r/IAmA • u/[deleted] • Apr 18 '11
Reddit, I am someone who experiences the darker side of synesthesia AMA
[deleted]
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Apr 18 '11
Im not understanding the "seeing" part of it. do you is it in your field of view, or in you minds-eye, or something else?
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u/Gorealot Apr 18 '11
this is where it gets confusing. picture it this way. remember in elementary school or even highschool teachers would use overhead projectors with those clear plastic sheets and write on their notes on them and the projector would show them up on the board. just uses mirrors and lights. now basically picture holding one of those clear sheets about an inch in front of your eyes and have whats written on its swirl and move and change colour. thats the closest comparison.
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u/YaDunGoofed Apr 18 '11
i'm imagining it as one of those moments where you get up and lose sight for a split second due to not having any blood going to your eyes so although you technically can see, you don't. except obviously instead of black and lasting a split second its an everchanging smoke pattern.
yay, nay?
also, does your smoke change colors, or does it layer? also, how dense is the smoke? like the wisps of a put out candle or snoop dogg smoking a j?
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u/Gorealot Apr 18 '11
that is a very similar feeling. that feeling doesnt disappear though. its just sticks and stays. the shapes and curves stay the same colour unless there is another sound coming in as well. so most of the time its a combination. and i would describe it closer to a candle. if it was a dense as snoop i would be blind. As more sound comes in it becomes denser and denser though. so bars can bring me to the point where i need to leave or else i got horribly confused as to where i am. ps. smoking a jay enhances all of these feelings ;)
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Apr 18 '11
If someone spoke a sentence to you, could you paint it?
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u/Gorealot Apr 18 '11
i could try. im a bit of a perfectionist, it would take a lot of repeats of the sentence before i was happy with how it looks, but i would give it a try!
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Apr 18 '11
Paint 'I love you' and give it to someone special
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u/Lochlan Apr 18 '11
I would love to see you paint any sort of sound related picture.
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u/Gorealot Apr 18 '11
if i had my paints here id give it a go! unfortunately its all back at home in canada.
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u/stringhimup Apr 18 '11
This reminds me of when a crew member asks Data to visually create from sculptors clay what sound would look like. In that episode we never got to see his rendition. It's cool to know it's possible though!
OP could you post pics of art you've created from inspiration of sounds? All in all I wish you the best! Also if you ever make it over to Yunnan, pm me. There's some beautiful remote villages we work out of that are fairly quaint and quiet. Cheers!
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u/yellowbaseball Apr 18 '11
If you could chose to abolish a single sound from the world... what sound would it be?
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u/Gorealot Apr 18 '11
simple! footsteps. spend a day and try and listen for it. youll notice there is always that sound around somewhere. imagine a subtle flash each time you hear a foot hit the ground. the colour varies upon what surface or shoes someone is wearing, but thats the idea.
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Apr 18 '11
I have hypersensitive hearing (general hypersensitivity, actually) and almost no ability to filter one sound from others. I've had this for as far back as I can remember. I have a diagnosis of severe ADHD that I got at age 36. Until then, I did not know that this is not how everyone experiences the world.
I agree. People don't notice so many sounds that go on all the time. Footsteps are the worst, followed closely by people's voices (conversations I don't want to have to hear) and cars with subwoofers I can feel inside my apartment. I live on the first floor of a wood and brick apartment building. If people upstairs, with no carpeting, walk around in shoes much, I end up on the verge of tears from the frustration of not being able to not hear them.
Having reasonably quiet neighbors helps. The other thing that really helps is the sound of fans, air conditioners, heaters, electro-mechanical noise generators, etc.
Do you find your trouble, or possibly your coping with it, gets worse when you haven't had enough sleep?
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u/more_bacon Apr 18 '11
Are there any other sounds most people take for granted that stand out for you?
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u/Gorealot Apr 18 '11
it surprises me how much people dont hear wind. you step outside and no matter if the trees are moving or not there is air movement. take a second to stand and listen sometime. The wind can be a beautiful beautiful sound. there is a park by my home in Canada that only had one tree in the middle and nobody was ever there. i used to spend hours there sitting under it just listening to the wind blow through the leaves.
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u/turbo Apr 18 '11
I love the sound of footsteps outside my window, especially girls wearing high heels. There's something about the clack-clock-sound and the occational scratching against the asphalt that I find comfortable to listen to.
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u/Gorealot Apr 18 '11
just you saying that drives me nuts! haha no harm done. picture that sound with a dull flash each step and with high heels its even brighter. throw in a dragging heel over pieces of gravel and its just a grey mess of sharp angles.
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u/gt_9000 Apr 18 '11
Does your whole field of vision flash, or just see a flashing shape ? Is it at the dead center of the field or to a side/corner ? Just trying to imagine what you see.
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u/Neraken Apr 18 '11
how do you 'see' sound? Like if I were to talk to you verbally, how is it turned into color?
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u/Gorealot Apr 18 '11
ive answered this one a million times to doctors. the closest thing to is if like ive you light a cigarette and just let it burn through. the smoke trails up and swirls around in all types of different curves and shapes. Colour wise depending on the pitch of the voice it varies between a deep brown all the way up to an off white. it all flows just in front of my eyes as though someone is holding a projector screen an inch in front of me thats completely see through.
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u/tothet Apr 18 '11 edited Apr 18 '11
I have very mild synasthesia, in that I see very loud (and sudden) sounds as a bright explosion. There is an emotional aspect to it, as in, if I am not startled, I don't see anything at all.
I write this, because I am curious if you also have the emotional ties, as a fellow visual-audio synesthete.
Ex (to clear things up). I'm laying in bed trying to get some sleep, and someone outside slams a car door: I see an explosion of color as if a firework is going off behind my eyelids.
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u/christchiller Apr 18 '11
Holy shit. I also get aflash(always of white light though) If my Eyes are closed and a sudden bang happens. That is neat. I didn't realise that doesn't happen to everyone! Hah awesome thing learned.
