SM Music Braille

Welcome to SM Music Braille! An engine to transcribe music into high-quality Braille!

To End Users!

We create this web version to demonstrate the engine's features, as well as to provide end users a free online tool to quickly convert small scores into Braille.

For a more complete Braille translation solution, please have a look at our Sao Mai Braille, a free editor and Braille translation software for text, math and music.

To Developers and Organizations!

We offer SM Music Braille engine as a software library to you with interest in integrating our Braille music translation solution into your software, existing Braille production line, or having any ideas for a win-win collaboration opportunity.

The software library is designed and developed to run on multiple platforms. We will work with you to make sure the engine is integrated successfully into your software platforms such as Android, MacOS, Linux, Windows... Please email us at support@saomaicenter.org for further discussion.

Translate music into Braille

1. Go to: Translate Music Score into Braille page.
2. Browse for MusicXML score file.
3. Select part(s) to translate from the list (0 means part 1). Or, enter the part number in the edit field. For instance: "0-2" to select from part 1 to 3 (part 1, 2 and 3). "2,4,5" to select specific part number, part 2, part 4 and 5 selected.
4. Setting profile: list all built-in setting profiles  for both guest and signed-in users. If user with Transcriber role, it will list custom profiles created by the transcriber'.
   
   1. choose "None" to transcribe with settings listed right below. You can choose preferred transcription options.
   2. Choose one built-in setting profile to translate. This will ignore all changes you make on this page. It just applies transcription options set for selected profile.
5. Choose "Translate into Braille" button to convert the score into Braille. It should inform when the translation process is done.

Braille result is shown in an edit field below the "Translate into Braille" button. Choose "Download file" button to save the result as .BRF file to your computer.

Manage translation setting profiles

Request for transcriber member role

Currently, this Braille music translation setting profile management feature is available for only registered users with Transcriber role. To apply for the role, follow steps below:

1. Register an account. If you already registered, skip to next step.
2. Make a request to upgrade to Transcriber member role by completing this Upgrade Account form. Please note, you must sign in to access this form either via provided link, or find it on "User menu".
3. Wait for us to approve and you should get an email update within 48 hours. If not hearing from us, please drop us an email at: support@saomaicenter.org

Manage setting profiles

1. Go to Setting Profiles page.
2. On the left, is the list of customizable profiles for your account. On the main content, it shows Braille transcription option groups of current opened profile.
3. Make any preferred changes, then:
   
   1. Choose "Save" button: to save changes to the current opened profile.
   2. Choose "Save as": it will appear an edit field to input new profile name, and back to "Save as" button, then activate it to save current settings into a new profile.
   3. "Reset" to restore current profile to default settings.
   4. Choose "Delete": to remove current opened profile. It won't allow to remove if there's only one profile left.

Our Sincere Thanks To:

• The Overbrook-Nippon Network on Educational Technology (ON-NET): to provide the very important initial funding support to start the development of Sao Mai Braille, in which music Braille translation feature was one of its main features. The funding for music Braille work supported from ON-NET was in project year 2019.
• The DAISY Music Braille project: for their funding support to improve and develop many more new music Braille transcription features, as well as for our team to contribute Braille related features for the free open-source Musescore music notation software. The work has been started from January 2021 - June 2023.