Module for Special Classes in Music for the Blind

Day 1

Objectives: At the end of the whole-day session, the students will be able to:

1. Understand the importance of music braille

2. Understand the top and bottom position of the braille cells

Topics/Lessons

1. … Notes and its corresponding braille dots

2. Braille music with different note values

3. Clap with music braille

4. Sing with music braille

5. Read and write with music braille

Day 2

Objectives: At the end of the whole-day session, the students will be able to:

1. , Use numbers with notes

2. Use letter names with notes

3. Colaborate ear training with braille music

Topics/Lessons

1. Music notes and its corresponding numbers

2. Music notes and its corresponding letter names

3. Ear training and tones number 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6

Day 3

Objectives: At the end of the whole-day session, the students will be able to:

1. Create music tools using braille piano illustrations

2. Use ear training as a tool in studying pieces

Topics/lessons

1. Illustrate chords in braille

2. Playing the piano with braille illustrations

Module for academic camp

Day 1.

Notes and its corresponding braille dots

Literary braille and music braille look a lot alike. Many of the symbols used to write braille letters are
also used to write music braille notes and symbols. However, their meanings are different. For example,
in the literary braille code, dots 1-4-5 represent the print letter D. In music braille those dots are the
musical note C. Louis Braille didn't use letter names for notes like many students do today; instead, he
used the names of musical tones, beginning with "do" (pronounced "doe," just like the song in the
movie The Sound of Music). Because of this, he used the braille letter D to represent the first musical
tone, and he developed the rest of the music braille code from there. Look below to see the braille dots
for each note and its musical name.

Music name Music braille

Do D

Re E

Mi F

Fa G

Sol H

La I

ti j

Braille music with different note values

In Music class, you've probably learned about quarter notes, half notes, whole notes, and eighth notes.
Maybe your teacher has talked about what these notes look like. For example, print eighth notes have
"flags" or "bars," and print quarter notes are colored in. Braille notes don't have flags or colors. Instead,
the position of dots in the braille cell tells a braille reader what kind of note he or she is reading. The top
part of the cell tells the name of the note and bottom part (dots 3 and 6) tells about the rhythm or how
long a note is held.

Here's how it works:

Eighth Notes: No extra dots are added to the note.

Dots 1 4 5 Dots 1 5 Dots 1 2 4 Dots 1 2 4 5 Dots 1 2 5 Dots 2 4 Dots 2

45

Quarter Notes: A dot 6 is added to the note.

Dots 1 4 5 6 Dots 1 5 6 Dots 1 2 4 6 Dots 1 2 4 5 6 Dots 1 2 5 6 Dots 2 4 6 Dots 2

456

Half Notes: A dot 3 is added to the note.

Dots 1 3 4 5 Dots 1 3 5 Dots 1 2 3 4 Dots 1 2 3 4 5 Dots 1 2 3 5 Dots 2 3 4 Dots 2

345

Whole Notes: Dots 6 and 3 are added to the note.

Dots 1 3 4 5 6 Dots 1 3 5 6 Dots 1 2 3 4 6 Dots 1 2 3 4 5 6 Dots 1 2 3 5 6 Dots 2 3 4 6 Dots 2

3456

Other Musical Symbols

Print music has many other symbols, and most of these are represented in music braille. However, some
very familiar print symbols are not found in braille. For example, the five-line musical staff, on which
print notes are placed, is not used in braille. Instead, music braille characters are written in lines using
special formats so that they are easy to read and give the braille reader all the information that is shown
visually on the staff. The print music symbols for the Treble Clef and Bass Clef are also not used in braille.

Instead, a two-character symbol, , placed at the beginning of a music braille line, tells the reader to play
with the right hand. A similar two-character sign, , tells the reader to play with the left hand. Finally,
music braille does not have bar lines, which are used in print to divide music into measures, making it
easier to read. Instead, a braille measure is separated from a measure before or after it by a space.

A rest is a kind of musical symbol that you will find in both print and braille. When you play or sing
music, you often have rests, which direct you to be silent for a short time. Just like in print, there are
braille symbols that represent the different types of rests.

Eighth rest

Dots 1 3 4 6

Quarter rest

Dots 1 2 3 6

Half rest

Dots 1 3 6

Whole or 16th rest

Dots 1 3 4

Activity 1: Clap with music braille

An activity will be given by the instructor

Activity 2: Sing with music braille

An activity will be given by the instructor

Activity 3: Read and write with music braille

An activity will be given by the instructor

Day 2.