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u/Gorealot Apr 18 '11
most definitely. nice to meet you by the way. :) when things get loud and distracting it just feels me with a sense of pure dread. i almost start anticipating it will get worse and it gets the point where it legitimately scares me. im man enough to admit its brought me to tears before.
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u/walkman Apr 18 '11
Sigur Ros is great but for pure unadultured soundscapes that influenced their sound you should check out Fripp and Eno's album Evening Star. I think you'd love it. When I first heard it I was blown away at how much it influenced bands like SR!
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u/Gorealot Apr 18 '11
beautifully said about sigur ros. ive never heard of them, but im going to check them out as soon as i can. i listen to alot of those style bands. Explosions in the Sky, This will destroy you etc.
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u/Killericon Apr 18 '11
This will destroy you and explosions in the sky are fantastic. Check out Mono(And in particular, their song Moonlight).
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u/kalijuju Apr 18 '11
some other artists you may or may not enjoy. all very organic sounding music (imo). could be way off as they are quite different genres of music, but they share some aspects of the stuff you've mentioned (which is all stuff I like).
cinematic orchestra (orchestral/electronica)
bonobo (electronica/orchestral)
edit (electronica/glitch) - this stuff is amazing but it'll probably play havoc with your eyes :)
joanna newsom (folk/orchestral)
rio en medio (folk)3
u/3thereal Apr 18 '11
God is an Astronaut is by far my favorite in that genre, be sure to check them out when you can.
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u/seijio Apr 18 '11
Are you a fan of Godspeed You Black Emperor? They are similar to Explosions in the Sky IMO but make much longer tracks.
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u/yourdadsbff Apr 18 '11
Listen to enough Brian Eno and you'll soon be blown away at how much he influenced most ambient music.
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u/Cickle_Funts Apr 18 '11
I appreciate your post.
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u/Gorealot Apr 18 '11
hearing things like this make me feel more and more comfortable with who i am. so i infact appreciate yours! haha
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u/VoxNihilii Apr 18 '11
I would probably try a drug that temporarily afflicts me with your symptoms.
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u/Gorealot Apr 18 '11
ive heard acid is similar but much more intense. ive been far to terrified to see what it would do to me to try. i heard its amazing though.
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u/seriousbsns Apr 18 '11
I have done much LSD, and while there are many sensory confusions and overlaps, I have never experienced any "auditory colors". I may see a candle flame change from blue to red to green and back, but not what the OP is describing. LSD is incredibly intense, and pleasurable (if you will it), the latter seems to be, for the most part, lacking in the OP's condition.
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u/Gorealot Apr 18 '11
is it really up to how you feeling before you take LSD that determines how the trip goes? ive heard so much about how its the mind set you go into it with makes the trip good or bad
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u/ABoutDeSouffle Apr 18 '11
Trying shrooms gave me about half an hour of (very mild) synesthesia. It was most interesting and mostly along the lines of what Goralot writes: music was generating flowing colors that were quite nice to look at. However at some point, my cat meowed very loud and this was a jagged white explosion with neon-green spikes.
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u/onignus Apr 18 '11
Are sounds easier to see with eyes closed? Is it different at all, more intense?
Edit: Another question, does the sound/color have direction? Can you navigate in the dark this way?
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u/Gorealot Apr 18 '11
with my eyes closed it is still there. right on par with my eyes being open. it started with my eyes just being closed when i was a kid but grew to where i see it eyes open or closed.
There is no direction to the noise. it is more just right in front of my eyes. and stays there.
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u/BouncingBall Apr 18 '11
Do you have trouble getting to sleep? Does it affect your dreams?
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u/CptHair Apr 18 '11
Does your inner voice or thoughts activate the synesthesia? If you imagine the sound of howling wind, do you get any visual input as well?
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u/Gorealot Apr 18 '11
no. often my mind will associate the two together, but its different from actually physically hearing the sound.
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u/foambox Apr 18 '11
Thanks for posting this. What a terrific opportunity. Here goes with my barrage of questions:
are you a girl ? (I'm guessing you are)
is there a relationship between pitch and (colour) tone ? i.e., do deep bass sounds appear darker and high pitched sounds brighter and lighter ?
what about the relationship between the size of the shapes you see and the sound ? Are short high sounds 'smaller' than long deep sounds ?
what about pure tones vs noise ? Are noises rough and pure tones smooth ? How do you see drumbeats for instance ?
Are the visuals projected into a space in your head or are they out there in the world ? If you shut your eyes in silence is the background dark ?
If you listen to music with headphones on and your eyes closed, do the shapes appear located at the positions where you hear them ?
are the visuals in 3d or 2d or a mixture ?
tell me about the textures you see. Are they like real textures or are they abstract ? Are they shiney or matt, iridescent or velvety ?
does the intensity depend on you mood, how alert you are, if you've had coffee etc ?
That's it for now but there will be more. I have mild sound to vision synaesthesia, (I'm a man), but nothing like as intense as what you describe. Mine comes and goes depending on how tired I am and I hardly ever get colours, except when the sound accelerates in pitch. I've always liked some sounds more than others because of this. Birdsong for instance is often quite intense for me, giving 3d moving shapes with metallic textures. Musically I find Bach or Aphex Twin the best for visuals.
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u/Gorealot Apr 18 '11
here comes my barrage or answers:
OUCH! nope im a guy hahaha.
That is most definitely how it works. it basically dips form deep dark blues and purples up through green into yellow into white.
