"Rail travel at high speeds is not possible because passengers, unable to breathe, would die of asphyxia."
Dionysius Lardner, Professor of Natural Philosophy and Astronomy at University College, London ; 1830
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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 8022285 | Automatic guitar tuning case An automatic guitar tuning case is a tuning system to automatically, synchronously, accurately and rapidly turn an acoustic guitar or electrical guitar with no requirement of modifying the guitar. It has six optical transducers to respectively detect and convert the... | 09/20/2011 |
| 7960636 | Enhanced knob for use with an electric stringed musical instrument Various embodiments of the present invention are directed to an enhanced knob with multiple integrated functions for use with an electric stringed musical instrument. The enhanced knob can be positioned on an electric stringed musical instrument or on an interconnec... | 06/14/2011 |
| 7678982 | Device and method for automatic tuning of a string instrument in particular a guitar A device and method for automatic tuning of a string Instrument, in particular, a guitar, comprising a recording device, for recording a tone generated by striking a string and for the output of a digital signal corresponding to the recorded tone, a memory device fo... | 03/16/2010 |
| 7663043 | Display device for guitar tuners and method of displaying tuned states of guitar strings using the same A display device for guitar tuners and a method of displaying the tuned states of guitar strings. The method is performed such that the control unit performs control so that the backlight emits light having a predetermined color by turning on the backlight when a tu... | 02/16/2010 |
| 7355110 | Stringed musical instrument having a built in hand-held type computer An apparatus and method is disclosed for storing, editing, deleting and visually displaying personal information within a stringed musical instrument. A hand-held type computer (34) located in and forming a portion of the envelope or housing of the stringed m... | 04/08/2008 |
| 7285716 | Automated stringed instrument player An automated player for stringed instruments having a plucking mechanism and a fretting mechanism. The plucking mechanism includes a string contacting portion rotationally mounted relative to a corresponding instrument string with a rotational axis substantially per... | 10/23/2007 |
| 7285710 | Musical instrument tuner A musical instrument tuner includes a means for measuring the frequency of a note played on an instrument, a minimal display means, a means for powering and depowering the tuner, and a means for collecting the signal to be measured. The tuner displays sharp and flat... | 10/23/2007 |
| 7259311 | Mobile communication terminal with audio tuning function A mobile communication terminal provided with a tuning function, which saves a player the trouble of carrying around a tuning meter or the like and facilitates the tuning of instruments. A user designates a reference pitch stored in a memory, and inputs the sound of... | 08/21/2007 |
| 7248103 | Complex band-pass filter A complex band-pass filter. The complex band-pass filter includes a band-pass filter coupled to a voltage source. The band-pass filter includes a first plurality of transconductors that receives a first voltage, where the first voltage controls the center frequency ... | 07/24/2007 |
| 7247780 | Wrench tremolo bar for a guitar A guitar has a wrench tremolo bar thereon, replacing the standard tremolo bar, with the wrench tremolo bar having a desired wrench on at least one end of the wrench tremolo bar, to cooperate with the string fasteners on the guitar, which greatly facilitates tuning, ... | 07/24/2007 |
| 7109405 | D tuner A tuner for a stringed instrument including a base unit, a pair of projections extending upwardly from the base unit, and a clamping bar for attachment to the base unit with a neck of the stringed instrument therebetween. The tuner also includes tuning screws for mo... | 09/19/2006 |
| 7074998 | Stringed instrument tuner holder A tuner holder for stringed instruments. A first embodiment includes (i) a strut, (ii) a shelf extending substantially perpendicular in a first longitudinal direction from the distal edge of the strut, (iii) a hook extending in a second longitudinal direction from t... | 07/11/2006 |
| 7060884 | String stretcher for stringed instruments A string stretcher has a body with a stretcher axis of rotation about which to rotate the string stretcher when positioned transverse to the fingerboard. At least one support member has an upwardly facing support surface for selectively urging and holding the select... | 06/13/2006 |
