Hegemonic discourses in perceptual studies have led to
narrow, rigid definitions of sound and listening that cater almost exclusively
to those with (what have been deemed as) “normal” hearing capabilities, while
failing to account for the varied perceptual experiences of d/Deaf and
otherwise hearing diverse individuals. While Michel Chion’s three listening
modes highlight a critical variance in types of listening, his
analytical framework ultimately contributes to this altogether incomplete and
ableist discourse, in that they do not account for the diverse reality of
listening practices. This post aims to reimagine Chion’s three modes
through the incorporation of intersensorial paradigms that are inclusive of
d/Deaf individuals in conversations
regarding sound and listening.
1. Causal
Listening, defined as “listening to a sound in order to gather information
about its cause (or source)” (Chion 48).
Chion’s
explanation of causal listening describes the ways in which visual cues might
contribute to one’s ability to identify a source. In this explanation, however,
while there exists an interplay between the visual and the auditory, they are
regarded as two separate entities. A more inclusive discussion might propose a
framework that introduces vision as a form of listening in and of itself.
Jessica A. Holmes (in “Expert Listening beyond the Limits of Hearing: Music and
Deafness) highlights that “for some d/Deaf people, vision is altogether a more
reliable listening technique than vibration” (210). In this sense,
proposing vision as a form of listening, rather than a supplement, accounts for
(some) d/Deaf experiences where the aural and visual are inextricably intertwined.
Guitar strings in slow motion demonstrate that sound is much more than its aural qualities alone!
2. Semantic
listening, defined as a mode “which refers to a code or language to interpret a
message” (Chion 50).
Chion goes on to classify semantic
listening as “spoken language, of course, as well as Morse and other such
codes” (Chion 50). What is absent from this list is non-spoken languages, such
as American Sign Language, as well as semantic listening in the form of lip
reading and other diverse practices that fall outside of the realms of spoken
languages and codes. Additionally, Holmes introduces the notion that this
“interpretation” may also occur through sensory rather than linguistic processes,
such as vibration. As applied to music, specifically, she describes how
“vibration is a rather conceptual vehicle for understanding music as the
transfer or energy across time, space, and bodies” (189). While she cautions
against generalizing the prominence of vibrational interpretation in d/Deaf
communities, it nevertheless provides an additional and inclusive listening
practice that has not yet reached “mainstream” conversations.
3. Reduced
listening, defined as a mode that “focuses on the traits of the sound itself,
independent of its cause and of its meaning” (Chion 50).
Chion grounds this “emotional,
physical, and aesthetic” (51) listening practice, based upon timbre and
texture, almost exclusively in academic and high arts contexts. (Connecting its
use to cinematographers, directors, and musicians) But this type of listening is by no means unique to high arts; Holmes instead emphasizes how “Deafness
only deepens musicology’s sense of what music is – its social, relational, and
material contours” to illustrate the unique constellation of perception that
composes d/Deaf listening experiences – a constellation not unlike Chion’s
description of reduced listening.
While Michel Chion's three listening modes lay an insightful foundation for understanding complex and ever evolving listening practice, his altogether ableist framework would benefit greatly from the inclusion of intersensorial perspectives on sound and listening. Sound studies and musicology scholars play a key role in building inclusive and representational imaginaries that highlight diverse biocultural realities, rather than perpetuate narrow, generalized discourses.
Sources:
Chion, Michel, "The Three Listening Modes," inThe Sound Studies Reader, ed. Jonathan Sterne, New York City: Routledge, 2012.
Holmes, Jessica A., "Expert Listening beyond the Limits of Hearing: Music and Deafness," Journal of the American Musicological Society, Vol 70, Number 1, 2017.
Mascarúa, Ruy. "Guitar strings vibrating." Posted [March 2018]. Youtube video, 0:28. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOCGb5ZGEV8
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