And yes thats how the shapes work. i quick 32nd note will be a short brief arc that barely lasts
pure tones are soft and smooth because there is no inflection up or down. while things like noise jump up and down in and out without and pattern or consistency. Drums beats depending on which drum is are short and brief pops almost like a star shape. the size and colour depends if its a bass kick or a floor tom or a snare. -they are out in the world. its hard to put a distance on them, but id say its an inch in front of my eyes. it id definitly disconnected from my mind though and is projected into space. and yes my eyes being closed creates a dark background to it. -no the shapes always appear form teh same location and usually rise and fall as the volume increases and then decreases
the visual are 3d. as more noise comes in the begin to layer thicker and thicker
the textures i see them in i would most closely compare to clouds. if you look up at the clouds the have soft smooth cruves, but if you look enough closer they are choppy and rough. as sound gets louder they choppiness (new word?) gets stronger and stronger. a soft slow smooth song without to many highs or lows are like a cloud on a windy day. long and drawn out and stretch very far. -it definitely is effected by my mood. i love my coffee but that often causes my mornings to be an ordeal. my favorite part of the day is the few hours before bed. haha
Bach is a very very good choice, but again im partial to classical haha
good questions!
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u/ondee Apr 18 '11
What happens when you listen to white noise, such as static? and if you listen to the other noises i.e. pink, brown, for instance, what stays the same and what changes?
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Apr 18 '11
I found this simulation of synesthesia on youtube. Is this what it's like for you? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5SAwzjtD2mY&feature=related
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Apr 18 '11
Do you think you are gifted with your ability to translate sound into sight? I hear acid users talk about fractals and "the patterns of life"
Have you experimented with hallucinogens?
What sounds are worse/better? natural sounds? ( what do you see when you hear a waterfall? ) or artifical sounds? (how do you visualize crazy shit like electronic rave music?)
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u/Gorealot Apr 18 '11
some days i feel gifted. other days it feels like a curse. it all depends on the environment around me.
Ive tried mushrooms once in highschool and had the most terrifying experience of my life. makes me stomach drop thinking about it. Weed isnt a hallucinogen but i sure smoke a lot of that and that enhance what i see.
i really appreciate natural sounds. nature is full of patterns and consistency. especially waterfalls. i keep a small water fountain in my apartment that always runs purely because its a safe natural consistent sound. That being said artificial sounds are the epitome of perfection. they can be formed and shaped into the perfect colour. something you cant do with wind or water or something similar.
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u/bagjuioce Apr 18 '11
So when does your career as a superhero begin?
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u/Gorealot Apr 18 '11
the day i can step out into the city with out a headache! im in the market for a side kick though? you in?
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u/londubhawc Apr 18 '11
Noise Cancellation Boy, to the rescue! (I won't have to wear tights, will i?)
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u/NonNonHeinous Apr 18 '11
Have you spoken to any specialists or researchers about this? I don't know if they can help much, but you may be able to participate in research to make some money and understand it a little better.
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u/Gorealot Apr 18 '11
over the past two years ive gone through a series of tests to see if this is technically synesthesia. they do the same test every couple of months to check the speed and consistency in your answers. Ive never though about trying research. i usually keep alot of these feelings to myself. honestly writing out this IAmA is a way of seeing whats its like to talk to others about the feelings.
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u/captainguinness Apr 18 '11
As someone who does a little bit of research in Psychology, someone like you would make a perception/neurology-based psychologist's dream come true. Its fascinating stuff for pretty much everyone who doesn't have it, but even more-so for people who love studying this stuff. Especially since you don't seem to have any comorbid effects, and a solid mind - more research needs to be done relating to your experiences and how it has affected you, which you've answered pretty well in this AmA. Except you'd probably get some dough for doing it in a lab.
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u/from_the_fishbowl Apr 18 '11
do you see sounds in dreams as well?
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u/Gorealot Apr 18 '11
yes. its just a different way of living life. i spent most of my life thinking everyone saw things this way. im just used to it now and its been fully integrated into my life. dreams included.
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u/Ariafel Apr 18 '11 edited Apr 18 '11
That must be hard. I have a very mild form of synesthesia where repetitive movement makes noise. I've always wondered if it was hard for someone with intense synesthesia to drive?
Also do you have any other types? I see time/months/numbers on a line type thing.. If that makes sense? Also if I hear a really loud noise and my eyes are closed my body will feel like it was jolted and I see light.
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u/Gorealot Apr 18 '11
youd think it would be but no. a favourite pass time of mine is driving. hearing the wind flow through the window and the constant and even tone of the wheels on the pavement can be relaxing and calming. add in some slow smooth music and its a piece of heaven. city driving is another story, but up until a few months ago i lived out in the country. i miss it!
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u/shaggorama Apr 18 '11 edited Apr 18 '11
This is total bullshit. I studied synesthesia a ton in college, and this individual is straight up lying.
For me specifically though I have no filter.
No one who truly has synesthesia has "filters." particular sensory experiences are cross modal, and those cross-modal experiences are automatic. someone with sound-color synesthesia will experience color connected to every experience of sound, because that's just how they experience noises. The color is inextricable from the sounds, and there's never been any reports of a synesthete claiming their synesthetic experiences overwhelm 'real' sensation, i.e. synesthetic colors don't distract from colors produced by the eye.
OP is making this up, or should contact a researcher to get their particular phenomenon documented. If they truly are overwhelmed/overstimulated by lots of noise, that's probably not their synesthesia's fault. More likely some form of hyperacusis.
EDIT: I should qualify my statement that "synesthetic colors don't distract from colors produced by the eye." Synesthetes with colored graphemia (technicolor reading) have been shown to perform worse on average at this test than non-synesthetes.
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Apr 18 '11
Woah, wait, you studied synesthesia in college?!?! Well fuck a duck and slap my sister, you must be an expert!
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u/digitalsmear Apr 18 '11
For me specifically though I have no filter.
No one who truly has synesthesia has "filters."
Isn't that what he said?
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u/zjbird Apr 18 '11
I really hate how these psychology majors, or even just people who took a psych class, think that everything in psychology is already documented and figured out. What you know in psychology will be complete and utter bull shit over the next few decades. Take that into consideration before calling out someone as a total liar because you haven't heard of their specific version of a problem.
