silent soul
DESCRIPTION
A conference about music for hearing impaired persons.TRANSCRIPT
SILENT SOULT he educa t ion o f how hea r ing impa i red peop le ca n hea r mu s ic
PLAY
S I L E N T S O U L
T he educa t ion
o f how hea r ing
impa i red peop le
ca n hea r mu s ic
by SWIN HUANG
S I LE N T S O U L G R O U P
201 T h i r d S t r e e t
S a n Fr a n c is co, C A 9 4103
Voi ce : 415-974 - 69 0 0
Fa x : 415-227-26 0 2
w w w. s i l en t s o u l .o rg
S I L E N T S O U L
S I L E N T S O U L
S I L E N T S O U L
SILENT SOUL: The educat ion of how deaf
people can hear music . Copyr ight © 2011
by Sw in Huang Design. Manifac tured in
Amer ica . Al l r ights reser ved. No other
par t of this book may be reproduced in
any other form or by any elec tronic or
mechanical means including information
storage and retr ieval systems w ithou t
permission of copy r ight holder.
What is music like when you can’t hear it? It’s a question that sounds like a philosophical debate on par with trees falling in the woods and single hands clapping, but this is not a question for rhetorical amusement, it’s something that audiophiles as well as hearing people in love with signed languages and Deaf culture have thought about in depth. What is the deaf person’s experience with an art form that is seemingly only valued by those with fully f u n c t i o n i n g
cochleas?
I N T R O D U C T I O N
Hearing loss is a condition where in the ability to detect certain frequencies of sound is completely or partially impaired. When applied to humans, the term hearing impaired is rejected by the deaf culture movement, where the terms deaf and hard-of-hearing are preferred.
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> > > > > > 0 1
H E A R I N G L O S S ?
H E A R I N G L O S S
S I L E N T S O U L
< < < < < < 0 2
Hearing sensitivity is indicated by the quietest sound that an animal can detect, called the hearing threshold. In the case of humans and some animals, this threshold can be accurately measured by a behavioral audiogram. A record is made of the quietest sound that consistently prompts a response from the listener. The test is carried out for sounds of different frequencies. There are also electro-physiological tests that can be performed without requiring a behavioral response.
Normal hearing thresholds within any given species are not the same for all frequencies. If different frequencies of sound are played at the same amplitude, some will be perceived as loud, and others quiet or even completely inaudible. Generally, if the gain or amplitude is increased, a sound is more likely to be perceived. Ordinarily, when animals use sound to communicate, hearing in that type of animal is most sensitive for the frequencies produced by calls, or in the case of humans, speech. All levels of the auditory system contribute to this sensitivity toward certain frequencies, from the outer ear’s physical characteristics to the nerves and tracts that convey the nerve impulses of the auditory portion of the brain.
A hearing loss exists when an animal has diminished sensitivity to the sounds normally heard by its species. In humans, the term hearing impairment is usually reserved for people who have relative insensitivity to sound in the speech frequencies. The severity of a hearing loss is categorized according to the increase in volume that must be made above the usual level before the listener can detect it. In profound deafness, even the loudest sounds that can be produced by an audiometer (an instrument used to measure hearing) may not be detected.
Another aspect to hearing involves the perceived clarity of a sound rather than its amplitude. In humans, that aspect is usually measured by tests of speech perception. These tests measure one’s ability to understand speech, not to merely detect sound. There are very rare types of hearing impairments which affect speech understanding alone.
D E F I N I T I O N
A hearing loss exists when an animal has d i m i n i s h e d sensitivity to the sounds normally heard by its species. In humans, the term hearing impairment is usually reserved for people who have relative i n s e n s i t i v i t y to sound in the speech
frequencies.
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H E A R I N G L O S S ?
S I L E N T S O U L
< < < < < < 0 4
Pu
nct
ure
s o
f th
e E
ard
rum
. He
arin
g lo
ss c
an
be
th
e r
esu
lt o
f a
ho
le i
n t
he
ea
rdru
m, w
hic
h co
uld
be
caus
ed b
y ei
ther
inju
ry o
r dis
ease
. Th
e e
ard
rum
is t
he
thin
me
mb
ran
e th
at s
ep
arat
es
the
ear
can
al a
nd
th
e m
idd
le e
ar. T
he
mid
dle
ear
is
co
nn
ect
ed
to
th
e th
roat
by
the
eu
stac
hia
n tu
be
, wh
ich
re
lie
ves
the
pre
ssu
re in
th
e m
idd
le
ear
. So
a h
ole
in t
he
ear
dru
m c
ause
s a
loss
of
he
arin
g a
nd
so
me
tim
es
flu
ids
can
dra
in f
rom
th
e e
ar. L
uck
ily
the
ear
dru
m u
sual
ly h
eal
s it
self
, al
tho
ug
h it
can
tak
e a
few
we
eks
or
mo
nth
s.
Wh
ile
th
e e
ard
rum
is
he
alin
g, i
t m
ust
be
pro
tect
ed
fro
m w
ate
r an
d f
rom
fu
rth
er
inju
rie
s.
If t
he
ear
dru
m d
oe
sn’t
he
al b
y it
self
, it
may
n
ee
d s
urg
ery
. Th
e am
ou
nt
of
he
arin
g t
hat
is lo
st
de
pe
nd
s o
n th
e si
ze o
f th
e h
ole
in t
he
ear
dru
m
and
a lo
t o
f o
the
r th
ing
s. In
juri
es
wh
ich
can
p
erf
ora
te t
he
ea
rdru
m i
ncl
ud
e:
01
Fo
reig
n o
bje
cts,
su
ch a
s Q
-tip
s o
r h
airp
ins,
w
hic
h a
re p
ush
ed
to
o f
ar in
to t
he
ear
can
al. 0
2
Exp
losi
on
s, w
hic
h c
ause
an
ab
rup
t an
d v
ery
b
ig c
han
ge
in t
he
air
pre
ssu
re, w
hic
h c
an c
ause
an
ear
dru
m t
o t
ear
. 03
Car
wre
cks,
fig
hts
, an
d sp
ort
ing
in
juri
es.
Dam
age
to t
he
aud
ito
ry n
erve
can
als
o b
e th
e re
sult
of
an
in
jury
or
a d
ise
ase
. In
juri
es
ca
n h
app
en
in a
uto
acc
ide
nts
or
fall
s. T
he
resu
lt o
f n
erv
e d
amag
e is
th
at t
he
ele
ctri
cal s
ign
als
of
sou
nd
s d
o n
ot
ge
t tr
ansm
itte
d f
rom
th
e e
ar
to t
he
bra
in.
A v
ery
co
mm
on
cau
se o
f d
eaf
ne
ss is
re
pe
ate
d
or
lon
g-t
erm
exp
osu
re t
o lo
ud
no
ises
. Th
is is
wh
y h
ea
vy
eq
uip
me
nt
op
era
tors
, fir
efi
gh
ters
, fa
cto
ry w
ork
ers
, an
d e
spe
cial
ly r
ock
mu
sici
ans
suff
er h
eari
ng
loss
es
afte
r ye
ars
of
thei
r w
ork
. U
sual
ly a
sin
gle
inci
de
nt
of
exp
osu
re t
o lo
ud
no
ise
s w
ill n
ot
cau
se d
eaf
ne
ss, b
ut
a re
pe
ate
d e
xpo
sure
to
lou
d n
ois
es o
ver
a p
erio
d o
f ti
me
will
o
fte
n ca
use
mo
de
rate
to
se
vere
he
arin
g lo
ss.
> > > > > > 0 5
H E A R I N G L O S S ?
Pu
nct
ure
s o
f th
e E
ard
rum
. He
arin
g lo
ss c
an
be
th
e r
esu
lt o
f a
ho
le i
n t
he
ea
rdru
m, w
hic
h co
uld
be
caus
ed b
y ei
ther
inju
ry o
r dis
ease
. Th
e e
ard
rum
is t
he
thin
me
mb
ran
e th
at s
ep
arat
es
the
ear
can
al a
nd
th
e m
idd
le e
ar. T
he
mid
dle
ear
is
co
nn
ect
ed
to
th
e th
roat
by
the
eu
stac
hia
n tu
be
, wh
ich
re
lie
ves
the
pre
ssu
re in
th
e m
idd
le
ear
. So
a h
ole
in t
he
ear
dru
m c
ause
s a
loss
of
he
arin
g a
nd
so
me
tim
es
flu
ids
can
dra
in f
rom
th
e e
ar. L
uck
ily
the
ear
dru
m u
sual
ly h
eal
s it
self
, al
tho
ug
h it
can
tak
e a
few
we
eks
or
mo
nth
s.
Wh
ile
th
e e
ard
rum
is
he
alin
g, i
t m
ust
be
pro
tect
ed
fro
m w
ate
r an
d f
rom
fu
rth
er
inju
rie
s.
If t
he
ear
dru
m d
oe
sn’t
he
al b
y it
self
, it
may
n
ee
d s
urg
ery
. Th
e am
ou
nt
of
he
arin
g t
hat
is lo
st
de
pe
nd
s o
n th
e si
ze o
f th
e h
ole
in t
he
ear
dru
m
and
a lo
t o
f o
the
r th
ing
s. In
juri
es
wh
ich
can
p
erf
ora
te t
he
ea
rdru
m i
ncl
ud
e:
01
Fo
reig
n o
bje
cts,
su
ch a
s Q
-tip
s o
r h
airp
ins,
w
hic
h a
re p
ush
ed
to
o f
ar in
to t
he
ear
can
al. 0
2
Exp
losi
on
s, w
hic
h c
ause
an
ab
rup
t an
d v
ery
b
ig c
han
ge
in t
he
air
pre
ssu
re, w
hic
h c
an c
ause
an
ear
dru
m t
o t
ear
. 03
Car
wre
cks,
fig
hts
, an
d sp
ort
ing
in
juri
es.
Dam
age
to t
he
aud
ito
ry n
erve
can
als
o b
e th
e re
sult
of
an
in
jury
or
a d
ise
ase
. In
juri
es
ca
n h
app
en
in a
uto
acc
ide
nts
or
fall
s. T
he
resu
lt o
f n
erv
e d
amag
e is
th
at t
he
ele
ctri
cal s
ign
als
of
sou
nd
s d
o n
ot
ge
t tr
ansm
itte
d f
rom
th
e e
ar
to t
he
bra
in.
