Sibelius or XML formats needed

[geyeni]

Dear all
I have an advanced blind student. She says that Sibelius or XML files can be transmitted into Braille. How can I find scores [2 staves, also reduction of larger ensembles needed] in these formats?
Yossi Goldenberg

[pml]

Hi Yossi,

* For what purpose, e.g. performance? (If so, on what instrument? And yes, I know 2 staves implies keyboard, but it has to be asked.) For the equivalent of classroom learning?

* What repertoire? (If the classic repertoire, then files are more easily obtained in a variety of electronic formats – and there are many possible sources. If nothing more sophisticated than MIDI is available, then it is relatively straightforward to translate and correct to a Sibelius or MusicXML equivalent. Copyrighted materials on the other hand usually require talking to the publisher to allow customised arrangements.)

* When you say larger ensemble pieces: do keyboard reductions already exist of the repertoire, or would extra effort be required for these to be transcribed? (Again, depending on the repertoire the availability of notation files or just a MIDI file could speed the translation process.)

To list a few websites that have some of these resources: ClassicalArchives.com (MIDI files); SibeliusMusic.com; FinaleMusic.com/showcase; MidiWorld.org; etc...

These queries come up from time to time, and the reason they are not necessarily always well addressed at IMSLP is because the sight-impaired musical community is a relatively small proportion of the whole, and so requests for Braille material are often addressed case-by-case rather than at a fundamental basis of availability of performance and teaching scores/parts; also, the vast majority of contributions here are scans of already printed material – not new editions with the associated typesetting notation formats, which involve their own issues.

Regards, Philip

[Choralia]

Please also check the list of works on my website:

http://www.choralia.net/resources.htm

Most keyboard reductions in the above list have been digitized by me in a format that can be exported to MusicXML. I also provided already some special scores in pdf format to visually impaired (but not totally blind) persons, enlarged enough so that they can read such scores on large (e.g., 42") monitors.

If you're interested, please feel free to contact me via PM or email.

Max