Annie Elise this is blowing my mind I have been like this my hole life it’s really crazy amazing I teach yoga and the more I teach and meditate the wilder it becomes.
I started a programming project that uses colors, radio frequencies, and time to navigate/generate an infinite encrypted network. I never knew it was a naturally occurring phenomenon with people
In my opinion: 1). Yes you can prove your synesthesia exists to people without it. 2). I'd still rather be skeptical than open-minded, especially when it comes to facts in nature. My story: I noticed I could hear motion when I was like 10 years old. It somewhat bothered me but only when I was paying attention to it. I never knew there was a term for it till I read about it a couple of months back. And it reminded me of a 2014 movie called "I Origins" where a researcher threw a question that resembles the takeaway in your talk - if one has never had a certain sense for himself, who is he to judge if someone else is lying about having that sense? When someone makes a claim about something only he can perceive, two things can happen here: A) We have proper knowledge and instruments to design an experiment on the claimed sense, take an fMRI in your case, and other people may be able to observe your auditory cortex respond to sights of colors, or visual cortex going acitve when you hear music. Even if there's no direct ways of observation, it's still possible to design some experiments to come up with repeatable results. B) We don't have a way to test it yet, which means there's no way of confirming the claim. Since people do lie, I don't see any problem to stay skeptical about the claim either. Don't get me wrong, the claim is not confirmed false yet, I just think it's fair to not confirm it true, yet. So it remains unknow, to be verified later. This is as much as "open minded" we can get for such claims. Jumping directly to confirmation is the wrong way to open up. I've said all this primarily to address scientific facts, because one specific fact can't be true and false in the same time. If you can't confirm it's false, it doesn't necissarily become true, it can also be unknown. And unkowning is not good enough for you to accept it. But human values, preferences, morals, political views etc. are totally different. You may get multiple valid answers for a same question, hence it's much safer to be open minded to ideologies without denying mother Nature's truths.
As an artist, I was wondering if you would you ever consider painting a song.. as you see it? It would be fantastic and I would love to see it! Please do this. :)
I'm an artist and a synesthetic. But I just kind of sense colour I don't exactly visualize it. I really see it with voices words and numbers in which I also have characters too
Wow, thanks! My son (age 10) told me yesterday that he can see colours when hearing loud sounds, he asked me if that was weird!? I had never heard of this so i looked it up just now. I wil show him your video :)
The end of her speech is very powerful. Listen to one another, be open minded, don’t think that your experiences are the only ones that are valid. Don’t judge one another. This society has taught us to forget all those things. Peace and love to anyone reading this. ❤️
reading this comment exactly coincided with the part about.. experiences not being valid... and right after she talks abt youtube comment section.....im freakin out..i might be a synisthete..
Oddly enough, i just recently got the honor to perform in a show with her and sing with her. I really wish i would have asked her about this. Shes an amazing musician.
I also have a kind of chromesthesia, I see colors when listening to music.. I also see colors in days of the week And I'm so happy for being blessed with synesthesia ❤
When I was in 6th grade, I read a book called "A Mango Shaped Space" by Wendy Mass , in which the main character had chromesthesia. Since then I've always thought that synesthesia was really interesting and I've wanted to learn more about it 😁
I loved your video. I too am a synesthete, though mine revolves around sounds and shapes. Different word syllables have different shapes or images, and these shapes can change with inflection and accent. To me, your speaking voice feels like a metal rod because you speak with purpose while still having a smooth and gentle surface, and your singing voice feels like gently swirling water. Thank you for sharing your unique experiences with synesthesia. The only kind anybody talks about is "what color is this letter", but there's so much more than that. So thank you for this enlightening look into other kinds of synesthesia.
Hi, may I ask u something? Do those shapes look like "fluid structures"? I mean, u can see colors and shapes, right?, Could u say the more complex the sound mixture is (like music), the more complex "those fluid structures" are?
when i listen to music, i always have this vision of colors and actions that goes with the music. secondly when i do math or write, the words or alpahbet have their own personality and color. bad thing about it is that i get off track in school, and start thinking of other stuff other then paying attention
It definitely can get distracting in a school setting! My math teacher’s voice used to create these little orange triangle-shaped things that drifted around and I would sometimes be more focused on those than the math😂
I see colourful "light shows" and something reminiscent colourful clouds while listening to music as well. Until I coincidentally stumbled across synesthesia online a while back, I thought everything had a somewhat similar experience as well. I love the message of each individual having its unique perceptions, and there not necessarily being anything objectively wrong or right.
I never knew anyone did a ted talk on this!! This was so lovely and insightful. There was so much in common with a lot of things I experience. I recently found out in February that I had chromesthesia. I wanted to paint music for a while, and one day I had time. So I went online to see what kinds of things people were painting to get inspiration, and I found that a lot of people’s music paintings didn’t look anything like my visions really. Then I started seeing articles about celebrities who saw music and I thought “it’s just because they’re famous, probably.” Well, I went and said something to a friend and she immediately started telling me about synesthesia and I was like “the frick...” and yeah. I learned then it wasn’t exactly common like I’d once believed. My family thought it was so strange. It explained a few things though, and I’m actually quite glad someone was there to help me realize and explore it. It always has been an alluring quality that I’ve loved. It helps my memory too when it comes to remembering an artist’s style or even an artist themeselves. I often see a set selection of colors when thinking of a composer or a certain colored pattern when thinking of/listening to a song. It’s so odd how the human brain works, but now that I’ve been able to sort of step back and look at things from another perspective, everything comes together and makes sense. The only time it annoys me, though, is when I get a song stuck in my head for a day. Then it’s not so fun. 🙃
I learned I had synesthesia when I was five and told my dad that Canon in D was orange and shaped like mountains. Turned out that he'd had it when he was younger. Growing up with that knowledge, I never had any trouble with feeling different or embarrassed- I knew my experiences weren't normal and was proud of it.
I'm actually afraid to drive with the music too loud! I have a hard time focusing with the colors flying around, even though I don't actually see them physically in front of me. I just see them in my mind.
