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Autism and music

DarthJoeyJoJo
over 5 years ago

I've always had an interest in music, whether it was going through my dads collection of vinyl records, Italia '90 and the incredible sound of Luciano Pavarotti or recording songs off the radio (one of favourite things was trying to arrange a list of all the songs I had according to which I liked most).

Since getting diagnosed however, I've been questioning how my taste in music fits in with my autism because I love loud rock and pounding dance music.

I relax to the sounds of Muse, Marilyn Manson, Deftones and Foo Fighters. I love the wall of sound generated by bands like My Bloody Valentine, Sonic Youth or Sigur Ros. I still get prickles up my back listening to Prodigy's "Firestarter" or when the beat drops in the middle of Chemical Brothers "Setting Sun".

And I don't get it. One of my autistic traits is that if there is too much noise around me it can become overwhelming and difficult to focus on things. Yet I can still pick out the rhythm section (bass, drums etc) in bands like Interpol, Pixies, Nirvana and ...Trail Of The Dead.

I'm wondering what everyone else feels about music. Do you like loud music or does it have to be quieter and gentler or music from a specific genre? Does anyone have sensory issues when they hear any kind of music?

Thanks!

Parents
  • over 5 years ago

    I am, or was, a working musician.  Suffered autism burn out a couple of years ago and that's why I am here now.  Interesting thread - my music is stormy stuff.  And I completely relate to that love of noisy music while hating noise - there's something to be said about sensitivity there.  Music is art - it comes from a different human place to strimmers.  Music tickles the autistic senses.  In the film "The Big Short" autistic hedge fund manager Michael Burry has death metal at full blast in his office...  Marilyn Manson is probably NPD/Asperger's like Eminem and Mozart - I can listen to all of them. I get full blown synaethesia only when I am deeply relaxed but I get lasting impressions from music I hear of colour and texture.  I'll start a separate thread about some questions I have.  I have one important musicianly statement to make:  When musicians gather and play instruments it is very loud.  When you play stuff at home you are listening to "Mechanically Reproduced Music" it has a different, smaller dynamic, and you will turn it up if you want it to work at all like the real thing.  I am forever in trouble for it!

Reply
  • over 5 years ago

    I am, or was, a working musician.  Suffered autism burn out a couple of years ago and that's why I am here now.  Interesting thread - my music is stormy stuff.  And I completely relate to that love of noisy music while hating noise - there's something to be said about sensitivity there.  Music is art - it comes from a different human place to strimmers.  Music tickles the autistic senses.  In the film "The Big Short" autistic hedge fund manager Michael Burry has death metal at full blast in his office...  Marilyn Manson is probably NPD/Asperger's like Eminem and Mozart - I can listen to all of them. I get full blown synaethesia only when I am deeply relaxed but I get lasting impressions from music I hear of colour and texture.  I'll start a separate thread about some questions I have.  I have one important musicianly statement to make:  When musicians gather and play instruments it is very loud.  When you play stuff at home you are listening to "Mechanically Reproduced Music" it has a different, smaller dynamic, and you will turn it up if you want it to work at all like the real thing.  I am forever in trouble for it!

Children