Google shares how designers create sounds for Pixels

Ever wondered how the little blips and bloops you hear on your Pixel phone came to be? It turns out, there’s a whole team at Google dedicated to crafting the perfect sound experience on Pixels.

These aren’t just any sound designers, though. The Pixel sound design team is a crew of talented folks who are passionate about creating sounds that are not only functional but also enjoyable to listen to. They take into account everything from user experience (UX) to aesthetics and clarity when crafting each tiny chime and notification.

So, how exactly do they do it? The process involves a lot of brainstorming and experimentation. The team considers different categories of sounds, like gestures (the sounds you hear when you swipe or tap the screen), semantic sounds (those that convey information, like the low battery warning), and attention feedback (like the ringtone).

They use a variety of tools and techniques to create these sounds, from field recording (capturing sounds in the real world) to incorporating user input. Believe it or not, even AI gets a say in the sound design process these days. But don’t worry, AI isn’t replacing the human touch just yet. The Pixel sound design team believes that the final call on a sound’s design should always come from a human ear.

Here are some of the challenges that the Google sound design team faces while creation of the tunes for Pixels:

Balancing urgency with calmness for alerts: Alerts are a really interesting category because they need to walk this tightrope between being informative and not being scary. Google’s wants to let you know something important is happening, but don’t want to send you into a panic.

Creating catchy ringtones: Another challenge is creating a ringtone that is catchy and upbeat but also reflects the new generation of Pixel phones. Conor says that it was a long and iterative process to get the new default ringtone “Your New Adventure”, just right.

So, the next time you hear a satisfying click on your Pixel camera or a gentle chime for a new notification, remember the talented team behind those sounds. They’re constantly working to create an auditory experience that’s both functional and enjoyable, making your Pixel sound as good as it looks.