Music Accessibility Standard (MAS)

[BlindMusician]

Hello All KVR Audio Forum Topic Readers,
On Wednesday, November 13th, 2024, we had a quick MASSIG meeting with Juho Tuomainen (WG Chair and Master Student of Computer Science from the University of Eastern Finland), Athan Billias (MIDI Association Executive Board Member), Vanessa Faschi (WG Backup Chair and Scribe) and Mike from AmeNote present there. We discussed briefly about the Accessibility Workshop ant ADC where all the presenters (listed in the previous post), including our group members Adi Dickens, Haim Kairy and Jay Pocknell, did a very good three-hour workshop about the situation of the music acssibility and its case studies, taking into account the different points of view there. We also discussed about our NAMM Show plans in January 2025 and will be coming back to them in our next meeting (scheduled for November 29th, 2024). We also talked about other different important topics related to Music Accessibility and MIDI 2.0. Stay tuned for more news!
Kind regards,
Juho Tuomainen, WG Chair

[BlindMusician]

Hello all KVR Audio Forum Topic Readers,
On Wednesday, November 27th 2024, we had a MASSIG meeting with Athan Billias (The MIDI Association Executive Board Member), Vanessa Fschi (Backup Chair and Scribe), Haim Kairy from Arcana Instruments, Jay Pocknell, the Music Support Officer from the Culture, Media and Immersive Technologies Team of RNIB and Mike Kent from Amenote present there. The group discussed about the BetterMaker meeting and an accessibility proposal "Making Music More Accessible Using AI" Brian Lorelle was presented. Furthermore, Jay Pocknell shared his feedback from the ADC (Audio Developer's Conference) 2024. In addition to this, they also discussed the NAMM presentation (happening in January 2025) and the next meeting (then scheduled and, happened as planned, on December 11th, 2024) and decided that Mike Kent from AmeNote will host the meeting. 
Kind regards,
Juho Tuomainen, WG Chair

[BlindMusician]

Hello all KVR Audio Forum Topic Readers,
On Wednesday, December 11th, 2024, we had a MASSIG meeting with Juho Tuomainen (WG Chair and a Master's university student from UEF), Vanessa Faschi (Backup Chair and Scribe) and Emanuele "Lele" Paravicini from Audio Modeling, Haim Kairy from Arcana Instruments, Jay Pocknell, the Music Support Officer from RNIB, Byron Harden from ISM Foundation (an acronym from "I See Music Foundation LLC"; https://iseemusic.com/, YouTube: , Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iseemusicllc/), Jason Barnes and Matt Bankston from Cybernetic Sound ( https://cyberneticsound.org) present in the meeting.  In the event, Haim presented the new speech-to-MIDI technology which the Arcana Instruments has developed which converts spoken text into MIDI. He also briefly explained the MIDI to Speech technologies which converts MIDI events to spoken speech by using the TTS (text-to-speech) functionality in the plugin Haim had developed. This plugin runs on a web browser, and more information will be revealed on the NAMM Show. Mike Kent from AmeNote also presented his progress with his Microsoft-related projects with Music Accessibility regarding their sensor-enabled device AmeNote Sensor Hub they (AmeNote) will be presenting at the NAMM Show. Byron (from ISM Foundation) also spoke about his project with helping blind and otherwise disabled musicians such as people with physical impairments to find their way into professional musicianship, something that the ISM Foundation has done in the United States for 10 years now. It was nice to meet my MASSIG peers there! Since this was our last meeting in 2024, we will continue meeting regularly during 2025! Merry Christas and Happy New Year on behalf of the whole MASSIG group! Stay tuned for more information!
Kind regards,
Juho Tuomainen, WG Chair

[BlindMusician]

Dear KVR Audio Readers,
Despite of the fact that you have not heard back from me (and the MASSIG Group) lately, we have continued our meetings in January 2025. In around mid-February, we decided on our meeting to split the group into two: the Visually-Impaired-oriented and a group focusing on other impairments (such as physical and cognitive ones). The Visually-impaired group had its first meeting on March 6th, 2025, from which a summary follows below (held at 16.03 onwards UK Time, 18.03 onwards Finnish time (EET) and 8.03 onwards American Pacific time (PT):
Meeting Summary


Introduction

The meeting focused on discussing various aspects of inclusive design, music accessibility, and future collaboration opportunities between different organizations. The participants explored the creation of a music accessibility catalog and the potential for collaborative efforts with educational institutions and manufacturers.