I applaud your bravery and your message. I believe you are a precious gift to humanity to learn the interconnection of all things and the importance of VIBRATION and SOUND and COLOR. Science has learned to create light in a body of water with directed sound. Science has learned to make flames dance with directed music. Science has learned that trees grow four times larger, more productive, and stronger when they grow surrounded by song birds. These lessons hint at bigger and more powerful applications. I pray this wisdom and knowledge will be used responsibly for the good of the planet and all humanity... And I thank you for being a part of the journey. Shalom
Thank you! As a musician who is also very involved with science, I find it fascinating to see just how connected the two are. I believe that music is just as necessary as science, and I am curious to see what these connections and ideas between the two might lead to in the next few years. Thanks for your comment!
Really interesting video! I love learning about the different types of synestesia. I have grapheme color synestesia. So when I think about letters and numbers, I see them in color in my mind. Also, numbers have gender and personality to me. For example 2 is light purple, female, and a motherly type. People's personalities, school subjects, and other things are also categorized by color.( I am red.) So naturally I love color, and want to be an artist.
OMFG this is so cool, I have like the exact same synesthetic experience as you!!! for me, 2 is yellow, also female, kind of shady. So cool to learn what it’s called 😁
@@annieelisemusic I have personalities and colors for numbers too but I feel like I am influenced by kid's show where the numbers r characters and stuff.But i just have personalities for them that i cant really explain.I guess I have to learn abt myself more.
How utterly awesome. Like unto The Moody Blues song Departure " Be it sight, sound, the smell, the touch There's something Inside that we need so much The sight of a touch, or the scent of a sound Or the strength of an Oak with roots deep in the ground The wonder of flowers, to be covered, and then to burst up thru tarmack, to the sun again Or to fly to the sun without burning a wing To lie in the meadow and hear the grass sing To have all these things in our memories hoard And to use them ...To help us...To find...God..."
I have many different types too, it's honestly so cool to hear someone else talk about their experiences, but it also stresses me because it doesn't match mine lol
Some people have this condition and believe they are a psychic indigo child. Thank you for recognizing it for what it is and not allowing your ego to inflate from it
But as a co- synesthete , it's a burden while driving lol i hate how i see different colors on traffic light and i need to looks closely just to manage to understand the real color
I found out I had synesthesia when I was 18. I have quite a few different forms of it, the past years I have also realised from people bringing it up and from researching and knowing how I am the same that I am on the autistic spectrum and I’m currently on the waiting list to be assessed. I’ve heard that the two are linked I am not sure if every single person with synaesthesia is also autistic, but I think the two usually come together
I doubt that any of the commentors here do either. Remember only 4% of the world's population has this so I doubt they are all in this comment section.
I have 3 types of synesthesia: grapheme color, chromesthesia and OLP which means that letters and numbers have personalities and traits. A is bright red, and bossy. B is big and bold. And Siri's voice looks like a galaxy.
Thats interesting. What about different letters in another language or other numbers. What would really interest my is what you experience when you See Sanskrit letters and hear Sanskrit chants
This is interesting. I read a book many times to my kids over the years that has number personalities and colors. It's called One by Kathryn Otoshi and also Zero book by her.
There are lots of things I would like in this world some you can buy, some you cant. But colour/sound synesthesia is the top of my list. I envy all who have these abilities.
Annie, Coast to COAST with George Noory had a couple of guests on the other night discussing this trait. From the discussion, it was mentioned that "remote viewing" might be easier due to this trait.
instead of color, I see locations of notes. It's so weird to see the projection screen since I see the same thing except without color. Does that count as synesthesia? I thought everyone has it. Didn't know that was a thing.
@@bphifer i think the colors just cloud her vision. Like, it doesn't block anything, so driving might be safe. But the colors while listening to the radio might be distracting. Or pleasant?
I was first tested at C.W.R.U. Successfully for grapheme synesthesia for every letter and number, the letters on paper made sheet music notes turn into colored note synesthesia, the colored note made the piano keys all turn colors, then relative pitch turned perfect pitch after the colors of the piano keys bled into the piano and audible sounds around me turning into chromesthesia with those same colors, then the colors of the letters of the words while people talk turned into chromesthesia photisms.. HELP?!?! But listening to the colors of birds chirping behind the colors of the wind (wind can have colors) is quite pleasing.
This fascinates me. Humans are capable of so much more but most of us can't use the tools we have build in. The story of that man that got beat up and after that he became a savant, is also so fascinating. He can see math and lines and shapes everywhere. That beating nearly killed him but something in his brain shifted and unlocked his skills. Jason Padgett is his name.
I loved her story about figuring out how she had it 😂 I had a similar experience! I have a type of sound/color chromesthesia that doesn’t allow me to physically see color with sound as much as musical notes have their own distinct colors, like B is sunflower yellow A# is a kind of orangy-red. I thought everyone had it until I told my mom one day in the car that “the song we just listened to on the radio was such a nice shade of blue, wasn’t it?” And she looked at me like I was crazy!
Fascinating: when gave the Torah at Sinai the “sounds were seen” (first screened display known to man) as words in the air for all to see, surely the letters had colors . What colors was it? ❤ this is fascinating! Priceless.
To me her voice is more like clear yellow. I have grapheme color synesthesia, i relate letters and numbers to colors, sometimes sound and music too, actually I think my life would be kind of boring if I didn't have that. I started researching the subject because I can actually see "aura", sometimes in color too, didn't have an explanation for it. Then I read an article saying that was a symtomph of synesthesia but that explanation wasn't really convincing to me... I have myopy, can't see properly from afar, and the "aura" gets blurry when I take off my glasses, weird. However so far synesthesia seems like it can be a totally sensorial experience and is not just "on the mind", if that' s true then mystery solved, or maybe I'm wrong, who knows.
