2

Not sure if this is the right spot for this, but I know how to get the Windows 95 startup sound as a WAV, but is there a MIDI anywhere? Or do I have to sit at my piano and try to recreate it (as it is one note at a time)

Improve this question
8
  • 1
    @Brad The dun daloun dun dun dun one :) I'll post the link when I get to my computer
    – Cole Johnson
    May 22, 2012 at 1:29
  • 1
    @Brad youtube.com/watch?v=miZHa7ZC6Z0
    – Cole Johnson
    May 22, 2012 at 1:31
  • 2
    In retrospect, it almost sounds like they slowed down a sample of chimes.
    – Brad
    May 22, 2012 at 1:34
  • 2
    Slightly relevant, Brian Eno made the Win95 startup sound.
    – ObscureRobot
    May 26, 2012 at 22:41
  • 2
    Not at all what you're looking for, but I'm sure a few of you will get a kick out of this: youtube.com/watch?v=4skgihJHQ5M
    – NReilingh
    May 27, 2012 at 1:31

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
6

Well, that was fun!

It's actually a pretty complex piece of synthesizer work--the link ObscureRobot posted in the comments sheds some light on this.

Since the music isn't exactly metered, I didn't bother to attempt to quantify that in transcription (I didn't bother to typeset it either, that would've been more trouble than it's worth). So, I used spatial notation with some relative rhythms notated.

Every instrument is bathed in reverb and tends to 'ping' on the attack with a long decay. I hear four different voices: the "bell" synth that dominates the first few seconds, the piano that enters afterwards, a string-like synth, and a round bass-ish timbre.

I think this sound's inception may be somewhat similar to that of the THX sound--very much dependent on the individual pieces of equipment used to create it, all of which are antiques nowadays. You'd have to ask Brian Eno in order to get much deeper than this--and he probably wan't working in notation in the first place.

Transcription of the Windows 95 Startup Chime

Improve this answer
8
  • If anyone is wondering, there are no double sharps--that G is just regular G#. The scaling made it a bit ambiguous.
    – NReilingh
    May 27, 2012 at 2:29
  • 1
    Ah, one last thing I forgot to mention: I lowered the tuning by about 45 cents to match up against A440. Not sure if the sharpness was in the original or only in that recording you supplied.
    – NReilingh
    May 27, 2012 at 3:05
  • The THX Deep Note was done with a C program driving CSound, a very different process from the way that Brian Eno usually works. Geeta Dayal's book Another Green World provides a lot of insight into Eno's studio process.
    – ObscureRobot
    May 27, 2012 at 4:18
  • I actually knew that about Deep Note--I was drawing the comparison between them both being difficult to fully recreate at present day (deep note because it was actually randomized in the first place)--unless you're saying Eno used a setup that can be easily replicated nowadays?
    – NReilingh
    May 27, 2012 at 4:36
  • 1
    In interviews, Eno often claims that he isn't a gear junkie. He also doesn't seem to be technical enough to go the CSound route. He is known for his use and mastery of the Yamaha DX7 and a fondness for Eventide FX units. I'd guess that the sound comes from a DX7 and a rompler sent through an H3000, possibly bounced to tape a few times. Today, I'd use FM8 and Kontakt, and then send them through some Valhalla DSP plugins.
    – ObscureRobot
    May 27, 2012 at 5:29

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge that you have read and understand our privacy policy and code of conduct.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.