Music Resources for the Blind and Visually Impaired.

Music Resources for the Blind and Visually Impaired

Music resources for people who are blind or have visual impairments, including music technology tools for the blind, learning music with or without braille, solutions for low vision music students, and more.

  • Academy of Music for the Blind
    AMB is dedicated to addressing the unique talents and challenges of blind youth by developing their musical, creative, cognitive, physical and social skills through education in music and the performing arts. AMB offers in-person and online lessons on a variety of musical instruments, from the piano and drums to woodwinds (flute, clarinet, saxophone), guitar, ukelele, bass, as well as voice/choir, drama and dance, Braille music, ear training and music theory, composing and arranging, and typing/technology/coding.
  • APH File Repository Sheet Music
    Free, NLS braille-ready files available to download through the APH File Repository.
  • Accessible Chords and Scales
    Guitar, Mandolin, Banjo and Ukulele Chords and scales for the blind and visually impaired. Hundreds of chords and scales for the guitar, mandolin and ukulele in an accessible, screen-reader-friendly format.
  • Accessible Guitar Scales
    Guitar Scales for the Blind and Visually Impaired. Choose the scale tone (e.g. C, A-flat, F-sharp) and the scale mode (e.g. major, pentatonic, blues) using the dropdowns on the page, then submitting your choices will return a description of how to play the scale for your screen reader.
  • Alternate Text Production Center
    The website of the Alternate Text Production Center (ATPC) of the California Community Colleges. The ATPC is the first publicly funded, system-wide resource dedicated to serving the alternate media needs of the largest post-secondary educational system in the world. There are 113 community colleges in California and each of them has equal access to the media services provided by the ATPC
  • Amber Sound Touch
    a set of free online resources for teaching music to children who are blind or visually impaired, including infants and toddlers, as well as those with multiple disabilities. The site has four sections covering different aspects of teaching music: Children in the early years, Instrumental and vocal instruction, Children with visual impairments and complex needs, and Children with visual impairments and neurodegenerative diseases. Each section includes children's stories and teaching strategies.
  • BARD - Braille and Audio Reading Download
    From the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled (NLS), BARD is a web-based service that provides access to thousands of special-format books, magazines, and music scores. BARD is password-protected, and all files are in an electronic downloadable form of compressed audio or formatted braille. BARD is operated as a partnership between NLS and its network of cooperating libraries in the United States and its territories. NLS maintains the website, uploads titles, and supplies libraries with circulation statistics. Network libraries approve reader applications, respond to reader inquiries, and provide technical support.
  • Braille Music Reader
    A Braille visualiser of BMML music files, supplied with a series of functions to read and to listen to the text and multimedia interactive music notebook.
  • Braille Music2021
    Write music in Braille with 6 keys of the keyboard, listen to your music, share it, transform it into a graphic format, import from graphic format to Braille. For Windows 10.
  • BrailleM: The Braille Music List
    BrailleM is a place for discussing and learning about all aspects of braille music code. The list is designed to help beginners in braille music and give them a place where they can ask questions of more experienced braille music users. The list will also be useful to more experienced users, who can discuss about more difficult passages and formats. It also covers subjects related to braille music, such as where to find teaching materials, where to order braille music material, how to transcribe music into braille music code, and so on.
  • ChordAssist
    The ChordAssist is a smart guitar specially designed for blind, deaf, and mute guitarists. It’s hooked up to Google Assistant so the guitarist can use voice commands to control the functions.
  • Dancing Dots
    Dancing Dots offers technology, educational resources and training to assist blind and low vision individuals to read, write, and record their music. Their products and services foster inclusion, literacy and independence for visually impaired musicians and audio producers engaged in educational, leisure, and professional pursuits.
  • Dictionary of Braille Music Signs
    Published in 1979 by the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, Library of Congress, it can be viewed or listed to online, or downloaded in a number of formats, including full text, Kindle, EPUB, and PDF.
  • Feel The Beat
    A curriculum with lessons that teach Music Braille Code, and focus on reading, playing, and memorizing measures through the use of a soprano recorder.
  • forScore
