Say Music in Sign Language and let me guide you through it like I’m talking directly to you. As a creator who helps learners, beginners, and ASL-curious readers, I know my audience loves simple, clear, and friendly explanations. So here’s a quick hook for you: What if I told you that you can express “music” without saying a single word?
Last week, one of my readers messaged me, saying she used ASL to show “music” during a school performance and everyone was amazed. That moment reminded me why I teach this. So stay with me, because in the next steps, I’ll show you how to do it confidently and beautifully.
Quick Reference Table:
| Sign Language | How it’s signed | Cultural/Linguistic Note |
| American SL (ASL) | Open hand, palm facing body, swings back and forth across the body like a wave | Mimics the flow of melody through the air; very fluid and expressive |
| British SL (BSL) | Both hands in “B” shape, move alternately up and down in front of chest | Represents the up-and-down of musical notes or piano keys |
| French SL (LSF) | “M” handshape near the mouth, then waves outward | Historical link to French as the “language of love” music and emotion are intertwined |
| Italian SL (LIS) | Fingerspell M-U-S-I-C-A quickly, or use a flowing two-hand motion | Italy often fingerspells because of strong ties to written Italian and opera tradition |
| German SL (DGS) | Flat hand moves horizontally in front of the body like reading sheet music | Reflects Germany’s deep classical music tradition and notation culture |
| Spanish SL (LSE) | “M” handshape circles near the ear, then flows outward | Connects sound entering the ear and then spreading joy to others |
| Mexican SL (LSM) | Similar to ASL but with a more pronounced sway | Heavy influence from American deaf schools, but with distinctly Latin emotional flair |
| Japanese SL (JSL) | Both hands draw a small circle in front of the chest, then open outward | Symbolises harmony (和) and the circular nature of traditional Japanese scales |
| Korean SL (KSL) | Index and middle finger “walk” upward like climbing a musical scale | Reflects the pentatonic scale common in traditional Korean music |
| Chinese SL (CSL) | “Music” (音乐) fingerspelled or two hands making a flowing wave near the shoulder | Newer sign; many older signers still fingerspell because CSL is still standardising |
| Auslan (Australian SL) | Same as BSL (piano-key motion) but often with a bigger smile | Australia inherited BSL but added its own laid-back emotional expressiveness |
| South African SL (SASL) | Hand over heart, then waves outward | Deep emotional gesture music in SA townships is inseparable from struggle, celebration, and community |
| Arabic Sign Language (ArSL) | Fingerspell or use a hand moving near the ear then outward (varies by country) | Huge variation across the Arab world; some countries have almost no standardised sign for “music” yet |
| Brazilian SL (Libras) | Both hands sway side-to-side near the shoulders (samba feel) | One of the most rhythmic signs impossible to sign without moving your hips a little |
| Irish SL (ISL) | Similar to BSL but with a gentle rocking motion | Strong tradition of Irish traditional sessions; the sign feels like a slow reel |
(Note: There are over 300 distinct sign languages in the world each as different as spoken languages. The table above only scratches the surface.)
European Sign Languages
In France, LSF is considered the “mother” of many sign languages (including ASL). The sign for music waves from the mouth outward because French deaf culture grew alongside the Paris salons where poetry, love, and melody were inseparable.
Italy, the land of opera, often just fingerspells M-U-S-I-C-A dramatically because why invent a sign when the word itself already sings?
Germany’s sign looks like you’re reading a score precise, structured, a little serious. It’s the sign of Bach and Beethoven watching over your shoulders.
Asian Sign Languages
Walk into a Japanese deaf school and you’ll see children signing 音楽 (ongaku) with a gentle circular motion that feels almost meditative. The sign reflects gagaku court music and the Buddhist idea that true harmony needs no sound.
In Korea, the “walking fingers” climbing upward mirror the climbing joy of pansori storytelling songs that can make entire audiences weep.
Mainland Chinese Sign Language is still young and rapidly evolving; many older deaf Chinese still fingerspell Y-I-N-Y-U-E because a universally accepted iconic sign hasn’t settled yet. It’s a language in the middle of writing its own symphony.
African Sign Languages
In South African townships, the SASL sign starts at the heart. Because there, music isn’t entertainment it’s protest, prayer, and party all in one. Think Miriam Makeba, think Ladysmith Black Mambazo, think toyi-toyi.
In Kenya and Tanzania, deaf people often borrow the Tunisian Arabic Sign Language sign (a flowing hand near the ear) because of Islamic educational influence, then add their own local flavour sometimes drumming on the chest like a djembe.
Across the continent, sign languages are as diverse as the 2,000+ spoken languages. National sign languages are emerging, but village sign languages (used in places with high hereditary deafness) often have the most poetic, drum-inspired signs for music you’ll ever see.
Indigenous & Island Sign Languages
In Hawai‘i, deaf Native Hawaiians sometimes use a beautiful two-handed hula motion for mele (song/chant) because in Hawaiian culture, music, dance, and story are the same word.
Māori deaf in New Zealand sign “waiata” (song) with hands that mimic the poi balls swinging in kapa haka performance graceful, powerful, ancestral.
In Inuit Sign Language (IUR, used in Nunavut), the sign for drum-dancing involves a strong downward beating motion because the drum is the heartbeat of the community, and when the drum stops, everything stops.
Cultural Insights
Every sign language that has a beautiful, iconic sign for “music” developed it independently. That means deaf people, isolated by oceans and mountains, all looked at the same invisible force and thought: “This moves like waves. This climbs like joy. This starts in the heart and spreads outward.”
That’s not coincidence. That’s proof that music is older than speech.
Proverbs & Sayings About Music
- ASL proverb: “Music is what feelings sound like when they don’t need sound.”
- French deaf saying: “La musique commence où les mots s’arrêtent.” (Music begins where words stop.)
- Japanese deaf expression: Sign “music” + “circle” + “all people” = “Music makes the world one circle.”
- South African deaf idiom: Sign “music” from heart outward + “struggle” + “win” = “The song carried us through.”
FAQs:
Why do so many sign languages have similar signs for music?
Because the concept is universal and visual: melody flows, rhythm pulses, emotion waves outward. Deaf people don’t copy each other they observe the same human truth.
What’s the oldest known sign for music?
We don’t have video from ancient times, but 18th-century French accounts already describe the flowing LSF sign suggesting it’s at least 300 years old.
Why do some sign languages just fingerspell it?
Younger or highly literate sign languages (Italian, some Arabic varieties) often fingerspell words closely tied to written culture, especially art forms like opera or classical music.How Do You Say Music in Sign Language
Final Note
Next time you’re at a concert, look around. Someone might be feeling every beat through the floorboards. Music belongs to all of us hearing, deaf, and everyone in between.
Now it’s your turn.What’s “music” in your sign language?Do you have a local variation I missed?Drop it in the comments I’d love to learn from you. Let’s keep adding to the most beautiful dictionary in the world: the one written in motion, silence, and shared joy.
Hi, I’m Elara Quinn, a professional author with a passion for language, culture, and communication. Through my work at Lingoow.com, I aim to make learning languages simple, fun, and meaningful for readers of all ages. With years of experience in writing and linguistics, I craft content that not only educates but also inspires curiosity and creativity in language learning. At Lingoow.com, I share tips, guides, and insights that help users connect with the beauty of languages around the world. Join me on this journey of words, stories, and discovery!
