The Grid 2 is computer software that provides ‘an all-in-one package for communication and access’. Within formal music education, The Grid 2 can enable disabled students to use music software on a PC that might otherwise be inaccessible.
Drake Music have created ‘Grid bundles’ for The Grid 2 which have enabled a number of music students to control Sibelius composition software in both secondary and higher education (see ‘Related Experiences’ above-right). As well as overcoming the physical barriers faced by some students, these ‘Grids’ also serve to simplify the otherwise complex menus within Sibelius, which can also make Sibelius more accessible to students with learning difficulties. We are also in the early stages (as of September 2012) of developing ‘Grids’ to control Cakewalk ‘Sonar’ music software. Drake Music’s ‘Grid bundles’ are freely available to download from the ‘Online Grids’ website at: http://grids.sensorysoftware.com/en/drake-music
The Online Grids web site also contains other ‘Grid bundles’ that are useful within music education. To find them, type ‘music’ into the ‘Find Grid Bundles’ box at the top of the page and click ‘search’.
If other DM Education website users have musical Grid Bundles to share, we would urge you to upload them to Online Grids and publicise them via a comment below this post!
Below is a screen-shot showing a Sibelius 5 Computer Control Grid underneath Sibelius 5.
Screen shot showing Sibelius 5 and a Grid 2 Computer Control Grid
Below is a short film showing Ray De Grussa using The Grid 2 to compose in Sibelius.