| 7034215 | Performance apparatus There is provided a performance apparatus that can reduce energy consumption while allowing sounding elements to appropriately generate sound. A CPU supplies driving energy to an actuator to drivingly control the same based on pulse width modulation. A rotary pick i... | 04/25/2006 |
| 6965067 | Guitar tuner Provided is a guitar tuner that is capable of tuning each string of a guitar with a capotasto being attached thereto to a specified pitch. The guitar tuner includes attachment position setting means for, when the capotasto is attached to the guitar, setting an attac... | 11/15/2005 |
| 6953885 | Tuning device A tuning device measures and displays a deviation between a fundamental frequency of a music signal and a standard reference frequency. The tuning device has a meter having a graduated display and a movable needle, one or both of which are provided with a fluorescen... | 10/11/2005 |
| 6870084 | Method and apparatus for fully adjusting and providing tempered intonation for stringed, fretted musical instruments, and making adjustments to the rule of 18 The present invention involves a tempering formula which utilizes specific pitch offsets, which when applied to the guitar, result in extraordinarily pleasing intonation. ... | 03/22/2005 |
| 6784353 | Musical instrument stringer/tuner device A musical instrument stringer/tuner device for replacing the tuning pegs on guitars. The musical instrument stringer/tuner device includes a housing member being adapted to be attachable to a musical instrument and having top, side, end, and bottom walls with a plur... | 08/31/2004 |
| 6563034 | Tuning means for fulcrum tremolo A stringed musical instrument is provided with a fulcrum tremolo with a plurality of intonation modules that are adjustably mounted on the base plate of the tremolo. Each intonation module incorporates the bridge element and the tailpiece. Positioned betw... | 05/13/2003 |
| 6559369 | Apparatus and method for self-tuning a piano An apparatus and method for self-tuning a piano that includes selectively applying voltage with a voltage mechanism to each piano string of a plurality of piano strings to provide either thermal expansion upon an application of voltage or thermal contract... | 05/06/2003 |
| 6515207 | Adjustable string tree An adjustable string tree provides selectable adjustment for tension on a stringed musical instrument. A back plate is fixed to a base plate, which in turn is fixed to the musical instrument. A top plate adjustably and slidably engages the back plate in o... | 02/04/2003 |
| 6489548 | String changing assist apparatus and method A string assist apparatus and method (10) includes a support (12) and a resilient extension (14) connected to the support (12). When placed in position on an instrument (20), one end (18) of a string (16) is connected to a bridge (22). The string (16) is ... | 12/03/2002 |
| 6437226 | Method and system for automatically tuning a stringed instrument The present invention provides a method for automatically tuning a stringed instrument including the steps of inducing a signal on a string under tension to generate a resonance signal having an amplitude from the string and adjusting tension of the strin... | 08/20/2002 |
| 6291755 | Tuner for stringed musical instruments A tuner for stringed musical instruments which have a pickup for converting sound vibrations of the strings to electrical signals and a body being either hollow or solid with a front and back surface and a side surface extending between the front and back... | 09/18/2001 |
| 6278047 | Apparatus for tuning stringed instruments A microprocessor-controlled tuning apparatus for a stringed instrument, wherein the tension of a string is detected by a sensor, compared with a reference value, and readjusted if necessary until the detected value conforms with the reference value, there... | 08/21/2001 |
| 6166307 | Apparatus for automating a stringed instrument An automated stringed musical instrument including a device for plucking the strings of the instrument, a device for fretting the strings, and a tension-maintaining linkage for maintaining the tension in the strings, such that the instrument can be remote... | 12/26/2000 |
| 6143966 | Method and apparatus for fully adjusting and providing tempered intonation for stringed, fretted musical instruments, and making adjustments to the rule of 18 The present invention involves a tempering formula which utilizes specific pitch offsets, which when applied to the guitar, result in extraordinarily pleasing intonation.... | 11/07/2000 |