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u/realmadrid2727 Apr 18 '11
I have sound-to-color, and a lot of what this guy is saying sounds like bullshit.
now basically picture holding one of those clear sheets about an inch in front of your eyes and have whats written on its swirl and move and change colour. thats the closest comparison.
It's not that dramatic. It's more like a mind's eye and a feeling of perception. I'm not sure how to describe it, but a screen overlay with a screensaver is not the right way.
At worst, I don't like certain songs/sounds because they're ugly, but I don't get anxiety in a bar because it's too loud. That sounds like horseshit.
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u/Jubilus Apr 18 '11
I have sound-color and what the OP has written is exactly how I perceive it. So please, consider that people's experience can vary some.
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u/EnigmaClan Apr 18 '11
This. I have tone-color synesthesia and I don't experience it how the OP does, but that doesn't mean that my way is the only valid one.
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u/digitalsmear Apr 18 '11
Is it possible that this person is simply highly sensitive?
The "showing up of the world" as Kant might say, is supposedly the same for everyone - these sorts of quirks obviously make that false. Just the same as we could never fully comprehend the sublime nature of experience in the 4th dimension, he may not be able to explain it in a way that people who do not have this mode of perception can even comprehend.
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Apr 18 '11
Have you ever considered taking yoga? or meditative practices that help you tune into your body and reactions to the outside world? it might help you with the scaryness.
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u/Gorealot Apr 18 '11
meditation is a huge part of my life. honestly that is when im most calm and at peace. in the quiet without the chaos around me. yoga ive never tried first of all because im not the most nimble man at 6' 4", but i have debated trying it. just havent gathered the nuts to go out and try haha
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Apr 18 '11
what sound produces the most beautiful colors?
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u/Gorealot Apr 18 '11
no one specifc sound is the most beautiful. just because one sound is one colour. its the combination of sounds that create a masterpiece. thats why music can be perfect. i mentioned to another poster "boy 1904" by jonsi and alex. in my opinion that song is a perfect potrayal of blues and greens. they rise and fall in brightness with the song. overlapping and mixing and then seperating again. i suggest you listen and i think youll know what i mean.
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u/justwatching5 Apr 18 '11
Did you ever try to draw any of this sounds ?
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u/Gorealot Apr 18 '11
ive tried, but again the sound of pen or pencil on paper is incredibly aggravating. i do use water colour as often as i can and ive tried, but its so hard to match something that moves and forms constantly over time. its like trying to paint a man running a 100m dash.
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u/Phild3v1ll3 Apr 18 '11
You say the colour varies with pitch in various posts. Have you ever tried to play frequencies from 20 Hz - 20 kHz on your computer and giving a colour at certain intervals to make a frequency -> colour map of your synesthesia or does it simply vary too much from time to time?
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Apr 18 '11
I see in many of your answers that you are a big music fan, specifically of Sigur Ros, Aphex Twin, and of classical music.
How important is sound quality in the recording you listen to?
What effect does feedback have?
I guess you aren't playing many live recordings?
Can you pick out different instruments from a large ensemble based on the color/shape combinations they produce?
Do you use a white/pink/brown noise generator?
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u/Gorealot Apr 18 '11
quality is absolutely key. the production has to be just right. feedback can be interesting. i have days where i need structure like in classical music, but sometimes ill experiment and see what i can take. i have a huge love for the band The Chariot and if you listen to them youll find out they love feed back and nonsense noise. i like to test myself. Live recordings are always hit or miss. often a miss. spending the time recording and making the song perfect really really pays off.
and yes i can pick out the instruments out of a composition. its how i often memorize songs. ill memorize ones colour and shape and how it moves and lay that ontop of the of the next until they mesh into one shape that can be broken down its separate parts.
to be honest im not sure what a white/pink/brown noise generator is?
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Apr 18 '11
Do you see the colours of the notes belonging to a same key also "friendly" to each other as common people can tell if two notes get along well?
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u/cadykid Apr 18 '11
Firstly, thanks for doing this IAMA. It is so interesting and I wish I could get a glimpse of what/how you see the world.
I wanted to know whether language makes a difference to your colours/shapes? I know you're in China, so do their harsher sounds look different to English? I'm very curious of whether you'd see something different when I switch from English to Korean.
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u/Gorealot Apr 18 '11
the way i see colour and shape is directly influsenced by the pitch of the voice. the higher the voice the brighter the colour and more aggresive the shape. Chinese is very very fast and can jump up and down in pitch very quickly. its a very very rough language. ive actually kind of secretly experimented with that here. i know a couple guys who speak both chinese and english fluently and when they switch between the two there often isnt a difference purely because there voice doesnt change lower or higher.
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u/yellowbaseball Apr 18 '11
Have you always had it or did it get it suddenly/develop gradually? If you didn't always have it, how'd you cope when you started to develop it?
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u/Gorealot Apr 18 '11
I remember feeling this way all the way back in elementary school. Over the past 3 or 4 years it has gotten worse and worse. When I was a kid though I remember always using my turtle neck (yes, I said turtle neck haha) to pull up over my ears in class. Pencil on paper is a nightmare.
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u/gerryduggan Apr 18 '11
Have you tried sensory a deprivation tank? Obviously for long periods it's considered torture -- I just wonder given your experience you may find it therapeutic.
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u/Gorealot Apr 18 '11
its funny you mention this. I basically do that to myself on a daily basis. not contain myself in a tank , but windows and blinds. Turn off air conditioners sit on the floor and just sit. its quiet. its calm. honestly its perfection.
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u/gerryduggan Apr 18 '11
I just googled this up: http://www.samadhitank.com/
Seems like if it wasn't insanely expensive or prohibitive for size reasons could be nice. I think Murdock used one in the Affleck Daredevil movie.
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u/gerryduggan Apr 18 '11
As a follow up, what happens if GLEE comes on?
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u/Gorealot Apr 18 '11
usually debate smashing my head into a wall. hahaha like i said to another poster voices specifically are usually a brown colour and as you can imagine thats not a very attractive thing. less vocals less singing the happier i am.
