An artist’s imaginative portrayal of the Corythosaurus.
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Imagine attending a unique concert where the sounds of a prehistoric swamp are brought back to life through an orchestra composed entirely of instruments that are modeled after dinosaurs. This dreamlike experience may soon become a reality thanks to an innovative art project known as the Dinosaur Choir.
While visual recreations of dinosaurs have captivated audiences for years, deciphering what these ancient creatures sounded like poses a more significant challenge. Cinematic representations of dinosaur roars are likely exaggerated, and the true auditory landscape was probably filled with a variety of sounds, including bellows, booms, coos, chirps, and cries—reminiscent of the diverse vocalizations of modern birds.
Related: Ancient Voice Box Finally Reveals How Dinosaurs May Have Sounded
The Dinosaur Choir is a collaborative effort spearheaded by artist and musician Courtney Brown from Southern Methodist University in Texas, alongside industrial designer Cezary Gajewski of the University of Alberta, Canada.
The first dinosaur featured in this groundbreaking perfomance is the Corythosaurus, a late-Cretaceous herbivore notable for its distinctive cranial crest. It is believed that this dinosaur could manipulate air through its crest’s internal pathways, producing resonant sounds to attract potential mates or issue warnings to others about predators.
The inaugural instrument created for the Dinosaur Choir is a reconstruction of the intricate tubes and chambers found in the crest of the Corythosaurus, built upon detailed CT scans of fossilized skulls. After undergoing several revisions, the latest rendition is a 3D-printed replica of the crest, equipped with a digital voice box and integrated speaker.
To enhance user engagement, a camera and microphone pick up vibrations and mouth movements, altering the sound that reverberates through the crest, allowing for interactive sound experiences.
The Corythosaurus is just the beginning of Brown’s vision for the Dinosaur Choir. The next planned addition is an ankylosaur, a heavily armored dinosaur, whose surprisingly avian vocal characteristics were recently revealed.
Brown elaborates that the goal of the Dinosaur Choir is to create a fully immersive experience that fosters collaborative musical expression, blending the realms of music, dinosaurs, technology, and science in an educational and entertaining format. Visit the project’s website for further insights into this extraordinary initiative: Dinosaur Choir.
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