A v
ery
co
mm
on
cau
se o
f d
eaf
ne
ss is
re
pe
ate
d
or
lon
g-t
erm
exp
osu
re t
o lo
ud
no
ises
. Th
is is
wh
y h
ea
vy
eq
uip
me
nt
op
era
tors
, fir
efi
gh
ters
, fa
cto
ry w
ork
ers
, an
d e
spe
cial
ly r
ock
mu
sici
ans
suff
er h
eari
ng
loss
es
afte
r ye
ars
of
thei
r w
ork
. U
sual
ly a
sin
gle
inci
de
nt
of
exp
osu
re t
o lo
ud
no
ise
s w
ill n
ot
cau
se d
eaf
ne
ss, b
ut
a re
pe
ate
d e
xpo
sure
to
lou
d n
ois
es o
ver
a p
erio
d o
f ti
me
will
o
fte
n ca
use
mo
de
rate
to
se
vere
he
arin
g lo
ss.
Som
e p
eop
le a
re b
orn
dea
f. U
sual
ly t
he
caus
e is
un
kno
wn
. So
met
imes
peo
ple
will
say
it’s
bec
ause
o
f so
me
thin
g t
hat
hap
pe
ne
d t
o t
he
mo
the
r d
uri
ng
he
r p
reg
na
nc
y, b
ut
this
is
oft
en
ju
st
gue
ssin
g. A
lth
oug
h d
eafn
ess
do
es s
om
etim
es
“ru
n in
fam
ilies
,” h
eari
ng
imp
aire
d p
aren
ts o
ften
h
ave
hea
rin
g ch
ild
ren
an
d h
ea
rin
g p
are
nts
o
fte
n h
ave
he
arin
g im
pai
red
ch
ildre
n.
Ear
infe
ctio
ns
are
dis
eas
es
wh
ich
can
cau
se
flu
id o
r m
uc
us
to b
uil
d u
p i
nsi
de
th
e e
ar.
If
pre
ssu
re b
uild
s u
p in
sid
e th
e e
ar, t
he
ear
dru
m is
le
ss f
lexi
ble
th
an it
sh
ou
ld b
e. A
s th
e e
ar h
eal
s,
the
flu
ids
dra
in o
ut
of
the
ear
or
are
abso
rbe
d in
to t
he
bo
dy.
So
me
he
arin
g m
ay b
e lo
st d
uri
ng
the
infe
ctio
n; i
t m
ay o
r m
ay n
ot
retu
rn w
he
n th
e in
fect
ion
is h
eal
ed
.
Oto
scle
rosi
s is
a c
om
mo
n ca
use
of
he
arin
g lo
ss. A
lth
ou
gh
in t
he
pas
t p
eo
ple
hav
e th
ou
gh
t th
at it
was
cau
sed
by
dis
ease
s su
ch a
s sc
arle
t fe
ver,
mea
sle
s, a
nd
ear
infe
ctio
ns,
in f
act
the
se
hav
e n
oth
ing
to d
o w
ith
its
de
velo
pm
ent.
It is
a
her
ed
itar
y d
isea
se in
wh
ich
po
rtio
ns
of
the
mid
dle
ear
or i
nn
er e
ar d
evel
op
gro
wth
s lik
e b
on
y sp
on
ge
s. T
he
dis
eas
e ca
n b
e in
th
e m
idd
le e
ar,
the
inn
er e
ar, o
r bo
th p
lace
s. W
hen
it s
pre
ads
to
the
inn
er e
ar a
sen
sori
neu
ral h
eari
ng
imp
airm
ent
may
dev
elo
p. O
nce
thi
s d
evel
op
s, it
is p
erm
anen
t.
If it
is in
th
e st
ape
s b
on
e, in
th
e m
idd
le e
ar, i
t ca
n ca
use
a co
nd
ucti
ve h
eari
ng
loss
. Th
e am
oun
t o
f h
ear
ing
loss
de
pe
nd
s o
n t
he
amo
un
t o
f o
tosc
lero
sis
in t
he
are
a.
Me
nin
git
is i
s a
n i
nfl
am
ma
tio
n o
f th
e m
emb
ran
e (c
alle
d th
e m
enin
ges
) th
at s
urr
ou
nd
s th
e b
rain
an
d t
he
spin
al c
olu
mn
. Me
nin
git
is
itse
lf d
oe
sn’t
ca
use
de
afn
ess
, b
ut
sin
ce t
he
bra
in i
s so
clo
se t
o t
he
ear
s, s
om
eti
me
s th
e in
flam
mat
ion
of
the
men
ing
es c
an c
ause
th
e in
ne
r e
ar t
o b
eco
me
infl
ame
d a
lso
, an
d t
his
can
re
sult
in
de
afn
ess
.
C A U S E O F H E A R I N G L O SS
S I L E N T S O U L
< < < < < < 0 6
MILD for adults : bet ween 26 and 4 0 dB HL
MODER ATE : bet ween 41 and 55 dB HL
SEVERE : bet ween 71 and 90 dB HL
MILD for children : bet ween 20 and 4 0 dB HL
MODER ATELY SEVERE : bet ween 56 and 70 dB HL
PROFOUND : 90 dB HL or grea ter
> > > > > > 0 7
H E A R I N G L O S S ?
Q U A L I F I C A T I O N O F H E A R I N G L O S S
Hearing sensitivity varies according to the frequency of sounds. To take this
into account, hearing sensitivity can be measured for a range of frequencies and
plotted on an audiogram.
For certain legal purposes such as insurance claims, hearing impairments
are described in terms of percentages. Given that hearing impairments can vary
by frequency and that audiograms are plotted with a logarithmic scale, the
idea of a percentage of hearing loss is somewhat arbitrary, but where decibels
of loss are converted via a recognized legal formula, it is possible to calculate
a standardized “percentage of hearing loss” which is suitable for legal purposes.
Another method for quantifying hearing impairments is a speech-in-noise test. As the name implies, a speech-in-noise test will give you an indication of how well you can understand speech in a noisy env ironment. A person with a hearing loss will often be less able to understand speech, especially in noisy conditions. This is especially true for people who have a sensorineural loss – which is by far the most common type of hearing loss. As such, speech-in-noise tests can provide valuable information about a person’s hearing ability, and can be used to detect the presence of a sensorineural hearing loss.
S I L E N T S O U L
< < < < < < 0 8
> > > > > > 0 9
H E A R I N G L O S S ?
S I L E N T S O U L
< < < < < < 1 0
Music is an art form whose medium is sound. Common elements of music are pitch (which governs melody and harmony), rhythm (and its associated concepts tempo, meter, and articulation), dynamics, and the sonic qualit ies of timbre and texture.
02
> > > > > > 1 1
W H A T I S M U S I C ?
W H A T I SM U S I C ?
S I L E N T S O U L
< < < < < < 1 2
‘What is music?’ has no ultimately fixed answer, because although music can be defined in mechanistic terms as merely vibrations that are detected by the organ of Corti and assimilated by the brain’s cortex into what we hear, that is still only half the story. It is no accident that the Latin word for breath – that prerequisite of music – is spirits, for music invokes the spiritual in us. It is of the spirit and so is universal, other-worldly, nebulous and freely evolving. What a wonderful gift to humanity.
Music has been an accompaniment to our life. It would be impossible for us to even try and conceptualise a world without music. If you have a natural aptitude and appreciation for it, then music simply draws you to it and connects. Watch a baby nodding her head, clapping her hands, or bouncing in response to a rhythm or melody.
Songs in particular contain something profoundly elemental. The singer actually ‘becomes’ the instrument, or vehicle of communication and expression. Through the combination of voice, lyrical content and poetic structure, melody, rhythm, the nuance of combined tonal qualities and phrasing within the breath, singers can transmit and translate thoughts and feelings, potentially elevating and transporting both the singer and the listener to another realm. Music really can lead us into another dimension.
Music also tells stories, breaks hearts, reduces us to tears, or seduces us into fall ing in love, over and over and over again. Music is a universal language. A human creation from a divine source… perhaps. Music is a mystery, a code. A vehicle of spirit and soul. It is perceived through ‘hearing’ the vibration of sound, the most sublime resonance – from the eardrum to the brain. Music moves us beyond intellect to the heart-centre. I’m not a music ‘expert’. I ’m a music lover... A discoverer, an explorer. Music for me is pure ‘potentiality’. I can engage with it. I can commune with it. Sometimes, if I’m open to it, it takes me by surprise, and I step out of myself. Music is a friend, a companion, a guide and a teacher. A challenge, a landscape, a palette, a texture, a shape. Music is chord structure, harmony or dissonance.
To many people in many cultures music is an important part of their way of life. Greek p h i l o s o p h e r s and ancient I n d i a n p h i l o s o p h e r s defined music as tones ordered h o r i z o n t a l l y as melodies and vertically as harmonies. Common sayings such as “the harmony of the spheres” and “it is music to my ears” point to the notion that music is often ordered and pleasant to
listen to.
D E F I N I T I O N
> > > > > > 1 3
W H A T I S M U S I C ?
S I L E N T S O U L
< < < < < < 1 4
T E M P O A N D R H Y T H M
> > > > > > 1 5
W H A T I S M U S I C ?
T E M P O A N D R H Y T H M
To il
lust
rate
thi
s, n
ote
th
at m
arch
es a
re in
dup
le
tim
e (2
/4 o
r 4/4
) g
ivin
g th
at “
left
, ...,
left
, ...,
left
, ri
gh
t, le
ft, .
..” f
eel
. In
con
tras
t to
th
is 3
/4 t
ime
seem
s to
co
mp
lete
ly la
ck t
hat
left
-rig
ht
feel
, an
d w
e th
eref
ore
fre
que
ntl
y as
soci
ate
it w
ith
circ
ular
m
oti
on
s, li
ke s
wir
ling
wal
tzes
, or r
oun
dab
ou
ts a
t th
e fu
n-f
air.
Mu
sic
sug
ge
stin
g a
ho
rse
gal
lop
ing
or
a tr
ain
rid
e is
fas
t w
ith
mo
re c
om
pli
cate
d rh
yth
ms
rep
rese
nti
ng
4 le
gs
or
seve
ral s
ets
o
f w
hee
ls. T
his
late
r exa
mp
le il
lust
rate
s th
at
wh
ile t
em
po
se
ts t
he
bas
ic p
ace
of
mu
sic,
th
ere
ar
e m
any
way
s in
whi
ch c
om
po
sers
can
alt
er a
nd
adju
st t
his
usi
ng
dif
fere
nt
no
te p
atte
rns
or
rhyt
hm
s. S
ynco
pat
ion
is a
fam
iliar
exa
mp
le w
ith
no
tes
unex
pec
ted
ly la
nd
ing
“off
th
e b
eat”
, whi
ch
add
s co
mp
lexi
ty a
nd
inte
rest
to
a b
asic
be
at,
oft
en
tu
rnin
g a
sim
ple
mar
ch t
em
po
into
a
jaun
ty s
wag
ger
(see
Rag
tim
e). T
he
rhyt
hm
of
mu
sic
can
qu
alif
y th
e re
pe
titi
ve n
atu
re o
f th
e u
nd
erl
yin
g b
eat
by
sug
ge
stin
g m
ore
or
less
fr
eque
nt m
ove
men
t. E
ven
tho
ugh
the
tem
po
of
a p
iece
of
mu
sic
mig
ht
be
slo
w a
nd
re
laxe
d, a
hi
gh
freq
uen
cy o
f n
ote
s ca
n su
gg
est a
deg
ree
of
con
tain
ed e
xcit
emen
t wit
hin
that
rel
axed
sta
te.
