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VIBE Video Content

Peter Bosher has used his VIBE email list to organise a series of Zoom presentations on various music and audio-related topics. These presentations have previously been made available over Dropbox, but this has proved to be problematic, so we're trying to help by providing hosting until an alternative can be found: VIBE Presentations If you enjoy these presentations you may find it useful to join the VIBE group and hear about other Zoom events. VIBE is a group of blind and partially sighted musicians and for anyone interested in accessible music, and audio technology. Whether you sing or play for leisure, study or as a profession, in any genre, VIBE will put you in touch with others who can answer questions or suggest solutions, and generally help each other out. In our monthly Zoom sessions, We have covered topics including performance, online promotion, tips for playing different instruments, development of a resource network, and access to music and audio software such as Reaper and Logic Pro, and to audio and music equipment. We have also started an experiment to collaborate on recording new music.

To join the Email group and stay informed, send an Email to this address:
VIBE subscriptions.

In the subject line write:
subscribe

Expert Sleepers FH-2 Accessibility

The FH-2 is a Eurorack MIDI-CV converter module and we have collaborated with Expert Sleepers to add accessibility to firmware V1.15 and above. You can download the required tool (FH2Access" from:

Expert Sleepers FH-2 firmware, configuration tool and manuals Expert Sleepers FH-2 additional tools, including the accessibility tool Expert Sleepers panel layouts Expert Sleepers FH-2 accessibility demo video

Kurzweil accessibility tool for K2000, K2500, K2600 and K2661

In the same vein as the FH-2 tool we also have something for these older Kurzweil synthesizers. Kurzweil Access tool Kurzweil K2600 panel layout KurzweilAccess demo video

Free SurfaceReader 1.0 now available

This exciting application uses your installed screen reading package to make control surfaces talk. Read all about it and get the download from the SurfaceReader page.

Sibelius Access

We are temporarily hosting the Sibelius Access solution for Avid's Sibelius V5 notation program. Please go to the Sibelius Access page for more details.

What We Do

Raised Bar exists to improve the accessibility of musical equipment and resources to visually-impaired musicians, together with their colleagues and teachers.  We can offer advice, training and testing to end-users, interested institutions and manufacturers.

Our Mission

Our clear mission is to make the very latest in music software and hardware fully accessible using our years of experience in the field of accessibility technology. Working in conjunction with major manufacturers of midi instrumentation we are here to enable visually-impaired musicians to attain their musical goals.

How Do We Do This?

Utilising over 15 years of experience and our understanding of appropriate working methods, available accessibility tools and their configuration, we can get most things to work. Where existing techniques fail, we can engage in a dialog with the manufacturer about programmatic and ergonomic changes that can transform their products into models of good practice and usability.

Who Can We Help?

Whether you’re a manufacturer, a software house, university, or a musician, we’re here to guide you through the maze of accessibility technologies which will revolutionise the accessibility of music creation tools, today and for the future.

"I'm a manufacturer, why should I care about this?"

If you are an electronic musical instrument manufacturer or music/audio-based software house, there are very good reasons why you need to be talking to us. For each item of equipment you produce which is made accessible, you are presented with a direct sales opportunity. For every piece of midi equipment you make accessible, you are gifted a loyal multi-purchase customer. In short, if visually-impaired musicians can utilise your equipment fully and with ease, they will continue to purchase your products over a manufacturer who “doesn’t care”. Conversely, by not addressing the issue of solid accessibility to your products, you may well be placing yourself at a huge marketing disadvantage when bidding for those important educational contracts.