'Music' from the Moon's Surface

[Axle Helios]

The Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency has developed a program to play 'music' determined by the surface of the moon.
The program uses maps of the moon's surface from the Kaguya explorer. The sounds are determined by the altitude of different areas of the moon, played like a record.
Calling this music, however, really depends on your definition of music, as it seems to just play random strings of notes.
Try it out for yourself.

 

[Kthleen]

If you're having trouble hearing it, click on the Preference tab (lower left), click the Environment button, then change the Midi device. The Java Sound Synthesizer (default) wasn't working for me, but the Microsoft MIDI Mapper did.



Anyway, that's... weird. I generally prefer more structure to my music.

 

[Silverwynde]

That's got to be some of the weirdest stuff I have ever heard.

 

[Axle Helios]

If you go into Preferences and set the Music Set to Something other than none, e.g. Major or Oriental, it sounds a lot better.

 

[Fig]

And if you play with instrument sets, you can make the results even better.

I'm actually rather fond of the Chinese instrument set (Flute/Brightness/Slow Strings) and the Oriental3 Music Set combination.

Or for wackiness, you can put together a Symphony for Guns, Hand Claps and Helicopters.

 

[Kiratwig]

Not any kind of music Ive ever heard.

I wonder if the craters on the moon will have anything to do with the sound tone as well?

 

[Axle Helios]

The craters are what determines the pitch. (As well as the mountains, valleys, and all other features, really.)

The Space_Opera preset fits right in with the idea of the moon making the music.