Bu
t th
e co
mb
inat
ion
of
Tem
po
and
Rh
yth
m h
as a
n im
med
iate
ph
ysic
al im
pac
t on
our
per
cep
tio
ns.
Mu
sic
ten
ds
to h
ave
a st
ead
y te
mp
o to
it,
oft
en m
easu
red
in “
bea
ts p
er m
inu
te”.
A s
imp
le
ob
serv
atio
n is
th
at m
ost
mus
ic is
in t
he
ran
ge
o
f 5
0-2
00
be
ats
pe
r m
inu
te, t
he
sa
me
as
the
ext
rem
e ra
ng
e o
f o
ur h
eart
bea
ts. I
n g
ener
al
too
, th
e t
em
po
of
a p
iece
of
mu
sic
rou
gh
ly
equa
tes
wit
h th
e h
eart
bea
t ass
oci
ated
wit
h th
e co
rre
spo
nd
ing
ph
ysic
al s
tate
or
em
oti
on
wh
ich
the
mu
sic
sug
ge
sts.
An
ythi
ng
in t
he
ran
ge
60
-80
bea
ts p
er m
inu
te
is c
alm
an
d r
ela
xed
, le
ss t
han
60
is o
fte
n v
ery
re
laxe
d, i
ntr
osp
ec
tive
or
eve
n d
ep
ress
ed
. 8
0-1
00
is m
od
era
tely
ale
rt a
nd
inte
rest
ed
. 10
0
upw
ard
s is
incr
easi
ng
ly li
vely
, exc
ited
or a
git
ated
an
d, s
ince
we
crav
e so
me
deg
ree
of
exci
tem
ent
fro
m o
ur
en
tert
ain
me
nt,
80
-12
0 i
s q
uit
e a
co
mm
on
tem
po,
an
d ev
en 1
20
-16
0 is
co
mm
on
in
som
e en
erg
etic
sit
uati
on
s. W
e’re
no
t say
ing
that
th
ere
is a
n a
bso
lute
co
rre
spo
nd
en
ce b
etw
ee
n h
eart
bea
t an
d m
usic
tem
po,
bu
t th
ere
is a
str
on
g d
egre
e o
f su
gg
esti
on
bet
wee
n th
e tw
o. M
usic
m
ove
s in
tim
e a
nd
su
gg
est
s m
ove
me
nt,
an
d w
e te
nd
to a
sso
ciat
e m
usic
un
con
scio
usly
wit
h m
ove
me
nts
mad
e b
y o
ur
bo
die
s w
hil
e ta
lkin
g,
wal
kin
g, d
anci
ng
, rid
ing
, etc
.
S I L E N T S O U L
< < < < < < 1 6
> > > > > > 1 7
W H A T I S M U S I C ?
S I L E N T S O U L
< < < < < < 1 8
P I T C H, M E L O D Y A N D H A R M O N Y
> > > > > > 1 9
W H A T I S M U S I C ?
Lots of things make noises but in general bigger objects make deeper noises, whether long columns of air or long strings in a musical instrument, big chests, large animal footsteps, or simply
large objects generally banging together. Conversely, smaller instruments, short columns of air, short strings, small animals or objects make higher pitched noises. We tend to find large things more
threatening than smaller things (part of our evolutionary heritage) so pitch on its own can affect how we perceive sounds and music, providing a basic scale from “high = light, happy, carefree” to “low =
dark, sad, ominous”. So Pitch on its own affects our perceptions.
A Melody consists of a linear sequence of tones. A good melody (even if it doesn’t have words) is often one that we could hum, sing or whistle. In general we prefer melodies where the tones are
reasonably close together, with a variety of nice harmonious intervals between them, and a rhythm similar to that of speech. The notes should not be in an extreme range and shouldn’t have large
awkward jumps between them. The notes should also have durations which are not too short and not too long (often in the range of 0.1 second to 2 seconds). In this way melodies are very similar to
sentences that our brains are designed to speak and listen to, although instrumental musical can stretch those boundaries a little.
Unusual things happen when we combine tones of different pitches, called Harmony. Some combinations go well together and some don’t. Those notes which combine well seem to be close
to what’s called the “harmonic sequence”. The harmonic sequence is the completely natural set of different notes produced by something vibrating, and is most easily demonstrated musically using
brass instruments. The lowest notes of this series are like those produced by a “natural” (without keys) instrument such as a bugle, and include octaves, fifths and thirds. These are just the notes
which go well together to make “harmonious” sounds like major chords. On a stringed instrument you can demonstrate the lower notes of the harmonic series by playing the strongest “harmonics” of the
strings which divide the length into fractions like halves, thirds, quarters, fifths, etc. These harmonics are always present to varying degrees within all notes, and their proportions help to give sounds
their unique colour or tone.
A minor chord differs from a major one by using a “minor third” interval. The minor third is further up the harmonic sequence and therefore sounds remote from the original note, which goes to make
the minor chord sound darker and less natural. Other combinations of notes are even more remote on this sequence and can give rise to musical clashes or “dischords”. It is worth observing at this point
that our equal-tempered method of dividing a music octave into 12 identical intervals produces some notes which are only approximately the exact values of the harmonic series, but nevertheless close
enough to deceive most ears. Our long exposure to music based on these 12 notes means that they sound normal anyway.
We tend to find large things more t h r e a t e n i n g than smaller things (part of our e v o l u t i o n a r y heritage) so pitch on its own can affect how we perceive s o u n d s and music, providing a basic scale from “high = light, happy, carefree” to “low = dark, sad, ominous”
S I L E N T S O U L
< < < < < < 2 0
MU S I C F O R S I L E N T W O R L D
> > > > > > 2 1
M U S I C F O R A S I L E N T W O R L D
What hearing people who work with the hearing impaired people think of music is not what we hearing impaired people think. We value eyes, hands, motion, and rhythm. These things are the basic elements of daily , language, and art in deaf culture. Voices,
03 M U S I C F O R A S I L E N T W O R L D
S I L E N T S O U L
< < < < < < 2 2
What is music like when you can’t hear it? It’s a question that sounds like a philosophical debate on par with trees falling in the woods and single hands clapping, but this is not a question for rhetorical amusement, it’s something that audiophiles as well as hearing people in love with signed languages and Deaf culture have thought about in depth. What is the deaf person’s experience with an art form that is seemingly only valued by those with fully functioning cochleas?
There is a notion that music is only heard and thus, can only appreciated by the hearing. However, deaf people have a unique and challenging perspective to music that has seldom been explored outside of deaf communities. With in the deaf and hard of hearing world, there are people not only creating music, but people who love and make music a part of their lives. In this world, the various shades of gray are celebrated as the spectrum of deafness, from slightly hard of hearing to “stone deaf” are all part of this community. The experience of sound can be different for many people who’s abilities with hearing are not clearly identified in terms that hearing people are used to. It is never an either/or experience, and definitely not something that the hearing world can understand completely. Most assume deaf people enjoy music solely by tactile sensations, but going beyond feeling vibrations, what is the experience of music like for someone who doesn’t hear or least like we do?
W H E N
T H E D E A F M E E T S M U S I C
Music i s felt on a physica l level by e v e r y o n e . Get t ing a buzz ing in our core when the bass i s plucked or feel ing the power of a drum that mimics our l i fe force is
un iversa l.
> > > > > > 2 3
M U S I C F O R A S I L E N T W O R L D
Music is felt on a physical level by everyone. Getting a buzzing in our core when the bass is plucked or feeling the power of a drum that mimics our life force is universal. A hearing person can only try
to imagine the sensations that are much more developed in a deaf person. One can try touching the ground and placing a back against walls at shows trying to see if they can tell the difference in rhythm and the type of instrument being played by the feelings that hum along the body when the music infiltrates the molecules in the walls and in ourselves as well. Earplugs are commonly used to protect hearing, but also can be used to try to get as close to heard of hearing as possible for anyone curious
to what it might be like to only be able to feel music. Someone who is hearing can switch back and forth from listening and feeling, yet somehow can not have one with out the other and will almost
always wind up frustrating as they will hear the music much easier than they can feel it. As someone with no problem responding to sound I often wonder what happens when music meets deaf ears
attached to a hearing body?
S I L E N T S O U L
< < < < < < 2 4
H e a r i n g i m p a i r e d people sense vibration in the part of the brain that other people use for hearing – which helps explain how hearing i m p a i r e d m u s i c i a n s can sense music, and how hearing i m p a i r e d people can enjoy concerts and other musical events.
B R A I N S O F
D E A F P E O P L E R E W I R E T O H E A R M U S I C
“The brain is incredibly adaptable. In someone who is hearing impaired, the young brain takes advantage of valuable real estate in the brain by processing v ibrations in the par t of the brain that would other wise be used to process sound,” Shibata says.
Shibata performed the research while on the faculty at the University of Rochester School of Medicine in New York. The hearing impaired students in the study came from the National Technical Institute of the Deaf at the Rochester Institute of Technology. Shibata used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to compare brain activity between 10 volunteers from the college and 11 volunteers with normal hearing. They agreed to let Shibata scan their brains while subjected to intermittent vibrations on their hands.
Both groups showed brain activity in the part of the brain that normally processes vibrations. But in addition, the hearing impaired students showed brain activity in a golf ball-sized area, the auditory cortex, otherwise usually only active during auditory stimulation. The people with normal hearing did not show such brain activity. “These findings illustrate how altered experience can affect brain organization. It was once thought that brains were just hard-wired at birth, and particular areas of the brain always did one function, no matter what else happened. It turns out that, fortunately, our genes do not directly dictate the wiring of our brains. Our genes do provide a developmental strategy – all the parts of the brain will be used to maximal efficiency,” Shibata says.
The findings may explain how hearing impaired people can enjoy music and how some become performers. Shibata uses an example from the National Technical Institute of the Deaf in Rochester, a college where musical productions are an important part of the deaf culture. Audience members attending musicals are provided with balloons which they can hold on their fingertips in order to “feel” the musical vibrations.
“Vibrational information has essentially the same features as sound information – so it makes sense that in the deaf, one modality may replace the other modality in the same processing area of the brain. It’s the nature of the information, not the modality of the information, that seems to be important to the developing brain.”
