Reading music note by note verbally is nothing new. Many piano teachers of visually challenged students have their own way of naming tones and timing while repeatedly playing a piece for memorization for their students. There is no common audio music reading method being used in the United States and no audio music scores to purchase or borrow. England’s RNIB (Royal National Institute for the Blind) has Talking Scores and the Netherlands’s SVB has Spoken Music offered through their loan services for the blind. The U.S. National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped has an excellent collection of Braille music scores and large print sheet music.. But nothing to "read" verbally music score as it is written.

By the early 1990’s I was able to start using e-mail and the Internet for research on audio reading methods. I joined newsgroups for the handicapped, researching with blind musicians, agencies, schools, music therapists, teachers and parents of blind children. I offered a demo cassette to anyone who wanted to try audio music reading asking only for their experience with it and suggestions in return. By 1995 I published my first No-C-Notes Instructional Cassette and began accepting transcription orders nationwide. No-C-Notes is an audio music reading method giving tones and timing shorthand names and a format of how sheet music should be read. For example; the tone middle C is C4, which is the 4th C tone on the piano going from the lowest tone up. This follows midi format naming middle C C4 and giving it the number 60. Another example would be the tone A above middle C is an A4 no matter instrument the score is written for. Then timing has its own shorthand terms.

When sheet music is read on an audio cassette player for the blind, index tones are used to identify beginning and ending of song phrases and songs so the musician can always rewind or forward to find their place on the tape. This method can be used for reading vocal and any instrument music, except percussion.
Harp-Abilities

The year 1995 was also the first time I was visited by the harp stork. I was fortunate to live in the same area (Duluth, Minnesota) as harp maker David Kortier, who made my 36-string lever padauk harp. From the first string plucked, I knew I had found my instrumental soul mate.

Despite my previous music instrument experience, I found the harp a challenge to play. My harp teacher’s direction in learning to play the harp without looking at the strings was a perfect blend with my reading for the visually impaired. Like any other instrument, your fingers become familiar with where to be placed for intervals in the melody and chords making it easier to play without looking at the strings. I kept to my standard tone names, instead of harp string names, as there are so many variations of harp sizes, that not all harps have a 4th C string. The tone is consistent; the numbers of strings are not.

Transcribing music score onto audio cassette has brought into my life people with disabilities in addition to blindness. Visual impairment can be one of the symptoms of an illness or injury for a person who will have multiple handicaps challenging them. From this I have learned to adapt the cassette player with a foot pedal, freeing the hands to play the instrument. The joy of my harps is to share with others not so much as a performance, but in having them try one and experience the healing and loving vibrations. I gravitate towards the nursing and group homes and find that EVERYONE LOVES A HARP and want to see, feel and try one.

It was only natural that my Harp-Abilities program was developed with my experience in adapting music score and instruments, Small groups are best so everyone gets to time with a harp and one on one attention that is so important with physical challenges. Harping for Harmony Foundation (HFH) was a catalyst for my Harp-Abilities program development with its Millennium Quest program. I learned about this incredible organization through a harp list-group of harpers writing reports of their quests. When I was offered a teaching opportunity for college bound blind musicians at a summer institute in Philadelphia this summer, I proposed a grant to HFH requesting a loan of lap harps to be used as a bonding experience during the week of the institute. My request was approved as the national project for the year.

Summer Music Institute for the Blind

The National Resource Center for Blind Musicians has an annual summer institute for college bound blind musicians. It is a full week to concentrate on learning Braille Music notation, use of music computer software along with performance, ensemble and theory coaching. I was invited to be one of few sighted teachers, my role being theory and ensemble. Students were from different areas of the United States, For the ensemble class together I held a bonding session with lap harps. Harping for Harmony sent 3 Rafella harps for the week for our use. Wm. Reese also provided a Harpsicle for the week. I brought a lap zither. To my regret I was unable to bring my Blevins Eden 24 on the plane flight to Philadelphia. The Overbrook School for the Blind provided their classrooms, living facilities, transportation and administration for the institute.

There were 6 students in all ranging from age 17 through 27. A former music student, who just completed college in Music Therapy, was now one of the teachers. Visual disabilities varied from legally blind with some sight to total blindness and some other disabilities. One student had just performed at The Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. Another plays piano and harp for church and weddings. Another knew very little of music notation but through the Suzuki method and dedicated school teachers played piano jazz improv like a pro and has traveled to China with his choir. They were extremely talented and dedicated young adults all in search of obtaining and reading music score so they could be able to keep up in college with sighted music and theory courses.

Bond-semble

The students had been divided all day to other classes and ensemble was the one to bring them together at the end of the first day. Overbrook School provided their air conditioned auditorium for my classes. I had the 3 Rafaella lap harps, the Harpsicle and lap zither placed on a table, lying on their backs. The students were brought to circle around the table and each were directed what the parts were, the tuning pegs, the sound box, how to hold one with a strap on, the string tone names and how to place their fingers. Two students had experience with harps and were eager to help the others. The first song learned was Joy to the World, as it follows the scale down . Then we played some chords. Most of them have perfect pitch, so allot of time was spent on how to tune the harps to perfection. For ensemble, we incorporated the harps in a "get to know you and "how was your first day" improvisation. One student would ask the one to their right these questions and that student would then do an improv on the harp in response. Then that student would ask the one on their right and continued until the circle was complete. The harps were a huge hit.

