Braille Music Resources

The National Federation of Blind has many members and friends who pursue careers and hobbies related to music. Please watch our video about the importance of Braille music literacy.

The ability to read and write music, therefore, is the cornerstone for anyone who is planning to make a serious commitment to the art. A blind student needs to have that ability just as much as his sighted peers. — David Goldstein, Director, National Resource Center for Blind Musicians

Braille Music and Technology

Braille Music Kit

A plug-in for Windows that allows the creation of Braille music scores.
Website: dodiesis.com

Dancing Dots Music

Scan scores, listen to results, or convert to Braille music. Convert to print notation, Braille score, or audio.
Website: dancingdots.com

Opus Technologies

Software and Braille music resources.
Website: opustec.com/index.html

Toccata

Provides Braille transcription from MIDI and NIF files. It incorporates a notation editor and sequencer, and displays the translated Braille indexed to the original score.
Website: members.optusnet.com.au/~terryk/toccata.htm

Education and Listservs

NFB Blind Musicians Group

Listserv: nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/musictlk_nfbnet.org

NFB Performing Arts Division

Listserv: nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/perform-talk_nfbnet.org

Braille Beats

Summer residential intensive program for children age nine through high school. It teaches Braille music, art, yoga, and independent living. Participants attend classes in voice, keyboard, and instruments, and integrate Braille music into practical performance situations.
Email: [email protected]

Braille Music Symbols

Compiled by Jennifer Dunnam; helpful as an introduction.
Chart of Braille music symbols (BRF)
Chart of Braille music symbols (PDF)

Course for Teachers of Braille Music at UMASS Boston

Website: nercve.umb.edu/index.php?page=080326

Marcus Roberts

Illustrious jazz musician who reads Braille music and promotes Braille literacy.
Website: marcusroberts.com

Music Education Network for the Visually Impaired

Listserv and Braille music resources especially for students, educators, and parents.
Website: menvi.org

National Resource Center for Blind Musicians

Articles, lists of resources, and information about summer training in Braille music and technology for blind music students.
Website: blindmusicstudent.org

Southern California Conservatory of Music

Provides private instruction to blind and sighted students at preparatory, conservatory, and adult levels. Its Braille Music Division teaches Braille music and prepares musicians to compete at the highest levels, and it "houses one of the most comprehensive music reference libraries in Braille."
Website: sccmusic.com

Braille Music Scores

National Braille Association

Website: nationalbraille.org/transcribers/Music/music.html

National Library Service of the Library of Congress

Website: loc.gov/nls/braille-audio-reading-materials/music-materials

Alternate Text Production Center

Website: atpc.net

Canadian National Institute for the Blind (Canada)

Website: cniblibrary.ca or biblioinca.ca

Danmarks Blindebibliotek (Denmark)

Teglvaerksgade 37
2100 Kobenhavn 0
Denmark
Email: [email protected]
Website: dbb.dk

La Bibilioteca Italiana i Ciechi (Italy)

Via G. Ferrari 5/A
Monza 20052
Italy
Website: bibciechi.it

American Printing House Louis Database

Website: aph.org/louis.htm

Royal National Institute of Blind People (United Kingdom)

Email: [email protected]
Website: rniblibrary.com

Schweizerische Bibliothek fur Blinde und Sehbehinderte Braille Press Zurich Albisriederstrasse (Switzerland)

400 Postfach
CH-8047 Zurich
Switzerland
Email: [email protected]
Website: sbs-online.ch

SVB Studie-en vakbibliotheek voor visueel en andrszins gehandicapten (Netherlands)

Molenpad 2 1016 Gm
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Phone: +31-206266465
Fax: +31-206208459

Verein zur F'rderung der Blindenbildung (Germany)

26, Blekstrasse, Hannover
Phone: +49-511-954650
Fax: +49-511-9546580
Website: vzfb.de