Color to Sound Synesthesia Calculator

From hue to wavelength

The color picker outputs a hexadecimal RGB value that we convert to hue via the HSL color model. Treating the hue angle $H$ as a proxy for position on the visible spectrum, we map it to a wavelength using $\mathrm{\backslash lambda}=750-\frac{370}{360}H$. This linear approximation spans red at roughly 750 nm through violet around 380 nm and provides a starting point for translating light into audio.

Octave folding and pitch selection

Light frequency follows immediately from $f=\frac{c}{\mathrm{\backslash lambda}}$ with $c$ representing the speed of light. Because the resulting number lies far outside the human hearing range, the calculator repeatedly divides by two (equivalent to moving down octaves) until the value lives between 20 and 20,000 Hz. Equal-tempered pitch indexing then identifies the closest semitone using $n=12\times log\backslash \_2\left(\frac{f}{440}\right)$, rounding to the nearest integer and mapping to note names.

Creative applications

Designers can audition palettes as musical motifs, educators can illustrate spectral physics, and musicians can assign notes to colors on stage. Extend your exploration by comparing the output here with timbral planning in the sound intensity level calculator, experimenting with warmth in the color temperature converter, and grounding pitch expectations through the speed of sound calculator. Linking these perspectives encourages richer cross-sensory storytelling.

Remember that synesthetic mappings are ultimately personal. Use the numeric output as a launch pad for custom scales, ambient textures, or accessibility cues tailored to your audience.