RunningHorse

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To clear up any confusion, the Mach E has 3 drive modes. Engage (Normal), Whisper (Comfort), and Unbridled (Sport). Engage is just normal mode, the default setting on any vehicle without drive modes. Also the system changes more than just sound and lighting. There is also the cluster layout, powertrain calibration, steering effort, suspension firmness (with magneride), and other things that will change with drive modes.
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JellyBelly

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You do not have to have the electronic engine noise on. There are 4 engine noise modes: whisper, engage, unbridled, and off. I personally plan to spend much of the time in “off.”
I plan to turn off the interior noise too if possible or keep it as low as possible.
 

ChasingCoral

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I dunno - something tells me if you leave it on for a day or two you'll get used to it and appreciate the feedback
I have to say, without the feedback BEVs can accelerate and go faster than you intend quite easily.
 

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I like the sound, although the lyrics are not my choice of wording. I am saving a MP3 recording of a special song for the Mach-E when I get it. It is "From Here To Eternity" suite by Giogio Moroder from the 1970's. You can find it at YouTube.
 

ChasingCoral

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I like the sound, although the lyrics are not my choice of wording. I am saving a MP3 recording of a special song for the Mach-E when I get it. It is "From Here To Eternity" suite by Giogio Moroder from the 1970's. You can find it at YouTube.
In addition to the Mach Drop playlist on Spotify there is a discussion on the other forum about Mach E music selections. This started out for testing the B&O sound system, evolved into what to play as you leave the lot, and worked its way into driving tunes. Now there's a discussion of whisper vs engage vs unbridled lists!

I decided to make the list from that forum into a collaborative, shared Spotify playlist:


I just added your selection @Raymondjram.
 
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buzznwood

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To clear up any confusion, the Mach E has 3 drive modes. Engage (Normal), Whisper (Comfort), and Unbridled (Sport). Engage is just normal mode, the default setting on any vehicle without drive modes. Also the system changes more than just sound and lighting. There is also the cluster layout, powertrain calibration, steering effort, suspension firmness (with magneride), and other things that will change with drive modes.
While no doubt a bit late for launch, Ford really needs to add a 4th custom / user mode via over-the air update that lets owners chose what they want for the various features as is common in other brands.

Fords lack of custom mode mentality just doesn't cut it, take my focus RS if I want the better feel of the steering in sport mode I now have to put up with the sport engine mapping complete with all the stupid immature juvenile manufactured pops and bangs, and worse suspensions settings, so it hardly ever gets set, where as in other vehicles with custom modes I could have the better steering response without the rest. As the control for each is just a software settings there really is no valid excuse for not offering a custom mode.
 

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I rarely listen to the car. I listen to music, Podcasts, other people in the car. Not sure I will be listening to any of these driving modes more than once. They are totally wasted on me.
 

macchiaz-o

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I know some of you will turn off the inside-feedback sounds. I'm still curious about them though... as well as how they came up with the sounds for pedestrians, door chimes, etc... So I did a bit more reading on it.

Car and Driver's write up about the New Breed song has a brief explainer on the vehicle's sound from Ford sound engineer Mark Clapper:

Brett Berk, Car and Driver, 8/28/2020:
“Sound has always been an important part of a vehicle’s identity and arguably none more so than the rumble of a V-8 Mustang many are already familiar with,” Ford sound engineer Mark Clapper says. “Since this would be the first electric Mustang, we wanted to create something unique that would draw on its classic sound but still stand out on its own.” Using the chirruping electric vehicles from Eighties movies like Blade Runner as a foundational influence, Clapper’s team worked with a studio called Ozone Sound to craft what Ford's press release describes as “electronic oscillations that emanate in and outside of the Mustang Mach-E while the vehicle is in motion.”
... so I did a bit more searching on Mark Clapper, the Ford sound and NVH engineer. Along the way, I found an explanation of how Ford designed the sounds for the Mustang Mach-E in the middle of this ABC News article that we might have missed from March:

Morgan Korn, ABC News, March 6, 2020:
Thomas Dolby, who has created original music for feature films produced by George Lucas, Steven Spielberg and Ken Russell and now teaches at Johns Hopkins Peabody Institute, applauded automakers for hiring professional musicians to produce their acoustics, a move that video game makers employed years ago to huge success.

"Manufacturers are starting to hire talent from other industries and that's the right thing to do," he told ABC News. "Sound is very distinctive and identity is everything to automakers."

To get the proper sound for the Mustang Mach-E all-electric SUV, Ford engineer Mark Clapper had his team operate the vehicle in a virtual world to perfect the vehicle's acoustic feedback to drivers.

"We modeled Angels Crest [highway] in Los Angeles and took ourselves through the route," he told ABC News. "It was like a video game immersion."

Clapper said 30 sounds were whittled down to 12 before pedestrian testing took place. Ford even hired three film studios as part of its design competition.

"We felt some level of pressure with the Mach-E," Clapper said. "The process was equally painful and rewarding."

Sound engineers working on Mustang sports cars are always trying "to push the boundaries of how loud the engine can be," said Clapper. The Mach-E, however, presented its own challenges.

"Now we have to minimize levels of sound. It could not be a 'vroom vroom,'" he said.
Searching a little further, I found a post on Clapper's Facebook page indicating that Jay Leno got a short ride in a Mach-E. I wonder which he liked better, the MME or the Cybertruck? (Who am I kidding. He'll get both!)