The harps were then moved to the main living area of the dorms for the rest of the week. Students and teachers would gather around them in the evenings, playing and talking and singing. Tuning the harps was always the first thing to do. Many students had perfect pitch ability. It was an incredible bonding experience. The summer camp provided them the opportunity to talk and be with others just like them and the harp was an excellent communication tool.

Adapting Lap Harps

Introducing a new musical instrument is typically a visual affair, showing the different parts and how to hold it. For the visually impaired, it is best to lead their hands to the bottom of the harp and describe each part as they work their way up to the tuning pegs. Visual impairment can accompany stroke, diabetes, tumors and other conditions causing limited mobility on one side or both. Lying the lap harp on its soundbox side on a table will steady it and allow the beginner to become familiar on all its parts before attempting to hold it. Shoulder straps are best for securing the harp when first playing. If the person can stand, having the bottom of the harp rest on the table along with the shoulder strap being on is the steadiest introduction.

The Rafaella harp from Harping for Harmony had many advantages to be used by the visually impaired for their first time. It is very light weight and compact. The bottom was flat to set on the table and the shoulder straps comfortable. Having only 19 strings, it was easier to count the intervals and octaves, finding melodies and chords easily. The guitar like tuning pegs on top of the harp made it easy for the visually impaired to find which string was being tuned as the C string tuning peg had one carved line on the top of the peg to feel and the F string had two. This was a huge benefit as the harps were a challenge to keep tuned. Being guitar style tuning pegs, they were easily bumped and moved out of tune. Also, with the summer time Philadelphia muggy heat and then into air conditioned buildings, carrying the harps from one building to another would immediately bring it out of tune. For the visually impaired students who have perfect pitch, it was annoying but became enjoyable as they worked with the harps, spending time to get them perfectly tuned and spending more time getting comfortable to feeling what strings were what notes.

The Harpsicle is a longer harp than the Rafaella, but still very lightweight. This was best for a taller person standing with the bottom of the harp resting on the table and shoulder strap on. Also, it worked very well for the petite students who sat in arm chairs in the living room and had the bottom of the harp rest on the floor, like a floor harp, and leaned the harp back between their knees it rested almost to the top of their shoulder. The Harpsicle had tuning pegs requiring a wrench to tune. These pegs kept the harp in tune longer than the guitar style pegs. The pegs on this harp were on the left side, instead of the right side as all of the other harps I own. This did cause a problem for a student who had no use of her left hand and arm. I remedied this by laying the harp on its soundbox on top of a piano with the pegs facing us. We would strike a key on the piano with the sustain pedal and then reach for the peg wrench to turn and pluck the string. Once a string was tuned, the wrench was moved to the next string and up one by one tuning matching the key on the piano up one by one. Also, the lowest string on the harp was lying on the left side on the pillar of the harp, leaving it inaccessible for someone who plays only with their right hand. This harp was preferred by students who already had played lap harps for its tone and more strings (26) than the Rafalla.

I also had a 20 metal string birch box lap zither for the students. Unfortunately, this was tuned in the key of G and only the more advanced students who can improvise were able to play this along with the harps. But for accessibility, it couldn’t be beat. A strip of nonskid material was placed on the lap first and then the zither to hold in place. The challenge was tuning the strings as the pegs were very stiff and difficult to turn.

Light weight and stability are the most important features of a lap harp when introducing to someone with visual impairment for the first time. Holding the harp on a table top or bottom resting on the floor along with shoulder strap use allowed the student to feel secure in plucking the strings without feeling the harp tipping away into the unknown. Also, keeping the strings to two and a half octaves with accessible tuning pegs helps with becoming familiar the harp.

Harp-On

I look forward to introducing more groups of individuals with physical challenges to the lap harp, adapting them as needed and sharing the good vibrations through my Harp-Abilities program.

About myself, Christina Cotruvo: I have played lever harp for 10 years now. Musical experience started with keyboard at age five. I have 4 decades of experience and education in many musical instruments and music theory. My youth was as a performer in dances and plays. Day job is Financial Manager for Whole Foods Co-op in Duluth, MN USA. For 9 years I have been a Board of Director for CHOICE, unlimited, a nonprofit community employment agency for those with disabilities. No-C-Notes website: http://www.no-c-notes.com I give seminars and trainings as time allows. Glad to help anyone with visual disabilities to read music and play keyboards and harp…. including business and accounting tips on keeping your music business in order. I can be contacted at http:// This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it For the best referral resource for blind musicians, contact The National Resource Center for Blind Musicians at http://www.blindmusicstudent.org.

Reproduction of this article in any form is allowed only by written permission of Christina Cotruvo, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages in a review.