Musical rhythm-tempo tutoring device

Claim 2

A musical rhythm-tempo tutoring device comprising: a housing; a keyboard mounted on said housing and including numerical switch means each corresponding to different digits and selectively operable to input a musical tempo value; said keyboard further including a plurality of musical note switch means each corresponding to different musical note values and selectively operable to enable the operator to input a predetermined sequence of musical note values of a musical composition; means responsive to said numerical switch means for sequentially storing said tempo value and said predetermined sequence of musical note values; and means for producing a sequence of tones having durations and spacings corresponding to said stored musical note values and having the rhythm and tempo of said keyboard input note and tempo values.

Claim 3

The tutoring device of claim 1 wherein said housing further includes: display means responsive to said numerical switch means for visually displaying said musical tempo value.

Claim 4

The tutoring device of claim 1 wherein said numerical switch means are selectively operable to input a musical time signature value.

Claim 5

The tutoring device of claim 3 wherein said housing further includes means responsive to said numerical switch means for storing said musical time signature value.

Claim 6

The tutoring device of claim 3 wherein said housing further includes: display means responsive to said numerical switch means for visually displaying said musical time signature value.

Claim 7

The tutoring device of claim 1 wherein said housing further includes: means for producing a visual display representing said input sequence of note values, said display being dependent upon said input tempo and note values.

Claim 8

The tutoring device of claim 6 wherein said means for producing a visual display comprises: a plurality of light sources producing alternating impulses of light representing said input predetermined sequence of note values, wherein each note value has a visible duration. dependent upon said tempo and note values.

Claim 9

The tutoring device of claim 1 wherein said keyboard further includes: means for producing a plurality of tones having equal duration and spacing representing said tempo value inputted through said keyboard.

Claim 10

The tutoring device of claim 1 wherein said housing further including means for counting the number of musical note values calculated from note values input through said keyboard.

Claim 11

The tutoring device of claim 9 wherein said housing further includes display means for visually displaying said number of musical note values calculated from note values input through said keyboard and counted by said counting means.

Claim 12

The tutoring device of claim 1 wherein said keyboard further includes: a plurality of switch means, selectively operable to enable the operator to input durations of silence between said individual tones of said tone sequence, said switch means corresponding to different musical rests between notes of said musical composition.

Claim 13

The tutoring device of claim 1 wherein said means for producing said sequence of tones comprises an audible tone transducer.

Claim 14

The tutoring device of claim 1 wherein said numerical switch means are selectively operable to input a starting location to enable the operator to select a predetermined note location within said stored sequence of musical note values at which to begin replay of said stored sequence of notes.

Claim 15

The tutoring device of claim 1 wherein said keyboard further includes: a plurality of switch means selectively operable to enable the operator to modify said durations and spacings of said keyboard input note values, said switch means corresponding to different musical modifiers of said musical composition.

Claim 16

The tutoring device of claim 14 wherein said musical modifiers include: dots, ties, ritards and staccatos.

Claim 17

The tutoring device of claim 1 wherein said housing further includes means for generating a time delay before producing said sequence of tones to enable the operator to prepare for reception of said tone sequence.

Claim 18

A musical rhythm-tempo tutoring device, comprising: a housing; electronic circuit means within said housing; a keyboard mounted on said housing including a first array of switch means corresponding to different digits and selectively operable to enable the operator to select a musical tempo value and musical time signature value; first switch means located on said keyboard for inputting said selected tempo value into said electronic circuit means; second switch means located on said keyboard for inputting said selected time signature value into said electronic circuit means; said keyboard further including a second array of switch means corresponding to different musical note values and selectively operable to enable the operator to select a predetermined sequence of musical note values of a musical composition; third switch means located on said keyboard for inputting said selected predetermined sequence of note values into said electronic circuit means; said electronic circuit means responsive to said switch means to calculate and store the value of each of said musical notes of said input note sequence based upon said input tempo and note values; and means responsive to said electronic circuit means for producing a sequence of tones, the duration of the individual tones of said sequence corresponding to said plurality of stored musical note values, the rhythm and tempo of said tones of said sequence being dependent upon said keyboard input tempo and note values.

