A call out to makers to create new technology to break down disabling barriers to music

[marc barto]

This has already been posted on the main Hackspace mailing list but our friends from the Music Hackspace asked if some of our members would be interested in participating in the 17th of March hack day as well. 

---------------------------------------------------

Dear All,

Firstly thanks to those who could make David's and my talk last Thursday on the subject of Music Technology as a tool for breaking down disabling barriers to music making - and for the very enthusiastic response. 

For those who were not able to attend my name is Gawain Hewitt, and I am the National R&D manager for a charity called Drake Music, http://www.drakemusic.org/, and we work with adults and children who face disabling barriers. I am really interested in working with and supporting makers and hackers to create new technologies that may be able to add to the tools that we can use to help make musical more accessible to more people. These could include movement to audio technology, switch based, other sensors or very likely lots of things I have not yet conceived. I want to inspire creativity and support making, so am very open minded, and expect things to go in different directions, change etc.. in the process - but I believe that this community could really help our community. 

I demoed a couple of products that Drake Music use - The Soundbeam 2 http://throbbing-gristle.com/CHRISCARTER/content/sos/ems_soundbeam2.html and the SKOOG http://www.skoogmusic.com/ - we also use iPad, some of our staff are using Kinnekt with Max for Live and I have started using Makey Makey. We also spoke about Teh Magic Flute - in person this is fantastic, I saw it at Ars Electronica - please focus on the usability, not the terrible sounds it makes - I could jam with christian - its a big leap forward in ergonomics and user control http://www.mybreathmymusic.com/en/magic_flute.php

David Stevens (who has his own company, Music For Special Needs) also demoed his custom software and hardware http://soundcloud.com/davidestevens    http://sustainedsound.com    http://musicforspecialneeds.com

So in short I think there is a pressing need for more and better solutions. The tools that I have are expensive, often difficult to use and frankly not good enough - and there are not enough. 

Soooo -  I would be delighted to work with anyone who feels that they could contribute. I personally am committed to an open source solution, and Drake Music do not seek to manufacture nor own anything. Rather I would like to create a resource for makers all over the world to be able to build tested products. So I can supply testing, our network of collaborators, small amounts of funding (so no- one is out of pocket) etc...

I have a project with Furtherfield called Weshare, and we are proposing a making day with Music Hackspace in March. There seems to be also interest for a proper 24 or 48 hour hackday, which I would be very interested in facilitating - perhaps in the summer. For now it looks like we will be at Furtherfield on March 17th. 

For now - comments, ideas, advice, questions etc... are very very welcome. 

Best

Gawain

Gawain Hewitt

Associate National Manager - Research and Development (Friday)

DM Associate Musician 

Office: 020 7739 5444 

Mobile: 07817 317728

Email: gawain...@drakemusic.org

Website: www.drakemusic.org

Blog: http://www.drakemusic.org/connect-collaborate/blogs

Facebook: /drakemusicorg

Twitter: @drake_music

YouTube: /drakemusicorg