Participants

• Athan Billias
• Haim Kairy - Arcana
• Wojtek Pilwinski
• Brian Walton
• Paul Janoski
• Jay Pocknell
• Matt Shuttleworth

Agenda Overview

1. Inclusive design and its overlapping aspects
2. Development of a music accessibility catalog
3. Collaboration with educational institutions and manufacturers
4. Upcoming events and meetings

Detailed Discussion Points

• Inclusive Design: Haim Kairy emphasized the importance of inclusive design, which includes considerations for visual, physical, and cognitive disabilities. The participants agreed that inclusive design should cater to all groups.
• Music Accessibility Catalog: Athan Billias discussed Drake Music's work on a web-based catalog of music accessibility and proposed collaboration to enhance the catalog. The idea of having a self-serve portal for companies to add their instruments was also discussed.
• Collaboration with Educational Institutions: Haim Kairy suggested partnering with music school franchises like School of Rock to promote accessibility in music education. Athan Billias proposed involving Guitar Center in creating a lending library for accessible instruments.
• Upcoming Events: The participants discussed attending the Berkeley College of Music event and the DAW working group meeting in Berlin. Athan Billias mentioned plans to meet with various stakeholders to advance music accessibility initiatives.

Here is the list of Technical Terms:

• LV2: A standard plug-in format used on the Linux platform.
• MIDI 2.0: The updated version of the MIDI protocol, enhancing communication between musical instruments and software.
• VST3, AU, CLAP, AAX: Different plugin formats supported by various digital audio workstations.
• UMP (Universal MIDI Package): A format for sending MIDI messages with high resolution.

Conclusion:
To sum up, the group reached a consensus to divide meetings into marketing/awareness and developmental focuses to streamline discussions and improve efficiency. A collaborative effort to create a music accessibility catalog was agreed upon, with plans for a prototype to be showcased at the Berkeley event.
Stay tuned for more interesting information!
Kind regares,
Juho Tuomainen, WG Chair

[BlindMusician]

Dear KVR Readers,
Here are the meeting notes of the May 1st meeting.
Introduction
This meeting focused on planning for an upcoming webinar, discussing MIDI 2.0 technical standards, and exploring potential uses of FlexData messages for accessibility. Additional topics included the integration of MIDI 2.0 with existing technologies and potential improvements to the DAW control profile.
Present:

• Haim Kairy - Arcana (also Actin Chair)
• Mike @ AmeNote
• Athan Billias (MIDI Exec Board Member)
• Juho Tuomainen (MASSIG Chair)

Here would be some important Technical Terms:

• MIDI 2.0: The latest iteration of the MIDI protocol, offering enhanced capabilities and flexibility.
• FlexData Messages: A type of message in MIDI 2.0 that is flexible in addressing and data content.
• DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) Control Profile: A specification for controlling DAWs via external devices.
• JSON Schemas for UMP Format: A project to make MIDI messages more understandable and accessible.
• Property Exchange: A mechanism in MIDI 2.0 for discovering device capabilities and configurations.

Agenda:

• Planning for the May 17 webinar
• Overview and potential of MIDI 2.0
• Discussion on FlexData messages for accessibility
• Updates on DAW control profile

Webinar Planning

• Haim Kairy mentioned adding a 5-minute slot on “The Future of MIDI 2.0 and Accessibility” to the webinar agenda.
• Mike confirmed his availability for the webinar on May 17.
• There was a suggestion to create a short highlights reel and possibly chapter-based content after the webinar for better traction.

MIDI 2.0 and FlexData Messages

• Mike discussed the potential of FlexData messages in MIDI 2.0 for sending text data, which could be used for accessibility features such as text-to-speech.
• A FlexData message can carry up to 384 characters and is highly flexible in addressing.
• Various applications were discussed, including using FlexData messages in DAW control profiles to provide feedback for button presses or knob turns.

DAW Control Profile and Accessibility

• The group discussed the integration of accessibility features within the DAW control profile.
  [*=There was consensus on the importance of designing accessibility from the beginning of the profile development.

Conclusions

• It was agreed that a profile for accessibility, specifically for text-to-speech, would be beneficial and is a potential starting point for the group.
• The group recognized the need for multiple profiles to address different areas of accessibility.

