1 00:00:15,316 --> 00:00:25,516 Speaker 1: Pushkin. Soon after I got home from Toyota City, I 2 00:00:25,556 --> 00:00:28,396 Speaker 1: went to a dinner party at my brother's house in Canada. 3 00:00:29,196 --> 00:00:33,076 Speaker 1: My brother and his friends are all seriously musical. There 4 00:00:33,076 --> 00:00:35,956 Speaker 1: were three people there who had studied music theory in college. 5 00:00:36,636 --> 00:00:41,436 Speaker 1: Three accomplished pianists, a violinist. I think almost everyone except 6 00:00:41,556 --> 00:00:44,676 Speaker 1: me sings in a choir. At one point they started 7 00:00:44,676 --> 00:00:48,116 Speaker 1: talking about a woman named Shirley, a music scholar who had, 8 00:00:48,356 --> 00:00:52,036 Speaker 1: among other things, perfect pitch. Shirley used to have an 9 00:00:52,036 --> 00:00:55,836 Speaker 1: old manual transmission car, and as she shifted up, she 10 00:00:55,876 --> 00:00:58,836 Speaker 1: would call out the notes her car's engine was playing. 11 00:00:59,196 --> 00:01:00,516 Speaker 1: If I was in a car with her, I could 12 00:01:00,556 --> 00:01:02,676 Speaker 1: be like your cards, a scholaring what intervals this, and 13 00:01:02,716 --> 00:01:05,556 Speaker 1: she could be like E flat B flat D flat. 14 00:01:05,676 --> 00:01:10,596 Speaker 1: She could call her Yes, that's Annalie, the most serious 15 00:01:10,636 --> 00:01:13,636 Speaker 1: of the serious music people at the table. She used 16 00:01:13,676 --> 00:01:16,516 Speaker 1: to be a student of Shirley's. For the next ten minutes, 17 00:01:16,716 --> 00:01:20,276 Speaker 1: all people did was swap Shirley stories. She's a bit 18 00:01:20,316 --> 00:01:24,116 Speaker 1: of a legend. And then I chimed in. Since we 19 00:01:24,116 --> 00:01:27,876 Speaker 1: were talking about the music that engines make, I began 20 00:01:27,916 --> 00:01:30,556 Speaker 1: talking about what I had learned in Japan, about how 21 00:01:30,636 --> 00:01:34,556 Speaker 1: Lexus fine tuned the engine sound of its cars, and 22 00:01:34,636 --> 00:01:37,996 Speaker 1: as I was talking, I looked over it Annally and 23 00:01:38,156 --> 00:01:41,556 Speaker 1: understand that Annalie is not a car person. She drives 24 00:01:41,556 --> 00:01:44,716 Speaker 1: an ancient Honda Civic that looks like it survived at Tornado. 25 00:01:45,156 --> 00:01:47,476 Speaker 1: I would venture to say she's never thought a moment 26 00:01:47,476 --> 00:01:50,796 Speaker 1: about cars in her life, except to ask what does 27 00:01:50,836 --> 00:01:54,356 Speaker 1: that warning light mean? And yet even as I was 28 00:01:54,436 --> 00:01:57,116 Speaker 1: going on and on and on as I like to 29 00:01:57,156 --> 00:02:00,756 Speaker 1: do about the nuances and particulars of the sound of 30 00:02:00,796 --> 00:02:04,876 Speaker 1: the LC, I noticed, to my surprise that Annalie's face 31 00:02:05,036 --> 00:02:10,196 Speaker 1: was like, oh my, that is genius. So I thought 32 00:02:10,276 --> 00:02:13,956 Speaker 1: it would make sense with this episode to explain why 33 00:02:14,076 --> 00:02:17,556 Speaker 1: a serious music person who's never thought a moment about 34 00:02:17,596 --> 00:02:20,956 Speaker 1: cars in her life would hear about the engine note 35 00:02:21,276 --> 00:02:25,796 Speaker 1: of the Lexus Elsie and go, oh my, that is genius. 