I have a guitar playing friend who has great natural pitch ability. Not perfect pitch but above average.

One day I commented to him that he hears the different notes with the same level of differentaion as most people see color.

He agreed and added an interesting subtext, that the various pitch (notes)invokes the image of different colors in his mind.

He listed for me A thru G what pitch goes with which color in his mind. I do not recall what they were.

I read the other day an article were Eric Johnson said much the same thing.

Do any of you experience this color/pitch association.?

What colors go with each note?

I think that's more of an interpretive thing, and not some defined aura people can all see the same way.

What sounds "green" to one person might sound "red" to another. So which is "right"? It's art, it's all interpretive.

That is what I am wondering, It may be a personal thing but it would make an interesting scientific study, to see if there is a consensus among humanity, different ethnic groups etc.

It is very interesting. I for one would like to know more.


CC

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There used to be a training course advertized in the back of guitar mags. It offered instruction on how to acheive perfect pitch by relating notes to colours.

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No no and no

You are talking about Synesthesia. I've read about it and have seen a documentary or two on the subject.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Synesthesia

I don't really see different colors of notes in my mind, but I do tend to see different shapes for different notes. The lower pitch notes tend to be wider or fatter shapes while the higher notes tend to be thinner shapes. None of them are well defined, but none the less take on some type of a form. I also believe I hear things differently when I play the guitar as opposed to when I listen to someone else. If I'm playing I always think it sounded just okay, but if I record it and play it back I tend to think it sounds better than when I was playing. Call it strange, but when I go to buy a guitar I always want to play it to see if I like the feel. Then I want to hear someone else play it to make sure I like the sound. I have often wondered if there are others who hear music differently when playing than they do when just listening to someone else.

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"My mind is a raging torrent, flooded with rivulets of thought cascading into a waterfall of creative alternatives." Blazing Saddles...

I'm the same when it comes to my playing compared to others or playback.
My guitars sound better in the hands of others.


CC

_________________
Fender Stratocaster (parts build)
Fender Telecaster 72 Custom RI
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Gretsch Electromatic Pro-Jet
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Marshall 70's JMP Superbass 100w
Blackstar HT-5

I can undersdtand what they are saying...and music being interpretive...I see more shades than definitive colors...like a d to me seems like a very cool green and an e would be a warm blue...make any sense???LOL...JMO

I don't see the colour thing at all. Wtf?


CC

_________________
Fender Stratocaster (parts build)
Fender Telecaster 72 Custom RI
Fender Telecoustic Deluxe
Gretsch Electromatic Pro-Jet
Gibson Les Paul Standard Plus
Gibson ES-135
Zenith Type-17
Marshall 70's JMP Superbass 100w
Blackstar HT-5

Maybe we have a bunch of savants on our hands here... :]

There is a website called perfectpitch.com, where they offer 2 different studies one is perfect pitch and the other is relative pitch. Relative pitch happens to be much more material, by the way. From what I remember you don't actually assign notes to colors... that was an example in the begining of the lecture. He said that when you see red you know it is red you never think that it might be green. You are able to know what you hear just like you can know what you see. But I think he does say that some notes do evoke a color thought, but I can't remember. I bought it on sale but wish I would have used ebay. It seems you can get them for about 50 percent of the best price the mfg will offer. I bought the perfectpitch lessons for about 135 or so and saw it several places on ebay for like 65-70 bucks. I think the Relative Pitch course is another 100 bucks or so. I didn't follow thru on it but it did change my opinion and maybe I will give it another swing soon. It seems that anyone who had a lot of serious time on their guitar would fly thru the perfect pitch lessons. PS. Thay are kinda boring and they don't just get to the point.

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30 some years ago I would see some colors at times Not sure if it was always the music though

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I've seen colors a couple of times, when I hit my head on something. Stars too.

i have a psychology course next semester and ill ask the professor what he thinks...it'll make for an interesting project idea as well.

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Paddle faster! I hear banjo music!