Braille Edition of the Open Goldberg Variations

Photo of the Open Goldberg Variations Aria on embossed paper.

MuseScore and the Open Goldberg Project are happy to announce the immediate availability of the Open Goldberg Variations score in braille format. This score will allow blind musicians to read Bach's Goldberg Variations on braille terminal devices, or to print the score onto paper using braille embossers. We were able to make this score only with the help of the Golden Chord Braille Music Transcription Service, and with the support of over 900 backers of our recent Open Well-Tempered Clavier project.

Here are the files:

The .brf braille file uses an internationally recognised code of ASCII characters. Depending upon which refreshable braille device is used, you may need to make an adjustment should your braille device be set up differently. The line-length is 32 cells, the page-length is 25 lines. The format is flexible enough to allow you to emboss the music in hard-copy making allowances regarding both braille embosser and choice of paper used.

This video shows Thomas Bonte, MuseScore CEO, at the RNIB offices in London, watching the first embossing of the score, and having it reviewed by James Risdon, Music Officer at RNIB.

This is an ongoing effort. As Eunah Choi pointed out to us in her touching video, the braille scores for blind musicians are just not available like they should be. People like her are starving for material they can read and study. If you'd like to be a part of our ongoing effort to improve the situation, please sign up for the dedicated mailing list where we will communicate all further announcements pertaining to braille scores.