Hearing Colors
-
Years ago, I taught a music theory course for a group of high school students in a summer program and was amazed with the perfect-pitch ability one of the choir kids possessed. I had only known one other person with true perfect pitch prior to that, so this high-schooler was the second. What was particularly interesting about her was her association of colors to the pitches she heard. When asked to describe how she could name the notes she heard perfectly, she said that when she heard the note she could see a color -- "play the note... okay, that's a dark blue color... E-flat." At the time, I thought it was just a clever association she had made - sound to color. Certain notes/chords can seem "bright" (I think G-major, D-major - sharp keys in general are very bright) or "dark" (I think of flat keys - E-flat and A-flat in particular). But after reading this article on Synesthesia[^], I wonder if she didn't actually see the colors as she heard the sounds. Anyone else experience this for themselves, or know someone who does?
Mike Ellison wrote:
Anyone else experience this for themselves
Synesthesia is a condition in which the real information of one sense is accompanied by a perception in another sense. A person may see colors when hearing a sound or may experience a smell when seeing a certain color. Such a person is called a synesthete. Absolutely, every time I see a female I hear things that I can't repeat in the lounge.
led mike
-
Mike Ellison wrote:
Anyone else experience this for themselves
Synesthesia is a condition in which the real information of one sense is accompanied by a perception in another sense. A person may see colors when hearing a sound or may experience a smell when seeing a certain color. Such a person is called a synesthete. Absolutely, every time I see a female I hear things that I can't repeat in the lounge.
led mike
-
Years ago, I taught a music theory course for a group of high school students in a summer program and was amazed with the perfect-pitch ability one of the choir kids possessed. I had only known one other person with true perfect pitch prior to that, so this high-schooler was the second. What was particularly interesting about her was her association of colors to the pitches she heard. When asked to describe how she could name the notes she heard perfectly, she said that when she heard the note she could see a color -- "play the note... okay, that's a dark blue color... E-flat." At the time, I thought it was just a clever association she had made - sound to color. Certain notes/chords can seem "bright" (I think G-major, D-major - sharp keys in general are very bright) or "dark" (I think of flat keys - E-flat and A-flat in particular). But after reading this article on Synesthesia[^], I wonder if she didn't actually see the colors as she heard the sounds. Anyone else experience this for themselves, or know someone who does?
I saw a documentary on Synesthesia a couple of months ago, it was very interesting. I used to think I might have a bit of it because I have always associated numbers with colours but then I realized I probably had toy blocks or something as a small child that had numbers painted in different colours on them and it stuck with me long after I forgot about the actual blocks themselves. The people in the documentary who had synesthesia actually saw notes visually, they weren't just imagining them in their head, they were overlayed across their vision. I imagine though that it would be a useful tool to teach to children at a young age.
When everyone is a hero no one is a hero.
-
Years ago, I taught a music theory course for a group of high school students in a summer program and was amazed with the perfect-pitch ability one of the choir kids possessed. I had only known one other person with true perfect pitch prior to that, so this high-schooler was the second. What was particularly interesting about her was her association of colors to the pitches she heard. When asked to describe how she could name the notes she heard perfectly, she said that when she heard the note she could see a color -- "play the note... okay, that's a dark blue color... E-flat." At the time, I thought it was just a clever association she had made - sound to color. Certain notes/chords can seem "bright" (I think G-major, D-major - sharp keys in general are very bright) or "dark" (I think of flat keys - E-flat and A-flat in particular). But after reading this article on Synesthesia[^], I wonder if she didn't actually see the colors as she heard the sounds. Anyone else experience this for themselves, or know someone who does?
Ask anyone who has had a good acid trip.
My head asplode!
-
Years ago, I taught a music theory course for a group of high school students in a summer program and was amazed with the perfect-pitch ability one of the choir kids possessed. I had only known one other person with true perfect pitch prior to that, so this high-schooler was the second. What was particularly interesting about her was her association of colors to the pitches she heard. When asked to describe how she could name the notes she heard perfectly, she said that when she heard the note she could see a color -- "play the note... okay, that's a dark blue color... E-flat." At the time, I thought it was just a clever association she had made - sound to color. Certain notes/chords can seem "bright" (I think G-major, D-major - sharp keys in general are very bright) or "dark" (I think of flat keys - E-flat and A-flat in particular). But after reading this article on Synesthesia[^], I wonder if she didn't actually see the colors as she heard the sounds. Anyone else experience this for themselves, or know someone who does?
Mike Ellison wrote:
Anyone else experience this for themselves, or know someone who does?
