Jamie Ipsen
I didn’t think my MINI could make me any happier but I made an amazing discovery whilst navigating the New York State Thruway on my daily commute.
Even though music is a huge part of my life, rarely do I listen to my radio – too many commercials. When I do it’s the classical station or ‘Car Talk’ on NPR with Click and Clack. Occasionally, I pick up a new CD and sadly, I’m as guilty as any teenager with volume and overplay! Most of the time, in my car, it’s just me and my driving thoughts.
Recently, I took on a beginning guitar student. Obviously, tuning the guitar has been an important task in our lessons. And while we haven’t discussed why the strings are tuned to E A D G B E , I ponder the answers to such questions.
On my way to my other job, with pitch and tuning on the brain, I roll onto I-90 and accelerate to 80mph. All MINI drivers know that a MINI is happiest running at 80. It feels good. It sounds good. Subconsciously, I’m humming along with the engine. I harmonize with the pitch and realize 80mph must generate a pitch somewhere near A (220hertz). Since I don’t have perfect pitch like some lucky people ~ I can’t be sure. The next Saturday, I’m driving my daughter to her cello lesson. (Yes, a cello easily fits into the MINI). We’re on the Northway driving 80ph. “Heather, “ I said, “pull out your cello and play the A string.” “What?!? Now? You’d like the Boccherini Concerto in B flat while I’m at it?” I explain my crazy hypothesis to her and she laughs, “Mom, only you!” Lo and behold, when she climbs over the seat, unzips the case, and plucks the A string – it is the same pitch as the MINI engine humming at 80mph!
Woa! Why is this important to us? Universal A (440 hertz) is the pitch to which most instruments are tuned so all the music we listen to and enjoy relates to this A. A gives us that contented feeling of being “in tune”. How funny that my car is capable of giving me the same vibes!
Did BMW do this on purpose or did I stumble upon some obscure coincidence? Do other engines sing A as well? Does my MINI hum other notes? I Google “musically tuning a engine” and find a very interesting video describing a partnership between the Lexus LFA engineers and Yamaha (the music division)! I email MINI to see if they may be of like thinking but have yet to hear. In the meantime, running-down-the-highway never sounded so good!
That is a great observation, Jamie! As one who was blessed (and sometimes cursed) with perfect pitch, I’ll have to check this out on my first generation MINI’s, if I can hear the engine over the exhaust…
And now I know what to say when I get pulled over for speeding. “Officer, I was just checking to make sure the Universal A was in tune.” I’m sure that’ll just get me a warning instead of a ticket.
Car Talk is the best radio show on NPR, but, Jamie, you are incorrect on one count. My MINI is happiest at about 100, not 80. (Track only!)
Wonder what key it’s bumped to with a reduced supercharger pulley?