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Interest in accessibility being added to music making hardware (self.Blind)
submitted by RapperNev
Some context:
I'm another blind person and I originally posted this to the $1 forum off topic room, and I think that people on here might find this post valuable as well. That is if there are any musicians on here.
What prompted me to make this post was my curiosity of how many blind people in general would enjoy accessibility being added to standalone music making hardware, not just software. I know there is a lot of synth guys on here (audiogames.net.) But I'm talking about general production devices. Like Akai's MPC Live 2.
$1
For those who aren't as familiar with these devices, I advise you guys to go look up the history of the MPC and generally what they do.
I have purchased an MPC 1000 (2003), because of the lack of a touchscreen and a pure button based workflow , which would allow me, to a degree, memorize the machine's menus. I did this because I wanted a more hands on approach to productions that using Reaper with my Keylab mk2 wouldn't provide, because its not possible to map the keyboard to do all the things I wanted. Also because of the lack of distractions that one faces with a computer and smartphone. I also think the portability of the hardware is appealing, the battery and speaker would be fantastic for spontaneous jam sessions, beat making almost anywhere you want, etc.
I was thinking about writing an email To Akai explaining my desire for a voiceover-like accessibility feature added to the Live 2, but I wanted to ask here first to get other's thoughts.
What's nice about all the flagship MPCs is they all run on more or less the same software, with some differences to accommodate for the extra buttons on its bigger brothers, The MPC X is the bad boy of the bunch, go look it up if you want to know more about it. I think that one would be out of reach for most of us ($2000), but I feel like a lot of you guys here would enjoy the Live, its small but still super flexible. I already have some ideas on how the TTS feature could be implemented and how it would work with the touchscreen and mixing, etc. If people on here feel the same as me It'd be awesome if I can gather a bunch of thoughts from people and send a massive email to Akai, its worth a shot to me!
Link to original post:
$1
I'm another blind person and I originally posted this to the $1 forum off topic room, and I think that people on here might find this post valuable as well. That is if there are any musicians on here.
What prompted me to make this post was my curiosity of how many blind people in general would enjoy accessibility being added to standalone music making hardware, not just software. I know there is a lot of synth guys on here (audiogames.net.) But I'm talking about general production devices. Like Akai's MPC Live 2.
$1
For those who aren't as familiar with these devices, I advise you guys to go look up the history of the MPC and generally what they do.
I have purchased an MPC 1000 (2003), because of the lack of a touchscreen and a pure button based workflow , which would allow me, to a degree, memorize the machine's menus. I did this because I wanted a more hands on approach to productions that using Reaper with my Keylab mk2 wouldn't provide, because its not possible to map the keyboard to do all the things I wanted. Also because of the lack of distractions that one faces with a computer and smartphone. I also think the portability of the hardware is appealing, the battery and speaker would be fantastic for spontaneous jam sessions, beat making almost anywhere you want, etc.
I was thinking about writing an email To Akai explaining my desire for a voiceover-like accessibility feature added to the Live 2, but I wanted to ask here first to get other's thoughts.
What's nice about all the flagship MPCs is they all run on more or less the same software, with some differences to accommodate for the extra buttons on its bigger brothers, The MPC X is the bad boy of the bunch, go look it up if you want to know more about it. I think that one would be out of reach for most of us ($2000), but I feel like a lot of you guys here would enjoy the Live, its small but still super flexible. I already have some ideas on how the TTS feature could be implemented and how it would work with the touchscreen and mixing, etc. If people on here feel the same as me It'd be awesome if I can gather a bunch of thoughts from people and send a massive email to Akai, its worth a shot to me!
Link to original post:
$1
FedUPSEx 2 points 3y ago
I don't use hardware synths much or drum machines, but I love making music and I can definitely understand wanting better accessibility on hardware.
RapperNev [OP] 1 points 3y ago
Honestly when it comes to accessibility I think there could be improvements on all fronts.
I use Reaper with SWS, Osara, and some scripts from ReaPack that basically helps me trick the sampler into behaving more or less how I want, for Hip-Hop music. So if I import/chop up a break into separate items I use a keyboard shortcut, choose the start note of assignment and it auto-maps the sounds across the keys. Aside from what I mentioned about the hands on feel that's not really able to be achieved with my midi controller and Reaper compared to a hardware machine, with rs5k, the samples can cut themselves off, but I can't have other samples cut other samples off, I.E. how mute groups work in the MPC. or setting a program to mono instead of poly, a program being basically a set of samples, drum sounds, etc.
Another thing for me is inaccessible program launchers/installers. And just DRM in general. There doesn't seem to be accessible rompler VSTs out there, that being a keyboard with different instrument patches. That and a dislike for annoying DRM makes the idea of an accessible rompler module really desirable, paired with something like the Live 2 would give me a near dawless setup, at least until the tracking stage.
