Some people
with auditory-gustatory synesthesia receive taste sensations that are triggered
by hearing music, but in this case the tastes are not evoked by individual
sounds, notes, chords or timbres but by a more general concept such as a
musical genre, song, album or the entire works of a composer. This is an uncommon subtype of synesthesia: it is much more common for colour sensations
rather than taste to be perceived with each song or genre.
Here are some interesting characteristics of this type of synesthesia:
- It can be linked to an emotion felt on listening to the song. If
an emotion giving rise to a taste concurrent is evoked when the song is first
heard, the same taste is experienced when it is listened to again.
- A certain level of focus and sensitivity can be necessary at the time of
listening for the taste to be perceived.
- It is probably for this very reason that the ability to taste songs can
go unnoticed for many years, but when the synesthete becomes aware
of it the experience becomes more habitual.
- If the synesthete also has auditory-visual synesthesia (chromesthesia), tastes
can be paired with certain colours and will produce joint colour/taste concurrents
such as “a red song that tastes of cherries”.
Here are
some descriptions written by people with this type of synesthesia:
“I have a Playlist for taste. Dance Monkey by the Tones and I, tastes like fruity pebbles or some tooty fruity stuff. While other songs taste like creme brulee. Some songs taste or feel thick and caramelly.”
“I love dubstep with a passion, but I can only take the taste of batteries for so long.”
“One day I was on tiktok and heard a song and went "That tastes like strawberry Fanta." And after that I spiraled and eventually figured out I can taste songs. When I have a hard time pinpointing the taste I think of a color to associate it with and it helps. I remember the taste pretty well. I might have to hear the song again but I'll immediately remember it.
All Star
tastes like peanut butter cookies. (…) Some songs taste like blood or pennies. Some
songs taste like alcohol. I cant pinpoint the taste of something I've never had
before though. So I'll still be able to taste it but I wont be able to name it
at all. My favorite taste is a Japanese song. It’s banana popsicles.”
(Source: This post and comments on Reddit/Synesthesia. 2021. )
Go to the page on auditory-gustatory synesthesia in general
Go to the page on song/musical genre-colour synesthesia
This page last updated: 03 June 2021
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