More than a decade after he went viral as the world’s fastest drummer, using a custom-built bionic arm, Jason Barnes is leveraging technology to help people with disabilities record their own music. His year-old nonprofit, Cybernetic Sound, provides access to adaptive instruments, innovative prosthetics, and pro-caliber studio tools. It also offers disabled creators education, mentorship, and a sense of community.
“The goal is to provide a space, create a movement, and let people do what they love, which is music,” says Barnes. He didn’t have that sense of belonging after losing his right hand in an electrical accident in 2012. That’s a big part of his motivation to bring disabled musicians together.
We caught up with Barnes earlier this year to learn more about Cybernetic. For a longer version of this interview, check out our newsletter (which you can subscribe to for free!).
How did Cybernetic Sound originate?
After I became an amputee, I started working with Georgia Tech to develop drumming prosthetics. I did a short documentary that Google put out on YouTube, and a lot of people saw it. I had people contact me from all over the world saying they want to learn how to play drums but they don’t think they ever can, or they were once a musician but now they can’t play because of a disability. So I decided, why not start a nonprofit to teach musicians with challenges how to produce records and play instruments?
What sort of support do you provide?
We provide a workspace and an area for them to learn and experiment. We provide adaptive equipment, such as custom prosthetics and adaptive software like eye-tracking software or voice-control software. We also utilize different MIDI instruments, such as the Arcana Strum. And we have some proprietary things. For example, I am making a prosthesis for playing guitar. The long-term goal with what we’re doing is to create momentum so big music companies like Gibson will have adaptive guitars and other instruments.
What does the talent pool of musicians with disabilities look like?
We’ve encountered a lot of people who were born a certain way and always wanted to do something musically but couldn’t get any support and just gave up. Then we’ve had people who played an instrument before becoming disabled. One of our clients is a drummer who was in a car accident and had one of his hands amputated. I built him a version of my very first drumming prosthetic. He was a very talented drummer before the accident. Watching him get back on the kit was phenomenal.
Can people with disabilities develop unique styles that a nondisabled musician would never discover?
I have seen that with my own playing. The drumming prosthesis I developed at Georgia Tech can play 19 beats per second, and you can create interesting timbres with that that you wouldn’t even think to do before. And that is part of the goal. Why stop at giving somebody their life back? Why not add this extra sense of drive and creativity? What I’m seeing in this industry is that accessibility has become kind of cool. I see it coming slowly but surely, and I’m hoping the pace picks up.
For more info, log on at cyberneticsound.org.
