Star Wars Music Minute – Details, episodes & analysis

Podcast details

Technical and general information from the podcast's RSS feed.

Star Wars Music Minute

Star Wars Music Minute

Chrysanthe Tan

Music
Tv & Film

Frequency: 1 episode/12d. Total Eps: 100

Podbean
Celebrating the music and sound of Star Wars 5 cinematic minutes at a time!
Site
RSS
Apple

Recent rankings

Latest chart positions across Apple Podcasts and Spotify rankings.

Apple Podcasts

  • 🇨🇦 Canada - musicCommentary

    21/05/2025
    #79

  • 🇨🇦 Canada - musicCommentary

    20/05/2025
    #50

  • 🇨🇦 Canada - musicCommentary

    19/05/2025
    #32

  • 🇬🇧 Great Britain - musicCommentary

    23/01/2025
    #70

  • 🇬🇧 Great Britain - musicCommentary

    22/01/2025
    #49

  • 🇺🇸 USA - musicCommentary

    11/01/2025
    #94

  • 🇺🇸 USA - musicCommentary

    10/01/2025
    #88

  • 🇬🇧 Great Britain - musicCommentary

    09/01/2025
    #98

  • 🇺🇸 USA - musicCommentary

    09/01/2025
    #61

  • 🇬🇧 Great Britain - musicCommentary

    08/01/2025
    #34

Spotify

    No recent rankings available

RSS feed quality and score

Technical evaluation of the podcast's RSS feed quality and structure.

See all
RSS feed quality
To improve

Score global : 68%

Publication history

Monthly episode publishing history over the past years.

Episodes published by month in

Latest published episodes

Recent episodes with titles, durations, and descriptions.

See all

TROS 12: Kylo's Gaming Rig (Minutes 56-60 with Tony Thaxton)

Season 5 · Episode 12

lundi 23 septembre 2024 • Duration 01:29:48

In minutes 56-60 of The Rise of Skywalker, our heroes rescue Chewbacca and Rey wanders into Kylo's creepily-sterile-looking private quarters. Tony Thaxton returns to the show to discuss "noticing vs. not noticing," deaths in Star Wars, the sound design of Kylo/Rey's Force chats, and more!

Timestamps:

  • 0:00 - Hello there!
  • 5:18 - Not noticing the music vs. being distracted by the music.
  • 12:57 - Would you recognize Star Wars music out of context? Or would you get it mixed up with other John Williams stuff?
  • 14:30 - How do you feel about the completely new styles of music in Star Wars shows?
  • 19:21 - Variant on the Friendship theme.
  • 23:11 - What is John Williams's writing process like?
  • 26:30 - Xanthe's experience doing session work.
  • 34:21 - Do you find yourself a little overwhelmed the first time you see a new Star Wars movie?
  • 40:30 - Brief, jaunty action string riff.
  • 43:26 - Deaths in Star Wars.
  • 47:50 - E.T. moment?
  • 52:04 - Tension theme, March of the Resistance.
  • 57:34 - Weird Chewie vocalization.
  • 59:19 - Kylo's pristine living quarters, Star Wars visual language (and a challenge).
  • 1:01:43 - Imperial March with Sith Artifacts (Dagger) motif overlaid.
  • 1:10:24 - Sound design of the Kylo/Rey Force chats.
  • 1:13:47 - Tony's observation/perception of the droid sound effects in the sequels.
  • 1:19:51 - SWMM Questionnaire

Things to Check Out:

Musical Themes:

  • 41a. Kylo Ren A (Aggressive)
  • 109) Friendship (Variant)
  • 60b. Sith Artifacts (Dagger)
  • 42. Kylo Ren B (Hesitant)
  • 52d. Tension Extended/Sequential Variant (Resistance in Trouble)
  • 52a. Tension (Basic Motif)
  • 47a. March of the Resistance (A Section)
  • 10a. Imperial March (Theme)

Where are we in the soundtrack?:

  • FYC 7. "Fleeing from Kijimi"
  • FYC 8. "Hallway Shooting"

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

STAR WARS MUSIC MINUTE QUESTIONNAIRE:

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

  • New: Ben Burtt rules.
  • Previous: Excitement. Celebration. Fun.

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

  • New: "I want a real Ben Burtt documentary." How Ben Burtt came up with the various languages. Seismic charge sound design.
  • Previous: Ben Burtt and how all those sounds were made.

