US429841A - Musical notation - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

0. OLEMENTS-KROPP. MUSICAL NOTATION.

No. 429,841. Patented June 10, 1890.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES CLEMENTS-KROPP, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

MUSICAL NOTATION.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 429,841, dated June 10, 1890. Application filed December 11, 1888- Serial No. 293,316. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, CHARLES CLEMENTS- KROPP, a citizen of the United States, residing at San Francisco, in the county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented new and usefullmprovements in Figural or Numeral Notation for Musical Melody and Accompaniment, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improved indication for the duration of tone, the pitch and position of scales and intervals,and a controllable guiding-indicator.

The object of my invention is to write and print a more perfect and less complicated notation than heretofore used by introducing and using 11 ewly-invented indications for such important elements in music, which have never before received a directly visible indication within any notation known to me.

In music the duration of a tone or tones is governed by the prescribed tempo and the single beat of the baton or metronome, and in reading or playing music it is of great-importance to see' a distinct or separate indication for each single beat within each single measure for the purpose of seeing directly the number of tones or the single tone to be played within the duration of one beat.

In my new notation I introduce and use the indication for a single beat by means of equal and conspicuous dimensions for the height and width of one or more characters or figures having or showing the full duration of one beat. Each beat is indicated by means of a space between each character representing one beat and the preceding one, as shown in Figure 1, letter A, also in Figs. 3, 4, and 5, wherein the dimensions of characters representing each a single beat, and their separate positions within each measure, are indicated or shown, Fig. 2 being a representation of the figures of my notation arranged in a scale of several octaves.

For indicating the full duration of a tone within one heat lose the equal dimensions of height and width for each figure or charactor to be sounded during the full time required for a regularly-prescribed and full beat, in the same manner as shown in Fig. 1, letter A.

Partial duration of tone or tones requiring only a certain part of or' within the time of one beat is indicated by means of different dimensions for the width of the character or figure used and being in comparative proportion with the fixed height of the same and with the required part of duration within the prescribed time of one beat.

In Fig. 1, letter B, the dimension for the width of the character or figures, when compared with the fixed height of the same, is showing only a comparative or proportional half of the dimension used for the fixed height, thereby indicating a proportional half duration of tone within one heat. Two such figures indicate one beat and the full duration thereof, letter C showing character and figures having only a proportional width of onefourth of the fixed height, therebyindicating a one-fourth duration of one beat. Four of such figures indicate one beat, letter D showing character and figures having a proportional width of three-fourths of the fixed height, thereby indicating a proportional duration of tone within one beat. In same manner the triplets and other partial durations within one single beat are indicated by means of a comparative and proportionate width for each figure or character in connection with a fixed height of the same.

For the missing numeral 1 in Fig. 1 I have substituted the character of a perfect square, because it is more suitable and conspicuous for indicating the fixed height for all other figures or characters used and for indicating the tonica of a prescribed scale.

For indicating the extended duration of a tone or tones to be sounded without interruption during the time of more than one beat or any required part thereof I use in my new notation a horizontal line or dash, following immediately the figure or character used for indicating the tone to be extended, and running or extenting across exactly the same space within the notation as the dimension for the width of the preceding figure should occupy when indicating the corresponding duration for and Within each additional beat or part thereof, drawing Fig. 4 showing three examples for the indication of extended tones, and for comparison I write below the same eX- tension of tones as Written in the note system.

The note system uses the forms of the lib notes d and especial signatures, (the tie, dot, and double dot, A for the purpose of indicating extended tones, in their theory of duration, but not directly visible to the eye for and within each single beat or part thereof, like my indication does.

My new notation for duration does not require especial names like those used in the note system, as they are known as quickly as seen, and a name would be a hinderance.

Believing that I have fully described my invention, what I desire to claim and secure by Letters Patent is A system of musical notation consisting of notes or characters the dimensions of which indicate their value as to duration of time, a note of the value in time of one beat to or within a measure being of equal height and Width, the other notes being of greater or less value having the same height, but having proportionately greater or less width,a1l substantially as described and shown.

CHARLES CLEMENTS-KROPP.

Witnesses:

M. H. SAVAGE, R. II. MCDONALD, Jr.

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