August 2, 2019

Trump’s Signature Looks Like an Audio Waveform. So We Synthesized Sound From It.

“The only thing to do with Donald Trump that has ever ended on a high note.”

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President Trump’s signature has been scrawled across 8×10 glossies, MAGA hats, and controversial executive orders. It’s been analyzed by handwriting experts and parodied by meme experts. But one thing stands out most about his signature: it looks like an audio waveform.

Through the miracle of science, researchers have been able to convert images into signals, and then signals into audio. Why not create sound from an image of the president’s signature?

Alas, the Mother Jones Forensic Audio Reconstruction Team was out of the office. So I sufficed by plugging in an image of Trump’s signature into a site called PIXELSYNTH, a project by computer programmer and media artist Olivia Jack, for an entirely non-scientific representation of the staccato slopes and peaks of one of the most powerful signatures in the world.

After a bit of tweaking, I got the following results:

Listen and let us know what you think it sounds like.

As one Twitter user suggested, it’s the “only thing to do with Donald Trump that has ever ended on a high note.”

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Thank you!

We didn't know what to expect when we told you we needed to raise $400,000 before our fiscal year closed on June 30, and we're thrilled to report that our incredible community of readers contributed some $415,000 to help us keep charging as hard as we can during this crazy year.

You just sent an incredible message: that quality journalism doesn't have to answer to advertisers, billionaires, or hedge funds; that newsrooms can eke out an existence thanks primarily to the generosity of its readers. That's so powerful. Especially during what's been called a "media extinction event" when those looking to make a profit from the news pull back, the Mother Jones community steps in.

The months and years ahead won't be easy. Far from it. But there's no one we'd rather face the big challenges with than you, our committed and passionate readers, and our team of fearless reporters who show up every day.

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