The Lime Lighter
Music-Reading Solution for People with Low Vision
Are you struggling to see the notes? The Lime Lighter from Dancing Dots lets people with low vision read print music with ease, clarity and comfort. If any of the following applies to you, then The Lime Lighter is the solution for you.
- I used to love to play the piano, but I don t play anymore since I cannot clearly see the music on the music rack.
- I want to play in our school band, but I have to enlarge the sheet music so much that it falls off the music stand.
- I enjoy singing in our church choir and community chorus, but I struggle to see the music.
- My dyslexia makes it hard to read sheet music. Color contrasts would help me distinguish one note from another.
Read your music clearly with Lime Lighter and feel nothing but the joy of making music once again.
One-minute Video
Overview of Lime Lighter solution for low vision (partially sighted) performers.
Download a Timed Evaluation Version of Lime Lighter Software
Download your free, timed evaluation version of the Lime Lighter software.
What is Lime Lighter?
Dancing Dots publishes a version of the Lime notation software called Lime Lighter that has special scrolling and magnification features to enable performers with low vision to read and to write music notation. We bundle it with hardware made by others such as the 2-in-1 laptop-tablet PC from Dell and the wireless pedal board from AirTurn. You can order a PC with all software loaded (Lime Lighter Leggiero models) or you can order just the software and the 4-switch pedal board (Lime Lighter Liberty). All the machines we bundle with our software run Windows 11 and you can use them to do anything one can do with a powerful Windows 11 PC.
Which Model of Lime Lighter is Best for Me?
The information below is intended to help you to determine if The Lime Lighter technology is for you. We know that low vision conditions are rarely simple. Please review this page and then contact us for a consultation on which model of The Lime Lighter might be right for you.
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All models include special version of the Lime music notation software for reading and writing magnified music as well as music OCR software and the 4-switch wireless pedal board.
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Option to invert video and even display each of the 7 notes of the scale in a different color.
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Lime Lighter Leggiero: Musicians with low vision will appreciate this portable, 16-inch, 2-in-1, touch screen tablet/laptop PC weighing 6.2 pounds, about one inch thick, that runs on A. C. power or for at least 3 hours on an internal, rechargeable battery. Mount on conventional music stand or piano music rack.
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Lime Lighter Liberty: Run Lime Lighter software using the computer and monitor of your choice.
"Our sixth-grade saxophonist struggled to keep up with the group in the beginning of the last academic year. But once we got the Lime Lighter into her hands, we began to see huge improvements." M.G. Texas
Attention Lime Lighter Customers running Lime 9.13: Major Upgrade to Lime Lighter Software Now Available
If you are running Lime 9.13 with your Lime Lighter, upgrade to the latest Lime Lighter software which includes numerous improvements and bug fixes such as support for a wireless pedal, option to scroll automatically, selective adjustment of appearance of score components such as staff lines and stem signs (modified stave notation), and new touch gestures for navigating quickly through the score.
Click here for a complete list of features and to place your order.
How does it Work?
After you set your preferences for magnification and screen color, press the pedal to start manual scrolling mode. A focus rectangle indicates current measure. Press pedal to bring next bar of music into view. Music tracks to your eye.
Alternatively, press pedal to initiate automatic scrolling. Increase or decrease scrolling rate with one of the four pedals.
Features
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Read magnified music hands-free. Keep your hands on your instrument while you scroll the score using the pedal.
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Displays magnified print music notation from zoom level of 1 to 10.
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Markup your music on the screen using your finger, the wireless mouse or with the special stylus.
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Practice option: play along while Lime Lighter automatically scrolls & play the piece at your desired tempo. Easily disable playback feature any time.
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Optionally use third-party magnification software such as ZoomText Fusion or Windows Magnifier to read text in The Lime Lighter's program menus and dialogs or to modify the foreground and background colors of the music.
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Composers and arrangers can use The Lime Lighter to enter, revise and print out their musical ideas. That is, you can both read and write your music in an accessible environment.
Call Dancing Dots at 610 783-6692 to discuss your requirements for magnifying print music. If you are ready to order now, you may order online below.
Simulation of Reading Music with The Lime Lighter
View one of the videos below to simulate the experience of reading music with The Lime Lighter. Maximum zoom level is 10x. Be aware of the actual size and zoom level that is described in the simulations and match the staff size indicated as closely as you can with what you see in the simulations.
Best to view these simulations on a monitor with a wide aspect ratio. Watching this video is like looking over someone's shoulder who is reading music on his Lime Lighter by pressing the pedal when he is ready to move to the next measure. Musical playback is for practice sessions and easily muted.
If the notation in the videos below seems too small, remember that these videos display notation at 8x (8 times standard size). Lime Lighter can display at the even larger size of 10x and, with some additional techniques, even somewhat larger than 10x. Of course, if the notes actually seem to be too big, remember that you can always change the zoom level to a lower magnification level.
More Information on The Lime Lighter
The Lime Lighter displays printed music notation using the traditional five-line staff.
Zoom feature allows you to magnify the music up to roughly 10 times the original size. You can even edit the music and print it out. But, for most low vision people, this technology will be of interest as a way of reading music comfortably. Low vision features provide the special selective magnification needed to display enlarged music in the proper proportions from zoom levels 1.25X up to 10x.
