Episodes

  • TROS 6: Speeder Chase Shenanigans (Minutes 26-30 with Conor Power)

    TROS 6: Speeder Chase Shenanigans (Minutes 26-30 with Conor Power)
    Aug 12 2024
    In minutes 26-30 of The Rise of Skywalker, Lando tells Rey, Finn, Poe, and the gang about Ochi of Bestoon, and our heroes encounter flying stormtroopers. Film music researcher Conor Power returns to the show to discuss "style topics," the Heroics themes, and John Williams' original cue for the speeder chase. Timestamps: 0:00 - Hello there!3:09 - Musical scorekeeping, motifs.5:49 - Style topics (style topos).9:07 - Lacking the terminology to explain musical interpretations.10:42 - Listening to the start of these minutes.14:24 - Octatonic flute filigree.21:01 - Optimistic suspensions, Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head?24:43 - Lando's voice through the mask.27:21 - March Onboard Spacecraft incidental motif.33:32 - Best line in the scene.39:01 - Heroics (Broad) theme.49:29 - Sinister underscore while Lando talks about Ochi.58:21 - Strings with an anguished symphony quality.1:03:13 - The use of Leia's theme when Lando mentions her.1:10:27 - This part reminds Xanthe of "The Adventures of Han" from Solo: A Star Wars Story.1:12:33 - Elephant in the room: John Williams' "Speeder Chase" cue, which didn't make it into the film.1:24:49 - Are the beats of this action sequence hard to follow? Would the scene have been more cohesive with Williams's original cue?1:29:53 - How to get the best work out of John Williams (speculation).1:38:58 - Heroics theme after "they fly now."1:47:02 - Augmented Rey's theme.1:52:00 - Timpani sticking out.2:04:09 - Playing John Williams's original "Speeder Chase" cue.2:10:43 - JW "adventure-action" music; this action cue sounds like more of a lighthearted diversion than a pivotal melodrama.2:13:59 - SWMM Questionnaire Things to Check Out: Raiders of the Lost Ark: The Truck Chase (1981) - https://youtu.be/yqQD8sVtfA4?si=n40NskdT0wO_vWT0Finn and Poe Escape the First Order - Star Wars Eposode VII: The Force Awakens - https://youtu.be/k3C83hzkg7o?si=iq6y7mT5hqMPaQLdComplete Catalogue of the Musical Themes of Star Wars (by Frank Lehman): https://franklehman.com/starwars/ Musical Themes: 41a. Kylo Ren A (Aggressive) - hinted through ostinato47a. March of the Resistance (A Section) - or something similar88) March Onboard Spacecraft62a. Heroics (Broad)4. Leia45a. Rey A (Theme A-Phrase)62b. Heroics (Brisk) Where are we in the soundtrack?: nowhere, but OST 5. "The Speeder Chase" was supposed to be here. --------------- STAR WARS MUSIC MINUTE QUESTIONNAIRE: 1. In exactly 3 words, what does Star Wars sound like? New: "Excellent job, sir." ("Terrible job, sir.")Previous: Vivid symphonic storytelling. 2. What's something related to Star Wars music or sound that you want to learn more about? New: What conversations does Williams have with the mixers and editors? Were there even conversations?Previous: Interviews with the orchestrators. 3. What's a score or soundtrack you're fond of besides anything Star Wars? New: Minari (by Emile Mosseri), Dracula (by John Williams), The Fury (by John Williams)Previous: If Beale Street Could Talk (by Nicholas Britell) --------------- Guest: Conor Power ESB 7: Musical Referee (Minutes 31-35 with Conor Power) - https://youtu.be/_FtXZNRWZIATwitter: https://twitter.com/cpower1997Conor is on BlueSky.(Article) Swashbucklers and Femme Fatales: Gender Coding in John Williams’s Score to Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull - https://revista.uclm.es/index.php/cuadernosdeinvestigacionmusical/article/view/2830 ------------------ ⭐️ Join the Discord server by becoming a patron at any level! https://patreon.com/chrysanthetan Leave a voice message, and I might play it on the show... https://starwarsmusicminute.com/comlink Where else to find SWMM: Twitter: https://twitter.com/StarWarsMusMinSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/652WVfMTLwJpVZ82i8uhFAApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/star-wars-music-minute/id1552988763YouTube: https://youtube.com/starwarsmusicminuteTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@starwarsmusicminute?Instagram: https://instagram.com/starwarsmusicminuteEmail: podcast@starwarsmusicminute.comBuy Me A Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/starwarsmusmin
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    2 hrs and 24 mins
  • TROS 5: StabbyBoi Kylo (Minutes 21-25 with Alex Cunningham)