> > > > > > 2 5
M U S I C F O R A S I L E N T W O R L D
Neurosurgeons should be aware of the findings before performing surgery on a hearing impaired patient; in particular, a surgeon should be careful while operating around a hearing impaired person’s
auditory cortex, since it clearly does have a function, Shibata says.
In addition, Shibata says, the research is important because it suggests that it may be helpful to expose hearing impaired children to music early in life so that their brain “music centers” may have
the stimulus to develop. Similarly, tactile devices have been made to help convert speech sounds to vibrations in order to assist in communication. It might be helpful to expose young children to these
devices early while their brains are still developing, rather than later, he says.
The findings are compatible with Shibata’s previous research into the flexibility and adaptability of the brain in hearing impaired people. Last summer, Shibata published a paper in which he and
colleagues showed that portions of the temporal lobe usually involved in auditory processing are much more active during certain visual tasks in hearing impaired people.
Shibata performed his research using the same sort of MRI scanner that he uses clinically to study the brains of his patients at the University of Washington. However, with MRI scans, the machine
measures blood flow in the brain, and “lights up” to show what parts of the brain are active. The MRI is still largely a research tool, but shows promise in helping to localize vital areas of the brain before
surgery and is sometimes performed on patients at UW Medical Center. The RSNA, based in Oak Brook, Ill, is an association of more than 30,000 radiologists and physicists in medicine dedicated to
education and research in the science of radiology.
S I L E N T S O U L
< < < < < < 2 6
THE TITLE OF THIS ARTICLE COULD BE IRONIC OR A JOKE FOR SOME, INCLUDING HEARING IMPAIRED PERSONS. THAT IS WHAT HAPPENED TO A FRIEND, A MUSIC TEACHER, AT ARRIVING AT A SCHOOL FOR THE HEARING IMPAIRED AND BEING TOLD THAT HE WAS HIRED TO TEACH MUSIC. MUSIC FOR HEARING IMPAIRED PEOPLE? HOW ARE WE TO EXPLAIN THE EVOLUTION OF MUSIC FROM BACH TO THE BATTLES TO SOMEONE WHO CANNOT HEAR THEIR WORKS? THE FIRST THING THAT CAME TO HIS MIND WAS THE CASE OF BEETHOVEN. THIS FAMOUS COMPOSER BEGAN TO LOSE HEARING AT THE AGE OF THIRTY AND EVEN THOUGHT OF COMMITTING SUICIDE. INSTEAD, WITH THE AID OF HIS “INNER EAR” HE COMPOSED HIS WELL KNOWN SYMPHONIES. NOT A BAD TOPIC TO DEMONSTRATE TO STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES ABOUT WHAT CAN BE ACHIEVED THROUGH WILL POWER AND PERSONAL EFFORT. BUT, EVEN THIS CASE WAS NOT REALLY APPROPRIATE SINCE BEETHOVEN EXPERIENCED SOUND FOR MANY YEARS AND HAD DEVELOPED MUSICAL THINKING AFTERWARDS. THE TEACHER HAD PROBLEMS GATHERING A CONCRETE BIOGRAPHY, NOT WITH STANDING THE LARGE AMOUNT OF ANECDOTES. SO HE STARTED TO DO RESEARCH AND CONSULTED WITH AN EXPERT IN LOGOPEDICS ( SPECIALISTS IN PHONETICS AND LANGUAGE DISORDERS) AT THE EDUCATIONAL CENTER. THEN HE WAS TOLD THAT HEARING IMPAIRED PERSONS LIKE TO DANCE AT DISCOS. THEY FEEL THE VIBRATIONS WITH THEIR BODIES, AND CAPTURE THE RHYTHM.
> > > > > > 2 7
M U S I C F O R A S I L E N T W O R L D
THE TITLE OF THIS ARTICLE COULD BE IRONIC OR A JOKE FOR SOME, INCLUDING HEARING IMPAIRED PERSONS. THAT IS WHAT HAPPENED TO A FRIEND, A MUSIC TEACHER, AT ARRIVING AT A SCHOOL FOR THE HEARING IMPAIRED AND BEING TOLD THAT HE WAS HIRED TO TEACH MUSIC. MUSIC FOR HEARING IMPAIRED PEOPLE? HOW ARE WE TO EXPLAIN THE EVOLUTION OF MUSIC FROM BACH TO THE BATTLES TO SOMEONE WHO CANNOT HEAR THEIR WORKS? THE FIRST THING THAT CAME TO HIS MIND WAS THE CASE OF BEETHOVEN. THIS FAMOUS COMPOSER BEGAN TO LOSE HEARING AT THE AGE OF THIRTY AND EVEN THOUGHT OF COMMITTING SUICIDE. INSTEAD, WITH THE AID OF HIS “INNER EAR” HE COMPOSED HIS WELL KNOWN SYMPHONIES. NOT A BAD TOPIC TO DEMONSTRATE TO STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES ABOUT WHAT CAN BE ACHIEVED THROUGH WILL POWER AND PERSONAL EFFORT. BUT, EVEN THIS CASE WAS NOT REALLY APPROPRIATE SINCE BEETHOVEN EXPERIENCED SOUND FOR MANY YEARS AND HAD DEVELOPED MUSICAL THINKING AFTERWARDS. THE TEACHER HAD PROBLEMS GATHERING A CONCRETE BIOGRAPHY, NOT WITH STANDING THE LARGE AMOUNT OF ANECDOTES. SO HE STARTED TO DO RESEARCH AND CONSULTED WITH AN EXPERT IN LOGOPEDICS ( SPECIALISTS IN PHONETICS AND LANGUAGE DISORDERS) AT THE EDUCATIONAL CENTER. THEN HE WAS TOLD THAT HEARING IMPAIRED PERSONS LIKE TO DANCE AT DISCOS. THEY FEEL THE VIBRATIONS WITH THEIR BODIES, AND CAPTURE THE RHYTHM.
S I L E N T S O U L
< < < < < < 2 8
When one considers music and music appreciation it is rarely from the point of view of someone from the deaf community. Yet, music is a multi-sensory experience, and the fact that a person is non-hearing should not keep them from enjoying the experience as much as a hearing person.
Deaf people can enjoy music on many levels, and it is quite possible to teach music appreciation to deaf students. Music can add the same enrichment, and dimension, to their lives as it does with a hearing student.
Consider all of the senses that are affected when you listen to music. You can feel the beat of the bass, for example. If you are listening on a computer often you will have a program that is creating color and design form the music as it plays. At a concert you can see the excitement of the other patrons, and the beauty of the music hall. Each one of these things contributes to the overall enjoyment of music, and yet when asked what sense music affects they generally reply, “hearing”.
Deaf people experience vibration in an area of the brain that is used for hearing in people who are not deaf. This is why deaf musicians can sense the music. Since these vibrations are processed in the same area of the brain that sounds are scientists believe that the deaf are able to experience sound in a unique way.
At the National Technical Institute of the Deaf in Rochester, New York, audience members are given balloons when attending musicals. They hold these with their fingertips in order to feel the vibrations of the music. As more studies are completed on exactly how non-hearing people experience music, it will become an important part of their education and experience.
S E ET H E M U S I C
Music i s felt on a physica l level by e v e r y o n e . Get t ing a buzz ing in our core when the bass i s plucked or feel ing the power of a drum that mimics our l i fe force is
un iversa l.
> > > > > > 2 9
M U S I C F O R A S I L E N T W O R L D
S I L E N T S O U L
< < < < < < 3 0
S I G N I N GT H E M U S I C
> > > > > > 3 1
M U S I C F O R A S I L E N T W O R L D
Ho
w c
an A
SL a
nd
Mus
ic b
e co
mp
atib
le?
It m
ay
be,
or s
om
etim
es it
is n
ot
com
pat
ible
. Fir
st, t
hre
e th
ing
s to
re
me
mb
er: 0
1 M
usi
c h
as t
hei
r o
wn
elem
ents
th
at is
un
iver
sal.
Ever
yon
e (D
eaf
and
Hea
rin
g p
eop
le)
can
un
der
stan
d th
rou
gh
hea
rin
g A
ND
fe
elin
g m
usi
c. 0
2 L
yric
s ar
e th
e sp
oke
n w
ord
s o
f th
e so
ng
, an
d s
on
g ly
ric
con
veys
its
p
ow
er t
hro
ug
h m
usi
c an
d s
ou
nd
. Lyr
ical
imag
es
and
de
scri
pti
ve p
hra
ses
ne
ed
to
co
nn
ect
wit
h th
e e
ar, a
s w
ell
as t
he
bra
in. T
he
se ly
rics
do
es
no
t co
nn
ect
wit
h th
e E
YE
of
the
vie
we
r. 0
3 A
SL
Po
etry
co
mes
wit
h A
SL r
hym
es a
nd
met
er a
re
com
mo
nly
acc
ep
ted
in
th
e D
eaf
co
mm
un
ity
tod
ay. A
cco
rdin
g t
o C
lay
ton
Val
li, a
n A
SL r
hym
e is
fo
rmed
th
roug
h th
e re
pet
itio
n o
f p
arti
cula
r h
and
sh
ape
s, m
ove
me
nt
pat
hs
of
sig
ns,
or
no
n-
man
ual s
ign
als
(i.e
. fac
ial e
xpre
ssio
ns)
.
Wh
y w
oul
d w
e in
sist
on
tran
slat
ing
son
g ly
rics
w
ith
Am
eri
can
Sig
n L
ang
uag
e? T
his
tra
nsl
atio
n p
roce
ss m
ay g
ive
De
af p
ers
on
an
acc
ess
to
mu
sic,
bu
t th
is d
oes
no
t p
rovi
de
an u
ltim
ate
mu
sica
l exp
eri
en
ce t
hro
ug
h A
SL
. Wh
y ca
nn
ot
we
cre
ate
so
me
thin
g w
ith
AS
L, i
n a
po
eti
c/d
ram
atic
/cin
em
atic
fo
rm, a
nd
co
mp
lem
en
t th
is
wit
h m
usic
? O
ne
exce
llen
t exa
mp
le t
hat
can
be
accu
rate
ly r
efl
ect
s to
ASL
mu
sic
is G
alla
ud
et’
s fa
mo
us
Bis
on
So
ng
. Se
e th
e v
ide
o h
ow
tw
o p
eop
le e
xpre
ss t
hem
selv
es w
ith
ASL
po
etic
so
ng
and
follo
win
g d
rum
bea
ts s
imu
ltan
eo
usl
y.
