By now, you've likely seen a million videos of the Steam Controller screaming classic movie-style as it drops from a height. It's exactly the kind of fun easter egg that makes Valve's gamepad so special, especially since it uses haptics rather than a speaker. However, rather than making it cry out as it plummets, you can instead use an app to make it chirp a bunch of MIDI tracks.
First highlighted by Beebreadtech on TikTok, you can effectively make the Steam Controller sing using an app. Creatively dubbed SteamHapticsSinger, the GitHub program is actually forked from code for Valve's first gamepad, but has since been revamped by developer CrazyCritic89.
The clip demos the Steam Controller singing tunes like "Still Alive" from Portal, which feels right on a Valve gamepad. The Wii Shop music also sounds pretty sensational coming out of the haptic motors, although it's worth noting that if you leave it belting its heart out on a desk, it might get carried away and rumble off your surface, potentially resulting in one of those aforementioned Wilhelm screams.
Of course, this isn't the first ever instance of motors making a chorus they're not designed to. In fact, there's a good chance you've already bear witnessed to The Floppotron at some point on the internet, a "computer hardware orchestra" that uses a whole lineup of old Hard Discs, Floppy Drives, and flatbed scanner motors to play whole tracks.
In theory, you could get a whole bunch of Steam Controllers and get it to play different "instruments" as part of an orchestra. That's going to be an expensive show given the gamepad's $99 / £89 price tag, though, so keep that in mind before planning any talent show entries. If you're just looking to mess around, all you have to do is install USBDK alongside the SteamHapticsSinger app, acquire some MIDI tracks, and then drag and drop them in.
It's worth noting that if you have a Steam Deck OLED, it should work with Valve's gaming handheld too. I unfortunately left my portable pal at home, so I can't make it sing for its supper right now. I will be trying it when I'm back at my desk, however, and if I manage to get a Steam Machine later this year, I'll be putting the pad on a stage for my amusement.
Got Valve's handheld? Swing by the best Steam Deck docks and turn the portable into a hybrid.