    TROS 5: StabbyBoi Kylo (Minutes 21-25 with Alex Cunningham)
    Aug 5 2024
    In minutes 21-25 of The Rise of Skywalker, Kylo Ren debuts his newly repaired mask, our heroes make it to Pasaana in time for the Aki Aki Festival of the Ancestors, and we get our first piece of source music in the film. Alex Cunningham returns to the show to discuss Kylo's helmet voice, First Order dialects, stabby punctuation, and the use of diegetic music on Pasaana. Timestamps: 0:00 - Hello there!2:58 - Stabby punctuation of Kylo Ren entrance.7:12 - Kylo's theme vs. Knights of Ren theme.18:22 - "I sense unease about my appearance, General Hux."19:05 - Is Kylo's helmet voice a little clearer than it was in TFA?27:49 - Fanboy Pryde.32:19 - Question about the RP-accented First Order officers and if the English dialect distinctions are recreated in other language dubs.42:31 - More stabby Kylo Ren punctuation. "I'm gonna go hunting."44:23 - Musical sting during the transition to Pasaana. Reminiscent of Emperor and Planetary Descent.47:50 - Thoughts on there being yet another desert planet.59:58 - Diegetic music for the Aki-Aki Festival of the Ancestors.1:18:44 - Source music is taken over by score, illustrating Rey's change of focus. Lydian moment!1:30:54 - Awkward "family name" conversation.1:38:14 - Thoughts on Leia's Jedi journey.1:50:49 - Soundscape of Kylo and Rey's Force Skype.2:05:54 - Kylo Ren's A Theme (Aggressive) vs. B Theme (Hesitant).2:10:45 - TRON vibes.2:15:42 - Final thoughts about these minutes.2:20:29 - SWMM Questionnaire Things to Check Out: "Lido Hey" by Shag F. Kava - https://youtu.be/Ca2SlCjDxUAJedi Junior High (now called "Makin' Wookiee") - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3530344/AIR scene with Matt Damon and Chris Messina's phone call - https://youtu.be/MuNcDlt6oVsComplete Catalogue of the Musical Themes of Star Wars (by Frank Lehman): https://franklehman.com/starwars/ Musical Themes: Kylo Ren A (Aggressive)EmperorRey A (Theme A-Phrase)Kylo Ren B (Hesitant) Where are we in the soundtrack?: None of this music is on either soundtrack (I think?)Shag F. Kava - "Lido Hey" (on YouTube) --------------- STAR WARS MUSIC MINUTE QUESTIONNAIRE: 1. In exactly 3 words, what does Star Wars sound like? New: Subtle, except not.Previous: John. Ben. James. 2. What's something related to Star Wars music or sound that you want to learn more about? New: Which accent/dialect choices are being made in other language dubs of Star Wars?Previous: What other sound designers does Ben Burtt admire? Who is on the foley team, and how do they think and talk about foley? Do they see themselves as sound designers, how do they approach their creative work? 3. What's a score or soundtrack you're fond of besides anything Star Wars? New: Spring Breakers (composed by Skrillex and Cliff Martinez), Spawn: The Album (the US Edition) (produced by Happy Walters)Previous: Akira (composed by Geinoh Yamashirogumi), The Harder They Come (primarily featuring Jimmy Cliff), Station Eleven (composed by Dan Romer) --------------- Guest: Alex Cunningham BrickSteelhead on the Friends of Xanthe Discord server.Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/muay_tie_fighter/ANH 21: Backstage Jitters (Minutes 101-105 with Alex Cunningham) - https://youtu.be/95tApsOGqP8Solo 21: Shades of Revelation (Minutes 101-105 with Alex Cunningham) - https://youtu.be/h3W2eub9B7A ------------------ ⭐️ Join the Discord server by becoming a patron at any level! https://patreon.com/chrysanthetan Leave a voice message, and I might play it on the show... https://starwarsmusicminute.com/comlink Where else to find SWMM: Twitter: https://twitter.com/StarWarsMusMinSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/652WVfMTLwJpVZ82i8uhFAApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/star-wars-music-minute/id1552988763YouTube: https://youtube.com/starwarsmusicminuteTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@starwarsmusicminute?Instagram: https://instagram.com/starwarsmusicminuteEmail: podcast@starwarsmusicminute.comBuy Me A Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/starwarsmusmin
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    2 hrs and 31 mins
  • TROS 4: Handful of Ostinato (Minutes 16-20 with Katharine Coldiron)

