[misc.handicap] Braille Music?

griesel@cs.umn.edu (Curtis W. Griesel) (01/04/91)

Index Number: 12627

I do braille transcription for students at the Univeristy of Minnesota and
have recently had a request that some music be trascribed into braille.
I can't find anyone with a good reference for braille music notation.

Can someone please give me the name of a good book on the subject?

Also, it would be useful if anyone who has used braille music would tell me
what they think of it, both pro and con.  

Does anyone haven other ideas for how a blind person can write and read music?

Any discussion about braille music would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Curt

robertj@tekgen.bv.tek.com (Robert Jaquiss) (01/10/91)

Index Number: 12776

     I found braille music to be a pretty strange thing to learn.  It has its 
quirk and design flaws.
In print music the letter names of the notes (forget the staff, lines, spaces
and clefs) are A B C D E F G.  In braille music the letter names are written
differently.
the notes
C D E F G A B are written with the braille letters
D E F G H I J

The value of the note is shown by using two dots below the letter
name.  It takes a lot of work to learn and/or use braille music.  This
is only the beginning.  Intervals/chords are reckoned up in the left
hand and down in the right hand for keyboard instruments.

I suggest you contact the NBA and/or the NLS for help.  They have books that
describe in gory detail braille music.

	Have a notable time
	Robert S. Jaquiss

Internet: robertj@tekgen.bv.tek.com