Chromatone Podcast 001 Can you learn music if you have zero experience? What if you believe you have "no rhythm" and no "natural gift"? In this first-ever episode, I, Denis Starov, the creator of the Chromatone music system, sit down with music photographer Tom Leishman. The twist? He's interviewing ME! Tom has spent his life surrounded by musicians but has always felt like an outsider to the "exclusive club" of music creation. With a background that includes growing up with a deaf parent, he's always been curious about different ways of perceiving sound and art. I believe that anyone can learn music, and I've spent years developing a system to prove it: Chromatone. It's a method that turns music into a visual language of color, making it intuitive, fun, and accessible for everyone, especially those who find traditional methods frustrating or exclusive. In this video, you'll discover: 🤯 The moment a complete beginner plays his first beautiful chord in under 5 minutes. 🎹 What are "musical stabilizers" and how can they help you learn any instrument? 👁️ The hidden connection between the physics of COLOR and SOUND that music theory class never taught you. 🎵 Why we start with 12 notes (not 7) and how the forgiving 5-note pentatonic scale can unlock your creativity. ❤️ Why I made this entire system open-source as a gift to the world. 🤔 Could this visual system even make music accessible to the deaf? If you've ever felt that music wasn't for you, or if you're just curious about a revolutionary new way to understand the art of sound, this conversation is for you. Join us as we challenge the idea of "talent" and open the door to your inner musician. Find out more about the Chromatone project: https://chromatone.center Follow Denis: https://instagram.com/starov Follow Tom: https://www.instagram.com/loveleishman #MusicTheory #LearnMusic #VisualLearning #Chromatone #MusicEducation #BeginnerMusic #Podcast #MusicInterview #OpenSource #neurodiversity 00:00:00 - Introduction to the podcast and guest Tom Leishman. 00:01:23 - Tom's background as a music photographer and growing up with a deaf father. 00:02:52 - Why Denis is in Phuket to develop the Chromatone project. 00:04:24 - Why Chromatone is more beneficial for people with no musical background. 00:07:05 - How to play an A-minor chord using the visual color system. 00:15:54 - Chromatone as "musical stabilizers" and a new door for different learning types. 00:20:48 - The musical "trick" that connects all 12 notes in a perfect sequence. 00:26:38 - How a background in chemical engineering led to designing a new music system. 00:30:04 - The science of connecting sound and light through the brain's perception of octaves and the color wheel. 00:36:02 - Why Chromatone is open-source and a "gift to society." 00:38:47 - Can this visual system allow deaf people to play music? 00:42:28 - Demo: Using a spectrogram to "see" the shape of your voice and match musical notes. 00:49:33 - Visualizing Rhythm: A tour of the circular metronome and different rhythmic systems from around the world. 00:59:00 - The vision for Chromatone's future: creating a more collaborative and interconnected society through music. 01:08:28 - Final Question: Which note on the color wheel is Denis?