Sonification of New York City Neighborhood's Income Inequality Through the Subway's 2 Train

New York based programmer Brian Foo has a fascinating project called Data Driven DJ in which
he creates songs and other music experiments derived from data, algorithms and borrowed sounds. Recently, he created a song that uses the 7th Ave Express (a.k.a "2 train") as the metronome, and the neighborhood stops as the intensity of the music based on median income levels at each particular stop.

The goal of this song is to emulate a ride on the New York City Subway's 2 Train through three boroughs: Brooklyn, Manhattan, and The Bronx. At any given time, the quantity and dynamics of the song's instruments correspond to the median household income of that area. For example, as you pass through a wealthier area such as the Financial District, the instruments you hear in the song will increase in quantity, volume, and force.

For more info on the composition of the song, visit DataDrivenDJ.com.

Matt Coneybeare

Matt Coneybeare

Editor in Chief

Matt enjoys exploring the City's with his partner and son. He is an avid marathon runner, and spends most of his time eating, running, and working on cool stuff.

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