[musictlk] Introduction

[Linda Mentink]

Hello, Dr. Rush,

Thanks for introducing yourself and asking questions here. Welcome, by the way!

I've known how to read and write braille music for a long time. I 
learned in 3rd grade; that would be 50 years ago. I wouldn't have 
gotten through my college classes without it.

Music theory was a pain, mostly because I didn't have the tests and 
other materials in braille. I had to depend on readers, meaning, of 
course, that they did most of the work. I got good grades in my music 
classes, except for 20th Century Theory. I didn't do well there 
because my instructor wouldn't let me hear the music samples on the 
test. Why? Because the others didn't get to. You can guess that I was 
furious, and helpless to do anything about it!
  Technology wasn't what it is now. I sure could have used a program 
such as you are working on!
Just ask away, and we'll tell you what we can.

At 03:59 PM 4/7/2014, you wrote:
>Hello, list members! I have been "lurking" on the list for some time but I
>thought I'd introduce myself and ask a few questions. My name is Dr. Toby
>Rush and I teach music theory and aural skills at the University of Dayton
>in Dayton, Ohio. I am sighted and am an absolute beginner when it comes to
>braille, but I have been working quite a bit with braille music and
>associated technology and am very interested in making assistive music
>technology more accessible to everyone, blind or sighted.
>
>One of my recent projects involves working toward a way to use braille
>music notation to create scores which lend themselves more to analysis
>(like in a theory class), since braille music as it stands tends to be
>geared more toward performance. I have been using one of my students (who
>happens to be a member of this list) as a "guinea pig" as I've been working
>on this, but I'd love to get additional feedback from others who know
>braille music. If it would be acceptable to do so, I'd love to be able to
>solicit some of this feedback here in the future.
>
>Also, I have a question about learning braille music: I realize that the
>best way to learn braille music notation is to study with a teacher who is
>fluent with the system. For those who want to try to do it themselves, what
>is the biggest roadblock to learning it? I know that there are books
>available on the subject, and the braille music code itself is available as
>PDF and BRF files at (http://www.brailleauthority.org/music/music.html).
>For those who are learning this system on your own, do you feel like these
>resources are sufficient? Is there a need for something better? If so, what
>do you think would work best?
>
>At any rate, thank you for listening; I'm excited to be a member of the
>community and I look forward to learning from all of you.
>
>--
>**************************************************
>Dr. Toby W. Rush - trush1 at udayton.edu <trush1 at notes.udayton.edu>
>Assistant Professor of Music Theory and Technology
>University of Dayton
>"Omnia voluntaria est."
>**************************************************
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