Sounds like you are a fellow synesthete! Synesthetes can be associators or projectors. Projectors, like myself, can “physically see the music dance through the air”
I traveled a lot - learned that hotels and hallways with kids running in them and louder ambient noises not like home were messing with a good nights sleep. I experimented with different ear plugs and found that Flents "Quiet Please" use once or twice and toss works wonders all night long. Had a sump pump in the basement at home directly under the master bedroom. The pump back-check valve thump when it rained annoyed me as it was different. I started using the ear plugs at home. Now decades later, I wont sleep without them - anywhere. I buy these in a bulk container. The Bose noise canceling headphones were perfect for flight (I began to loathe the open cabin sound of airplanes and airports have little noise of need - I set alarms on my phone for flights so I know when to check flight display monitors). I use these for hours daily with my Ipad and listen to Channels of interest - even in the car. Its like finding out that silence or good control of sound is preferential almost always. I also find that there is a slowing down effect - so focus is intentional. I can listen to concentration music specifically on yourtube that permit me full simple and deliberate focus on the issue at hand and I deal with things on time and efficiently. Its literally like finding a vane of pure gold. A few hints... Quiet please by Flents are good for one or two uses - I buy in a large container very cost effectively. Buy a small supply at first form the drug store. Only the Bose has an elastomer oval pod that fits my ear better than the common circle buds. I find circular buds to hurt when wearing over an hour. Keep them clean daily with ZEISS Wipes (used for eye glasses) - buy in bulk. They don't scratch glasses either.
as someone with this and a special effect artist and musician , i have struggled to cope with this my whole life . and im also colourblind . i cant tell you what a colour is by just seeing something but the colours that happen with my mad brain i just know what they are so i do a mental colourmatch to find out what things are such an abstract thing i know many wont understand but its how it works for me and one thing looking at your song and the top line that are vocals . youre seeing basic wave forms arnt you i see those too i can draw and this sounds mad convnersations i see them in in a solid way
And her voice is a bright yellow light that fills the room when she speaks and instantly turns off when her voice stops making noise. Her soft letters where she doesn't make noise like "s" and "th" are soft bursts of hundreds of little lighting bolts
I have synesthesia and I don't 'see' or 'hear' the sensations that come from having synesthesia, and I've read that this is not how most syntesthetes experience this either, but I think this is interesting and somewhat relatable nonetheless. It's not like hallucinations, it's just an association that is automatic. It's more like automatically, unintentionally visualizing things in association with other concepts that are not actually related, however it is immediately and entirely clear that it isn't actually occurring in the real, physical world. It's not like there's a projection being cast onto my vision from inside my head, where if I looked at a piece of blank paper it'd be like a blob of paint or anything like that. It's more like when someone says "cherry pie" and you sort of "smell" cherry pie, but not really. I hear Monday and I "see" a shade of purple-tinted navy blue with some dashes or scratches of bright, light teal/aqua, lime, and red. It's just how Monday looks. But I don't actually see it in the space/environment around me. I wonder which is the typical experience, and if either one is actually a whole different kind of synesthesia or maybe something outside of synesthesia altogether.
It was the exact same for me for the longest time I didn't really think much at all about my synesthesia, cause I thought it was just normal and everyone saw these kinda things. This was up until literally yesterday and I was having a conversation about seeing sounds, to realize that it wasn't normal at all. I had never heard of synesthesia until today while doing research. Literally mind blowing. However, my synesthesia is not quite as intense as the speaker in this Ted Talk's is. Mine is more mild and really only happens with loud sounds and music. Particularly live instruments. That's why I like playing the piano so much. I also see more of shapes than blobs of colors.
There isn't a program that I currently know of, but if there is I would love to learn more about it! To do this video, we animated the colors and shapes in Adobe Premiere to fit with the music.
When she said "a cotton blanket could create the sound of rain" I immediately thought of how I think a cotton blanket makes me hear a scraping sound like rough fabric moving together and I zoned out so bad
My type of synesthesia is where I can hear sounds and see a color but it’s like the colors on a thermal imager. I’ve gotten used to it by now so it’s barely noticeable
I have only (very) recently realized I have this, I don't seem to have it the same way anyone else has it exactly, but I'm excited to learn more about it:)
Could synthestadia also be when you sing or hear music the song takes form in a red string that makes shapes like a how a heart monitor goes up and down to the beat of your pulse?
It amazes me how we have the same condition but are so far apart in our perseptions xD personnally i experience your voice as a pale green with some darker spots that float with your intonation xD and your song to me seems like a pale orange and pink with sort of glowy yellow bg which is so beautiful to me!!!
Super cool! It’s fascinating for me to hear the perceptions of different synesthetes- just goes to show how different and unique we all are! Thanks for listening :)
The issue I have with these explanations is that if you don't know music how can you determine notes to colours and what colour represents the notes... I have it with days but I know what the days are......
Is it hard for people with this specific condition to work in loud environments? For example, I work in a hospital kitchen and its absolutely never quiet. It's always busy and there's always like 20 different machines running at once. Ovens, fridges, fryers, the grill, the flat-top and always always people talking. I don't know if I could do my job with this condition tbh but I can't say because I haven't experienced it.
I have always thought Paul Kantner has this trait. Yes, The Moody Blues, Pink Floyd all have very distinct and sharp colors and shapes associated with their music. A Navy Sonarman could use this trait wonderfully. The utility of it to musicians and musical composers is obvious. I use this to see the sounds of the industrial and marine diesel engines I work on. When I was very little I learned to not mention the sounds associated with colors. I was afraid I would end up on the short bus or that someone would try to "fix" it. Only lately have I realized that this trait is not regarded as a disability . It is like having a second visual cortex, but it does not appear to cause me any difficulty with anything at all. It is actually fun!
I have this and it’s a curse. I get distanced for everything. Every single word every word reminds me of a certain image and texture I see it in my mind no matter what. I’ll give some examples. The word appear is pasta. The word sometimes is peanut butter. The word well is the inside of a cheese ravioli. It never changes and yes it is overwhelming. And when I’m eating something that reminds me of that certain thing (for example corn is of course) and when I eat corn and say or think of the words of course it’s amazing. The feeling is so strong I can’t even describe it. Not everything reminds me of food but some of it does remind me of food and it’s texture and taste. So I hear words and see them as different things that are not associated with them and I can taste them too. It makes me hate some words and love some words. I hate the word mayonnaise the worst because that’s the only thing that actually reminds me of real Mayo and I even gag sometimes if I think of it cuz the word is so strong. I want a break from it but I just can’t i feel like no one understands me because of it and if I tell someone they’ll think I’m crazy
Sometimes, perhaps! It would depend on the situation and the synesthete but if the person had a different tone of voice when lying (speaking higher, lower, softer, etc.) it would sound slightly different, and as a result it would look slightly different too!