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

  • New: Batman (1989) (composed by Danny Elfman)
  • Previous: Pee-wee's Big Adventure (composed by Danny Elfman)

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

Guest: Tony Thaxton

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

⭐️ 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:

TROS 11: Where's Babu? (Minutes 51-55 with Brandon Wainerdi)

Season 5 · Episode 11

lundi 16 septembre 2024 • Duration 01:39:09

In minutes 51-55 of The Rise of Skywalker, Babu Frik does the procedure, C-3PO performs the Sith translation, and Rey senses that Chewie is still alive. Returning guest Brandon Wainerdi (Talking Bay 94) joins me to discuss the usage of the Main Theme, Shirley Henderson's voice work on Babu Frik, MacGuffin mechanics, and more!

Timestamps:

  • 0:00 - Hello there!
  • 6:07 - Significance of droids dying.
  • 11:04 - Steven Spielberg's concern over Babu Frik.
  • 14:25 - How do you feel about this use of the Main Theme?
  • 21:45 - Octatonic moment.
  • 22:55 - Babu Frik's puppet work, voice work.
  • 27:06 - Mystery music a la Attack of the Clones.
  • 32:37 - J.J. Abrams as D-O; are you distracted by celebrity voice cameos?
  • 36:37 - "I think Star Wars, as a property, excels when..."
  • 42:28 - Sly use of the Emperor's theme mixed with Imperial March; Is John Williams an omniscient narrator?
  • 47:59 - Figuring out the mechanism of the MacGuffin.
  • 51:03 - Brandon's weird way of consuming Star Wars.
  • 59:47 - Shirley Henderson recorded Babu's "droid is ready" line in multiple languages.
  • 1:07:51 - Levity in Star Wars, high expections.
  • 1:12:24 - Rhythmically/metrically interesting action transition.
  • 1:18:52 - Keri Russell as Zorii Bliss.
  • 1:22:58 - SWMM Questionnaire

Things to Check Out:

Musical Themes:

  • 1a. Main Theme (A Section)
  • 59) Mystery (Form 2)
  • 17. Emperor
  • 41a. Kylo Ren A (Aggressive)

Where are we in the soundtrack?:

  • OST 8. "Fleeing from Kijimi"
  • FYC 7. "Fleeing from Kijimi"

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

STAR WARS MUSIC MINUTE QUESTIONNAIRE:

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

  • New: Williams. Göransson. Giacchino.
  • Previous: Ben. John. James.

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

  • New: John Williams's relationship with Star Wars (both the media itself and the people who make it).
  • Previous: More behind the scenes stuff about the music and sound design in the Disney-era.

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

  • New: Lord of the Rings (composed by Howard Shore) and Rings of Power (composed by Bear McCreary) and the animated RotK
  • Previous: Halloween (composed by John Carpenter)

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

Guest: Brandon Wainerdi

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

⭐️ 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:

TROS 2: Audiovisual Acid Trip (Minutes 6-10 with Klaudia Amenábar)

Season 5 · Episode 2

mercredi 19 juillet 2023 • Duration 01:52:14

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:

Musical Themes:

  • Imperial March (Theme)
  • Kylo Ren A (Aggressive)
  • Emperor
  • March 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

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

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:

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

Season 5 · Episode 1

lundi 10 juillet 2023 • Duration 01:21:06

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:

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"

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

🐳 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:

ESB 26: Empire Strikes Back Soundtrack Restoration (Minutes 126-128 with Chris Malone)

Season 4 · Episode 26

vendredi 12 mai 2023 • Duration 03:49:39

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:

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:

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

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:

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

Season 4 · Episode 25

vendredi 5 mai 2023 • Duration 02:43:14

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:

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)

-------

Patreon: https://patreon.com/chrysanthetan 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/StarWarsMusMin

YouTube: https://youtube.com/starwarsmusicminute

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@starwarsmusicminute?

Instagram: https://instagram.com/starwarsmusicminute

Email: podcast@starwarsmusicminute.com

Buy Me A Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/starwarsmusmin

ESB 24: Reverse-Engineering Artoo (Minutes 116-120 with Justin Leo Kennedy)

Season 4 · Episode 24

lundi 24 avril 2023 • Duration 02:55:36

Justin Leo Kennedy is back for another sound design deep-dive! 🎉 Today, it's all about R2-D2. Using a virtual ARP 2600 synth emulator and a recording of his baby crying, Justin attempts to reverse-engineer Ben Burtt's iconic Artoo beepspeak, teaching us a lot about sound synthesis along the way. 

We also discuss minutes 116-120 of The Empire Strikes Back, which feature two of Justin's other favorite sounds –the Millennium Falcon's hyperdrive failure and Artoo's scream.

