Motioned Melodies: Reshaping Music to Promote Inclusivity
BY EMILY XU '23 & AISHA KARIM '23
According to Merriam-Webster, music is defined as “vocal, instrumental, or mechanical sounds having rhythm, melody, or harmony.” To the average person, this definition rings true; when you hear a series of melodic noises, you associate it with music. However, this description does not translate to those who have limited hearing and seldom experience music through sound. This narrow-minded definition of music marginalizes those in the Deaf and hard-of-hearing (HOH) community. Music should be the very opposite of exclusive—it reduces stress, elevates one’s mood, stimulates memories, and lessens anxiety, and it is also essential to different cultures and daily routines. By defining music only to a narrow audience, the Deaf and HOH are excluded from this fundamental experience. Redrawing the lines that characterize music is the start to creating an inclusive community. With the help of creative interpreters and the nature of musical reverbs, the Deaf and HOH can reshape what it means to listen to music while raising awareness for the inequality they face.
To some degree, everyone in the Deaf and HOH community can perceive music. From a young age, those in the Deaf/HOH community have adapted to recognize vibrations, sound waves, and low frequencies. At concerts, the loud and lively environment amplifies this ability to feel music. Attending your first concert is a common rite of passage, but for the Deaf and HOH, concerts are difficult to access. To experience a concert to the fullest, a member of the Deaf/HOH community must request an ASL interpreter three to six months in advance, wait for approval of the request, educate venue staff about their inclusivity rights, and hope that the interpreter’s signing is up to par. On the upside, the art of interpreting music into ASL is gaining popularity and interpreters are becoming more accessible. Certainly, if those in the Deaf/HOH community can experience an event where the main attraction is music, then it is evident that the definition of music is much broader than just listening.
In the past, music’s interpretations to ASL have lacked elements that a hearing person would experience, like instrumental riffs and a rhythm. An interpreter would sign the literal meaning of the lyrics and then sign “music” during an instrumental section. In recent years, innovative uses of visuals to convey music have gained popularity with ASL interpreters. ASL already includes emotions and facial expressions, so interpreters expanded upon this aspect. Some go the extra mile to interpret frequency, pitch, and rhythm through hand placement and the mimicry of soundwave movement. For example, to represent notes at a low frequency, an interpreter would bring their hands closer to their waist. For higher notes, the interpreter would bring their hands above their shoulders. Amber Galloway Gallego is one who is known for her creative interpretations of music. As a pioneer in the ASL community and the most recognizable musical interpreter, Gallego has raised awareness over music inaccessibility, making concerts easier to attend for the Deaf and HOH. When she interprets music, sound is irrelevant for her and the recipient. Their exchange highlights “sound” as an inadequate definition of music; rather, music is more aptly described as “the expression of sound.”
Redefining music is the first step in the journey to make life more accessible for the Deaf and HOH. The Deaf and HOH face barriers in schools, workplaces, and hospitals. For example, with the COVID-19 pandemic, the Deaf and HOH are unable to read lips due to masks, which is one of the most important ways that the Deaf and HOH can understand those in the Hearing society. This, along with the fact that only a small fraction of people know sign language, emphasizes that society was not designed with the Deaf/HOH community in mind. Progress is being made, but there is still a long way to go before those in the Deaf/HOH community attain the same rights as the majority of people in the world. Reconstructing society’s outlook towards music is a simple way to include the Deaf and HOH in our daily lives. By working step-by-step, starting with how we define music, we can create an inclusive society where eventually everyone has the same opportunities.
Thanks to innovators in ASL like Amber Galloway Gallego, the definition of music is changing. As society progresses, we must also move forward with inclusivity for all. Blanket terms can be useful in this aspect. Vibrations and hand motions lie within the phrase “expression of sound,” which includes those who are Deaf/HOH and those in the deaf-blind community. To further allyship, we can educate ourselves and others about the adversity that those in the Deaf/HOH community face. If you’re willing to go above and beyond, you can learn some basic signs or take a sign language class.
To some degree, everyone in the Deaf and HOH community can perceive music. From a young age, those in the Deaf/HOH community have adapted to recognize vibrations, sound waves, and low frequencies. At concerts, the loud and lively environment amplifies this ability to feel music. Attending your first concert is a common rite of passage, but for the Deaf and HOH, concerts are difficult to access. To experience a concert to the fullest, a member of the Deaf/HOH community must request an ASL interpreter three to six months in advance, wait for approval of the request, educate venue staff about their inclusivity rights, and hope that the interpreter’s signing is up to par. On the upside, the art of interpreting music into ASL is gaining popularity and interpreters are becoming more accessible. Certainly, if those in the Deaf/HOH community can experience an event where the main attraction is music, then it is evident that the definition of music is much broader than just listening.
In the past, music’s interpretations to ASL have lacked elements that a hearing person would experience, like instrumental riffs and a rhythm. An interpreter would sign the literal meaning of the lyrics and then sign “music” during an instrumental section. In recent years, innovative uses of visuals to convey music have gained popularity with ASL interpreters. ASL already includes emotions and facial expressions, so interpreters expanded upon this aspect. Some go the extra mile to interpret frequency, pitch, and rhythm through hand placement and the mimicry of soundwave movement. For example, to represent notes at a low frequency, an interpreter would bring their hands closer to their waist. For higher notes, the interpreter would bring their hands above their shoulders. Amber Galloway Gallego is one who is known for her creative interpretations of music. As a pioneer in the ASL community and the most recognizable musical interpreter, Gallego has raised awareness over music inaccessibility, making concerts easier to attend for the Deaf and HOH. When she interprets music, sound is irrelevant for her and the recipient. Their exchange highlights “sound” as an inadequate definition of music; rather, music is more aptly described as “the expression of sound.”
Redefining music is the first step in the journey to make life more accessible for the Deaf and HOH. The Deaf and HOH face barriers in schools, workplaces, and hospitals. For example, with the COVID-19 pandemic, the Deaf and HOH are unable to read lips due to masks, which is one of the most important ways that the Deaf and HOH can understand those in the Hearing society. This, along with the fact that only a small fraction of people know sign language, emphasizes that society was not designed with the Deaf/HOH community in mind. Progress is being made, but there is still a long way to go before those in the Deaf/HOH community attain the same rights as the majority of people in the world. Reconstructing society’s outlook towards music is a simple way to include the Deaf and HOH in our daily lives. By working step-by-step, starting with how we define music, we can create an inclusive society where eventually everyone has the same opportunities.
Thanks to innovators in ASL like Amber Galloway Gallego, the definition of music is changing. As society progresses, we must also move forward with inclusivity for all. Blanket terms can be useful in this aspect. Vibrations and hand motions lie within the phrase “expression of sound,” which includes those who are Deaf/HOH and those in the deaf-blind community. To further allyship, we can educate ourselves and others about the adversity that those in the Deaf/HOH community face. If you’re willing to go above and beyond, you can learn some basic signs or take a sign language class.