Actually, I used to have the same experience, though not from perfect pitch. If anything my pitch is extremely lacking. I still "see" my code, I shape it, sculpt it, less than write it, I feel it, see it, shape it to the right color and shape. But most of synesthesia was, shall we gentally say... "firmly discouraged..." so that "tastes green" or that color "sounds" right was believed to be miscommunication skills and requiring of remedial training, to punishment. It just is. accept it as it is, for what it is. :-D
_________________________ Asu no koto o ieba, tenjo de nezumi ga warau. Talk about things of tomorrow and the mice in the ceiling laugh. (Japanese Proverb)
-
Years ago, I taught a music theory course for a group of high school students in a summer program and was amazed with the perfect-pitch ability one of the choir kids possessed. I had only known one other person with true perfect pitch prior to that, so this high-schooler was the second. What was particularly interesting about her was her association of colors to the pitches she heard. When asked to describe how she could name the notes she heard perfectly, she said that when she heard the note she could see a color -- "play the note... okay, that's a dark blue color... E-flat." At the time, I thought it was just a clever association she had made - sound to color. Certain notes/chords can seem "bright" (I think G-major, D-major - sharp keys in general are very bright) or "dark" (I think of flat keys - E-flat and A-flat in particular). But after reading this article on Synesthesia[^], I wonder if she didn't actually see the colors as she heard the sounds. Anyone else experience this for themselves, or know someone who does?
Do a YouTube search for Daniel Tammet[^]. There is a cool video of this guy reciting PI to ~22k digits, learning to speak Icelandic in 1 week, and some other stuff (St. Bernard prevents me from finding it for you).
Jon Sagara On a traffic light yellow means yield, and green means go. On a banana, it's just the opposite, yellow means go ahead, green means stop, and red means, where'd you get that banana? -- Mitch Hedberg .NET Blog | Personal Blog | Articles
-
Ask anyone who has had a good acid trip.
My head asplode!
I heard that "Bad" acid could get you dark colors and tones,whilst good-( I do not condone) may give you the bright colors. I don't know if that was from experience. I also would think hearing ringing in your ears was an after-effect :wtf: :wtf: :suss: mikeyg
Tomorrow will be better than today, even better than yesterday
-
I heard that "Bad" acid could get you dark colors and tones,whilst good-( I do not condone) may give you the bright colors. I don't know if that was from experience. I also would think hearing ringing in your ears was an after-effect :wtf: :wtf: :suss: mikeyg
Tomorrow will be better than today, even better than yesterday
LSD can trigger genuine synesthesia, so I would guess that good acid would give you more accurate bright colours for high notes, and darker colours for lower notes. Bad acid just turns on the kaleidescope.
My head asplode!
-
Mike Ellison wrote:
Anyone else experience this for themselves
Synesthesia is a condition in which the real information of one sense is accompanied by a perception in another sense. A person may see colors when hearing a sound or may experience a smell when seeing a certain color. Such a person is called a synesthete. Absolutely, every time I see a female I hear things that I can't repeat in the lounge.
led mike
"Ha haa! Nice one, Centurion. Like it. Like it."
Mark Salsbery Microsoft MVP - Visual C++ :java:
-
Years ago, I taught a music theory course for a group of high school students in a summer program and was amazed with the perfect-pitch ability one of the choir kids possessed. I had only known one other person with true perfect pitch prior to that, so this high-schooler was the second. What was particularly interesting about her was her association of colors to the pitches she heard. When asked to describe how she could name the notes she heard perfectly, she said that when she heard the note she could see a color -- "play the note... okay, that's a dark blue color... E-flat." At the time, I thought it was just a clever association she had made - sound to color. Certain notes/chords can seem "bright" (I think G-major, D-major - sharp keys in general are very bright) or "dark" (I think of flat keys - E-flat and A-flat in particular). But after reading this article on Synesthesia[^], I wonder if she didn't actually see the colors as she heard the sounds. Anyone else experience this for themselves, or know someone who does?
I studied classical guitar for 7 years and once played at a concert where the piece opened Acapella at which point the cellist and myself were to join. The singer said they had perfect pitch and insisted they they did not need an opening note to help them. Both the cellist and I pointed out that although she may have perfect pitch our instruments' tunings would change slightly during the performance. Anyway she would hear nothing of it... So she sings her opening verse and we join in around a demisemitone (a quarter of a tone) out (urghhh!), I looked at the cellist trying not to grimace. Needless to say she corrected her 'perfect pitch' to match our less than perfect pitch. From what I understand perfect pitch is a curse if you play with an orchestra as everyone else is 'playing out of tune'. I would not be surprised if there are many musicians with synesthesia unaware of it, otherwise how come timbre can be described as bright or dull?
