PlayStation finally tells us how the iconic PS1 startup sound was made

Ever wondered where the PS1 got its iconic startup sound?

It’s hardly a thought that keeps us up at 3am every night, however, it’s one of many brain tabs we have open.

Thankfully, we can now close that tab as Sony has finally revealed all.

During a Game Informer interview, Takafumi Fujisawa – the creator of this now nostalgic piece of audio – said how they only received a “general brief” during the creative process.

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When asked if Ken Kutaragi hummed “a few bars” to get the creative juices flowing, Fujisawa laughed.

“No, though I wish he did.”

They continued, “I had an alternative version with a voice whispering ‘PlayStation’ layered on top of it which I sampled myself, but with the impression being that the game console speaks to you. We decided to go with the orthodox (simple) option in the end.”

Its “orchestra-like sound” was designed to give the listener a “stable start”, before the sound shifts tempo to symbolise a change in that equilibrium.

As suggested in the interview, players are taken on a journey through the use of this sound.

“My aim is to lead the sense of security when the console is turned on to the excitement after with the C major dominant motion showing the intention for continuing to be on the mainstream.”

“The rich strings kick in and the last part features twinkling tones and setting the perfect 4th chords,” Fujisawa explained.

There is a lot more that Fujisawa details over the course of this interview about the sound, so we implore you to read it in full over on PlayStation’s blog.

Although the thought process behind the sound is far more structured and narratively driven than we first realised, it’s amazing to hear the inner workings of the process from the creator themself.

The PS1 startup sound was the sound of our childhoods; it’s wonderful to know how it came about.