Composing music more accessible to the hearing-impaired

Abstract

"A hearing-impaired individual's perception of the world is not devoid of music. Unable to hear sounds the way most people can, deaf persons often receive audio information through other means including: the tactile sensation of sound vibrations, residual hearing (the limited range of pitches that hearing-impaired persons may possess), and visual clues. Presenting existing music in a manner that takes these means of extended listening into account is not a new idea: visual representations of music through sign language or some form of mixed media have existed for many years, and in recent years technology has enhanced the experience of music through vibrotactile cues. However, there is little precedent for creating original music for the express purpose of appealing to those who are hearing-impaired. Taking these factors into account, a composer can create music that will be meaningful to someone with a hearing impairment. This document provides an insight into hearing-impaired individuals' perception of sound as it pertains to music. An evaluation of the abilities and limitations that a hearing-impairment creates is presented, and suggestions for creating original music that caters to a deaf audience are made. Application of these ideas results in an original work with the express purpose of appealing to the hearing-impaired. This work, Collapse, is explored and analyzed through the criteria defined by the rest of the paper; and at its conclusion, recommendations are made for further research and musical applications of this research. The score to Collapse is provided (Appendix A) with a synthesized recording for reference (Appendix B), and a video that may be used in the performance of this work is provided as well (Appendix C)"--From author-supplied metadata.

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