disability and music

[Schumusica]

Dear Users,

I started making music with the computer since agust last year. Because of my Cerebral Palsy I can't use all my fingers together which makes it difficult to compose complex rythms and Loops. Apart from inserting notes by mouse, does anyone have tips/or tricks that could help me out? Special software to use with SX, Special Hardware, or functions with Cubase...etc.

Thanks!

Niels

[pheeleep]

Hi. I don't know what I have yet. I am seeing a neurologist on Wednesday, but my fingers have been killing me for a while now. Sometimes it feels like someone is pulling really hard on my fingers. Other times it feels like someone put them to sleep with an anesthetic shot... This is a very interesting topic for me... hopefully we'll get some cool answers. I heard of someone using a pedal for mouse clicks....

I know I shouldn't be using the computer at all these days, but I can't help it.. you should have seen me working on this months KVR sci fi competition. When I would come up with something cool I would be smiling while my hand would start hurting more and more. So I would be like... aielle.. it hurts, while at the same time I was like.. wow.. this sounds cool... it really sucks! Pretty vicious!

I need my girlfriend to change the password on my home computer until I get better, or something.. I can't stay away from making music unless I am forced to, and I think the only thing I can do to make my hands feel better right now is to stop using the CPU at home for a while( I already use it at work ). This sucks...

[maximilians1]

http://www.synthzone.com/ctrlr.htm

This is a link to a list of midi controllers , lots of stuff maybe something in there for you

[bugs]

Check out Sibelius (or Finale, et al), a notational software package. Compose in Sibelius, export as a MIDI file to the sequencer (Cubase, Logic, et al) for recording and mixing. All you need to be able to do is use a mouse. If you can't read and/or notate music--learn. It is a much more effective and precise process anyway and opens up a whole world of possibilities otherwise unavailable.

Good Luck!

[Polychrome]

It would be nice if someone could write some software that uses a small camera mounted above a computer monitor as an alternative to using a mouse etc. Perhaps something like that already exists. There are plenty of little computer video camera's on the market.

Also, check out the Dbeam technology, used by Roland in a few instruments. Those folks (not Roland, the people who invented the Vbeam tech) make a fancy, expensive controllor...kind of like a theremin on steroids.

Do your research! If you have some money to spend, you WILL eventually find a solution. Good luck.


As an aside, I'm thinking of changing careers, to help music therapists implement modern electronic hardware/software to help people like you (and autistic kids and various other folks). The technology is essentially available now, but it's not being implemented nearly as much as it could be.

[gruberman]

Dear Users,

I started making music with the computer since agust last year. Because of my Cerebral Palsy I can't use all my fingers together which makes it difficult to compose complex rythms and Loops. Apart from inserting notes by mouse, does anyone have tips/or tricks that could help me out? Special software to use with SX, Special Hardware, or functions with Cubase...etc.

Thanks!

Niels

Personally I make all my complex rythms with "point and click and pray"

I like FLS because of the piano roll. It has everything and can be used as a vsti in cubase. Often I do the drums and the bass step editing. And you can import loops and slice the loops to your liking.

http://www.flstudio.com - you can find a fully functional demo (without save) there.

Orion platinum is also something to try out: http://www.synapse-audio.com. You have to use ReWire though, but it works great. (Must say that or otherwise krim and BONES will have me banned

Maybe you want something else, but these two sequencers are great if you cant use a keyboard.