Color-guiding music teaching system including practice pad, pitch plates, percussion targets & lesson book assembly and method

Abstract

A Color-guiding Music Teaching System including practice pad, pitch plates, percussion targets & lesson book assembly and method is disclosed. The teaching method enables young students to learn music much faster than before by creating an association between musical notes, audible pitch, visual appearance and tactile feel. Several devices are provided, ranging from simple striking targets to more complex musical instruments that have visually, possibly audibly, and even possibly tactilely distinct striking targets incorporated or attached thereto to accompany execution of the teaching method.

1 . A drum practice device comprising: 
 a base;    a resilient substrate member attached to said base;    two or more targets dispersed on said substrate member; and    a cadence generating assembly associated with said substrate member, said cadence generating assembly comprising a cadence generator for generating a striking cadence, and visual strike signal means responsive to said cadence generator for generating a visual strike signal.    
   
   
       2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said targets comprise decals attached to an upper surface of said substrate member.  
   
   
       3 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said targets comprise indicia inscribed on an upper surface of said substrate member.  
   
   
       4 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising an audible strike signal means responsive to said cadence generator for generating an audible strike signal.  
   
   
       5 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said base is defined by a generally circular outer wall having an upper and a lower edge, said wall surrounding a hollow center portion.  
   
   
       6 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said resilient substrate member is attached to said base over said upper edge of said base.  
   
   
       7 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein said targets comprise a first target of a first visually distinct appearance, a second target of a second visually distinct appearance, a third target of a third visually distinct appearance and a fourth target of a fourth visually distinct appearance.  
   
   
       8 . The device of  claim 7 , wherein said first and second targets are images approximating human handprints.  
   
   
       9 . The device of  claim 8 , wherein said third and fourth targets are images approximating a finger portion of a human handprint.  
   
   
       10 . A drum practice device comprising: 
 a base;    a resilient substrate member attached to said base;    two or more targets dispersed on said substrate member; and    a cadence generating assembly associated with said substrate member, said cadence generating assembly comprising a cadence generator for generating a striking cadence, and an audible strike signal means responsive to said cadence generator for generating an audible strike signal.    
   
   
       11 . The device of  claim 10 , wherein said targets comprise decals attached to an upper surface of said substrate member.  
   
   
       12 . The device of  claim 10 , wherein said targets comprise indicia inscribed on an upper surface of said substrate member.  
   
   
       13 . The device of  claim 10 , wherein said targets comprise a first target of a first visually distinct appearance, a second target of a second visually distinct appearance, a third target of a third visually distinct appearance and a fourth target of a fourth visually distinct appearance.  
   
   
       14 . The device of  claim 13 , wherein said first and second targets are images approximating human handprints.  
   
   
       15 . The device of  claim 14 , wherein said third and fourth targets are images approximating a finger portion of a human handprint.  
   
   
       16 . The device of  claim 10 , wherein said base is defined by a generally circular outer wall having an upper and a lower edge, said wall surrounding a hollow center portion.  
   
   
       17 . The device of  claim 10 , wherein said resilient substrate member is attached to said base over said upper edge of said base.  
   
   
       18 . A percussion practice device, comprising: 
 a substrate member comprising a plurality of striking targets, each said target defining a visually distinct appearance unique from adjacent said targets.    
   
   
       19 . A device of  claim 18 , further comprising a base, said base defining an upper surface, said substrate member protruding from said upper surface.  
   
   
       20 . The device of  claim 19 , wherein said targets comprise first and second audible response groups said first audible response group of targets defining a first audible response when struck and said second audible response group of targets defining a second audible response when struck.  
   
   
       21 . The device of  claim 20 , comprising first, second, third and fourth said targets.  
   
   
       22 . The device of  claim 21 , wherein said first audible response group comprises said first and second targets and said second audible response group comprises said third and fourth targets.  
   
   
       23 . The device of  claim 22 , wherein said substrate member comprises a striking pad having an overlay member attached to a top surface of said striking pad, whereby said overlay member covers less than the entire said top surface and said first audible response group comprises said overlay member and said second audible response group comprises said noncovered portion of said top surface.  
   
