Off the Staff, Gorgeous Visualizations of Classical Music Plotted Into Vividly Colorful Patterns

Nicholas Rougeux, a self-described “Midwest web designer, data geek, fractal nut, and animal lover” has created “Off the Staff“, an amazing series in which he visualizes and plots different classical music pieces into colorful patterns. While these patterns might seem random, Rougeux uses a specific formula, which he graciously explains.

Each dot represents a note in the score. Pitch is indicated by the distance from the center of the image, while the time at which the note occurs is given by the angle from the 12 o’clock position. The size of the dot indicates the duration of the note, and the color of the dot is different for each instrument. The colors of the dots are different for each instrument, and are selected from a complementary palette designed to reflect the theme of the piece.

Prints of these beautiful musical patterns are available for purchase through Rougeux’s site.

via My Modern Met