Star Wars Music Minute artwork

Star Wars Music Minute

136 episodes - English - Latest episode: 8 months ago - ★★★★★ - 31 ratings

Celebrating the music and sound of Star Wars 5 cinematic minutes at a time!

Music Commentary Music TV & Film johnwilliams lastjedi rianjohnson benburtt filmscoring georgelucas musictheory sounddesign starwarsleitmotifs starwarsmusic
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Episodes

TROS 3: Independent Jedi Study (Minutes 11-15 with Riley Silverman)

July 24, 2023 11:00 - 1 hour - 101 MB

📣 This episode was published during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike, the film being covered here wouldn't exist. If you want to support the cause, consider donating to the Entertainment Community Fund, which provides financial aid to industry workers. There's also a Google doc that lists a variety of funds you can donate to, including a pizza fund for the various strike locations and a water fund for strikers at the hot Disn...

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

July 19, 2023 11:00 - 1 hour - 103 MB

📣 This episode was published during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike, the film being covered here wouldn't exist. If you want to support the cause, consider donating to the Entertainment Community Fund, which provides financial aid to industry workers. There's also a Google doc that lists a variety of funds you can donate to, including a pizza fund for the various strike locations and a water fund for strikers at the hot Disn...

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

July 10, 2023 11:00 - 1 hour - 92.7 MB

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:...

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

May 12, 2023 11:00 - 3 hours - 210 MB

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  Ti...

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

May 05, 2023 11:00 - 2 hours - 149 MB

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 th...

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

April 24, 2023 11:00 - 2 hours - 161 MB

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 YouTub...

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

April 17, 2023 11:00 - 2 hours - 150 MB

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...

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

April 10, 2023 11:00 - 3 hours - 244 MB

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 Makin...

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

April 03, 2023 11:00 - 2 hours - 155 MB

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 - ...

ESB 20: Neapolitan Emergency (Minutes 96-100 with Star Wars Minute)

March 27, 2023 11:00 - 2 hours - 152 MB

Pete the Retailer and Alex Robinson from Star Wars Minute join me to discuss the music and sound in minutes 96-100 of The Empire Strikes Back. Han gets frozen in carbonite! John Williams's dramatic, emotional score moves us through the action. In this episode, we also listen to the original footage from the carbonite freezing scene before music was added. This episode is also on YouTube: https://youtu.be/4MoDKl4ej-0  Timestamps: 0:00 - Hello there! 3:13 - The many actors of Boba Fett. 6...

ESB 19: Mayor of Circuit City (Minutes 91-95 with James Waterman and Justin Scheid)

March 20, 2023 11:00 - 1 hour - 124 MB

James Waterman and Justin Scheid from The Band Batch are here for minutes 91-95 of The Empire Strikes Back. We talk about Threepio's analog rejuvenation, the timpani doom roll, and what happens when Star Wars voice actors are overdubbed in later editions (like how Jason Wingreen was replaced by Temura Morrison). We also get to hear Justin's favorite sound and what James considers the funniest line in this movie. Video version of this episode is here: https://youtu.be/GLWmWl3fmHs  Join my D...

ESB 18: Glory of the Cloud Car (Minutes 86-90 with Nic Tan)

March 13, 2023 11:00 - 2 hours - 138 MB

As Yoda says, "There is another." Today's guest is my brother, Nic Tan! We delve into minutes 86-90 of The Empire Strikes Back, which naturally begs discussion about the toys, Boba Fett, Yoda's golden nuggets, cloud cars, negative musical space, changes to film scoring over the decades, how Lando's theme diverges from John Williams's traditional hero themes, questionably un-porcine ugnaught sound design, and why growing up in the prequel era was the golden age of Star Wars fandom (sorry, it'...

ESB 17: Pomp Without Circumstance (Minutes 81-85 with Alex Ludwig)

March 06, 2023 17:05 - 1 hour - 123 MB

Musicologist Alex Ludwig (Dies Irae guru) returns to the show to discuss minutes 81-85 of The Empire Strikes Back! We talk about the form, orchestration, and rhythm of the Lando's Palace cue, the stern parenting of Yoda and Obi-Wan, and how the music paints the text. Video version of this episode is here: https://youtu.be/tdJUdPsUQBQ  Timestamps: 0:00 - Intro. 10:30 - Meeting Lando with some exhaust, a ship, and a clarinet glissando reminiscent of Rhapsody in Blue or Salome. 16:02 - So ...