    TROS 4: Handful of Ostinato (Minutes 16-20 with Katharine Coldiron)
    Jul 30 2024
    Palpatine has returned, and author Katharine Coldiron joins me to discuss minutes 16-20 of The Rise of Skywalker. We talk about the logic of leitmotifs, songs vs. performances, Bugs, the storytelling matrix, conveying information through image vs. sound, and more. Timestamps: 0:00 - Hello there!4:51 - Microphone speculation.13:55 - "Somehow, Palpatine returned."21:34 - The logic of leitmotifs. Number of leitmotif statements in TLJ vs TROS.29:09 - It's not just about leitmotifs.33:30 - Song vs. performance.35:42 - Do the generations of film composers after John Williams still listen to Tchaikovsky, Wagner, etc?41:11 - Ostinato not on the soundtrack (was it added in a later cut of the film?). Bugs Bunny flourish.47:14 - Force theme moment (1st time in these minutes) that Katharine isn't a fan of.55:19 - Rey's theme and the storytelling matrix.1:07:40 - Concert suites.1:12:48 - Is this reminiscent of a Berlioz opera?1:18:52 - "We Go Together" and the Friendship motif.1:31:47 - Funny choir moment.1:36:09 - Force theme moment that Katharine is a fan of.1:40:14 - "70% of information is conveyed through image, whereas 30% is conveyed through sound. 70% of emotion is conveyed through sound and 30% through image."1:46:39 - When leitmotifs do heavy information-lifting.1:54:36 - Distributing the music, dialogue, and sound effects across the frequency spectrum.1:55:52 - Knights of Ren theme (and why we like it).2:06:51 - The grammar of Star Wars landing shots.2:10:30 - J.J. Abrams, old-school film directing, camerawork trends, composer parallels.2:26:15 - SWMM Questionnaire Things to Check Out: Sideways video: https://youtu.be/L_8-dWSLDWI?si=hA80Yu-67aI23AZ8Les Troyens (opera by Hector Berlioz): https://youtu.be/JVuj-b0zXVE?si=tU7YPcEZpz8GEO7hAnother Happy Landing: https://youtu.be/RAWYMxygeBk?si=roWNQk3qjjTGylf5Star Wars Holiday Special (opening music): https://youtu.be/6hH8rxarVG8?si=uFXqoEg7EYnvEcg7&t=201Hollywood Harmony (by Frank Lehman): https://franklehman.com/hollywood-harmony/ESB 11: Free-Floating Motivic Particles (with Frank Lehman): https://youtu.be/N_jXuEWiaLY?si=d-JV7XH2e2X0-Gm5My review of Pauline García Viardot's chamber opera: https://www.sfcv.org/articles/review/last-sorcerer-enchanting-fairy-tale-opera-resurrectedBizarre Albums Lapti Nek episode: https://podcasts.apple.com/ie/podcast/bizarre-singles-lapti-nek-from-return-of-the-jedi/id1471679636?i=1000473552119Complete Catalogue of the Musical Themes of Star Wars (by Frank Lehman): https://franklehman.com/starwars/ Musical Themes: Sith SeductionEmperorForceRey A (Theme A-Phrase)FriendshipKnights of Ren (Slow Form) Where are we in the soundtrack?: FYC 3. "We Go Together"OST 9. "We Go Together" --------------- STAR WARS MUSIC MINUTE QUESTIONNAIRE: 1. In exactly 3 words, what does Star Wars sound like? Adventure. Heart. Saga. 2. What's something related to Star Wars music or sound that you want to learn more about? Is John Williams more of a genius or a craftsman? 3. What's a score or soundtrack you're fond of besides anything Star Wars? Gone Girl composed (by Atticus Ross and Trent Reznor). The Truman Show soundtrack. Fight Club (by the Dust Brothers). --------------- Guest: Katharine Coldiron Landing shots video: https://youtu.be/nbAcX60dSNsWebsite: https://kcoldiron.com/Twitter: https://x.com/ferrifrigidaLook at all the books she's written! https://kcoldiron.com/books-chapbooks/ ------------------ ⭐️ Join the Discord server by becoming a patron at any level! https://patreon.com/chrysanthetan Leave a voice message, and I might play it on the show... https://starwarsmusicminute.com/comlink Where else to find SWMM: Twitter: https://twitter.com/StarWarsMusMinSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/652WVfMTLwJpVZ82i8uhFAApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/star-wars-music-minute/id1552988763YouTube: https://youtube.com/starwarsmusicminuteTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@starwarsmusicminute?Instagram: https://instagram.com/starwarsmusicminuteEmail: podcast@starwarsmusicminute.comBuy Me A Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/starwarsmusmin
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    2 hrs and 43 mins
  • TROS 3: Independent Jedi Study (Minutes 11-15 with Riley Silverman)

