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August 25, 1991
SYNETH1.ASC
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This file is from the Journal of General Psychology,
3:377-287, 1930.
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Tone Shapes : A Novel Type of Synathesia
by Michael J. Zigler
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Vangard Note...
Synathesia (SynEthesia in modern parlance) is the confusion of
senses. Such phenomena allows the subject to "see sounds",
hear colors, etc.. Any of the senses can be mixed with any
other sense as a means of perceiving in a different manner.
This file is placed on KeelyNet because it refers to a novel
ability to see the geometric forms of sound without the direct
use of Chladni waveplates (vibrating plates covered with sand
and excited by sound).
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The attention of the writer has recently been called to the
occurrence in the experience of two Wellesley College undergraduates
of an unique type of synaesthesia in which the sound of each of
several musical instruments is accompanied by a distinctive TRI-
DIMENSIONAL FORM.
The fact that musical sounds are associated with color impressions,
photisms, bidimensional patterns, etc. in the experiences of certain
persons has been reported in various places since Goethe first
mentioned the existence of this type of synaesthesia.
The writer has been unable, however, to discover anywhere in the
literature descriptions of synaesthetic phenomena in which the
patterns excited by musical instruments are CLEARLY tri-dimensional
in form. (3D)
Summary. We have reported two cases of a novel type of
synaesthesia. In which the tones of different musical instruments
give rise to correspondingly DIFFERENT tri-dimensional shapes.
Every instrument excites a specific form, which maintains roughly
the same features at all pitches, intensities and durations.
Page 1
The higher pitches occasion smaller and lighter, the lower ones
larger and darker shapes.
The forms may appear in colors, but color is not always present and
always plays a role secondary TO THAT OF FORM.
These phenomena occur chiefly in solo rendition, and possess high
aesthetic appeal. One subject has experienced the forms as far back
as she can remember, the other discovered suddenly several years ago
her capability of realizing them, and they have since gradually
somewhat improved in definiteness.
There are striking differences in the forms of the two subjects for
the same instrument, but the general conditions of their arousal and
alteration have many points in common.
In view of this fact, the interpretation is made that the two
subjects represent a single type of synaesthesia. Evidences for and
against the hereditary and acquired theories, although somewhat
favoring the latter view, are inconclusive.
Relationship of these shapes to EIDETIC imagery is suggested in the
almost perceptual character of the phenomena, especially in the case
of Subject A, as well as in the fact that for Subject B under all
circumstances and for A under the more difficult conditions of their
arousal, the shapes are realized under voluntary attention.
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Instrument Subject A Subject B
Flute Thimble or acorn cup Hollow tube
Saxophone Cup with solid inner Bursting of a mass into
core rough, jagged, and
splintery particles
Bugle Morning glory or pipe Sphere with opening on
upper side
Harmonica Series of spatially Flat rectangle
distributed discs
Jazz whistle Thick waving streamer Lumpy dough-like
elongated mass
Simplexophone Dagger Megaphone of very vague
outline
Musical saw Elongated globule with Yards and yards of round
jagged surface ribbon-like material
Cello Flat horizontal base Thick ribbon
with spring-like vertical
projections
Violin Tube with enlarged Ribbon much thinner and
nodules smaller than that of cello
Piano Quadrangular blocks Spheres
Page 2
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Vangard notes...
The discrepancy in the forms seen by the two subjects is the
most disturbing feature of the article. Either our subjects
were faking or there is a perceptual "translation" method which
differs between subjects.
In addition, the work of Persinger with very low level magnetic
fields (lower than the Earth's natural magnetic field) shows
that hallucinations and "eidetic" imagery can be induced. It is
even possible that the magnetic field in a very small local area
can be modulated to induce such images. We must also not forget
magnetic phosphenes, generated by pressure on the closed eyelids
to produce flashes of light in the eye.
The late Hans Jenny was attempting to construct a means of
viewing forms created from sound waves in three dimensions.
Being aware that John Keely used Chladni waveplates as
analytical tools in his research with complex vibrations, we
must also pursue such a line of investigation.
Jenny used some form of very fine plastic pellets which had a
degree of cohesiveness. This tendency to "stick" assisted the
formation of a structure in the Z axis (height) and kept it
together. Another approach used by Jenny was magnetized iron
filings which also tended to stick together and form most
interesting patterns.
In the late 70's, one of the popular magazines (I believe it was
Popular Science), reported on a substance called "Ferro-Fluid".
When placed in a container and held over a speaker magnet, it
formed very complex 3 dimensional patterns.
Ferro-Fluid seems to have been very fine metal filings suspended
in an oil in the form of an emulsion. An address was given for
those wishing to buy it, but we have yet to locate the article.
One of our approaches will be a very light, clear oil, something
like vegetable or mineral oil, to hold such magnetized filings.
This should provide a beginning for the study of 3-dimensional
forms induced by sounds.
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Jerry W. Decker.........Ron Barker...........Chuck Henderson
Vangard Sciences/KeelyNet
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