Music Has a Flavor to Woman Who 'Tastes' Sounds

craigdawg · Mar 3, 2005, 11:33 AM

I wonder what she tastes when she hears Ashlee Simpson. I guess she wouldn't taste anything.

Quote:

LONDON (Reuters) - Music can be a mouth-watering experience for one Swiss musician who "tastes" combinations of notes as distinct flavors, according to a report in the science journal Nature.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp...ence_sounds_dc

emw · Mar 3, 2005, 11:36 AM

I must not be that tuned in - all music tastes like chicken to me.

Hemingray · Mar 3, 2005, 02:31 PM

Quote:

She doesn't imagine the taste, she really tastes it.

How can that be if there isn't anything physically on her tongue? The aural stimulii may connect somewhere up in the brain to her senses of taste, giving her the impression that she's tasting something, but without anything for her taste buds to actually come into contact with, I don't see how that's possible what that quote is saying.

jsw · Mar 3, 2005, 02:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hemingray

How can that be if there isn't anything physically on her tongue? The aural stimulii may connect somewhere up in the brain to her senses of taste, giving her the impression that she's tasting something, but without anything for her taste buds to actually come into contact with, I don't see how that's possible what that quote is saying.

There are a number of cases where people have senses which are cross-connected to others or even to types of thought - for example, a man who "sees" numbers as geometric shapes.

The brain is quite an interesting subject.

Blue Velvet · 02:44 PM

The condition is known as synesthesia.

Oliver Sacks is one of many people who have written about it.

Here's an overview of the subject.

jsw · Mar 3, 2005, 02:46 PM

Seems to me like she could save a fortune on seasonings and higher-quality foods simply by putting the right combination of songs on her iPod while eating. In fact, with GarageBand, she could synthesize the perfect meal and "eat" it whenever she wanted.

Wyvernspirit · Mar 3, 2005, 02:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jsw

Seems to me like she could save a fortune on seasonings and higher-quality foods simply by putting the right combination of songs on her iPod while eating. In fact, with GarageBand, she could synthesize the perfect meal and "eat" it whenever she wanted.

Its a new weightloss program. You should market it and make some moola on the deit craze, come to think of it I should invest and make a profit too.

stoid · Mar 3, 2005, 03:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blue Velvet

The condition is known as synesthesia.

Oliver Sacks is one of many people who have written about it.

Here's an overview of the subject.

Yeah I read an article on that awhile back, crazy stuff. Tasting colors, smelling sounds. Some things can be a product on repetitive reinforcement, but it's also a mental disorder, albeit not as debilitating as others. I believe it's LSD or something that can cause a similar effect in regular people. (just in case you want to try it out at home

)

virividox · Mar 3, 2005, 03:29 PM

i wonder what she tastes when listening to william hung or numa numa hehe

emw · Mar 3, 2005, 03:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by virividox

i wonder what she tastes when listening to william hung or numa numa hehe

Hits. Or some variation of that.

But that does bring up an interesting question, for me at least. Can she taste things through music that she's never tasted for real? The article alluded to general types of tastes (sweet, salty, etc.) - is this all she tastes, or is it like we've joked, that a particular sound could taste like, say, steak?

Blue Velvet · Mar 3, 2005, 03:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by emw

...or is it like we've joked, that a particular sound could taste like, say, steak?

Only if she listens to moo-sic...

minimax · Mar 3, 2005, 03:54 PM

Wassily Kandinsky, accredited as the first abstract painter, also had this condition.

jsw · Mar 3, 2005, 04:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blue Velvet

Only if she listens to moo-sic...

I think it would beef unny if Simon Cow-ell had this condition. That might explain some of his expressions during American Idol. No steak yet, apparently.

wdlove · Mar 3, 2005, 05:18 PM

This is very interesting, think that I have heard of this condition before. I imagine that like anything else it has its positives as well as negatives. Just hope that all the tastes are good one's.

ThomasJefferson · Mar 3, 2005, 07:19 PM

When I hear Frank Sinatra, I always taste my moms lasagna.

But, I guess its not the same thing ...

Chappers · Mar 7, 2005, 09:03 AM

Of course for some people this is a serious disability whilst for others its something they wouldn't be without.

What a strange organ the brain is.

Mar 3, 2005, 11:36 AM	#2
emw macrumors 603 Join Date: Aug 2004	I must not be that tuned in - all music tastes like chicken to me. __________________ Think. Then post. Obama/Biden

Mar 3, 2005, 02:39 PM	#5
Blue Velvet Demi-Goddess (Moderator) Join Date: Jul 2004	The condition is known as synesthesia. Oliver Sacks is one of many people who have written about it. Here's an overview of the subject. __________________ It's a strange world. Last edited by Blue Velvet : Mar 3, 2005 at 02:44 PM. Reason: typo

Mar 3, 2005, 02:46 PM	#6
jsw Demi-God (Moderator) Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Andover, MA	Seems to me like she could save a fortune on seasonings and higher-quality foods simply by putting the right combination of songs on her iPod while eating. In fact, with GarageBand, she could synthesize the perfect meal and "eat" it whenever she wanted. __________________ You'll be the one moaning for me to give you some. - THC(taken out of context)

Mar 3, 2005, 03:29 PM	#9
virividox macrumors 68040 Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Manila - Nottingham - Philadelphia - Santa Barbara - Boston (ugh hate not knowing where to call home)	i wonder what she tastes when listening to william hung or numa numa hehe __________________ 17" MBP , 2 gig ram, 200 gig fw800 + 120 gig fw400 + 250 gig usb2 ext, 5g 80gig Ipod, Tiger d200 & d70

Mar 3, 2005, 05:18 PM	#14
wdlove macrumors 604 Join Date: Oct 2002	This is very interesting, think that I have heard of this condition before. I imagine that like anything else it has its positives as well as negatives. Just hope that all the tastes are good one's. __________________ First MacRumors "Contributor"

Mar 3, 2005, 03:54 PM	#12
minimax Banned Join Date: Feb 2005	Wassily Kandinsky, accredited as the first abstract painter, also had this condition.

Mar 3, 2005, 07:19 PM	#15
ThomasJefferson macrumors 6502 Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Virginia	When I hear Frank Sinatra, I always taste my moms lasagna. But, I guess its not the same thing ... __________________ Currently in a committed relationship with my Gitzo 3540LS

Mar 7, 2005, 09:03 AM	#16
Chappers macrumors 68000 Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: At home	Of course for some people this is a serious disability whilst for others its something they wouldn't be without. What a strange organ the brain is. __________________ Check out the fortnightly photo challenge at Culture don't make Light of it

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