Vision impaired users of Audient’s iD and Evo mixer apps can now navigate them using only a keyboard and a screen reader with the latest drivers that include accessibility for each relevant product.
Audient’s Frank Chavez oversaw the project, which enables users to switch focus between UI elements with audible feedback on the state of the currently selected element returned – for example, ‘mic 1 fader +2’. It is also possible to interact with the same element according to its type, such as using the enter key to toggle a phantom power switch, or up-and-down arrows to adjust the level of a slider.
‘With the screen reader you can now save and recall presets, change the Loop-back source, install firmware updates and even monitor the Smartgain status on Evo,’ Chavez says. ‘The mixer app also notifies the user of changes happening on the actual audio device. For example you will hear “talkback on” when pressing the talkback button on an iD44.’
This project also drew on input from Scott Chesworth, Nick Giannak III and Toni Barth, who are advocates for – and members of – the vision impaired community, and acted as contact points between Audient and a 30-plus strong group of beta-testers.
Hobbyist internet radio broadcaster, Giannak bought his first Evo in the 2020: ‘I was one of the first blind people to own one,’ he says, and as it happens, one of the first to call Audient to discuss accessibility. He paved the way for the group to come together. ‘We’re often told something to the effect of “We’re pleased to hear from you and have taken your feature request under advisement”. That is essentially telling us “no”.’
In this case, however, Barth, Chesworth and Giannak were brought into Zoom calls, liaising directly with Chavez. Producer/engineer, Chesworth was able to share beta drivers and updates across the various accessibility-focused support groups he moderates. ‘Communication being open meant that even though there were only three principal points of contact, we got a much wider set of perspectives as the support developed,’ he says.
A shot-in-the-dark suggestion from Giannak during one of these calls brought the ‘talking clip meter’ into being, which notifies a user when a mic channel is clipping. ‘That showed genuine interest on Audient’s part in making a product that wasn’t just nominally accessible, but a product that was the best in the world at what it does,’ he says.
‘Audient even delayed pushing the product until edge cases were fixed, and until the community called the accessibility work “good”. Instead of gatekeeping or dictating, Audient brought us in and treated us like partners, fostering a relationship of trust.’
When Chesworth isn’t on forums, he’s teaching blind and vision-impaired musicians how to use Reaper DAW software in one-on-one or small group sessions online using his Evo 8. ‘We’re connecting over VOIP, using the Smartgain and Loop-back features of Evo so we can hear each other’s DAWs and screen readers,’ he explains.
Over recent months, many of these students have invested in Audient and Evo audio interfaces themselves. ‘Why have these folks (and plenty of others) been switching? Simple. The accessibility implementation has been done well, they can dive straight into exploring things they can do, as opposed to the more typical experience of waiting for sighted assistance to help them get set up. Audient leading the charge toward a better UX is making a splash.’
Software developer and hobby musician Toni Barth has produced a detailed video explaining how to approach the mixer app for people who have never seen it. It is now available on Audient’s YouTube channel.
Audient is open to further feedback and suggestions; users can contact the company via its website.
More: https://audient.com