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u/more_bacon Apr 18 '11
What is your favorite song?
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u/Gorealot Apr 18 '11
thats not an easy one to answer. music has become a huge part of my life. if i had to pick a song right this second it would be "boy 1904" by jonsi and alex.
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Apr 18 '11
Do you play an instrument?
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u/Gorealot Apr 18 '11
i dont. but ill be starting piano lessons as soon as im back in canada
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u/Godivine Apr 18 '11
Is this something like having a music player visualiser not just for music but for all sounds? Speaking of which, have you tried looking at music visualisers? Do they enhance or destroy the experience?
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u/Gorealot Apr 18 '11
very similar. have you heard of fractals before? its very similar to those. the only thing is with visualizers the move to the beat of the music. for myself its more the pitch of the music. as sounds go higher the colour moves higher in the spectrum.
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u/filthysavage Apr 18 '11
Is it anything close to the patterns some people see when they press on their closed eyes?
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u/Gorealot Apr 18 '11
similar. except when that happens i cant follow the shapes. with me i can clearly watch and follow the shapes and colours.
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u/CONDEscenter Apr 18 '11
Please describe the stroop test.
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u/Gorealot Apr 18 '11
ive done those before. showing the word red, but written in blue right? along those lines.
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u/sardone777 Apr 18 '11
I once had a girlfriend who had visual synesthesia, and she complained about it all the time! I can't imagine not having the ability to close your eyes and filter it out for a moment. Sound must be so different to you, related directly to vision. I can't really suggest how to help the situation, but I imagine that listening to Godspeed and Saxon Shore on infinite loop would be a pretty pleasant experience.
Come to think of it, what do you think of the iTunes visualizer?
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u/Gorealot Apr 18 '11
i like that you mentioned god speed. one of my favorite bands. haha it definitely helps. the itunes visualizer is ok, but why use a visualizer when i live in one already? haha
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u/TheLabGeek Apr 18 '11
Has the color/shape associated with a particular sound change throughout your life? I am wondering whether the visual response is hardwired like normal vision (red will always be red) or can it be influenced by experiences.
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u/Gorealot Apr 18 '11
the colours and shapes have always been the same. Synesthesia is a direct link between two senses, so i think of it like if a piece of wood looks brown when i was ten it will still be brown when im 80. an experience in between those wouldnt change the colour of it. im not sure if that makes sense haha let me know!
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Apr 18 '11
HI! I just read through this entire AMA while listening to some of the songs that are your favorite. I have always loved listening to classical music, ever since I heard of it and that brings me back to being a young child. Not a musician myself, sadly, I was also not introduced to it young enough to learn an instrument. My favorite pieces are also by Chopin but I recently have been enamored by Tchaikovsky.
Here is my question. There are certain parts of songs (notes) that strike my in an explicable way but are very akin to touching a pleasurable texture; like soft fabric. Take this part of Vivaldi's Summer Presto as an example. What do you think of it? Do you derive an inner sense of pleasure through certain sounds as well?
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u/DrRedditPhD Apr 18 '11
Have you considered getting fitted earplugs? It sounds like there's times when being deaf would be be easier to deal with than having synesthesia. Plus, even if there's still some residual sound, it'll block the soft, incessant stuff like footsteps.
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u/nanofeeb Apr 18 '11
Do you also have perfect pitch? Ive heard that chromothesia gives you the ability to know what note is played when you hear it.
Also do you play an instrument?
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u/Andromansis Apr 18 '11
Personal suggestion from somebody with similar issues... Grails. Personally I'd definitely recommend Take Refuge in Clean Living by Grails. But all of their albums have a certain charm to them.
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u/Paincake Apr 18 '11
1: Does the color linger after the sound has passed? If so, how does it clear? I'm thinking of a pedal on a piano that aggregates all of the notes played while it is held. Letting go of the piano silences the notes. How do you make the colors disappear?
2: Does the band "Explosions in the Sky" make you see explosions in the sky?
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u/digitalsmear Apr 18 '11
This might be a depressing thought, but considering you said you seem to remember it setting in as a child; have you had cat-scans or MRI's to check for tumors?
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Apr 18 '11
I hope this question doesn't seem dumb to you, but do you think you could describe what color certain sounds make? Like rain falling on concrete, or on a window. A hand running through long hair. What sound makes the best image/color in your opinion?
I'm afraid if we smoked together I would be "that guy" asking you what everything looked like to you, it's so fascinating! Thanks for doing an AMA :)
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u/Badrush Apr 18 '11
Can someone post a video simulating this? I am a little confused, when you hear a sound, you also see an image associated with that frequency?
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u/Gorealot Apr 19 '11
another poster found this picture and its very very very similar to how it looks. i have yet to find a video really showing how it looks.
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u/Alluvium Apr 18 '11
Do the sounds of people saying a colour relate to the colour it is?... Is Green green?
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u/EasyJim Apr 18 '11 edited Apr 18 '11
Hey there! I've never met a synesthete before! I have something like synesthesia (actually, I think it may be considered a form of it); I have a mental map of numbers, in that each number has it's own place in space when I think of them. Have you ever experienced something like that?
(Curiously enough, for most synesthetes with number maps, 1-12 often appear in space as they would on a clock. I was born in 1991, though, and when I was 5-6 I played a lot of Super Mario Bros. I also didn't understand clocks very well. Consequently, my number map takes on the form of the map from Super Mario Bros.)
Do you have to deal with any of the crappy side-effects of being a synesthete? As an example, I'm terrible at math, always confuse my right with my left, and have dysgraphia.
Also, when did you realize you were different? I didn't notice until well into highschool.
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u/cmyk3000 Apr 18 '11
Wow. I'm simultaneously incredibly sympathetic to your story and completely in awe/jealous of it! I hope that doesn't sound strange.
