# Name for people who attribute color to music. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [January 20, 2005, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-for-people-who-attribute-color-to-music/285785 "2005-01-20T21:19:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Strinka](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/strinka/32/512_2.png) [@Strinka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Strinka)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2005, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-for-people-who-attribute-color-to-music/285785/1 "2005-01-20T21:19:15Z")
There is a name for people who attribute color to music. What is it? And watch… despite the fact that I didn’t ask why some people are like that, someone _will_ explain that. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2005, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-for-people-who-attribute-color-to-music/285785/2 "2005-01-20T21:24:28Z")
It’s synesthesia - and I’ll be surprised if anybody can truly explain it! ---
**Author:** ![puggyfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3ab097/32.png) [@puggyfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puggyfish)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2005, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-for-people-who-attribute-color-to-music/285785/3 "2005-01-20T21:27:36Z")
> [@Strinka](#): > > There is a name for people who attribute color to music. What is it? > > And watch… despite the fact that I didn’t ask why some people are like that, someone _will_ explain that. They are synaesthetics. The condition, synaesthesia, however covers any crossover between one sense and another (I remember someone in a documentary who “tasted” words when he heard them, for example) and such phenomena as seeing colours associated with letters or numbers. As you say, I’m sure someone can give an explanation of what is behind the condition. Unusual wiring in the brain is all I can think of… ---
**Author:** ![muttrox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a8b319/32.png) [@muttrox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/muttrox)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2005, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-for-people-who-attribute-color-to-music/285785/4 "2005-01-20T21:43:49Z")
I thought you meant those people who labeled some music “The Blues”. The real question is much better! I’ve had the blues, the red and the pinks. All I can say is… love stinks. ---
**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2005, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-for-people-who-attribute-color-to-music/285785/5 "2005-01-20T21:46:04Z")
Wow. I thought that only happened on acid. ---
**Author:** ![blowero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/41988e/32.png) [@blowero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blowero)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2005, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-for-people-who-attribute-color-to-music/285785/6 "2005-01-20T21:50:23Z")
This thread is delicious. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2005, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-for-people-who-attribute-color-to-music/285785/7 "2005-01-20T21:52:38Z")
There’s even a song about it; [Synaesthesia](http://www.bobs.com/Lyrics.cgi?Synaesthesia), by The Bobs. ---
**Author:** ![II\_Gyan\_II](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/bbe5ce/32.png) [@II\_Gyan\_II](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/II_Gyan_II)\ **Post date:** [January 20, 2005, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-for-people-who-attribute-color-to-music/285785/8 "2005-01-20T21:54:17Z")
Ramachandran believes it has to do with crosswiring in the brain. Overview by him [here](http://psy.ucsd.edu/chip/pdf/SciAm_2003.pdf)(PDF). General resources [here](http://www.doctorhugo.org/synaesthesia/). ---
**Author:** ![Burrido](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@Burrido](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Burrido)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2005, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-for-people-who-attribute-color-to-music/285785/9 "2005-01-21T00:30:42Z")
> [@puggyfish](#): > > They are synaesthetics. The condition, synaesthesia, however covers any crossover between one sense and another (I remember someone in a documentary who “tasted” words when he heard them, for example) and such phenomena as seeing colours associated with letters or numbers. > > As you say, I’m sure someone can give an explanation of what is behind the condition. Unusual wiring in the brain is all I can think of… Might of seen the same documentary. I remeber them saying Mozart was also believed to have (suffered?) from synaesthesia. ---
**Author:** ![LifeOnWry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/96bed5/32.png) [@LifeOnWry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LifeOnWry)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2005, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-for-people-who-attribute-color-to-music/285785/10 "2005-01-21T00:35:20Z")
There are a couple threads around here somewhere on synesthesia/synaesthesia. I didn’t know I was one until I read one of the threads, and I don’t know very much about it except that I had quite a few 'aha!" moments reading about it. For whatever it’s worth, it doesn’t seem to interfere with anything, although one of these days I am going to do a little research to see if there’s any connection between synesthesia and ADHD - only because the only other synesthete I know personally also has ADHD, like me. ---
**Author:** ![Joe\_Random](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e8c25b/32.png) [@Joe\_Random](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joe_Random)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2005, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-for-people-who-attribute-color-to-music/285785/11 "2005-01-21T01:45:50Z")
I have a **very** mild form of synesthesia, myself. It only occurs when I’m hovering on the border of sleep. If I’m in that state, and I hear a sudden loud noise, I’ll also see a flash of what can best be described as television static. It only lasts for a fraction of a second, and my eyes are always closed when it happens, so I have no idea if it actually _replaces_ my visual input, of if it’s just layered on top of it. ---
