Re: [microsound] music software for blind people (OT?)

[Tim Kugel <guitardo@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

88=08 =i
tim,
how blind? I am legally blind and have low vision.
I might be able to help from that perspective though,

tim

Tim Mortimer wrote:

> hi
>
> i have a (newish) friend. he's blind.
>
> he used to make music using a rack mount EPS 16+ sampler & a Yamaha MIDI wind instrument controller thingy... & he plays tin whistles & percussion also...
>
> he now has a PC however. he is running Windows XP & something calls JAWS which enables him to navigate around the menu's using voice identification of the menu items etc.
>
> quite simply, i rave at him incessantly about things like Reaktor & MAX MSP & i'm sure he's very interested (he's quite involved in the arts in general, & he has a sound installation project in the pipeline involving other disadvantaged/ disabled people.. but to get back to the immediate question...)
>
> what kind of software (if any?) is available for him to use? Sonar & Cool Edit both interface with Jaws (apparently) but for starters / beginners sake, is there any simple, easy to operate sound design/ synthesis/ sample editing/ midi sequencing/ recording software that has been specifically made for use by blind people in mind?
>
> Even a simple "granulab" or  whatever would get his attention im sure, if he, as a blind person, was able to operate & navigate the menu's... (in fact a series of freeware/ shareware "1 task only" standalone apps could be the ideal in this situation - i don't think he's going to be much cop at wiring together Reaktor patches for example...& learning an all inclusive total sound design app is hard enough for me, & i can see! & poke around in my computer to get things working when they are not...he doesn't really have that luxury at the moment...)
>
> so any links or further information would be most welcome.
>
> (needless to say, longer term i am interested to see what comes out of my collaboration with this chap in terms of alternate strategies of sound manipulation, controller interfaces etc for blind/ disabled people, & the potential for existing apps like Max or whatever to create Patches or Apps with this "target demographic" in mind....)
>
> incidentally, he really dug all the ~scape stuff & burnt friedman i gave him on MP3!  - i guess now i better burn him a microsound cd.... ; ) .

------------------------------