Kind gegards,
Juho Tuomainen, WG Chair

[BlindMusician]

Hello KVR Audio Forum Topic Readers,
The meeting (May 8th, 2025) focused on discussing initiatives to support inclusivity in music education and production, exploring partnerships with media associations for showcasing accessible instruments, and planning future events and collaborations. The participants also discussed personal projects and upcoming conferences related to disability studies and music production.
Participants:

• Haim Kairy, Acting Chair - Arcana Instruments, Acting Chair
• Tim Yates
• Jay Pocknell, Music Support Officer from the Media, Culture and Immersive Technologies Team of RNIB
• Juho Tuomainen (WG Chair)
• Matt Shuttleworth

Agenda:

• Supporting composers to write for accessible instruments
• Collaborations with music institutions and media associations
• Upcoming webinars and conferences
• Personal projects and research in disability studies

Detailed Discussion Points

• Discussion on forming a training certification for inclusive music, highlighting interest from music universities.
• Jay Pocknell shared a link supporting composers for accessible instruments: CoMA.
• Emphasis on showcasing accessible instruments at events like Music China and NAM through media association collaborations.
• Mention of a Google spreadsheet link related to the project: Google Sheet.

Collaborations and Events

• Plan to push forward with collaborations with the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester and other institutions.
• Discussion on including accessible music tools in webinars with participants like Drake and R&I.
• Mention of a YouTube link for additional content: .

Upcoming Conferences

• Discussion on participation in the DARCI conference in September, focusing on inclusivity in the arts.
• Tim Yates shared a link to the DARCI conference announcement: DARCI Conference.

Personal Projects

• Matt Shuttleworth discussed his PhD research in music production and disability studies, focusing on political theory and technology.
• Emphasis on the lack of disabled producers and engineers in the industry.

Media and Outreach

• Mention of Avid’s TikToks and Instagram shorts featuring musicians with disabilities using Pro Tools, highlighting inclusivity in their campaigns.
• Reference to a TikTok video: Avid Pro Tools TikTok

Conclusions

• The group reached a consensus to continue pushing forward with the collaboration with RNCM and explore showcasing accessible instruments at major events.
• Agreement to coordinate future meetings and calls to align on project developments and strategies.

Kind regards,
Juho Tuomainen, WG Chair

[BlindMusician]

Dear KVR Audio Readers,
On May 15th, 2025, we had a MASSIG meeting which The focused on discussing initiatives related to accessibility in music education, preparing for upcoming events, and reviewing logistics for a webinar. Participants also explored ways to enhance inclusivity in music programs and planned content for social media channels.
Participants:

• Haim Kairy - Arcana
• Michael Strickland
• Jay Pocknell, Music Support Officer from the Media, Culture and Immersive Technologies Team of RNIB
• Mike from AmeNote
• Juho Tuomainen, WG Chair
• Tim Yates

Technical Terms:

• MIDI: A technical standard that describes a protocol, digital interface, and connectors for connecting electronic musical instruments, computers, and audio devices.
• Bluetooth: A wireless technology standard for exchanging data over short distances.
• Screen Readers: Software applications that enable people with severe visual impairments to use a computer.

Agenda:

• Introduction of meeting participants
• Discussion on Cosmo’s participation and products
• Planning for upcoming webinar
• Initiatives for accessibility in music education
• Content creation for social media
• Preparation for upcoming events

Detailed Discussion Points:

• Cosmo’s Participation: Haim Kairy introduced Cosmo, a company creating musical educational products for people with disabilities, and discussed its potential involvement in the media association.
• Webinar Preparation: The team planned a short rehearsal for a webinar, focusing on testing camera and microphone setups on the Medioble platform. Lawrence Levine will assist with technical issues.
• Accessibility Initiatives: The discussion covered creating a video channel showcasing musicians with disabilities using products, inspired by Avid Pro Tools. The aim is to promote accessibility solutions on platforms like YouTube and TikTok.
• Event Participation: Jay Pocknell and others discussed the possibility of showcasing accessible instruments at events like NAMM and Music China. The idea is to reserve booths for demonstrating accessibility. [*}Music Education Programs: Michael Strickland shared insights on creating a more inclusive music program, emphasizing the need for an accessible instrument library and community involvement.
• Logistics and Technical Discussions: The meeting concluded with logistical discussions about the upcoming webinar and ensuring all technical aspects are covered.

Conclusions:

• The team decided to explore the creation of short videos showcasing musicians using accessible tools.
• Agreed to test all webinar-related technical setups in advance to ensure a smooth event.
• Consensus on the importance of promoting accessibility at music events and in educational programs.

