Avid to Host 2019 NAMM Pro Accessibility Panel
From Avid Blog, By Ed Gray in Audio Post, Music Creation, Pro Mixing
January 7, 2019
NAMM 2019 will see the return of the Pro Accessibility Panel hosted by Avid, which offers a fresh look at the excitement taking place in accessible music product creation. This free one-hour event is part of the TEC Tracks panels and takes place on Saturday, January 26th from 12:00 Noon to 1:00 PM PST in Grand Ballroom A at the Hilton Anaheim right across from the NAMM Exhibits.
All who work with audio manufacturers, software developers and music schools, visually impaired musicians and friends are invited to come and learn about the new customers and sales opportunities to be won by making products and services available for blind users and those with other challenges. Companies like Avid, Native Instruments and Samsung are deeply engaged in this development as are educators like Berklee College of Music in Boston and I See Music in Chicago. You will hear from people in these organizations who are directly involved in the work to drive accessibility into their products, and some of the world’s most celebrated blind power users who benefit from this accessibility work to create music —independently and with little or no sighted assistance.
The fresh lineup of panelists for 2019 brings valuable new insights and information. Here is a look at who will join us:
Slau Halatyn, Owner, BeSharp Studios and Pro Tools Accessibility Pioneer
Slau Halatyn, owner of BeSharp Studios in Astoria, Queens, NYC is a music accessibility pioneer who has played a key role in making Pro Tools software usable by visually impaired users. Slau is one of a team of Pro Tools beta testers who provides critical real-world input that continues to improve support for Pro Tools by Apple VoiceOver and compatibility with Flow Tools, a free product that describes windows and tracks with the detail that enables blind users to turbocharge their work. Slau will show us how he uses Pro Tools every day, editing, mixing and creating with AAX plugins as he works independently on powerful projects using his expanded Pro Tools | HDX system.
Timothy Adnitt, Director of Products, Music Production Software at Native Instruments
Timothy Adnitt joins us from Native Instruments. As Director of Products, Music Production Software, Timothy works with his team to create the high level of accessibility available for the NI Komplete Kontrol system. He will speak to how Native Instruments looks at the business opportunities unlocked through accessibility development across the Native Instruments range of offerings, and will also be on hand to co-present with another very special guest…
The Legendary Justin Kauflin, Jazz Pianist and Quincy Jones Artist
Tim will pass the torch to the legendary Justin Kauflin, a jazz pianist and Quincy Jones artist who has used NI Komplete Kontrol, Logic Audio and Pro Tools to compose and perform a collection of award-winning music too extensive to list. His work with mentor Clark Terry was chronicled in the documentary Keep on Keeping On for which Justin composed the soundtrack, and he has since moved on to a prolific relationship with Quincy Jones, more than ten albums on which he’s participated and led, and a multitude of tours and educational events around the world. He is proof of the musical experiences and careers that are available to blind musicians who ignore apparent limits and discover the accessibility tools and assistance that are increasingly available.
Amy Dickens from Samsung
Another featured presenter, Amy Dickens, joins us from Samsung, where she is doing web developer advocacy for accessibility as she completes her progress towards a Ph.D. in computer science focusing on accessibility in digital musical instruments. A prolific speaker at recent conferences including the JUCE ADC and Audio Mostly, Amy Dickens will focus on strategies for success in making accessibility a first-class citizen on the product roadmap.
Byron Harden, owner and Director of I See Music in Chicago
Byron Harden, owner and Director of I See Music in Chicago will be with us, too. His school is teaching employable skills to blind and low vision learners and Byron will describe the repeatable “hand over hand” and streaming models that he is offering to blind students in conjunction with San Francisco Lighthouse for the blind and other collaborators.
Sam Butler, Avid
Chi Kim, Berklee College of Music
Sean A. Cummins, InVision Technical
And there is even more to this action-packed event, including a Sibelius demonstration by Avid’s own Sam Butler and Chi Kim, Assistant Professor at Berklee College of Music, and remarks by Sean A. Cummins, Owner of InVision Technical, which has served the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) in several states for over 35 years creating studios for the visually and physically disabled including veterans pursuing audio and video production careers as they return home from military service. Sean has high expertise on bringing accessibility to levels which make products eligible for sale to government and education customers.
So, whether you are creating products, software or services for music creation or you’re someone who may benefit from these innovations, we hope you will join us on Saturday at NAMM for the Panel. Come see us at 12:00 Noon in Grand Ballroom A at the Hilton Anaheim!
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