36 00:02:26,756 --> 00:02:31,036 Speaker 1: We're going to talk about Annalie and Shirley and this 37 00:02:39,996 --> 00:02:43,716 Speaker 1: from Pushkin Industries and Lexus. This is go and see 38 00:02:44,236 --> 00:02:49,196 Speaker 1: our podcasts about the fantastically neurotic world of Lexus. I'm 39 00:02:49,276 --> 00:03:02,156 Speaker 1: Malcolm Glabbo. The last episode was about the building blocks 40 00:03:02,156 --> 00:03:06,196 Speaker 1: of a great sounding engine. Naturally Aspirated cross Plain V 41 00:03:06,396 --> 00:03:11,516 Speaker 1: eight all in surround sound. In this episode, I want 42 00:03:11,516 --> 00:03:14,876 Speaker 1: to widen things out. So you've got the building blocks 43 00:03:14,876 --> 00:03:18,196 Speaker 1: of a great engine sound. You've got your world class orchestra, 44 00:03:19,116 --> 00:03:26,276 Speaker 1: the Toyota City Philharmonic. What song do you want to play? 45 00:03:31,756 --> 00:03:35,076 Speaker 1: After dinner, I got Annalie to give me a little tutorial. 46 00:03:35,996 --> 00:03:38,436 Speaker 1: I gave her a handout I'd been given from the 47 00:03:38,476 --> 00:03:42,396 Speaker 1: sound experts at Lexis, which was in technical speak that 48 00:03:42,476 --> 00:03:45,796 Speaker 1: I only vaguely understood, because, as I've explained, I'm a 49 00:03:45,836 --> 00:03:49,396 Speaker 1: car person, not a music person. And the first thing 50 00:03:49,436 --> 00:03:53,636 Speaker 1: she noticed was a sentence in the section entitled sound factor. 51 00:03:54,276 --> 00:04:00,196 Speaker 1: Under the category formats, the LC produces at least two 52 00:04:00,276 --> 00:04:04,436 Speaker 1: of the three senses, including composure, solidness, and elation at 53 00:04:04,476 --> 00:04:08,956 Speaker 1: resonant frequencies, with four hundred herts producing a sense of 54 00:04:09,116 --> 00:04:13,476 Speaker 1: composure and eight hundred hurts producing a sense of elation. 55 00:04:14,476 --> 00:04:18,716 Speaker 1: What does that mean? What is a resonant frequency? Anily 56 00:04:18,876 --> 00:04:21,476 Speaker 1: started talking about the game you can play with half 57 00:04:21,516 --> 00:04:24,636 Speaker 1: empty wineglasses. A wine glass is a good way to 58 00:04:24,676 --> 00:04:26,876 Speaker 1: model it because you're hearing one out and then we 59 00:04:26,956 --> 00:04:29,316 Speaker 1: hear a range other of others kind of coming up 60 00:04:29,356 --> 00:04:32,276 Speaker 1: to do it. Let's see you can get to work. Yeah, 61 00:04:32,716 --> 00:04:38,236 Speaker 1: I'm sure you try this as a kid. You wet 62 00:04:38,276 --> 00:04:40,756 Speaker 1: your finger and run it around the rim of the glass. 63 00:04:41,076 --> 00:04:45,196 Speaker 1: At first, nothing happens. Then when the vibrations caused by 64 00:04:45,236 --> 00:04:48,876 Speaker 1: your finger hit just the right level, the glass begins 65 00:04:48,916 --> 00:04:59,156 Speaker 1: to sing with this full pulsating note. That's the sound 66 00:04:59,196 --> 00:05:03,396 Speaker 1: of you reaching the wine glasses resonant frequency, the point 67 00:05:03,476 --> 00:05:07,716 Speaker 1: at which it vibrates most freely. You can make music 68 00:05:07,996 --> 00:05:11,396 Speaker 1: from resonant frequency. That's what singing bowls are. You have 69 00:05:11,476 --> 00:05:15,236 Speaker 1: big glass bowls of various sizes, and the musician strikes 70 00:05:15,316 --> 00:05:18,436 Speaker 1: them softly with a candle to get them vibrating at 71 00:05:18,436 --> 00:05:23,556 Speaker 1: their resonant frequency. Anily found a demonstration on YouTube and 72 00:05:23,676 --> 00:05:26,716 Speaker 1: played it for me. So he has a bawl that's 73 00:05:26,756 --> 00:05:28,996 Speaker 1: the size of like a cooking bawl. Yep, and it's 74 00:05:29,036 --> 00:05:32,756 Speaker 1: made out of crystal. This one is. And here is 75 00:05:32,796 --> 00:05:35,316 Speaker 1: a stick. Yeah, And he's just as we were doing 76 00:05:35,316 --> 00:05:37,636 Speaker 1: with the wine glasses. What he's doing is he's tracing 77 00:05:37,676 --> 00:05:40,916 Speaker 1: a stick around the lip of the ball. Yeah. And 78 00:05:41,316 --> 00:05:43,916 Speaker 1: the does he created in the beginning, what does he does? 79 00:05:43,916 --> 00:05:45,636 Speaker 1: He create a single note in the beginning and then 80 00:05:45,956 --> 00:05:47,836 Speaker 1: span So the way of the bullets that I've him 81 00:05:47,876 --> 00:05:49,796 Speaker 1: in similar to a wine glass. Depending on how full 82 00:05:49,796 --> 00:05:52,236 Speaker 1: the wine glasses will create a different pitch. Same thing 83 00:05:52,276 --> 00:05:53,916 Speaker 1: with how the ball is structure. Any think how the 84 00:05:53,956 --> 00:05:55,716 Speaker 1: ball is built. So he said at the beginning of 85 00:05:55,796 --> 00:05:58,156 Speaker 1: sons in G flat major, so there's nothing he can 86 00:05:58,196 --> 00:06:00,316 Speaker 1: do to change what he works. It begins in G 87 00:06:00,436 --> 00:06:02,996 Speaker 1: flat mane and then so let's let's go back to 88 00:06:02,996 --> 00:06:06,116 Speaker 1: the beginning. Just played that moment again. Does I start playing? 89 00:06:06,156 --> 00:06:16,916 Speaker 1: Then c I was doing a second bowl, So he 90 00:06:17,396 --> 00:06:20,236 Speaker 1: the bowl has a particular note. The first one was 91 00:06:20,276 --> 00:06:24,116 Speaker 1: what G flat? So he plays it and then as 92 00:06:24,196 --> 00:06:28,436 Speaker 1: it as the sound resonates within the bowl, which you 93 00:06:28,516 --> 00:06:33,676 Speaker 1: get is a range of G flats above it up. Now, 94 00:06:33,716 --> 00:06:37,276 Speaker 1: contrast that resonance to the sound produced by an instrument 95 00:06:37,356 --> 00:06:40,516 Speaker 1: like an oboe. The walls of an oboe are rigid. 96 00:06:40,756 --> 00:06:44,716 Speaker 1: They don't vibrate nearly as much. When you stop playing 97 00:06:44,716 --> 00:06:51,116 Speaker 1: a note on the oboe, the sound stops. Now why 98 00:06:51,116 --> 00:06:53,876 Speaker 1: does this matter, Well, remember back to that line from 99 00:06:53,876 --> 00:06:57,476 Speaker 1: the Lexus Sound Manual. They wanted to create feelings of 100 00:06:57,556 --> 00:07:01,956 Speaker 1: composure and elation. That oboe does not produce feelings of 101 00:07:02,076 --> 00:07:07,876 Speaker 1: composure and elation. Figure Oh, yeah, it's so narrow. You 102 00:07:07,876 --> 00:07:11,956 Speaker 1: don't hear any other sounds, no shimmer, no resonance. If 103 00:07:11,996 --> 00:07:18,076 Speaker 1: your car made that noise, that's yeah, exactly. When I 104 00:07:18,116 --> 00:07:21,316 Speaker 1: was in Japan, I found out that Lexus spent five 105 00:07:21,436 --> 00:07:25,396 Speaker 1: years of experimentation and iteration on the acoustics of the 106 00:07:25,396 --> 00:07:28,676 Speaker 1: Elsie's engine. They played with the length and thickness of 107 00:07:28,716 --> 00:07:32,476 Speaker 1: intake hoses, with exhaust pipes, with the calibration of the 108 00:07:32,556 --> 00:07:36,196 Speaker 1: sound regulator, and on and on and on to hit 109 00:07:36,436 --> 00:07:41,076 Speaker 1: particular frequencies. The idea is to tune the car with 110 00:07:41,116 --> 00:07:44,756 Speaker 1: four hundred hurts producing a sense of composure, and eight 111 00:07:44,836 --> 00:07:50,956 Speaker 1: hundred hurts producing a sense of elation. Four hundred hurts composure, 112 00:07:57,156 --> 00:08:05,756 Speaker 1: eight hundred hurts elation, and now the whole thing together. 