ESB 16: Attack of the Envelope (Minutes 76-80 with Jeremy Sawruk)

February 27, 2023 12:00 - 2 hours - 149 MB

Opulent violins and sci-fi vocals can only mean one thing: We're approaching Cloud City! Composer/music technologist Jeremy Sawruk returns to the show to discuss minutes 76-80 of The Empire Strikes Back. Timestamps: 0:00 - Hello there! 5:49 - Voice removal. 12:38 - Background "Morse code" sound. 16:34 - Errant horn entrance or sound design? 19:08 - Envelopes! (ADSR.) 26:25 - Open chord sound. 33:54 - Tense Han & Leia theme. 39:25 - A sharp cut in the music (visible on a spectogram)....

ESB 15: Yoda and the Wolf (Minutes 71-75 with Fr. David and Trevor Mowry)

February 20, 2023 12:00 - 1 hour - 124 MB

In The Empire Strikes Back Minutes 71-75, Yoda raises the ship while Luke looks on in disbelief. Oboist Trevor Mowry and Father David Mowry return to SWMM to talk about this emotional cue (complete with the best E Maj7 chord ever), the "Peter and Wolf"-like instrumentation (are you team French horn or team trumpet?), the expansiveness of Yoda's theme, and the tactility of Star Wars sound design. We also cover a fantastic listener question from Tim B! Video version of this episode: https://y...

ESB 14: Boba Fett’s Hidden Intervals (Minutes 66-70 with Lauren Crosby)

February 13, 2023 12:00 - 1 hour - 132 MB

Music theorist Dr. Lauren Crosby is here to help us take a closer look at the original Boba Fett theme. We compare the pitch material of John Williams's theme to Ludwig Göransson's Boba Fett theme (which debuted in The Book Of Boba Fett), theorize about the relationship between them, and discuss other things from this action-packed set of minutes too! Timestamps: 0:00 - Hello there! 10:53 - When did you become aware of Boba Fett having a theme? 14:02 - Characteristics of the Boba Fett th...

ESB 14: Boba Fett's Hidden Intervals (Minutes 66-70 with Lauren Crosby)

February 13, 2023 12:00 - 1 hour - 132 MB

Music theorist Dr. Lauren Crosby is here to help us take a closer look at the original Boba Fett theme. We compare the pitch material of John Williams's theme to Ludwig Göransson's Boba Fett theme (which debuted in The Book Of Boba Fett), theorize about the relationship between them, and discuss other things from this action-packed set of minutes too! Timestamps: 0:00 - Hello there! 10:53 - When did you become aware of Boba Fett having a theme? 14:02 - Characteristics of the Boba Fett...

ESB 13: Spooky Insecurities (Minutes 61-65 with Ender Smith)

February 07, 2023 12:00 - 3 hours - 243 MB

Talking cave visions, glissando lizards, synthesizers, The Magic Tree, magnets, and more with Ender Smith (of AurekFonts)! This is The Empire Strikes Back minutes 61-65. Video version of this episode (with visuals): https://youtu.be/gYGV9Vy_wDs  Timestamps: 0:00 - Hello there! 2:36 - Cue 6M3 "This Is Not A Cave." 5:42 - Demonstrating planing chords on guitar. 11:46 - Mishearing Leia's line. 12:27 - Die Hard director on the purpose of dialogue in films. 16:11 - We love Threepio's scre...

ESB 12: Horror With a Punchline (Minutes 56-60 with Suzen Tekla Kruglnska)

January 30, 2023 12:00 - 1 hour - 99.7 MB

Suzen Tekla Kruglnska returns to the show to discuss the humorous horror and philosophical twists in The Empire Strikes Back minutes 56-60! We talk about Kubrick musical connections, Yoda's necklace/instrument, mynock sound design, and the visceral extended techniques used to elicit fear. Timestamps: 0:00 - Hello there! 5:36 - Connections to The Shining and The Muppet Show. 10:00 - Zigzagging between different themes. 13:35 - Yoda's scored monologue. 19:07 - Dotted rhythm in Yoda's B s...

