Music Blocks
26 episodes - English - Latest episode: 6 months ago - ★★★★★ - 39 ratingsA music appreciation podcast about the building blocks that make up your favorite sounds. Music Blocks explores how songwriters and composers use sound to express their emotions and share their experiences. Each episode runs about 5 minutes to fit easily into family time, classroom discussion or your podcast queue. Hosted by Luis Antonio Perez and Rebekah Romberg, the show spans genres, cultures and eras to inspire listeners to explore music more deeply. Music Blocks was developed with middle and high schoolers in mind, but it's fun for listeners of any age.
Winner of the 2022 Best Podcast for Kids prize at The Ambies, aka The Awards for Excellence in Audio.
Music Blocks is a production of Colorado Public Radio's Audio Innovations Studio with help from music educators.
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Episodes
It's Electric!
October 24, 2023 10:00 - 7 minutes - 9.83 MBElectronic instruments like synthesizers and computer software use electricity to make sound. They've also changed music. The electrophone instrument family expands the range of musical colors in a composer's toolkit. In this episode, check out how musicians like Dua Lipa, T La Rock and Yellow Magic Orchestra infuse their pieces with all kinds of electrophone tones and color. Stuff to think about after you’ve listened: What makes electrophones sound interesting to you? What kinds...
Raise Your Voice!
October 17, 2023 10:00 - 7 minutes - 10.8 MBPeople can make amazing music using their voice. In this episode, it’s all about the power and range of the human voice. Get ready to hear all kinds of vocal techniques – from beatboxing to scatting to yodeling. You’ll hear how musicians like Bobby McFerrin, Sarah Vaughan and the Baka people use these techniques to connect with their cultures and add meaning to their songs. Stuff to think about after you’ve listened: Which vocal timbre stood out to you? Which was familiar? Which w...
Good Vibrations
October 10, 2023 10:00 - 6 minutes - 8.52 MBIn this episode, we check out instruments that musicians use to deliver some amazing rhythmic impact. Idiophones make sound from the vibrations of an instrument's body. A lot of the time, musicians whack them or shake them rhythmically. Let’s talk about how musicians like Ruth Brown, Los Angeles Azules and Queens of the Stone Age use idiophones to give us exciting percussion parts full of accents and syncopation. Stuff to think about after you’ve listened: Have you ever made an in...
Drumroll Please!
October 03, 2023 10:00 - 7 minutes - 9.75 MBIn this episode, the spotlight is on membranophones! Membranophones make sound from the vibration of a tightly stretched material. Think of drums that you strike to make a sound. But there are other cool membranophones. Let’s get to know more about these instruments and the musicians who bring us the beats, like The White Stripes, Bomba Con Buya and Ciara. Stuff to think about after you’ve listened: How does a membranophone contribute to a piece of music? What do you think makes c...
Take a Deep Breath!
September 26, 2023 10:00 - 6 minutes - 8.41 MBMusicians who use the power of air breathe life into the music they play. They create beautiful and ear-catching melodies. The instruments they play are called aerophones. In this episode, we talk about aerophones and the musicians like Astor Piazzolla, Harry Styles and Francis Bebey who use these instruments to create gorgeous notes and melodies. Stuff to think about after you’ve listened: Which aerophone do you want to play? What aerophone sound appealed to you? What aerophone ...
Strings And Things
September 19, 2023 10:00 - 7 minutes - 9.9 MBAll around the world, musicians use stringed instruments to make music. The way musicians play these instruments creates beautiful and distinctive sounds. In this episode, say hello to chordophones! Chordophones are instruments that make sound from the vibration of strings. Checkout how musicians like John Legend, Michiyo Yagi and Johann Strauss II have made chordophones sing with different articulations. Stuff to think about after you’ve listened: Which articulations stood out to...
In Season 3, Meet Some Incredible Instruments (And Their Families!)
September 01, 2023 10:00 - 3 minutes - 4.61 MBMusic Blocks, the music appreciation podcast about the building blocks that make up your favorite sounds, returns Sept. 19 with a fresh batch of exciting musical explorations! In Season 3, hosts Rebekah Romberg and Luis Antonio Perez dig into the instruments themselves. We’re talking about instrument families! People all over the world have created distinct instruments that make sound in similar ways. Instruments in the chordophone instrument family -- like the koto from Japan, t...
Yes You Can! Stories of Empowerment
September 09, 2022 10:30 - 6 minutes - 8.42 MBSometimes you need a little extra motivation, and music is a great place to look for it. A well-crafted song can tell a story that makes listeners feel confident, carefree or powerful. If you love uplifting choruses and pounding beats, check out these empowerment anthems by artists like Run-DMC, Koji Kondo and Jane Zhang. Stuff to think about after you’ve listened: What kinds of sounds are empowering to you? How would you include them in a song you are creating? When you want to ...
