www.nasa.gov chandra.si.edu
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1000001000 100 10011 011 000110 110000 10001000 001000 11000010 010000 010001010001000001000 100100110 010 010
110110000100010001000001000 1001001101 1000 110110000100010001000001000 1001001101 10001101100001000100010000 010
01000 10010011011000110110 00010 001 1000001000 100 10011 011 000110 110000 10001000001000 11000010 010000 01000
010 010 11000110110 00010 001 1000001000 100 10011 011 000110 110000 1000 10000 01 000 11000 010 010000 010 010 010
010 010 0100010010011011000110 10010011011000110110000100010001000001000 10010011011000110110000100010001110001101
10 00010 001 1000001000 101000110110000100010001000001000 10010011011000110110 00010 001 1000001000 100 10011 011
000110 110000 10001000001000 11000010 010000 01000 11000110110 00010 001 1000001000 100 10011 011 000110 110000
1000 10000 01 000 1110 1100011011000010001000100000 000110 110000 10001000001000 11000010 010000 01000 11000110110
00010 001 1000001000 100 10011 011 000110 110000 1000 10010011011000110110 00010 001 1000001000 100 10011 011
BINARY BEATS
Performing Binary Code Rhythms : Sound Explorations by Terry Wolkowicz
Let’s do that again.
Let’s add a steady pulse that will play quietly in the background. Here is the sound of the pulse.
Put them together and the letter A in binary code repeated two times sounds like this.
0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1
pulse drum pulse pulse pulse pulse pulse drum
0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1
pulse drum pulse pulse pulse pulse pulse drum
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1
drum drum
0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1
drum drum
When we count, multiple, divide
or do other types of mathematical
calculations, we use these ten digits- 0,
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9. When writing
words, sentences or other types of
written communication we use letters
like A, B, C, D, E, F, G and so on.
However, computers use a different
system of representations called
“binary code” to communicate all sorts
of information. By using a pattern of
0’s and 1’s over eight spaces or bits,
binary code can be used to represent
different letters, numbers or symbols
that can be used to communicate with
other computers or difference forms
of modern technologies.
Here is the letter A, capital A, shown
in binary code form. 01000001 Notice
where the 1 digits fall within the 8 digit
sequence. The 1’s are in the second
and eighth position in the binary code
sequence. I wonder what the letter A
in binary code would sound like? If we
perform the 0’s as a silence or rest,
and the 1’s as a drum sound, it would
sound like this!
LETTER A
Watch a video of
Binary Beats in
action:
chandra.si.edu/
binary/beats