Am
eric
an S
ign
Lan
gu
age
is a
nat
ura
l lan
gu
age
as
pro
ved
to
th
e s
atis
fac
tio
n o
f th
e li
ng
uis
tic
com
mu
nit
y b
y W
illia
m S
toko
e, a
nd
co
nta
ins
ph
on
olo
gy,
mo
rph
olo
gy,
se
man
tics
, syn
tax
and
pra
gm
atic
s ju
st li
ke s
po
ken
lan
gu
age
s. It
is
a m
anu
al la
ng
uag
e o
r vis
ual
lan
gu
age,
mea
nin
g th
at t
he
info
rmat
ion
is e
xpre
sse
d n
ot
wit
h co
mb
inat
ion
s o
f so
un
ds
bu
t w
ith
com
bin
atio
ns
o
f h
and
shap
es, p
alm
ori
enta
tio
ns,
mo
vem
ents
o
f th
e h
and
s, a
rms
and
bo
dy,
loca
tio
n in
rel
atio
n to
th
e b
od
y, a
nd
fac
ial e
xpre
ssio
ns.
Wh
ile
spo
ken
lan
gu
ag
es
are
pro
du
ced
by
the
vo
cal
cord
s o
nly
, an
d c
an t
hu
s b
e e
asil
y w
ritt
en
in
lin
ear
pat
tern
s, A
SL
use
s th
e h
and
s, h
ead
an
d b
od
y, w
ith
con
stan
tly
chan
gin
g m
ove
men
ts a
nd
ori
en
tati
on
s. L
ike
oth
er
nat
ura
l sig
n la
ng
uag
es,
it
is “
thre
e d
ime
nsi
on
al”
in t
his
se
nse
. Mu
sic
is a
n a
rt f
orm
co
nsi
stin
g o
f so
un
d a
nd
sil
en
ce
exp
ress
ed
th
rou
gh
tim
e. E
lem
en
ts o
f so
un
d as
use
d i
n m
usi
c ar
e p
itch
(in
clu
din
g m
elo
dy
and
har
mo
ny)
, rh
yth
m (
incl
ud
ing
te
mp
o a
nd
me
ter)
, str
uct
ure
, an
d so
nic
qu
alit
ies
of
tim
bre
, ar
ticu
lati
on
, dyn
amic
s, a
nd
te
xtu
re.
S I L E N T S O U L
< < < < < < 3 2
Most of us assume deaf people can’t register sound, let alone enjoy Rachmaninoff. Wrong. A c o n c e p t u a l device from G e r m a n d e s i g n e r F r e d e r i k P o d z u w e i t taps into the hearing i m p a i r e d people’s ability
to feel music.
Most of us assume deaf people can’t register sound, let alone enjoy Rachmaninoff. Wrong. A conceptual device from German designer Frederik Podzuweit taps into the deaf’s ability to feel music. Music for Deaf People is a collar that converts auditory input into vibrations, triggering the same sound-processing brain regions in those with full hearing. So instead of listening through your ears, you effectively listen through your skin. The collar has a special membrane substance, which responds to electricity, dispatching the vibrations of whatever you’re playing--be it Sinatra or Sepultura--to your neck, shoulders, and collarbone. Adjustable, it fits snugly around your neck so you could theoretically wear it jogging or at the gym--never mind that it looks like something straight out of a Stormtrooper’s closet.
To the uninitiated, it might seem like a nonstarter, a pointless gadget resigned to the annals of air-conditioned T-shirts and ShamWow! Why would deaf people want to “hear” music? The answer, of course, is for the same reason everyone else does: Music is one of life’s enduring pleasures.
T U R N U P
S W I T C H T R AC K T U R N D OW N
B A S S
> > > > > > 3 3
M U S I C F O R A S I L E N T W O R L D
There’s a lot of fascinating research into how deaf people experience music. Researchers at Ryerson University designed a chair that transmits musical
v ibrations along the back, turning sound into a sor t of multi-sensory cheesecake. One person described it like this: “The first time I used the chair,
I was blown away by the amount of information I could get about music from the vibrations. For the first time in my life, I could feel sad or happy because of how
the music vibrations felt on my skin. I never felt those kinds of feelings before when music was played.” Music for Deaf People collar
It’s even possible, in certain cases, that deaf people experience music more powerfully because they can’t hear; as Oliver Sacks tells it in Musicophilia, the
auditory cortex might become extra-sensitive when hearing slips. Beethoven, you’ll recall, was completely deaf when he composed his dazzling Symphony No. 9.
The main drawback we see in Music for Deaf People is that the collar seems terribly uncomfortable. On hot days, a big hunk of plastic is the last thing you
want around your neck. Would the concept work just as well around your wrist or your bicep? If anyone has any ideas, we’re all, um, ears.
D E A F P E O P L E H E A R M U S I C
S I L E N T S O U L
< < < < < < 3 4
A c
on
du
cti
ve
he
ari
ng
im
pa
irm
en
t is
an
im
pa
irm
en
t re
su
ltin
g f
rom
dy
sfu
nc
tio
n i
n a
ny
of
the
me
ch
an
ism
s t
ha
t n
orm
all
y c
on
du
ct
so
un
d w
av
es
th
rou
gh
th
e o
ut
er
ea
r, t
he
ea
rdru
m o
r th
e b
on
es
of
the
mid
dle
ea
r. A
se
ns
ori
ne
ura
l h
ea
rin
g i
mp
air
me
nt
is o
ne
re
su
ltin
g f
rom
dy
sfu
nc
tio
n i
n t
he
in
ne
r e
ar,
es
pe
cia
lly
th
e c
oc
hle
a w
he
re s
ou
nd
vib
rati
on
s a
re c
on
ve
rte
d I
No
t n
eu
ral
sig
na
ls,
or
in a
ny
pa
rt
of
the
bra
in t
ha
t s
ub
se
qu
en
tly
pro
Ce
as
es
th
es
e s
ign
als
. T
he
va
st
ma
jori
ty
of
hu
ma
n s
en
so
rin
eu
ral
he
ari
ng
lo
ss
is
as
so
cia
ted
wit
h a
bn
orm
ali
tie
s i
n t
he
ha
ir c
ell
s o
f th
e o
rga
n o
f C
or
ti i
n th
e c
oc
hle
a.
Th
is d
ys
fun
cti
on
ma
y b
e p
res
en
t fr
om
bir
th d
ue
to
ge
ne
tic
or
de
ve
lop
me
nt
al
ab
no
rma
liti
es
, o
r a
ris
e t
hro
ug
h t
rau
ma
or
dis
ea
se
du
rin
g t
he
lif
e
A c
on
du
cti
ve
he
ari
ng
im
pa
irm
en
t is
an
im
pa
irm
en
t re
su
ltin
g f
rom
dy
sfu
nc
tio
n i
n a
ny
of
the
me
ch
an
ism
s t
ha
t n
orm
all
y c
on
du
ct
so
un
d w
av
es
th
rou
gh
the
ou
te
r e
ar,
th
e e
ard
rum
or
the
bo
ne
s o
f th
e m
idd
le e
ar.
A
se
ns
ori
ne
ura
l h
ea
rin
g i
mp
air
me
nt
is o
ne
re
su
ltin
g f
rom
dy
sfu
nc
tio
n in
th
e i
nn
er
ea
r, e
sp
ec
iall
y t
he
co
ch
lea
wh
ere
so
un
d
A c o n d u c t i v e h e a r i n g i m p a i r m e n t i s a n
i m p a i r m e n t r e s u l t i n g f r o m d y s f u n c t i o n i n a n y
A c o n d u c t i v e h e a r i n g i m p a i r m e n t i s a n i m p a i r m e n t r e s u l t i n g f r o m d y s f u n c t i o n i n a n y
> > > > > > 3 5
M U S I C F O R A S I L E N T W O R L D
S I L E N T S O U L
< < < < < < 3 6
There are some that are well known and others who, although they have contributed much to this world are still unknown to those outside of the deaf world . As you will see, some of the unknown have affected those that are famous and should be recognized for their efforts .
04
> > > > > > 3 7
B E Y O N D V I B R A T I O N
B E Y O N D V I B R A T I O N
S I L E N T S O U L
< < < < < < 3 8
Evelyn Glennie’s music challenges the listener to ask where music comes from:
Is it more than simply a translation from score to instrument to audience?
How can a musician who has almost no hearing play with such sensitivity
and compassion?
The Grammy-winning percussionist and composer became almost completely
deaf by the age of 12, but her hearing loss brought her a deeper understanding
of and connection to the music she loves. She’s the subjec t of the
documentar y Touch the Sound, which explores this unconventional and
intr iguing approach to percussion.
Along with her vibrant solo career, Glennie has collaborated with musicians ranging from classical orchestras to Björk. Her career has taken her to hundreds of concert stages around the 0albums, winning a Grammy for her recording of Bartók’s Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion, and another for her 2002 collaboration with Bela Fleck.
Her passion for music and musical l i teracy brought her to establish, in collaboration with fellow musicians Julian Lloyd Weber and Sir James Galway, the Music Education Consortium, which successfully lobbied for an investment of 332 million pounds in music education and musical resources in Britain.
E V E L Y N G L E N N I E
> > > > > > 3 9
B E Y O N D V I B R A T I O N
S I L E N T S O U L
< < < < < < 4 0
“Def
” h
as b
een
a p
art
of
hip
-ho
p le
xico
n si
nce
th
e e
arly
19
80
s, b
ut
for
Se
an F
orb
es,
it m
ean
s so
me
thin
g d
iffe
ren
t. T
he
28
-ye
ar-o
ld f
rom
su
bu
rba
n D
etr
oit
ha
s b
ee
n d
ea
f si
nce
he
wa
s a
bab
y b
ut
says
th
at h
asn’
t st
op
pe
d h
im f
rom
m
akin
g m
usi
c. H
e re
cen
tly
rele
ase
d a
ne
w s
ing
le
calle
d “I
’m D
eaf,”
an
d is
bus
y re
cord
ing
mo
re
son
gs
for a
n up
com
ing
alb
um. F
orb
es s
ays
mus
ic
has
alw
ays
be
en
par
t o
f h
is li
fe.
“Wh
en I
was
5, I
re
ceiv
ed
my
firs
t d
rum
se
t,
and
Iwan
ted
to b
e a
dru
mm
er,”
Fo
rbes
tel
ls L
ian
e H
anse
n, h
ost
of
NP
R’s
Wee
ken
d Ed
itio
n Su
nd
ay.
“I a
lway
s kn
ew
I w
ante
d a
car
ee
r in
mu
sic,
bu
t I
also
had
fir
sth
and
exp
erie
nce
in s
eein
g h
ow
har
d it
is t
o s
ucc
ee
d a
s a
mu
sici
an.”
