Instruments have developed since Bach's time. It's nice to play on period instruments, but it's also nice to play on modern instruments. The equivalent of the Bösendorfer 280 on which this recording was made never existed in Bach's lifetime. Would he have liked it? Who knows, but I like it!
Building a web service that takes a MuseScore or MusicXML score, converts it, returns the braille score is a step in making music more accessible. Not every blind person can be expected to download Java libraries and apply them to XML files. Plus, out of the two libraries that look promising (Freedots and music21), Freedots is unmaintained and unlikely to be extended. The other library is less familiar to the MuseScore developers, so part of the cost estimate includes maintenance and feature development of these libraries.
Plus, we want to test this stuff, which, as sighted people who don't read braille, is a process that involves a lot of time and back-and-forth with blind musicians.
So, in short, it will take software engineering and time. Ergo, money.
A lot of classical music is exceptionally complicated. Bach's fugues have up to five voices all going simultaneously. Plus, there are very important markings in scores, like dynamics, tempo markings, articulations, and performance instructions, all of which are impossible to divine accurately from listening to recordings. Worst of all, if you learn from a recording, you're not only learning the notes, you're learning that performer's interpretation, and you'll never be able to separate your understanding of the music from the recording you learned from. Thus you've no chance at making an original interpretation.
We're not "irresponsible and at times illiterate keyboard players". I have 3 higher degrees in music, and I'm just the one overseeing the project. Furthermore, nobody said we're archiving music in MIDI. The "responsible" organizations that will archive these works include IMSLP, Musopen, Wikimedia Commons, Archive.org, and Freemusicarchive.
I agree with your analysis of the twilight of the publishing gods.
PS we're not using MIDI from a keyboard. Please look at the score of the Goldberg Variations that we made: http://static.musescore.com/48072/42e392b49d/score.pdf
Yes - and the score that we're going to make goes to 11 in comparison. Because it's digital, meaning "source code", not just a printed PDF. Check this out - it's important for the understanding of what we're doing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zHey9x8Xuc
But - they're not digital scores that can be edited or converted to MusicXML or rendered as MIDI or turned into Braille for the blind or turned into a score following app or... wait... just watch the video - the one where I describe the Top 10 technical advantages of having our music in MuseScore format. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zHey9x8Xuc
It's because of the presence of the underlying "source code" materials - insofar as there is a direct analogy. The idea is not just to bring a score and a recording to lots of people, but rather to enable them to use said goods in as many contexts as possible. Thus the multitrack WAV files, information about the microphones and mixing, photos and video of the sessions, and a score in a digital format that can be edited, repurposed, and transported from one program to another.
There are many things to consider, including the accuracy of the notes and articulations. But the aesthetic of the placement is also something to be considered. Bach wrote the original by hand (and it's beautiful to look at). So it is very much in line with typesetting and print media.
As for how it was actually reviewed, MuseScore.com has a feature that lets you annotate the score in the browser, leaving your comment directly on the place in the music that you're talking about.
That's awesome! What would you do with more budget? Have you considered collaborating with Protei? It seems like they're at a similar stage to you - they've done their initial prototyping on a shoestring and now need more $$$ to take the next step.
I'm optimistic that they'll achieve what they state is their goal - to build a larger prototype. They have a list of engineers working on the project, and I trust that the funding they get here and the extra publicity, along with the publicity they have gotten from the TEDx event, will help propel the idea, if it is indeed worthy.
I agree about Stallman - I sat there the whole time thinking "You're doing it wrong!" But that doesn't mean there isn't a need for evangelizing about open source principles.
Yeah, I agree wholeheartedly. Show me a Kickstarter project to fund where we can actually prevent the real tragedy, and I'll increase my pledge by an order of magnitude. I'm just happy to see something innovative come along that returns a modicum of power and control to normal people - caring people who are out to make a difference.
Yeah, you're mostly right. But it's easier for the indoctrinated to filter it out than it is for others to "pick up" on the significance of the fact. People have to be told, repeatedly, and in demonstrable terms, that open source is important. This sank in for me when I saw Richard Stallman speaking to a crowd of technology deciders in San Francisco. I was amazed that even the people who control budgets in the Valley don't "get" open source. So when I speak about OS projects, I really lay it on thick, to make sure that such a vital aspect of their being doesn't get overlooked.
They're trying to change the world. Of course they're excited =)
Did you look at Cesar's other project? "Open_Sailing group which aim is to build the International_Ocean_Station" https://sites.google.com/a/opensailing.net/www/
I pledged $150 to this project and look forward to wearing the Protei hoodie that they'll send me. I couldn't believe that it hadn't gotten more attention. I'm not affiliated with the project in any way, but I know that I'm going to weep with bitter joy when I see one of these skimming oil from an oil spill. I hated the feelings of helplessness and desperation that I hada when watching the tragedy of the Gulf spill. Supporting this project at least gives me something concrete to do which just may one day help keep our oceans clean.
Slashdot Mirror
yes, isn't it glorious?
Thanks for correcting the oversight!
I noticed that too - and even wrote to feedback@slashdot.org about it. Seems better now!
Instruments have developed since Bach's time. It's nice to play on period instruments, but it's also nice to play on modern instruments. The equivalent of the Bösendorfer 280 on which this recording was made never existed in Bach's lifetime. Would he have liked it? Who knows, but I like it!
