Accessible Modular Synthesizer
How did music become inaccessible?
I’m interested in equity in STEM eduction. I care about making sure people that don’t often have access to technical knowledge have the option to access it if they wish. One thing that frustrates me deeply is the way music technology is not accessible for people who are blind and low vision. How messed up is it that a DAW (a digital audio workstation) is screen reader inaccessible? How did music making become inaccessible?! It’s music!! With my passion for music, electronics, and research I hope to be a part of the solution.
NSF-CRA-DREU
After finishing the semester teaching FiLOrk, the live coding laptop ensemble, I realized students were longing for something more tangible than code but equally as experimental and interesting. I had briefly encountered analog synthesizers in performing arts high school, and was reminded of modular synthesizers when I was building a plant synthesizer for another research group I am apart of: The Gallatin Research Team run out of the Science, Technology, Arts, and Creativity (STAC) Lab. The last day of FiLOrk we brought a modular synth out and the students were super excited about it. It was because of this excitement that I applied to do research to find a way to make the modular synthesizer more accessible.
For the research grant I was awarded, I had to keep an up to date research website.
NYU Prototyping Fund
The Fall 2024 Semester I was awarded $500 from the NYU Prototyping Fund, for the first round, to work on a prototype of an accessible modular synthesizer that I designed over my summer research internship.
Image Description: Photo of the poster that I presented detailing some of my findings.
At the end of the semester, we had a Prototyping Fund Showcase to present research to the NYU community and people from industry. We estimate that there were 200+ people that attended. This was my first time presenting a poster and doing a demo! So many more people came than I was expecting, and it was really exciting to get questions from outside perspectives. Thank you to my mom, brother Theo, and best friend Carolina for coming all the way to Brooklyn to support me. I appreciate your love.
Image Description: Bella standing behind a demo next to their poster at the showcase.
Image Description: Bella standing on the far right speaking to attendees. There are roughly 50 people pictured.
Image Description: Bella standing to the left of the demo and poster speaking to a small group.