“Lincoln Motor Co. is taking luxury to an unprecedented level by replacing the white noise of routine driver alerts with symphony music in the upcoming Aviator SUV,” writes Phoebe Wall Howard in Monday’s (11/5) Detroit Free Press. “These soothing chime sounds, recorded by Detroit Symphony Orchestra musicians, will be played for about 25 vehicle features, including an open fuel door alert and unfastened seat belts. The musical combinations blend percussion, violin and viola…. ‘We wanted this to be your sanctuary,’ said Jennifer Prescott, the Lincoln vehicle harmony supervisor, who oversees a team of 11 other engineers. ‘The material cars play is not very rich; it’s just dings and beeps.’ … Over time, the sounds will be included in all Lincoln vehicles.… A longtime interest in music moved Prescott, 52, in the unexpected direction for Lincoln. Not only does she play the piano and clarinet, but all her children play instruments…. ‘We didn’t know exactly what we were getting into and ended up creating hundreds of sounds,’ said principal percussionist Joe Becker, 32, of Grosse Pointe Park. ‘We pride ourselves on being the most accessible orchestra in the world…. This is just a new format for us to be heard.’ ”
Posted November 5, 2018