**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:** [January 21, 2005, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-for-people-who-attribute-color-to-music/285785/12 "2005-01-21T01:48:19Z")
There was a wonderful article about this in \*Scientific American, \*a couple years ago. Until then, I thought I was the only person with this peculiarity. I’ve always “known” the exact color of each letter and number, and musical note. But unlike some people, I don’t actually \*\*see \*\*the colors. It’s sort of like looking at a black-and-white photo of a familiar scene: you’re certain what color everything is, though you’re seeing it in grayscale. But some research has shown that there are people who actually do see the colors. As far as music is concerned, I associate colors with certain musical passages, especially by French or Russian composers. And I can sometimes tell when a piece has been transposed, even though I don’t have perfect pitch. It’s a very strange thing. ---
**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:** [January 21, 2005, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-for-people-who-attribute-color-to-music/285785/13 "2005-01-21T01:54:11Z")
By the way, **Joe Random** , your “signature” colors are . . . well . . . totally wrong. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![II\_Gyan\_II](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/bbe5ce/32.png) [@II\_Gyan\_II](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/II_Gyan_II)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2005, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-for-people-who-attribute-color-to-music/285785/14 "2005-01-21T02:29:58Z")
Just FYI, the article Panache45 is referring to, is the first link in my previous post. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2005, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-for-people-who-attribute-color-to-music/285785/15 "2005-01-21T02:31:20Z")
> [@Joe Random](#): > > I have a **very** mild form of synesthesia, myself. It only occurs when I’m hovering on the border of sleep. If I’m in that state, and I hear a sudden loud noise, I’ll also see a flash of what can best be described as television static. It only lasts for a fraction of a second, and my eyes are always closed when it happens, so I have no idea if it actually _replaces_ my visual input, of if it’s just layered on top of it. I thought everybody had that? I certainly do. In as much as I’ve thought about it, I assumed that it’s down to the noise making the pupils dilate in shock, thus letting in more light and making a flash. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2005, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-for-people-who-attribute-color-to-music/285785/16 "2005-01-21T02:33:29Z")
> [@Colophon](#): > > I assumed that it’s down to the noise making the pupils dilate in shock, thus letting in more light and making a flash. … although of course if it’s dark enough that no light can get through your eyelids, I guess that wouldn’t work. Thing is, I’m always half asleep when i think about it, and it’s gone 2.30am and I’m seven eights asleep now. I get the same phenomenon as you, anyway. ---
**Author:** ![rfgdxm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c0e974/32.png) [@rfgdxm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rfgdxm)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2005, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-for-people-who-attribute-color-to-music/285785/17 "2005-01-21T02:46:32Z")
> [@Colophon](#): > > I thought everybody had that? I certainly do. In as much as I’ve thought about it, I assumed that it’s down to the noise making the pupils dilate in shock, thus letting in more light and making a flash. No, this is not normal. However, it is a harmless matter of genetic variation. ---
**Author:** ![antechinus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/fbc32d/32.png) [@antechinus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/antechinus)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2005, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-for-people-who-attribute-color-to-music/285785/18 "2005-01-21T03:14:59Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > I’ve always “known” the exact color of each letter and number, and musical note. But unlike some people, I don’t actually \*\*see \*\*the colors. It’s sort of like looking at a black-and-white photo of a familiar scene: you’re certain what color everything is, though you’re seeing it in grayscale. These could be pigments of your imagination. ---
**Author:** ![Joe\_Random](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e8c25b/32.png) [@Joe\_Random](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joe_Random)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2005, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-for-people-who-attribute-color-to-music/285785/19 "2005-01-21T03:50:46Z")
> [@Colophon](#): > > I thought everybody had that? I certainly do. In as much as I’ve thought about it, I assumed that it’s down to the noise making the pupils dilate in shock, thus letting in more light and making a flash. Except that it happens to me in total darkness, with my eyes closed to boot. ---
**Author:** ![Sternvogel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sternvogel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sternvogel)\ **Post date:** [January 21, 2005, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-for-people-who-attribute-color-to-music/285785/20 "2005-01-21T05:39:06Z")
[Here is a recent article](http://news.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=57732005) by Margaret Cook, a newspaper reporter from Scotland. She’s “always been aware that the days of the week have distinct colours, as do the names of months, numbers and letters of the alphabet, though they’ve faded with the years.” Although she doesn’t mention Mozart, she names several composers (including Sibelius and Rimsky-Korsakov) as synaesthetes, and says links exist between synaesthesia and such qualities as perfect pitch. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/name-for-people-who-attribute-color-to-music/285785.md?page=2)