    An application for the Mac, iPad, and iPhone that allows the user to store and catalog scanned PDF versions of all of their music. Includes a special mode called ReFlow which converts multi-line music into single line, side scrolling notes that can also be controlled with a foot pedal or by touching the sides of the screen.
  • GOODFEEL® Braille Music Translator
    Allows sighted musicians to convert print scores to braille music quickly, automatically, and accurately®. Visually impaired and blind musicians can review the braille score with optional verbal and musical cues and independently create print scores of their musical ideas.
  • I See Music
    I See Music, LLC is creating a community of music lovers where accessibility is not an issue in this very technical and sighted industry. I See Music services the artistic and technical needs of those belonging to this music community through Pro-Tools software training for the blind, Sound equipment rental for live music shows, Studio time rental for recording sessions, music studio design consulting, and providing specialized training for the blind in music studio production and engineering.
  • Intro to the Guitar for the Visually Impaired
    This 4-CD bundle is a complete introductory course to the guitar. In other words, all of the lessons are taught verbally so that students can concentrate 100% on learning without any written or braille materials.
  • LargePrintMusic
    Enables you to read music notes in any size. Software for both Windows and Mac, and enlarged music can be viewed on iPads, Android tablets, Windows, and Mac, or printed.
  • Let's Play!
    Let’s Play! combines both audio and braille lessons for guitarists so they can learn the instrument using their preferred medium. The PDF version of their course is free of charge.
  • The Lime Lighter
    Lime Lighter is a music reading device for low vision musicians. The music notation can be displayed from 1.25 to 10 times bigger than the original sheet music on a 20" digital touch screen. Musicians simply press the right side of the foot pedal and the music will advance across the screen to the next measure. Press the left pedal to go back one measure. Press the center foot pedal to move to the beginning of the piece.
  • Little Amber
    An innovative music service that aims to enable blind or partially sighted babies and young children to engage with music by providing families and professionals with resources and ideas for music-making.
  • MENVI
    Music Education Network for The Visually Impaired. An International Coalition of Parents, Educators, and Students.
  • MagneMusic
    MagneMusic is a unique magnetic resource designed to assist students who are Blind, to understand what print music looks like. The resource is a white, aluminium, flat rectangle tin 34cm X 21cm X 3cm depth, hinged down one long side and opening somewhat like a cake tin. Holding the tin vertically, you will find a grand stave marked on the front with fine black vinyl tape. The vinyl allows the lines to be clearly felt. Holding the tin horizontally and opening the lid, you will find a long single stave inside the lid, also marked with fine vinyl tape. Inside the tin you will find black magnetic print music symbols which can be placed on either stave. The symbols are magnetic on one side only, which helps with placing stems correctly.
  • MuseScore
    Free and Open Surce professional music notation software that supports the groundbreaking accessibility features of Live Braille Translation and 6-key Braille note input.
  • Music Braille Code 2015
    Published by The Braille Authority of North America. Free download in PDF and BRF files.
  • Music For The Blind
    More than 980 courses and songs taught totally "by ear" in everyday language. Learning "by ear" you not only learn the song quicker than by using music or tab, you also develop your ability to play by ear. Courses include piano, guitar, bass, banjo, saxophone, violin, flute, trumpet, drums, and many others.
  • Music Materials - National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled
    The NLS music collection, authorized by Congress in 1962, includes braille and large-print musical scores, recorded instructional materials, and recorded materials about music and musicians. All materials are circulated postage free, and some digital audio and ebraille materials are available for download over the Internet.
  • National Library Service of the Library of Congress
    The NLS music collection, authorized by Congress in 1962, includes braille and large-print musical scores, recorded instructional materials, and recorded materials about music and musicians. All materials are circulated postage free, and some digital audio and ebraille materials are available for download over the Internet.
  • National Resource Center for Blind Musicians
    Best known for its Summer Music Institute for Blind College-Bound Musicians, a residential program that brings together students who are studying music at the college level, it is also a referral and information service for music students of all ages who are blind or visually impaired.
  • National Library Service for Blind-Music (NLS)
  • Piano by Ear!
    Piano lessons in an audio-book format. Piano by Ear! has been teaching people to play Songs on the piano completely by ear for over 30 years.
  • Last updated: 12/15/2023