You always pass failure on the way to success.
-
Years ago, I taught a music theory course for a group of high school students in a summer program and was amazed with the perfect-pitch ability one of the choir kids possessed. I had only known one other person with true perfect pitch prior to that, so this high-schooler was the second. What was particularly interesting about her was her association of colors to the pitches she heard. When asked to describe how she could name the notes she heard perfectly, she said that when she heard the note she could see a color -- "play the note... okay, that's a dark blue color... E-flat." At the time, I thought it was just a clever association she had made - sound to color. Certain notes/chords can seem "bright" (I think G-major, D-major - sharp keys in general are very bright) or "dark" (I think of flat keys - E-flat and A-flat in particular). But after reading this article on Synesthesia[^], I wonder if she didn't actually see the colors as she heard the sounds. Anyone else experience this for themselves, or know someone who does?
No idea if this is related, but I just had to share (in case someone else experiences this): I don't have synesthesia, but I hear music all the time. I tend to interpret what I'm seeing/smelling/touching as music. It doesn't happen for everything, but I tend to hear music in most things I do. I also have a tendency to count virtually everything (steps, words, keystrokes), so that may have some bearing on the translation to music. The worst is typing since I start to hear rhythms and I start to build music out of it. I'm not a composer, just a mediocre musician, and I can never seem to recreate the music that I hear a second time. When I look at paintings, for example, the tone of the painting may create a march or a waltz or even a dirge in my head. I go around my house whistling or singing or even just tapping a beat completely based on what I'm smelling, what I'm looking at, and what I can hear going on in the background.
Have faith in yourself; amateurs built the Ark, professionals built the Titanic.
-
"Ha haa! Nice one, Centurion. Like it. Like it."
Mark Salsbery Microsoft MVP - Visual C++ :java:
-
Years ago, I taught a music theory course for a group of high school students in a summer program and was amazed with the perfect-pitch ability one of the choir kids possessed. I had only known one other person with true perfect pitch prior to that, so this high-schooler was the second. What was particularly interesting about her was her association of colors to the pitches she heard. When asked to describe how she could name the notes she heard perfectly, she said that when she heard the note she could see a color -- "play the note... okay, that's a dark blue color... E-flat." At the time, I thought it was just a clever association she had made - sound to color. Certain notes/chords can seem "bright" (I think G-major, D-major - sharp keys in general are very bright) or "dark" (I think of flat keys - E-flat and A-flat in particular). But after reading this article on Synesthesia[^], I wonder if she didn't actually see the colors as she heard the sounds. Anyone else experience this for themselves, or know someone who does?
-
Years ago, I taught a music theory course for a group of high school students in a summer program and was amazed with the perfect-pitch ability one of the choir kids possessed. I had only known one other person with true perfect pitch prior to that, so this high-schooler was the second. What was particularly interesting about her was her association of colors to the pitches she heard. When asked to describe how she could name the notes she heard perfectly, she said that when she heard the note she could see a color -- "play the note... okay, that's a dark blue color... E-flat." At the time, I thought it was just a clever association she had made - sound to color. Certain notes/chords can seem "bright" (I think G-major, D-major - sharp keys in general are very bright) or "dark" (I think of flat keys - E-flat and A-flat in particular). But after reading this article on Synesthesia[^], I wonder if she didn't actually see the colors as she heard the sounds. Anyone else experience this for themselves, or know someone who does?
When I was at the conservatory studying in college I heard about this. I also read something to the effect that people from asian countries like China, Viet Nam, etc, where words in the language differed by pitch, tended to have a better ear for pitch and higher percentage of people with perfect pitch. I have no idea if it true, but its interesting. I also remember there was some controversy over whether perfect pitch could be learned or not.
¡El diablo está en mis pantalones! ¡Mire, mire! Real Mentats use only 100% pure, unfooled around with Sapho Juice(tm)! SELECT * FROM User WHERE Clue > 0 0 rows returned Save an Orange - Use the VCF! VCF Blog
-
Years ago, I taught a music theory course for a group of high school students in a summer program and was amazed with the perfect-pitch ability one of the choir kids possessed. I had only known one other person with true perfect pitch prior to that, so this high-schooler was the second. What was particularly interesting about her was her association of colors to the pitches she heard. When asked to describe how she could name the notes she heard perfectly, she said that when she heard the note she could see a color -- "play the note... okay, that's a dark blue color... E-flat." At the time, I thought it was just a clever association she had made - sound to color. Certain notes/chords can seem "bright" (I think G-major, D-major - sharp keys in general are very bright) or "dark" (I think of flat keys - E-flat and A-flat in particular). But after reading this article on Synesthesia[^], I wonder if she didn't actually see the colors as she heard the sounds. Anyone else experience this for themselves, or know someone who does?
