4 February 2026

How We Create Braille Music at A2i: Combining Technology and Human Expertise to Bring Music to Life

Over the past few months, there’s been growing conversation about the future of Braille music in the UK, its availability and how it’s produced. At A2i, we welcome that discussion as it highlights something we care deeply about: ensuring that music remains accessible to blind and partially sighted musicians of all ages and abilities.

We believe in using technology to open up new possibilities, supported by our transcription specialists who ensure accuracy, quality, and transcripts that are truly usable.

What is Braille Music?

Braille music is a specialist notation system that allows blind and partially sighted musicians to access sheet music through touch rather than sight. It uses the same six-dot cell as literary Braille, but the dots mean something completely different in a musical context:

• • The top two rows of dots show pitch
  • The bottom row indicates rhythm

Because Braille is read horizontally rather than vertically, Braille music is linear – meaning notes, chords, dynamics and other music symbols are presented one after another, rather than stacked like they are on a printed stave. It’s a brilliantly designed system, but it does make the transcription process more complex, especially for dense or multi-instrument scores.

A few things that make Braille music unique:

• • A single bar of music can take up much more space than in print – sometimes just one bar per page.
  • Chords and harmony are written sequentially rather than in vertical stacks.
  • Repeat signs and structure markers are often used to reduce bulk.
  • Many musicians memorise their pieces because you need your hands free to play.

Understanding these differences helps explain why quality matters so much in Braille transcription – and why, even with modern tools, human expertise is essential in creating reliable, readable scores.

Our Approach: Technology + People

Today, braille music transcription benefits from exciting advances in digital technology, including tools that can convert standard music notation into Braille. But automation is only one step in the process. At A2i, the real work begins after the initial conversion, when our in-house music transcribers take over.

Once the digital file has been transformed into a Braille framework, our specialists review it line by line, checking every note, rhythm, lyric, and marking to ensure accuracy, clarity, and consistency for Braille readers.

This human review process allows us to:

• • Correct the subtleties that automated tools can miss
  • Make editorial decisions to ensure clarity and readability
  • Adapt the layout and structure for the individual musician’s needs
  • Deliver a final product that is both technically correct and musically meaningful to the individual

In some cases, we combine different digital methods or cross-check transcriptions against multiple sources to ensure the Braille accurately represents the original score.

Automation helps us work efficiently, but it’s our people who ensure the quality and make the music come alive.

A Service Built on Experience and Growth

Our Braille music transcription service has now been running for six months, producing accurate Braille sheet music for a wide range of musical needs. In that time, we’ve already completed a range of projects in Braille music such as:

• • Mozart: Piano Sonata in E-flat major
  • Haydn: The Seasons
  • Andrew Downes: Concerto for American Flute
  • Eleanor Daley: Upon Your Heart

Feedback so far has been encouraging; one musician recently told us that “the Braille music notation was accurate.” Another said “The ‘Fauré Requiem’ transcription which you did for me arrived today. I’m really pleased with it and will so enjoy being able to take part in the performance. Please keep up your great work; it makes such a difference”. This is exactly the level of trust and satisfaction we aim for in every piece we produce.

We’re proud to say that A2i now has its own dedicated team of in-house music specialists, experienced in Braille music. Our staff are continually expanding their skills through training, collaboration, and shared learning with experienced transcribers. This expertise allows us to handle everything from simple vocal lines to complex orchestral works.

Quality and Care in Every Score

Our aim is simple: to make sure that every musician who receives a Braille score from A2i can trust it completely. That’s why our internal processes include multiple quality checks before a piece leaves our hands.

We work closely with our customers to understand the context of each piece – whether it’s for learning, performance, or archiving – and tailor our approach accordingly. We take pride in getting the details right, because we know that accessible music isn’t just text or dots on a page; it’s a lifeline for creativity, education, and inclusion.

Building for the Future

A2i is continuing to invest in people, training, and technology to ensure the long-term sustainability of Braille music transcription in the UK. We’re always exploring new processes to improve accuracy and consistency, while keeping human insight at the heart of everything we do.

We’re also building partnerships with musicians, educators, and organisations who share our mission to keep music accessible for everyone. We believe that progress happens when technology and expertise work hand in hand – and when the people who use accessible formats are part of the conversation.

Together, we can make sure the future of accessible music in the UK remains bright, one note at a time.

If you’re a musician, teacher, or organisation working with Braille or large print music formats, we’d love to hear from you. Your feedback helps us keep improving, growing, and innovating.

Telephone: 01179 44 00 44
Email: info@a2i.co.uk
Website: www.a2i.co.uk

Learn more about our Braille and large print transcription services.