Music for the Deaf

Most people might think that people who are deaf cannot do any kind of music at all well there are three ways to get around that. The first one is the easiest when they get a cochlear implant. Second the music has no spoken words only instruments and sign language. Or third the person has someone sing in the background while they sign to it.

 The first way of getting a cochlear implant helps so they can sort of ‘hear’ what the instrument or the voice sounds like. They can then tune work on the music and associate the noises with a note or beat like a hearing person. When they are singing they can adjust their pitch also but would need extensive help from a coach because the cochlear implant does not actually let them actually hear or hear most of the noises hearing people hear. Sean Forbes is a deaf musician who uses a cochlear implant to help him with his music which is rapping and drumming. He has been very successful and created D-PAN (Deaf Professional Artists Network).

The second type of music is when deaf people sign to music without any spoken words and play instruments. They rely on the vibrations to tell them what note they play and if they are all in unison so they play extremely loud. Beethoven's Nightmare is a great example of this they are an all deaf band and play extremely well together. Even though they cannot hear any of the music they paly they can still make their own songs and make it sound really good. It also gives off great vibrations at the concerts for the deaf people to be able to feel it as well. They play really loud so they can feel it and play together but also for the other deaf people to experience it.

 The third type of music is when people who are deaf sign to music while someone sings to the music. This is shown in D-PAN’s “We’re Goingto Be Friends” by The White Stripes. All of the kids in the music video are deaf and they get the lyrics and translate them into sign language then sign them to the music. They can feel the music so they can feel where the lyrics should go to make the story. This is the most common and it looks really pretty and hearing people can understand the music as well too. This also means that the hearing people can sign to music like this as well. Lisa Smith does this as well. She is hearing but signs to music because she loves it and cannot sing because of her disabilities.

 Music can help not only the deaf have great experiences but hearing people as well. It shows the hearing people how beautiful sign language can be. It helps the deaf experience music and have another creative outlet. Music is a wonderful thing and unites people.