113 00:08:12,476 --> 00:08:18,116 Speaker 1: Oh my, that is so genius. But once you get 114 00:08:18,116 --> 00:08:21,916 Speaker 1: the right frequencies, you're still not done. The Lexus briefing 115 00:08:21,996 --> 00:08:25,796 Speaker 1: document had another line that confused me. It was under 116 00:08:25,836 --> 00:08:32,956 Speaker 1: the heading spectral harmony realizes perfect sound intervals eight degrees 117 00:08:32,956 --> 00:08:36,316 Speaker 1: in five degrees with three or more orders of vibration. 118 00:08:37,676 --> 00:08:41,796 Speaker 1: I asked Annalie once again to explain, so basically, in music, 119 00:08:41,996 --> 00:08:44,036 Speaker 1: I'm at a piano right now, We've got eight notes 120 00:08:44,036 --> 00:08:45,916 Speaker 1: in what we call a scale on the piano, We've 121 00:08:45,916 --> 00:08:48,036 Speaker 1: got eight different white notes, and these are kind of 122 00:08:48,036 --> 00:08:51,316 Speaker 1: the foundations of piano music or any music in general, 123 00:08:51,316 --> 00:08:54,676 Speaker 1: these eight different notes. And so the distance between two 124 00:08:54,756 --> 00:08:57,116 Speaker 1: notes is what we call an interval. So I'm at 125 00:08:57,156 --> 00:09:00,196 Speaker 1: a piano, so this is where I'm starting. This is 126 00:09:00,236 --> 00:09:04,676 Speaker 1: one note away, that's interval of a second. Three notes away, 127 00:09:04,676 --> 00:09:17,556 Speaker 1: it's an interval a third, five, six, seven, eight. So 128 00:09:17,596 --> 00:09:20,076 Speaker 1: those are our kind of basic different intervals. So what 129 00:09:20,116 --> 00:09:23,036 Speaker 1: we refer to when we say perfect intervals, we're referring 130 00:09:23,076 --> 00:09:27,076 Speaker 1: to afferent fifth and an eighth. So in that line 131 00:09:27,116 --> 00:09:32,156 Speaker 1: from Lexus realizes perfect sound intervals eight degrees and five degrees, 132 00:09:32,636 --> 00:09:35,436 Speaker 1: that's what they're talking about. And so the reason that 133 00:09:35,436 --> 00:09:38,956 Speaker 1: those those are considered perfect intervals is because when we 134 00:09:39,036 --> 00:09:41,596 Speaker 1: have two notes that've got different frequencies, and it actually 135 00:09:41,596 --> 00:09:44,196 Speaker 1: has to do with the frequencies between the two pitches 136 00:09:44,676 --> 00:09:46,556 Speaker 1: being and what the ratio is. And so when you've 137 00:09:46,596 --> 00:09:50,476 Speaker 1: got perfect intervals, the ratio is really small, and they 138 00:09:50,516 --> 00:09:53,476 Speaker 1: sound just more pleasing, more pure, what we say is 139 00:09:53,516 --> 00:09:58,236 Speaker 1: more consonant. And so these fifth and that's this eighth, 140 00:09:58,316 --> 00:10:02,236 Speaker 1: those are pure sounds. So I have an example of 141 00:10:02,356 --> 00:10:05,356 Speaker 1: these this fifth and this eight, these perfect intervals, which 142 00:10:05,396 --> 00:10:08,556 Speaker 1: I think are are very well known, and it's from 143 00:10:08,556 --> 00:10:11,876 Speaker 1: the two THO one, a Space Odyssey theme. Yeah, so 