Making music as a blind or partially sighted musician can involve challenges that have little to do with musical ability. Getting to a venue, navigating an unfamiliar stage, setting up equipment, learning new software or explaining your access requirements can sometimes take as much energy as the music itself.
The good news is that other blind and partially sighted musicians have developed practical ways of making these situations easier.
This guide brings together tips and ideas shared by musicians with different levels of sight, musical backgrounds and experience at our Drop-in Session for August 2026. There is no single approach that will work for everyone, so think of these as options to try and adapt to your own circumstances.
Before playing at a new venue
Unfamiliar venues can be particularly challenging. Low lighting, crowds, noise, cables and equipment can make it difficult to work out where you need to go and what is happening around you.
A little preparation can remove a lot of this uncertainty.
Contact the event organiser
If possible, introduce yourself to the organiser, promoter or person running the event before you arrive.
Explain the practical support you need rather than assuming they will know what being blind or partially sighted means for you.
For example, you might ask them to:
- describe the layout of the venue;
- meet you at the entrance;
- show you the route to the stage, toilets and backstage area;
- help you find somewhere safe for instrument cases;
- help with plugging in or positioning equipment;
- explain how performers are called to the stage; or
- make sure somebody is available if you need assistance.
Having one named person you know you can approach can make the experience much less stressful.
Visit before you perform
Consider visiting a venue before committing to a performance.
You could attend an open mic as an audience member first, for example. This gives you an opportunity to learn the layout, understand how the event works and meet the organiser without also having to think about performing.
It can also help you decide whether the environment suits you. Some open mics are quiet, listening-focused events; others take place in busy pubs where performers are competing with conversations and background noise.
Neither is necessarily better, but knowing what to expect can help you decide whether an event works for you.
You may also find it useful to read Unlimited’s value access checklist.
Tell people what you need
Asking for assistance can feel uncomfortable, particularly if you are partially sighted and people do not immediately recognise that you might need support.
People may see you arrive independently with an instrument and assume you can manage every other part of the experience independently too.
Try to be specific about what would help.
Instead of saying:
“I’m partially sighted and might need some help.”
you could say:
“Could someone meet me at the entrance and show me where the stage and equipment storage are?”
Specific requests give people something practical they can do.
For a gig rather than an open mic, you might also find it helpful to create a short access rider containing the things you commonly need at performances. You can then send it to organisers beforehand rather than explaining everything again at every event.
Build a trusted support network
Several experienced musicians have found that trusted people are an important part of performing successfully.
This could include:
- fellow musicians;
- drivers;
- friends;
- volunteers;
- technicians; or
- other venue staff.
A support person might help you travel to the venue, carry equipment, orientate yourself when you arrive or set up your gear.
That support does not make you less independent. If it enables you to concentrate on performing rather than navigating avoidable barriers, it can increase your artistic independence.
Trust is important. If you are meeting somebody new who may regularly accompany or drive you, spend time getting to know them first. You may want to meet in a familiar public environment and gradually establish whether you work well together.
Try using earplugs
Loud environments can easily become overwhelming, especially if you’re learning a new venue, trying to meet new people, and carrying an instrument! Earplugs such as Loop Engage take the edge off while allowing you to retain most of the detail in the sound. Loop earplugs are also a handy shape compared to foam or silicone plugs.
Make your live setup manageable
The equipment that works brilliantly in a studio may not be the equipment you want to take to every gig.
Keyboards, amplifiers, stands, guitars and cases quickly add up. Transporting and positioning them can create additional barriers for blind and partially sighted musicians.
Where possible, consider creating a compact live setup.
That might mean:
- taking one versatile keyboard instead of several instruments;
- choosing lighter equipment;
- using equipment already provided by the venue;
- reducing the number of separate cables or devices you need;
- creating a consistent setup that you know well; or
- asking whether amplification, stands or other equipment can be supplied.
There will always be a trade-off between having every musical option available and having a setup that is easy to transport and operate. Finding the right balance for you can make performing considerably easier.
Create a predictable stage setup
Consistency can be particularly useful when you cannot rely on visually checking where everything is.
Where possible, establish a repeatable way of setting up your instruments, pedals, stands, cables and other equipment.
Politely ask other people not to move equipment without telling you.
Cable management is particularly important. Keeping cables away from walking routes, or securing them appropriately, can make moving around a stage much safer.
When arriving somewhere new, ask someone to orientate you to the stage before it becomes busy.
Give yourself time
Arriving early can be extremely useful.
Trying to learn an unfamiliar environment while an audience is arriving, other musicians are setting up and a sound engineer is working under pressure can create unnecessary stress.
Extra time gives you an opportunity to:
- orientate yourself;
- identify potential hazards;
- find important locations;
- set up equipment;
- troubleshoot connections;
- speak to the sound engineer or organiser; and
- become comfortable with the space before performing.
Build performance confidence gradually
You do not have to go directly from practising at home to performing at a busy open mic.
A gradual progression might look something like this:
Practise at home → rehearse with other musicians → visit a venue → contact the event organisers to get an idea of their approach to inclusion → attend an event as an audience member → meet other community members → try performing independently or with your preferred support.
This allows you to gradually practice things individually that may be overwhelming all at once: arriving at a venue, finding the stage, setting up, introducing yourself, communicating with a sound engineer and packing everything away afterwards.
The performance itself is only one part of performing live.
Think about the whole journey
Accessibility does not begin when you reach the stage.
Think through the complete experience:
Home → transport → venue entrance → stage → performance → packing down → journey home.
Where are the difficult points?
For some musicians, performing may be relatively straightforward while transporting instruments is the biggest barrier. For somebody else, public transport might be manageable but finding the correct person in a crowded venue is difficult.
Identifying the particular points where you need support makes it easier to find practical solutions.
Share knowledge with other musicians
One of the most useful resources available to blind and partially sighted musicians is often another musician who has already encountered the same problem.
Someone may already have worked out:
- how to use a particular piece of equipment;
- how to organise a compact live setup;
- how to approach an unfamiliar venue;
- how to communicate access requirements to organisers.
Peer networks can connect musicians with very different strengths. An experienced performer may have valuable advice about live work while somebody else may know much more about accessible recording technology.
You do not need to know everything yourself.
Consider creating accessible music opportunities locally
If mainstream performance environments in your area are difficult to access, could you work with local venues, musicians and community organisations to create something better?
Such an environment does not have to be exclusively for blind and partially sighted people. Many accessibility improvements can also benefit musicians who experience anxiety, disabled musicians, neurodivergent performers, beginners and anyone unfamiliar with conventional performance environments.
Most importantly: find what works for you
There is no single correct way to be a blind or partially sighted musician.
One person may travel independently and want assistance only when setting up equipment. Another may work with a regular sighted musician or driver. Someone may use a sophisticated MIDI controller and computer setup, while somebody else may prefer an acoustic guitar, or just to sing.
The aim is not to prove that you can do every part of the process without assistance.
The aim is to create a way of working that lets you concentrate as much of your time and energy as possible on making music.
Accessibility can mean changing an environment, changing a process, choosing different technology or simply having the right person available at the right moment.
Finding those adjustments — and sharing them with other musicians — can make performing and collaborating much more achievable.
