Posted on 04/28/2015 7:17:34 PM PDT by dayglored
When Windows 95 was being developed, Microsoft executives commissioned music legend Brian Eno to develop a "piece of music" to play when the operating system started up. This music would become known as "The Windows Sound." Eno is probably most renowned* for his ambient music -- long tracks with deep sound beds and drifting melodies. But this track had to be a little shorter. Eno related the story:
The thing from the agency said, "We want a piece of music that is inspiring, universal, blah-blah, da-da-da, optimistic, futuristic, sentimental, emotional," this whole list of adjectives, and then at the bottom it said "and it must be 3.25 seconds long."And, of course, Eno solved the problem, creating a supremely iconic sound. But when you take his micro-music and stretch it out to two and a half minutes, it becomes suspiciously like the music we hear on his ambient albums -- slow, ethereal, moody, beautiful in a very different way...
(Excerpt) Read more at mentalfloss.com ...
The Microsoft Windows 95 Startup Sound at Normal Speed (YouTube)But chances are you've never heard it this way -- stretched out, the pitches are the same but the time scale is expanded 23x so instead of 3-4 seconds, it's a little over 2 minutes. Sit back, take a deep breath, and relax into this amazing composition by the world's master of ambient music:
The SLOW VERSION of the Win95 Startup Sound, 23x (YouTube)Awesome. Frickin' awesome.
And to top it off, Brian Eno was not fond of Windows computers -- He used a Mac to create the Microsoft Sound.
Let me know if you ever run across a clone of the Windows 3.1 Hotdog Stand theme.
IT must be 3.5 inches . like out floppies. Hmmmm?
“And to top it off, Brian Eno was not fond of Windows computers — He used a Mac to create the Microsoft Sound.”
In the early 90’s, Macs were way ahead of Windows in terms of audio work, so it’s not surprising that Eno used a Mac for his creative efforts. These days both platforms have excellent capabilities in terms of musical creativity and production.
Decades back, Steve “don’t call me a minimalist” Reich opined that wonderful music could be discovered by stretching out sounds to far longer playback periods. This would make him happy.
I’d forgotten all about it. Back when I was just getting into computers, Windows was “revolutionary”, and it still stayed out of your way ... unlike now. Thanks for the post.
do you see the flying cat @2:13???
OMG!! No I hadn't seen it. Holy crap, that's wonderful! Thank you for pointing that out!! :-)
Wow, I’ve never heard that and I use pC at the office every day. Are you sure?
What the!?
Yes it would.
I doubt you're using Windows 95.
Every version of Windows since then has changed the Startup Sound. What version of Windows are you using at the office?
Cool!
thought i was seeing things first time it went by...
Traaaaails, man.
Ahhhhh thanks for eh FR man that posted this, I think I will mess with my Win 7 professional 64-bit OS to get this as my start up sound for Win 95 was my first windows OS in the 6th grade, that and playing some Quake II, C&C red alert, System Shock 2 and AOL, good times.
Oh ... something “professional”. You are right.
The slow is very cool Beautiful really.
But I am curious about the Nyan Cat that flashes on screen at around 2:09.
Was that in the original commercial? Because if so then it would definitely have been subliminal.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.