Check out the YouTube version of this episode to follow along with the live demonstration! https://youtu.be/4crbLjDl5zg 

Timestamps:

  • 0:00 - Hello there!
  • 10:48 - You may recognize this music from when we were on Hoth.
  • 18:19 - Added Vader scene that cuts into a cue.
  • 39:37 - Little motifs and punctuation sprinkled throughout the orchestra.
  • 44:37 - Cloud City visual comparisons. (This is the timestamp I promised, audio listeners!)
  • 46:43 - Hyperdrive malfunction sound design.
  • 53:47 - Semiotics.
  • 1:03:23 - Band Batch shoutout.
  • 1:14:50 - R2D2 sound design deep dive begins.
  • 1:19:42 - Introduction to the ARP 2600 and ARP 2600 plugin/emulator (It wasn't showing up on screen yet).
  • 1:29:25 - It's showing up now!
  • 1:30:00 - Tour of the virtual ARP 2600.
  • 1:39:43 - Recording of Justin's baby crying.
  • 1:49:03 - Closer examination of the modular synth, patch cable routing, oscillators. Justin's 3 attempts at making the R2 sound.
  • 1:58:41 - Justin's third and best attempt at making the Artoo sound.
  • 2:00:38 - Modulating the speed of the sample and hold with a low frequency oscillator (LFO).
  • 2:09:30 - Shoutout to anyone who is still listening.
  • 2:19:46 - Yearning Vader and heartbroken Luke.
  • 2:33:17 - Artoo's scream.
  • 2:43:44 - SWMM Questionnaire.
  • 2:53:05 - Shoutout to Justin Scheid.

Things Mentioned:

Cues:

  • 12M1 "Losing A Hand"

Musical Themes:

  • Pseudo Bald Mountain motif
  • Dark Side (Melody)
  • Dark Side (Ostinato)
  • Leia
  • Droids
  • Imperial March (Theme)
  • Main Theme (A Section)

Where are we in the soundtrack?:

  • "Rescue from Cloud City/Hyperspace"
  • "Yoda And The Force"

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

STAR WARS MUSIC MINUTE QUESTIONNAIRE:

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

  • New answer: mrrrm mrrrm mrawww. R2D2 beeping sounds.
  • Previous answer: pwsh vrrrrum shhpt

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

  • New answer: More about the recording sessions. What kind of relationship did John Williams have with the engineers? What was it like in that studio? What kinds of conversations took place?
  • Previous answer: "Duel of the Fates" orchestration.

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

  • New answer: TRON (composed by Wendy Carlos)
  • Previous answer: I, Robot (composed by Marco Beltrami), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990) (composed by John Du Prez), Spirited Away (composed by Joe Hisaishi)

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

Justin Leo Kennedy

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

If you want to support the show and join the Discord server, consider becoming a patron!  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:

ESB 23: First Force Foray (Minutes 111-115 with Camila Quiñones)

Season 4 · Episode 23

lundi 17 avril 2023 • Duration 02:11:29

If you play The Empire Strikes Back backwards, will you hear the wind whispering "Luke?" Are the gentle climaxes on Cloud City byproducts of calculated sensory deprivation? How does John Williams convey Luke's emotional state and connect Leia to the Force? Today's guest is Camila Quiñones -- writer, host of Beings of the Galaxy podcast, and one of my favorite people to talk Star Wars with. This is ESB minutes 110-115, in which Vader delivers the father reveal and Leia senses Luke through the Force.

Video version of this episode: https://youtu.be/XUWOwotpVTw 

Timestamps:

  • 0:00 - Hello there!
  • 2:26 - Empire Strikes Back table read.
  • 11:34 - Playful, inquisitive trickle of music between Vader's dialogue.
  • 17:23 - Simmering pot.
  • 21:45 - Intensity of the wind.
  • 26:35 - Creative confidence.
  • 34:21 - What would you do if you were in Luke's position? Save your friends or continue training?
  • 40:21 - The Force in The High Republic.
  • 43:40 - Hungarian minor violin vamp (Luke is screwed!)
  • 46:25 - The music clearly marks Luke's choice.
  • 53:22 - Anakin, Luke, oppression, rebellion.
  • 58:21 - Is the wind whispering "Luke?"
  • 1:01:05 - Falling, tumbling music stretched out over an impressively long time.
  • 1:07:39 - Spurious physics claims.
  • 1:13:11 - Chordal knots. A Train Is Coming.
  • 1:19:10 - Music amplifying Luke's persistence. Last ditch effort.
  • 1:23:14 - "Ben. Ben. Ben." Then "Leia" lands on an unexpected note.
  • 1:25:55 - Is this the first time we hear the Force theme in direct connection to Leia?
  • 1:32:04 - Sadness in this Force theme. Dirge-like quality.
  • 1:34:08 - Question for people who watched ESB in theaters in 1980. (Are we being naive?)
  • 1:40:52 - Vader's dialogue changed in Special Edition.
  • 1:43:22 - Pseudo Bald Mountain strings.
  • 1:48:24 - Final thoughts about these minutes.
  • 1:52:21 - Question for Camila as a screenwriter: What do you think of the way that Leia is written?
  • 1:59:36 - Princess and the Scoundrel (novel by Beth Revis).
  • 2:04:47 - SWMM Questionnaire