ESB 11: Free-Floating Motivic Particles (Minutes 51-55 with Frank Lehman)

January 23, 2023 12:00 - 2 hours - 145 MB

In The Empire Strikes Back minutes 51-55, Han and Leia share their first kiss and we meet the Emperor for the first time. Joining me (for the 4th time!) is music theorist/film musicologist Frank Lehman. We discuss the lineage of musical love themes, John Williams's distinctive Lydian signature, the strange proto-Emperor cue, and he gives us a sneak peek of the major updates he's making to the Star Wars Thematic Catalogue. This episode is also on YouTube (with visuals): https://youtu.be/N_jX...

ESB 10: Mister Rogers of Star Wars (Minutes 46-50 with Ken Plume)

January 16, 2023 12:00 - 2 hours - 186 MB

It's finally time to meet Yoda! Joining me today is writer, producer, and Muppet aficionado Ken Plume. We break down Frank Oz's fantastic performance, including his speech syntax and the vocal qualities that define Yoda vs. Miss Piggy vs. Grover vs. Fozzie vs. Bert and Frank Oz's other classic characters. The music takes a backseat in this scene, giving the audience a chance to really meet and hear Yoda for the first time. This is THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK minutes 46-50. Check out the video v...

ESB 9: Dagobah Piccolo Workout (Minutes 41-45 with Samantha Tripp)

January 09, 2023 12:00 - 2 hours - 171 MB

Flutist & Star Wars music researcher Samantha Tripp returns to the show to talk about the rich sonic environment of Dagobah! This is EMPIRE STRIKES BACK Minutes 41-45. Timestamps: 0:00 - Hello there! 4:27 - How do you feel about the Asteroid Field concert arrangement? 16:15 - Violin articial harmonics at the end of the Asteroid Field. 20:12 - Flute harmonics. 29:20 - Semitonal Slip. 36:22 - Muted trombones. 43:07 - Two layers of glissando. 48:03 - The can-can? 50:45 - Dagobah rever...

ESB 8: Asteroid Feelings (Minutes 36-40 with Dennis Hamm)

January 02, 2023 12:00 - 2 hours - 188 MB

We're getting into the Asteroid Field with Thundercat pianist Dennis Hamm! In this episode, we explore the complex harmony, emotion, and triumph in this cue that John Williams once called "a ballet of flying spaceships and asteroids colliding." Dennis also administers a fun listening test toward the end that you'll want to stick around for (there are no wrong answers). This is The Empire Strikes Back minutes 36-40. Timstamps: 0:00 - Hello there! 3:59 - Listening to the minutes. 10:13 - L...

ESB 7: Musical Referee (Minutes 31-35 with Conor Power)

December 26, 2022 04:33 - 2 hours - 143 MB

Film music PhD researcher Conor Power joins me for a discussion about The Empire Strikes Back minutes 31-35. We're finishing up the Battle of Hoth along with some shrill piccolos, rollicking pianos, an "extra minor" Luke theme, and a brass line that we both fancy for reasons we try to figure out. As the episode title suggests, the music in this cue seems to act like a referee keeping score between the Rebels and Empire (find out who the musical "winner" of these minutes is at the end of the ...

ESB 6: Battle of Hoth Set Theory (Minutes 26-30 with Dominic Sewell)

December 19, 2022 12:00 - 3 hours - 166 MB

We're getting deep into the Battle of Hoth today! This is minutes 26-30 of The Empire Strikes Back with composer/orchestrator Dominic Sewell. The quickie topic is a primer on the anatomy and function of a score.  To follow along with the visuals in this episode, I recommend checking out the video version (or just spot checking the areas you want to see): https://youtu.be/oOvHkaciOVk  Timestamps: 00:00 - Hello there! 2:10 - What stands out to you about the Battle of Hoth? 8:26 - Who is t...

ESB 5: Weeds of the Reeds (Minutes 21-25 with Stephanie Manning)

December 12, 2022 12:00 - 2 hours - 198 MB

In minutes 21-25 of The Empire Strikes Back, Vader sets course for the Hoth system while the Rebels prepare to defend their base. Joining me today is Stephanie Manning, a bassoonist, writer, and 2022 Fellow of the Rubin Institute for Music Criticism. We talk about the Imperial March, the contrast between Rebel and Empire music, and the bassoon's role in the orchestra. Sidenote: Stephanie is the first bassoonist I've had on the show, so it was high time for a thorough introduction to this of...

