Bach’s Goldberg Variations available in Braille
We are happy to announce the immediate availability of the Open Goldberg Variations score in braille format. It’s downloadable for free at http://opengoldbergvariations.org and we encourage you to share it.
This score will allow blind musicians to read Bach’s Goldberg Variations on braille terminal devices, or to print the score onto paper using braille embossers. We were able to make this score only with the help of the Golden Chord Braille Music Transcription Service, and with the support of over 900 backers of our recent Open Well-Tempered Clavier project.
The .brf braille file uses an internationally recognised code of ASCII characters. Depending upon which refreshable braille device is used, you may need to make an adjustment should your braille device be set up differently. The line-length is 32 cells, the page-length is 25 lines. The format is flexible enough to allow you to emboss the music in hard-copy making allowances regarding both braille embosser and choice of paper used.
This video shows Thomas Bonte, MuseScore co-founder and CEO, at the RNIB offices in London, watching the first embossing of the score, and having it reviewed by James Risdon, Music Officer at RNIB.
Here is a photo of the printed score where the braille dots are clearly visible.
This is part is an ongoing effort to make sheet music more accessible to blind and visually impaired musicians through the use of MuseScore. A big thank you again to RNIB, UKAAF and anyone who supported us to accomplish this project.