Things to Check Out:

Cues:

  • 12M1 "Losing A Hand"
  • 12M2 "To Hyper-Space" ??

Musical Themes:

  • Imperial March (Theme)
  • Boba Fett Derived Motif 2 (Trouble in Bespin)
  • Force
  • Dark Side (Ostinato)
  • Dark Side (Melody)
  • Pseudo-Bald Mountain

Where are we in the soundtrack?:

  • "Rescue from Cloud City/Hyperspace"

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

STAR WARS MUSIC MINUTE QUESTIONNAIRE:

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

  • Tragedy. Adventure. Wisdom. (Previously: Majesty. Hope. Tragedy.)

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

  • How do the sound design and score elements come together? (Previously: The difference between sound editing and sound mixing.)

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

  • Succession, composed by Nicholas Britell. (Previously: The Batman, composed by Michael Giacchino)

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

Camila Quiñones

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

If you want to support the show and join the Discord server, consider becoming a patron!  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:

ESB 22: An Editor’s Film (Minutes 106-110 with Dan Golding)

Season 4 · Episode 22

lundi 10 avril 2023 • Duration 03:33:09

Dan Golding is here to discuss minutes 106-110 of The Empire Strikes Back! We talk about Ben Burtt's frustrations, intense pedal points, a nasal brass canon, free fanfares, Empire being an "editor's film," and how the music is "meanwhile" (sounds strange, but it'll make sense when you listen to the episode). 😅

Timestamps:

  • 0:00 - Hello there!
  • 7:05 - Ben Burtt's frustrations, Irvin Kershner's on-set mic, David Prowse's fitness book, and other delights from Alan Arnold's Journal of the Making of Empire Strikes Back.
  • 17:51 - Cool tunnel. Gareth Edwards's "indie hour."
  • 22:42 - Misty, foggy, smoky.
  • 29:13 - Empire is an editor's film.
  • 30:39 - Meanwhile...
  • 43:14 - Dark Side motif and a high, strained tuba.
  • 50:04 - Force buzz.
  • 1:10:09 - Luke's little chaos clarinet.
  • 1:17:59 - Ben Burtt on creating the wind sounds.
  • 1:29:26 - Canon with nasal, muted brass, stressed, compressed Yoda's theme.
  • 1:38:39 - Lando, from cad to hero.
  • 1:50:29 - Harmonic fudge?
  • 2:00:32 - Han and Leia theme sounds different here, for many reasons.
  • 2:09:47 - Willrow Hood sighting.
  • 2:11:00 - A fanfare for free.
  • 2:21:39 - "Wonderful!" Rhythm restored. Earnest strings. G pedal point.
  • 2:30:45 - Use of Han and Leia's theme in The Force Awakens trailer.
  • 2:37:52 - Pseudo Dies Irae.
  • 2:40:00 - Return of the pedal. Jazzy voicings.
  • 2:49:18 - Shoutout to Dennis Hamm.
  • 3:00:39 - 15 Second Rule.
  • 3:07:26 - A surprise in the very final frame of these minutes.
  • 3:16:02 - SWMM Questionnaire

Things to Check Out:

Cues:

  • 11M1 "Through The Window"

Musical Themes:

  • Imperial March (Theme)
  • Dark Side (Motif)
  • Chromatic Knell
  • Yoda (A Section)
  • Cloud City (Lando's Palace)
  • Han & Leia (A)

Where are we in the soundtrack?:

  • "The Clash of Lightsabers"

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

STAR WARS MUSIC MINUTE QUESTIONNAIRE:

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

  • New answer: Elegant musical storytelling.
  • Previous answers: Nimble orchestral nostalgia. Mythic orchestral memory.

