
Owain Wilson:
Hello, that is Si Tew and I’m Owain Wilson. And we’re the founders of Digit Music and that is your Assistive Expertise Replace.
Josh Anderson:
Hiya and welcome to your Assistive Expertise Replace, a weekly dose of knowledge that retains you updated on the newest developments within the area of expertise designed to help people with disabilities and particular wants. I’m your host, Josh Anderson with the INDATA Venture at Easterseals Crossroads in stunning Indianapolis, Indiana. Welcome to episode 714 of Assistive Expertise Replace. It’s scheduled to be launched on January thirty first, 2025.
On at this time’s present, we’re tremendous excited to be joined by founders Si Tew and Owain Wilson from Digit Music, they usually’re right here to inform us concerning the CMPSR and the way it may also help people with totally different skills achieve entry to music. Don’t overlook listeners, you possibly can at all times attain us. Ship us an electronic mail at Tech@EastersealsCrossroads.org or name our listener line at (317) 721-7124. We at all times love listening to from you, however for now, let’s go forward and get on with the present.
At present, listeners, we’re tremendous excited to get to speak about music and particularly the CMPSR and the way it can help people of all skills with creating and taking part in music. Si Tew and Owain Wilson from Digit Music are right here to inform us all about CMPSR and the way it may also help people. Gents, welcome to the present.
Si Tew:
Owain Wilson:
Hello Josh. Thanks for having us.
Josh Anderson:
Yeah, I’m excited to get into speaking concerning the expertise, however earlier than we do this, may you inform our listeners a bit bit about yourselves?
Owain Wilson:
Yeah, completely. So my title’s Owain. In order you stated, I’m one of many founders of Digit Music. I’m a musician by commerce at the start, in order that’s type of the place I lower my tooth. However I’ve labored as a trainer and in addition as a technologist as nicely. I’m quite a bit grayer now than once I began, in order that in all probability means that I’ve been within the business for a short time and that’s the place I met my associate in crime, Mr. Tew.
Si Tew:
Sure. Yeah, so me and Owain have recognized one another for a very long time, each of us musicians, we’ve performed reveals collectively, et cetera through the years and produced for varied folks and we’ve achieved a whole lot of neighborhood initiatives as nicely, working with younger individuals who weren’t getting on so nicely at college. After which that type of moved into for myself, working with younger folks with entry wants as a part of a challenge known as the In a position Orchestra. I’m additionally a musician producer by commerce, and I nonetheless get the occasional night time within the studio and I write music for movie and TV as nicely.
Josh Anderson:
Good. Superior guys. Nicely, it appears like, yeah, type of an ideal storm of expertise after which discovering a inhabitants that possibly may actually use your assist. So I suppose let’s begin with the CMPSR itself and listeners simply because you possibly can’t actually see right here the CMPSR is C-M-P-S-R, pronounced like that. So the place did the concept for this come from?
Owain Wilson:
Yeah, I’ll let Si leap in right here as a result of he had type of the primary preliminary concepts for it.
Si Tew:
Yeah, so it was the In a position Orchestra challenge that I discussed earlier than. Various the younger people who had been concerned in that had been energy chair customers, so we had been type of working with them by way of that challenge to allow them to be on the forefront of the composition course of actually. So we labored with skilled orchestras just like the BBC Symphonic Orchestra, the Hallé Orchestra and varied others, nevertheless it was actually concerning the younger individuals who had traditionally been shut out of the music composition course of being entrance and heart.
So we’re utilizing varied several types of devices, a few of them type of inclusive, a few of them not, nevertheless it was there really whereas we had been on stage. And simply seeing one of many younger lads that we labored with, how extremely correct he was shifting his energy chair. And if anyone has pushed an influence chair or needed to help any individual in driving one, they’re not the simplest issues to, you’ve acquired to have some talent and dexterity to have the ability to get round in there.
So it simply gave us the concept, let’s use that interface, that type of ergonomically designed interface and change it into music in order that any individual can use the entire expertise and the dexterity and the familiarity that they’ve constructed up through the years of exploring the world with this gadget and let’s allow them to discover music. In order that was type of the place the concept was birthed, actually.
Josh Anderson:
Glorious. And I suppose describe the gadget to our listeners.