"Our" Corinna John[^] has written two very interesting, if experimental, books[^] with Synesthesia as a central theme. (Unfortunately, you'd have to learn German to enjoy them - but maybe you should try to smell the words... :) )
We are a big screwed up dysfunctional psychotic happy family - some more screwed up, others more happy, but everybody's psychotic joint venture definition of CP
blog: TDD - the Aha! | Linkify!| FoldWithUs! | sighist -
"Our" Corinna John[^] has written two very interesting, if experimental, books[^] with Synesthesia as a central theme. (Unfortunately, you'd have to learn German to enjoy them - but maybe you should try to smell the words... :) )
We are a big screwed up dysfunctional psychotic happy family - some more screwed up, others more happy, but everybody's psychotic joint venture definition of CP
blog: TDD - the Aha! | Linkify!| FoldWithUs! | sighistMy daughter enjoyed reading A Mango-Shaped Space[^] which covers the condition from a kids point of view.
-
LSD can trigger genuine synesthesia, so I would guess that good acid would give you more accurate bright colours for high notes, and darker colours for lower notes. Bad acid just turns on the kaleidescope.
My head asplode!
-
No idea if this is related, but I just had to share (in case someone else experiences this): I don't have synesthesia, but I hear music all the time. I tend to interpret what I'm seeing/smelling/touching as music. It doesn't happen for everything, but I tend to hear music in most things I do. I also have a tendency to count virtually everything (steps, words, keystrokes), so that may have some bearing on the translation to music. The worst is typing since I start to hear rhythms and I start to build music out of it. I'm not a composer, just a mediocre musician, and I can never seem to recreate the music that I hear a second time. When I look at paintings, for example, the tone of the painting may create a march or a waltz or even a dirge in my head. I go around my house whistling or singing or even just tapping a beat completely based on what I'm smelling, what I'm looking at, and what I can hear going on in the background.
Have faith in yourself; amateurs built the Ark, professionals built the Titanic.
Similar problem here, and the weird part is I have absolutely no rhythm. So forget dancing or playing an instrument or anything like that. And what I hum, or whistle never is like what I am hearing. When I listen to music. I've noticed other people tend to think it's bad or even if they think it's good they seem to interpret it differently than I do. I also tend to find that music I like never falls into any single category, it tends to be spread out all over the spectrum. Some Japanese music just absolutely mesmerizes me, for lack of a better description. And I do not know Japanese. The counting part bothers me also, try working on an assembly line where stuff is flying by and you are trying to work on it (while doing that irritating counting thing). They would do an emergency stop on the line just to watch me come out of my seat trying to keep up with a line that is not moving anymore. Quit that job as soon as I graduated. My dad has the same problem.
-
Years ago, I taught a music theory course for a group of high school students in a summer program and was amazed with the perfect-pitch ability one of the choir kids possessed. I had only known one other person with true perfect pitch prior to that, so this high-schooler was the second. What was particularly interesting about her was her association of colors to the pitches she heard. When asked to describe how she could name the notes she heard perfectly, she said that when she heard the note she could see a color -- "play the note... okay, that's a dark blue color... E-flat." At the time, I thought it was just a clever association she had made - sound to color. Certain notes/chords can seem "bright" (I think G-major, D-major - sharp keys in general are very bright) or "dark" (I think of flat keys - E-flat and A-flat in particular). But after reading this article on Synesthesia[^], I wonder if she didn't actually see the colors as she heard the sounds. Anyone else experience this for themselves, or know someone who does?
She actually saw the colors as she heard the sounds. My music teacher also was a synesthete. He was a normal guy, though with perfect pitch, perfect rythm and such, and usually everything appeared normal. After about half a year, we were practising a piece that he especially liked, and he got really agitated, and suddenly (because he hated interrupting us) he no longer only told us we were too high or too low, he just injected other criteria like too salty, too sweet, a little too yellow, etc. Not always, but when he got carried away. He knew that he was different, and he always tries to give "normal" directions, but someimes, he had these urges to "fall back" into, what he calls, his "full" self. I've always wanted to be like that. You cannot learn it, unfortunately.
Cheers, Sebastian -- "If it was two men, the non-driver would have challenged the driver to simply crash through the gates. The macho image thing, you know." - Marc Clifton