Listen In
How It Works
Listen In transforms water and weather data from the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest into music. This process, called data sonification, makes it possible to hear patterns in the data.
In this project, different elements of the water cycle are paired with instruments. Precipitation is represented by cymbals, temperature by a flute, and other measurements have their own sounds. As the data changes, such as more rain falling or the temperature rising, you can hear those changes in the music. Check out the audio key below to see which instruments represent each piece of data and listen to examples.
You can also explore past data from the forest in the Music Library or use Listen Live to hear what’s happening at Hubbard Brook right now.
These sonifications were created by Marty Quinn of Design Rhythmics Sonification Research Lab.
Listen Live!
Now Playing Most Current Hour of Water Cycle Data!
Audio Key: Data → Instruments
Precipitation → Cymbals
Cymbal crashes get louder as rain pours harder.
Temperature → Flute
Flute notes get higher as the temperature rises.
Soil Water → Guitar
Soil water changes play a loud guitar note. When it stays the same, the note gradually fades as it repeats.
Evapotranspiration → Marimba
The marimba rises and falls with evapotranspiration, playing higher and louder notes when evaporation peaks in the day.
Stream Flow → French Horn & Bass Guitar
The bass guitar and French horn play when the stream flow changes and occasionally every few seconds to keep a steady, sustained sound.
Look and Listen
Ever wondered what happens when sonification meets visualization? This video turns Hubbard Brook data for the year 2018 into both music and visuals. Use the full audio key to follow each instrument in the composition.