Even in programs I don't use I think it'd be great for accessibility to be improved. VSTs are tricky, though.
I use Reaper with SWS, Osara, and some scripts from ReaPack that basically helps me trick the sampler into behaving more or less how I want, for Hip-Hop music. So if I import/chop up a break into separate items I use a keyboard shortcut, choose the start note of assignment and it auto-maps the sounds across the keys. Aside from what I mentioned about the hands on feel that's not really able to be achieved with my midi controller and Reaper compared to a hardware machine, with rs5k, the samples can cut themselves off, but I can't have other samples cut other samples off, I.E. how mute groups work in the MPC. or setting a program to mono instead of poly, a program being basically a set of samples, drum sounds, etc.
Another thing for me is inaccessible program launchers/installers. And just DRM in general. There doesn't seem to be accessible rompler VSTs out there, that being a keyboard with different instrument patches. That and a dislike for annoying DRM makes the idea of an accessible rompler module really desirable, paired with something like the Live 2 would give me a near dawless setup, at least until the tracking stage.
Even in programs I don't use I think it'd be great for accessibility to be improved. VSTs are tricky, though.
liamjh27 2 points 3y ago
Have you looked much into. komplete kontrol from Native instruments? Has an accessibility mode built into the keyboards which provides spoken feedback on selecting presets and sounds etc, as well as control over the parameters of the synth/sample library/whatever you have loaded up in there. They also have a standard called NKS which allows other synths to work int he same way within kontrol. For example you can run sylenth1 inside of it. In terms of Romplers, i’ve been told that Nexus is usable with some scripts, i’m yet to try it yet though. Need to look into that a bit more as I used to use Nexus a fair bit before my sight got to the level it’s at now.
RapperNev [OP] 1 points 3y ago
Yup I have heard of this, I think its super cool, options are definitely important for everyone. From what I hear Windows support still needs to be improved but it works great on Mac OS.
Since I'm more of a hardware guy and like the options of standalone, or at least hybrid, meaning it can be standalone and also used with a computer if desired, I'm leaning more towards a setup consisting of a sampler/sequencer with a keyboard, for midi controller and to play out samples on the sampler but also use it for instrument patches to throw on top of my beats. Nothing too crazy here actually, I'm fairly minimalist when it comes to my beats.
What I like about the live is it can be a pro studio device but the battery and built in speaker makes it super flexible and I can make stuff damn near anywhere. This is one thing that my 1000 can't really do, it can, but it needs a plug. Also even if I do bring my laptop along, if I can pull out one box instead of two, its just less stuff to have to set up.
Getting back to Native Instruments though I hear they're trying to make Mashine accessible, that would be something that interests me, as a lot of Hip-Hop guys use Mashine (9th Wonder, Havoc, Psycho Les from Beatnuts, etc.)
Since I'm more of a hardware guy and like the options of standalone, or at least hybrid, meaning it can be standalone and also used with a computer if desired, I'm leaning more towards a setup consisting of a sampler/sequencer with a keyboard, for midi controller and to play out samples on the sampler but also use it for instrument patches to throw on top of my beats. Nothing too crazy here actually, I'm fairly minimalist when it comes to my beats.
What I like about the live is it can be a pro studio device but the battery and built in speaker makes it super flexible and I can make stuff damn near anywhere. This is one thing that my 1000 can't really do, it can, but it needs a plug. Also even if I do bring my laptop along, if I can pull out one box instead of two, its just less stuff to have to set up.
Getting back to Native Instruments though I hear they're trying to make Mashine accessible, that would be something that interests me, as a lot of Hip-Hop guys use Mashine (9th Wonder, Havoc, Psycho Les from Beatnuts, etc.)
liamjh27 1 points 3y ago
Yeah I totally get where you’re coming from.
I’ve never had the opportunity to play with an NPC but i’d deffo be interested in it. I used to LOVE Maschine when I had enough sight to use it. An accessible drum machine would be awesome.
I’ve spokken to a few people who say Maschine is usable atm, again through Apple scripts though, not sure about Windows. I’m only just getting back into production after several years out of it due to my sight getting so bad and me having no idea there was actually so many options out there for blind producers. So I’m playing catch up right now.
I’ve never had the opportunity to play with an NPC but i’d deffo be interested in it. I used to LOVE Maschine when I had enough sight to use it. An accessible drum machine would be awesome.