His
mo
the
r p
lays
th
e p
ian
o a
nd
his
fat
he
r p
erf
orm
s in
a c
ou
ntr
y-ro
ck b
and
. Alt
ho
ug
h h
e ra
ps
in h
is s
on
gs,
Fo
rbe
s sa
ys h
e co
nsi
de
rs
him
self
mo
re o
f a
mus
icia
n. I
n ad
dit
ion
to r
hym
ing
and
pla
yin
g t
he
dru
ms,
he
pla
ys g
uit
ar a
nd
w
rite
s h
is o
wn
mu
sic.
“Rap
pin
g is
ju
st s
om
eth
ing
I d
o, b
eca
use
yo
u d
on’
t w
ann
a h
ear m
e si
ng
, ” h
e sa
ys. F
orb
es
says
fe
llo
w h
ip-h
op
mu
sici
an E
min
em
is a
su
pp
ort
er a
nd
fan
of
his
wo
rk. “
Em
ine
m w
as t
he
firs
t per
son
I eve
r sh
ow
ed m
y m
usic
vid
eo t
o,
and
wh
en
he
saw
it, h
e w
as a
t a
loss
fo
r w
ord
s,
”Fo
rbe
s sa
ys. “
He
was
sh
ock
ed
th
at h
ear
ing
imp
aire
d p
eo
ple
like
d m
usi
c.”
Forb
es h
elp
ed s
tart
an
org
aniz
atio
n ca
lled
the
De
af P
rofe
ssio
nal
Art
s N
etw
ork
, or
D-P
AN
. Th
e g
oal
of
D-P
AN
, whi
ch h
as p
erfo
rmed
ver
sio
ns
of
son
gs
by
Joh
n M
ayer
an
d C
hri
stin
a A
gu
ilera
, is
to m
ake
mus
ic a
cces
sib
le t
o th
e d
eaf
and
har
d-
of-
hea
rin
g co
mm
unit
y. S
ince
th
e st
art o
f D
-PA
N,
the
gro
up h
as c
reat
ed f
our
mus
ic v
ideo
s an
d w
ill
beg
in w
ork
on
the
nex
t on
e so
on
. Fo
rbes
say
s D
-PA
N p
lan
s to
sh
oo
t 10
0 v
ideo
s in
th
e n
ext f
ive
year
s to
hel
p in
terp
ret p
op
son
gs
for t
he
dea
f an
d h
eari
ng
-im
pai
red
.
> > > > > > 4 1
B E Y O N D V I B R A T I O N
S E A N F O R B E S
S I L E N T S O U L
< < < < < < 4 2
W h a t i s m u s i c l i k e w h e n y o u c a n ’ t h e a r i t ? I t ’ s a q u e s t i o n t h a t s o u n d s l i k e a p h i l o s o p h i c a l d e b a t e o n p a r w i t h t r e e s f a l l i n g i n t h e w o o d s a n d s i n g l e h a n d s c l a p p i n g , b u t t h i s i s n o t a q u e s t i o n f o r r h e t o r i c a l a m u s e m e n t , i t ’ s s o m e t h i n g .
W h a t i s m u s i c l i k e w h e n y o u c a n ’ t h e a r i t ? I t ’ s a q u e s t i o n t h a t s o u n d s l i k e a p h i l o s o p h i c a l d e b a t e o n p a r w i t h t r e e s f a l l i n g i n t h e w o o d s a n d s i n g l e h a n d s c l a p p i n g , b u t t h i s i s n o t a q u e s t i o n
f o r
> > > > > > 4 3
B E Y O N D V I B R A T I O N
W h a t i s m u s i c l i k e w h e n y o u c a n ’ t h e a r i t ? I t ’ s a q u e s t i o n t h a t s o u n d s l i k e a p h i l o s o p h i c a l d e b a t e o n p a r w i t h t r e e s f a l l i n g i n t h e w o o d s a n d s i n g l e h a n d s c l a p p i n g , b u t t h i s i s n o t a q u e s t i o n f o r r h e t o r i c a l a m u s e m e n t , i t ’ s s o m e t h i n g .
W h a t i s m u s i c l i k e w h e n y o u c a n ’ t h e a r i t ? I t ’ s a q u e s t i o n t h a t s o u n d s l i k e a p h i l o s o p h i c a l d e b a t e o n p a r w i t h t r e e s f a l l i n g i n t h e w o o d s a n d s i n g l e h a n d s c l a p p i n g , b u t t h i s i s n o t a q u e s t i o n
f o r
W H A T I S
M U S I C L I K E W H E N
Y O U C A N ’ T H E A R I T ? I T ’ S A Q U E S T I O N T H A T S O U N D S L I K E A P H I L O S O P H I C A L D E B A T E O N P A R W I T H T R E E S F A L L I N G I N T H E W O O D S A N D S I N G L E H A N D S C L A P P I N G , B U T T H I S I S N O T A
S I L E N T S O U L
< < < < < < 4 4
Does music touch everyone’s heart
> > > > > > 4 5
B E Y O N D V I B R A T I O N
regardless?
S I L E N T S O U L
< < < < < < 4 6
COLOPHON
Typeface: Plotta, Alwyn OT, Matrix
Paper: Epson Premium Presentation Paper
Program: Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop
Printer: MegaPix Imaging
Bindery: California Office Service
Photography: Swin Huang
W h a t i s m u s i c l i k e w h e n y o u c a n ’ t h e a r
i t ? I t ’ s a q u e s t i o n t h a t s o u n d s l i k e a
p h i l o s o p h i c a l d e b a t e o n p a r w i t h t r e e s
f a l l i n g i n t h e w o o d s a n d s i n g l e h a n d s
c l a p p i n g , b u t t h i s i s n o t a q u e s t i o n f o r
r h e t o r i c a l a m u s e m e n t , i t ’ s s o m e t h i n g t h a t
a u d i o p h i l e s a s w e l l a s h e a r i n g p e o p l e
i n l o v e w i t h s i g n e d l a n g u a g e s a n d D e a f
c u l t u r e h a v e t h o u g h t a b o u t i n d e p t h . W h a t
i s t h e d e a f p e r s o n ’ s e x p e r i e n c e w i t h a n
a r t f o r m t h a t i s s e e m i n g l y o n l y v a l u e d
b y t h o s e w i t h f u l l y f u n c t i o n i n g c o c h l e a s ?
T h e r e i s a n o t i o n t h a t m u s i c i s o n l y
h e a r d a n d t h u s , c a n o n l y a p p r e c i a t e d b y
t h e h e a r i n g . H o w e v e r , d e a f p e o p l e h a v e
a u n i q u e a n d c h a l l e n g i n g p e r s p e c t i v e
t o m u s i c t h a t h a s s e l d o m b e e n e x p l o r e d
o u t s i d e o f d e a f c o m m u n i t i e s . W i t h i n t h e
d e a f a n d h a r d o f h e a r i n g w o r l d , t h e r e
a r e p e o p l e n o t o n l y c r e a t i n g m u s i c , b u t
p e o p l e w h o l o v e a n d m a k e m u s i c a p a r t o f
t h e i r l i v e s . I n t h i s w o r l d , t h e v a r i o u s
s h a d e s o f g r a y a r e c e l e b r a t e d a s t h e
s p e c t r u m o f d e a f n e s s , f r o m s l i g h t l y h a r d
o f h e a r i n g t o “ s t o n e d e a f ” a r e a l l p a r t o f
t h i s c o m m u n i t y . T h e e x p e r i e n c e o f s o u n d
c a n b e d i f f e r e n t f o r m a n y p e o p l e w h o ’ s
a b i l i t i e s w i t h h e a r i n g a r e n o t c l e a r l y
i d e n t i f i e d i n t e r m s t h a t h e a r i n g p e o p l e
a r e u s e d t o . i t i s n e v e r a n e i t h e r / o r
e x p e r i e n c e , a n d d e f i n i t e l y n o t s o m e t h i n g
t h a t t h e h e a r i n g w o r l d c a n u n d e r s t a n d
c o m p l e t e l y . M o s t a s s u m e d e a f p e o p l e e n j o y
m u s i c s o l e l y b y t a c t i l e s e n s a t i o n s , b u t
g o i n g b e y o n d f e e l i n g v i b r a t i o n s , w h a t i s
t h e e x p e r i e n c e o f m u s i c l i k e f o r s o m e o n e
w h o d o e s n ’ t h e a r o r l e a s t l e a s t l i k e w e
d o ? M u s i c i s f e l t o n a p h y s i c a l l e v e l b y
e v e r y o n e . G e t t i n g a b u z z i n g i n o u r c o r e
w h e n t h e b a s s i s p l u c k e d o r f e e l i n g t h e
p o w e r o f a d r u m t h a t m i m i c s o u r l i f e f o r c e
i s u n i v e r s a l . A h e a r i n g p e r s o n c a n o n l y
t r y t o i m a g i n e t h e s e n s a t i o n s t h a t a r e
m u c h m o r e d e v e l o p e d i n a d e a f p e r s o n . O n e
c a n t r y t o u c h i n g t h e g r o u n d a n d p l a c i n g a
b a c k a g a i n s t w a l l s a t s h o w s t r y i n g t o s e e
i f t h e y c a n t e l l t h e d i f f e r e n c e i n r h y t h m
a n d t h e t y p e o f i n s t r u m e n t b e i n g p l a y e d
b y t h e f e e l i n g s t h a t h u m a l o n g t h e b o d y
w h e n t h e m u s i c i n f i l t r a t e s t h e m o l e c u l e s
i n i n t h e w a l l s a n d i n o u r s e l v e s a s w e l l .
E a r p l u g s a r e c o m m o n l y u s e d t o p r o t e c t
h e a r i n g , b u t a l s o c a n b e u s e d t o t r y t o g e t
a s c l o s e t o h e a r d o f h e a r i n g a s p o s s i b l e
f o r a n y o n e c u r i o u s t o w h a t i t m i g h t b e l i k e
t o o n l y b e a b l e t o f e e l m u s i c . S o m e o n e
w h o i s h e a r i n g c a n s w i t c h b a c k a n d f o r t h
f r o m l i s t e n i n g a n d f e e l i n g , y e t s o m e h o w
c a n n o t h a v e o n e w i t h o u t t h e o t h e r a n d
w i l l a l m o s t a l w a y s w i n d u p f r u s t r a t i n g
a s t h e y w i l l h e a r t h e m u s i c m u c h e a s i e r
What is music like when you can’t hear
it? It’s a question that sounds like a
philosophical debate on par with trees
falling in the woods and single hands
clapping, but this is not a question for
rhetorical amusement, it’s something
that audiophiles as well as hearing
people in love with signed languages
and Deaf culture have thought about
in depth. What is the deaf person’s
experience with an art form that is
seemingly only valued by those with
fully functioning cochleas? There is a
notion that music is only heard and thus,
can only appreciated by the hearing.
