DESIGN, IMPLEMENTATION, AND EVALUATION OF AN ACCESSIBLE DIGITAL MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS FOR MUSIC INCLUSION

This Ph.D. thesis investigates accessibility in music from both a theoretical–design perspective and a technological–practical one. The research is structured into two main parts. The first explores accessibility in music as a cultural, social, and design challenge, addressing how musical practices, materials, and technologies are often shaped around normative assumptions that exclude a wide range of bodies, abilities, and forms of interaction. Furthermore, this part explores how advanced digital formats, specifically IEEE 1599 multilayered representations, and the MIDI 2.0 expandend protocol can serve as transformative tools to foster autonomy and unlock music archives for users with diverse needs. The second part documents the core original contribution of this research: the design, implementation, and evaluation of an inclusive MIDI controller, a type of Accessible Digital Musical Instrument, developed within an industrial Ph.D. framework in collaboration with Audio Modeling S.r.l.. Conceived as a flexible hardware/software ecosystem, it aims to adapt to different motor, sensory, and cognitive abilities. The instrument is designed to foster musical expression, learning, and collaboration, while reducing barriers imposed by conventional musical interfaces and production environments. The proposed system is validated through initial observational studies and usability tests, demonstrating its potential as an enabling tool for music inclusion in educational, creative, and professional contexts.