| 6130373 | Tunable suspension string tree A system and method of balancing the torque applied to a stringed instrument's neck and headstock that allows the stringed instrument's neck and headstock to deflect evenly when a tremolo device included in said stringed instrument is operated is provided... | 10/10/2000 |
| 6107556 | Apparatus for tuning or installing strings on a musical instrument The present invention relates to a hand-held device for tensioning and stabilizing the strings of a stringed musical instrument, such as a guitar, during tuning or installation of the strings. In one embodiment, the device comprises a structure having a p... | 08/22/2000 |
| 6078001 | Machine head for guitars A machine head for guitars is disclosed. In the machine head, the tension of a string is adjusted by sequentially rotating a manually operated adjusting knob, a worm engaging with the knob, a worm wheel engaging with the worm, and a winding peg integrated... | 06/20/2000 |
| 5959229 | Strobe tuner for musical instruments with multiple light sources A tuning device for a stringed musical instrument consisting of stroboscopic light sources, such as light emitting diodes (LEDs), positioned to be seen by a musician in or near normal playing position as partially eclipsed by the strings. The LEDs are dri... | 09/28/1999 |
| 5955689 | Method and apparatus for fully adjusting and providing tempered intonation for stringed, fretted musical instruments, and making adjustments to the rule of 18 A fully adjustable acoustic guitar bridge is claimed that allows the strings (e.g. nylon or steel) of an acoustic guitar to be separately and continuously intonated, accurately and easily, whenever necessary. The bridge system employs a minimum of alterat... | 09/21/1999 |
| 5936179 | Apparatus including visual display for tuning stringed musical instruments Apparatus for tuning a stringed musical instrument includes an electronic tuner circuit and a visual display located in either the pickguard or the pickup mounting ring of the instrument.... | 08/10/1999 |
| 5900314 | Strings for musical instruments made from polybutylene terephthalate The plastic material called PBT (Polybutylene terephthalate) in polymeric chains in the form of continuous monofilaments or multifilaments is used for making the strings of plucked and bowed musical instruments.... | 05/04/1999 |
| 5877444 | Tuner for stringed musical instruments A tuner for stringed musical instruments which has a transducer pickup for converting sound vibrations of the strings to electrical signals and a body being either hollow or solid with a front and back surface and a edge surface extending between the fron... | 03/02/1999 |
| 5814748 | Pitch raise tuning for digital aural musical instrument tuning Methods and apparatus determine tuning frequencies for an instrument, such as a piano, by sounding at least three musical notes of the instrument. The sounded notes are recorded and digitally filtered to generate directly partial ladders representative of... | 09/29/1998 |
| 5780759 | Method for pitch recognition, in particular for musical instruments which are excited by plucking or striking A method is specified for pitch recognition, in particular for musical instruments which are excited by plucking or striking, in the case of which method the interval between zero crossings of a signal waveform of an audio signal is used as a measure for ... | 07/14/1998 |
| 5528970 | Tone control for stringed musical instrument A musical pitch control for each of the strings on a musical instrument. A pivot arm is secured to one end of each string. Controlled current is applied to a length of memory wire secured between the arm and an anchor point. The bending strain on the arm ... | 06/25/1996 |
| 5442987 | Apparatus to vary the pitch of a designated string of a musical instrument Apparatus for selectively increasing the pitch of a string of a string instrument at any time while the instrument is being played in a normal manner. The apparatus includes a string guide which is adapted to bear against a tuned string of the instrument,... | 08/22/1995 |
| 5408914 | Musical instrument training system having displays to identify fingering, playing and instructional information A musical instrument training system for a stringed musical instrument having a body, a fingerboard, a plurality of strings, and an electric pickup. A fingering display (left hand) and a playing display (right hand) are mounted on the fingerboard. A contr... | 04/25/1995 |