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Daft Punk Easter Egg in the BPM Tempo of Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger? (madebywindmill.com)

787 points by simonw · 201 days ago · 130 comments on HN

Article summary

The article discusses the possibility that Daft Punk's song 'Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger' has a tempo of 123.45 BPM, which may be an intentional Easter egg. The author uses their own tempo detection software and manual calculation to determine the song's tempo, finding it to be close to 123.45 BPM. The article also explores the possibility that Daft Punk chose this tempo as a joke, given the song's themes of technology and robotics. The author notes that some of Daft Punk's sequencing software at the time supported fractional BPMs, which could have allowed them to set the tempo to 123.45 BPM.

Main themes

  • Music tempo detection
  • Daft Punk's music
  • Easter eggs in music
  • Music production software
  • Robotics and technology themes

What commenters say

  • The tempo of 123.45 BPM may be an intentional Easter egg left by Daft Punk, given the song's themes of technology and robotics.
  • The song's tempo could be the result of a deliberate choice by Daft Punk to create a unique and interesting rhythm, rather than a coincidence.
  • The discussion of the song's tempo is an example of overanalysis and reading too much into a simple musical choice.
  • The possibility that Daft Punk chose the tempo 123.45 BPM as a joke is supported by the fact that some of their sequencing software at the time supported fractional BPMs.
  • The tempo of the song could have been altered during the production process, resulting in a slightly different BPM than intended.
  • The idea that the tempo is an Easter egg is undermined by the fact that the song's production and release predated the development of the movie Interstella 5555, which features the song.
  • The use of fractional BPMs in music production is not uncommon, and the tempo of 123.45 BPM may simply be a result of Daft Punk's experimentation with different rhythms and time signatures.
  • The debate over the song's tempo highlights the complexity and nuance of music production, and the many factors that can influence the final product.