Musical string instruments to be played necessitate that the user initiates a vibration via contacting a string being termed picking, plucking, strumming, or striking the selected string of the instrument, wherein the string contact is usually in a rapid sequential movement, wherein multiple strings are contacted in close proximity to one another repeatedly in quick succession. The musical stringed instruments can include guitar, banjo, mandolin, and the like that are typically “plucked” string instruments not “bowed” such as a violin. The user typically positions their hand and/or a portion of their wrist adjacent to a grouping of strings and utilizes one or more of their fingers to strike the string directly or to maneuver a plectrum to accomplish the string contact.
When the user is playing the stringed instrument, common practice is to position the plucking hand by one of three techniques: (1) hovering the hand above the string, (2) anchoring the pinky finger on the top of the instrument body, and (3) resting a portion of the hand on the bridge, top of the instrument body, or on one or more strings. Although the tone and flexibility of the hovering method is optimal, it is extremely difficult to engage the string accurately. Speed can also be limited, since there is no fixed pivot point for rocking the wrist or the hand. In addition, tension and fatigue can be a problem in the hand, wrist, and arm since nothing is being supported. By anchoring the pinky finger on the top of the instrument body, the player has support and a tactile reference point to the string locations, thereby increasing accuracy. However, stiffness in the anchor finger can impact the agility of the other fingers and the hand, increasing tension and fatigue, plus limiting speed.
Also, the location of the anchor point is determined by the player's hand size, and can negatively impact the tone by changing the vibration of the instrument top or body. Resting the hand on the bridge, the top of the instrument body, or on one or more strings provides a support, a tactile reference point to the string locations, and a fixed pivot point for rocking the wrist or hand, however, the tone is often impacted by dampening the vibration of the bridge, the instrument body, or the strings. In addition, the anchor point is again determined by the player's hand size, which may not be optimal for tone production. Unless the user's fingers are extremely long, a player resting their hand on the bridge will strike the strings in a location too close to the bridge, resulting in a bright, harsh tone. Thus, what is needed is a hand rest that provides a tactile reference point to the string locations to improve accuracy, a support to reduce tension and fatigue, a fixed pivot point for rocking the wrist or hand to improve speed, and an adjustable positioning to optimize tone for various hand sizes.
In looking at the prior art in the stringed instrument hand/wrist support arts, in United States Patent Application Publication Number 2013/0213207 to Hammack disclosed is a permanently attached hand rest for a guitar or other such stringed instrument configured to be positioned over strings of the stringed instrument such that a user of the stringed instrument may rest a hand on at least a portion of the hand rest while using the stringed instrument, see FIGS. 1 to 4. Furthermore, in Hammack the hand rest is configured to not interfere with a user striking one or more strings and the vibration of one or more strings, see in particular FIGS. 5 to 7.
Also, in Hammack the hand rest can be pivoted out of the way when it is desired to not use the hand rest, see FIGS. 7 and 8. However, Hammack requires that the hand rest be permanently installed leaving holes in the stringed instrument body, see FIGS. 4 to 8, although in FIGS. 1 to 3, for an acoustic guitar there is shown a screw clamping mechanism for the sound opening of the acoustic guitar body for a removable engagement of the hand rest, however, the clamping mechanisms protrude above the guitar, interfering with the motion of the hand while strumming. In addition, the clamping mechanism would leave crimping marks due to high unit area loading in the body wall, as the body wall is constructed of a relatively soft material, see FIG. 3 in particular.
Further looking at the prior art in the stringed instrument hand/wrist support arts, in U.S. Design Pat. No. D210,851 to Wallace disclosed is a hand rest for guitars or similar articles. The hand rest in Wallace appears to permanently attach to the string bridge fastener on one side of the bridge, with no accommodation of the hand rest offsetting the bridge on one side which could interfere with the string sound function, and which is not movable for different hand positions.
Next, looking at the prior art in the stringed instrument rest/support arts, in U.S. Pat. No. 1,156,925 to Poehland disclosed is a violin shoulder rest that attaches with elastic loops about portions of the violin body. Poehland is for a shoulder rest only and has no scaffold type suspension support over the strings of the violin as the Poehland shoulder rest is disposed opposite of the string side of the body being positioned in-between the violin body and the player/user support shoulder, see in particular FIG. 4.
Further looking at the prior art in the stringed instrument hand/wrist support arts, in German Patent Publication DE10053401 to Heers disclosed is a bridge suspended over the guitar string instrument strings that is attached to the string instrument body via a laterally adjustable “T-Slot” arrangement that is affixed to the body, see in particular FIGS. 21 and 22. Thus, Heers requires permanent holes to be put into the body while allowing for only lateral adjustment, i.e. parallel to the body surface only along the string length.
Continuing in looking at the prior art in the stringed instrument hand/wrist support arts, in U.S. Design Pat. No. D381,356 to Pelkey disclosed is a guitar hand rest. Pelkey appears to have again a permanent attachment of a “U” shaped hand rest to an electric (solid body) guitar being adjacent to the string bridge.
Further continuing in looking at the prior art in the stringed instrument hand/wrist support arts, in U.S. Pat. No. 401,814 to Bohmann disclosed is a string musical instrument having an arm-rest hollowed in the direction of its length to conform to the player's arm, and standing at an angle to the top of the instrument corresponding to the natural angle of the user's hand and arm. Bohmann also has a permanent pivotal attachment of the arm/hand rest on the string instrument body.
In addition, looking at the prior art in the stringed instrument accessory arts pertaining to a rhythm beating and hand/wrist support in U.S. Pat. No. 3,375,747 to Posey disclosed is a guard plate for a stringed instrument such as a guitar including a body from which an elongated neck projects, the strings of the instrument extending from the free end portion of the neck along the latter to a remote portion of said body. The guard plate in Posey comprising a panel-like body including one side surface which is roughened and being adapted for securement to the guitar body along one side of the strings with one side surface of said guard body facing outwardly of the guitar body. Posey also has a permanent attachment of the rhythm beating pad/arm/hand rest on the string instrument body.
What is needed is a string musical instrument hand support apparatus that attaches to the stringed musical instrument in a way that is removably engagable, that in effect creates no permanent holes, markings, grooves, and the like so as not to damage the stringed musical instrument, as many of which have fine finishes and soft thin structures for acoustics that can be easily damaged. Further, the string musical instrument hand support apparatus needs to be secure and stable as attached to the body of the instrument for proper playing by the user, while at the same time the hand support needs to be easily attachable and removable to the body of the stringed musical instrument, and adjustable to different positions for the best tone and hand size.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds