Encoding the Fibonacci Sequence Into Music

I made a piano piece from the Fibonacci Sequence by assigning numbers to the E major scale.

Arranged and Performed by David Macdonald
Filmed by Tristan Rios

Additional graphics from Wikimedia Commons

[bunthaideng]

When you love math, but your parents forced you to be a musician

[xyzct]

This just shows you can crawl around the major scale any way you want and it sounds okay.

[nembobuldrini]

As another guy mentioned down the line, the beauty of the composition is due to the harmonization + structure added by the player. It would probably work with random numbers as well. So it is human interpretation which renders it enjoyable. It would be interesting to have it generated *completely* algorithmically (melody+harmonization+rhythm) and see if it still would sound so great!

[DanLaDue]

My mom sent me this video after I started learning music production because she thought it was cool and interesting. She passed away unexpectedly and I come back to this a lot to watch and share a moment with her, remembering how conscientious she was. Between that connection and the music it brings me to tears. Thanks for this.

[dannychatzi]

Composing music with maths. This is just magical.

[kurisukunn]

Ive never imagined that math can make you cry the other way

[DamaniJones]

This man played the Fibonacci sequence so well that he was transported into nature lol.

[mathieupasquini]

It's not beautiful because of the Fibonacci sequence, but because he use a diatonic scale where, by definition, the notes sound always great. You can play random notes or notes from Euler's numbers it will sound good. It's beautiful because of the piano player AND his harmonic chooses.

[jacobansari]

This sounds good because it’s in e major and has harmonies

[joshp]

You can make music out of anything if you add harmonizing notes like he did

[christianguerra]

*when the recommendation is actually worth it*

[gracerongli]

When I was about seven or eight years old, after seeing a lot of my mathematician father's notebooks with beautiful and mysterious math formulas like divine music notes from the sky, I asked my father, "dad, what is mathematics?". He answered, "at the highest level, it is like music, you can only feel". I never forget that moment....

[LeaveBetter]

Better be careful playing that, you might open some portals or something.

[Joepert]

I really don't care if it's right or not, the idea of putting one of the worlds most famous mathematical sequence, into musical notes, is simply brilliant. Even if it was just to act as the spark to this beautiful piece of music. The fact that he eventually made this into what it is, merely points out to me that he's probably a great musician, with an even greater open mind. I like it... Keep it up!

[bluebull]

For those that don't play the piano. Ill let you into a secret. Once you know the keys and scales, you can basically press any key you want in that scale and it will sound good.

If you look at his left hand he is playing arpegiated chords that set the mood or feel of the music. However, the right is essentially playing random notes (the fibbernachi sequence). However, it still sounds good because it's in key.

I'll prove it, with your left hand hold down C, E and G. Now with your right hand, press any white note you like, it doesn't matter which one, they will all sound good.

You've just learnt the chord of C, in the key of C with the scale of C. A free one hour piano lesson in 10 seconds...you're welcome.

[victort.]

This should be in a detective movie. Like this mysterious piano is playing this song and you don't know what it means, until this super smart person figures out it's the fibonacci sequence in E major, and that leads them to the next clue

[arturryba]

Beautiful. The next one: 'music from my DNA sequence'

[tippyandfriend]

Now I want to know what pi sounds likes, and e.

[Leahrun]

PLEASE I am literally BEGGING you to make this song longer…. It’s so beautiful 😢

[anorangewithacapybaraunder]

How to play piano,

Step 1: Get a PhD in mathematics