Want more articles like this one?
You're in luck! We've got a weekly newsletter that's filled with goodness!

Wrap up each week on a positive note with our Today in Goodness newsletter featuring our top content from the week, goodness on the horizon, and good news from around the world. 

Name
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Wrap up each week on a positive note with our Today in Goodness newsletter featuring our top content from the week, goodness on the horizon, and good news from around the world. 

Name
This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
View Collection
Image: Musician singing at a concert

Bringing Beats to Life: ASL Interpreters Make Music Accessible

Have you ever looked up the lyrics to a song? When you read them alone, they’re flat, stagnant, and lacking the feeling the piece is meant to elicit. But add tone, expression, and a few instrumentals to the equation and you’ve got a piece overflowing with emotion and character, lifting those words into a new meaning.

So, if only those lyrics are being interpreted for the deaf community, to what extent are they being included in the art form?

Here’s one of the people bridging this gap between the auditory world and the visual by expressing the emotional power of music through a special variation of American Sign Language (ASL) created specifically for music.

Image: musician singing at a concert with asl accessibility
Source: Pixabay

For years, Amber Galloway Gallego has been interpreting songs, both live at music festivals and on her YouTube channel, with this dynamic variation of sign language.

Here’s how TEDMED describes what she does,

“Sign language music interpreter Amber Galloway Gallego demonstrates the emotional connection between lyrics and sounds with the flow of her hands. Responding to a desire from the Deaf community to see, experience and connect emotionally to music in the same way hearing people do, Amber developed an immersive style that brings music to life in a way not often seen in music interpreting.”

1

So, how does it work? Here’s Vox with the story.

*Just a warning for sensitive ears, there are a few f-bombs dropped midway through.

Via: Vox 2

The multitude of ways we’re able to communicate and share experiences with one another is one of the aspects of humanity that truly sets us apart from the rest of the animal world.

Music is one of our oldest and most expressive forms of communication. It’s a part of who we are, so why should the ability to feel the emotions it conjures be limited to a specific group of us?

“That’s the whole reason we go to music events–is to be a part of this experience and forget about the rest of the world, and be there in that moment. And so many times deaf people are not allowed that experience because we as hearing people choose to say no.”

— Amber Galloway Gallego 3

To see one example of how she truly expresses the music, take a look at Amber’s interpretation of Michael Jackson’s song, Beat It, from her YouTube channel.

Via: Amber Galloway Gallego 4

Additionally, you can learn more about how Amber Galloway Gallego found herself with this knack for music interpretation and what drives her to keep going in this wonderful feature from the Houston Chronicle. Be sure to explore the rest of her YouTube channel for more amazing interpretations and, as always, stay open to new possibilities!

  • Sam

“No matter what people tell you, words and ideas can change the world” — Robin Williams

This article was originally published on January 25, 2018.

Don’t miss out on a single article!

Enjoy unlimited access to over 500 articles & podcast that give you a positive perspective on the state of the world and show you practical ways you can help.

Sign up now!

Notes:

  1. “Amber Galloway Gallego.” TEDMED. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Jan. 2018. <https://www.tedmed.com/speakers/show?id=687725>.
  2. “How Sign Language Innovators Are Bringing Music to the Deaf.” YouTube. Vox, 27 Mar. 2017. Web. 22 Jan. 2018. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EuD2iNVMS_4>.
  3. “How Sign Language Innovators Are Bringing Music to the Deaf.” YouTube. Vox, 27 Mar. 2017. Web. 22 Jan. 2018. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EuD2iNVMS_4>.
  4. “Beat It ASL Cover.” YouTube. Amber Galloway Gallego, 18 July 2015. Web. 23 Jan. 2018. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3hXjXnsIMI>.
Image: Samantha Burns

Sam Burns

Former Editor-In-Chief

Sam wrote and edited hundreds of articles during her time on the Goodness Exchange team from 2016-2021. She wrote about topics from the wonders of nature to the organizations changing the world and the simple joys in life! Outside of the Goodness Exchange, she’s a part-time printmaker, collector of knick-knacks, and procurer of cheeses.

Join for as little as $5 per month

As a Member, you get instant access to unlimited good news, fresh ideas, and positive perspectives. Don't miss out on full access to articles, podcasts, videos, and curated playlists of our content, as well as our weekly newsletter, and access to our mobile app!

Become a Member

Follow Us

Positive news for curious people.

There is a wave of goodness and progress well underway, all around the world.