Owain Wilson:
In order you talked about, it is a joystick gadget, so if anybody can think about what an influence wheelchair joystick seems like, it’s similar to that. So on the high we now have acquired a joystick, after which under it we’ve acquired eight buttons. You play music, so notes, chords, by shifting the joystick in one in every of eight instructions and it’ll play a unique be aware from a selected key and scale. You possibly can change the important thing and scale in addition to you’ll do in the event you decide up every other conventional instrument, you resolve what you’re taking part in.
After which we even have a bit notation system that goes together with it as nicely known as Arrow Notes. It’s actually colourful and it’s actually visible, so there’s a bit donut that sits across the joystick, after which additionally on the underside there’s a RAM mount. So the RAM mount’s actually vital as a result of this enables us to connect it to a wheelchair, to a mic stand, to a desk. So actually relatively than the particular person having to adapt themselves to the instrument, the instrument adapts itself to them.
Josh Anderson:
Good. You talked about I can change from notes to chords and every part. I suppose how precisely does it work?
Si Tew:
Yeah, in fact. Yeah. So I imply for us, once more, with our backgrounds as producers and performers, I’m not throwing Owain below the bus right here, however neither of us I’d say are notably theoretically expert musicians.
Owain Wilson:
He’ll throw me below the bus.
Si Tew:
We don’t come from a conservatoire world, we come from making a dance flooring transfer and performing digital music, however very often having to be natural and dealing with different devices and different bands, and many others. So we’ve type of put all of our expertise and expertise and the type of technical necessities that we had through the years into CMPSR to attempt to distill it down into an interface which you could play with one finger or appendage.
So you progress the joystick to play the notes. So we’ve damaged down a musical scale, we do one thing known as open tuning. So in a scale you choose the notes that you simply need to play and that provides you the size, whether or not that’s minor, whether or not that’s main, whether or not it’s completely satisfied or melancholic.
And what we’ve achieved is type of picked these eight notes out and mapped them to eight instructions on the joystick. So there’s varied other ways. We received’t go too nerdy on the type of musical mapping there, however we’ve set it up in such a approach that in the event you wished to play a chord, which is multiple be aware, you possibly can play that with a lot diminished motion. So the entire appropriate be aware numbers are within the appropriate locations, et cetera.
So the velocity that you simply transfer the joystick makes the notes sound louder or quieter. After which through the use of the pads which sit under the joystick, it’s type of eight buttons with LED pads on them, they alter what the joystick is doing. So in its easiest setup, you progress the joystick and it’ll play one be aware. And once I say it should play one be aware, which means it connects to both your laptop, to your telephone, to your pill, to your studio, if that’s the place you’re going, nevertheless it’ll work on nearly any gadget actually.
And mixed with our app, which is known as Swipe, mainly you join the 2 collectively and every motion of the joystick will play a be aware from Swipe. Now whenever you press the pads, you possibly can change that from going from single notes in every route to chords in every route, and every part’s all in the suitable tuning, so every part’s simply going to work as you need. You may make the sounds a lot, a lot deeper by deciding on, altering the octaves on the pads or a lot, a lot increased. After which you may get fairly complicated by way of the chord shapes and issues that you’re doing. And it’s also possible to set it up in order that the gap that you simply transfer from the middle out to whichever route you select type of will increase the expression. So suppose how a cello the place any individual would play that and they’d improve the power on the bow. You possibly can type of get that very same really feel by simply shifting the joystick slowly out to the extremities.
So we type of confer with it as form of bowling with the bumpers up. You’ve acquired all of the notes there, and it’s for you, because the performer, to decide on which notes you need to play in what order with what expression. However what we’ve achieved is simply eliminated any of the notes that don’t work, and we’ve eliminated any of the need for theoretical information to grasp the way to construct the chords that you simply want. So it’s nearly getting in and experimenting and taking part in and seeing what you want, actually.
Josh Anderson:
Yeah, and I like how one can change so many elements of it. You may make it nearly as straightforward or as complicated as the person would possibly need, or as their capacity would allow them to go. Or simply from that newbie novice to possibly somebody that’s a bit bit extra expert, it may nonetheless match their ranges.