That's a great ? I know from experience that in traffic court, 100 yrs ago, the judge knew instantly the moment I lied. So, good lesson for me, since the lie wasn't necessary, was that the judge clearly FELT the energetic difference between the truth & the lie vibrationally.
But would they only see that difference when they actually recognize the slight different pitch or is it the other way around? Or maybe different for each person...?
What's crazy is her song doesn't look like her visualizations. Well kinda... For me it's a red cloud kinda shaped like a diamond with transparent blue veins/webs glowing white light with tiny blue Sparks that turn Rose goldish and then back to blue ♥️💙 red and blue songs are good songs, to me
I like to write, but it gets really frustrating. If I'm talking about snow or Winter, then there's no way I can use words like Thursday, Aughust or think, because to me they're all orange words and it totally messes up my blue writing. The mix of colours annoys me and I have to find different words to use. 😒
I don't see colors in music. I can smell songs and taste them too. Sometimes it's kind of weird too cause some songs makes me sick to the stomach. Like Ariana grande's R.E.M. which tastes like I licked a piece of iron. And days have their own smell too for me hahahahaha it's so weird ik but what can I do
To those wondering it is indeed a blessing. Not a curse. Except for a scant few who taste sounds or feels that conjure cigarette ashes or toilets. No joke.
When I read words, I can see a little bit of color idk if that’s synesthesia or not but please let me know. I also sometimes see different colors when I listen to any sound or watch a Video.
Annie, it was a true pleasure. I have one question, when you hear your voice or the person(s) you are talking to....do the clouds of color you see, interfere with the whole scenery surrounding you...and you only see purple for example or you can see thru the cloud???| Thank you so much, you were a lovely speaker. Greetings from PERU.
I always thought it was normal to associate colors with words. I don’t _see_ it in my field of vision. I just think about it. For example, my mom’s name is dark red. Almost maroon. It’s not something that distracts me. Like at all. The last time I thought about it was probably like a year ago. Can someone help me? Is what I’m experiencing synesthesia? Also, something to note is that when I “see” or feel the color of a word, it’s usually because said word _is_ associated with that color. For example, math is blue. Which, in my school at least, is the color of the folders and many other things with math. It’s not something that bothers me. I’m just curious to know if this is normal or not.
This was fascinating to watch! Imagine how police work and politics could change if every time we heard someone lie we'd see a different colour than when they spoke the truth? Loved this
God tbh i think that synesthesia is more of a blessing than a curse
I always forcefully induce it with alot of LCD and 2CB. This girl is so lucky.
Not for me
Not at all
christina lim i have it
Yeah maybe for the people who's synesthesia doesnt turn sound into terrible feelings of pain
Thank you guys for watching!!
Annie Elise this is blowing my mind I have been like this my hole life it’s really crazy amazing I teach yoga and the more I teach and meditate the wilder it becomes.
Thank you so much for speaking! More people definitely need to know about synesthesia so that we can learn more about it!
Also I have synesthesia, though it's not exactly like yours :)
I started a programming project that uses colors, radio frequencies, and time to navigate/generate an infinite encrypted network. I never knew it was a naturally occurring phenomenon with people
In my opinion:
1). Yes you can prove your synesthesia exists to people without it.
2). I'd still rather be skeptical than open-minded, especially when it comes to facts in nature.
My story: I noticed I could hear motion when I was like 10 years old. It somewhat bothered me but only when I was paying attention to it. I never knew there was a term for it till I read about it a couple of months back. And it reminded me of a 2014 movie called "I Origins" where a researcher threw a question that resembles the takeaway in your talk - if one has never had a certain sense for himself, who is he to judge if someone else is lying about having that sense?
When someone makes a claim about something only he can perceive, two things can happen here:
A) We have proper knowledge and instruments to design an experiment on the claimed sense, take an fMRI in your case, and other people may be able to observe your auditory cortex respond to sights of colors, or visual cortex going acitve when you hear music. Even if there's no direct ways of observation, it's still possible to design some experiments to come up with repeatable results.
B) We don't have a way to test it yet, which means there's no way of confirming the claim. Since people do lie, I don't see any problem to stay skeptical about the claim either. Don't get me wrong, the claim is not confirmed false yet, I just think it's fair to not confirm it true, yet. So it remains unknow, to be verified later. This is as much as "open minded" we can get for such claims. Jumping directly to confirmation is the wrong way to open up.
I've said all this primarily to address scientific facts, because one specific fact can't be true and false in the same time. If you can't confirm it's false, it doesn't necissarily become true, it can also be unknown. And unkowning is not good enough for you to accept it. But human values, preferences, morals, political views etc. are totally different. You may get multiple valid answers for a same question, hence it's much safer to be open minded to ideologies without denying mother Nature's truths.
Your circles are usually my boxes but this is the BEST description of how I see my music! Thanks so much for sharing!!
As an artist, I was wondering if you would you ever consider painting a song.. as you see it? It would be fantastic and I would love to see it! Please do this. :)
I’ve definitely considered it! I’m not much of an artist, but perhaps I’ll give it a try sometime :)
Annie Elise Artist or not, the world wouldn’t have ever seen anything like it! It could only make bring happiness and understanding :) I vote yes lol!
I'm an artist and a synesthetic. But I just kind of sense colour I don't exactly visualize it. I really see it with voices words and numbers in which I also have characters too
i paint songs too because of my synesthesia :) look at my instagram: wasser_kunst
Casey King lorde made her album cover a picture that she thought would suit the color of the songs, she has synesthesia
Wow, thanks! My son (age 10) told me yesterday that he can see colours when hearing loud sounds, he asked me if that was weird!? I had never heard of this so i looked it up just now. I wil show him your video :)
CHAPEAU ! when I was little I used to ask my mom to put on the red song and she had no idea what I was talking about.
