What is braille music notation and how does it work? | Discover Instruments | Classic FM

Louis Braille, the inventor of a tactile reading method for people with visual impairments, also invented braille music notation.
Kate Risdon introduces the braille method for reading and writing music. Kate plays in BSO Resound, which is the disabled disabled-led ensemble at the heart of Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra (BSO), Classic FM's Orchestra in the South of England.
Allianz Musical Insurance is a supporting partner of BSO Resound.
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[@dmanoli5255]

I wish this was taught in my music theory class

[@coolbug9333]

I didn't know there was a braille notation! :0

[@BarbaraFischer4]

"...it's time to stop and have coffee." 😂
This is incredible! Thank you for sharing!

[@TheLights045]

So fascinating! My neighbor growing up transcribed sheet music into Braille. Finally I have learned a bit more about it 👍🏻

[@robertferguson5562]

Absolutely fascinating

[@ilovemyservicedog8862]

Didn’t Hadley school for the blind teach Brown music at one time I know that’s the correspondent school. I was so sad when they got rid of all of their electives and art class I hope to take them

[@lamanjello]

Just beautiful thank you

[@RaGodEgypt]

Admirable...

[@lorenzonicotra3592]

People, use the "braille music editor" BME!!

[@villamiles]

I want to learn, so I can teach other people too!

[@xxathenacraftsxx]

that is WILD

[@charlessudan2201]

Thank you, that is fascinating! I just would know some more things about that. How does it work practically (e.g. in a rehearsal)? Do the blind persons have to learn their score by heart before they go to the rehearsal? Or they can check it, but not read it, of course, while they are playing (except maybe for singers)?

[@Chloe-ze4yy]

The fundamental problem with Braille you have to read slower than you do with print. So in a rehearsal setting you could not do it because of the tempo. Also your hands would be in full use so you couldn’t really use it unless of course for checking
Not going to point out that you should have memorised your score before turning up to rehearsal anyway so ..

[@leif1075]

@@Chloe-ze4yy Couldn't they slow down the tempo? And what do you mean their hands will be in uae doing ehst..if they are playing other instruments I get it but if they are only singing their hands are free..

[@Chloe-ze4yy]

You cannot read Braille fast enough to be able to sing and read at the same time. Unlike with sighted peoples music you cannot scan ahead. So hypothetically yes you can sight read Braille But practically no you cannot.
In regard to slowing down the tempo: this, if you were in a full orchestra or chorus, you would not wait for one person - It is far too impractical so you have to learn some music before .
P.S.I have started reading Braille music and it is far harder than standard.

[@charlessudan2201]

@@Chloe-ze4yy Thanks for the interesting answer. :-)

[@Lepetitagite3432]

hello i'm a beginer pianist, i have a braille printer at my house and i was wundring if it's pocible to download the print cheet music on the internet and then print it in braille using my printer

[@sheillabriones1951]

Yes I think that's possible, but you need a software to transcribe it bfore you print it on the printer.

[@ilovemyservicedog8862]

How can you play the instrument and read the braille page at the same time? I’m visually impaired. I wanted to learn an instrument, but I think it’s gonna be way too hard. I’m struggling just to learn regular brow and my understanding is they don’t make music and extremely large print and color

[@tobyhammond5015]

Does anyone know if there's a convention to state that the following symbols are notes and not letters? Similar to how a number if defined in Braille, there's the L shape which denotes that the following is a number and not a letter

[@Persun_McPersonson]

I tihnk it's just context.

[@ilikeplayingffftonecluster851]

From my experience with reading braille scores, literary text will always be placed in parenthesis to separate it from the braille music notation. Sometimes text will be placed before a measure, or if it’s a transcriber’s note there’s a symbol to indicate that.

[@dmanoli5255]

2:58 I mean same

[@Neptunade]

8♾