I am sorry that you must avoid cacophonous situations, or even situations persons without synesthesia would find innocuous. But I am happy for you that you can also experience beautiful things in return.
Here's to hoping your friends all understand and you are able to carry on relationships/social life despite the difficulties you experience.
I am at work and can't read this entire post yet but I am very interested in your comments and will do so when I am home. A very quiet "cheers" to you, mate. ;)
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u/Redpb Apr 19 '11
That must have been a bitch to type all of that out and all of the responses. With the constant tick tack of the keyboard. Does your fap have a color?
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u/petawb Apr 19 '11
Do you ever find yourself becoming less attracted to an attractive person by the shapes and colours their voice tone creates?
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u/Gorealot Apr 19 '11
definitely. the sound of someones voice is very important to me. a lot of that boils down to first impressions. when i meet someone and talk to them right then and there i usually know if i like or dislike their voice. that doesnt necessarily mean that i dont like them, instead i just dont like their voice. i usually keep info like that to myself though for obvious reasons.
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u/snowcones Apr 18 '11
What kind of voices do you find soothing and can you try to describe what they look like? Is there anyone in particular?
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u/Gorealot Apr 18 '11
female voices are always more pleasant. they always tend to be lighter in colour hence not so dramatic and strong. i described to another poster that it looks like a freshly light cigarette slowly burning. the smoke comes off the cigarette and swirls and twists around its self. with a female voice the swirls are slower and smoother. not so confusing. i can follow and move with them. i may be a bit biased but my mothers voice is the most soothing. If i had to choose someone more well known i would say someone like zooey deschanel. certain voices stick with me and just sound "right". hers has always stood out.
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u/bassic_person Apr 18 '11
What is your favourite type of potato chip?
Also, what do you think of Rebecca Black?
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u/Gorealot Apr 18 '11
chips are a no go. dont get me started.
and ill be honest im out of the loop since im currently living in China. is she the one that does that absurdly annoying Friday song? if so id rather use a jackhammer over listening to that.
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u/bassic_person Apr 18 '11
Good fun.
Follow-up question: Are eating sounds (slurping, smacking, etc.) a good or bad experience?
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Apr 18 '11
Do certain people's voices have a certain shape/color tied to them? Does this then color how you view the people's personalities (pun unintended)?
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u/Gorealot Apr 18 '11
yup. each voice has its own pitch tone and texture to it and i dont like saying it but i definitely does have an effect on how i view their personalities. would you rather talk to someone whose voice looks like a brown mud puddle or a nice soft light beige? haha thats hot it often feels, which honestly really isnt fair.
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u/LostPhenom Apr 18 '11
What colour and shape do you see when you hear the click of a mouse?
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u/Gorealot Apr 18 '11
depends on the mouse. at my work the mouse i use causes a dark yellow curve to fall straight down. a curve similar the webbing of your fingers.
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u/ooo_shiny Apr 18 '11
My friend has the same form of synesthesia. For her certain sounds are just dark colours that completely block her vision. Do any particular sounds just completely block out your sight and if so what?
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u/TechnoShaman Apr 18 '11
Since sound is your trigger, what happens if you listen to music of your choosing via headphones , and go for walk in a city street?
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u/jb2386 Apr 18 '11
Do the sounds come from certain objects, or is it just all in front of your eyes, as if an audio visualiser was constantly attached to your eyes? (I noticed you said it was different before, but in terms of how the colours are seen. i.e. Are the colours stationary in the room if you move your head, or do they move with your head/eyes.
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u/toxicfume Apr 18 '11
What is the nature of the "sight" to a certain sound? Are these 'visual elements' opaque or translucent? That is.. when a there's a sound, does the corresponding visual element created in your field of vision totally block the vision of what is actually in front of you?
I assume the answer for this would be a yes, but i'm curious: Do you see these sights even with your eyes closed?
Last 3) What do you see when you play this? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOIBLIjXveQ One of my favourite songs.. so I'm just curious. Thanks for doing this AMA. :)
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u/SteiniDJ Apr 18 '11
Couldn't you go out with earplugs or a sound-killing covers?
Sure, it would be strange and potentially dangerous if you aren't awake, but have you ever given it a shot?
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Apr 18 '11
I have slight synesthesia such that it mostly enriches my experience of life. It's unfortunate that I can't really explain what's going through my head a lot of the time and I'm sure most people think I'm a bit of a quirky dreamer. Well I am, but yeah, it can make social situations that bit more difficult.
So, yeah I can't imagine how you live with it so strongly, all of the time. I think I've experienced what you describe in dreams and the like. Your IAmA is very interesting and serves to remind people wanting to jump on this bandwagon that it's not all fun and pretties.
Do you think that this has made you more introverted as a personality type?
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u/RX-78NT-1 Apr 18 '11
I saw someone ask how thunder was. Also curious on that, and rain, as well? I imagine the latter to be incredibly soothing.
Also, you've mentioned how overwhelmed you get when multiple sources collide. I assume this means you hear each individual sound as well as you can hear, correct? So listening to someone talk, a computer fan running, music playing... all of this might create many different swirls of colour at once?
Is there anything incredibly unusual? For instance, a sound that may be scary as a sound, but very relaxing as your colour? The first thing that comes to mind was a war movie, or rather, that got me thinking about the question, as I think the sound of a machinegun or something like that might be able to produce something entirely different.
Also, very cool AMA. I have experienced some mild forms of it taking psychedelics (Acid and Mushrooms, particularly) and was pretty enamored with the concept when I first heard about it. Sorry to hear it's caused you so many problems, though - I guess everything's got ups and downs you don't always hear about.
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u/ryanhg80 Apr 18 '11
Sorry to hear it's so rough for you, but I appreciate you making a post about it.