@@Amelia-ri3oq lol
How is he doing now??
The end of her speech is very powerful. Listen to one another, be open minded, don’t think that your experiences are the only ones that are valid. Don’t judge one another. This society has taught us to forget all those things. Peace and love to anyone reading this. ❤️
reading this comment exactly coincided with the part about.. experiences not being valid... and right after she talks abt youtube comment section.....im freakin out..i might be a synisthete..
Being a military musician with synethesia, I know exactly what you're saying. Thank you for shining some light on your version of it. Bless you!
Oddly enough, i just recently got the honor to perform in a show with her and sing with her. I really wish i would have asked her about this. Shes an amazing musician.
I also have a kind of chromesthesia, I see colors when listening to music..
I also see colors in days of the week
And I'm so happy for being blessed with synesthesia ❤
When I was in 6th grade, I read a book called "A Mango Shaped Space" by Wendy Mass , in which the main character had chromesthesia. Since then I've always thought that synesthesia was really interesting and I've wanted to learn more about it 😁
Wait this is me. I love that book and thought synesthesia is so cool!
this is actually how i found out i had synesthesia lol!
i’m reading that in class right now
@@lorenawaring same
I loved your video. I too am a synesthete, though mine revolves around sounds and shapes. Different word syllables have different shapes or images, and these shapes can change with inflection and accent. To me, your speaking voice feels like a metal rod because you speak with purpose while still having a smooth and gentle surface, and your singing voice feels like gently swirling water. Thank you for sharing your unique experiences with synesthesia. The only kind anybody talks about is "what color is this letter", but there's so much more than that. So thank you for this enlightening look into other kinds of synesthesia.
Hi, may I ask u something? Do those shapes look like "fluid structures"? I mean, u can see colors and shapes, right?, Could u say the more complex the sound mixture is (like music), the more complex "those fluid structures" are?
when i listen to music, i always have this vision of colors and actions that goes with the music. secondly when i do math or write, the words or alpahbet have their own personality and color. bad thing about it is that i get off track in school, and start thinking of other stuff other then paying attention
It definitely can get distracting in a school setting! My math teacher’s voice used to create these little orange triangle-shaped things that drifted around and I would sometimes be more focused on those than the math😂
I see colourful "light shows" and something reminiscent colourful clouds while listening to music as well. Until I coincidentally stumbled across synesthesia online a while back, I thought everything had a somewhat similar experience as well.
I love the message of each individual having its unique perceptions, and there not necessarily being anything objectively wrong or right.
I never knew anyone did a ted talk on this!! This was so lovely and insightful. There was so much in common with a lot of things I experience. I recently found out in February that I had chromesthesia. I wanted to paint music for a while, and one day I had time. So I went online to see what kinds of things people were painting to get inspiration, and I found that a lot of people’s music paintings didn’t look anything like my visions really. Then I started seeing articles about celebrities who saw music and I thought “it’s just because they’re famous, probably.” Well, I went and said something to a friend and she immediately started telling me about synesthesia and I was like “the frick...” and yeah. I learned then it wasn’t exactly common like I’d once believed. My family thought it was so strange. It explained a few things though, and I’m actually quite glad someone was there to help me realize and explore it. It always has been an alluring quality that I’ve loved. It helps my memory too when it comes to remembering an artist’s style or even an artist themeselves. I often see a set selection of colors when thinking of a composer or a certain colored pattern when thinking of/listening to a song. It’s so odd how the human brain works, but now that I’ve been able to sort of step back and look at things from another perspective, everything comes together and makes sense. The only time it annoys me, though, is when I get a song stuck in my head for a day.
Then it’s not so fun. 🙃
I learned I had synesthesia when I was five and told my dad that Canon in D was orange and shaped like mountains. Turned out that he'd had it when he was younger. Growing up with that knowledge, I never had any trouble with feeling different or embarrassed- I knew my experiences weren't normal and was proud of it.
hi... just wondering...how does someone with Synesthesia drive a car if there are so many sounds producing colours/colors?
It doesn't normally cause sensory overload, or interfere with your regular perception. Driving is more or less identical to a non-synesthete.
I'm actually afraid to drive with the music too loud! I have a hard time focusing with the colors flying around, even though I don't actually see them physically in front of me. I just see them in my mind.
@@mediabymogi thanks ... so interesting. all the best peeps
Jennifer, did your dad out-grow his synesthesia?
I applaud your bravery and your message. I believe you are a precious gift to humanity to learn the interconnection of all things and the importance of VIBRATION and SOUND and COLOR. Science has learned to create light in a body of water with directed sound. Science has learned to make flames dance with directed music. Science has learned that trees grow four times larger, more productive, and stronger when they grow surrounded by song birds. These lessons hint at bigger and more powerful applications. I pray this wisdom and knowledge will be used responsibly for the good of the planet and all humanity... And I thank you for being a part of the journey. Shalom
Thank you! As a musician who is also very involved with science, I find it fascinating to see just how connected the two are. I believe that music is just as necessary as science, and I am curious to see what these connections and ideas between the two might lead to in the next few years. Thanks for your comment!
The music of the spheres and the angelic host of choir angels
Really interesting video! I love learning about the different types of synestesia. I have grapheme color synestesia. So when I think about letters and numbers, I see them in color in my mind. Also, numbers have gender and personality to me. For example 2 is light purple, female, and a motherly type. People's personalities, school subjects, and other things are also categorized by color.( I am red.) So naturally I love color, and want to be an artist.
How cool! Thanks for watching! Do you incorporate any of your synesthesia into your art?
OMFG this is so cool, I have like the exact same synesthetic experience as you!!! for me, 2 is yellow, also female, kind of shady. So cool to learn what it’s called 😁
@@annieelisemusic I have personalities and colors for numbers too but I feel like I am influenced by kid's show where the numbers r characters and stuff.But i just have personalities for them that i cant really explain.I guess I have to learn abt myself more.