Kind regards,
Juho Tuomainen, WG Chair

[BlindMusician]

Dear KVR Audio Readers,
On May 22nd, 2025, we had a MASSIG meeting which focused on the recent webinar, discussing learned lessons and future improvements. Participants also explored strategies for promoting music accessibility and engaging with educational institutions and organizations to support accessible music programs.
Participants

• Haim Kairy (Acting Chair) - Arcana Instruments
• Athan Billias, The MIDI Association Executive Board Member
• Jay Pocknell, Music Support Officer from the Media, Culture and Immersive Technologies Team of RNIB
• Juho Tuomainen, WG Chair
• Mike Kent from AmeNote

Agenda:

• Review of the recent webinar and its promotion
• Discussion on setting up a dedicated show channel
• Strategies for improving live and recorded event accessibility
• Engagement with educational institutions for music accessibility initiatives
• Exploration of partnerships with organizations like the Able Artist Foundation

Detailed Discussion Points
Webinar:

• Haim Kairy suggested moving future webinars to a dedicated show channel to avoid complications with the MASSIG channel settings.
• Athan Billias agreed and noted the complexity of managing multiple channels.
• There was a consensus to improve media and audio sharing for future webinars, especially regarding keynotes and PowerPoint presentations.

Event Promotion and Accessibility:

• Participants agreed on scheduling regular public shows, at least quarterly, to increase visibility and engagement.
• The importance of recording and uploading events for on-demand access was highlighted.
• Athan Billias suggested using YouTube Premiere for edited events to maintain quality while allowing audience interaction.

Engagement with Educational Institutions:

• Haim Kairy discussed collaboration with the Northern College of Music and the potential to work with School Twenty One in London for accessible music programs.
• Athan Billias emphasized the need for similar initiatives in the United States, mentioning potential collaborations with institutions like Berkeley College of Music.

Partnerships and resources:

• Jay Pocknell introduced the Able Artist Foundation, which provides discounts on music equipment for disabled individuals.
• Athan Billias proposed connecting with Broadjam for music licensing opportunities and potential contests for musicians with accessibility issues.

Other Initiatives:

• The idea of creating a “lending library” of instruments for educational institutions was discussed to ensure continuous use of resources.
• The potential for discounted purchase programs for accessible instruments was also explored.

Conclusions:

• Participants agreed to create a dedicated show channel for future webinars.
• They decided to focus on promoting recorded events for broader accessibility.
• There was a consensus on pursuing partnerships with educational institutions and organizations like the Able Artist Foundation.

Stay tuned for more news!
Kind regards,
Juho Tuomainen, WG Chair

[BlindMusician]

Dear KVR Audio Forum Topic Readers,
We had a MASSIG Webinar on June 5th at 10 am Pacific time. It was originally broadcasted for registered event participants/audience on Satuday, May 17th, 2025 as a part of "The May is MIDI Month" Webinar Series. The primary focus of the event was on discussing advancements in making music creation more accessible for individuals with disabilities, along with updates and demonstrations from various organizations involved in this initiative. It was an interesting event nd included progress updates for projects ans MASSIG work.
Participants

• Haim Kairy - Arcana
• Juho Tuomainen
• Mike @ AmeNote
• Tim Yates
• Jay Pocknell
• Leon (rwxMusic)
• Lawrence (The MIDI Association)

Agenda Overview

• Introduction and updates from MASSIG
• Presentation by Tim Yates from Drake Music on the Sony Hackathon
• Jay Pocknell from RNIB discussing accessibility in music technology
• Haim Kairy's presentation on collaboration with Better Maker
• Discussion on Arkana Strum, an accessible music instrument
• Insights from Mike @ AmeNote on MIDI 2.0 and accessibility
• Q&A session

MASSIG Introduction and Updates
Haim Kairy introduced the webinar, highlighting MASSIG's role in advocating for music accessibility.

• Discussed biweekly and now weekly meetings, collaborations with musicians, producers, technologists, educators, and engineers.
• Highlighted the initiative to create demos and standards for accessible music tools.
• Also, in the introduction part, me (WG Chair Juho Tuomainen talked briefly about the formation and first two years of MASSIG, highlighting its importance.