ESB 4: Snowspeeder Macroharmony (Minutes 16-20 with Jenn Harding)

December 05, 2022 12:00 - 1 hour - 154 MB

Music theorist Dr. Jenn Harding joins Xanthe for an analysis of minutes 16-20 of The Empire Strikes Back. We talk about textural shifts, snowspeeder sound design, macroharmony, musical structure, spectrograms, math, intonation, the Leia-Han-Luke love triangle (and what the music has to say about it), and more!  This episode is also on YouTube (with spectogram visuals): https://youtu.be/nnflnU9iecM  Timestamps: 00:00 - Hello there! 04:15 - Interaction between music and sound design. 06:5...

ESB 3: Snowy Spectralism (Minutes 11-15 with Jacob Jahiel)

November 28, 2022 12:00 - 1 hour - 95.3 MB

This episode is about minutes 11-15 of The Empire Strikes Back with my guest Jake Jahiel -- a musicologist, Baroque music specialist, and 2022 Fellow of the Rubin Institute for Music Criticism. Today, we're talking about the Spectralist-adjacent music of Hoth, the Force theme that sprang from the petri dish, Wagner's influence, and the music that John Williams originally wrote that got cut from this scene. Video version of this episode is here: https://youtu.be/hRujf84GhXM  Timestamps: 00...

ESB 2: Wampa Vision (Minutes 6-10 with Christina Ward)

November 21, 2022 12:00 - 1 hour - 126 MB

This episode is about minutes 6-10 of The Empire Strikes Back, and composer-artist Christina Ward returns to the show to discuss! The YouTube version of this episode is here: https://youtu.be/xHuhO51iYuc  Timestamps: 00:00 - Hello there! 02:15 - Listening to the beginning of these minutes. 08:17 - Assessing the feelings behind Han and Leia's dialogue. 12:28 - Slow, awkward waltz. 16:41 - Threepio slander. 24:32 - Irvin Kershner wanted the ESB score to be spare. 29:44 - Talking throug...

ESB 1: The First Five Minutes of Empire (Minutes 1-5)

November 14, 2022 12:00 - 1 hour - 111 MB

This episode is an introduction to the music of The Empire Strikes Back, with a special emphasis on minutes 1-5. Welcome to THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK SEASON of Star Wars Music Minute! 🎉 (No guest today; just Xanthe.) Timestamps: 00:00 - Hello there! 01:06 - References & resources 03:31 - Intro to THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK 04:46 - Scoring process 08:52 - Recording process 22:50 - Soundtrack hullabaloo 30:14 - New musical themes 36:25 - ESB Minutes 1-5 1:07:47 - Season gameplan Referenc...

Solo 29: Interview with Baraka May (Singer on "Chicken in the Pot")

September 23, 2022 13:00 - 1 hour - 118 MB

Baraka May has recording vocals on over 500 films, TV shows, video games, commercials, and albums. Today, we're discussing her work on "Chicken In the Pot" in Solo: A Star Wars Story! 🐔 Baraka reflects on the recording process, talks about how she approached the Huttese dialect, and talks about how she and John Powell experimented with pitch and speed-shifting in order to land on the unique "Chicken in the Pot" vocals. Discussion Guide: 00:00 - Hello there! 04:20 - How did Baraka get ca...

Solo 29: Interview with Baraka May (Singer on ”Chicken in the Pot”)

September 23, 2022 13:00 - 1 hour - 118 MB

Baraka May has recording vocals on over 500 films, TV shows, video games, commercials, and albums. Today, we're discussing her work on "Chicken In the Pot" in Solo: A Star Wars Story! 🐔 Baraka reflects on the recording process, talks about how she approached the Huttese dialect, and talks about how she and John Powell experimented with pitch and speed-shifting in order to land on the unique "Chicken in the Pot" vocals. Timestamps: 00:00 - Hello there! 04:20 - How did Baraka get called in ...