I’ve spokken to a few people who say Maschine is usable atm, again through Apple scripts though, not sure about Windows. I’m only just getting back into production after several years out of it due to my sight getting so bad and me having no idea there was actually so many options out there for blind producers. So I’m playing catch up right now.
soundwarrior20 1 points 3y ago
Hi, I have several things to cover here. First off how big and heavy is the MPC 1000? Secondly if you would write an email to Akai asking about MPC live assessability this would be brilliant. I was thinking about getting the MPC 500 but I’m not sure. If you want an SP 1200 clone, look in to the isla instruments SP2400 I have pre-ordered it the workflow is pretty tactile and it may also have talking menus. I hope this helps and feel free to ask me any questions :-)
RapperNev [OP] 1 points 3y ago
Wow, we actually seem to be thinking of the same things when it comes to gear. COOL!
The 1000 isn't heavy heavy, I mean, it's probably somewhere around 8-9 pounds? Can't really tell at the moment but I'm sure there's a spec sheet somewhere. I mean, its compact and portable by 2003 standards, which means its a bit heavier than probably the bulkiest laptops out there nowadays. Its easy to carry in your arms, if I had a case for it (must be a super legit hard instrument case cause they're like $100 on mpcstuff), it would probably be way heavier but I could slide it into my backpack and carry it around and be ok.
My thoughts on the 500, 2, actually 3 reasons why I skipped over it myself.
One of these being its cheaper built. Overall I hear its not the greatest feeling plus the caps in it may be shite. As someone who doesn't want to go near a soldering iron I wouldn't buy one for that reason, unless it was refurbished but then here's the other 2 reasons.
Lack of outputs. I think you only get the two stereo outs and that's it. Maybe that's fine for some people but for me personally I want better mix control without doing 20 passes into my DAW.
This may be a more subjective one but Akai left a lot of features out of the main Akai OS on its cheaper models, same goes for the 1000. However the 1000 lets you use a custom OS called JJOS. There's a free and paid version, free version adds a lot of improvements to the Akai OS but its still 95% identical, JJOS 2xl $123, is way more advanced, and has instrument keygroups, which basically lets you play sounds across the pads like a keyboard, or with a midi keyboard. For some reason that (pretty essential feature IMO), isn't even in the free version, but you get other things like audio tracks, 4 of them I think, for scratches or whatever you really want to throw in there.
I really would like to get a whole bunch of people's thoughts on accessibility period and send Akai a big email. They don't even have to want a standalone MPC for themselves, But I would like Akai to consider adding it to their standalones, especially the Live, Live would be perfect for me, its a studio device but has a lot of flexibility and its more modern, I.E. no flash cards, takes SD and USB as well as SATA SSD, actually has synths on it, its more all in one than even the 1000 is IMO. And I think it would make more of an impact hearing thoughts from several people instead of this one solitary random guy.
Wait, did you actually hear that the SP-2400 might have talking menus? I was scoping out their facebook page and watching some videos a few days ago, if that thing has talking menus, I may seriously consider getting it.
The 1000 isn't heavy heavy, I mean, it's probably somewhere around 8-9 pounds? Can't really tell at the moment but I'm sure there's a spec sheet somewhere. I mean, its compact and portable by 2003 standards, which means its a bit heavier than probably the bulkiest laptops out there nowadays. Its easy to carry in your arms, if I had a case for it (must be a super legit hard instrument case cause they're like $100 on mpcstuff), it would probably be way heavier but I could slide it into my backpack and carry it around and be ok.
My thoughts on the 500, 2, actually 3 reasons why I skipped over it myself.
One of these being its cheaper built. Overall I hear its not the greatest feeling plus the caps in it may be shite. As someone who doesn't want to go near a soldering iron I wouldn't buy one for that reason, unless it was refurbished but then here's the other 2 reasons.
Lack of outputs. I think you only get the two stereo outs and that's it. Maybe that's fine for some people but for me personally I want better mix control without doing 20 passes into my DAW.
This may be a more subjective one but Akai left a lot of features out of the main Akai OS on its cheaper models, same goes for the 1000. However the 1000 lets you use a custom OS called JJOS. There's a free and paid version, free version adds a lot of improvements to the Akai OS but its still 95% identical, JJOS 2xl $123, is way more advanced, and has instrument keygroups, which basically lets you play sounds across the pads like a keyboard, or with a midi keyboard. For some reason that (pretty essential feature IMO), isn't even in the free version, but you get other things like audio tracks, 4 of them I think, for scratches or whatever you really want to throw in there.
I really would like to get a whole bunch of people's thoughts on accessibility period and send Akai a big email. They don't even have to want a standalone MPC for themselves, But I would like Akai to consider adding it to their standalones, especially the Live, Live would be perfect for me, its a studio device but has a lot of flexibility and its more modern, I.E. no flash cards, takes SD and USB as well as SATA SSD, actually has synths on it, its more all in one than even the 1000 is IMO. And I think it would make more of an impact hearing thoughts from several people instead of this one solitary random guy.
