Bungie composers literally recorded themselves singing in a bathroom to create the iconic Gregorian monk chant that plays over the main menu screen of the original Halo game.

A closer look

Bungie composers literally recorded themselves singing in a bathroom to create the iconic Gregorian monk chant that plays over the main menu screen of the original Halo game. They needed a massive, echoing acoustic space to make the vocals sound ancient and sacred, but they did not have the budget or time to rent out an actual cathedral or professional recording studio. So a bunch of developers just crammed into a tiled public restroom, hit record, and passionately hummed a tune that would go on to define the childhood nostalgia of millions of Xbox owners. Every time you feel deeply moved by the epic, sweeping space opera tones of the Halo soundtrack, just remember you are basically listening to some tired audio engineers harmonizing next to a row of urinals