The Skoog! Music for the Disabled

[Adam Teitge]

Hello Stafford! I am posting this here to gain interest in a unique, new type of musical instrument that can allow anyone to play music, regardless of physical or learning disabilities.

Called a Skoog, you simply push, twist, shake, prod, wobble etc to make a different sound on each side. This is ideal for anyone who cannot access a normal instrument due to physical disabilities. The Skoog is ideal for those with Cerebral Palsy, Down's Syndrome, Autism, Blind, Visually Impaired etc.

I would be grateful for any comments on interest in this new musical instrument for those with disabilities.

 

[Gramaisc]

Mmm, looks interesting..

P.S. Was that you in the paper with your comic collection recently..?

 

[Adam Teitge]

The Skoog is a great new device, I've currently have a unit in Stafford. Good spot too! Yes, that was me in the newspaper ref. Dandy comics!

 

[Gramaisc]

Good spot

No hiding place..

 

[Goldilox]

Blind, Visually Impaired etc.

Really? Being a firm believer that music should be accessible for everyone, I generally like the idea of your device, but I can't help but feel giving a blind person something that looks and plays like a glorified children's toy is really rather patronising, given the unparalleled legacy of large numbers of blind musicians.

And those are just two I've listened to in the last couple of days.

I also think there's a risk that someone like Tom Doughty (a paralysed spinal injury survivor with extremely limited movement in his hands) might be pushed towards these specialist instruments and be denied the chance of actually making a living as a mainstream musician, rather than being helped around the difficulties of a conventional instrument.

I suppose what I'm getting at is, if this device opens up music to severely disabled people who couldn't otherwise play then I'm all in favour, but it strikes me as a step towards making "disabled music" something separate and different, when actually music is historically an area where those with disabilities have been able to compete on a level playing field with the able-bodied.

 

[Adam Teitge]

I understand your points and know of many blind and low vision musicians out there. Please note though that this is partly a music therapy device as well. It is suited to those with locked in syndrome, cerebral palsy, downs syndrome etc.

There is the "fun" element and is great for young users. For situations where it is not viable for someone to access instruments through a lack of dexterity or even a lack of limbs, this is a new way of accessing music. For some, this could be the first time of making music independently.

These types of instruments are extremely specialised in a specific market. They have been used in orchestras along side laser beam stringed instruments.

 

[Dr Benjaman Schogler]

Hi - It is important to note that the Skoog is playable to a very high standard and has been used by able bodied musicians at conservatoire level (John Kenny and students at the RSC). It does provide a fun accessible platform but is designed to afford development of musicianship and uses cutting edge physical modelling synthesis to provide expressive dynamic performance. Don't be mislead by the fun loving exterior the Skoog is a musical instrument in its own right. In the following clip you can see Stephanie Forrest playing on an equal footing with able bodied peers, a soloist.

Skoog also offer a black version for those who would like a more 'grown up' look to the instrument itself.

 

[Gramaisc]

Welcome - good to see a first post with an embedded video.

Only to be expected from the Skoog's co-inventor

 

[United57]

As somebody who has been working with assitive technology recently I certainly like what I see.

 

[Adam Teitge]

Hello United57, I'd be happy to demonstrate this to you, do you live in Stafford itself? If you prefer, you can reach me on info@sentechnology.co.uk