Solo 28: Interview with Iain Farrington (Pianist for Solo: A Star Wars Story)

September 09, 2022 13:00 - 1 hour - 116 MB

Iain Farrington played piano and celeste for the Solo: A Star Wars Story soundtrack! In this episode, we listen to some of our favorite piano moments from the Solo soundtrack, and Iain talks about what it was like to record those cues. He also shares stories from the recording sessions and gives us insight into how he approaches different types of piano cues. Timestamps: 00:00 - Hello there! 00:39 - Why was the Solo score recorded in London? 04:08 - "Meet Han" (piano solo toward the begi...

Solo 27: Solo Music Department (Minutes 131-135)

August 26, 2022 13:00 - 1 hour - 122 MB

Xanthe wraps up coverage of Solo: A Star Wars Story (minutes 131-135) by taking a closer look at the music and sound credits. What do sound editors, music editors, orchestra contractors, and re-recording mixers do? We'll also review the nine new leitmotifs that Solo added to the Star Wars oeuvre. Timestamps: 00:00 - Hello there! 01:27 - Music and sound end credits and what the various roles do. 1:01:54 - The nine new leitmotifs from Solo. 1:24:30 - Final thoughts on the film, score, and...

Solo 26: Lightspeed to End Credits (Minutes 126-130 with Star Wars Minute)

August 20, 2022 13:00 - 2 hours - 154 MB

Today, we're obsessing over the transition to the end credits in Solo: A Star Wars Story. Pete and Alex from Star Wars Minute are here to join me! (Ring theory.) We compare the Solo credits to The Empire Strikes Back, The Phantom Menace, and more. Timestamps: 00:00 - Hello there! 05:26 - How Solo transitions to the end credits. 17:46 - End credits transitions in saga films vs. Star Wars Story films. 25:45 - Sooo that's how the Solo soundtrack ends? 37:03 - Is Solo the most "prequel-ly"...

Solo 25: The Raconteur (Minutes 121-125 with Star Wars Lawyer)

August 12, 2022 13:00 - 1 hour - 98.6 MB

In minutes 121-125 of Solo: A Star Wars Story, Beckett dies, Qi'ra leaves, and we reunite with Lando the Raconteur in his fancy jungle room. Star Wars Lawyer (Kris) returns to the show for a discussion about solemn death music, Lando's themes, Lando cosplay, and more! Timestamps: 00:00 - Hello there! 07:17 - How do you feel about Han and Qi'ra's romance? 10:26 - Death and solemnity in Star Wars. 17:19 - Death of the dream (Qi'ra and Han's) 21:21 - Yacht sound design, a dirty rumble. 2...

Solo 24: Better Call Maul (Minutes 116-120 with The Band Batch)

August 06, 2022 13:00 - 3 hours - 198 MB

Maul's entire sound situation in minutes 116-120 of SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY is absolute wildness. James Waterman and Justin Scheid (from The Band Batch) are here with Xanthe to discuss! Timestamps: 00:00 - Hello there! 01:31 - Our extremely cute matching outfits. 08:04 - Analog sword fighting. 11:00 - Space pirate polyrhythms + a tangent about notating polyrhythms. 20:26 - Cool accents on beat 2 during the heroic end of the fight. 24:04 - Is Han's theme almost "the lick?" 26:09 - Pow...

Solo 23: Tension Engine (Minutes 111-115 with Alex Ludwig)

July 29, 2022 13:00 - 1 hour - 107 MB

Alex Ludwig AKA the Dies Irae Guru AKA  @Film Music Tropes  is back to discuss minutes 111-115 of Solo: A Star Wars Story! Spoiler: Alex and Xanthe noticed one Dies Irae reference each in these minutes, but they were completely different spots... In this episode, we also discuss "Jason Bourne in Space," fawn over the Secrets motif progression, and give John Powell a retrospective A on his voice leading homework. 😛 Timestamps: 00:00 - Hello there! 02:28 - Alex's (Dies Irae-related) issues ...

Solo 22: Herrmann Over Jaws (Minutes 106-110 with Suzen Tekla Kruglnska)

July 22, 2022 13:00 - 1 hour - 131 MB

Suzen Tekla Kruglnska is here with me to discuss minutes 106-110 of Solo: A Star Wars Story! We talk about auditory illusions, the coaxium motif, John Powell's flowing scene transitions, and a potentially awkward music edit. Timestamps: 00:00 - Hello there! 04:13 - Beckett's "wheel spinning" music. 08:33 - Cliche or trope? In the ear of the beholder. 16:36 - Is there an abrupt edit here? 26:53 - Paul Bettany as Dryden Vos. 34:33 - Dryden is a villain. Why doesn't he have a musical the...

