing each note of a designated chord type with the notes of said at least three fret positions for each said string, means for storing, for each chord note which matches the note of a string-fret position intersection, a representation of the location of the match, and means for editing the matches to render invalid matched string-fret notes which correspond to notes which cannot be played.

Claim 15

The apparatus of claim 11 further wherein said editing means comprises, for each successive chord-"moving fret window" combination, means for checking that each note of a chord occurs in at least one match, means for removing for each chord note, for which there is exactly one match, all other matched string-fret notes on the same string, means for removing for each chord note for which there are exactly two matches, both matches occurring on the same string, all other matched string-fret notes on that same string, and means for removing, for each chord note pair, each note of said pair occurring exactly twice and one match from each pair occurring on each of two different strings whereby the notes have a mutual interdependency, all other matched string-fret notes on said two different strings.

Claim 16

The apparatus of claim 12 further comprising means for repeating at least once operation of said checking and all removing means in editing the found matches when at least one match has been declared invalid.

Claim 17

Apparatus for exhaustively determining the chord note positions for selected chord types for a stringed instrument comprising means for inputting the number of strings for the instrument, means for inputting the tuning of the instrument strings, means for inputting the chord types for which playable chord note positions will be determined, means for inputting the allowable fret positions for playing chords on the instrument, means for determining a note corresponding to each combination of a string and allowable fret positions for said instrument, means for comparing each note of an input chord type with the notes of said at least three fret positions for each said string, means for storing for each chord note which matches the note of a string-fret position intersection, a representation of the location of the match, means for checking that each note of a chord occurs in at least one match, means for removing for each chord note, for which there is exactly one match, all other matched string-fret notes on the same string, means for removing for each chord note for which there are exactly two matches, both matches occurring on the same string, all other matched string-fret notes on that same string, means for removing, for each chord note pair, each note of said pair occurring exactly twice, and one match from each pair occurring on each of two different strings whereby the notes have a mutual interdependency, all other matched string-fret notes on said two different strings, means for repeating at least once operation of said checking and all removing means in editing of the found matches when at least one match is found to be invalid, and means for graphically outputting on a single grid, a representation of each said allowable combination of chord note positions.

Claim 18

Apparatus for exhaustively determining the chord note positions for selected chord types for a stringed instrument comprising means for inputting the number of strings for the instrument, means for inputting the tuning of the instrument strings, means for inputting the chord types for which playable chord note positions will be determined, means for inputting the allowable fret positions for playing chords on the instrument, means for determining a note corresponding to each combination of a string and allowable fret positions for said instrument, means for comparing each note of an input chord type with the notes of said at least three fret positions for each said string, means for storing for each chord note which matches the note of a string-fret position intersection, a representation of the location of the match, means for checking that each note of a chord occurs in at least one match, means for removing for each chord note, for which there is exactly one match, all other matched string-fret notes on the same string, means for removing for each chord note for which there are exactly two matches, both matches occurring on the same string, all other matched string-fret notes on that same string, means for removing, for each chord note pair, each note of said pair occurring exactly twice, and one match from each pair occurring on each of two different strings whereby the notes have a mutual interdependency, all other matched string-fret notes on said two different strings, means for repeating at least once operation of said checking and all removing means in editing of the found matches when at least one match is found to be invalid, and means for graphically outputting on a single grid, a representation of each said allowable combination of chord note positions.

Claim 19

A graphical display means for displaying an exhaustive representation of positions for playing selected chord types on a stringed instrument comprising a regular array of grid elements, each grid element representing along a first axis the strings of said instrument and along a second axis the fret locations on the instrument, and said grid elements of said array being arranged in a first axial direction corresponding to each chord type and in a second axial direction corresponding to selected groupings of at least three fret locations.

Claim 20

A graphical display means for displaying an exhaustive representation of positions for playing selected chord types on a stringed instrument comprising a regular array of grid elements, each grid element representing along a first axis the strings of said instrument and along a second axis the fret locations on the instrument, and said grid elements of said array being arranged in a first axial direction corresponding to each chord type and in a second axial direction corresponding to selected groupings of at least three fret locations.

Claim 21

The graphical display means of claim 15 further wherein each grid element comprises means for identifying at each string-fret position intersection, the note, if any, validly associated with the grid intersection and matching a note of the chord.