In early 1995, I was working at Microsoft as an intern software engineer on the Windows 95 team, and was approached to write the music for the hidden Windows 95 Easter Egg.
This ‘Easter Egg’ was tricky to find (see the instructions below), but once found it opened up a window with all the names of who worked on Windows 95, with my music as the theme.
The only instructions I was given was that the music should invoke images of ‘clouds’ and feel ‘floating’ and ‘peaceful’ – this is how Windows 95 was going to be marketed. Well, and that it had to play well on all sound cards at the time. For 99.9% of computers, this meant through the Adlib synthesizer emulation of the Creative Labs Sound Blaster card (or equivalent clone). In other words – no sampled instruments, no effects – just simple FM synthesis. General MIDI in it’s finest.
So with that said, I really couldn’t do too much in terms of interesting instrumentation or sounds; and yes…it’s pretty funny to listen to the tune now. I’ve rendered it out using a GM sound module – which is better – but still doesn’t come close to the realism you’d expect from most computer music today.
As an aside, I never did get credit for writing the music (despite the promise), but I’d like to thank Raymond Chen for his entry into his blog at:
http://blogs.msdn.com/oldnewthing/archive/2003/09/08/54811.aspx
Also, there are plenty of Youtube videos of the Easter Egg, such as these two:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2PWRy2-powE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nFclEc4sCUo&feature=related
Feel free to post comments or send me any questions. Here’s the tune: Clouds.mp3, and the instructions for all of you still running Windows 95!
Update October 2011: If you’re interested in more of my retro compositions, check out the retro compositions page on my website.
These are the original instructions to actually see the Easter Egg in Windows 95. Note this doesn’t work in Windows 98 or above, nor under some versions of the Active Desktop under Windows 95.
Create a new folder on the Desktop and name it EXACTLY like this:
and now, the moment you’ve all been waiting for
Then rename it to:
we proudly present for your viewing pleasure
Rename this folder again to:
The Microsoft Windows 95 Product Team!
Double-click the new folder and enjoy the show!
Wow, someone actually learned this tune and performed it live. Kudos “docerex”:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3SoYnHTLcI&feature=related
Wow, it’s great to finally know the story behind clouds.mid! I just happened to be thinking about today (for some unknown reason) and your blog popped up on a Google search. Back in the day, I used to play it on occasion…found it relaxing and somewhat Yanni-esque (hope that doesn’t offend you!). Of course, the more I had to drink in a particular evening, the greater the chance that it would be played…being in my 20′s at the time, it got quite the workout!
Great job on the music and thanks for the behind-the-scenes info! Also, thanks for the mp3 version…now on my iPod.
Cheers,
Greg
I’d like to add my gratitude and appreciation to the comments as well. I started my technical career in 1990 with Windows 3.x and have had the dubious pleasure of watching Microsoft Windows become what it is today. One of my fondest and most clearly-memorable moments is learning about the Easter Egg in what was then my brand-new install of Windows 95, hot off the presses. I was already expecting something quirky and cool, but when your music faded in and the theme began playing, I was absolutely beside myself. At that moment, nothing could have been cooler, and the music that you created for that moment made an impression that has lasted almost 20 years.
Thank you sincerely for that wonderful composition, and a great memory.
ZD
Its so beutiful, thanks for this. I still use Win95.
This is so cool Brian! What an honor it must be to have made an impact like this on people with your music. It’s almost even cooler since it’s so obscure, but I’d have rathered that it had made you rich and famous! You deserve it.
This song is the only reason why I sometimes switches back to Windows 95 on Virtual PC 2007 just to listen to it.
Thank you very much for writing the song, the song was a big part of my childhood! I am now using clouds as my alarm and ring tone.
Thanks for creating this part of my childhood. Funny how one small thing leads to another leads to another.
This song was also a part of my childhood, heh.
Thank you so much for this beautiful song, it was the first midi I ever listened to, and spawned a long love for MIDI music ever since.
Thanks. I enjoy the music alot.
Although this seems weird im 11 years old! Im kind of a computer wizzard if that how you like it, I love listening to this song! Its so peaceful, trumpets are a bit weird
I remember finding this song online and reading about the Windows 95 easter egg. When I finally got to look at a Windows 95 PC, I tried the easter egg, and it worked. I once made a modified version of this song to play on a Roland MT-32 sound module (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roland_MT-32), and it plays perfecctly. I would say that you definitely achieved your goal of making the MIDI file compatible with many diffferent synthesizers.
Note: I did not upload the YouTube video of Clouds.mid playing on the Roland MT-32. That version seems to use a special patch bank designed to imitate the GM standard, while my version uses only the standard MT-32 instruments and is not online.