To more easily read text in program menus and dialogs, you have the option to use the built-in Windows Magnifier or third-party magnification programs such as ZoomText. Lime Lighter offers basic options to invert colors or You may want to use other programs to invert the screen image or to change background and foreground colors.
Marking the Music
Using your finger, you can draw directly on the Lime Lighter's screen. You can also use the wireless mouse to mark up your score. The software displays your markings and saves them for display each time you open that file.
For example, if your teacher or the conductor tells you to circle a certain note or cross-out a particular measure, you can draw on the screen just as 20-20 musicians would take a pencil and mark their paper score. If you should need to change your magnification (Zoom) level, the system scales the size of your marking to the new magnification level.
Preparing Music to Be Displayed
Assistance from a fully sighted musician may be necessary.
The Lime Lighter comes equipped with music OCR software which scans print music using any standard scanner. The Lime software imports the results of the scan and displays the music according to your preferences for magnification. It is even possible to listen to your PC perform the music as an aid to learning your part.
A second way to get music into Lime is to import MusicXML files created by other programs. More and more MusicXML scores are becoming available for download from the internet for little or no cost. Popular notation programs like Finale and Sibelius can now export music in the form of MusicXML.
Lastly, you have the option to enter music directly into Lime by typing on the PC keyboard or by playing on an electronic musical keyboard attached to your PC.
Included with The Lime Lighter
Feature Comparison of Lime Lighter Models
All models include special version of the Lime music notation software for reading and writing magnified music, music OCR software, and wireless pedal board. See lists of specific features for each model below. Refer to the
Lime Lighter Feature Comparison Chart
to quickly determine which model has which feature.
Join our online listserv forum to ask questions of experienced Lime Lighter users. Both users and prospective users welcome.
Order Your Lime Lighter
Lime Lighter Leggiero (for singers, keyboard players, all instrumentalists)
The Leggiero model of Lime Lighter is the most portable music-reading solution for low vision performers yet.
Software comes installed on a Dell 2-in-1 laptop tablet PC. It has a 16-inch wide touch screen, weighs about 6 pounds, and is less than one inch thick.
It runs on A. C. power or for at least 3 hours on an internal, rechargeable battery.
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6-pound, 16-inch 2-in-1 Touch screen Windows PC
- Runs on AC power or for up to 3 hours on internal, rechargeable battery.
- 2-in-1, Multi-Touch screen, flat-laptop-tablet PC
- Video display: 16-inch in diagonal width
- Full HD touch display
- Weight: 6.2 lbs
- Mounts easily on a sturdy music stand or keyboard rack.
- Run it as a conventional laptop or fold screen over to run as a Windows touch tablet PC.
- 4-switch wireless pedal board
- Lime software with custom music magnification and mark up features
- SharpEye Music Reader: music OCR software for scanning scores to be read with The Lime Lighter
- Dancing Dots will install and configure all software, including (on request) any screen reader or third-party magnification programs, before shipping the unit to you.
- Option to have Dancing Dots prepare up to 5 pages of your print music collection to be ready to read with your Lime Lighter on delivery. Offer expires 45 days after shipping date.
- Two-hour remote training and orientation consultation with Dancing Dots after you take delivery. We connect by phone and, with your permission, to your Lime Lighter via internet connection. Some of this time may involve you reviewing video material followed by a live Q&A session with a Dancing Dots staff member.
Order now $2,995 (+ Shipping $60 - Use
Lime Lighter U.S.
shipping method)
30-Day Return Policy. Returns subject to a restocking fee.
Order the optional carrying case for the Leggiero model only.
Case holds your Lime Lighter PC, its power supply, and 4-switch pedal board with room to spare.
Price: $79
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Lime Lighter Liberty (Use on any PC. Touch capability and screen of minimum diagonal width of 16 inches (41 centimeters) recommended.)
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Wireless 4-switch pedal board
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Lime software with custom music magnification and mark up features
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SharpEye Music Reader: music OCR software for scanning scores to be read with The Lime Lighter
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Install Lime Lighter software on your own Windows PC. Contact Dancing Dots for price quote if you need a compatible laptop or desktop PC.
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Option to have Dancing Dots prepare up to 5 pages of your print music collection to be ready to read with Lime Lighter liberty software on delivery. Offer expires 45 days after shipping date.
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Two-hour remote training and orientation consultation with Dancing Dots after you take delivery. We connect by phone and, with your permission, to your PC via internet connection. Some of this time may involve you reviewing video material followed by a live Q&A session with a Dancing Dots staff member.
Order now. $1,595 Software only available by electronic delivery.
"Liberty" includes software plus pedal; please include a physical address for shipping the pedal.(+ use a UPS shipping method)
Lime Lighter Liberty Subscription Option
Instead of purchasing a perpetual license for the software, you have the option to subscribe annually or monthly at a lower cost.
To ask any questions you may have or to order your Lime Lighter, please call Dancing Dots at +1 610 783 6692.
Dealers and Demonstration Sites for The Lime Lighter
Call to make an appointment to visit the sites below. You may also ask about the possibility of someone visiting your home or work place to give a presentation on The Lime Lighter. Remember, you can download a free evaluation copy that authorizes all Lime Lighter features for 15 days.
Complementary Text Magnification Software
ZoomText Fusion Professional (Magnifier and Speech)
Magnification software for the vision impaired for Windows 11 and earlier.
Hardware Accessories
Canon LIDE series Scanner
Price: $139
Back to Dancing Dots home page.
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