Do Colors Harmonically Proportion Like Musical Tones?
Have you ever wondered if colors interact with our senses in the same way musical pitches do? Let's explore this fascinating question and dive into the intricate relationships between colors and their perception.
Understanding Color Perception
The simple answer is no. The complex interplay of colors in our visual perception does not mirror the tonal relationships in music. Our eyes do not perceive frequencies precisely, unlike the dedicated receptors in our ears. Instead, our perception of color is derived from the responses of three types of color receptors in our eyes.
The Eyes and Frequencies
Your ear has numerous frequency receptors, each stimulated by a specific frequency. For example, a receptor that detects 440 Hz (the pitch A440) does not respond to 450 Hz (a frequency just slightly higher). Similarly, just as a swing has a specific frequency that requires precise timing to function optimally, your auditory system responds to specific frequencies.
Color Perception and Mixing
In contrast, your eye has only three types of color receptors—cones sensitive to red, green, and blue wavelengths, each responding to a range rather than a single frequency.
Let's take the example of a wavelength of about 490 nm. Each receptor will send a value to the brain, but these values are approximations. The red receptor detects a wavelength around 490nm, sending a value of 0.2 to the brain. The green receptor at around 510 nm might send a value of 0.4, and the blue receptor at 470 nm sends a value of 0.1. These values do not correspond to a single color but represent a mixture of colors perceived as cyan.
Harmonizing Frequencies vs. Mixtures in Colors
While certain frequencies in music resonate and reinforce each other, creating a harmonious sound, colors do not work the same way. When you "mix" colors, your brain is adding the various components together to derive a SML (S for sensitivity, M for magnificance, L for luminance) value. Notably, both color and pitch can vary continuously. However, the harmonious nature of musical tones, like the diatonic scale, is due to specific frequency ratios, whereas colors are perceived as mixtures.
Music Scales and Color Perception
Music scales, such as the diatonic scale, the minor pentatonic, and the minor heptatonic scale, are defined by the intervals between the notes. These scales have no direct relationship with color harmony, though both can be perceived continuously.
A diatonic scale, for instance, increments each note by one semitone, while the minor pentatonic scales have intervals of 3, 2, 2, 3, and 2 semi-tones. Isaac Newton introduced a new range of colors, orange and indigo, based on the sizes of these intervals, which was a more precise description of different shades.
The Evolution of Harmony
Modern Western music typically uses equal temperament, where each semitone is an equal non-harmonious interval. This leads to slight discrepancies compared to perfectly harmonious intervals, like the 6/5 ratio for a just temperament. Changing keys (modulation) can alter the sound of the music in this system, which has led to the evolution of more even temperaments.
The Well-Tempered Clavier by Johann Sebastian Bach, a set of preludes and fugues in all 24 major and minor keys, exemplifies how composers have worked around these issues to create harmonious music across various keys.
Conclusion
While there are interesting parallels between color perception and music, the two are not directly proportional. Colors are perceived as mixtures of hues, rather than through frequency ratios as in music. However, this understanding of intervals in music inspires us to see the world in more nuanced and harmonious ways.