What's does 4 show
@Lexy Weeks what shows 4
How utterly awesome. Like unto The Moody Blues song Departure " Be it sight, sound, the smell, the touch
There's something
Inside that we need so much The sight of a touch, or the scent of a sound
Or the strength of an Oak with roots deep in the ground
The wonder of flowers, to be covered, and then to burst up thru tarmack, to the sun again Or to fly to the sun without burning a wing
To lie in the meadow and hear the grass sing
To have all these things in our memories hoard
And to use them
...To help us...To find...God..."
I have many different types too, it's honestly so cool to hear someone else talk about their experiences, but it also stresses me because it doesn't match mine lol
that music video was honestly driving me crazy hahah probably because it doesn´t match my own synesthesia
Oh my God same. So much i did not look at the screen ^^
I had to close my eyes lol then I could see my own lol
same problem... my colours are diffrent to her song and AHHHHHHHHH pls send help :3
same problem :/
As much as i heard it's rare and mostly 4% of the population gets affected... But u all guys are synesthesia... ???
Some people have this condition and believe they are a psychic indigo child. Thank you for recognizing it for what it is and not allowing your ego to inflate from it
Synesthesia is a blessing, a gift:) I'm an artist and I am synesthete. I see sounds in colors, I can even taste some words! That's really cool!
But as a co- synesthete , it's a burden while driving lol i hate how i see different colors on traffic light and i need to looks closely just to manage to understand the real color
What a beautiful story and beautifully presented. Annie, you are a great public speaker.
Ironically, that song is super red to me.
Lily Ludwig That song is a light blue to me.
Pale yellow
Pink/white to me
to me is more a purplish blue
Its blue to me
I found out I had synesthesia when I was 18. I have quite a few different forms of it, the past years I have also realised from people bringing it up and from researching and knowing how I am the same that I am on the autistic spectrum and I’m currently on the waiting list to be assessed. I’ve heard that the two are linked I am not sure if every single person with synaesthesia is also autistic, but I think the two usually come together
IKR im on the spectrum and have 4 types of synestesia!
It is so fascinating to read the comments of all the synesthetes. I feel left out because I don't have it. 😂😂😭😭
same :(
I doubt that any of the commentors here do either. Remember only 4% of the world's population has this so I doubt they are all in this comment section.
I have 3 types of synesthesia: grapheme color, chromesthesia and OLP which means that letters and numbers have personalities and traits. A is bright red, and bossy. B is big and bold. And Siri's voice looks like a galaxy.
What about the letter E?
Elia Taubert To me E is red.
Thats interesting. What about different letters in another language or other numbers. What would really interest my is what you experience when you See Sanskrit letters and hear Sanskrit chants
And listen to sadhguru and tell what you experience
This is interesting. I read a book many times to my kids over the years that has number personalities and colors. It's called One by Kathryn Otoshi and also Zero book by her.
That song is so beautiful that it literally made me cry. This is the most fascinating video I've seen in a long time❤❤❤
It's similar to Enya - Only Time.
There are lots of things I would like in this world some you can buy, some you cant. But colour/sound synesthesia is the top of my list. I envy all who have these abilities.
Annie, Coast to COAST with George Noory had a couple of guests on the other night discussing this trait.
From the discussion, it was mentioned that "remote viewing" might be easier due to this trait.
When I hear voice harmonies, I experience the same layered visuals.
instead of color, I see locations of notes. It's so weird to see the projection screen since I see the same thing except without color. Does that count as synesthesia? I thought everyone has it. Didn't know that was a thing.
Yes that is Auditory-Spatial Synesthesia and I have it too.
that sounds really scientifically proven doesn't it. I prefer to be part cat tho.
M.Y. SAME 😂😂And I have auditory spatial too
Mine is more like electric neon tie dyes.... I dont analyze all the colors individually. I also taste pain.... and some timess I taste touch.
I judge tone by a strange electric shock down my spine so basically I feel the pitch and see colors in the chords.
What an amazing thing you have! Im crying of emotion, thank you for the talk.
This is so amazing. She's really gonna go far in life. I just wonder what she sees in a loud crowd of people?
GarrillaGal I’m curious how driving would be possible
@@bphifer i think the colors just cloud her vision. Like, it doesn't block anything, so driving might be safe. But the colors while listening to the radio might be distracting. Or pleasant?
I see triangle
She is wise beyond her years!
I was first tested at C.W.R.U. Successfully for grapheme synesthesia for every letter and number, the letters on paper made sheet music notes turn into colored note synesthesia, the colored note made the piano keys all turn colors, then relative pitch turned perfect pitch after the colors of the piano keys bled into the piano and audible sounds around me turning into chromesthesia with those same colors, then the colors of the letters of the words while people talk turned into chromesthesia photisms.. HELP?!?!
But listening to the colors of birds chirping behind the colors of the wind (wind can have colors) is quite pleasing.
This fascinates me. Humans are capable of so much more but most of us can't use the tools we have build in. The story of that man that got beat up and after that he became a savant, is also so fascinating. He can see math and lines and shapes everywhere. That beating nearly killed him but something in his brain shifted and unlocked his skills. Jason Padgett is his name.
I loved her story about figuring out how she had it 😂 I had a similar experience! I have a type of sound/color chromesthesia that doesn’t allow me to physically see color with sound as much as musical notes have their own distinct colors, like B is sunflower yellow A# is a kind of orangy-red. I thought everyone had it until I told my mom one day in the car that “the song we just listened to on the radio was such a nice shade of blue, wasn’t it?” And she looked at me like I was crazy!
Fascinating: when gave the Torah at Sinai the “sounds were seen” (first screened display known to man) as words in the air for all to see, surely the letters had colors . What colors was it? ❤ this is fascinating! Priceless.
To me her voice is more like clear yellow.
I have grapheme color synesthesia, i relate letters and numbers to colors, sometimes sound and music too, actually I think my life would be kind of boring if I didn't have that.
I started researching the subject because I can actually see "aura", sometimes in color too, didn't have an explanation for it. Then I read an article saying that was a symtomph of synesthesia but that explanation wasn't really convincing to me... I have myopy, can't see properly from afar, and the "aura" gets blurry when I take off my glasses, weird.
However so far synesthesia seems like it can be a totally sensorial experience and is not just "on the mind", if that' s true then mystery solved, or maybe I'm wrong, who knows.
Sounds like you are a fellow synesthete! Synesthetes can be associators or projectors. Projectors, like myself, can “physically see the music dance through the air”
Aura yes
I have 5 types of synesthesia! This Ted was so relatable! :D
I don't have Synesthesia but this video is really interesting :)
I traveled a lot - learned that hotels and hallways with kids running in
them and louder ambient noises not like home were messing with a good
nights sleep. I experimented with different ear plugs and found that
Flents "Quiet Please" use once or twice and toss works wonders all night
long. Had a sump pump in the basement at home directly under the
master bedroom. The pump back-check valve thump when it rained annoyed
me as it was different. I started using the ear plugs at home. Now
decades later, I wont sleep without them - anywhere. I buy these in a
bulk container.
The Bose noise canceling headphones were perfect
for flight (I began to loathe the open cabin sound of airplanes and
airports have little noise of need - I set alarms on my phone for
flights so I know when to check flight display monitors). I use these
for hours daily with my Ipad and listen to Channels of interest - even
in the car.
Its like finding out that silence or good control of sound is preferential almost always.
I also find that there is a slowing down effect - so focus is
intentional. I can listen to concentration music specifically on
yourtube that permit me full simple and deliberate focus on the issue at
hand and I deal with things on time and efficiently. Its literally
like finding a vane of pure gold.
A few hints... Quiet please
by Flents are good for one or two uses - I buy in a large container very
cost effectively. Buy a small supply at first form the drug store.
Only the Bose has an elastomer oval pod that fits my ear better than the
common circle buds. I find circular buds to hurt when wearing over an
hour. Keep them clean daily with ZEISS Wipes (used for eye glasses) -
buy in bulk. They don't scratch glasses either.
Misophonia
For me it is a true blessing
This was a wonderful video. Thank you!
as someone with this and a special effect artist and musician , i have struggled to cope with this my whole life . and im also colourblind . i cant tell you what a colour is by just seeing something but the colours that happen with my mad brain i just know what they are so i do a mental colourmatch to find out what things are such an abstract thing i know many wont understand but its how it works for me and one thing looking at your song and the top line that are vocals . youre seeing basic wave forms arnt you i see those too i can draw and this sounds mad convnersations i see them in in a solid way
And her voice is a bright yellow light that fills the room when she speaks and instantly turns off when her voice stops making noise. Her soft letters where she doesn't make noise like "s" and "th" are soft bursts of hundreds of little lighting bolts
Great presentation, Annie! Very informative and insightful. Keep creating beautiful things for the world.
I have synesthesia and I don't 'see' or 'hear' the sensations that come from having synesthesia, and I've read that this is not how most syntesthetes experience this either, but I think this is interesting and somewhat relatable nonetheless. It's not like hallucinations, it's just an association that is automatic. It's more like automatically, unintentionally visualizing things in association with other concepts that are not actually related, however it is immediately and entirely clear that it isn't actually occurring in the real, physical world. It's not like there's a projection being cast onto my vision from inside my head, where if I looked at a piece of blank paper it'd be like a blob of paint or anything like that. It's more like when someone says "cherry pie" and you sort of "smell" cherry pie, but not really. I hear Monday and I "see" a shade of purple-tinted navy blue with some dashes or scratches of bright, light teal/aqua, lime, and red. It's just how Monday looks. But I don't actually see it in the space/environment around me. I wonder which is the typical experience, and if either one is actually a whole different kind of synesthesia or maybe something outside of synesthesia altogether.
It was the exact same for me for the longest time I didn't really think much at all about my synesthesia, cause I thought it was just normal and everyone saw these kinda things. This was up until literally yesterday and I was having a conversation about seeing sounds, to realize that it wasn't normal at all. I had never heard of synesthesia until today while doing research. Literally mind blowing. However, my synesthesia is not quite as intense as the speaker in this Ted Talk's is. Mine is more mild and really only happens with loud sounds and music. Particularly live instruments. That's why I like playing the piano so much. I also see more of shapes than blobs of colors.
this is the coolest thing i have ever seen!
Colours of the rainbow are musical chords at higher octaves (x40). As Above So Below. I think synesthesia has a lot to tell us about the world.
you have put me on a path,
that i was not aware,
existed.
thank you (.....m..)
Hello, is there any software or application that convert sound and voices into color?
There isn't a program that I currently know of, but if there is I would love to learn more about it! To do this video, we animated the colors and shapes in Adobe Premiere to fit with the music.
Please keep me updated in this
Did someone find it?
She is beautiful
Your song is awesome and beautiful.
Incredible
Annie, the date of the Coast to Coast program on synesthesia was Feb. 11, 2020.
I loveeee the song part it made me cry omg girl you sing on point
When she said "a cotton blanket could create the sound of rain" I immediately thought of how I think a cotton blanket makes me hear a scraping sound like rough fabric moving together and I zoned out so bad
Someone should make some sort of augmented reality chromesthesia simulator.
DO IT
It's cute how nervous she is (I just started). Happens to everyone!
I've known I've has Sn for a long time, yet it's still strange to realize how different our perceptions really are.
My type of synesthesia is where I can hear sounds and see a color but it’s like the colors on a thermal imager. I’ve gotten used to it by now so it’s barely noticeable
I would love to hear from someone that saw color when touching things - identifying colors with textures.
I have only (very) recently realized I have this, I don't seem to have it the same way anyone else has it exactly, but I'm excited to learn more about it:)
From kid time, I study in music school and I was seeing every movement in song in colors and different objects.
She dances/moves like the letter J and her voice tastes like cold spring water.
ArtOfTreasury111 😂
that's so beautiful,I wish I had it that much...I can only see music
LOL
Now that IS cool!!!
My daughter can also do this. Such a blessing☺
This is like poetry
Could synthestadia also be when you sing or hear music the song takes form in a red string that makes shapes like a how a heart monitor goes up and down to the beat of your pulse?
It amazes me how we have the same condition but are so far apart in our perseptions xD personnally i experience your voice as a pale green with some darker spots that float with your intonation xD and your song to me seems like a pale orange and pink with sort of glowy yellow bg which is so beautiful to me!!!
Super cool! It’s fascinating for me to hear the perceptions of different synesthetes- just goes to show how different and unique we all are! Thanks for listening :)
Hahahahaha typos scare the ffff out of me! Hahaha these commenters need to get their colors right ;]
Her voice is purple but the rest is wrong.
The issue I have with these explanations is that if you don't know music how can you determine notes to colours and what colour represents the notes... I have it with days but I know what the days are......
Thank you for this!
Is it hard for people with this specific condition to work in loud environments? For example, I work in a hospital kitchen and its absolutely never quiet. It's always busy and there's always like 20 different machines running at once. Ovens, fridges, fryers, the grill, the flat-top and always always people talking. I don't know if I could do my job with this condition tbh but I can't say because I haven't experienced it.
I have always thought Paul Kantner has this trait. Yes, The Moody Blues, Pink Floyd all have very distinct and sharp colors and shapes associated with their music. A Navy Sonarman could use this trait wonderfully. The utility of it to musicians and musical composers is obvious. I use this to see the sounds of the industrial and marine diesel engines I work on. When I was very little I learned to not mention the sounds associated with colors. I was afraid I would end up on the short bus or that someone would try to "fix" it. Only lately have I realized that this trait is not regarded as a disability . It is like having a second visual cortex, but it does not appear to cause me any difficulty with anything at all. It is actually fun!
I have this and it’s a curse. I get distanced for everything. Every single word every word reminds me of a certain image and texture I see it in my mind no matter what. I’ll give some examples. The word appear is pasta. The word sometimes is peanut butter. The word well is the inside of a cheese ravioli. It never changes and yes it is overwhelming. And when I’m eating something that reminds me of that certain thing (for example corn is of course) and when I eat corn and say or think of the words of course it’s amazing. The feeling is so strong I can’t even describe it. Not everything reminds me of food but some of it does remind me of food and it’s texture and taste. So I hear words and see them as different things that are not associated with them and I can taste them too. It makes me hate some words and love some words. I hate the word mayonnaise the worst because that’s the only thing that actually reminds me of real Mayo and I even gag sometimes if I think of it cuz the word is so strong. I want a break from it but I just can’t i feel like no one understands me because of it and if I tell someone they’ll think I’m crazy
This got to be a gift from god.
That song was more royal blue to me I love it
would somebody with this be able to See a difference in colour if somebody is lying?
Sometimes, perhaps! It would depend on the situation and the synesthete but if the person had a different tone of voice when lying (speaking higher, lower, softer, etc.) it would sound slightly different, and as a result it would look slightly different too!
That's a great ? I know from experience that in traffic court, 100 yrs ago, the judge knew instantly the moment I lied. So, good lesson for me, since the lie wasn't necessary, was that the judge clearly FELT the energetic difference between the truth & the lie vibrationally.
An ex lover of mine would see a slight tinge of pink if someone was nervous,it would gradually darken if they were lying.
But would they only see that difference when they actually recognize the slight different pitch or is it the other way around? Or maybe different for each person...?
Absolutely. Their voices colors change, often getting darker
Great talk!
This is fascinating! Thanks for showing things I don't see.
Fascinating! 😍
this is incredible i want it
Hahahahahaha I'll work on that 🌚
@@davidconjefferson i want it too...
What's crazy is her song doesn't look like her visualizations. Well kinda... For me it's a red cloud kinda shaped like a diamond with transparent blue veins/webs glowing white light with tiny blue Sparks that turn Rose goldish and then back to blue ♥️💙 red and blue songs are good songs, to me
It's a gift too
I didn't know I had her same condition until right now
😂😂
Here from ms.Dickinson music class !
I like to write, but it gets really frustrating. If I'm talking about snow or Winter, then there's no way I can use words like Thursday, Aughust or think, because to me they're all orange words and it totally messes up my blue writing. The mix of colours annoys me and I have to find different words to use. 😒
It must be really cool hanging out with synesthesia friends.
I don't see colors in music. I can smell songs and taste them too. Sometimes it's kind of weird too cause some songs makes me sick to the stomach. Like Ariana grande's R.E.M. which tastes like I licked a piece of iron. And days have their own smell too for me hahahahaha it's so weird ik but what can I do
lucas can I please send you one of my songs for you to listen to and tell me what it taste like and looks like?
Well, at lease you have good taste... in music
@@dy_507 bum dum tss
Damn R.E.M is one of my favorite songs 💯 do all of Ariana’s music taste like that? Lol
what does never gonna give you up taste like
Now I actually wonder if it's possible to have Synesthesia wihle being colorblind
She is able to be one with others even when their belief system is different
I have this and didn't know. I am glad I know now. 🥰
Annie you are amazing!!
To those wondering it is indeed a blessing. Not a curse. Except for a scant few who taste sounds or feels that conjure cigarette ashes or toilets. No joke.
When I read words, I can see a little bit of color idk if that’s synesthesia or not but please let me know. I also sometimes see different colors when I listen to any sound or watch a Video.
Annie, it was a true pleasure. I have one question, when you hear your voice or the person(s) you are talking to....do the clouds of color you see, interfere with the whole scenery surrounding you...and you only see purple for example or you can see thru the cloud???|
Thank you so much, you were a lovely speaker. Greetings from PERU.
I have synesthesia and I give numbers and letters genders and colors. I always thought everyone did that. And honestly, her voice is red to me.
I always thought it was normal to associate colors with words. I don’t _see_ it in my field of vision. I just think about it. For example, my mom’s name is dark red. Almost maroon. It’s not something that distracts me. Like at all. The last time I thought about it was probably like a year ago. Can someone help me? Is what I’m experiencing synesthesia? Also, something to note is that when I “see” or feel the color of a word, it’s usually because said word _is_ associated with that color. For example, math is blue. Which, in my school at least, is the color of the folders and many other things with math. It’s not something that bothers me. I’m just curious to know if this is normal or not.
This was fascinating to watch! Imagine how police work and politics could change if every time we heard someone lie we'd see a different colour than when they spoke the truth? Loved this
I have it also and my best ideas have through it.when i have it i feel a rush.