Si Tew:
Yeah. very a lot. We type of say that, don’t we? It’s the instrument progresses with the participant. We use them within the studio. So if we’re in proper, and we’ve at all times acquired a few composers knocking round, then equally we are able to go in and go into a faculty. I’m in my son’s college subsequent week, for example. He’s simply began, so he’s in equal of kindergarten, I suppose. However college students in that setting can get in and begin to play and experiment. So it’s actually concerning the resourcing round it that helps it, however it will probably meet the wants of any musician actually.
Owain Wilson:
It will possibly. And I believe it’s about making folks immediately profitable with it. Anybody that’s tried to play a piano or a guitar will know that they’re unbelievable devices, however there’s fairly a protracted distance between beginning and feeling good about what you’re doing, and all of us need to be ok with it. So if we may give folks a musical expertise the place I’ve loved myself, hopefully it means they need to come again extra, however that’s the place the depth comes into the instrument CMPSR itself then, that as they progress as a musician, there’s extra depth within the instrument for them to discover and to grasp if that’s the best way that they need to go.
Josh Anderson:
And I like the best way that you simply talked about about bringing it to your child’s college too, in order that people with or with out disabilities can attempt it out and use it and actually see the way it may also help. So then if any individual does have a incapacity the place it’s the one actual entry technique, they’ve it, nicely, it doesn’t look odd, individuals are simply used to it and like, “Oh, I’ve used that as nicely, and right here’s what I did with it, and the way do you utilize it?” And type of open up that dialog and break. I imply, in kindergarten they don’t care. I’ve somebody in kindergarten as nicely. They don’t discover variations between anyone, however as they become old, in the event that they see that, it actually helps with that inclusion half.
Si Tew:
Yeah, positively. And I believe as nicely for the musicians which can be utilizing them as nicely, we work with a whole lot of musicians with various levels of entry wants, and we don’t need to be placing folks in silos the place you go to get that instrument that’s solely designed for you. Everyone else in your neighborhood or form of exterior to your neighborhood is utilizing it. So I believe for us, it was about making a device that allows all people to entry music in the identical approach as nicely, no matter their type of entry wants.
Owain Wilson:
It’s type of the core of inclusion, isn’t it? It’s like if you wish to embody folks, you’ve acquired to present all of them a really comparable expertise. And if then really what you’re organising is you’re setting totally different lanes for folks after which they’re not together with or rubbing shoulders with one another. And I believe we at all times discover in music as nicely, really, it’s prefer it’s probably the most inclusive issues on the market, however really the standard routes to attending to it are fairly unique. So I believe with expertise, we’re type of allowed to nearly rewrite the scripts a bit bit, however in the event you simply copy what’s already on the market whenever you’re making one thing, you’re simply inherently protecting the identical obstacles. So we wished to make use of one thing that was not solely accessible for people who have a really particular want, however that was simply accessible for anybody that wished to play music.
Josh Anderson:
Glorious. You talked about the app a bit bit as we had been speaking. Are you able to dig in and inform us a bit bit about that?
Owain Wilson:
Yeah, so Swipe is, it’s the companion app for CMPSR, the joystick controller, nevertheless it additionally works by itself as nicely. So the app is constructed across the coloured arrow instructions notation system that we spoke about, that Arrow Notes. However what the app does is it provides an additional layer of inclusion and accessibility as nicely as a result of it’s acquired totally different enter methods which you could play it.
So with the joystick, clearly you progress the joystick, nostril, foot, mouth, finger, no matter you select, however with the app, you really simply use regular gestures that you’re utilizing on daily basis in your smartphone or in your pill. So swiping and tapping, all of us navigate that type of tech through the use of these issues now whether or not you’re scrolling on social media or on a newsfeed, et cetera. However then what the app really additionally allowed us to do was as a result of we had been utilizing touchscreen expertise, iPhone, iPad, others can be found, clearly Android gadgets, et cetera, however we may piggyback off of the pinnacle monitoring performance inside these gadgets as nicely.