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

  • New answer: The unreleased music (and alternate cues, etc).
  • Previous answers: What will Natalie Holt's soundtrack for the Obi-Wan Kenobi series sound like? Given all the new directions that various Star Wars scores have gone since John Williams was at the helm (ex. Solo: A Star Wars Story, The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett, etc), will we ever return to the original sort of orchestral sound?

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

  • New answer: Fleishman Is in Trouble (composed by Caroline Shaw)
  • Previous answers: Watership Down (composed by Angela Morley) and Vertigo (composed by Bernard Herrmann).

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

Guest: Dan Golding

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

Join my 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:

ESB 21: Oedipally Violent Romance (Minutes 101-105 with Takeo Rivera)

Season 4 · Episode 21

lundi 3 avril 2023 • Duration 02:15:11

Minutes 101-105 of The Empire Strikes Back feature extraordinary drama, peril, romance, and even some lightly comedic underscore. Takeo Rivera (English professor, playwright, performance studies specialist) returns to the show to discuss the score's function as a "warm blanket," Threepio's crush on Lando, the film's romantic aesthetics, and more.

This episode is also on YouTube: https://youtu.be/fFWVEE9-3R0 

Timestamps:

  • 0:00 - Hello there!
  • 3:54 - Brightness as a space of horror.
  • 6:23 - Is ESB the most romantic Star Wars product?
  • 9:09 - Yoda's theme while Luke sneaks around.
  • 16:20 - Stark sounds and the score as a wonderful warm blanket.
  • 19:58 - Vader at open mic night.
  • 24:49 - Luke strikes first. ("Oedipally violent.")
  • 27:17 - Cloud City is staged like a well-choreographed play. Consequences of digital aesthetic norms.
  • 35:21 - Novel technologies become cliche become the new hegemony. Henrik Ibsen's naturalistic prose dialogue. Fungible packets of music.
  • 48:34 - Start of 10M3 Chewie Chokes Lando. Bespin Dirge themes.
  • 54:24 - Threepio's immediate crush on Lando.
  • 57:17 - "Han" pronunciation and the cadence of languages. An interesting socio-linguistic moment.
  • 1:06:10 - Subtle underscore while Chewie chokes Lando. Does the music empathize with Lando?
  • 1:17:55 - Funereal music accompanying casket imagery.
  • 1:24:22 - Perilous-sounding. Han and Leia theme.
  • 1:25:14 - If Threepio played "F*ck Marry Kill" with Artoo, Lando, and Chewie...
  • 1:31:00 - What makes the strings a "warm blanket?" Strings in the context of an orchestra.
  • 1:36:14 - Musicality of lightsabers.
  • 1:42:49 - Point for Nic Tan (circa 28:50 of ESB 18).
  • 1:43:30 - Kinesthetic aesthetic of the prequels, Wuxia movies, high Hong Kong choreography. Visual vocabulary of epic spectacle.
  • 1:51:52 - Psychology of Vader as a father.
  • 1:58:22 - Powerful Force users shouldn't mix the Force with political power.
  • 2:07:51 - SWMM Questionnaire

Things to Check Out:

Cues:

  • 10M2 "Luke Pursues The Captives"
  • 10M3 "Chewie Chokes Lando"

Musical Themes:

  • Yoda (A Section)
  • Bespin Dirge 1
  • Bespin Dirge 2
  • Imperials (Ostinato 1)
  • Han & Leia (A)
  • Neapolitan Emergency

Where are we in the soundtrack?:

  • "Carbon Freeze/Darth Vader's Trap/Departure of Boba Fett"

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

STAR WARS MUSIC MINUTE QUESTIONNAIRE:

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

  • Sweeping. Sentimental. Heroic.

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

  • Musical vocabulary to describe the things he hears in the score.

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

  • Princess Mononoke (Joe Hisaichi), The Hours (Philip Glass)

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

Guest: Takeo Rivera

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

If you want to support the show and join the Discord server, consider becoming a patron!  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:

Related Shows Based on Content Similarities

Discover shows related to Star Wars Music Minute, based on actual content similarities. Explore podcasts with similar topics, themes, and formats, backed by real data.
Twenty Thousand Hertz
Food Network Obsessed
Musicianship Mastery with David Lane
10% Happier with Dan Harris
The Future of Figure Skating
Homeschool Together Podcast
The Insert Credit Show
At Large with Scott Norton
Troubled Waters
Regenerative Health with Max Gulhane, MD
© My Podcast Data
About usPrivacy Policy