    TROS 3: Independent Jedi Study (Minutes 11-15 with Riley Silverman)
    Jul 24 2023
    In minutes 11-15 of The Rise of Skywalker, we see Rey training in the jungle of Ajan Kloss under the light guidance of General Leia Organa; Kylo and Rey have their first Force chat of the film; and Rey reunites with Poe and Finn. Star Wars author and Rey aficionado Riley Silverman is here with me to discuss Rey's epic "training suite" theme, Leia's as a "lowercase j" jedi, shortcuts in music and filmmaking, and more! Timestamps: 0:00 - Hello there!1:43 - Leia as a lowercase "j" jedi6:40 - End of the lightspeed skipping scene.8:51 - Shortcuts. Re-using the Martial Chords/Holst Chords from the Death Star blow-up scene in ANH.17:56 - Peaceful soundscape of Rey training on Ajan Kloss.20:58 - "Leia Trains Rey" – new incidental motif – a tender string line.26:31 - Mishearing the Rey/Leia conversation in theaters.32:46 - Rey's pump-up training suite is reminiscent of Luke's lifestyle montage on Ahch-To (in TLJ minutes 21-25).39:33 - Imperial March and Kylo Ren's Aggressive theme with one note out of place.44:10 - Music raising the stakes during Rey's training. Duelistic Strings (incidental motif). Kylo's intrusion.49:46 - Awesome sound design in Rey/Kylo's concurrent flashbacks.1:00:14 - Rey studies ancient texts. Independent Jedi Study. Continuity from TLJ to TROS.1:10:57 - Poe and Rey bicker like divorced (but still good) co-parents.1:22:47 - Final thoughts about these minutes and TROS as a whole.1:34:53 - SWMM Questionnaire1:45:09 - Where to find Riley's books. Things to Check Out: Holst: Mars (from The Planets) - https://youtu.be/UJbEgyhx1ngComplete Catalogue of the Musical Themes of Star Wars (by Frank Lehman): https://franklehman.com/starwars/ Musical Themes: Martial ChordsForceRey A (Theme A-Phrase)Leia Trains ReyRey B (Chimes)Imperial March (Theme)Kylo Ren A (Aggressive)Duelistic Strings Where are we in the soundtrack?: End of FYC 2. "Falcon Flight" --------------- STAR WARS MUSIC MINUTE QUESTIONNAIRE: 1. In exactly 3 words, what does Star Wars sound like? New: Wondrous space magic.Previous: Epic space magic. 2. What's something related to Star Wars music or sound that you want to learn more about? New: How many different people are involved in the process of putting music in the film? Who has the final say?Previous: How many different screams are there? How do people go about designing music for a scene or character in the first place? Writers start with a blank page and somehow use words to convey scenes; what is the musical/sound version of that process like? 3. What's a score or soundtrack you're fond of besides anything Star Wars? New: Across the Spider-Verse (composed by Daniel Pemberton)Previous: Gentlemen Jack (composed by Murray Gold), Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (composed by Danny Elfman). Doctor Who. --------------- Guest: Riley Silverman Check out all of Riley's Star Wars books: https://www.rileysilverman.com/books Star Wars: Exploring Tatooine: An Illustrated GuideStar Wars: Galaxy's Edge: Treasures from BatuuStar Wars: The Life Day Pop-Up Book and Advent Calendar The She Series Book (Riley wrote essays for Lucille Ball and Marsha P. Johnson): https://www.etsy.com/listing/1448145344/the-she-series-bookRiley is on BlueSky, Threads, and Twitter as rileysilverman or rileyjsilverman ------------------ ⭐️ Join the Discord server by becoming a patron at any level! https://patreon.com/chrysanthetan Leave a voice message, and I might play it on the show... https://starwarsmusicminute.com/comlink Where else to find SWMM: Twitter: https://twitter.com/StarWarsMusMinSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/652WVfMTLwJpVZ82i8uhFAApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/star-wars-music-minute/id1552988763YouTube: https://youtube.com/starwarsmusicminuteTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@starwarsmusicminute?Instagram: https://instagram.com/starwarsmusicminuteEmail: podcast@starwarsmusicminute.comBuy Me A Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/starwarsmusmin
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    1 hr and 50 mins
  • TROS 2: Audiovisual Acid Trip (Minutes 6-10 with Klaudia Amenábar)

