How Making Music Became Accessible

In the blindness community, there is one name above all that stands out and that is Stevie Wonder.

His music has been a part of all of our lives for so long but what was the process of him getting started in music and how did he cope in a largely inaccessible world, and who was there to help him when he needed that technical support?

Back in 2021, Steven Scott and Marc Aflalo spoke to Rob Arbittier and Ed Gray, two innovators who have reshaped the landscape of music technology.

Rob’s story begins with a deep-rooted love for both music and technology, starting classical piano at three and building his first computer at ten. His career path wavered between these two loves, ultimately leading him to work with legendary musicians like Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston and Stevie Wonder.

Ed Gray’s story is equally compelling. As the head of accessibility and partnerships at Avid, creators of Pro Tools and Media Composer, Ed has been a staunch advocate for accessibility in music technology. Living with diabetic retinopathy, Ed understands firsthand the challenges faced by visually impaired musicians. His commitment has been instrumental in making music creation tools more accessible, ensuring that these powerful platforms can be used by everyone, irrespective of their abilities.