The Story Behind Apple's Iconic Start-Up Sound
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The iconic start-up sound of Apple computers holds a special place in the hearts of tech enthusiasts worldwide. But what’s the story behind this seemingly simple yet profoundly recognizable sound?
Jim Reekes, a former software architect at Apple was frustrated with the the jarring beeps of system reboots.
His vision was simple: He wanted to create a calming sound.
So, he chose a simple C major chord on his Korg Wavestation synthesizer but with a slight deviation from standard tuning. It doesn’t conform to a typical C, A, or D chord. He arranged in the harmonic series with an E at the end. By adding a third note at the top, he created a bright, uplifting tone. He experimented with effects like chorus for richness and reverb for an ambient feel.
“If music typically adheres to specific frequencies, then surely the key to making a sonic impact was to venture beyond these confines.”
The sound was also greatly influenced by the final chord in “A Day In The Life” by The Beatles.
One interviewer asked, “Did Apple say, ‘It’s a great marketing thing; we’re gonna stick it in the cracks of the piano where nobody else occupies that frequency space?”
Reeves’ smiled and said “You’re thinking too hard. From what I understand, it’s a mess. Since I wasn’t there, they likely got mixed up. When they listened to it again, they weren’t musicians, they were engineers! They were like, ‘Eh, sounds okay to me.’”
“It was time for me to figure out why some audio files were playing out of tune and slightly faster on my computer. This happened because of a difference in sample rates, like when a film shot at 24 fps is played at 25 fps, causing it to stretch out.”
“Similarly, when clients’ audio stems recorded at 44.1 kHz were played on my computer set at 48 kHz, they sounded lower pitched and slightly slower. The fix was to convert the stems to match my computer’s sample rate.”
In 1993, Macintosh released the Centris computer with its distinct G major chime. Reeves recorded this chime at 48 kHz and then switched the project to 44.1 kHz, resulting in the chime sounding lower. Surprisingly, it matched exactly with the updated chime introduced on the Power Mac 9500.
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Jim Reekes, a former software architect at Apple was frustrated with the the jarring beeps of system reboots.
His vision was simple: He wanted to create a calming sound.
So, he chose a simple C major chord on his Korg Wavestation synthesizer but with a slight deviation from standard tuning. It doesn’t conform to a typical C, A, or D chord. He arranged in the harmonic series with an E at the end. By adding a third note at the top, he created a bright, uplifting tone. He experimented with effects like chorus for richness and reverb for an ambient feel.
“If music typically adheres to specific frequencies, then surely the key to making a sonic impact was to venture beyond these confines.”
The sound was also greatly influenced by the final chord in “A Day In The Life” by The Beatles.
One interviewer asked, “Did Apple say, ‘It’s a great marketing thing; we’re gonna stick it in the cracks of the piano where nobody else occupies that frequency space?”
Reeves’ smiled and said “You’re thinking too hard. From what I understand, it’s a mess. Since I wasn’t there, they likely got mixed up. When they listened to it again, they weren’t musicians, they were engineers! They were like, ‘Eh, sounds okay to me.’”
“It was time for me to figure out why some audio files were playing out of tune and slightly faster on my computer. This happened because of a difference in sample rates, like when a film shot at 24 fps is played at 25 fps, causing it to stretch out.”
“Similarly, when clients’ audio stems recorded at 44.1 kHz were played on my computer set at 48 kHz, they sounded lower pitched and slightly slower. The fix was to convert the stems to match my computer’s sample rate.”
In 1993, Macintosh released the Centris computer with its distinct G major chime. Reeves recorded this chime at 48 kHz and then switched the project to 44.1 kHz, resulting in the chime sounding lower. Surprisingly, it matched exactly with the updated chime introduced on the Power Mac 9500.
Click Here To Read More
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Koss Corps Headphones For A 'Captive' Audience
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