I was asked for help by my friend: “How to make music?”. So I am asking you for best tips, workarounds or whatever how to build a bedroom studio for such a person?
As a computer musician my first thought was about DAW and a master keyboard. But then I changed that it can/should be completely different approach in this case.
The person can sing and even play the piano .
THANK YOU IN ADVANCE

 

Please define visually impaired. Are they legally blind? I guess that it would matter if they had some sight or if they needed a completely tactile environment.

 

Modular? Or what about a looper...

 

HOME RECORDING WITH VISUAL IMPAIRMENTS OR AS A BLIND PERSON
Suggested solutions for home recording despite visual impairment
https://www-amazona-de.translate.go...l=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=de&_x_tr_pto=wapp

Source / German. www.amazona.de/homerecording-mit-sehbehinderung-oder-als-blinder/

 

no need for great eyesight when making music,
years back we did some basic editing for blind folks, with use of some MIDI pedals you can map basic DAW functions,
live looping can be automated as well,
also both MacOS and Windows have solutions for visual impairment

 

SONAR and Screen Readers for Vision Impaired Users
SONAR has a special Accessibility Mode which can be helpful for vision impaired users when working with screen readers (Window-Eyes, JAWS). www.cakewalk.com/Support/Knowledge-Base/200709182/SONAR-and-Screen-Readers-for-Vision-Impaired-Users

Cakewalk Sonar X3 Accessible for blind and low vision users | Tutorial

 

I've heard visually impaired people say Windows is the best operating system for them and that Surge XT is the easiest synth to work with. The "Surge Synth Team" Discord has an active accessibility channel where you can ask musicians with impairments with first hand experience for tips.

 

Using KOMPLETE KONTROL Accessibility Features | Native Instruments
Komplete Kontrol offers a set of accessibility features for visually-impaired users. These are focused exclusively on the keyboard itself and include speech output via your computer for the following features: - Perform, Transpose, Page left / right buttons - All Browser functions - Instance switching - The current edit mode, including the Plug-in panel and the Perform panel (Scale, Arp) - Names of parameters and parameter sections when touching knobs, including all edit modes - Tempo (KOMPLETE KONTROL standalone application only)

 

Last edited: Feb 5, 2023

The video projector instead PC monitor...
I myself sometimes think of it:
this gear just makes everything bigger, projecting images at the wall with white wallpaper

 

I've also heard this. I think a part of it is that is hard to impossible to change font size in Mac OS compared to Windows

Wow, that's so cool. As if we hadn't already plenty of reasons to respect them... nice

Yep, totally agree. We'd need more accuracy about his sight issues.

 

blind music producer here. If he/she is on windows, then i'd recommend reaper. It's not accessible out of the box, but there's an extension called osara that makes it accessible for us. There is a page called "reaper made easy" that provides tutorials specifically made for blind people using this daw. If your friend is on mac, logic is kinda accessible. I'm not on a mac so can't say much as I haven't tested it myself, but I do use reaper daily for my music making and it's easy once you learn the basics.
Hope that helps you. If you need more info do not hesitate to PM me, i'm not regularly checking this site but I do respond to PM's.

 

It may be worth mentioning, most regular cassette 4 track machines are 100% tactile. I LOVE 4 track cassette.
A lot of analog synths are completely or mostly tactile too. Juno 106, Moog etc

My vision isn't great, I use a 55" TV, placed maybe 4 feet away from my listening position. Makes it super easy to see everything.

 

The guy is completely blind.

 

Sing, Piano and blind ?
Forget about computer

4 tracks analog tape cassette is a good solution (like @Orglblork said) :
PHYSICAL feedback : you know when record is activated
PHYSICAL knobs/faders (setting feedback)
Enough tracks for piano+voice (and more)
Can be combined with external effects ( like a simple delay/reverb stereo effect with real knobs)

Just put some tactile indication on cassettes, for the record side insertion
Should be straight forward enough to concentrate on music itself.

Tascam 414 or Portastudio (with MECHANICAL buttons) should be easy to find.
Just don't buy from ppl playing the "vintage" game.

My last criteria is finding the most EASY to use between those models.
Some features can help ... some can be a pain when blind.

Even more easy to use : old school 2 tracks recording (cassette or reel)
Left piano
Right voice
... and roll

Cassette compress/saturate easily ... and it is a good trick to help "gluing" the final result.
Cassette for the win !

 

How were you able to read this post, let alone use a DAW like Reaper?

 

Visually impaired people can have problem to see further, no matter how you increase the screen. With myopia involved the closer the object is better. We are speaking about few centimetres far to reach the focus point.

 

Text-to-speech is a basic function in all operating system. And most websites are prepared for accessibility use.
The only issue I couldn't figure out, at least on mac is when the person would read in multiple languages. I've found cumbersome to change the language each time the person wants to read in different languages.
DAWs must also have some level of accessibility when you hover the mouse over a button. Other functions related to editing audio or midi can be trickier to achieve.

 

I'm guessing that if your friend is totally blind there needs be both aural and tactile cues to understand what's going on. A monitor won't help. I have no experience and no idea of what to contribute to this conversation besides having a friend (you perhaps) to engineer sessions. Other than that your friend might reach out to his/her blind community for perhaps the best advice from those who are experienced with the nuance of their disability and actively recording their music.

 

maybe an offtopic idea, but anyone tried using voice control to handle your DAW?
I mean, it sure may look as nonsense, as studio is usually loud environment by design, but monitoring only through headphones and using mic it should be do-able?

 

Building a home recording studio can be a great way to start making your own music. It doesn't have to be expensive or complicated, though it can be. Here are some basic tips to get you started:

1. Choose the right room. Pick a quiet, comfortable room with plenty of space for your equipment.
   
   
2. Invest in good soundproofing. If you can't soundproof the entire room, focus on where you'll be placing your speakers and microphones.
   
   
3. Choose the right equipment. Start with the basics: a computer, audio interface, microphone, and headphones.
   
   
4. Get a good Digital Audio Workstation (DAW). Popular DAWs include Ableton, Pro Tools, and Logic Pro.
   
   
5. Set up a MIDI keyboard. This will allow you to record and play music on your computer.
   
   
6. Experiment with different software synthesizers. Synthesizers can help you create a wide range of sounds.
   
   
7. Learn how to mix and master. Mixing and mastering are important skills to learn if you want your music to sound professional.
   
   
8. Practice, practice, practice. It takes time and practice to become a good musician.
   

By following these tips, you should be able to create a great home recording studio that will help you make the music you love. Good luck!