The "Color" of a song/instrument

[SouthSIDE Glen]

Isn't the 'Brown sound' an infrasonic frequency that makes you lose bowel control?

Van Halen has that same effect on me. Coincidence?... [cue "Twilight Zone" theme]



G.

 

[chessrock]

black --> silence
red --> bass / warmth
bright red --> heat / punch
orange --> mid-bass / warmth
yellow --> midrange / voice
bright green --> high mids
dark green --> cool / thick / lush
dark blue --> cool / placid / calm
bright blue --> cold / harsh / sibilant
white --> hiigh freq / air / hiss[/SIZE]

Why doesn't it surprize me that you had an answer for this one?

.

 

[blueroommusic]

SS...If I kill you do I inherit your power & knowledge?

 

[SouthSIDE Glen]

Why doesn't it surprize me that you had an answer for this one?

.

Because you're smarter than your posts often make you out to be, and you're not easily suprised

That was a bit of an unfair quote snippet though; notice I did say that was a general or commont translation, but it really depends upon the listener; not everybody follows that particular "spectrum" expecially among true synaesthesiasts, who's color interpretation can go all over the map.

Anecdote alert: I saw an interview with Darryl Hammond from Saturday Night Live a year or two ago. He's the one with the impersonations of Ted Koppel, Donald Trump, Chris Matthews and others. She says his impersonations are color-based; that he subconsicously associates voices with colors and then just tries to replicate that color when he starts working on a new impersonation and builds on it from there.

SS...If I kill you do I inherit your power & knowledge?

What makes you think I can be killed?

I gotta say, though, that whole "spectrum translation" thang is nothing really all that new. I was kinda surprised (unlike chess, who is unsurprisable ) that it hadn't already come up before I stumbled across the thread. I think sometimes I just happen to have better timing than some.

G.

 

[blueroommusic]

I was surprised as well; I did a search, but didn't come up with anything. This is something that I had heard many times before when I was younger, and all the old guys I know used to talk about it frequently...this client just got me thinking about this wierd phenomenon..

SS...there can be only one!!!!!!

 

[SouthSIDE Glen]

SS...there can be only one!!!!!!

Thank your lucky stars for that...I don't think the world could handle two of me...in fact I don't think I could stand another me.

I'm not sure if he is using the exact same color definitions as I listed, but I think that Dave Gibson uses something similar in a book called "Visual Guide to Mixing" or something like that (I'm too hungry to look it up right now, I'm goingto go grab dinner and leave that for someone else. I may be immortal, but I still get real crabby if I don't get my Papa Joe's stuffed pizza once in a while )

G.

 

[jfrog]

This discussion reminded me of a classic quote from Dave Navarro Recording with Tori Amos I read somewhere & posted a while back:

"I asked, 'Tori, what kind of guitar sound do you want here?"
And I swear she said, "An unshaven Moroccan yogurt spice.'
I said, "OK...that's just what I was planning on doing."


Dave Navarro, of Red Hot Chili Peppers, on recording with Tori Amos
​

 

[chessrock]

I gotta say, though, that whole "spectrum translation" thang is nothing really all that new. I was kinda surprised (unlike chess, who is unsurprisable ) that it hadn't already come up before I stumbled across the thread. I think sometimes I just happen to have better timing than some.

Actually, I thought you were a little slow on this one.

I was expecting a full-scale dissertation on synaesthesiasts ... as well as the socialogical implications that global warming and other factors might have on their ability to interperate colors, etc.

And I was actually surprized that I didn't see it by at least the second post on this thread ... which means you're kind of slipping, SS.

.

 

[SouthSIDE Glen]

And I was actually surprized that I didn't see it by at least the second post on this thread ... which means you're kind of slipping, SS.

I know that things aren't all that happy up there in Wrigleyville these days, but I'm suprised that you still haven't gotten laid yet in the 15 months I've been here, chess. Well, cheer up, buddy; the closing ceremonies of the Gay Games are being held in "Friendly Confines". That'll be the best chance for action that you or that field will see in a long time.

G.

 

[chessrock]

the closing ceremonies of the Gay Games are being held in "Friendly Confines".

... Which is yet another topic that I'm not surprized to see you demonstrating such impressive proficiency in.

At least I can rest assured that you're not an expert on my sex life. Although you could always consult your wife and sister on that one, I suppose. Da-da dum! Tssss. Alright that was pretty bad, I'll admit.

.

 

[Kasey]

http://www.concretethestudio.com/colorofsound

an experiment. very interesting. some examples are pretty unanimous.

 

[Garik]

i find similarities of sound/collor/and taste too

ok say you have:

blue---thats blue/cold/little sour/

red----red/hot/tangy sweet

yellow---yellow/warm/lightly sweet

etc...i dont know maybe its just me.

But once i heard a rap vocal that was recorded as a demo in Guitar printer...the sound was sooo collored it seemed like it was dripping with honey

Dono

 

[SouthSIDE Glen]

Alright that was pretty bad, I'll admit.

And you say *I'm* slipping. Geez, chess...you never cease to find new ways to disappoint me .

G.

 

[littledog]

SS...If I kill you do I inherit your power & knowledge?

That only works if you eat the remains.

 

[Monkey Allen]

Allright...I've been around the studio since I was a kid, and I've learned over the years how to deal with unreasonable requests from clients, so this isn't the first time I've had a client request that a song be made to sound "blue" or "orange" or whatever.

My question is this: how do YOU go about creating a "color" in a song/instrument, and what essentially makes that "color" come out?

is it the boost/cut of particular frequencies?
is it the reverbs & delays on that instrument?
is it mic placement?
is it all of the above?
how does a sound fundamentally change "color", when it's allready been recorded?

I'd like to know what you all think, and what your experiences have been with this odd request.

I had a client come in for a mixing session, which I don't usually allow, and they're sitting there saying..."I want that lead guitar to sound blue..I want that synth part to sound orange, blah blah yackity smackity"

No offence but most engineers would probably say something like "who do you think you are, John Lennon?"

But that would be pretty cruel. But if the guy was a tosser then it would be ok.

Really, I think like the others have said that the idea of colouring a song or a sound in the song, is basically in the head of the fella. And the only way to get it is to turn knobs until he says stop.

 

[blueroommusic]

That only works if you eat the remains.

I thought you had to cut the head off...you know like the Highlander

...there can be only one...I guess nobody remembers that show

 

[travelin travis]

http://www.concretethestudio.com/colorofsound

an experiment. very interesting. some examples are pretty unanimous.

that was alot of fun to do. thanks for the link. does'nt everyone associate senses with color to some degree?

heavy tube compression sounds dark orange to me. compression in general sounds orange. mesa dual rec, dark red. a fender champ sounds green.

 

[blueroommusic]

lay off the acid, cocaine, speed, & ether Travis, or should I call you Hunter S....nice avatar

 

[Fishmed]

interesting...this guy wasn't nearly as crazy or creative as Syd Barrett or Beethoven, but he was pretty damn wierd...I guess he could have that disorder.

I heard on the news that Syd Barrett has just passed away in England at the age of 60.

 

[Robert D]

I heard on the news that Syd Barrett has just passed away in England at the age of 60.

Yeah, heard it too. Now that's pink. One color defined at least. RIP Syd