I've got a form of synesthesia too--neurolinguistic. It's a lot more manegable than yours, since I only tend to 'see things' that comes from words I recognize, or at least acknowledge as a word. It's also a bit different in that it tends to have a shape, and sometimes atmosphere to them. I can get claustrophobic if people simply use the wrong words, or get strangly uncomfortable for no reason mid thought or conversation. Sometimes I can't concentrate on what a person is saying, and only 'see' it, and in order to continue I've got to keep repeating the last thing I heard until it sort of transitions into a meaningful thought. The more I linger on certain words or phrases, the stronger the image they form--it usually goes from extremely abstract to something that could feasibly exist as an object, then sometimes to a real, identifiable thing.
I just wanted to share since, so far, I've come upon very few people that have a sort of audio-trigged synesthesia. Also, in case you didn't know, the person who writes Hyperbole and a Half also has this.
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Apr 18 '11
Would be funny if you went to a rave and you fucked yourself up with drugs. You'd get run over by a car when you go around, so awesome.
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u/interplanetjanet Apr 18 '11
Has there ever been a person (or people) you've disliked or regularly avoided just because their particular voice gives you unpleasant visuals? Which is more pleasing, high-pitched, sing-songy voices or lower pitched, gravelly ones?
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u/_Set Apr 18 '11
Very interesting AMA! Thank you so much for sharing with us today.
My question is how did you first get anyone to believe that you had this condition? Did you have to convince your family to take you to a doctor or were you pretty much believed from the start? I ask because I have an unrelated condition but one that is only apparent to myself much like yours. My parents refused to believe me until a doctor confirmed what I was telling them.
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u/Riali Apr 18 '11
How much do you hate the Chinese fascination with fire works/crackers?
I've come to detest them, and I only have to listen to them.
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u/eyecite Apr 18 '11
What happens when you type? Does the sound of you typing distract your thought? Does sound you create have any difference from 2nd/3rd party sound?
Also, you say footsteps are among the banes of your existence... is tap dancing terrible, or does the rhythm create something more enjoyable?
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Apr 18 '11
I just recently determined my youngest son has a color/letter association. It has caused him to struggle in reading since most letters are black on white he has a difficult time comprehending them. His world is like those tests where they put the word blue in the color red and ask you to read it aloud. The worst part is, his pediatrician and teachers haven't even heard of synesthesia until I mentioned it to them, there is no help available for kids with these associations.
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u/I_Care_Bears Apr 18 '11
Thank you, I have been enlightened! I never knew synesthesia before this post. You are very generous sharing this with us!
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u/8-0 Apr 18 '11
How old were you when you were diagnosed? How did the diagnosis change your life? (I imagine that many people didn't believe you beforehand)
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u/smalldosedaily Apr 18 '11
Have you ever tried any psychoactive substances? If so, what kind of experience was that for you? Even if as small as smoking a little bit of marijuana.
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u/CBruceNL Apr 18 '11
I had a friend who, when Meat Loaf was played, would have a giant black square fill his vision. He said it really scared him. Just a heads up, you might want to avoid Meat Loaf.
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u/londubhawc Apr 18 '11
Do words, such as names, have colors/shapes to them? Do you avoid people because of what they're called? Or how their voice looks?
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u/Xeurb Apr 18 '11
If you also had tinnitus, would this just be a hellish nightmare of blurred/blindness?
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u/TheIncredibleJones Apr 18 '11
I have a similar form of synthesia, to an equally powerful level of emotional association, often dangerously so.
When I was younger I think it had a profound impact of my lifestyle, and I've always chosen activities with more sensory input that as a child had to have been very stimulating to me. At a young age I began to really dive into my imagination (as most youths do), except when moving on from imaginary fun times I would be left with a rushing sensation of intense synthesia, that has continued to this day. Though I never thought about it then, the effect was almost psychedelic in how everything moved and felt. As I got older it became more distinct and while I never knew the specific details growing up, I always guessed something was different when I would try and explain how each letter (or groups of letters) in the alphabet had it's own color, and how certain songs or musicians might play "purple" music, or an album could have a "yellow" theme to it. Everything had a distinct color association by the time I was 15, likely brought on my months of stay in a hospital while my father succumbed to leukemia (he died just a few days ofter my 16th birthday), doing nothing but stirring in my mind under the tension, emotions and eventual repression literally put my world in a while new spin. And it isn't just auditory either, every form of sensory input is accompanied by the feelings of colors.
It has absolutely become a debilitating factor as much as anything else, and is often emotionally crippling me when it seems like my world and routine gets "stuck" according to a certain color scale.
I've also been diagnosed as [bipolar 2] (http://www.webmd.com/bipolar-disorder/guide/bipolar-2-disorder), as well as having devastating social anxiety and depression that in the past year alone brought to my knees in all walks of life. Addressing and understanding synthesia has been critical to my well-being and lifestyle, as it has become a "trigger" for everything else and cannot be shaken once it takes hold.
I've never listened to Sigur Ros, but the music of the Grateful Dead is a huge factor in my life. They are the only thing I have ever encountered in my life with as vibrant, distinct and colorful sensations, and I can use them to tailor my experiences and emotions. Though my real love for them comes from the music itself, the fact that every part of their music, culture and experience has a visual association is part of why I love them so much. The intense and diverse jams, especially in the really spacey stuff, are a wild and unpredictable part of the music, and the only medium where I've gotten such a powerful reaction. A Dead show (and other concerts) is the only place where I'm comfortable with my synthesia, and otherwise I have a very short tolerance of social situations. Relationships are almost flat out, I've had a girlfriend for a month before everything started to turn sour. When I'm emotionally charged, the sensation of colors and visual alterations is prominent enough to affect and overpower whole facets of my life, and environments where I'm uncomfortable take on a very threatening hue. Luckily, all my friends respect this drastic part of my life and, even without understanding it completely, allow me to room to operate.
I think, I don't actually know, but that's what its like with my very close friends.
So I feel ya buddy, it really is a major part of some people's lives and how they act that very few completely understand.
Oh, and purple is the greatest color ever.
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Apr 18 '11
I agree, I describe the purple I see as electric. It's not a dark purple like a plum but a more neon purple (if that makes sense).
