Sacred Harp Resources for the Blind

[William Gatewood]

Hello all,

I was recently acquainted with a woman who has interest in the Sacred Harp.  She expressed interest in participating in singings but does not have the ability to use conventional songbooks due to her blindness.  Do y'all know of any resources that make singings accessible for blind individuals that I could send her?

Will Gatewood

Jackson, MS

[N M]

Hello Will,

Does she read Braille? If so, there are resources available.

Nicholas

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[N M]

My partner is blind (we both sing Treble) and she has an electronic Braille display which shows forty characters at a time. The 1991 book is available in an electronic format, with shapes represented by Braille symbols, and words. The 2025 book is only available as words at present, but shapes will be available in future. She got the files (both books) from a blind singer in Australia, and is happy to forward emails to him from anyone who needs them. She isn't on this group, so I can pass them on.

We both sing Treble—very loudly!—in London, and Sacred Harp played a big part (as well West Gallery and other choirs) in us getting together two years ago.

Nicholas

On Tuesday, 6 January 2026 at 01:03:15 GMT, Bob Richmond <rsric...@gmail.com> wrote:

Tell us about Braille shape note resources! I never heard of them.

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/fasola-discussions/996567936.10035877.1767660440034%40mail.yahoo.com.

[Bob Richmond]

I can't Google anything about Braille shape notes. I'm a 7 note (New Harp of Columbia) singer - is 7 note notation available in Braille?

I don't know anyone who needs this, but I'd like to get this information out to 7 note groups.

Bob Richmond

[Micah Walter]

The lyrics of the 2025 edition are all online in plain text format, suitable for downloading and using on a digital braille display. (That link contains separate files for download – they are also available as one large file.) These would also work on screen readers for help memorizing the text, which would be especially useful if she does not read Braille.

There are lots of recordings available for learning the music: via the FaSoLaMins app, and for newly added songs on Internet Archive. The FaSoLaMix app (a separate app, iOS only) exists to teach a selection of songs by allowing the user to make one part louder than others. If more note-by-note instruction is necessary, there are the computer-generated part-by-part recordings from Sacred Harp Bremen.

I hope this helps –

Micah

On Mon, Jan 5, 2026 at 7:53 PM 'N M' via Fasola Discussions <fasola-di...@googlegroups.com> wrote:

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/fasola-discussions/996567936.10035877.1767660440034%40mail.yahoo.com.

[N M]

We only have four-note system used in Sacred Harp, not the seven-note system. We sing Christian Harmony once a month, and have the texts availalable, but not the notes.

Nicholas

[Bob Richmond]

I gathered from Googling the topic that there's a regulatory body for Braille musical notation. It might be worthwhile to approach them about adding Braille do, re, and ti.

It isn't only Christian Harmony and New Harp of Columbia singers who use 7-note. "Gospel shape note" (convention music) singers use the seven Akin shapes, like Christian Harmony does.

[Bob Richmond]

Tell us about Braille shape note resources! I never heard of them.

On Mon, Jan 5, 2026 at 7:53 PM 'N M' via Fasola Discussions <fasola-di...@googlegroups.com> wrote:

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/fasola-discussions/996567936.10035877.1767660440034%40mail.yahoo.com.