USOO6639139B2 (12) United States Patent (10) Patent No.: US 6,639,139 B2 Muller (45) Date of Patent: Oct. 28, 2003 (54) COLOR-CODED MELODY TEXT AND 1,732.980 A 8/1927 Mooney METHOD OF TEACHING 3,715,812 A 2/1973 Novak ........................ 434/170 3,771.409 A 11/1973 Rickey (76) Inventor: Richard Muller, 121 S. Lucia Ave. #4, A : Redondo Beach, CA (US) 90277 4,299,577? ?? ? ?? ? A 11/1981 MarrymanellIngs (*) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this ??? A ??? i p atent is extended or adiusted under 35 6,045,363? ?? ??? ?? A 4/2000 Phillipsps U.S.C. 154(b) by 0 days. 6,127,616 A * 10/2000 Yu ............................ 84/483.2 (21) Appl. No.: 10/243,514 FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS (22) Filed: Sep. 13, 2002 \ \ 3 : (65) Prior Publication Data * cited by examiner US 2003/0010182 A1 Jan. 16, 2003 Primary Examiner Shih-Yung Hsien Relatedelated U.S. Appl?cal?Application On LJataDat (74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Colin P. Abrahams (57) ABSTRACT (63)63) ??????maContinuati ion offapplication application No. 09/769,862,09/769.862 filed on Jan. 25,25 A Visually enhanced teaching text comprises a Series of ? words to be Sung, the Series of words having a plurality of (51) Int. Cl.? .…. GO9B 15/00 tropes each having predetermined tune. The text also (52) U.S. Cl. .… 84/483.1 includes symbols in the text indicative of the start and end (58) Field of Search ............................. 84/483.1, 483.2, of a trope, with at least Some of the tropes being associated 84/470 R, 477 R with a particular distinctive color So that each trope in the Series of words is clearly distinguishable from Surrounding (56) References Cited tropes therein. The invention is also for a singing teaching U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS method using color coded backgrounds. 683.267 A 9/1901 Froehlich 14 Claims, 4 Drawing Sheets . 20 Z g ???????- ???- -????i???? - - . ????????????. ? . ???. ??? ?????---?? 2. -- . " - st X Tls ?????? = ???? ????????????????----- ?? , ; V is i. U.S. Patent Oct. 28, 2003 Sheet 1 of 4 US 6,639,139 B2 Connon tropes Symbol . Mercha U tipicha U --? ?????? 2. Munach - etnachta A L. A 3. Sofpasuk 4. Mapach * pashta ? a. r 5. Munach - zakef-katon - 6. R’vi-ee, º munach garmei 7. Kadma 1 v?azla ? r n 8. Darga t’vir SF JV S M LeSS common tropes 9. Y'tiv 1. N 10. Gershayim l l. Zarka, segol MNV 2. T”lisha k’tana CR 13. Tºlishag'dola ? 4. Pazer Y 15. Zadef-gadol 6. Shalshelet (very rare) s 17. Karnei Parah p 18. Yareach ben Yomo ? 19. Mercha Kefula. ? FIGURE 1 U.S. Patent Oct. 28, 2003 Sheet 2 of 4 US 6,639,139 B2 FIGURE 2 TORAH TROPE by R ick Mulier U.S. Patent Oct. 28, 2003 Sheet 3 of 4 US 6,639,139 B2 20 4 a ange??gg er . ?.F? - ?- -- -- - -- ?”?? ???? ????? - "?? ----- ???? ?? | SMS S SS S SS SS SSLSL t a ? 12 ? St. 2. ? r ? ----ji , ; , , , , ??? 2. 2O - ?? ?? ?? - 7 - SSSLSLLLLS SSL S S SSS SS SSLSSS SS S ----- Ke }-???????????????? ????? ?? ? ?? ? ? -s ver ????· · · V al! - - - - - ?? ??????? ?? Vi 22 Z 18 ???: ???????? ???:?????? ?????:???at ???\ l #2 FIGURE 3 U.S. Patent Oct. 28, 2003 Sheet 4 of 4 US 6,639,139 B2 Trope Possible Color Background Key from figure 3 Mercha tipicha Yellow i t . a Munach etnachta Green . Sofpasuk Red Mapach pashta Blue Munach zakef-katon Blue a a a v a v we w w a r R’vi-ee, munach l'garmei Pink a so a w w or w w 8 a 0 w - w w a Kadma vazla Orange Darga t’vir Purple FIGURE 4 US 6,639,139 B2 1 2 COLOR-CODED MELODY TEXT AND least Some of the tropes being associated with a particular METHOD OF TEACHING distinctive color So that each trope in the Series of words is clearly distinguishable from Surrounding tropes therein. CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED The text within a trope may be highlighted by providing APPLICATIONS a contrast color background; the text within a trope may be comprised of a particular color; and/or the text may be This is a continuation application of U.S. patent applica comprised of an outline or border and the inside of the tion Ser. No. 09/769,862 filed Jan. 25, 2001, which is outline is filled with a selected color. incorporated herein in its entirety. The teaching text may further comprise an associated musical Score sheet comprising the tune of a trope in musical FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE notation form and color codings thereon corresponding to INVENTION the distinctive color used in the text. This invention relates to color-coded melody text and a In one form, the text is a Sacred text Selected from one or method for teaching melodies. The invention has particular more of the Torah, Haftorah, and Megillot. The text may be application with respect to Singing or chanting religious or 15 contained within a book, the text comprising appropriate liturgical texts which form part of the Services in a Jewish portions from the Torah, Haftorah, and/or Megillot for a Synagogue or temple. specific Jewish Sabbath or Holiday. According to another aspect of the invention, there is Color-coding and/or other types of coding of text are well provided a method of visually illustrating the melody of a known, especially in the area of teaching reading to young text comprising a Series of words to be Sung, the words being learners. