Here we have rounded up some useful info and links for people who want to get more involved with making and building accessible instruments.
Here are some companies, places, kit and ideas to get you started on your maker journey.
Drake Music Projects
We are beginning to share guides & resources from our DMLab programme. We have one project live and hope to add more:
Instructable: Make your portable speaker more resonant
Kit & Code
Bela
A maker platform for creating responsive audio & interactive applications. With ultra-low latency, this is a popular piece of kit, plus the website has projects and resources to help you with your build.
Arduino
An open-source electronic prototyping platform, enabling users to create interactive electronic objects. Easy to use hardware and software.
MAX
A visual programming language for music and multimedia projects with pre-existing libraries of routines for makers to use
TouchBoard
Allows you to turn any object into a sensor, which can then be used to play music. Starter kits are a good way to give making a go for the first time.
micro:bit
A pocket-sized codeable computer, the micro:bit is a fantastic entry-level piece of kit which can be coded in minutes to do something simple, or can connect up to Arduino or Raspberry Pi to do something more difficult. Lots of good material online for beginners.
Raspberry Pi
A small affordable computer you can use to learn programming. The Raspberry Pi has been the backbone of many new innovations and they offer free online training and offline coding clubs.
Microsoft Kinect
Although this isn’t in production any more, this motion-sensing device is relatively straightforward to use to control music, and in doing so, create a motion-to-music device using Synapse or Max for Live with Ableton Live.
MaKey MaKey
A circuit board that allows you to create touch sensitive circuits quickly and easily… can often be seen turning fruit into a musical instrument.
Places & Events
Hackspaces
These are community-based places where you can go to work on projects, meet people and socialise. Hackspace Foundation knows of 73 active spaces around the country.
Eagle Labs
A community resource for innovators and inventors, supported by Barclays
FabLabs
Digital fabrication and rapid prototyping workshops
MozFest
Where web meets world – an interactive event with lots of different new tech and ideas to discover.
Makerversity
This is a studio/desk space for makers in London, but also runs a learning programme of talks and workshops.
MadLab
A grassroots innovation organisation based in Manchester
If you know of any great resources missing off our list, please get in touch and let us know!