Gone But Not Forgotten
September 06, 2022 10:30 - 5 minutes - 7.96 MBWe all struggle with how to cope when we lose someone we care about. So how do musicians use those universal feelings to tell stories about death and grief? This episode looks at some moving examples, including music from songwriter Chalino Sánchez, composer Benjamin Britten and the musical Dear Evan Hansen. And just a quick note: this episode is a little sadder than most of our episodes, so you might feel some strong feelings if you listen. Stuff to think about after you’ve list...
Stand Up! Stories of Protest
September 02, 2022 10:30 - 6 minutes - 9.15 MBProtest music is about highlighting problems in society and calling for change. And telling a story through music is an especially powerful way to move a listener to action. Check out some potent sonic storytelling about human rights, the environment and anti-colonialism from artists like Yothu Yindi, Hurray For The Riff Raff and Joni Mitchell. Content warning: This episode covers some topics that might be unsettling for some younger listeners. It’s the kind of material you might l...
Ceremonies & Celebrations
August 30, 2022 10:30 - 6 minutes - 8.51 MBMusic gives us a soundtrack for some of the most memorable moments in each of our stories, from graduation ceremonies to holiday celebrations. Here’s a look at festive sounds and traditional stories from around the world. Each song might not tell a story of its own, but this music helps frame our own personal stories in potent ways. Stuff to think about after you’ve listened: We mentioned weddings, sporting events, graduation, and holiday ceremonies in our episode. What kinds of ...
The Sound of Heartbreak *Sob*
August 26, 2022 10:30 - 6 minutes - 9.15 MBA great song might not heal a broken heart, but it’s a moving way to tell a story when someone or something leaves you feeling shattered. Here’s a look at the clever techniques musicians use to share stories of heartache. Get ready for sad, weary sounds from Ella Fitzgerald, Katy Perry and Andrew Lloyd Webber. Stuff to think about after you’ve listened: Are there particular sounds, artists, or songs that you connect with feeling heartbreak? Which of the songs in the episode stood...
Welcome Home!
August 23, 2022 10:30 - 6 minutes - 9.59 MBMusic is a powerful way to tell a story about the place you call home. A composer could write music about a place using a simple and evocative melody. A songwriter might write an anthem to evoke a sense of unity and pride. In this episode, we hear musical stories about home from artists like Jean Sibelius, Jay-Z, Alicia Keys, Bruce Springsteen and Howard Shore – along with a pair of memorable national anthems. Stuff to think about after you’ve listened: Is there a song that remind...
An Honest Day's Work
August 19, 2022 10:30 - 6 minutes - 8.49 MBWork is a big part of life. Sometimes you have a dull job to do, and music helps take your mind off it. And sometimes we like to hear stories that celebrate hard work and achievement. Here’s a look at how musicians like Harry Belafonte, Merle Haggard, Drake and Dolly Parton use their songs to tell stories about work. Stuff to think about after you’ve listened: Do you have a playlist with your favorite style of music to listen to while you work or study? If you created a song abou...
We Love a Good Love Story!
August 16, 2022 10:30 - 6 minutes - 8.94 MBLove is a favorite topic for songwriters. That’s partly because music is such a great way to tell a love story. Here’s a look at how artists like Taylor Swift, José Alfredo Jiménez and Giacomo Puccini use sounds to tell stories of romance, longing and unabashed adoration. Stuff to think about after you’ve listened: What are sounds, artists, or songs that you associate with feeling love? This episode mentions romantic love and familial love. What other kinds of love have you exper...
In Season 2, Hear The Stories Of Our Lives
August 01, 2022 10:00 - 2 minutes - 4.03 MBMusic Blocks, the podcast about the building blocks that make up your favorite sounds, returns Aug. 16 for a new series of fun sonic explorations! In Season 2, hosts Rebekah Romberg and Luis Antonio Perez explore how musicians help us tell The Stories of Our Lives. You’ll hear romantic melodies, inspirational lyrics and songs about the places we call home. Music Blocks is a music appreciation podcast that spans genres, cultures and decades. Developed with input from educators and ...
Feeling Really Good
August 12, 2021 12:30 - 6 minutes - 8.75 MBIt doesn’t get much better than feeling confident, triumphant and optimistic. Translating a really good feeling into music opens the door for lots of creativity. Here’s a peek at how musicians like Janelle Monae, Lil Nas X, Shania Twain, Jimmy Cliff, Gustav Holst and Nina Simone made incredible sounds about feeling great. Stuff to think about after you’ve listened: What is a groove that you want to hear when you feel good? When we feel good, we often want to move and dance. What ...