    TROS 2: Audiovisual Acid Trip (Minutes 6-10 with Klaudia Amenábar)
    Jul 19 2023
    In minutes 6-10 of The Rise of Skywalker, Palpatine has a chat with Kylo Ren, Poe and Finn lose a game of Dejarik to Chewie, a spy gives the Resistance information, and the Falcon lightspeed skips to evade TIE fighters. Klaudia Amenábar of RuPalp's Podrace returns to the show to discuss the Resistance polycule, octatonic brass, Exegol sound design, and more! Timestamps: 0:00 - Hello there!3:43 - Listening to the beginning of these minutes.8:21 - The "Palpatine" in Rey's theme.24:49 - Trio of characters interacting for the first time.28:31 - David Acord and Matthew Wood explaining the sound design of Exegol.40:11 - Exegol lightning compared to Force lightning.49:44 - Quibble about the physical descriptions of characters in Star Wars books.53:52 - The Rise of Skywalker polycule.1:01:07 - Octatonic planing horns.1:09:51 - Why do we hear the Emperor's theme when we see TIE fighters?1:17:54 - Rebel Fanfare (planing triads), March of the Resistance, lightspeed skipping.1:24:40 - John Williams loves/hates us (violinists).1:32:54 - SWMM Questionnaire Things to Check Out: Klaudia's blog post/newsletter about Trigun: https://buttondown.email/klaudiascorner/archive/trigun-is-better-than-cowboy-bebop-not-clickbait/Interview about the Trigun Stampede soundtrack: https://www.japanaradio.com/node/98The album for season 1 is in two parts: https://open.spotify.com/album/0tNFMwQRWZkDuxxhbrBZtihttps://open.spotify.com/album/6csNXzQg2Eq9qRexsVT2s8 Solo 8: Dolby Atmos Train Heist (Minutes 36-40 with Klaudia Amenábar) - https://youtu.be/ofMbtzYWYD0Complete Catalogue of the Musical Themes of Star Wars (by Frank Lehman): https://franklehman.com/starwars/ Musical Themes: Imperial March (Theme)Kylo Ren A (Aggressive)EmperorMarch of the Resistance (A Section)Rebel Fanfare Where are we in the soundtrack?: OST 2. "Journey to Exegol"FYC 2. "Falcon Flight" --------------- STAR WARS MUSIC MINUTE QUESTIONNAIRE: 1. In exactly 3 words, what does Star Wars sound like? New: Poetic. Epic. Hopeful.Previous: Poetic. Epic. Inspiring. 2. What's something related to Star Wars music or sound that you want to learn more about? New: How are certain sound design choices made? Which decisions come from the producers vs. sound designers, etc? How is the sound design process different across the various types of Star Wars media?Previous: The stories behind how various bits of music ended up in the films/shows. "How did that get there?" 3. What's a score or soundtrack you're fond of besides anything Star Wars? New: TRIGUN STAMPEDE (anime series composed by Tatsuya Kato)Previous: Nausicaa of the Valley of the Wind (composed by Joe Hisaishi) --------------- Guest: Klaudia Amenábar RuPalp's Podrace: https://rupalps-podrace-a-queer-star-wars-podcast.simplecast.com/The Mystery Spotcast: A Supernatural Rewatch: https://the-mystery-spotcast-a-supernatural-rewatch.simplecast.com/Twitter: https://twitter.com/kaludiasaysTikTok: https://tiktok.com/@kaludiasaysLinktree: https://linktr.ee/kaludiasays ------------------ Join the Discord server by becoming a patron at any level! https://patreon.com/chrysanthetan Leave a voice message, and I might play it on the show... https://starwarsmusicminute.com/comlink Where else to find SWMM: Twitter: https://twitter.com/StarWarsMusMinSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/652WVfMTLwJpVZ82i8uhFAApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/star-wars-music-minute/id1552988763YouTube: https://youtube.com/starwarsmusicminuteTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@starwarsmusicminute?Instagram: https://instagram.com/starwarsmusicminuteEmail: podcast@starwarsmusicminute.comBuy Me A Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/starwarsmusmin
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    1 hr and 52 mins
  • TROS 1: Intro to the Music of The Rise of Skywalker (Minutes 1-5)