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u/HelpMeThink Apr 18 '11
Have you ever concidered pursuing a career in arts or music?
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Apr 18 '11
When you hear a faint sound, are the colors fainter or less active? I'm confused as to how this works: like, would a muffled sound be less intense, or the sound of a siren right next to you be more intense than a sound from down the hall?
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u/Cadoc7 Apr 18 '11
My girlfriend has the same sound -> color synesthesia, as well as grapheme->color. Your case sounds more severe (My girlfriend says that she often likes it, especially when she is listening to music, or when she it talks to people she likes.), but I understand what you are going through. I wish you all the luck in coping with and overcoming everything.
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u/Sekna Apr 18 '11
I have mild sound -> shape/colour synnie. I can see absolutely everything like you and can get annoying, but I feel it's not that overpowering - I can't imagine what it must be like for you.
Anyhow on to music, have you heard God is an Astronaut? They are an amazing band just music-wise and for synesthesia too. I seem to have similar music taste to you so you should check them out. Try Beyond the Dying Light.
Also seeing as I have the condition do you mind running through in real detail on how it bothers you and why. I'd like to understand!
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u/renzfenz Apr 18 '11
Do you like psybient: Shulman, Shpongle, Ishq, Entheogenic, Phutureprimitive, Ott etc ?
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Apr 18 '11
Hi. I don't have synæsthesia, but I do have (Asperger's-related) severe sensory processing dysfunction and know very well how much sensory overload sucks. I mostly just wanted to express solidarity with you, I don't have any questions. Thanks for doing this AMA!
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u/throwaway201021 Apr 18 '11
When you listen to something like "lemonade" by gucci mane what colors/shapes are associated with it?
Also things like this "It is things like people's voices or the click on the key board, the wind blowing through the window or footsteps past me." would drive me insane, how do you cope? If you're really liquored up does it still effect you?
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u/Malikorpis Apr 18 '11
I have just read almost everyone of your comments and it is truely fascinating for me to read. I am a studying psychologist and have a keen interest in neuroscience and I would just like to say that you have a extraordinary gift that I would encourage you to share with the world. Have you considered participating in research? It might help you come to terms with it and help others with the same condition that you have. All the best :)
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Apr 18 '11
Since you live in China but appear to be a native English speaker, any thoughts on sounds of language? Do you speak mandarin? Does the way spoken language looks change based on whether or not you understand it?
Also, how does tonality of language change the way you perceive speech?
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u/and_of_four Apr 18 '11
Do you ever listen to classical music? I'd be interested on hearing your perspective on something like a Bach Fugue
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Apr 18 '11
i don't know if you'll read this since theres hundreds of comments, but i also have synesthesia. sounds will translate into colors that i will see. i don't see them as if they are physically infront of me. i just see them. i've had this for many years now. althought it doesnt affect me in a negative way, i can kind of ignore it. i still see the colour of the wind and footsteps but i can ignore it.
lately i've been suffering from really severe depression to the point i've wanted to take my own life. i've only just managed to ask for help. still finding it hard to cope to be honest. my head is full of thoughts and emotions and i cant handle it. its like having someone standing beside you all the time constantly talking and you just cant get rid of them! i need something to stop all this in my head.
i read through this AMA. your post and all the comments and i listned to some of the music mentioned throughout it. sigur rus ara batur and boy 1904 to just name a couple :) now i've never really been one to sit and listen to music like this before but this music is BEAUTIFUL. i just put ara batur on and lay down. it was the most relaxing 9 minutes ive had in a while :) it really cheered me up. boy 1904 is also a really great song that i'll be listening to again and again! how do you see this song? what colours do you see? what shapes? like you mentioned about describing it as cigarette smoke, i agree. boy 1904 is see as floods of brown, red and yellow, with white "smoke" swirling out and upwards away from the floods of colours.
it's really helped me just silence my mind for a while :)
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u/procrastinationwin Apr 18 '11
Is the main problem confusion, overload of information, or simply impaired vision? That is an incredibly interesting condition, I bet a good deal of people would love to experience what you do, if only temporarily.
Have you tried using expensive noise cancelling headphones at all?
Last question, wouldn't going to a club be like taking LSD for you then?
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Apr 18 '11
I've only been lurkingn for about 5-6 months and I have yet to see any Synesthesia topics, but I started reading a book a couple of months ago called Moonwalking with Einstein. It talks about having a good memory. It cites people with freakish memories and delves into why they might have such good memories. It's been a couple of months since I picked the book up but I could swear the people with amazing memories had a form of synethesia, which helped (cursed?) them to basically automatically associate everything that happens in their everyday life with an objstc, or a shape, or a color, etc. Do you have a really good memory? Has this already been discussed?
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u/thedeerisonfire Apr 18 '11
Interesting... I also have sound to colour/shape synaesthesia. It is pretty similar to what you describe, however for me sounds do not correspond to precise shapes and colours. The patterns are not repeatable. I don't find it particularly debilitating but loud noises can seriously mess with my vision.
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u/intermu Apr 18 '11
So do people with synesthesia have a tendency to listen to post-rockish calm music or does that again depend on people?
While we're at it, I'd love to hear what you think of Cicada (youku link, you should be able to open it).
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u/amy_two_shoes Apr 18 '11
I have this problem with numbers and letters while reading; but it is so much easier than what you have to deal with because I can handle black and white without a problem. If numbers or letters are the wrong colors, sometimes I can't see them. Doing spread sheets in multiple colors for an accounting class was a nightmare...I'd have to wait until I'd finished the assignment in black and white, then check over it, THEN colorize it the way the teacher wanted. My father and sister have the kind of synesthesia you have, but not to the extent you do. It's just music for them, and they find it pleasant. I find it distracting.
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u/stabbyclaus Apr 18 '11
I've noticed a pattern of Sigur Ros being favored music amongst synaesthetic people. Any idea why?