Learning music using braille and embossed images

Bengaluru: Bangalore's Indira Gandhi National Arts Centre has devised a plan to teach music to the blind using braille and embossed images. This work has been started with the intention of benefiting the visually impaired artists who are keenly interested in music. Indira Gandhi National Arts Centre intends to teach music through audio along with text.

There is a practice of using pictures to help the visually impaired in other places including airports and railway stations. That system is used here. There are no music learning texts for the blind. In this background, music text, raga, instrument and other ideas are taught through embossed images along with braille. The outline of this project has already been prepared. Senior officials of Indira Gandhi National Art Centre Regional Office have informed that the process of the project will start soon.

The text is structured to help students learn music easily. A graphic is used. He said that if the dark artists put their hands on the graphics, they will assume that this is a film and introduce music.

Learning Sapta Talas: Learning all types of music field will be covered in this course.

There will also be information about the seven beats of music. Information will be given about various musical instruments including tambourine, pitilu, harmonium, flute, ghatam, veena. There will also be an introduction to other musical arts including Hindustani classical music and Carnatic music, says D Mahendra, Regional Director of Indira Gandhi National Kalakendra Bangalore Centre.

No such scheme has been prepared anywhere in the country. Uday Kumar, a senior artist based in Mysore, is fond of textual composition. He said that the work of creating the text has been done. The work of finalizing the plan has gone on.

The project is planned at a cost of around Rs 14 lakh. This project is being undertaken with the help of the central government. The local authorities of Indira Gandhi National Art Centre have informed that this project is planned to be completed within the year. If the methods of music are available in text form, it will be good for school and college students. He said that teaching music by using braille and embossed pictures is beneficial for blind students.

This project has been undertaken with the intention of benefiting the blind artists. Preparations have been made regarding the project outlines. The project is expected to be completed within the year. The use of embossed images along with brain script will help the visually impaired to learn music easily, said D Mahendra, Regional Director Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts.