Geekoid

That's a good idea. I wouldn't be opposed to starting a thread like that, but I really shouldn't until I have something scanned/ photographed and ready to share (to be sure at least someone would be posting in it). Wouldn't be opposed to other interested members starting the thread though, if applicable. I'll take note of it and keep my eyes peeled.

I definitely agree that hearing peoples' descriptions makes it more enjoyable .

Paedantic Basterd

I think "gritty shiny" might be the masculine way of saying "glitter".

littlemouse

Sure, but painful glitter.

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appleghost

That would've been a good name for a death metal band.

fiftiesmusicforever

kandinsky's paintings have the reverse effect for me. I hear music when i look at them...

littleknowitall

There was a guy on Britain's Got talent a few years ago who could see music and learned to play piano on his own incredibly well through it. I get reminded of things when I listen to songs, I'm definitely taken somewhere and being musically minded I'd say I get far more into a piece of music than the likes of my girlfriend who's idea of enjoying music is having the radio on quietly in the car as a bit of background noise. But I think 80 % of the people who say they're seeing things when they listen to music in this way are just talking bull**** and the rest are harboring some sort of mental or physical illness that allows for their mind to objectify a piece of music in this way....

Geekoid

Interesting perspective. Would you consider synesthesia to be an illness? I'd imagine the guy from Britain's Got Talent doesn't think so. But it is a rare "condition." I think it has more to do with giftedness or cognitive functioning than mental illness.

Reminds me of X-Men vs. regular humans. I can just see it. Synesthetes holding signs saying "We don't need a cure!" haha.

Paedantic Basterd

I thought the first post established that the visualization of colour is an inspired thought process, not a hallucination. I don't literally see the world change colour, but certain things have very strong colour associations that I make in my mind.

Geekoid

From what I understand, there are various ways a person can experience visualizations of colour. The synesthetic way being automatic and uncontrollable (thus classified as a "condition"), the cognitive way being creative and imagined (and therefore accessible to anyone with a good abstract/ metaphorical imagination, where colors can be used as metaphorical depictions of sound and other senses), and the hallucinatory way which is achieved either through the use of drugs or the experience of psychological illness.

So, really, it all depends on whether the colors you see are inspired in your mind by conscious or semi-conscious effort, or if they are innate and occur automatically, without any outside influence. There are various theories surrounding these experiences, but so far they are only preliminary (again, as far as I know).

All of the experiences mentioned so far have been either truly synesthetic, or at least similar to synesthesia in that they were consciously imagined in a similar way. Whether they are talking bull or not, it's interesting to hear what people imagine in relation to sound, no matter how the experience came about. (although I'm opposed to recreational drugs! So don't take that as advice haha)

As for actually seeing the world changing color, true synesthetes will see black letters like the ones I just typed with "ghosts" of color "on top" of them (an image in their mind, and not actually truly visible in the outside world).
For me, the words "black letters" look roughly like this:
black letters
This is an uncontrollable experience, and the colors associated with each letter have been consistent and unchanged for as long as I can remember.

Paedantic Basterd

The colours aren't right for me, and it bothers me.