    TROS 1: Intro to the Music of The Rise of Skywalker (Minutes 1-5)
    Jul 10 2023

    This is an introduction to the music of The Rise of Skywalker with an emphasis on the first 5 minutes. In the episode, I also go over my aims for this season of Star Wars Music Minute, talk about balancing meta-commentary and media-commentary, and share my favorite thing about the TROS score.

    Timestamps:

    • 0:00 - Hello there!
    • 0:50 - What to expect from this episode.
    • 1:40 - Part 1: The first 5 minutes of TROS.
    • 34:02 - Part 2: The Meta Stuff
    • 41:28 - For Your Consideration (FYC) album.
    • 48:03 - Analyzing and interpreting the media as it stands.
    • 50:32 - Romantic music and Friendship as a major theme.
    • 1:03:04 - Assumptions and shaky premises.
    • 1:13:35 - Upcoming source (diegetic) music.
    • 1:14:31 - Matching my timestamps to Frank Lehman's SW Thematic Catalogue.
    • 1:16:34 - New intro/outro arrangement (based on "Anthem of Evil")
    • 1:19:24 - A little perk for my Discord server (join us!)

    References:

    • Complete Catalogue of the Musical Themes of Star Wars (by Frank Lehman): https://franklehman.com/starwars/
    • Web Archive of FYC album to listen to: https://web.archive.org/web/20191210202934/https://disneystudiosawards.com/star-wars-score.html
    • Discussion on JW Fan Forum: https://www.jwfan.com/forums/index.php?/topic/30975-the-rise-of-skywalker-for-your-consideration-fyc-album-discussion/

    Musical Themes:

    • Main Theme (A Section)
    • Main Theme (B Section)
    • Romantic Descending Trichords
    • Starry Night Arpeggios
    • Kylo Ren A (Aggressive)
    • Knights of Ren (Fast Form)
    • Sith Artifacts (Wayfinder)
    • Kylo Ren B (Hesitant)
    • Journey to Exegol
    • Psalm of the Sith (A Section)
    • Sith Seduction

    Where are we in the soundtrack?:

    • OST 1. "Fanfare and Prologue"
    • FYC 1. "Prologue"
    • OST 2. "Journey to Exegol"

    ------------------

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    1 hr and 21 mins
  • ESB 26: Empire Strikes Back Soundtrack Restoration (Minutes 126-128 with Chris Malone)

