What Is Auralism? 10 Ways To Explore This Sound-Based Fetish

We asked sex experts Alexandra Stockwell, M.D., and Goody Howard, LMSW, MPH, for details about the auralistic fetish and how you can lean into making all of your senses sexy.

"Heterosexual men are known to be very responsive to visual stimulation," Stockwell notes. "As more attention is being put on female sexuality...there has been a growing appreciation of the importance in aural stimulation in sexual arousal."

"Most people enjoy auralism on some level, but to know if it's a real fetish for you, I suggest exploring it with intention," Howard says. "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 (or partners), pay attention to the sounds of your playtime and how they make you feel."

"Moans, slurps, wetness, skin-on-skin slapping," and other erotic sounds are already common during typical partnered sex, Howard notes. Some motions or positions might provide more acoustics—and maybe they're the ones you already tend to find yourself more turned on by, even if you haven't known why. Lean in and explore different options with those you engage with sexually. Let yourself focus on all of the varying sounds you and your bodies are bound to make, and notice which ones tend to make you feel even hotter.

There's no such thing as being too loud in bed: A 2019 SKYN survey found 57% of people felt more confident when their partner was making noise during sex. "Use your words and sounds to express your pleasure, and don't be afraid to make noise," Howard recommends. (Here's our guide to dirty talk for a little inspo.)

Many people love the sound that arousal naturally brings via a lubricated vagina. Pump that experience up by using lube products to make things even wetter.

When you inhibit one of the five senses, the others tend to come to life. So if you want to play up an auditory experience, try blocking out your access to some of your other senses. Sight, in particular, tends to be very dominant during sexual experiences. "Wearing a blindfold with your partner enhances the sense of hearing and could connect you to your inner auralist," Howard suggests.

Your living arrangements may not allow for you to be as loud as you want, but that doesn't mean you can't try things out! "If you have small children or roommates, using headphones or playing music can also help you explore," Howard says.

"Another place to start is noticing if you respond pleasurably to certain voices," Stockwell adds. You can check out other audio apps that are not necessarily designed for sensual purposes, like Audible or Apple Podcasts, to test out different voices and types of audio.

"Sometimes the sounds bring flashbacks of a previous lover or sexual encounter," Howard explains. "It's the tone, pitch, and timbre of sounds that stir the passions."

"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, etc. Practicing general sensuality will open doors to connecting to auralism in ways that may not have been obvious before. For example, taking a shower in the dark, no music, no candles, just the sound of the water and your breathing is a great way to connect to your body and your senses."

Sometimes we do feel bound by what we have been told should be arousing, but oftentimes, what is sexy varies from person to person. So go ahead: Download that app, plug in your headphones, snag some slippery new lube—whatever sounds good to you.