Do musical scales have color?

Question

Our band was talking about the feelings you get from differetn scales and key signatures. Is it true that scales have colors and emothions? Is it also true that two composers wrote two books about it and disagreed on everything? Do you know where I could find copies of the books (if there are real)? I know most people think minor chords sound kind of eerie, to which I agree. I want information on major scales, but minor scales work , too.

Answer 1

There is a general consensus that Major scales elicit a more positive, external emotional response, and minor scales elicit a more negative, internal emotional response. Other modes get even more interesting responses.

I think what you're asking is, "Is the emotion inherent in the scale itself, or is it in the listener?" If that's the case, then it's definitely in the listener. I've written happy songs in minor keys, and sad songs in major keys.

Still, a general rule of thumb is to go Major for happy, minor for sad. That's the first gut reaction in a nutshell.

Answer 2

haha! yes! freakily, they do. i play the piccolo, and i have a very BAD (HORRIBLE "PITCH") <- that means do you know your notes when someone says it? (ex- if i said the note "middle c" can you hear it in your ear?

But then, my friend suggested "Perfect Pitch" with David Lucas Burge(CD). IT REALLY HELPED. Basically, it's this man talking, about perfect pitch and how to achieve it. First, i thought "Wow this thing sucks && its mad BORING!" but then, i realized how much it had helped me. (scales also help)

So then, i read your question about musical colors.
When i play an F major scale, i always think of a RED. (like a stop sign)
The f major feels BOLD, and it sounds like it;s emphasing it's point.

C MAJOR- blue. (It feels like water, running smoothly)
d MAJOR- yellow. (it sounds like something is missing)
E MAJOR- black. it sounds deep && evil!

So yes. Major && Minor keys have very different sounds.
Major sounds more bold && realistic, where MINOR sounds like its off and disgusting, like the color black (im not saying its disgusting, just giving an example)

Im not sure about the composers who wrote the books, but im pretty sure someone would want to. Like Mahler, for example. HIs music (except for sympohny #1) is all dark, because he was superstitious.

My P.O.V. is that someone would agree about color in music from their emotions.

I.G- Mozart, Bach, Handel, brahms would probably say that music had color. that is the only way that they could've wrote all those brilliant pieces.

For more help, next time, when you play in a band or listen to music, try not to focus on the notes, && think of the feeling, or emotion that is happening. That will DEFINITLY help you decide what color the music is.

Answer 3

Different keys definitely have different moods. Get a song, play it i the original key, and then transpose it into different keys. You'll really notice the emotional difference in the keys themselves.

Scales have different colors, too. Listen to a minor scale, then melodic minor, then harmonic minor. Then after that, it gets really crazy with modes.

Answer 4

There is a neurological condition called "synesthesia" that does cause people to be able to "see" music or "hear" colors. Brain scans of these people show that the portions of their brains usually reserved for vision (the visual cortex) show activity when they hear sounds, in addition to the normal activity in the auditory cortex (the portion of the brain activated by hearing). Most people do not have this experience; however, perhaps not coincidentally, artists (of all mediums) are disproportionately represented among people who do experience synesthesia.

There is a book called "Brains That Work A LIttle Bit Differently" by Allen Bragdon and David Gamon that has a chapter on synesthesia, but I'm sure there are many others, as well. Contact your local library and ask to speak to the librarian - he or she may be able to recommend some to you.

Hope this helps.

Answer 5

Scales have a color to me. I don't know about the books though.

Answer 6

Sorta but they sound diff