Exploring Color Through Music

Is it possible to hear color? Music and color are not typically bunched together on the art spectrum. In fact, they are seen as two completely different art mediums. Color is usually brought up in visual art, especially in something like drawing or painting. But the color of music is not as heavily talked about, mainly because they are completely different...or are they?

Music and color actually go together more often then you would think. To start, when performing in an ensemble or taking private lessons, the instructor might say something like, "think of the color you are producing" or ask "what color do you think this sound is?". In this context, the color of music is described through temperature. For example, the color of the sound may be a warm and light tone. But I want to explore the world of visual color through music.

One of the main things I think of when color and music are combined, is lighting. Have you ever watched a music video or Broadway play that didn't use the lighting to add to the story? Of course not. That would be a pretty boring show, if you ask me. The use of lighting is subtle, but very important when it comes to the story telling element. This use of lighting, color, and music is prominent in the movie La La Land and is explained more in this video essay.  Try watching your favorite song's music video and notice the colors of the lights. What are they adding, or taking away, from the story that is being told? How do the colors evoke your emotion in relation to the music?

In the musical Wicked, green lighting is prominent in the scenes of Oz, not only because it is the official color of the Emerald City, but because it elicits a happy and joyful response in relation to the upbeat music and big dance numbers that take place here. It would not be the same atmosphere if the color were changed to red or purple. Picture from https://www.nytix.com/shows/wicked.


Lighting plays a huge part in how we watch these shows and music videos. In particular, the colors are used to further catch our eye, as well as tell the story, along with the music. Furthermore, the art of animation can be used in conjunction with music to tell a story in the same way. Walt Disney Studios proves this in every animated movie they produce, but in particular, the movies Fantasia and Fantasia 2000. In these films, classical pieces of music are set to short animated stories, typically with little to no dialogue. The combination of  visual art and music creates a vivid and compelling story on the screen, wherein the lack of dialogue isn't even noticed.

The musical artist, The Dear Hunter, further explores musical color in their extended album- The Color Spectrum, wherein each song was inspired by a different color. In addition to the lyrics being inspired by color, the style of each song is also inspired by color. For example, the song "Home" is inspired by White and exhibits alternative and progressive rock styles; while the song "Filth and Squalor" is inspired by Black and has industrial and alternative rock styles. As you can see, even the title of the song gives a hint to the color it was inspired by.

As a challenge, I want you to all listen to the song "The Canopy" off of this album and try to use the lyrics, as well as the style to figure out the color the song was originally inspired by. Try not to look anything up or read the description of the video until after. I want you to think for yourself. What color does the song remind you of? Hint: there are no wrong answers!

After you have hopefully listened to this song, did you think of the color Green? It is okay if you didn't, I personally thought it was Orange when I first heard it because of the folk and country vibes. One of the band members said this about the album and the inspiration behind it:

"Anything we can think of, we can do. Humanity's idea of color is too broad. This needs to be more personal, because ideas of colors vary from person to person. Even for people who have synesthesia, the specific images or sounds they hear attached to colors vary from person to person. And that just reinforces the point of doing the project, to produce our interpretation of color, the way we feel about colors or are inspired by the colors- how we hear them or see them." 

This album is a perfect example of how music and color can be used interchangeably, instead of distant like the typical art spectrum would have us believe. Color and music are important in any story, and are even better when they are used together. 

Listen to the full Color Spectrum album here: The Color Spectrum- The Dear Hunter (Full Album)
Here is another video where hearing colors and synesthesia are better explained and explored through a fun game: Can You Hear Colors?





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