Silently Sensing - A Semi-Hypothetical Translation from Auditory to Vibrotactile Film Music

Abstract

Music is explained to be understood as something more than only humanly made sound, because for the humanly made sound to be created, there needs to be human behavior and ideas. This is then branched out into diving a bit into how D/deaf people experience music and their way of giving sound meaning. Sound does not need to be orally received in order to be sound. In that line of thinking, music does not need to be orally received in order to still be music. The Deaf community mainly, depending on their level of deafness, experiences music through visuals as well as vibrotactile rhythm. This vibrotactile way of experiencing music is then brought into the spotlight by highlighting two devices intended to heighten the vibrotactile experience of music. An audiovisual analysis is then given of the film Sound of Metal to offer a musicological perspective on what exactly the music adds to the film and what effects are created. This is done to illustrate what effects would need to be translated in order for D/deaf people to experience the film music in their own way but resembling the effects it has on hearing people. These effects range from point of hearing changes to the fantastical and musical gap. Lastly it is explained how the vibrotactile sensations are limited in comparison to auditory sensations. Therefore, translation difficulties arise. However, when it comes to translating the point-of-hearing changes, vibrotactile music has its advantages over auditory music because one is able to feel the vibrations where the Deaf characters on screen feel them too, creating both a literal and metaphorical resonance with the characters on screen by being able to relate mentally and physically.