# Hearing colors - seeing sounds **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 2, 2019, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hearing-colors-seeing-sounds/842901 "2019-11-02T04:39:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2019, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hearing-colors-seeing-sounds/842901/1 "2019-11-02T04:39:41Z")
This is the strangest condition I have ever heard of. It is called synesthesia and takes many forms. I hate to simply post a link but it is too far reaching to summarize. This just fascinates me as I try to imagine it happening. > **[Synesthesia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synesthesia)** > > Synesthesia (American English) or synaesthesia (British English) is a perceptual phenomenon in which stimulation of one sensory or cognitive pathway leads to involuntary experiences in a second sensory or cognitive pathway. People who report a lifelong history of such experiences are known as synesthetes. Awareness of synesthetic perceptions varies from person to person. In one common form of synesthesia, known as grapheme–color synesthesia or color–graphemic synesthesia, letters o Little is k... Dennis ---
**Author:** ![Personal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Personal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Personal)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2019, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hearing-colors-seeing-sounds/842901/2 "2019-11-02T05:14:44Z")
As the article indicates, there are many forms of synesthesia, and I believe that it is, if not common, more prevalent than a person may think. I experience what I believe are mid-level mirror-touch synesthesia and low-level spatial sequence synesthesia. With the mirror-touch, when I see someone being slapped, for example, I feel the sensation of being slapped, but not the pain associated with it. It’s a strange thing that happens involuntarily, reflexively. But it doesn’t occur every time I see such an action, which is why I say I think it’s mid-level. In the reading I’ve done on synesthesia, I’ve come away thinking that it’s a term used to describe a great many perceptions and may even be too broad. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2019, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hearing-colors-seeing-sounds/842901/3 "2019-11-02T05:23:05Z")
Hope this doesn’t make you hear red, [but](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=770410) [there](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=828585) [are](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=618456) [a](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=572373) [few](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=523682) [threads](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=507398) [here](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=147763). ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2019, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hearing-colors-seeing-sounds/842901/4 "2019-11-02T05:39:54Z")
Se7en is La7ender. ---
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2019, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hearing-colors-seeing-sounds/842901/5 "2019-11-03T00:20:50Z")
I used to belong to a message board for synesthetes. Sadly defunct now, but I have many fond memories of the place. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2019, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hearing-colors-seeing-sounds/842901/6 "2019-11-03T02:52:27Z")
In Grade 2, I wondered why my teacher never mentioned that 2 was red and 5 was blue. ---
**Author:** ![kambuckta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/53a042/32.png) [@kambuckta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kambuckta)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2019, 8:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hearing-colors-seeing-sounds/842901/7 "2019-11-03T08:50:26Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > In Grade 2, I wondered why my teacher never mentioned that 2 was red and 5 was blue. Cuisennaire, right? ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2019, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hearing-colors-seeing-sounds/842901/8 "2019-11-03T13:20:51Z")
Two was red Five was blue Now you’re hearing Barney, too. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2019, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hearing-colors-seeing-sounds/842901/9 "2019-11-03T13:45:44Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > In Grade 2, I wondered why my teacher never mentioned that 2 was red and 5 was blue. Because 5 is yellow-green (same as E minor). You’re right about 2, though. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2019, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hearing-colors-seeing-sounds/842901/10 "2019-11-03T17:03:43Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > Because 5 is yellow-green (same as E minor). You’re right about 2, though. No, 6 is yellow-green. 7 is a weak green. 8 is purple. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2019, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hearing-colors-seeing-sounds/842901/11 "2019-11-03T17:04:45Z")
> [@kambuckta](#): > > Cuisennaire, right? a little help here? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2019, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hearing-colors-seeing-sounds/842901/12 "2019-11-03T17:42:36Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > a little help here? 😕 [Cuisenaire](https://www.dhgate.com/product/cuisenaire-rods-montessori-materials-educational/414030906.html) ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2019, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hearing-colors-seeing-sounds/842901/13 "2019-11-03T17:52:20Z")
Nope, that’s not it. When I thought about the digit “2”, it was a bright red in my mind’s eye. Not the word “two”, just the digit. The digit “5” was a bright blue. Never seen those sticks before. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2019, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hearing-colors-seeing-sounds/842901/14 "2019-11-03T17:54:18Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > Two was red > Five was blue > Now you’re hearing Barney, too. I don’t know whether o laugh or hunt you down to strangle you with your mouse cord! Ear worm alert! (All of the above is a jest, of course. I would never try to strangle a fellow doper, even one who inserts Barney ear worms in my head. No matter who much said Doper deserved it. 😛 ) ---
**Author:** ![Projammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/projammer/32/559_2.png) [@Projammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Projammer)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2019, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hearing-colors-seeing-sounds/842901/15 "2019-11-03T18:16:56Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > In Grade 2, I wondered why my teacher never mentioned that 2 was red and 5 was blue. Which begs the question, do numbers/colors/sounds translate the same for different people. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2019, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hearing-colors-seeing-sounds/842901/16 "2019-11-03T18:19:46Z")
Not the same thing as the numbers, but there are high intensity street lights of some kind with a yellowish tint and I can taste the light. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2019, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hearing-colors-seeing-sounds/842901/17 "2019-11-03T18:21:33Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > [Cuisenaire](https://www.dhgate.com/product/cuisenaire-rods-montessori-materials-educational/414030906.html) Oh damn, those colors are ALL WRONG!!! ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2019, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hearing-colors-seeing-sounds/842901/18 "2019-11-03T18:39:51Z")
I experienced it much more strongly when I was younger. But I still see numbers as colors. As a purely visual thinker I think this helps me with math. When I was younger I had the same thing with letters. I was something of a spelling savant, which I’m sure was connected. ---
**Author:** ![lissener](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lissener/32/6139_2.png) [@lissener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lissener)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2019, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hearing-colors-seeing-sounds/842901/19 "2019-11-03T18:47:14Z")
I don’t know if it’s related, but all my life, whenever I look at any inanimate object–literally anything; a leaf, a sock, a chair–I immediately orient it in my mind to a human face or form. Chairs have eyebrows, and hands on their knees. A maple leaf has arms and legs. A jar has shoulders and a face. I’m sure this has contributed to my life as an artist; everything has a personality and a visual balance ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [November 3, 2019, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hearing-colors-seeing-sounds/842901/20 "2019-11-03T18:52:53Z")
Drop some acid and you might well see musical sounds transmuted into colors pouring out of your speakers.\* \*or so I am told. 🙂 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hearing-colors-seeing-sounds/842901.md?page=2)