Claim 19

A musical rhythm-tempo tutoring device, comprising: a housing; electronic circuit means within said housing; a keyboard mounted on said housing including a first array of switch means corresponding to different digits and selectively operable to enable the operator to select a musical tempo value and musical time signature value; first switch means located on said keyboard for inputting said selected tempo value into said electronic circuit means; second switch means located on said keyboard for inputting said selected time signature value into said electronic circuit means; said keyboard further including a second array of switch means corresponding to different musical note values and selectively operable to enable the operator to select a predetermined sequence of musical note values of a musical composition; third switch means located on said keyboard for inputting said selected predetermined sequence of note values into said electronic circuit means; said electronic circuit means responsive to said switch means to calculate and store the value of each of said musical notes of said input note sequence based upon said input tempo and note values; and means responsive to said electronic circuit means for producing a sequence of tones, the duration of the individual tones of said sequence corresponding to said plurality of stored musical note values, the rhythm and tempo of said tones of said sequence being dependent upon said keyboard input tempo and note values.

Claim 20

The tutoring device of claim 17 wherein said keyboard further includes: a third array of switch means corresponding to different musical rests and selectively operable to enable the operator to input durations of silence between said individual tones of said tone sequence representing musical rests between said notes of said musical composition.

Claim 21

The tutoring device of claim 17 wherein said housing further includes; display means for visually producing alternating impulses of light representing said plurality of stored musical note values, wherein each note valve has a visible duration dependent on said tempo and time signature values.

Claim 22

The tutoring device of claim 17 and further including display means for visually indicating whether the device is reproducing said keyboard inputted sequence of note values.

Claim 23

The tutoring device of claim 17 wherein said housing further includes: display means for visually indicating whether the device is in its operable status to receive inputted musical note values through said keyboard.

Claim 24

The tutoring device of claim 17 wherein said housing further includes: display means responsive to said first array of switch means for visually displaying said selected musical tempo value.

Claim 25

The tutoring device of claim 17 wherein said housing further includes: display means responsive to said first array of switch means for visually displaying said selected musical time signature value.

Claim 26

The tutoring device of claim 17 and further including: means for producing a sequence of tones of equal duration and spacing representing said selected musical tempo value input through said keyboard.

Claim 27

The tutoring device of claim 17 wherein said housing further includes: means for counting the number of musical note values calculated from note values input through said keyboard.

Claim 28

The tutoring device of claim 25 wherein said housing further includes: display means for visually displaying said number of musical note values calculated from note values input through said keyboard and counted by said counting means.

Claim 29

The tutoring device of claim 17 wherein said housing further includes: display means for visually indicating whether an incorrect entry has been inputted to the device.

Claim 30

The tutoring device of claim 17 and further including: fourth switch means located on said panel to enable the operator to reinitialize the device.

Claim 31

A musical rhythm-tempo tutoring device comprising: a housing; a keyboard input array mounted on said housing including a plurality of switches to input selected musical tempo and note values; an electronic processor in said housing for processing said note values according to said input tempo and rhythm values; means in said housing for storing said musical tempo and note values; switch means for accessing said stored note values; annunciator means for generating outputs corresponding to said stored note values; and actuator means for actuating said annunciator means in order to produce a sequence of note values having rhythm and tempo dependent upon said tempo and note values input through said keyboard input array.

Claim 32

A musical rhythm-tempo tutoring device comprising: a housing; a keyboard input array mounted on said housing including a plurality of switches to input selected musical tempo and note values; an electronic processor in said housing for processing said note values according to said input tempo and rhythm values; means in said housing for storing said musical tempo and note values; switch means for accessing said stored note values; annunciator means for generating outputs corresponding to said stored note values; and actuator means for actuating said annunciator means in order to produce a sequence of note values having rhythm and tempo dependent upon said tempo and note values input through said keyboard input array.

Claim 33

The tutoring device of claim 29 wherein said processing means comprises a microprocessor integrated circuit.

Claim 34

The tutoring device of claim 29 wherein said annunciator means comprises an audible tone transducer.

Claim 35

The tutoring device of claim 29 wherein said annunciator means comprises a visual light display.

Claim 38

The method of claim 33 and further including: generating a sequence of light pulses wherein the duration of the individual light pulses of said sequence correspond to said stored musical note values and are displayed according to the rhythm and tempo of said tone sequence.

Claim 39

The method of claim 33 and further including: generating a sequence of tones, wherein the duration and spacing of the individual tones of said sequence is constant and corresponds to the selected musical tempo value.

Claim 40

The method of claim 33 and further including: delaying for a predetermined time period the generating of said sequence of tones.

Claim 41

The method of claim 33 and further including: entering through said keyboard a selected musical time signature value; electronically storing said musical time signature value in said housing; generating a plurality of tones, the number of said tones being determined by said stored musical time signature value, said tones having a rhythm and tempo corresponding to said keyboard entered tempo value.