The Signing Singing Voice

Abstract This chapter argues that the singing voice need not be an audible one: in sign language music, the signing performer may rarely or never produce any audible vocal sounds, and yet these pieces of music are unquestionably vocal. But what constitutes a signing singing voice? This chapter outlines the philosophical and musicological underpinnings that support the notion of a signing voice, as well as exploring concepts of voice within Deaf culture. It identifies several key elements of vocal delivery as they pertain to signing voices, focusing on prosody, mouth movements, facial expressions, eye gaze, body movements, and collectivity. It argues that the signing voice exists at the crossing of meaning, site, and motion, understanding the signing voice as moving through space, using the entire body, and emerging out of communal, reciprocal experiences between bodies.