So with the app, you possibly can really play it with eye motion by blinking. And that was a very vital factor for us as a result of with the {hardware}, we knew that we’d acquired one thing that included much more folks, however we additionally knew that the {hardware} nonetheless wasn’t working for different folks. So it was like, “Okay, what’s the following step?” And truly as an organization, if we’re attempting to make issues as accessible for folks as doable, then clearly we’ve acquired to take a look at new methods and new merchandise to do this. So the app turbocharges the {hardware}, it offers you all of those cool devices to play, and there’s backing beats and there’s initiatives and there’s all issues like that which you could discover in there, nevertheless it really permits a brand new neighborhood of individuals to make music that the {hardware} wasn’t working for as nicely.
Josh Anderson:
Superior. That’s tremendous cool. You in all probability have fairly just a few of those, however in your time creating CMPSR and actually getting it on the market, are you able to inform me possibly a narrative or two that actually stands out with you of somebody utilizing it?
Owain Wilson:
Si Tew:
Yeah. I imply, I believe it’s value… We’ve clearly labored with folks from incapacity neighborhood all through this form of course of. And since a whole lot of this began with the In a position Orchestra, there was a bunch of scholars there which were actually instrumental on this, a type of a woman known as Jess Fisher who they’ll discuss shortly. However I believe one of many poignant ones I believe for us was we’d created this instrument and we designed it in the identical form of format as you’d see a wheelchair joystick, so the joystick’s on the backside, and then you definitely’ve acquired the pads on the high to entry it. And truly the very first prototype was a wheelchair, energy chair joystick that we simply put the insides out and put our personal inside. So then as we went on to subsequent stage of prototype, we designed our personal items and we examined with our crew and with folks round us, however you don’t notice how a lot whenever you’re explaining one thing to any individual, you convey your personal bias into it after we had been displaying them the best way that it needs to be arrange, and many others.
What we did was then despatched it out barely wider for some person testing and got here again. Everyone’s like, “That is nice, we’ve actually loved it.” They usually despatched us the pictures again and each single one in every of them, bar possibly one or two, however each single one in every of them was utilizing it with the joystick on the high and the pads beneath. So we had been like, “Oh, all people appears to be utilizing it the other way up,” after which it type of twigs. It’s like, “Dangle on, if all people’s utilizing it the other way up, we simply designed it the other way up.” So I believe we type of flipped the entire thing on its head.
And as it’s now, we’ve really acquired, there’s a setting in there so you possibly can select which orientation that you really want. So Jess Fisher, who’s the woman that I discussed, she was one of many college students as a part of the In a position Orchestra, was type of closely concerned within the improvement. She was the primary particular person to ever use the primary prototype. And we’ve been working together with her for years, however she a lot prefers it within the conventional setup. So she’s acquired it like that, however then she’ll exit and ship workshops. And I believe that’s one of many key issues right here.
Clearly we love music. We’re at all times going to be form of extolling the fun of simply taking part in and performing music. However I believe for any individual with comparatively complicated entry wants, employment can appear to be fairly a… Yeah, precisely. Actually doorways are shut. So I believe for us, it was actually vital about constructing a framework round this the place any individual can exit and go and ship, create a type of work set for themselves and create a profession for the. So Jess now goes out and delivers a great deal of workshops in faculties and works as varied sorts of initiatives driving inclusion, however she makes use of it that approach spherical. However the entire folks which can be within the classes that she’s working use it the opposite approach spherical. So what’s fairly good is you’ve acquired that type of differentiated form of entry level for folks the place folks can set it up how they need.
Owain Wilson:
I believe simply so as to add as nicely, we at all times joke internally now that Jess is approach too busy to reply the telephone to us.
Si Tew:
Yeah, yeah. And he or she really is.
Owain Wilson:
Josh Anderson:
She’s already gotten greater than you guys.
Si Tew:
Yeah, precisely. Which is nice, isn’t it? It’s precisely what you need.
Josh Anderson:
Guys, what’s subsequent for digital music and for CMPSR?
Owain Wilson:
Yeah, I imply, so the following 12 months may be very a lot nearly rising and increasing actually. Actually, actually small firm. It’s myself and Si, after which we now have a software program developer known as Cyril who’s type of like our secret weapon, he’s a Swiss Military knife. It’s unbelievable. However actually we’re getting extra recognized within the UK now as a result of I believe we’re bringing one thing very distinctive. And clearly when you’ve the instrument and you’ve got the Arrow Notes notation after which all of the sources that go round it, and I believe the sources are actually vital bit, however we’re actually excited as a result of we’re really beginning to come over to America in 2025.
