Date: Youtube Premier On Saturday June 5, 2025 at 10 am Pacific
The Music Accessibility Special Interest Group will host a Youtube Premier on June 5th at 10 am Pacific time. The primary focus is on discussing advancements in making music creation more accessible for individuals with disabilities, along with updates and demonstrations from various organizations involved in this initiative.
Participants
• Haim Kairy – Arcana
• Mike @ AmeNote
• Tim Yates
• Jay Pocknell
• Leon (rwxMusic)
Agenda Overview
• Introduction and updates from MASSIG
• Presentation by Tim Yates from Drake Music on the Sony Hackathon
• Jay Pocknell from RNIB discussing accessibility in music technology
• Haim Kairy’s presentation on collaboration with Better Maker
• Discussion on Arkcana Strum, an accessible music instrument
• Insights from Mike @ AmeNote on MIDI 2.0 and accessibility
• Q&A session
Chapters
1. Introduction by Haim Kairy (00:00:23)
Haim Kairy welcomes everyone to the MIDI accessibility webinar hosted by the Music Accessibility Standards Special Interest Group.
2. Agenda Overview (00:01:15)
Haim outlines the agenda, introducing speakers and topics such as the Massey Group, Tim Yates’ Sony hackathon, and Jay Pocknell’s discussion on accessibility in music notation.
3. Tim Yates on Sony Hackathon (00:18:20)
Tim Yates from Drake Music discusses the Sony hackathon, focusing on accessibility and collaboration between various groups to develop accessible instruments.
4. Jay Pocknell on Accessibility Developments (00:29:03)
Jay Pocknell shares highlights of accessibility developments in music technology and accessible music notation, including insights from the Audio Developer Conference.
5. BetterMaker Collaboration (00:30:02)
Haim discusses a collaboration with BetterMaker to create accessible audio gear, demonstrating voice control and feedback features for visually impaired users.
6. Arkana Strum Presentation (00:42:50)
Haim showcases the Arcana Strum, an accessible instrument for individuals with disabilities, detailing its features and the journey from concept to implementation.
7. MIDI Association Updates (01:00:13)
Mike from the MIDI Association discusses MIDI 2.0 and its impact on accessibility, including bidirectional connections and new profiles for accessibility features.
8. Q&A Session (01:06:21)
The session opens up for questions from the audience, discussing topics like the physicality of music creation and barriers to accessibility.
9. Closing Remarks and Resources (01:13:04)
Haim concludes the webinar, providing resources for further engagement with the Music Accessibility Standards Special Interest Group.
MASSIG Introduction and Updates
• Haim Kairy introduced the webinar, highlighting MASSIG’s role in advocating for music accessibility.
• Discussed biweekly and now weekly meetings, collaborations with musicians, producers, technologists, educators, and engineers.
• Highlighted the initiative to create demos and standards for accessible music tools.
Sony Hackathon Overview by Tim Yates
• Tim Yates shared insights on the Sony Hackathon held in the UK, focusing on accessible music instruments.
• The event involved six teams led by Para Orchestra musicians, supported by Sony engineers and academics.
• Emphasized the importance of co-design in developing accessible solutions.
• Highlighted ongoing projects and collaborations resulting from the Hackathon.
Accessibility Developments by Jay Pocknell
• Jay Pocknell discussed recent accessibility advancements in mainstream music technology and music notation.
• Shared video clips and demos featuring voice and Braille technologies.
Better Maker Collaboration
• Haim Kairy detailed a collaboration with Better Maker to create accessible audio gear.
• Discussed developing voice control and feedback for Better Maker hardware using MIDI and AI speech recognition.
• Highlighted the successful demo tested by Stevie Wonder.
Arkana Strum Presentation
• Haim Kairy presented the Arcana Strum, an accessible music instrument designed for individuals with disabilities.
• Discussed the development process, accessibility features, and the impact on music education.
• Emphasized the goal of creating an inclusive instrument for various abilities.
MIDI 2.0 and Accessibility by Mike @ AmeNote
• Mike discussed advancements in MIDI 2.0, emphasizing bidirectional connections and discoverability of accessibility features.
• Shared ongoing efforts to develop MIDI specifications aimed at increasing accessibility in music.
Q&A Session
• Addressed questions about the physical and non-physical aspects of music creation.
• Discussed the role of technology in overcoming barriers to music creation and the importance of accessibility in both hardware and software.
Links and Resources
The webinar emphasized collaboration across various sectors to enhance accessibility in music creation, with several projects and future initiatives highlighted to continue this important work.