S+ Stimulant: Synesthesia

 

“Imagination is the key to my lyrics. The rest is painted with a little science fiction.” – Jimi Hendrix.

Jimi Hendrix was one of a surprising list of creative geniuses blessed with Synesthesia. A very rare transposition of the senses (syn—”union” and aesthesis—”sensation.”) You might, for instance, be able to see musical notes as colors, or hear numbers, or even taste words.

Jimi Hendrix used his synesthesia as a tool to enhance his imagination and creativity. He often described chords and harmonies as colors. He called the chord E7#9—often referred to by guitarists as the Hendrix chord—as “the purple chord,” and used it to create his seminal song, Purple Haze.

Often, people who have synesthesia don’t even realize that have it because it feels so ‘normal’ to them, yet they are doted with an innate and extraordinary creativity enhancing skill.

Vladimir Nabokov, Wassily Kandinsky, Duke Ellington, Franz Liszt, Nicola Tesla and Richard Feynman where all synesthetes.

Are you a synesthete?

For more information about synesthesia, click here.

 

Published: November 26th, 2013

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S+ Stimulant: Sterling Hayden



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