Teaching system and method for stringed musical instruments

Abstract

A method for teaching stringed instrument students how to play sheet music through the use of colored fingering numbers. This method assists the user in knowing which finger to use on which string as they play instrumental music. It also indicates which position their hand should be in as they play sheet music. Numbers correspond to which finger should be used to play a particular note. Separate, distinctly identifiable colors are assigned to notes that should be played on a particular string in a particular position, and are visually displayed as colored fingering numbers that indicate which string and in which position the user should play the fingered notes on.

1 . A system for instructing a student to play music on a stringed instrument having a fingerboard, the system comprising:
 sheet music comprising a musical staff and musical notes with colored fingering numbers placed above the musical notes,   wherein the colored fingering numbers indicate the string on which the student should place a finger, the hand position of the student's hand on the fingerboard, and the finger that should be used,   wherein the colored fingering numbers are assigned a unique variation of color,   wherein each unique variation of color comprises a particular brightness, saturation and/or hue, and   wherein the specific variation in brightness, saturation and/or hue of the colored fingering numbers correspond to the position in which the student's hand should be placed.   
   
   
       2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the stringed instrument comprises a violin, viola, cello, or stringed bass. 
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising broken lines between some of the colored fingering numbers. 
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the broken lines indicate a shift in the hand position of the student's hand on the fingerboard. 
   
   
       5 . A method for customizing sheet music with colored fingering numbers above the musical notes, the method comprising:
 selecting a first region of the sheet music in which a default colored fingering is to be customized; and   eliminating the use of colored fingering in the first region.   
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 selecting a second region of the sheet music in which a default colored fingering is to be customized; and   editing one or more fingering numbers of the default colored fingering in the second region.   
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 restoring default colored fingering numbers in the second region of the sheet music.   
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 selecting a second region of the sheet music in which a default colored fingering is to be customized; and   editing one or more colors of the default colored fingering in the second region.   
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 restoring default colored fingering numbers in the second region of the sheet music.   
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 selecting a second region of the sheet music in which a default colored fingering is to be customized; and   editing one or more hand position shifts of the default colored fingering in the second region.   
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 restoring default colored fingering numbers in the second region of the sheet music.   
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 restoring default colored fingering in the first region.   
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the first region comprises the sheet music in its entirety. 
   
   
       14 . A method for customizing sheet music with colored fingering numbers above musical notes, the method comprising:
 selecting a region of the sheet music in which a default colored fingering is to be customized,   editing one or more fingering numbers of the default colored fingering in the selected region.   
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 editing one or more colors of the default colored fingering in the selected region.   
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 restoring default colored fingering numbers in the selected region of sheet music.   
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 editing one or more hand position shifts of the default colored fingering in the selected region.   
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 restoring default colored fingering numbers in the selected region of sheet music.   
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 restoring default colored fingering numbers in the selected region of sheet music.   
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the selected region comprises the sheet music in its entirety.