However, deaf people have a unique and
challenging perspective to music that
has seldom been explored outside of deaf
communities. With in the deaf and hard
of hearing world, there are people not
only creating music, but people who love
and make music a part of their lives.
In this world, the various shades of
gray are celebrated as the spectrum of
deafness, from slightly hard of hearing
to “stone deaf” are all part of this
community. The experience of sound
can be different for many people who’s
abilities with hearing are not clearly
identified in terms that hearing people
are used to. it is never an either/
or experience, and definitely not
something that the hearing world can
understand completely. Most assume deaf
people enjoy music solely by tactile
sensations, but going beyond feeling
vibrations, what is the experience of
music like for someone who doesn’t hear
or least least like we do? Music is
felt on a physical level by everyone.
Getting a buzzing in our core when the
bass is plucked or feeling the power
of a drum that mimics our life force is
universal. A hearing person can only
try to imagine the sensations that are
much more developed in a deaf person.
One can try touching the ground and
placing a back against walls at shows
trying to see if they can tell the
difference in rhythm and the type of
instrument being played by the feelings
that hum along the body when the music
infiltrates the molecules in in the walls
and in ourselves as well. Earplugs are
commonly used to protect hearing, but
also can be used to try to get as close
to heard of hearing as possible for
anyone curious to what it might be like
to only be able to feel music. Someone
who is hearing can switch back and forth
from listening and feeling, yet somehow W h a t i s m u s i c l i k e w h e n y o u c a n ’ t h e a r
i t ? I t ’ s a q u e s t i o n t h a t s o u n d s l i k e a
p h i l o s o p h i c a l d e b a t e o n p a r w i t h t r e e s
f a l l i n g i n t h e w o o d s a n d s i n g l e h a n d s
c l a p p i n g , b u t t h i s i s n o t a q u e s t i o n f o r
r h e t o r i c a l a m u s e m e n t , i t ’ s s o m e t h i n g
t h a t a u d i o p h i l e s a s w e l l a s h e a r i n g
p e o p l e i n l o v e w i t h s i g n e d l a n g u a g e s
a n d D e a f c u l t u r e h a v e t h o u g h t a b o u t
i n d e p t h . W h a t i s t h e d e a f p e r s o n ’ s
e x p e r i e n c e w i t h a n a r t f o r m t h a t i s
s e e m i n g l y o n l y v a l u e d b y t h o s e w i t h
f u l l y f u n c t i o n i n g c o c h l e a s ? T h e r e i s
a n o t i o n t h a t m u s i c i s o n l y h e a r d
a n d t h u s , c a n o n l y a p p r e c i a t e d b y t h e
h e a r i n g . H o w e v e r , d e a f p e o p l e h a v e a
u n i q u e a n d c h a l l e n g i n g p e r s p e c t i v e t o
m u s i c t h a t h a s s e l d o m b e e n e x p l o r e d
o u t s i d e o f d e a f c o m m u n i t i e s . W i t h i n
t h e d e a f a n d h a r d o f h e a r i n g w o r l d ,
t h e r e a r e p e o p l e n o t o n l y c r e a t i n g
m u s i c , b u t p e o p l e w h o l o v e a n d m a k e
m u s i c a p a r t o f t h e i r l i v e s . I n t h i s
w o r l d , t h e v a r i o u s s h a d e s o f g r a y
a r e c e l e b r a t e d a s t h e s p e c t r u m o f
d e a f n e s s , f r o m s l i g h t l y h a r d o f h e a r i n g
t o “ s t o n e d e a f ” a r e a l l p a r t o f t h i s
c o m m u n i t y . T h e e x p e r i e n c e o f s o u n d
c a n b e d i f f e r e n t f o r m a n y p e o p l e w h o ’ s
a b i l i t i e s w i t h h e a r i n g a r e n o t c l e a r l y
i d e n t i f i e d i n t e r m s t h a t h e a r i n g
p e o p l e a r e u s e d t o . i t i s n e v e r a n
e i t h e r / o r e x p e r i e n c e , a n d d e f i n i t e l y
n o t s o m e t h i n g t h a t t h e h e a r i n g w o r l d
c a n u n d e r s t a n d c o m p l e t e l y . M o s t
a s s u m e d e a f p e o p l e e n j o y m u s i c s o l e l y
b y t a c t i l e s e n s a t i o n s , b u t g o i n g
b e y o n d f e e l i n g v i b r a t i o n s , w h a t i s t h e
e x p e r i e n c e o f m u s i c l i k e f o r s o m e o n e
w h o d o e s n ’ t h e a r o r l e a s t l e a s t l i k e
w e d o ? M u s i c i s f e l t o n a p h y s i c a l
l e v e l b y e v e r y o n e . G e t t i n g a b u z z i n g
i n o u r c o r e w h e n t h e b a s s i s p l u c k e d
o r f e e l i n g t h e p o w e r o f a d r u m t h a t
m i m i c s o u r l i f e f o r c e i s u n i v e r s a l . A
h e a r i n g p e r s o n c a n o n l y t r y t o i m a g i n e
t h e s e n s a t i o n s t h a t a r e m u c h m o r e
d e v e l o p e d i n a d e a f p e r s o n . O n e c a n
t r y t o u c h i n g t h e g r o u n d a n d p l a c i n g a
b a c k a g a i n s t w a l l s a t s h o w s t r y i n g t o
s e e i f t h e y c a n t e l l t h e d i f f e r e n c e i n
r h y t h m a n d t h e t y p e o f i n s t r u m e n t b e i n g
p l a y e d b y t h e f e e l i n g s t h a t h u m a l o n g
t h e b o d y w h e n t h e m u s i c i n f i l t r a t e s
t h e m o l e c u l e s i n i n t h e w a l l s a n d
i n o u r s e l v e s a s w e l l . E a r p l u g s a r e
c o m m o n l y u s e d t o p r o t e c t h e a r i n g ,
b u t a l s o c a n b e u s e d t o t r y t o g e t a s
c l o s e t o h e a r d o f h e a r i n g a s p o s s i b l e
f o r a n y o n e c u r i o u s t o w h a t i t m i g h t
W h a t i s m u s i c l i k e w h e n y o u c a n ’ t h e a r
i t ? I t ’ s a q u e s t i o n t h a t s o u n d s l i k e a
p h i l o s o p h i c a l d e b a t e o n p a r w i t h t r e e s
f a l l i n g i n t h e w o o d s a n d s i n g l e h a n d s
c l a p p i n g , b u t t h i s i s n o t a q u e s t i o n f o r
r h e t o r i c a l a m u s e m e n t , i t ’ s s o m e t h i n g t h a t
a u d i o p h i l e s a s w e l l a s h e a r i n g p e o p l e
i n l o v e w i t h s i g n e d l a n g u a g e s a n d D e a f
c u l t u r e h a v e t h o u g h t a b o u t i n d e p t h . W h a t
i s t h e d e a f p e r s o n ’ s e x p e r i e n c e w i t h a n
a r t f o r m t h a t i s s e e m i n g l y o n l y v a l u e d
b y t h o s e w i t h f u l l y f u n c t i o n i n g c o c h l e a s ?
T h e r e i s a n o t i o n t h a t m u s i c i s o n l y
h e a r d a n d t h u s , c a n o n l y a p p r e c i a t e d b y
t h e h e a r i n g . H o w e v e r , d e a f p e o p l e h a v e
a u n i q u e a n d c h a l l e n g i n g p e r s p e c t i v e
t o m u s i c t h a t h a s s e l d o m b e e n e x p l o r e d
o u t s i d e o f d e a f c o m m u n i t i e s . W i t h i n t h e
d e a f a n d h a r d o f h e a r i n g w o r l d , t h e r e
a r e p e o p l e n o t o n l y c r e a t i n g m u s i c , b u t
p e o p l e w h o l o v e a n d m a k e m u s i c a p a r t o f
t h e i r l i v e s . I n t h i s w o r l d , t h e v a r i o u s
s h a d e s o f g r a y a r e c e l e b r a t e d a s t h e
s p e c t r u m o f d e a f n e s s , f r o m s l i g h t l y h a r d
o f h e a r i n g t o “ s t o n e d e a f ” a r e a l l p a r t o f
t h i s c o m m u n i t y . T h e e x p e r i e n c e o f s o u n d
c a n b e d i f f e r e n t f o r m a n y p e o p l e w h o ’ s
a b i l i t i e s w i t h h e a r i n g a r e n o t c l e a r l y
i d e n t i f i e d i n t e r m s t h a t h e a r i n g p e o p l e
a r e u s e d t o . i t i s n e v e r a n e i t h e r / o r
e x p e r i e n c e , a n d d e f i n i t e l y n o t s o m e t h i n g
t h a t t h e h e a r i n g w o r l d c a n u n d e r s t a n d
c o m p l e t e l y . M o s t a s s u m e d e a f p e o p l e e n j o y
m u s i c s o l e l y b y t a c t i l e s e n s a t i o n s , b u t
g o i n g b e y o n d f e e l i n g v i b r a t i o n s , w h a t i s
t h e e x p e r i e n c e o f m u s i c l i k e f o r s o m e o n e
w h o d o e s n ’ t h e a r o r l e a s t l e a s t l i k e w e
d o ? M u s i c i s f e l t o n a p h y s i c a l l e v e l b y
e v e r y o n e . G e t t i n g a b u z z i n g i n o u r c o r e
w h e n t h e b a s s i s p l u c k e d o r f e e l i n g t h e
p o w e r o f a d r u m t h a t m i m i c s o u r l i f e f o r c e
i s u n i v e r s a l . A h e a r i n g p e r s o n c a n o n l y
t r y t o i m a g i n e t h e s e n s a t i o n s t h a t a r e
m u c h m o r e d e v e l o p e d i n a d e a f p e r s o n . O n e
c a n t r y t o u c h i n g t h e g r o u n d a n d p l a c i n g a
b a c k a g a i n s t w a l l s a t s h o w s t r y i n g t o s e e
i f t h e y c a n t e l l t h e d i f f e r e n c e i n r h y t h m
a n d t h e t y p e o f i n s t r u m e n t b e i n g p l a y e d
b y t h e f e e l i n g s t h a t h u m a l o n g t h e b o d y
w h e n t h e m u s i c i n f i l t r a t e s t h e m o l e c u l e s
i n i n t h e w a l l s a n d i n o u r s e l v e s a s w e l l .