    ESB 26: Empire Strikes Back Soundtrack Restoration (Minutes 126-128 with Chris Malone)
    May 12 2023
    Mastering engineer and film music restoration expert Chris Malone joins Xanthe for the season finale to talk about all things Empire Strikes Back soundtrack. We cover a ton of ground, from analog recording technology and methodology to the unique issues affecting The Empire Strikes Back releases. This episode contains many visuals, including spectogram displays that allow us to see tangible differences between various mixes. This episode is also on YouTube: https://youtu.be/DVwqsZ9Wv60 Timestamps: 0:00 - Hello there!5:08 - Do you have one of these Empire Strikes Back soundtrack albums?12:25 - Film music is recorded to part of the film. There wasn't always an expectation to produce a separate soundtrack album.18:04 - When, where, and how the Star Wars and Empire Strikes Back scores were recorded. Terminology: 35mm magnetic film, magnetic tape, sprockets, tape machine, magnetic oxide particles, 50Hz tone, reproducer.24:09 - Using magnetic film for synchronization. Limitations of the tape technology.33:51 - John Williams editing together multiple takes with Ken Wannberg.46:05 - What is a 24-track tape? Why does the width of tape matter?49:58 - What is a live mix, and why is it an important reference for the ESB soundtrack albums?1:02:53 - Listening to minutes 126-128 (end of the End Title music) while looking at the spectral frequency display.1:10:27 - Diagonal splices.1:23:07 - Different version of the Imperial March in the End Credits.1:37:39 - Differences between the original ESB soundtrack and the Special Edition release.1:57:37 - Comparison example: "Hyperspace" track on the 4CD and Special Edition releases. Listening for the violin presence and spatial movement of the horns and trombones.2:09:17 - More spectogram comparisons: "City in the Clouds" and last note of the "Main Title."2:21:21 - Applying the Hippocratic Oath to score restoration.2:30:00 - If something was recorded in mono, should it stay mono?2:40:31 - When it comes to restoring a film score, which sorts of recording artifacts is the engineer trying to correct?2:42:21 - Example of "wow."2:48:02 - Flutter.2:53:13 - Why Chris champions the CD as an audio format.3:01:21 - What type of gear does Chris use when listening to/analyzing music? (Question from Alex Cunningham)3:12:06 - Was the ARP 2600 synthesizer overdubbed or recorded with the orchestra for the Empire Strikes Back soundtrack? (Question from Ender Smith)3:13:58 - What has the transition to digital production done for Star Wars? (Question from Fr. David Mowry)3:18:14 - Differences between the original 1954 20th Century Fox Fanfare and the one John Williams re-recorded for ESB.3:20:28 - Eric Tomlinson's technique for recording punchy-sounding brass.3:25:02 - The original trilogy scores (especially The Empire Strikes Back) could sound 1000x better than they sound on any of the current releases. What might prevent it from happening?3:28:49 - The 2018 Disney releases of the Original Trilogy (the albums that are on Spotify).3:39:03 - SWMM Questionnaire Things to Check Out: Cinematic Sound Radio's 2-part interview with Chris Malone: http://www.cinematicsound.net/interview-with-chris-malone/The Goldsmith Odyssey's interview with Chris Malone: https://goldsmithodyssey.buzzsprout.com/159614/4802774-odyssey-interviews-chris-maloneComplete Catalogue of the Musical Themes of Star Wars (by Frank Lehman): https://franklehman.com/starwars/. Cues: 12M3 "Finale" Musical Themes: Imperial March (Theme)Imperial March (Vamp)Han & Leia (A)Han & Leia (B) - Theme Form 1 (1980) Where are we in the soundtrack?: "The Rebel Fleet/End Title" --------------- Star Wars Music Minute Questionnaire: 1. In exactly 3 words, what does Star Wars sound like? Simply the best. Thematic orchestral richness. Well of richness. 2. What's something related to Star Wars music or sound that you want to learn more about? Everything there is to learn about the first three scores (1977, 1980, 1983). How did they get to where they got? What were the spotting sessions like? What were the internal memos like? 3. What's a score or soundtrack you're fond of besides anything Star Wars? Goldfinger (John Barry). The Lion in Winter (John Barry). Out of Africa (John Barry). Early James Bond scores by John Barry. Raiders of the Lost Ark by John Williams. ---------------------- Chris Malone: Website: https://malonedigital.comArticles, Analyses, Commentary: https://malonedigital.com/articles.htmlProject List: https://malonedigital.com/projectlist.htmlTwitter: https://twitter.com/Malone_Digital ------------------ Join the Discord server by becoming a patron at any level! (This is the best way to support the show): https://patreon.com/chrysanthetan Leave a voice message, and I might play it on the show... https://starwarsmusicminute.com/comlink Where else to find SWMM: Twitter: https://twitter.com/StarWarsMusMinSpotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/652WVfMTLwJpVZ82i8uhFAApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/...
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    3 hrs and 50 mins
  • ESB 25: Empire Strikes Back Season Highlights (Minutes 121-125)