Sony Hackathon Overview by Tim Yates

• Tim Yates shared insights on the Sony Hackathon held in the UK, focusing on accessible music instruments.
• The event involved six teams led by Para Orchestra musicians, supported by Sony engineers and academics.
• Emphasized the importance of co-design in developing accessible solutions.
• Highlighted ongoing projects and collaborations resulting from the Hackathon.
  • Accessibility Developments by Jay Pocknell
    • Jay Pocknell discussed recent accessibility advancements in mainstream music technology and music notation.
    • Shared video clips and demos featuring voice and Braille technologies.
    Better Maker Collaboration
    • Haim Kairy detailed a collaboration with Better Maker to create accessible audio gear.
    • Discussed developing voice control and feedback for Better Maker hardware using MIDI and AI speech recognition.
    • Highlighted the successful demo tested by Stevie Wonder.
    Arkana Strum Presentation
    • Haim Kairy presented the Arkana Strum, an accessible music instrument designed for individuals with disabilities.
    • Discussed the development process, accessibility features, and the impact on music education.
    • Emphasized the goal of creating an inclusive instrument for various abilities.
    MIDI 2.0 and Accessibility by Mike @ AmeNote
    • Mike discussed advancements in MIDI 2.0, emphasizing bidirectional connections and discoverability of accessibility features.
    • Shared ongoing efforts to develop MIDI specifications aimed at increasing accessibility in music.
    Q&A Session
    • Addressed questions about the physical and non-physical aspects of music creation.
    • Discussed the role of technology in overcoming barriers to music creation and the importance of accessibility in both hardware and software.
    To sum up, The webinar emphasized collaboration across various sectors to enhance accessibility in music creation, with several projects and future initiatives highlighted to continue this important work.
    PS: You can watch the webinar on The Midi Association's YouTube channel. Please share it with anyone (ie. a musician, researher etc) interested in accessibility in music devices/software!
    
    Kind regards,
    Juho Tuomainen, WG Chair

[BlindMusician]

Dear KVR Audio Forum Topic Readers,
On Thursday, June 12th, 2025, we had a MASSIG meeting with 5 participants present there. The meeting focused on discussing the recent webinar, funding opportunities, and accessibility improvements in various products. Participants also shared
updates on upcoming music events and the availability of resources like videos and links related to the webinar.
Participants:

• Juho Tuomainen (WG Chair)
• Tim A Burgess
• Michael Strickland
• Athan Billias, The MIDI Association Executive Board Member
• Brian Walton from Riban Ltd

Agenda Overview:

• Review of the recent webinar
• Discussion on funding opportunities through Kone Foundation
• Updates on accessibility improvements in music products
• Coordination of video and link resources
• Upcoming music events

Review of the Webinar:

• The webinar was praised for its organization and structure.
• Presentations included clips from Jay and Andre Louie, and a focus on accessibility improvements.
• Discussion on the mix of narrative and informational content.

Funding Opportunities:

• Juho Tuomainen discussed potential funding from the Kone Foundation.
• The foundation supports projects related to arts and science.
• Juho plans to apply for funding to attend ADC and other events.
• Athan Billias offered to write a recommendation letter to support the funding application.

Accessibility Improvements:

• Discussion on accessible features in Kone elevators.
• Mention of new music accessibility products, such as Pitchpipe and Flux, which offer voice-over support and other accessibility features.

Video and Link Resources:

• Need to include links to videos and resources in the webinar description to enhance accessibility and longevity.
• Athan Billias is responsible for coordinating the addition of these links.

Upcoming Events:

• Discussion on various music events, including Music China and Tokyo Gaki Fair.
• Updates on a tour with Guns N’ Roses, featuring Brian Hargroof.

Conclusions:

• [*}Participants agreed on the importance of having diverse video content for different purposes, such as promotional and educational videos.
• There is a need to improve the accessibility of resources and links for future webinars and events.

Kind regards,
Juho Tuomainen, WG Chair

[BlindMusician]

Dear Readers of this topic,
On Thursday, June 19th, 2025, we had a MASSIG meeting with 5 participants present there. This meeting focused on upcoming initiatives related to music accessibility education, potential collaborations with various organizations, and discussions on improving accessibility for music technology. Key discussions revolved around forming partnerships, funding opportunities, and technical aspects of the projects.
Participants:

• Athan Billias
• Haim Kairy, the WG Acting Chair from Arcana Instruments
• Brian Walton from Riban Ltd
• Mike Kent from AmeNote, Inc
• Emanuele "Lele" Paracivini from Audio Modeling

Here are some Technical Terms:

• MIDI: A technical standard that describes a protocol, digital interface, and connectors for interconnecting electronic musical instruments.
• VST: Virtual Studio Technology, an audio plug-in software interface that integrates software synthesizers and effects in digital audio workstations.
• API: Application Programming Interface, a set of tools and protocols for building software and applications.

