06 Jan 2006
Legendary musician Robert Fripp, the driving force behind King Crimson, has been hired by Microsoft to produce the sounds for the forthcoming Windows Vista.
The guitarist was apparently hired by Steve Ball, group programme manager of the Windows Audio Video Excellence team in the Windows Digital Media Division. A video of the recording session can be seen here.
This is not the first time that Microsoft has used famous musicians to record the sounds for its operating systems. Brian Eno was hired to compose the start up music for Windows 95.
"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 three and a quarter seconds long','' Eno told the San Francisco Chronicle.
"I thought this was so funny and an amazing thought to actually try to make a little piece of music. It's like making a tiny little jewel."
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Do you agree?
Vista Sounds!
Talk about a new concept album.
Posted by: Bob Hail 18 Jan 2006
A response to the cynical
Sorry to be boring, but asinine remarks such as those above really depress me when it comes to the likes of Robert Fripp. He is, without abusing the word, a genius, and a technician. I could not think of anyone better than Fripp to compose (to quote Eno) the "jewel" necessary for this soundbite.
Posted by: a mccarthy 15 Jan 2006
Frippertronics
So long as Fripp doesn't ask his wife (Toyah) to sing, or Pete Sinfield to write the lyrics, I'll be happy to turn the sound up.
Posted by: Gavin Wilson 06 Jan 2006