E a r p l u g s a r e c o m m o n l y u s e d t o p r o t e c t
h e a r i n g , b u t a l s o c a n b e u s e d t o t r y t o g e t
a s c l o s e t o h e a r d o f h e a r i n g a s p o s s i b l e
f o r a n y o n e c u r i o u s t o w h a t i t m i g h t b e l i k e
t o o n l y b e a b l e t o f e e l m u s i c . S o m e o n e
w h o i s h e a r i n g c a n s w i t c h b a c k a n d f o r t h
f r o m l i s t e n i n g a n d f e e l i n g , y e t s o m e h o w
c a n n o t h a v e o n e w i t h o u t t h e o t h e r a n d
w i l l a l m o s t a l w a y s w i n d u p f r u s t r a t i n g
a s t h e y w i l l h e a r t h e m u s i c m u c h e a s i e r
W h a t i s m u s i c l i k e w h e n y o u c a n ’ t h e a r
i t ? I t ’ s a q u e s t i o n t h a t s o u n d s l i k e a
p h i l o s o p h i c a l d e b a t e o n p a r w i t h t r e e s
f a l l i n g i n t h e w o o d s a n d s i n g l e h a n d s
c l a p p i n g , b u t t h i s i s n o t a q u e s t i o n f o r
r h e t o r i c a l a m u s e m e n t , i t ’ s s o m e t h i n g
t h a t a u d i o p h i l e s a s w e l l a s h e a r i n g
p e o p l e i n l o v e w i t h s i g n e d l a n g u a g e s
a n d D e a f c u l t u r e h a v e t h o u g h t a b o u t
i n d e p t h . W h a t i s t h e d e a f p e r s o n ’ s
e x p e r i e n c e w i t h a n a r t f o r m t h a t i s
s e e m i n g l y o n l y v a l u e d b y t h o s e w i t h
f u l l y f u n c t i o n i n g c o c h l e a s ? T h e r e i s
a n o t i o n t h a t m u s i c i s o n l y h e a r d a n d
t h u s , c a n o n l y a p p r e c i a t e d b y t h e
h e a r i n g . H o w e v e r , d e a f p e o p l e h a v e a
u n i q u e a n d c h a l l e n g i n g p e r s p e c t i v e t o
m u s i c t h a t h a s s e l d o m b e e n e x p l o r e d
o u t s i d e o f d e a f c o m m u n i t i e s . W i t h i n
t h e d e a f a n d h a r d o f h e a r i n g w o r l d ,
t h e r e a r e p e o p l e n o t o n l y c r e a t i n g
m u s i c , b u t p e o p l e w h o l o v e a n d m a k e
m u s i c a p a r t o f t h e i r l i v e s . I n t h i s
w o r l d , t h e v a r i o u s s h a d e s o f g r a y
a r e c e l e b r a t e d a s t h e s p e c t r u m o f
d e a f n e s s , f r o m s l i g h t l y h a r d o f h e a r i n g
t o “ s t o n e d e a f ” a r e a l l p a r t o f t h i s
c o m m u n i t y . T h e e x p e r i e n c e o f s o u n d
c a n b e d i f f e r e n t f o r m a n y p e o p l e w h o ’ s
a b i l i t i e s w i t h h e a r i n g a r e n o t c l e a r l y
i d e n t i f i e d i n t e r m s t h a t h e a r i n g p e o p l e
a r e u s e d t o . i t i s n e v e r a n e i t h e r /
o r e x p e r i e n c e , a n d d e f i n i t e l y n o t
s o m e t h i n g t h a t t h e h e a r i n g w o r l d c a n
u n d e r s t a n d c o m p l e t e l y . M o s t a s s u m e d e a f
p e o p l e e n j o y m u s i c s o l e l y b y t a c t i l e
s e n s a t i o n s , b u t g o i n g b e y o n d f e e l i n g
v i b r a t i o n s , w h a t i s t h e e x p e r i e n c e o f
m u s i c l i k e f o r s o m e o n e w h o d o e s n ’ t
h e a r o r l e a s t l e a s t l i k e w e d o ? M u s i c i s
f e l t o n a p h y s i c a l l e v e l b y e v e r y o n e .
G e t t i n g a b u z z i n g i n o u r c o r e w h e n
t h e b a s s i s p l u c k e d o r f e e l i n g t h e
p o w e r o f a d r u m t h a t m i m i c s o u r l i f e
f o r c e i s u n i v e r s a l . A h e a r i n g p e r s o n
c a n o n l y t r y t o i m a g i n e t h e s e n s a t i o n s
t h a t a r e m u c h m o r e d e v e l o p e d i n a
d e a f p e r s o n . O n e c a n t r y t o u c h i n g t h e
g r o u n d a n d p l a c i n g a b a c k a g a i n s t w a l l s
a t s h o w s t r y i n g t o s e e i f t h e y c a n
t e l l t h e d i f f e r e n c e i n r h y t h m a n d t h e
t y p e o f i n s t r u m e n t b e i n g p l a y e d b y t h e
f e e l i n g s t h a t h u m a l o n g t h e b o d y w h e n
t h e m u s i c i n f i l t r a t e s t h e m o l e c u l e s i n
i n t h e w a l l s a n d i n o u r s e l v e s a s w e l l .
E a r p l u g s a r e c o m m o n l y u s e d t o p r o t e c t
h e a r i n g , b u t a l s o c a n b e u s e d t o t r y
t o g e t a s c l o s e t o h e a r d o f h e a r i n g a s
p o s s i b l e f o r a n y o n e c u r i o u s t o w h a t
i t m i g h t b e l i k e t o o n l y b e a b l e t o
f e e l m u s i c . S o m e o n e w h o i s h e a r i n g c a n What is music like when you can’t
hear it? It’s a question that sounds
like a philosophical debate on par
with trees falling in the woods and
single hands clapping, but this is not
a question for rhetorical amusement,
it’s something that audiophiles as
well as hearing people in love with
signed languages and Deaf culture
have thought about in depth. What
is the deaf person’s experience
with an art form that is seemingly
only valued by those with fully
functioning cochleas? There is a
notion that music is only heard and
thus, can only appreciated by the
hearing. However, deaf people have a
unique and challenging perspective to
music that has seldom been explored
outside of deaf communities. With in
the deaf and hard of hearing world,
there are people not only creating
music, but people who love and make
music a part of their lives. In this
world, the various shades of gray
are celebrated as the spectrum of
deafness, from slightly hard of
hearing to “stone deaf” are all part
of this community. The experience
of sound can be different for many
people who’s abilities with hearing
are not clearly identified in terms
that hearing people are used to. it
is never an either/or experience,
and definitely not something that
the hearing world can understand
completely. Most assume deaf people
enjoy music solely by tactile
sensations, but going beyond feeling
vibrations, what is the experience of
music like for someone who doesn’t
hear or least least like we do?
Music is felt on a physical level
by everyone. Getting a buzzing in
our core when the bass is plucked
or feeling the power of a drum that
mimics our life force is universal.
A hearing person can only try to
imagine the sensations that are much
more developed in a deaf person.
One can try touching the ground and
placing a back against walls at shows
trying to see if they can tell the
difference in rhythm and the type
of instrument being played by the
feelings that hum along the body when
the music infiltrates the molecules
in in the walls and in ourselves as
well. Earplugs are commonly used
to protect hearing, but also can be
What is music like when you can’t hear
it? It’s a question that sounds like a
philosophical debate on par with trees
falling in the woods and single hands
clapping, but this is not a question for
rhetorical amusement, it’s something that
audiophiles as well as hearing people
in love with signed languages and Deaf
culture have thought about in depth. What
is the deaf person’s experience with an
art form that is seemingly only valued by
those with fully functioning cochleas?
There is a notion that music is only
heard and thus, can only appreciated by
the hearing. However, deaf people have
a unique and challenging perspective
to music that has seldom been explored
outside of deaf communities. With in the
deaf and hard of hearing world, there
are people not only creating music, but
people who love and make music a part of
their lives. In this world, the various
shades of gray are celebrated as the
spectrum of deafness, from slightly hard
of hearing to “stone deaf” are all part of
this community. The experience of sound
can be different for many people who’s
abilities with hearing are not clearly
identified in terms that hearing people
are used to. it is never an either/or
experience, and definitely not something
that the hearing world can understand
completely. Most assume deaf people enjoy
music solely by tactile sensations, but
going beyond feeling vibrations, what is
the experience of music like for someone
who doesn’t hear or least least like we
do? Music is felt on a physical level by
everyone. Getting a buzzing in our core
when the bass is plucked or feeling the
power of a drum that mimics our life
force is universal. A hearing person
can only try to imagine the sensations
that are much more developed in a deaf
person. One can try touching the ground
and placing a back against walls at
shows trying to see if they can tell the
difference in rhythm and the type of
instrument being played by the feelings
that hum along the body when the music
infiltrates the molecules in in the walls
and in ourselves as well. Earplugs are
commonly used to protect hearing, but
also can be used to try to get as close
to heard of hearing as possible for
anyone curious to what it might be like
to only be able to feel music. Someone
who is hearing can switch back and forth
from listening and feeling, yet somehow
can not have one with out the other and
will almost always wind up frustrating
What is music like when you can’t hear
it? It’s a question that sounds like a
philosophical debate on par with trees
falling in the woods and single hands
clapping, but this is not a question for
rhetorical amusement, it’s something that
audiophiles as well as hearing people
in love with signed languages and Deaf
culture have thought about in depth. What
is the deaf person’s experience with an
art form that is seemingly only valued by
those with fully functioning cochleas?
There is a notion that music is only
heard and thus, can only appreciated by
the hearing. However, deaf people have
a unique and challenging perspective
to music that has seldom been explored
outside of deaf communities. With in the
deaf and hard of hearing world, there
are people not only creating music, but
people who love and make music a part of
their lives. In this world, the various
shades of gray are celebrated as the
spectrum of deafness, from slightly hard
of hearing to “stone deaf” are all part of
this community. The experience of sound
can be different for many people who’s
abilities with hearing are not clearly
identified in terms that hearing people
are used to. it is never an either/or
experience, and definitely not something
that the hearing world can understand
completely. Most assume deaf people enjoy
music solely by tactile sensations, but
going beyond feeling vibrations, what is
the experience of music like for someone
who doesn’t hear or least least like we
do? Music is felt on a physical level by
everyone. Getting a buzzing in our core
when the bass is plucked or feeling the
power of a drum that mimics our life
force is universal. A hearing person
can only try to imagine the sensations
that are much more developed in a deaf
person. One can try touching the ground
and placing a back against walls at
shows trying to see if they can tell the
difference in rhythm and the type of
instrument being played by the feelings
that hum along the body when the music
infiltrates the molecules in in the walls
and in ourselves as well. Earplugs are
commonly used to protect hearing, but
also can be used to try to get as close
to heard of hearing as possible for
anyone curious to what it might be like
to only be able to feel music. Someone
who is hearing can switch back and forth
from listening and feeling, yet somehow
can not have one with out the other and
will almost always wind up frustrating
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