Feeling Pretty Bad
August 12, 2021 11:45 - 5 minutes - 7.62 MBSometimes a musical phrase or a single line of lyrics can unlock those bad feelings we’ve tried to hide. Music can be a powerful way to capture the mood when we feel anxious, chaotic or a little bit numb. This episode features music about feeling bad from Olivia Rodrigo, Beyoncé, Radiohead, Hakki Bulut, Hans Zimmer and James Newton Howard. Stuff to think about after you’ve listened: “Bad” can be a vague description of a feeling. What were some of the “bad”-feeling music selections...
Ugh. The Sound of Disgust
August 12, 2021 11:00 - 6 minutes - 9.2 MBDisgust is a powerful emotion, but you might be surprised at the nuanced music it can inspire. We’ll hear deeply personal statements alongside stunning protest music from artists like Billie Holiday, Anderson .Paak, Billie Eilish, Agnes Obel, Daniel Viglietti and Krystof Penderecki. Content warning: This episode covers some topics that might be unsettling for some younger listeners. It’s the kind of material you might learn in a high school history class, rather than in elementary ...
Surprise!
August 12, 2021 10:15 - 5 minutes - 7.04 MBSurprises can be wonderful or shocking, delightful or jarring. And when musicians find clever ways to surprise listeners, things get really interesting. Here’s a look at unpredictable music from Björk, Igor Stravinsky, Bobby “Blue” Bland, Claude Debussy and The Yoshida Brothers. Stuff to think about after you’ve listened: Which of the ideas of surprise in music that were featured in this episode do you want to listen to again? What are some ways to use sound that are surprising t...
Sad, Sad Songs
August 12, 2021 09:30 - 6 minutes - 8.75 MBGrab a box of tissues. This episode of Music Blocks is about the powerful and inventive ways musicians take sadness and turn it into memorable music. We’ll hear examples from Four Tet, Charles Mingus, Samuel Barber, Joeboy, Youssou N’Dour and Neneh Cherry. Stuff to think about after you’ve listened: Sometimes when we are sad, we want to feel that emotion. Are there songs that you play that help you to feel sad? Think about a person or an event that you want to write a sad song ab...
Grrr... Feeling Angry
August 12, 2021 08:45 - 5 minutes - 7.95 MBAngry music can feel potent, like a release of pressure for a singer or a musician. So how do musicians express anger in creative ways? Check out some anger-inspired sounds from Fela Kuti, Alabama Shakes, The Clash, Netta and Coolio. Stuff to think about after you’ve listened: What is a style of music that you turn to when you are angry? What are some sounds that you associate with feeling angry? Ready to explore more angry songs? Check out our playlists on Spotify or Apple Musi...
The Sound of Fear
August 12, 2021 08:01 - 5 minutes - 8.07 MBFear is primal. It’s how we react to the unknown. And when composers and songwriters set out to make frightful music, it opens up a world of creative possibilities. We’ll hear vivid examples from John Williams, Modest Mussorgsky, John Carpenter, Christian Scott and The Shirelles. Stuff to think about after you’ve listened: What do you think is the best way to express fear in music? Which song in the episode was the most fearful to you? Ready to explore more frightful music? Chec...
Happy (And You Know It!)
August 12, 2021 07:14 - 6 minutes - 8.8 MBHappiness is one of the most basic human emotions and a feeling composers often express through music. But what makes a piece of music sound joyful? Hear how Pharrell Williams, Ludwig van Beethoven, Red Velvet, Prince Nico Mbarga and John Coltrane have conveyed happiness through their music. Stuff to think about after you’ve listened: What are some sounds that you associate with happiness? What are songs that you listen to when you are experiencing happiness? What made you choose...
How To Use Music Blocks (For Educators and Parents)
August 12, 2021 03:03 - 1 minute - 2.29 MBMusic Blocks is a music appreciation podcast developed in consultation with music educators. It’s designed to help young listeners to explore music more thoughtfully, or to let parents and teachers introduce their kids to new sounds. It’s a fun, quick listen for music lovers of all ages, produced by Colorado Public Radio. And it’s free and available everywhere. Teachers and parents, here’s how to get the most out of Music Blocks: 1. Play it for young listeners in your life. Each e...
Say Hello to Music Blocks
July 22, 2021 16:15 - 4 minutes - 6.84 MBMusic Blocks is a music appreciation podcast that spans genres, cultures and decades. It’s about human emotions and the sounds we use to express them. Developed with input from educators and students, each episode runs about 5 minutes to fit easily into family time or classroom instruction. Every “lesson” explores a different feeling and is accompanied by a playlist and discussion questions to inspire more sonic exploration. We designed the show with middle schoolers and high scho...