What does a sound look like?
Listen to a word. Choose a shape. A small instinct opens a bigger idea: music can be something you watch, too.
Listen first, then choose the shape that fits.
Sound starts only when you press play.
Spoken recordings by Aleksandra Ćwiek, from Ćwiek et al.’s study. An informal demonstration using our own shapes. Audio source and credits.
Sound and shape have a connection.
Many listeners pair “bouba” with a rounded shape and “kiki” with a spiky one. It is known as the bouba–kiki effect. A study spanning 25 languages found the pattern across a wide range of speakers, with differences between languages and individuals. Read the study.
Researchers call associations between features of different senses crossmodal correspondences. They help explain why words like “bright”, “soft” and “sharp” feel at home in conversations about both sound and images. They give visual artists a starting point, rather than a single correct picture for every song. Explore the research.
Give your music room to perform.
A drummer’s hands. A dancer catching the beat. Lights rising with a chorus. Movement is part of how we enjoy a live performance. We want some of that feeling to live alongside the songs you play at home.
In Prismatic Music, that visual layer is called Aura. Abstract scenes respond to the sound of your own library: its pulse, texture and energy. A quiet passage can leave space; a busy one can fill it with motion.
The abstraction is deliberate. It leaves room for the memories and meaning you bring to a song. Pick the scene that feels right, let it perform, or turn it off and simply listen.
A picture that listens.
These two browser scenes look similar, but they have different drivers. One follows a repeating animation; the other follows the song’s live frequency spectrum. Play, listen and pause to see the difference.
The left pane is already dancing — before any music. That's the tell.
“Night Owl” by Broke For Free, licensed CC BY 3.0 (transcoded for streaming) — rendered live from its actual spectrum.
From sound to form.
Move the controls, then hear the result. This small synthesizer connects the shape and sound through four shared settings. It is an illustration of the design idea; Prismatic’s scenes use their own visual languages and audio mappings.
The same settings shape what you see and hear.
Reads as soft-edged, sparse, dark, settled.
This browser demo uses a small synthesizer and a single shape. Explore the controls to hear how texture changes.
The next beat is only the beginning.
Prismatic Music 2.0 introduces Conductor. It analyzes a song on your device so supported scenes can prepare for what comes next: gathering before a chorus, changing with a new section and landing a movement on the beat.
Analysis is saved for later plays. Music and reactive visuals keep going while a track is prepared.
Requires iOS 27, Prismatic Pro, a supported device, an eligible local file and a Conductor scene.
Watch Conductor and explore how it worksFrequently asked questions
About Prismatic Music and its visualizers
Many people associate the spoken word bouba with a rounded shape and kiki with a spiky shape. Researchers have observed this pattern across many languages, although people and groups differ. Our interactive version is a demonstration, not a test of your hearing or a scientific assessment.
Aura is Prismatic Music’s visualizer experience: abstract scenes that respond to the music playing in your library. You can choose a scene or turn the visuals off when you want a quieter player.
The app renders its scenes live using Metal graphics. Audio analysis supplies information such as frequency content, energy and beats. Conductor adds advance knowledge of an eligible song’s structure. The browser experiments on this page are simplified illustrations, not recordings of the app.
Conductor requires iOS 27, Prismatic Pro, a supported device, an eligible local music file and a compatible scene. Song analysis happens on-device and is saved for later plays. Music and reactive visuals can continue while analysis is prepared.
Yes. Prismatic Music is an offline music player first. Turn the visuals off or lock your screen and keep listening. Rendering moving visuals uses more power than a static player; the amount depends on the scene and device.
Your library. A live performance.
Prismatic Music is the offline player for the music you own. Import your songs, make a playlist and find a new way to enjoy an old favorite.
For iPhone and iPad. Free with optional Prismatic Pro.