Wait, did you actually hear that the SP-2400 might have talking menus? I was scoping out their facebook page and watching some videos a few days ago, if that thing has talking menus, I may seriously consider getting it.
soundwarrior20 1 points 3y ago
I did and I’ve been in discussions with the company about this i’m not sure if it will happen yet though
RapperNev [OP] 1 points 3y ago
Hmm. Definitely something I'm going to keep in the back of my mind. Was thinking about emailing Brad myself, actually.
DrillInstructorJan 1 points 3y ago
I own several Axe FX guitar processors and usually I will spend at least one or two days a week doing something that uses them. Often there is a technician who can handle stuff for me, but who really wants to be in that situation. It'd be great if there was some way of it being more accessible. Right now I end up just memorising a lot of button pushes but there's lots of it I can't really get at.
guitarandbooks 1 points 3y ago
I haven't had the chance to use the Axe fx yet but I have a Kemper Profiler Stage. I wish I had someone to help me tweak presets and map things out etc. This unit is amazing but it's so freaking frustrating not being able to read the display etc. The rig editor for Mac and Windows is sort of accessible at least. I can load and delete profiles but anything beyond that seems like it must be all bit mapped...
My NI Kontrol S88MKI has speech and that has been a game changer for me! I just wish that more of these companies took accessibility seriously. I ran some live sound back in the day using an analog mixer and effects processors that were very tactile friendly. I haven't done live sound work in a long time because all the job listings expect you to have extensive experience with this or that digital mixer. Now they have touch screens too which is just a larger middle finger to people who can't see it.
My NI Kontrol S88MKI has speech and that has been a game changer for me! I just wish that more of these companies took accessibility seriously. I ran some live sound back in the day using an analog mixer and effects processors that were very tactile friendly. I haven't done live sound work in a long time because all the job listings expect you to have extensive experience with this or that digital mixer. Now they have touch screens too which is just a larger middle finger to people who can't see it.
RapperNev [OP] 1 points 3y ago
Yeah, I do wonder though, how many of these companies may not know that there is a large community of blind people out there that are willing to fork over cash for accessible products.
I'm encountering issues with DJ equipment as well. Before, I had to use this convoluted setup that introduced lots of latency into my cuts. I have an iDJ live 2, and when I had my macbook, which has the most accessible dj software out there called DJ Pro2, to get the lowest amount of latency (minus apple's lovely CPU throttling because apple doesn't believe in fans as much as imaginary sex appeal), I use my little usb phono preamp as the main outputs for Mac OS and Reaper, then set the dj software to output through the headphone jack of the macbook, which took a 3.5mm plug into the RCA inputs of my phono box set to line. IT worked but it was just so inconvenient and annoying, and the cpu throttling didn't help.. at all.
Lots of all in ones for DJing also, but the modern CDJs also have touchscreens, and I just want a simple interface, with dedicated buttons, hell if it was a talking device even better. I don't wanna DJ parties rite now, the option would be great but I hate top 40 but you never know, I just wanna lay down some cuts on my and other people's records.
I've been looking at this one little device called the SC1000 MK2, super simplistic and just does what I need. I do have vinyl and wanna get a proper vinyl setup also but I need to cover the digital side as well.
I'm encountering issues with DJ equipment as well. Before, I had to use this convoluted setup that introduced lots of latency into my cuts. I have an iDJ live 2, and when I had my macbook, which has the most accessible dj software out there called DJ Pro2, to get the lowest amount of latency (minus apple's lovely CPU throttling because apple doesn't believe in fans as much as imaginary sex appeal), I use my little usb phono preamp as the main outputs for Mac OS and Reaper, then set the dj software to output through the headphone jack of the macbook, which took a 3.5mm plug into the RCA inputs of my phono box set to line. IT worked but it was just so inconvenient and annoying, and the cpu throttling didn't help.. at all.
Lots of all in ones for DJing also, but the modern CDJs also have touchscreens, and I just want a simple interface, with dedicated buttons, hell if it was a talking device even better. I don't wanna DJ parties rite now, the option would be great but I hate top 40 but you never know, I just wanna lay down some cuts on my and other people's records.
I've been looking at this one little device called the SC1000 MK2, super simplistic and just does what I need. I do have vinyl and wanna get a proper vinyl setup also but I need to cover the digital side as well.
RapperNev [OP] 1 points 3y ago
Yep, agreed, same boat with me and my MPC 1000.
On the free custom JJOS, I actually memorized a little bit and can do some stuff (only had the machine for a few weeks and going by just the manual and me screwing around), but now that I see the paid version of the OS has more features I'm focusing more on that. I have someone writing a menu guide for it.
On the free custom JJOS, I actually memorized a little bit and can do some stuff (only had the machine for a few weeks and going by just the manual and me screwing around), but now that I see the paid version of the OS has more features I'm focusing more on that. I have someone writing a menu guide for it.
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