So this yr’s a giant yr for us about coming into the States, actually enthusiastic about simply networking and assembly like-minded folks. Music’s at all times such a great connector. In the event you meet an individual that’s into music, it’s like, “All proper, I do know we’re going to get on, it’s going to be tremendous.” However then really, in the event you then meet somebody who’s into music and in addition into making extra musicians as nicely, that’s a very story for us to have. So actually thrilling. Clearly connecting with you, Josh and I and Easter Seals and the entire Easter Seals neighborhood, we’ve acquired some thrilling stuff arising. I imply, we’re actually fortunate again within the final yr with the museum with the-s
Si Tew:
That’s value point out really, the Museum of Making Music in Anaheim. They’ve really acquired an exhibition on for the time being known as Music Unity, and it’s how musical devices or type of varied form of initiatives, and many others, have been supporting musicians from varied communities. And a type of is the disabled communities. So we’re , CMPSR’s been included there, and there’s some good video content material and issues round that, which is actually thrilling.
And we briefly maintain mentioning the content material, however I believe simply to present that a bit little bit of context, we’re music producers at the start, nevertheless it signifies that we’ve at all times type of created sounds and achieved sound design and multi-sampled devices and issues. Nevertheless it means now we get to work with studios all around the globe to create content material that individuals can then have interaction with by way of CMPSR and thru Swipe. So we’ve achieved a challenge with a studio out in East Africa in Nairobi.
We’re simply working with some musicians out in India. I spent a while dwelling in South America, in Venezuela, so we’ve acquired some very nice South American type of content material in there as nicely. And that truly speaks again to the connector piece as nicely. I’ve acquired some actually good buddies from Venezuela who I spent months writing music with and dealing in studios, and my Spanish is horrible, and their English was minimal. But as a result of music was the type of connecting issue, we’ve acquired these actually, actually sturdy relationships constructed by way of it. So yeah, so we’re excited concerning the sources, excited concerning the alternatives which can be rising in America and actually simply need to, as Owain stated, meet extra people who want to help extra musicians actually.
Owain Wilson:
Yeah, and I believe that at all times the good bit for us is definitely listening to music that individuals are making with devices that we’re creating. As a result of in the end as a musical instrument, developer, creator, no matter we name ourselves, you make them since you need folks to be inventive with them. And truly that full circle bit is listening to one thing or seeing one thing that they’ve achieved with it. So America, whenever you’re there and also you’ve written some stuff, allow us to hear it.
Si Tew:
Yeah, for certain. And in addition as nicely, I believe conventional instrument, in the event you hearken to what the music that most individuals are listening to exterior of the classroom, let’s use schooling as the instance. Clearly, conventional devices are used inside these, however there’s a load of manufacturing and issues which have occurred between that taking part in a be aware on a piano to the way it sounds on the ultimate report. And I believe for educators, that’s fairly a steep tech studying curve there not completely related to every part that’s taking place within the classroom doubtlessly.
So through the use of expertise like ours, you will be immediately utilizing sounds and backing beats and the entire issues that relate to the music that scholar could also be listening to, whether or not that’s dance music, it’s hip hop, it’s entice, no matter it is likely to be. However really the musical rudiments, the musical expertise and the issues that align with the curriculum and present clear improvement, all of these issues are precisely the identical. So we really see, and notably within the schooling aspect, we see our job as a lot supporting the coed that’s utilizing the instrument. It’s supporting the educator who, let’s face it, has quite a bit on their plate and a whole lot of conflicting issues that they should get achieved inside their function. It’s supporting them to have the ability to ship a very participating expertise pushed music curriculum with out the years of effort and frustration that include studying all of these issues.
Owain Wilson:
And I suppose simply to broaden on that a bit bit, on the finish of final yr, we simply completed a very thrilling 10-week pilot challenge at a major college in Worcestershire over right here in England. I gave the impression of I had my false tooth once I stated that, however yeah, and it was actually good as a result of it took a non-specialist music trainer, sensible trainer known as Lauren, and thanks Lauren as a result of she put her belief in us over 10 weeks. However what we gave her was all of the devices that she wanted the software program with Swipe, however then she had a 10-week unit of labor that she may ship. And for her it was actually empowering as a result of she stated, “Mainly, I didn’t have to consider something. I didn’t must plan something. But additionally as nicely, I’m not a musician and I can’t play an instrument, but I used to be in a position to lead 30 college students over 10 weeks in entire class instrumental music making.”
