Learning

Music appreciation

Summary: How to get hold of recorded music and advice on starting a music club or society.

• Sources of pre-recorded music
• Books about music on tape and/or in braille
• Improving access - forming a music society
• Concessionary ticket prices and ticket schemes
• Accessing music events: information and services
• Museums and places to visit of musical interest

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Listening to music can be an uplifting experience and is an activity that people with sight problems can enjoy as much as sighted people. There are plenty of ways to get hold of music for listening on your own, but if you want to share the experience, why not start a music club?

Sources of pre-recorded music

Local libraries

Most local libraries run a music lending library for which membership is either free or inexpensive. They may also have a collection of print music available for loan, though this is rarely in any format other than standard size print.

Mail order

Compact Discount Centre

The Compact Discount Centre offers a 15 per cent discount to all people with sight problems. They specialise in classical and some jazz music, and stock CD or tape formats. Orders can be placed by credit card.

Ian Mclean
Compact Discount Centre
10 Headgate Buildings
Sir Isaac's Walk
Colchester
Essex
CO1 1JJ
Tel: 01206 76 24 22

Bee Bee’s

Order CDs via mail order using credit or debit cards. Prices range from around £8.99 to £12.99 (based on UK prices).

11 Harolds Way
South Woodham
Ferrers
Essex
CM3 5XU
Tel: 01245 32 36 76

Track Records

For US releases – full prices CDs are around £14.99 and mid-price ones are around £10.99.

15 High Ousegate
York
YO1 2RZ
Tel: 01904 62 90 22

For more ideas, look at subscription services and music magazines.

Books about music on tape and/or in braille

Books already on tape or in braille

RNIB Customer Services hold bibliographies of music literature, available in braille or on tape. Our bibliographies of braille include the RNIB National Library Service, and tape sources outside RNIB such as Calibre and Playback. All titles on tape from RNIB are available for loan only.

Subjects covered include:

• music theory
• jazz – biographies and history
• instrument tutors
• classical composers' biographies
• musicals
• music hall
• pop music
• opera and choral music.

Getting a book on to tape or into braille

Anyone wishing to have a book transcribed into braille or read on to tape should contact RNIB Customer Services. We will check if the title already exists in the format you want. If it does not, we'll ask you to send a print copy of the book, which will then be transcribed or taped. Braille transcription is free to the person placing the order; the only cost incurred by the individual will be in buying the print version. Customer Services will be able to advise on taping costs and how long the work will take; text which contains musical examples can be put into braille, but this will lengthen the production time.

RNIB Customer Services
PO Box 173
Peterborough
PE2 0WS
Tel: 0845 702 3153 or 01733 37 53 50.

Labelling cassettes and records

You do not need to be able to read braille to produce braille labels using a Dymo Gun. Select the required letter from the print alphabet dial, squeeze the gun and a braille character of that letter will be embossed on to the Dymo tape. Continue to select letters to produce words in braille. Please note that the gun produces grade one braille only. The alphabet dial also has a braille markings for use by those who read braille. The gun is black with a white dial and black lettering. One three metre roll of tape is supplied. Additional rolls are available separately.

Easy-to-use cassette player

A cassette player designed for people with sight loss or other disabilities who find standard equipment difficult to operate is now available. It has a simple layout; it switches on when a tape is inserted, it has three colour contrast keys (forward rewind and stop) sliding volume and tone controls. It costs £155 (£95 if you are registered blind).

Hagger Electronics
Unit 22
Business Centre West
Avenue 1
Letchworth
Hertfordshire
SG6 2HB
Tel: 01462 67 73 31

Improving access - forming a music society

Starting a music society or club is an excellent way of providing entertainment for music lovers. You don't need a lot of money to start a music society, but time and commitment are essential to make it work. Here are a few things to consider:

What do people want?

Is there a need for a club in the first place? Who would the club most appeal to? What sort of music tastes should be catered for?

Pre-recorded or live?

To listen to recorded music, all you need is a room with comfortable chairs, a decent stereo, and someone with access to a healthy supply of recordings who would be willing to play them. You might want to talk to the group about the background of the pieces and talk about the feelings generated by the music. You could also encourage the group to bring music of their own and talk about why they like it or why it's important to them.