Agenda Overview:

• Introduction to potential collaborators and schools
• Discussion on the music accessibility education pilot program
• Exploration of partnerships with companies for providing equipment
• GDPR compliance considerations
• Technical discussions on MIDI and accessibility technology

Music Accessibility Education Pilot Program:

• Haim Kairy discussed a meeting with Dr. Jonathan Savage from the UK, who introduced potential collaborators for a music accessibility education pilot program.
• Emily Crownhurst from School Twenty One in East London expressed interest in participating.
• The program aims to integrate inclusive and traditional instruments and is planned to start in September, lasting 12 weeks.

Collaboration and Equipment:

• Athan Billias emphasized the importance of reaching out to music companies like Ableton, Native Instruments, and Arturia to provide equipment for pilot programs.
• The need to have instruments available at Drake Music in London and events like Music China and NAM was discussed.

Partnerships and Funding:

• Discussions on reaching out to foundations of major companies like Apple, Microsoft, and Google to provide technology support.
• Mike shared information about a potential collaboration with the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA).
• The possibility of hiring someone for grant writing and managing nonprofit funding was considered.

GDPR Compliance:

• Brian Walton highlighted the importance of GDPR compliance when handling personal data in Europe.
• The necessity of ensuring data protection and privacy in storing contact information was discussed.

Technical Discussions:

• Discussions on the possibilities of integrating MIDI with AI and accessibility technologies.
• The need for a technical meeting to focus on specifications for MIDI and its connection with other technologies was noted.

Conclusions:

• We decided to” move forward with reaching out to music companies for equipment.
• Our conclusion is” to maintain GDPR compliance in all data handling processes.

Kind regards,
Juho Tuomainen, WG Chair

[BlindMusician]

Dear KVR Audio Forum Topic Readers,
On Thursday, June 26th, 2025, we had Juho Tuomainen (WG Chair and UEF Student), Athan Billias (MIDI Association Exec Board Member), Brian Waldon from Riban Ltd, Emanuele "Lele" Paravicini from Audio Modeling and Haim Khairy (acting Chair of MASSIG) from Arcana Instruments present there. We discussed a lot about alt texts (ie. the alternative texts of an image which the screen readers and other assistive technologies encounter/notice in the website). We also discussed other projects, such as the MIDI Innovation Awards and other collaborations we are doing.
Stay tuned for more information!
Kind regards,
Juho Tuomainen, WG Chair

[BlindMusician]

Hello KVR Audio Forum Topic Readers,
On Thursday, July 3rd, 2025, we had a MAASSIG Meeting with Juho Tuomainen (Chair of MASSIG and a UEF Student), Athan Billias (MIDI Association Executive Board Member), Haim Khairy (Acting Chair of MASSIG from Arcana Instruments), Jay Pocknell, the Music Support Officer from the Media, Culture and Immersive Technologies Team of RNIB, Sam Prouse, a PhD student from University of Portsmouth, UK, Brian Waldon from Riban Ltd and Emanuele "Lele" Parravicini from Audio Modeling present there. We talked about The MIDI Innovation Awards (whose submissions close on July 8th, 2025), Music China and a possible webinar held a bit later. Furthermore, we discussed the importance of accessibility in product submissions. We also talked about alt texts (alternative texts of images/graphics) and how they could be used in an accessible, descriptive way by using AI (Artificial Intelligence) to help in the text creation process. Finally, we also talked about the situation of the collaboration project with schools and how it was moving forward.
First, here would be some Technical Terms:

• MIDI 2.0: Mentioned as a knowledge base that Cosmo’s developers are interested in accessing.
• Alt Text Generation: Discussed as a tool to enhance website accessibility.
• AI Plugin: Used in WordPress for generating alt text.