And we had been fortunate sufficient to go in for one of many classes and it was simply actually, actually, it was so pretty seeing the youngsters simply absolutely absorbed in making their very own music, however then composing their very own music with Arrow Notes as nicely. However then the very nice bit was seeing all of them share that with one another. They had been simply actually eager on sharing what they’ve achieved. But additionally pretty for Lauren as nicely, as a result of she stated, “I’ve acquired youngsters that don’t have interaction in classes usually but after we’re doing music, they’re consistently asking for, ‘Can we do music once more? Can we do music once more?’” And clearly that’s going to learn them of their different college, of their different classes inside their college life as nicely.
Josh Anderson:
Good, good. Gents, if our listeners need to discover out extra and be taught extra about CMPSR, about Digit Music, about every part you all are doing, what’s a great way for them to do this?
Si Tew:
Yeah, so in the event you go to digitmusic.co.uk, so D-I-G-I-T-M-U-S-I-C.co.uk, go on there and you will discover data and you may contact us on there. We’re on the entire socials as nicely, Instagram, TikTok, et cetera. And it’s at all times Digit_Music or for the education-focused stuff it’s Digit_Learning. And in addition if you wish to electronic mail us good day@DigitMusic will get you thru to one in every of us. We’d like to have a chat and provide you with some extra data.
Owain Wilson:
After which in case you are only a solo particular person and also you need to go and obtain the app, you are able to do so you may get that from the Play Retailer or the App Retailer, so that you get a free trial, absolutely operate unlocked for a time period, however then additionally as nicely, you simply get to maintain the app afterwards as nicely. After which if there’s any educators on the market they’re all in favour of discovering out a bit extra, we will likely be fairly quickly releasing like an entire class free trial model of it as nicely with a number of the classes from the ten-week unit of labor that I discussed.
And as we’re seeing, there’s an enormous crossover between the US music curriculum and the UK music curriculum. So as a result of we’ve tried to map all of our useful resource in across the UK one, fortunately we’ve discovered that it signifies that we are able to level it just about straight on the US curriculum. And it means for any music educators on the market that need to discover a little bit of tech within the classroom and tick off importantly their curriculum targets, then completely they need to come and take a look at Swipe.
Josh Anderson:
Superior. We are going to put all that data down within the present notes. Si, Owain, thanks a lot for approaching at this time for telling us all about this simply actually nice instrument, actually useful gizmo, actually nice studying gadget, actually nice. Simply, I don’t know, opens up accessibility to music for lots of oldsters who could haven’t had it earlier than. So thanks once more for approaching and telling us all about it.
Si Tew:
Owain Wilson:
Thanks a lot, Josh. Thanks for inviting us on. It’s been pretty to talk and nice discovering out extra about Easter Seals as nicely. We all know we’ve acquired a really shared imaginative and prescient in what we’re all attempting to do.
Josh Anderson:
We positively do. We positively do. Thanks once more.
Si Tew:
Owain Wilson:
Josh Anderson:
Do you’ve a query about assistive expertise? Do you’ve a suggestion for somebody we should always interview on Assistive Expertise Replace? In that case, name our listener line at (317) 721-7124, ship us an electronic mail at tech@Eastersealscrossroads.org, or shoot us a be aware on Twitter @InDataProject. Our captions and transcripts for the present are sponsored by the Indiana Phone Relay Entry Company or InTRAC. You could find out extra about InTRAC@relayindiana.com.
A particular because of Nicole Prieto for scheduling our superb friends and making a multitude of my schedule. At present’s present was produced, edited, hosted, and fraught over by yours really. The opinions expressed by our friends are their very own and should or could not mirror these of the INDATA Venture, Easterseals Crossroads, our supporting companions, or this host. This was your Assistive Expertise Replace. I’m Josh Anderson with the INDATA Venture at Easterseals Crossroads in stunning Indianapolis, Indiana. We look ahead to seeing you subsequent time. Bye-bye.