The license is included in the download, and it is CC0 - public domain. Use it as you please.
Building a web service that takes a MuseScore or MusicXML score, converts it, returns the braille score is a step in making music more accessible. Not every blind person can be expected to download Java libraries and apply them to XML files. Plus, out of the two libraries that look promising (Freedots and music21), Freedots is unmaintained and unlikely to be extended. The other library is less familiar to the MuseScore developers, so part of the cost estimate includes maintenance and feature development of these libraries. Plus, we want to test this stuff, which, as sighted people who don't read braille, is a process that involves a lot of time and back-and-forth with blind musicians. So, in short, it will take software engineering and time. Ergo, money.
Are you talking about Musescore.com, or just ranting?
A lot of classical music is exceptionally complicated. Bach's fugues have up to five voices all going simultaneously. Plus, there are very important markings in scores, like dynamics, tempo markings, articulations, and performance instructions, all of which are impossible to divine accurately from listening to recordings. Worst of all, if you learn from a recording, you're not only learning the notes, you're learning that performer's interpretation, and you'll never be able to separate your understanding of the music from the recording you learned from. Thus you've no chance at making an original interpretation.
We're not "irresponsible and at times illiterate keyboard players". I have 3 higher degrees in music, and I'm just the one overseeing the project. Furthermore, nobody said we're archiving music in MIDI. The "responsible" organizations that will archive these works include IMSLP, Musopen, Wikimedia Commons, Archive.org, and Freemusicarchive. I agree with your analysis of the twilight of the publishing gods. PS we're not using MIDI from a keyboard. Please look at the score of the Goldberg Variations that we made: http://static.musescore.com/48072/42e392b49d/score.pdf
Yes - and the score that we're going to make goes to 11 in comparison. Because it's digital, meaning "source code", not just a printed PDF. Check this out - it's important for the understanding of what we're doing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zHey9x8Xuc
Thank you for explaining that.
But - they're not digital scores that can be edited or converted to MusicXML or rendered as MIDI or turned into Braille for the blind or turned into a score following app or... wait... just watch the video - the one where I describe the Top 10 technical advantages of having our music in MuseScore format. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zHey9x8Xuc
The current Musopen version is quite nice, and on harpsichord. This will sound totally different. It will be quite awesome, I promise.
It's because of the presence of the underlying "source code" materials - insofar as there is a direct analogy. The idea is not just to bring a score and a recording to lots of people, but rather to enable them to use said goods in as many contexts as possible. Thus the multitrack WAV files, information about the microphones and mixing, photos and video of the sessions, and a score in a digital format that can be edited, repurposed, and transported from one program to another.
OGG is coming. This stuff is all actually a lot of work =)
There are many things to consider, including the accuracy of the notes and articulations. But the aesthetic of the placement is also something to be considered. Bach wrote the original by hand (and it's beautiful to look at). So it is very much in line with typesetting and print media. As for how it was actually reviewed, MuseScore.com has a feature that lets you annotate the score in the browser, leaving your comment directly on the place in the music that you're talking about.
http://www.fastcompany.com/1745760/cleaning-up-oil-with-a-swarm-of-autonomous-sailboats It explains a lot more about the technical points, and the goals of the Kickstarter project.
That's awesome! What would you do with more budget? Have you considered collaborating with Protei? It seems like they're at a similar stage to you - they've done their initial prototyping on a shoestring and now need more $$$ to take the next step.
I'm optimistic that they'll achieve what they state is their goal - to build a larger prototype. They have a list of engineers working on the project, and I trust that the funding they get here and the extra publicity, along with the publicity they have gotten from the TEDx event, will help propel the idea, if it is indeed worthy. I agree about Stallman - I sat there the whole time thinking "You're doing it wrong!" But that doesn't mean there isn't a need for evangelizing about open source principles.
s/Prevent/Reduce/ - still worthy of funding, imo.
Yeah, I agree wholeheartedly. Show me a Kickstarter project to fund where we can actually prevent the real tragedy, and I'll increase my pledge by an order of magnitude. I'm just happy to see something innovative come along that returns a modicum of power and control to normal people - caring people who are out to make a difference.
Yeah, you're mostly right. But it's easier for the indoctrinated to filter it out than it is for others to "pick up" on the significance of the fact. People have to be told, repeatedly, and in demonstrable terms, that open source is important. This sank in for me when I saw Richard Stallman speaking to a crowd of technology deciders in San Francisco. I was amazed that even the people who control budgets in the Valley don't "get" open source. So when I speak about OS projects, I really lay it on thick, to make sure that such a vital aspect of their being doesn't get overlooked.
They're trying to change the world. Of course they're excited =) Did you look at Cesar's other project? "Open_Sailing group which aim is to build the International_Ocean_Station" https://sites.google.com/a/opensailing.net/www/
You're right. No need to innovate. An autonomous sailing boat that can carry a load can't possibly be useful for anything.
I pledged $150 to this project and look forward to wearing the Protei hoodie that they'll send me. I couldn't believe that it hadn't gotten more attention. I'm not affiliated with the project in any way, but I know that I'm going to weep with bitter joy when I see one of these skimming oil from an oil spill. I hated the feelings of helplessness and desperation that I hada when watching the tragedy of the Gulf spill. Supporting this project at least gives me something concrete to do which just may one day help keep our oceans clean.