Synesthesia. Anyone have it?

[PWRL]

Not really, although I do tend to think about sonic topics in visual ways quite often. I used to have a copy of "Sounds" by Kandinsky, and had an interesting time trying to hear his drawings.

 

[megafiddle]

I have a form of Chromesthesia which I only experience under extreme conditions. If it is dark and there is a sudden loud noise, I see a flash of light. It looks a lot like the afterimage from a camera flash and only lasts for an instant.

I also have what seems to be Spatial Sequence Synesthesia; whenever I imagine the months of the year, they are always arranged clockwise in circle with Dec/Jan right at the bottom. And days of the week are always arranged right to left.

There is also Mirror-touch Synesthesia, which I may have, but also only under more extreme conditions. If I see someone fall unexpectedly, I feel it.

Weird stuff.

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[PWRL]

I have a form of Chromesthesia which I only experience under extreme conditions. If it is dark and there is a sudden loud noise, I see a flash of light. It looks a lot like the afterimage from a camera flash and only lasts for an instant.

I also have what seems to be Spatial Sequence Synesthesia; whenever I imagine the months of the year, they are always arranged clockwise in circle with Dec/Jan right at the bottom. And days of the week are always arranged right to left.

There is also Mirror-touch Synesthesia, which I may have, but also only under more extreme conditions. If I see someone fall unexpectedly, I feel it.

Weird stuff.

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Interesting- I always seem to visualize the calendar year going from January to June on top, and July to December on bottom. I visualize the week going up and down with Sunday on top, although I always visualize Sunday on top of Saturday.

 

[megafiddle]

Interesting- I always seem to visualize the calendar year going from January to June on top, and July to December on bottom. I visualize the week going up and down with Sunday on top, although I always visualize Sunday on top of Saturday.

The weekday thing is especially puzzling, since calenders are so common.

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[PWRL]

The weekday thing is especially puzzling, since calenders are so common.

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Good point. Neither of us visualize the days according to the most obvious standard. I wonder what accounts for that.

 

[D M C]

This is endlessly fascinating to me. My guess is that the brain has arranged synapses in some people that allows for cross-talk. But it's not the how that I find so interesting as the result. The results allow for surreal sensual experiences that are unique to the individual. I think that's why there's a close relationship between artistic genius and madness, as seen from the outside - not to be too dramatic about it.

 

[Grinderman]

Yes, in various ways.

These are visually associated in my mind.

Even though I know Lou Reed wasn't playing an Antigua Fender Coronado II.




To me this equals long, cold, dark, bleak winters in Chicago and my depression in it, in the 1980s.

It's as if photographer Kevin Cummins knew.

 

[RichterScale]

It doesn't make any sense to me. The associations seem so random, like motor oil is tooth decay and spice racks are pineapples.

Do letters and numbers and notes put the idea of colors into your conscious mind, or do you actually see some manifestation of color - like a halo?

For most people who think they have it, it's a simple association in the mind. I associate certain numbers and letters with colors. I also associate A with red. But it's a mental association with the letter, not the musical note. For people who truly have synesthesia, they literally see/experience colors in the place of musical notes, literally see bright lights and colors when they hear different sounds, etc. It's a complete mix up of of sensory input in the brain. Some learn to live with it, some embrace it and for some, it's maddening.

 

[RichterScale]

Simple associations are not synesthesia. Or a form of it.