    ESB 25: Empire Strikes Back Season Highlights (Minutes 121-125)
    May 5 2023

    Chrysanthe covers minutes 121-125, answers listener questions, and shares their 30 takeaways, trends, surprises, and highlights from The Empire Strikes Back season of Star Wars Music Minute. This is part 1 of a 2-part season finale!

    📹 YouTube version of this episode: https://youtu.be/RoEzVlLUFt8

    ⭐️ Patreon/Discord server: https://patreon.com/chrysanthetan

    -----------

    Timestamps:

    • 0:00 - Hello there!
    • 1:51 - Minutes 121-125.
    • 23:47 - 30 takeaways, trends, surprises, & highlights from this season.
    • 1:55:06 - Listener questions.
      • 1:55:24 What new tools, techniques, approaches, or critical lenses did you encounter this season?
      • 1:59:46 Do you think the Death Star and/or Imperials motif should have returned for ESB?
      • 2:02:59 - The critical consensus remains that ESB is the best Star Wars film. Is it the best sounding Star Wars film too?
      • 2:03:39 - How did the (music) writing change from ANH to ESB, and what surprised you the most about it?
      • 2:07:30 - What kinds of guests and/or voices do you want on future seasons of the show?
      • 2:12:08 - How did you go about arranging the dense "Asteroid Field" cue?
    • 2:36:20 - In exactly 3 words, what does Star Wars sound like (according to all the guests this season)?
    • 2:39:15 - Acknowledgements

    Things to Check Out:

    • Dominic Sewell Music on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/dominicsewellmusic
    • Complete Catalogue of the Musical Themes of Star Wars (by Frank Lehman): https://franklehman.com/starwars/.

    Cues:

    • 12M2 "To Hyper-Space"
    • 12M3 "Finale"

    Musical Themes:

    • Force
    • Han & Leia (A)
    • Main Theme (A Section)
    • Rebel Fanfare
    • Descending Heroic Tetrachords
    • Yoda (A Section)
    • Yoda (B Section)
    • Imperial March (Theme)
    • Imperial March (Vamp)

    Where are we in the soundtrack?:

    • "Yoda And The Force"
    • "The Rebel Fleet/End Title"

    ---------------

    STAR WARS MUSIC MINUTE QUESTIONNAIRE:

    1. In exactly 3 words, what does Star Wars sound like?

    • ESB answer: Filigree, fanfares, flow.
    • SOLO answer: Intricate orchestral storytelling.
    • ANH answer: The Cosmic Force.

    2. What's something related to Star Wars music or sound that you want to learn more about?

    • ESB answer: Is there an internal "sonic style guide" at Lucasfilm or Skywalker Sound that's specific to Star Wars? I mean even things like relative loudness of music and dialogue, a specific protocol for mic'ing or looping in aliens, etc. Especially curious if there's anything in the Star Wars style guide that goes against current industry norms.
    • SOLO answer: The working relationship between the composer and music editor.
    • ANH answer: I'm curious about how other people experience and engage with the music of Star Wars, on both a macro and micro level. I want to know how other people are making sense of it or analyzing it with frameworks different than mine. Basically, I'm interested in doing what this podcast already gives me the excuse to do -- talk to people about Star Wars music.

    3. What's a score or soundtrack you're fond of besides anything Star Wars?

    • ESB answer: E.T. (John Williams)
    • SOLO answer: Moonrise Kingdom
    • ANH answer: There Will Be Blood (Jonny Greenwood)

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    2 hrs and 43 mins