Music notes and its corresponding numbers

In a scale, there are eight notes namely: do, re, mi, fa, sol, la, ti and it will bring you back to do. There are
also another terms for each note. For example:

in C major, do is the first degree or the (tonic) Re is the second degree or the (super tonic) Mi is the third
degree or (mediant) Fa is the fourth degree or (sub dominant) Sol is the fifth degree or (dominant) La is
the sixth degree or (sub mediant) Ti is the seventh or (leading tone)

Music notes and its letter names.

Another tool to help students to identify the notes is by using the letter names such as c, d, e, f, g, a, and
b. Here is a table of music braille, letter name, music name and its corresponding number.

Music name Letter name Music braille Number

do c d 1

re d e 2

mi e f 3

fa f g 4

sol g h 5

la a i 6

ti b j 7

Activity 1: The instructor will play a melody then write the answer using music names.

Activity 2: the instructor will play another melody then write it in music braille.
Activity 3: convert the activity 1 and 2 into numbers.

Ear training and tones number 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6

Aside from music braille ear training is also another tool for a visually impaired to study a musical piece.
Tones number 1 has the thickest sound. As it goes higher, the sound becomes thinner until it reaches
the tone number 6.

Activity:

Listen as the instructor play tones number 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 then there will be a listening game after.

Day 3.

Illustrate chords in braille

The piano can also be used as a tool for illustrating notes and chords. It has a white key and a black key.
The white represents the natural key and the black represents the sharps and flats. Imagine that the
black key is the letter l or dots 123. The white key is the full cell or dots 123456.

Activity: touch the piano illustration. It will be provided by the instructor.

Playing the piano with braille illustrations

To practice illustration, read the guide to forming chords below and the instructor will help you build an
illustration after.

Guide to Forming Chords

Type of Chord Chord Structure

Major Triad 1st (root) + 3rd + 5th notes of a major scale

Minor Triad 1st (root) + 3rd + 5th notes of a minor scale

Diminished Triads 1st (root) + flatted 3rd (b3) + flatted 5th (b5) notes of a major scale

Augmented Triads 1st (root) + 3rd + sharped 5th (#5th) notes of a major scale.

Major 7th Chord 1st (root) + 3rd + 5th + 7th notes of a major scale
Minor 7th Chord 1st (root) + flatted 3rd (b3) + 5th + flatted 7th (b7) notes (derived from a major scale)

Dominant 7th Chord 1st (root) + 3rd + 5th + flatted 7th (b7) notes of a major scale

Sixth Chord 1st (root) + 3rd + 5th + 6th notes of a major or minor scale.

Dominant 9th Chord add a ninth to a dominant 7th chord (1st + 3rd + 5th + flatted 7th + 9th)

Major 9th Chord add a ninth to a major 7th chord (1st + 3rd + 5th + 7th + 9th)

Minor 9th Chord add a ninth to a minor 7th chord (1st + 3rd + 5th + flatted 7th + 9th)

sus2 Chord 1st (root) + 2nd + 5th notes of either a major or minor scale

sus4 Chord 1st (root) + 4th + 5th notes of either a major or minor scale

For the last activity:

1. Melodic dictation: Listen as the instructor play the melody then write it in: music braille music
names, letter names and numbers.

2. The instructor will give a chord, then build it using the piano illustration

Music Module

Session Title: Introduction to Music Braille

I. Focal Issue of the session:

Availability of music piece in Braille code is a challenging issue for all interested students. Transcribing
music piece into Braille is a challenging task both for students and professors. This session is focused on
providing information about transcribing music notes into Braille and how to apply it in studying simple
musical piece.

II. Objectives: After the training sessions, participants will be able:

1. Specify appropriate Braille dots for different music name (do, re, mi, fa, sol, la, to do).

2. Discuss appropriate Braille dots for different music notes including musical symbols such as flats
and sharps.

3. Learn how to create music tools by using music braille, letter names, ear training and numbers.

4. Transcribe simple musical piece into Braille.

III. Hours/Sessions: 8 sessions/14 hours

IV. Training Materials: Handout and keyboard

V. Method: Lecture followed by discussion, question-answer, brainstorming, group work and
demonstration.

VI. Process

Topic 1: Challenges and Importance of Music Braille

Introduce the topic and brainstorm the participants on what they know about the challenges of
inaccessible Braille music notation. Discuss their points and summarize the discussion.

Topic 2: Music Notes and its Corresponding Braille dots

A discussion on how and why Louis Braille created the method

Topic 3: Braille Music with Different Note Values

Reading, writing and playing with braille music

Topic 4: Music Notes and its Corresponding Numbers

Reading, writing listen and play using the given method

Topic 5: Music Notes and Its Corresponding Letter Names

Use the given method in ear training

Topic 6: Illustrate Chords in Braille using piano illustration

Creating a tool for studying musical piece using the given method