144 00:10:11,956 --> 00:10:13,836 Speaker 1: this is this is what it is. I'll play it 145 00:10:13,876 --> 00:10:16,636 Speaker 1: for you. So we start with one note and then 146 00:10:16,636 --> 00:10:19,356 Speaker 1: we're going to build an eight, a perfect octave on top. 147 00:10:19,436 --> 00:10:20,796 Speaker 1: Then we're going to add a fifth, and then we're 148 00:10:20,836 --> 00:10:25,756 Speaker 1: going to add another octave. So here we go. So 149 00:10:25,796 --> 00:10:30,716 Speaker 1: this is our base note. Hm, that's an octave above. Ye, 150 00:10:31,876 --> 00:10:40,756 Speaker 1: that's another fifth above. That's another octave above, and that's 151 00:10:40,836 --> 00:10:43,836 Speaker 1: nothing too, a perfect yeah. Yeah, yeah, So that's a 152 00:10:44,276 --> 00:10:47,636 Speaker 1: that's an example of a of a progression using perfect 153 00:10:47,716 --> 00:10:52,876 Speaker 1: intervals exactly. And it's there's something incredibly stirring about perfect 154 00:10:52,956 --> 00:10:57,636 Speaker 1: intervals are familiar, powerful, iconic. I mean, it's fascinating when 155 00:10:57,676 --> 00:11:01,356 Speaker 1: you watch when you sports are an super interesting example 156 00:11:01,396 --> 00:11:04,276 Speaker 1: of that. Um so like taking up to the ball game, 157 00:11:04,516 --> 00:11:08,916 Speaker 1: take may out that take may is an octave, that's 158 00:11:08,916 --> 00:11:10,996 Speaker 1: the perfect eight, and so people will sing that and 159 00:11:10,996 --> 00:11:13,316 Speaker 1: they don't know anything about music, don't want anything about intervals, 160 00:11:13,316 --> 00:11:15,556 Speaker 1: but that that's just like natural for them. They'll be 161 00:11:15,596 --> 00:11:18,636 Speaker 1: able to wait and then what's the take me, what's 162 00:11:18,676 --> 00:11:23,396 Speaker 1: the third note? That's a major sixth? Yeah, which is 163 00:11:23,436 --> 00:11:25,636 Speaker 1: not a which is not you break the perfect You 164 00:11:25,676 --> 00:11:27,716 Speaker 1: begin with the perfect interval, and then you break it 165 00:11:27,756 --> 00:11:29,916 Speaker 1: come out of it, yeah yeah, which gives the song 166 00:11:30,036 --> 00:11:32,836 Speaker 1: poslutely makes it interest right right, yeah right, I'd be boring. 167 00:11:32,836 --> 00:11:34,796 Speaker 1: And all the music we listened to sam with like space. 168 00:11:37,316 --> 00:11:41,156 Speaker 1: But at the heart of that, that iconic beginning is 169 00:11:41,196 --> 00:11:44,476 Speaker 1: they are referencing this perfect interval. Yeah, same, the somewhere 170 00:11:44,476 --> 00:11:48,276 Speaker 1: over a rainbow some what that's an octave and then 171 00:11:48,276 --> 00:11:50,676 Speaker 1: it goes out for rainbow we go, we get out 172 00:11:50,716 --> 00:11:53,356 Speaker 1: of it. But that that perfect octave is the base 173 00:11:53,436 --> 00:11:56,316 Speaker 1: of lots of our music. But not all intervals are perfect. 174 00:11:57,076 --> 00:11:59,836 Speaker 1: If you don't sweat the details, you can have a 175 00:11:59,836 --> 00:12:02,396 Speaker 1: lousy interval. I want you to give me an example 176 00:12:02,436 --> 00:12:05,156 Speaker 1: of something that doesn't work, like using the same the 177 00:12:05,316 --> 00:12:10,596 Speaker 1: same uh space Odyssey do and you do something with 178 00:12:10,756 --> 00:12:25,276 Speaker 1: simple space his work. Now I think you see the 179 00:12:25,276 --> 00:12:28,116 Speaker 1: point of all of