Music is a powerful medium. And did you know that it has the ability to reduce anxiety, lower blood pressure, and improve one’s mood, sleep, mental alertness, and memory? It can also take us back to different moments in time, which is a great way to relive memories.

Today, however, we’re going to be talking about a sound-based fetish that goes beyond just music. That is, auralism. 

But just because auralism is considered a fetish, it doesn’t mean that you need to be a part of the fetish or BDSM community. In fact, many of us can hear a piece of music or be enthralled in a certain sound that allows us to become aroused or feel more in-touch with ourselves or our partners in a sexual way.

In other words, auralism is way more common and mainstream than you may have thought.

What Is Auralism?

Auralism, simply put, means that one can or does get aroused by sound. So essentially, this isn’t a music-based fetish, it can be any kind of sound.

“People that are specifically aroused by sounds are practising mindful sensuality without even realising it. The sounds that they find arousing are just as varied as the people themselves,” says Goody Howard, LMSW, MPH.

Think about it this way: do you get aroused by the sounds that your partner makes during intimacy? This is auralism. Or, do you fancy listening to ASMR or audio porn? This too is auralism. 

Auralism has been shown to be more prevalent in women… and it’s not hard to deduce why. Heterosexual men tend to be more aroused by visual stimuli whilst women are, oftentimes, more aroused by an array of different aspects, including sound.

Regardless of gender or sexual orientation, auralism is a fascinating fetish—one that’s even growing on mainstream social media. TikTok, for example, currently has over 75 million views for the term “what is auralism”. 

Do you feel as though you’re an auralist? Or maybe you’re intrigued by the idea? Let’s look at different ways you can explore this growing fetish. 

7 Ways to Tap into Auralism

1. Immerse Yourself

When you’re exploring auralism, go for it with intention. “Get some good headphones and fire up the Google machine to find some aural sites that catch your attention. When you’re engaging with a partner, pay attention to the sounds of your playtime and how they make you feel,” says Howard.

2. Be Mindful During Intimacy

When you’re with your partner, focus your attention on the different sounds. Every moan, slap, kiss, or even sounds of wetness. The act of penetrative sex alone sometimes leads to various sounds, so you can lean into those too and see how it makes you feel. Try not to feel shameful or embarrassed about focusing on these sounds, they’re all perfectly normal. And, if they get you even more aroused, then there’s no harm in it.

3. Be More Vocal

Maybe you or your partner are already quite vocal in the bedroom, but this time really try to let loose. Allow your natural sounds to come out and place focus on really making your pleasure known. And this doesn’t merely need to be moans. You could engage in dirty talk too. The good news about being more vocal during sex? Well, a survey found that 57 percent of people felt more confident in bed when their partner made noises. 

4. Sensory Deprivation 

When you remove one of the senses, the others become heightened. For example, if one is blindfolded, they may be more focused on one of the other five senses, such as touch or sound. If you’d like to try some kind of sensory deprivation, blindfolds are a great way to tap into your auralism fetish or curiosity. Just remember to do this with someone you really trust.

5. Erotic Audio

The amount of erotic audio available today is seemingly limitless. There are so many websites and apps available, such as LELO audio erotica, that’s been carefully curated to tingle the auditory senses. They’ve been created to entice you with sexually explicit stories, prompts, and sounds, so that you can really explore auralism at your own pace and in a style that suits you.

“Using an audio-only platform allows the listener to use their imagination and conjure images that are tailored more to their specific preferences and desires,” says Madeline Concannon, a producer of an erotic storytelling app. “It leaves more room for your own fantasies to come to life and get lost in a story, while remaining highly engaged with it.”

Alternatively, some may simply be aroused by the sound of a person’s voice. In other words, you may not even require erotic audio, but just the sound of a particular person’s voice. And as Alexandra Stockwell, M.D, says, “Another place to start is noticing if you respond pleasurably to certain voices.”

6. ASMR

ASMR stands for autonomous sensory meridian response, and is not solely sexual in nature. ASMR is simply when someone experiences tingling sensations to certain sounds (or sights). For example, listening to someone whisper gently, turning pages, writing on paper, scratching, crinkling, and much more. Usually ASMR is done by recording an action or words closely to a microphone, enhancing the experience. In the realm of sexuality, however, there are many channels in which to hear people moaning, massaging, a condom wrapper being opened, or hearing the lubrication in action against someone’s body. 

7. Be Mindful in Everyday Life

Being mindful in your everyday life, during mundane or exciting activities, is a way in which to strengthen your abilities to tap into auralism. So, when you’re out and about, walking through a shopping mall, strolling a park, sitting in a cafe, or other, notice the sounds around you in an intentional way. Also, take notice of your own sounds as you go about your day. For example, taking a shower in the dark and simply listening to the water running and your breathing.

“Pay attention to the little things like the way your clothes feel on your skin, the sounds of your breathing when doing different activities, the way your food/drink tastes, the textures and weight of food on the tongue,” says Howard.

While auralism isn’t for everyone, it surely is a pleasant and relatively safe way to engage in a new experience and outlook on life. Whether used in a sexual or non-sexual context, why not give it a go and see how you like it?