Quote:
Originally Posted by BouncyJones  Some individuals hear certain frequencies and associate colours with them, and some just simply know what the frequency is without necessarily associating a colour with it. For example, they may hear an A natural (440) and associate the colour blue with it. Or, they may just instictively recognise it as being A.
What if something were originally recorded in A but then pitch-shifted more to Ab: would it maintain its A colour or would it simply sound like Ab (and have whatever colour associated to that)?
|
Sorry if this question has already been answered (I stopped reading when I read this post)
I was born with perfect pitch, though I didn't realize it until I was 16. Until then, I assumed everyone was born with it. At the time, I associated colors to each note, but over the next 2 years, I learned how to call the notes by standard names (C#, B-flat, etc...).
I have been tested by professors, teachers, conductors, and even friends and have found that I am able to identify all 88 notes on a piano with 100% accuracy no matter the time, place, instrument, or any other conditions (sometimes the low B-flat and A notes give me hell when the piano is out of tune). All of the people I have met who have perfect pitch identify the notes as colors, emotions, or even numbers and from there will translate the information into standard piano note names. I have also learned to identify all 3 note chords by name and can pick apart up to 7 notes played simultaneously (though I don't know some of the proper names, like A-flat suspended 9th etc...)
Here is my color spectrum:
C - blue (aqua)
C# - brown
D - blue (deep)
D# - gold
E - violet
F - red
F#- purple
G - light blue (sometimes white)
G#- orange
A - blue (with a black mixture)
A#- orange/brown
B - black (with a dark blue mixture)
I find it interesting that most of the colors I see are either a shade of blue, or a shade of brown/orange/gold.
To somewhat answer your question about frequencies: Just as every individual note has a color, every key signature, chord structure, and song has multiple colors throughout, but only one or two combined colors at a time based on what chord is happening. I am familiar with many pop and hip-hop recordings where the producer will speed up a sample. When I hear a song that has been sped up considerably (like a song originally in D major changed to F Major), the song will sound like it belongs in the new key color-wise. BUT, when a song shifted slightly, that's when things get interesting.
I know a song that was originally in C minor but was pitch shifted to a pitch "in-between" C minor and C# minor (like changing A 440 to A 446). I could actually tell that the song was shifted because the song sounded pinkish-green; which is not a color in my color palette that I am used to hearing. When I tried to play the song on the piano, my perfect pitch was fooled into thinking the song was in C minor, when it was actually closer to C# minor. C minor sounds orange and dark green while C# minor sounds easily black and purple. Another thing that I realized while listening to that particular song, is that songs pitch shifted "in-between" traditional key signatures sound more "exciting" and edgy than normal because of the different "colors" it produces to my ears. That's why sometimes "Pop" songs will sound more pleasing on the radio, even with the loss of sound quality compared to the CD, when the DJ speeds the song up between a half or whole step.
Anyways, sorry for the long post (this is my first post), and hope this helps someone!
Feel free to ask me any questions!