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People see mudic in color7/26/2023 ![]() ![]() And when he thinks of strong melodic or rhythmic patterns, it’s usually vivid reds, oranges or golds, like in “We Didn’t Start the Fire”. ![]() “When I think of different types of melodies which are slower or softer like “Lullaby (Goodnight My Angel)”, “And So It Goes” and “Vienna”, I think in terms of blues or greens,” he explained in an interview with Psychology Today. Billy Joel is one of these uniquely gifted individuals, often linking his ballads and rock songs with different hues and creating music from how he sees music in colour. Often times, the great musician would request for the orchestra to play “a little bluer”, “deep violet”, or “not so rose”.Īs awareness towards chromesthesia becomes more widely known, many musicians from the likes of Frank Ocean to Tori Amos to Billie Eilish have revealed that they experience some form of synesthesia, which helps them experience things more vividly, therefore contributing to their creative process. The condition of chromesthesia and seeing music in colour or colours in music stretches as far back as piano virtuoso Frank Lizst’s era, when it was said that he saw colours where there were only tones, thereby confusing his orchestra players. A visual representation of what people with sound to colour synesthesia actually see.įor artists and creators, the ability to bridge the gap between sound and colour is a gift that elevates their craft. ![]() While this might have been unheard of (and maybe even blasphemous) more than a century ago, it really does sound like Scriabin was ahead of his time as his description of Mysterium is incredibly similar to that of the fully immersive events we experience today. This will be done with the aid of mists and lights, which will modify the architectural contours.” The cathedral in which it will take place will not be of one single type of stone but will continually change with the atmosphere and motion of the Mysterium. The cast for performers includes an orchestra, a large mixed choir, an instrument with visual effects, dancers, a procession, incense, and rhythmic textural articulation. The work requires special people, special artists and a completely new culture. He wrote, “There will not be a single spectator. Up until his death in 1915, Scriabin was also working on Mysterium, a week-long event that, according to him, would combine the senses of smell, touch and hearing. While only one keyboard was made and many doubted that Scriabin was indeed seeing music in colour, it inspired the creation of modern-day music software, like Virtuoso 3.0, which allows users to play songs based on colour-coded keys to optimise harmonisation. This keyboard was decorated in the colours from his colour wheel, with each note corresponding to a specific shade. Scriabin also invented the clavier à lumières (keyboard with lights) for his work, Prometheus: Poem of Fire. Late into his career, he became influenced by his sound to colour synesthesia, which led him to develop his own colour system based on the circle of fifths. In the early 1900s, Scriabin became one of the most innovative (but also most controversial) composers of his time. Russian composer and pianist Alexander Scriabin was known as one of the earlier pracitionists of chromesthesia. Give it a try to find out if you also see or think in colour. However, there is no fixed sound-to-colour association and these combinations vary from person to person.īut what does chromesthesia look like? Rhett and Link from the YouTube channel Good Mythical Morning explore the topic with examples of what people with chromesthesia or synesthesia may actually see. It could be everyday things, for instance: the sizzle of bacon on a hot pan (red), the trickle of water from a jug into a glass (blue), or even the tinkling of coins in your pocket (gold).Ĭhromesthesia can also be something more technical, when a major or minor key evokes the image of different colours, as will specific notes like C (red), G (orange), D (yellow) and so on. You may be seeing music in colour or seeing sound as colour. So, what is chromesthesia? It is a type of synesthesia, where sound can evoke an experience of colour. The most common form of synesthesia is chromesthesia. Synesthesia is more apparent in women than men, and to date, over 60 types of synesthesia have been identified. Only two to four percent of people experience synesthesia, a perception phenomenon where two (or more) of their senses are connected, resulting in them seeing and feeling things differently. WHAT IS SYNESTHESIA? THE BLENDING OF SENSES If you’ve experienced this, you are not alone. You probably have something called chromesthesia. Have you ever thought to yourself, “This song reminds me of purple velvet", “I wish this sounded more pink!” or "so, what does yellow sound like?" You tell your friends, only to be met with blank stares. ![]()
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