   
       24 . The device of  claim 18 , wherein said targets each define a material density that is distinct from said other targets.  
   
   
       25 . The device of  claim 24 , wherein said target group is defined by upper and lower targets, said upper targets comprising higher material density than said lower targets.  
   
   
       26 . The device of  claim 25 , wherein said substrate member defines a generally flat circular shape formed from four said targets, each said target defining a quarter-circular shape and arranged adjacent to one another.  
   
   
       27 . The device of  claim 18 , wherein said substrate member is formed from a thin flexible material.  
   
   
       28 . The device of  claim 18 , wherein said substrate member comprises a top surface and a bottom surface, said bottom surface further comprising an adhesive applied thereto.  
   
   
       29 . The device of  claim 18 , wherein said targets are formed from a thin plastic material.  
   
   
       30 . The device of  claim 18 , wherein said targets comprise first and second audible response groups, said first audible response group of targets defining a first audible response when struck and said second audible response group of targets defining a second audible response when struck.  
   
   
       31 . The device of  claim 30 , wherein said plurality of targets comprises a first, a second, a third and a fourth target.  
   
   
       32 . The device of  claim 31 , wherein said first audible response group comprises said first target and said second target and said second audible response group comprises said third target and said fourth target.  
   
   
       33 . A percussion practice device comprising: 
 a plurality of striking targets, each of said striking targets defining a visually distinct appearance unique from said targets adjacent thereto; and    wherein said targets comprise plates attached to said base, each of said plates defining an audible pitch when struck, the audible pitch of each said plate being distinct from said other targets.    
   
   
       34 . The device of  claim 33 , wherein said plates are tuned to the pitches of F, A, C, & E.  
   
   
       35 . The device of  claim 33 , wherein said base has visually distinct representation of musical staff bars and said targets are placed in the position with accordance to their pitch.  
   
   
       36 . The device of  claim 33 , wherein the target with highest pitch is visually associated with the lightest color and target and the target with the lowest pitch is the darkest color.  
   
   
       37 . The device of  claim 33 , further comprising a cadence generating assembly associated with said base, said cadence generating assembly comprising a cadence generator for generating a striking cadence, and visual strike signal means responsive to said cadence generator for generating a visual strike signal.  
   
   
       38 . The device of  claim 33 , further comprising a cadence generating assembly associated with said base, said cadence generating assembly comprising a cadence generator for generating a striking cadence, and audible strike signals means responsive to said cadence generator for generating an audible strike signal.  
   
   
       39 . The device of  claim 33 , wherein said plates are metallic plates.  
   
   
       40 . A teaching method, comprising: 
 providing a student with a striking apparatus defined by at least two targets, said targets comprising visual characteristics that are distinct from each other;    defining distinct audible pitches, one said distinct audible pitch assigned to each said target; and    prompting said student to sequentially strike said targets in accordance with a striking guide.    
   
   
       41 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein when said user demonstrates sufficient skill at executing said sequential strikes in accordance with said striking guide, defining musical notes corresponding to said targets.  
   
   
       42 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein said targets each display distinct colors.  
   
   
       43 . The method of  claim 42 , wherein said colors are defined whereby Lighter colors are corresponding to Higher pitch sounds and Darker colors correspond with Lower pitch sounds.  
   
   
       44 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein said striking guide further depicts strike durations as being linear.  
   
   
       45 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein said striking guide further depicts strike-durations by means of visually distinct sizes of objects in said striking guide.  
   
   
       46 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein said targets provided in said providing step each define tactile characteristics distinct from said other targets when struck.  
   
   
       47 . The method of  claim 46 , wherein said providing step comprises providing a student with a striking apparatus defined by at least four said targets.  
   
   
       48 . The method of  claim 47 , wherein said targets provided in said providing step each define tactile characteristic distinct from said other targets when struck.  
   
   
       49 . The method of  claim 48 , wherein said targets provided in said providing step each define audible strike responses distinct from said other targets when struck.  
   
   
       50 . The method of  claim 49 , wherein said providing step comprises providing a student with a striking apparatus defined by four said targets.  
   
   
       51 . The method of  claim 50 , wherein said targets provided in said providing step each define audible strike responses distinct from said other targets when struck.