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The violins resonate in the rib cage, the cello and the double bass a little lower, while the brass are felt in the shoulders, and the solos rather in the wrists.
This is one of the ways acoustics expert Patrick Hanlon has chosen to program his tactile jackets, the purpose of which is to allow deaf or hard of hearing spectators to enjoy an orchestral concert.
During a recent classical music concert at the famous Lincoln Center in Manhattan, spectators had the opportunity to put on wireless touch vests with 24 vibration points that transcribe the music played on stage.
The idea of the designers was to reproduce the function normally assumed by the eardrum and whose role is precisely to transmit sound vibrations to the ossicles. These amplified vibrations then become nerve impulses. And with jackets, it’s the skin that plays this role of transmission.
“It involves the body”, explains Patrick Hanlon to AFP before the concert, and it offers participants an “immersive 3D experience thanks to vibrations”.
“No one expects it to be so addictive,” he says. And this reaction, “is seen in the eyes of people, it’s magic”.
The acoustic expert is co-founder of “Music: Not Impossible”, a project of Not Impossible Labs, a technology company that strives to reduce social barriers, especially those related to disability.
“Auditory Memory Library”
Previously, some people who are deaf or hard of hearing literally put their hand on the speakers, or held a balloon to feel the vibrations with their fingertips to enjoy “live” music.
The purpose of these vests and wrist and ankle wraps is to provide a full-body experience, creating sensations that recapture the feelings driven by the music.
“My ultimate hope is that we will be able to offer deaf children experiences with real vibrations (…) so that they begin to build this library of auditory memory”, welcomes the AFP Jay Zimmerman.
This composer, whose hearing was damaged during the attacks of September 11, 2001, participated in the development process of the jackets with “Music: Not Impossible”.
The Lincoln Center in Manhattan began collaborating with the company in 2021.
During the recent Korean Arts Week, 75 jackets were available for an outdoor concert that featured both Korean folk music and Mozart’s Concerto No. 2.
Total immersion tests
Liza Fiol-Matta was among the spectators, and although she is not hard of hearing, she was nonetheless enthusiastic about trying out this technology.
“Music is my first love, and the idea that there can be a sensory experience of music for anyone” is exhilarating, she says.
“I love the idea of immersion”, “the music happens on so many different levels”, she enthuses.
At the head of the commercial division of “Music: Not Impossible”, Flavia Naslausky describes how, during the first tests, singer Mandy Harvey – having lost her hearing following an illness – was able to harmonize with the music played after having felt the vibrations which transcribed it.
“That’s when we knew we were going in the right direction,” says Flavia Naslausky.
These tactile jackets aren’t limited to any particular musical genre, and Patrick Hanlon says sound engineers like him can adjust the vibration points to match the mood of the gig, whether it’s rock or disco.
The jackets were thus used at concerts by the rock band Greta Van Fleet or the queen of pop Lady Gaga.
Jay Zimmerman is eager to see how far the technology can go. But there is still a long way to go.
“At the end of the day, the main goal for me is to be able to feel a violin (played) softly, and that it is so fabulous for my body and my mind that I start crying”, launches the composer.