The Synesthesia Thread

MixedMyth · Post by **MixedMyth** » Mon Oct 16, 2006 8:44 pm

Synesthesia: A condition in which one type of stimulation evokes the sensation of another, as when the hearing of a sound produces the visualization of a color.

This started in chat. Now, actual synesthesia can occure occasionally, and can be induced by things like LSD. I do not endorse that. But I'm sure we've all had that 'this smells like this other thing tastes' moment or something similar, right?

Well, I think that electric guitars sound like vinigar potato chips taste.. Really. They're salty, and zesty, and sour, and perk you up. Just like vinigar chips.

If only I could eat the music. :{

Post by **Mercury Hat** » Mon Oct 16, 2006 8:53 pm

I'm sound --> color/shapes.

Pianos are purple

! Shades of purple from muddy to bright. Electric guitars are a royal blue. Drumbeats are white starbursts.

Makes music fun.

Here's the wiki article, for more reference http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synesthesia

Tynan · Post by **Tynan** » Mon Oct 16, 2006 9:19 pm

I know chappelle has said it...but it's something I grew up with and is the only way I can describe it.

Grape drink tastes like the colour purple.

McDuffies · Post by **McDuffies** » Mon Oct 16, 2006 9:29 pm

mmm, LSD *munches on LSD*

I dunno if this relates, but I often connect faces with names, and even when I hear the real name, sometimes I can't shake the feeling that it's not the name that belongs to him.

TRI · Post by **TRI** » Mon Oct 16, 2006 9:33 pm

I clicked on this mistakenly thinking this was about taresthesia.
No, the only way I expect I'll experience any of this is by means not endorsed by MixedMyth.

Unless you count the cheese I found that tasted like the way an airplane smells, but everyone agreed with me about that, so I think it was really the cheese.

MixedMyth · Post by **MixedMyth** » Mon Oct 16, 2006 9:52 pm

Ha ha! Oh man, that's NASTY when that happens. My old middle school smelled like an airplane. It was groooss.

What's weird is when I smell something, and I think it smells the way something else must taste...even though I've never tasted it. I remember this one odor that smelled how glue tastes. And contrary to what you may think of me, I have never been a paste eater.

Though I did try tracing paper once.

Other oddities- Grating fingernails on peanut shells remind me of styrofoam and chalk...they all give me that horrible fingernails across a blackboard sensation. Uugh.

Joel Fagin · Post by **Joel Fagin** » Mon Oct 16, 2006 9:54 pm

What? Again? How come this has come up three times in three entirely unrelated situations for me over the last three days?

Weird...

- Joel Fagin

TRI · Post by **TRI** » Mon Oct 16, 2006 9:58 pm

No, Joel, you want the Deja Vu thread.

Actually I've also smelled something that smelled like the way I think glue should taste. The weird thing was when I read someone else describe the same substance as tasting "like you think glue should taste but doesn't" and I was slightly tempted to taste glue just to see what it really tasted like.

MixedMyth · Post by **MixedMyth** » Mon Oct 16, 2006 10:13 pm

I hear Elmers is nontoxic! Heh.

Jim North · Post by **Jim North** » Mon Oct 16, 2006 11:10 pm

I commonly associate certain music with certain events or general points in my life. Does that count?

Kirb · Post by **Kirb** » Tue Oct 17, 2006 12:28 am

A strange red carbonated elixir I have discovered in my campus cafeteria, called 'Red Pop,' tastes amazingly like the color Red.

I did not want to taste the brown-colored variety.

Sput · Post by **Sput** » Tue Oct 17, 2006 2:55 am

Jim North wrote:I commonly associate certain music with certain events or general points in my life. Does that count?

my dad does this. so do i.

there are songs that make me remember not events, those are all quickly discarded, but feelings. there are certain songs that give me intense emo fits over my brain recalling and connecting it to an event that's not even in my concious mind anymore.

i also associate people with colours that i must make up names for. (i am 'monster blood' - a very bright magenta. my sister is pop rocks and cotton candy, which is a pale pink to blue gradient.)

Rkolter · Post by **Rkolter** » Tue Oct 17, 2006 3:59 am

I've had several situations where "taste" and "smell" are absolutely identical, but in general my senses do not get confused like that.

I don't think associating a song with a life event is synthesia, but I do that too.

Joel Fagin · Post by **Joel Fagin** » Tue Oct 17, 2006 4:12 am

Taste and smell are the same sense anyway. Either that or they're very closely linked. I forget which but it doesn't really count as synthe... syneth... Bah. Whatever the darn word is.

As Terry Pratchett points out in "Wings" Brittish Airways - and probably other airlines - have sucessfully turned "pink" into a flavour.

- Joel Fagin

Rickford · Post by **Rickford** » Tue Oct 17, 2006 4:29 am

The most common one I think is each day being a colour. And most people seem to pick the same colours too.

For me:

Monday - White
Tuesday - Green
Wednesday - Light blue
Thursday - Golden yellow
Friday - Black
Saturday - Red
Sunday - brown

Glarryg · Post by **Glarryg** » Tue Oct 17, 2006 5:05 am

Grapefruit tastes like the smell of pine trees; does that count?

Glarryg

Dr Legostar · Post by **Dr Legostar** » Tue Oct 17, 2006 6:16 am

i don't really have that, just the usual smells triggering strong memories.

Mr.Bob · Post by **Mr.Bob** » Tue Oct 17, 2006 6:18 am

Monday - Pale yellow
Tuesday - Light Blue
Wednesday - Green
Thursday - Dark Blue
Friday - Brown
Saturday - Black
Sunday - Gold

K-Dawg · Post by **K-Dawg** » Tue Oct 17, 2006 6:42 am

Tynan wrote:I know chappelle has said it...but it's something I grew up with and is the only way I can describe it.

Grape drink tastes like the colour purple.

I've had a green juice that I can only describe as tasting as green. I then let others try it and they agree with me.

Mr.Bob · Post by **Mr.Bob** » Tue Oct 17, 2006 6:48 am

What came first, the colour Orange, or the fruit?