For live music, you'll need to talk to musicians about what you want to achieve, or ask members of the group if they can perform a piece.

Choosing a venue

Is there a venue available which don't require much adapting? If not, who would be prepared to set over space to you once a week/month? Church halls often offer the best blend of adequate space, minimum cost and accessibility. But going to someone's house can be a more comfortable option if it's a small group.

If you want live music to be a part of what you do, it's useful to find a venue equipped with a keyboard, or preferably a piano. Check when it was last tuned.

If some in a group has a piano at home, you could arrange a musical "soiree". While there may be less room for an audience, this makes for a more informal and social evening. Performers could even be paid in food and drink!

Transportation

If the members of your group have difficulty getting to the venue, is there anybody who would be prepared to offer transport? Make sure you consider the cost, if there is one.

What do you need to know?

Here is a checklist for organising a trip to a live music event:

• What is on and where?
• What time and date is the event?
• How can we get there?
• Are there any discounts/concessions available?
• How accessible is the venue?

Finding out what's on

If you want an overview of what's on in your area, try the local radio or a local Talking Newspaper for accessible information.

Concessionary ticket prices and ticket schemes

A lot of music venues offer concessionary ticket prices.

• Concessions are usually given to unwaged people and OAPs, but not always to disabled people. Check with the venue beforehand.
• Some venues offer "2 for the price of 1" schemes, whereby an escort goes free, eg the three venues at London's South Bank Centre. Check with box offices first. Where no formal system is in place, it might be worth asking the venue if they can come to an arrangement.
• Not all venues set their own ticket prices. Concert promoters frequently set ticket prices, particularly at non-classical music venues. If you have any queries relating to tickets, and the venue is not responsible for pricing, they should be able to put you in touch with the promoter.

Accessing music events: information and services

There are a few organisations who can give you information and help for accessing music and other arts events. Check out music information and services.

Museums and places to visit of musical interest

• Finchcocks - Living Museum of Music (Kent) - Finchcocks is an 18th century manor house in Kent. It's home to one of the few museums in the world where most of the historical keyboards on display are in working order. The house is open from April to October, and hosts guided tours, demonstrations and informal recitals.
• Edinburgh University Collection of Historic Musical Instruments - 1,000 wind, string and percussion instruments can be handled by arrangement.
• The Russell Collection is the University's complementary collection of early keyboard instruments.
• Keith Harding's World of Mechanical Music (Cotswolds) - a museum of self-playing musical instruments and automata from days gone by.
• Mechanical Music Museum (Suffolk) - old records, horn gramophones, organs with pipes reaching the rafters, fairground organs, barrel organs, a theatre organ and a gigantic cafe organ. The museum also features street pianos and pianolas, as well as small instruments including musical boxes, polyphones, organettes, a musical chair and a musical Christmas tree.
  
  The Trust Secretary
  Blacksmith Road
  Cotton
  Nr. Stowmarket
  Suffolk IP14 4QN
  Tel: 01449 61 38 76
• Pitt Rivers Museum - Music Makers Gallery (Oxford) - musical instruments from all parts of history and all parts of the world. Some instruments can be held; music boxes and barrel organs can be heard. A free sound guide is provided and there is a tape and slide show.
  
  South Parks Road
  Oxford
  OX1 3PP
  Tel: 01865 27 09 27
• Cathedrals Through Touch and Hearing - provides cathedrals with special features for blind and partially sighted people, which enable them to appreciate the history, architecture and spirituality of the building through senses other than sight. All centres have a tactile wooden model and plan of the building, a cassette commentary to accompany the plan, a braille guidebook and a personal stereo with cassette.
  
  The following cathedrals have a Touch and Hearing centre: Birmingham, Canterbury, Chichester, Coventry, Durham, Exeter, Gloucester, Hereford, Lichfield, Lincoln, Norwich, Peterborough, Salisbury, St. Albans, Winchester, Worcester and York Minster. This project is co-ordinated and directed by John Hull and Juliet Reeve. Contact: Julie Leigh on 0121 414 4448 at the School of Education, Birmingham University.

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Content author: mas@rnib.org.uk

Last updated: 22/07/2008 10:47