Agenda Overview:

• Discussion on submissions and deadlines for the MIDI Innovation Awards
• Encouraging accessibility-focused entries
• Updates on alt text generation using AI
• Potential webinar focusing on accessibility

MIDI Innovation Awards:

• Submission Deadline: Athan Billias reminded participants that the submission deadline for the awards is July 8. He encouraged participants to consider submitting projects, especially those focusing on accessibility or that have received major updates.
• Encouraging Accessibility: There was a strong emphasis on encouraging submissions that enhance accessibility, even if they involve existing products with significant updates.
• Judging Process: Jay Pocknell was invited to be a judge for the awards. The judging process will involve reviewing entries and participating in a deliberation call between August 4 and 8.

Alt Texts and Accessibility:

• AI for Alt Text: Athan discussed the use of an AI plugin for generating alt text across WordPress sites. The plugin applies alt text generation to all images in the media library, but a human review is recommended for critical pages.
• Importance of Colour in Descriptions: The group debated the significance of including colour in image descriptions for the visually impaired, with mixed opinions on its usefulness.

Conclusions:

• Webinar Planning: A webinar focusing on music accessibility is tentatively planned for August, potentially aligning with the announcement of MIDI Innovation Award finalists.
• Continued Focus on Accessibility: Participants reaffirmed the importance of keeping accessibility at the forefront of their projects and initiatives.

More information coming soon!
Kind regards,
Juho Tuomainen, WG Chair

[BlindMusician]

Hello KVR Forum Topic Readers,
Let's now dive back in time and catch up some of our passed meetings this year which I have not reported yet:
MASSIG Notes from February 5th, 2025
On February 5th, 2025, we had a MASSIG meeting which aimed to discuss accessibility in music production technology, focusing on creating a more inclusive environment for individuals with disabilities. Participants shared their ongoing projects and explored potential collaborations to enhance accessibility.
Participants

• Athan Billias, The MIDI Association Executive Board Member
• Haim Kairy (Arcana Instruments)
• Matt Shuttleworth
• Noa Thomas
• Vanessa Faschi, Scribe
• Juho Tuomainen
• Mike Kent from AmeNote
  Agenda Overview
  • Introductions of participants and their roles
  • Discussion of ongoing projects related to music accessibility
  • Exploration of potential collaborations and standards
  • Consideration of technical solutions for accessibility
  Detailed Discussion Points
  Introductions
  • Matt Shuttleworth: A PhD student focusing on making music production hardware and software more accessible for individuals with motor disabilities.
  • Noa Thomas: Developed a protocol for controlling audio production technology using natural language to enhance accessibility.
  Ongoing Projects and Collaborations
  • Haim (Arcana): Emphasized the importance of creating a standard or guidelines for industry-wide adoption to improve accessibility.
  • Athan: Discussed the complexity of accessibility as a broad topic, suggesting breaking it into more focused areas like visual and physical impairments.
  • Noa Thomas: Explained his approach to using natural language for controlling audio technology and shared a free VST plugin available for trial.
  Technical Solutions
  [list
• Property Exchange: A method discussed for facilitating communication between devices using MIDI standards to improve accessibility.
• REST API: Mentioned by Noa Thomas as a cloud-based solution for handling complex commands that cannot be managed locally.

Organizational and Structural Considerations

• MikeKent: Raised concerns about the need for clear goals and milestones for the group to achieve tangible results. Suggested revisiting the group's goals and potentially creating subgroups focused on specific accessibility challenges.
• Athan and Mike Kent: Discussed the possibility of defining a 'visual impairment accessibility profile' using property exchange to facilitate device communication.

Conclusions

• The group agreed on the necessity to revisit and solidify the goals of the accessibility initiative, breaking down broad topics into specific areas for more effective progress.
• Emphasis was placed on the need for industry collaboration and creating standards to guide the development of accessible music production tools.

Kind regards,
Juho Tuomainen, WG Chair

[BlindMusician]

MASSIG Notes from February 19th, 2025
On February 19th, 2025, we had a MASSIG Meeting with Juho Tuomainen (WG Chair), Athan Billias (Scribe), Haim Kairy - Arcana Instruments, Wojtek Pilwinski, Brian Walton from Riban Ltd, Jay Pocknell, Vanessa Faschi and Emanele Lele Parravicini from Audio Modeling present there. Firstly, we decided to split to the Visual Impairment and Physical Accessibility subgroups meeting biweekly on Thursdays, so that every other week the visual and evry other the phsical ccessibility group meets. We also discussed the recent 2025 NAMM Show and decided to do a webinar later this year. Finally, we also discussed about the resources list of that we would some day publish it on www.midi.org.
Kind regards,
Juho Tuomainen, WG Chair