Filed under: Audio, Cult of Mac
History Behind the Mac Startup Sound
The sound was created by Jim Reekes, the same guy who invented Sosumi. According to Reekes, "The startup sound was done in my home studio on a Korg Wavestation. It's a C Major chord, played with both hands stretched out as wide as possible (with 3rd at the top, if I recall). This just sounded right to me. I wanted something really fat, heavy bass, high notes, and a sharp attack. The chiffy sound was from pan pipes and something like a stick hit (I'm testing my memory here). I wanted lots of evolving timbres, stereo phasing, and reverb for further richness."
And, finally, here's my lame attempt to replicate that signature sound via type: BuhWAAAAAAAAH. Now you try!
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
some dude said 4:43PM on 6-30-2005
woooOOOMMMMmmmm
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iFelix said 4:19PM on 6-16-2005
Ddddaaahhhmmm
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Aaron Willis said 4:19PM on 6-16-2005
screeeedily-screedily-BOIOING!!!!!
Well, that's what I wish it sounded like. I always thought that was the noise that uncle steve makes when he yawns.
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yPod said 4:19PM on 6-16-2005
dwoinnnnnnnnnnnnnmn
:(
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David said 7:42AM on 11-18-2005
Ahem.
http://folklore.org/StoryView.py?project=Macintosh&story=Boot_Beep.txt&sortOrder=Sort%20by%20Date
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narco said 4:19PM on 6-16-2005
I wish someone would post the old "sad mac" sound. I don't remember how it went, but I think it sounded like the music to the old NES game Wizards and Warriors.
Fishes,
narco.
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aprodite said 4:19PM on 6-16-2005
Some Mac's had different "Sad Mac" sounds, I remember my old Mac IIfx used to sound like "breaking glass" when it wan't happy. I seem to recall another mac having the sound of screeching tyres followed by a smashing sound, but it was so long ago I'm not sure if that was real or just my imagination. Anyone out there know for sure?
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Ryan said 10:03PM on 8-08-2005
The screeching tires and breaking glass was real. It was either my Centris 660av or PowerMac 6100av that had that. I think it was the 660av. Most dreaded sound ever to hear.
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ben murray said 6:43AM on 8-02-2005
frrrrrrrrrrMMMMMMMMMMMM
ooh my lips feel funny now
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Ben Poole said 5:43PM on 7-15-2005
Re the sad Mac sound, I believe there was a different chord depending on what the underlying problem was: a good Apple engineer presumably had to have a good ear ;o)
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Lacy said 10:43AM on 9-22-2005
Mmmmm...sounds like a 5th on top to me.....not a 3rd.(sad git)
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Gav said 4:19PM on 6-16-2005
Duuuuuuuuuuuuhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh
although i wish it went: HUUZZAAAAHHHHHHH
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