this. The sound of an engine 180 00:12:28,156 --> 00:12:32,596 Speaker 1: under acceleration is an interval. Now does anyone care what 181 00:12:32,636 --> 00:12:35,756 Speaker 1: their food processor sounds like when it speeds up from 182 00:12:35,796 --> 00:12:44,196 Speaker 1: low to medium to high no, a food processor is 183 00:12:44,236 --> 00:12:47,436 Speaker 1: an appliance, but to the car nuts at Lexus, a 184 00:12:47,516 --> 00:12:55,076 Speaker 1: car is not an appliance. It's a living, breathing piece 185 00:12:55,076 --> 00:12:58,756 Speaker 1: of mechanical art that exists to bring pleasure to the driver. 186 00:12:59,556 --> 00:13:02,316 Speaker 1: You start with what the driver wants, and you work 187 00:13:02,356 --> 00:13:05,676 Speaker 1: backwards and what does the driver want in his or 188 00:13:05,756 --> 00:13:10,196 Speaker 1: her heart? From that glorious naturally aspirate cross plane V 189 00:13:10,356 --> 00:13:26,796 Speaker 1: eight a perfect acceleration interval composure relation. That's why Annalie's 190 00:13:26,796 --> 00:13:29,876 Speaker 1: face said that is so genius. When I brought up 191 00:13:29,916 --> 00:13:34,036 Speaker 1: the sound of the LC at the dinner party, realizes 192 00:13:34,116 --> 00:13:38,316 Speaker 1: perfect sound intervals eight degrees in five degrees with three 193 00:13:38,476 --> 00:13:54,556 Speaker 1: or more orders of vibration Musica Universe salis, It's totally pleasurable. 194 00:13:54,756 --> 00:13:56,876 Speaker 1: I can only imagine how satisfying it would be to 195 00:13:56,876 --> 00:13:59,116 Speaker 1: be in a car that as it as it runs 196 00:13:59,196 --> 00:14:01,436 Speaker 1: up and gets fat, you know faster, is making these 197 00:14:01,476 --> 00:14:05,556 Speaker 1: perfectly pleasing intervals that everyone wants to listen to. It's amazing. 198 00:14:06,836 --> 00:14:10,916 Speaker 1: It's totally wild. I mean, so many people wanted aware 199 00:14:10,916 --> 00:14:12,756 Speaker 1: of it. But like I was mentioned in this piano teacher, 200 00:14:12,796 --> 00:14:15,676 Speaker 1: I had that you know as a cars as her 201 00:14:15,716 --> 00:14:18,116 Speaker 1: cars were being actually aware of what the intervals are like. 202 00:14:18,556 --> 00:14:20,756 Speaker 1: Ninety nine point nine percent of the population doesn't care 203 00:14:20,756 --> 00:14:25,236 Speaker 1: about For people who notice, it's fantastic all out the wait, 204 00:14:25,236 --> 00:14:28,676 Speaker 1: what's the name of your teacher? Shirley? Surely so, Alexis says, 205 00:14:28,716 --> 00:14:38,116 Speaker 1: please Shirley, she will love us. Lexus needs to get Shirley. Shirley, 206 00:14:38,236 --> 00:14:48,076 Speaker 1: wherever you are, you need to get yourself, Alexis. Go 207 00:14:48,236 --> 00:14:51,836 Speaker 1: and See is produced by Jacob Smith with Emily Rosteck 208 00:14:51,996 --> 00:14:56,916 Speaker 1: and Carl Migliari, edited by Julia Barton. Evan Viola composed 209 00:14:56,956 --> 00:15:00,476 Speaker 1: our theme music and mixed and mastered our episodes. Special 210 00:15:00,516 --> 00:15:03,916 Speaker 1: thanks to Jacob Weisberg, Head of Fame, Paul Williamson, the 211 00:15:04,036 --> 00:15:08,636 Speaker 1: Mark Levinson engineers, and all the Lexus executives, engineers and 212 00:15:08,676 --> 00:15:13,476 Speaker 1: designer who participated in our recordings. Go and See is 213 00:15:13,476 --> 00:15:18,196 Speaker 1: a production of Lexus and Pushkin Industries. I'm Malcolm Webb.