Mark Clapper, November 19, 2019:
We finally got to unveil the Ford Mustang Mach E after years of hard work putting tech, heart, and soul into our all new Mustang inspired EV vehicle. Quite an experience out here at the Hawthorne Jet Center mashing Detroit with a little Hollywood...enjoyed seeing the Detroit Youth Choir along with Idris Elba, Jay Leno (popped in for a ride) and the rest of the Mach E Ford team. Not an average work day. #mustangmache @ Hawthorne, California
 

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Aural feedback is quite important to people in judging acceleration. The electronic sound will be instrumental in learning how to judge the MME. I plan on using it for quite some time before switching it off during cruise or altogether. Thanks for the info.
 

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Sound of Speed: On Mustang Mach-E’s Electrifying Drive Sounds with Michael Sonnenberg

Behind the Sounds of Mustang Mach-E with Michael Sonnenberg

Michael Sonnenberg works as a sound quality engineer on the propulsion noise and vibration features of the all-new Mustang Mach-E. He believes that sound is one of the most important aspects of the all-electric vehicle’s character, in that hearing its unique resonance helps the customer to feel and understand the vehicle. @FordOnline chatted with Sonnenberg about how quality audio design enhances Ford’s first electric pony.

Why is it important for an electric vehicle to sound as good as it performs?
The thrill of driving has long been a multisensory experience, and sound plays a role in this. Take away any sensory aspect of the drive experience, and it does not live up to its true potential. With an electric vehicle, we can give the customer that blissful quiet ride unique to this class, but rather than take anything away, we want the customer to still have the full-bodied experience of driving. Sound plays a crucial role in this.

How does sound design enhance an electric vehicle?
Great sound design solidifies the character, image and experience an electric vehicle offers. Similar to exterior and interior design, sound should be intentional and well-integrated. You don’t expect a Fiesta to sound like a 6.7-liter Power Stroke® Super Duty, and this speaks to the internalized sense of sound we all share, as well as the importance of great sound design.

Where did the team gather inspiration for the sounds of Mach-E?
The team emphasized having an open mind when starting the sound design process, but wherever the sound would eventually land needed to pay homage to past and present generations of Mustang. We looked at some obvious inspirations for future electric vehicles, such as science fiction films and existing performance vehicles in the Formula E series, but we didn’t limit ourselves. We looked at the transformation of the acoustic guitar to the electric guitar and the progression of Detroit techno to modern electronic music. I even took a recording of the HVAC system at the entrance of the Meijer on 8 Mile and Woodward. Nothing was off-limits.

How did the team develop those sounds?
The team started with a blank slate and an open mind. We worked with sound designers to realize tens, if not hundreds of sounds. Then, we listened. After narrowing it down to several promising candidates, it was time to hit the road. We developed control algorithms to produce the sounds in response to our driving simulator. We paired the sounds with virtual reality to create an immersive drive experience. Then, we completed customer clinics in Dallas, Los Angeles, Germany and China to make the final selection for the Mach-E sound. All along, the aim was to make the sounds as authentic as possible and true to the Mustang brand.

What makes Mustang sound like a Mustang – and how was that brought to life in Mustang Mach-E?
The V8 rumble has been key to the sound of the Mustang coupe. More than that, though, Mustang embodies a no-nonsense sound of power and grit that makes it the exemplar of American muscle. This is the inspiration for the Mustang Mach-E. We wanted it to have that sense of power, that grit, while at the same time distinguishing itself as an electric vehicle. The low-frequency presence and modulation in the Mustang Mach-E sound pays tribute to the iconic Mustang soundscape, but the slightly more refined character makes it uniquely well suited to the battery electric vehicle experience.

How did you engineer sounds for pedestrian safety, while staying true to Mustang DNA?
The pedestrian alert sound was designed alongside the interior propulsion sound. It was important for the exterior to convey the same sense of power and anticipation, and to pay homage to the Mustang. The exterior sound has the added constraint of needing to grab people’s attention should they not be paying attention or simply can’t see the vehicle coming. To counteract these constraints, what I call the grit element of sound design is specifically emphasized for the exterior. Grit consists of higher-frequency elements that are required for pedestrian safety regulations, but it also remains true to the character of the vehicle. In the end, we wanted to design something that a pedestrian will hear coming, turn around and think, “Yeah, that’s cool. I get that.”

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ChasingCoral

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Aural feedback is quite important to people in judging acceleration. The electronic sound will be instrumental in learning how to judge the MME. I plan on using it for quite some time before switching it off during cruise or altogether. Thanks for the info.
I'll be glad to have it when I go unbridled. I'd rather have silence than whisper.
 

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While Lincoln selected sounds created by Detroit Symphony musicians for its luxury Aviator SUV, Ford Motor Co. has gone in a totally different direction for the all-electric Mustang Mach-E.

The company revealed Friday the SUV made in Cuautitlán, Mexico, that's scheduled to debut later this year will have a unique and "thumping" new sound to accompany driver experience.

Ford said its sound designers were "inspired by classic '80s sci-fi cinema" and crafted "electronic oscillations that emanate in and outside of the Mustang Mach-E while the vehicle is in motion."

The vehicle will have chime sounds when in reverse and sound tailored to match each drive mode, plus exterior sound used for pedestrian awareness, Ford said.

Here's what Ford calls the new sound elements:

 
 




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