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,567,159 (Tehan) comprised at least in part of a Series of repetitive tropes with teaches that various visual indicator members are provided each trope having a predetermined tune, the method com to represent vowel letters and consonant letters of various prising: Selecting a first trope in the melody and isolating types, with each visual indicator having a unique color each occurrence of the first trope in the melody; highlighting characteristic. U.S. Pat. No. 4299,577 (Marryman) dis each occurrence of the first trope in the melody with a closes and invention which is intended to help an early or 25 distinctive color; and Selecting and highlighting with a beginning reader learn how to associate basic Sounds of distinctive color at least one other trope in the melody So that consonants and vowels by using a visual code. the first and each other trope will Stand out from Surrounding Among other patents using color as a teaching method, tropes in the melody. U.S. Pat. No. 4,270,284 (Skellings) uses high speed electri cal processing means Such as a microcomputer System for In one aspect, this invention is directed toward the teach generating the language text and color emphasis, as well as ing of Songs and melodies by color-coding various words the interrelationship therebetween. U.S. Pat. No. 3,715,812 and phrases in a text, with each color representing a specific (Novak) uses a color coded system for letters of the English tune. The invention has a particular application and use in alphabet, and this is intended to help readers in the pronun the teaching of young Jewish Students in their training for 35 Bar Mitzvah and Bat Mitzvah. It will, however, be appre ciation and reading of various words. U.S. Pat. No. 683,267 ciated that the invention is not intended to be limited to this (Froehlich) teaches reading by having the syllables of a Specific application. word appearing in contrasting colors. In the Jewish religion, there are certain Sacred texts which Different methods for teaching music, although not using are read during temple and Synagogue Services throughout color specifically, are set out in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,045,363, 40 the year. Some of the most important of these texts are: the 5,651,678 and 3,974,733. U.S. Pat. No. 3,771,409 uses color “Torah', which consists of the first five books of the Old as a teaching device for properly locating fingerboard and Testament of the Bible (the five Books of Moses) and notation regions. constitutes the holiest writings of Judaism; the “Haftorah”, SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION which comprises various passages from the Book of the 45 Prophets in the Old Testament; and the five “Megillot” (the According to one aspect of the invention, there is pro five Special readings from Ruth, Esther, Song of Songs, Vided a method of teaching a melody for a Series of words Ecclesiastes and Lamentations) On each Sabbath and Holi to be Sung, the melody and words being comprised at least day day during the year, a particular portion from the Torah in part of a Series of repetitive tropes each having a prede is read during Services. Furthermore, each Torah portion has termined tune, the method comprising: Selecting a first trope 50 an associated Haftorah, which is read on the same day. in the melody and isolating each occurrence of the first trope Following the ancient traditions, the entire Torah is read, in in the melody; highlighting each occurrence of the first trope portions, over a period of a year, or every three years in the melody with a distinctive first color, and Selecting and (triennial cycle) and, at the end thereof, the cycle is repeated. highlighting with a distinctive different colors each occur It is traditional for every young Jewish boy or girl rence of at least one other trope in the melody So that the first 55 undergoing Bar or Bat Mitzvah (Bar Mitzvah is for the male and other tropes will stand out from Surrounding tropes in and means "son of the law', while Bat Mitzvah is for the the melody.