The Process:

1. Start with one focus

Select one attribute to start (“Shapes,” “Textures/sensations,” “Movement,” “Colors,” or “Objects”) and listen to the playlists within that category, observing the differences in sounds.

For your first session, I recommend starting with “Shapes” or “Textures/sensations” because my other associations (like “Color”) might be more subjective.

If you can’t hear the quality the playlist you’re listening to is named after — say if certain songs don’t sound “square” to you — try switching between the divergent playlists to highlight the contrasting sounds.



2. Listen and analyze what you’re hearing

As you play the songs, either close your eyes or soften your gaze, and imagine the shape or sensation you’re listening to. Some shapes and textures you might hear right away, and others might be waiting in the chorus.

Think about what makes certain songs sound “round.” Is it the soft drum beat? A lot of “o” sounds? What makes the “square” songs angular? What makes the “glass shards” songs sound jagged? Are the “lines” songs just songs with a standout melody? Can you imagine the melody written out like lines, going up and down your visual canvas? Can you hear where the guitars “smudge”?

Write down your own associations and try to pinpoint the reason(s) why you came up with them.

Listen to the “airy” playlist and imagine you’re outdoors. Listen for the sonic wavering in the “iridescent” songs and imagine the color spectrum bending. Feel the temperature rise when you listen to the “warm” playlist and try to determine how it differs from the “sunlight” playlist (hint: the latter is a bit cooler and more visually bright, to me). Feel millions of pricks tingling your skin as you listen to the “pointillism” playlist. Imagine you’re underwater as you listen to the “watery” playlist or just listen to it in the tub.

Maybe your associations will be different from mine. I actually hope they are. If you have different associations, write them down!

3. Create your own connections

At whatever point you begin to “see” some of my associations, you are ready to discover or create your own.

Sit down with your own music and hit “shuffle.” Try to imagine the song like a painting, the notes like brushstrokes. Are they fluttery, sharp, soft, hard, sleek, heavy? What is the background of the song? Does it exist in a large dark room, on a sunny warm stoop, in outer space? What colors do you see? Does it remind you of a smell or shape?

If you find yourself stuck, you may skip to the next song, it’s okay. This is not a test.

I find that certain genres of music aren’t as textured or colorful for my synesthesia, like country, folk, and punk. I struggle to “see” any songs by Bob Dylan, which might be why I have a controversial distaste for his music.

Cycle through until you can make an association. If you’re not making any, force yourself to choose.

Remember, the more connections you make in your brain, the more you’ll open up to exponentially new creative experiences. In other words, if it feels weird or doesn’t “work” on the first try, don’t give up. This is a skill that takes time to hone.

Happy synesthesiating!