Solo 21: Shades of Revelation (Minutes 101-105 with Alex Cunningham)

July 15, 2022 13:00 - 1 hour - 134 MB

The "Secrets" theme can be easy to miss, but not in minutes 101-105 of Solo: A Star Wars Story! The veil of secrecy is lifted as the "Secrets" motif cycles through a progression of revelatory chords leading to Crimson Dawn. This is one of Xanthe's favorite musical moments in the film. Alex Cunningham returns to the show to nerd out about it! Timestamps: 00:00 - Hello there! 03:14 - Visual preview of these minutes. 11:33 - What makes the buildup to the Crimson Dawn reveal so interesting? ...

Solo 20: Savareen Tumbleweed (Minutes 96-100 with John Hoey)

July 08, 2022 13:00 - 1 hour - 110 MB

The music and sound design truly form a symbiotic circle in minutes 96-100 of Solo: A Star Wars Story! John Hoey (from The Resistance Broadcast and #MakeSolo2Happen) joins Xanthe in a discussion about the striking soundscapes of Savareen. Timestamps: 00:00 - Hello there! 05:06 - Taking a listen to the beginning of these minutes. 10:31 - Lack of music leaves us guessing. 12:16 - Comparing Savareen (SOLO) with Tatooine (A NEW HOPE). 19:59 - Lando and Han's touching moment. 23:45 - John ...

Solo 19: The Kitchen Sink (Minutes 91-95 with Jon Solomon)

July 01, 2022 13:00 - 2 hours - 112 MB

Talking about the music and sound in minutes 91-95 of Solo: A Star Wars Story with Jon Solomon! This set of minutes features a giant space tentacle monster, which, in part, is brought to life by the score and sound design. We talk about tension-building, our perceptions of musical "fastness," and a mysterious howling sound that Xanthe and Jon are now mildly obsessed with. Timestamps: 00:00 - Hello there! 08:39 - Placid chord when Lando says the L3 is part of the ship now. 18:37 - Stellar...

Solo 18: Powered By Thirds (Minutes 86-90 with Jeremy Sawruk)

June 24, 2022 13:00 - 2 hours - 110 MB

Jeremy Sawruk returns to the show to talk minutes 86-90 of Solo: A Star Wars Story. Today, we're getting into the Kessel Run, which features familiar themes from the Asteroid Field, Here They Come, and more. On the soundtrack, you'll find this cue in "Reminiscence Therapy" and "Kessel Run in Less Than 12 Parsecs." Timestamps: 00:00 - Hello there! 07:17 - Listening to the beginning of these minutes and comparing them to A New Hope. 14:35 - Thirds, avoidance of chordal resolution 17:08 -...

Solo 17: Adagio for L3 (Minutes 81-85 with Lacey Gilleran)

June 17, 2022 13:00 - 1 hour - 83.8 MB

Lacey Gilleran from Resistance Broadcast is here to talk about the music in Solo minutes 81-85! We discuss the tragic scoring of L3's death, the gravitational pull of pedal points, musical depth of field, and, of course, #MakeSolo2Happen. Timestamps: 00:00 - Hello there! 00:54 - MakeSolo2Happen 09:50 - Swashbuckling adventures. 15:53 - Young Han Solo's Searching theme, ascending 21:40 - Music as a strong guiding hand. 24:44 - Gravitational pull of the pedal point, Lando's denial, stra...

Solo 16: Contrapuntal Droid Rebellion (Minutes 76-80 with Riley Silverman)

June 10, 2022 13:00 - 1 hour - 104 MB

L3 starts a revolution, Han moves coaxium containers, and the (perky, contrapuntal) music is the Force that binds us all together. Also worth considering: Is L3 a big ol' boom box? Newly minted Star Wars writer Riley Silverman is back on the show to discuss Solo Minutes 76-80 of Solo! Timestamps: 00:00 - Hello there! 04:45 - Riley's theory of droids in Star Wars 11:06 - Didactic & diegetic 14:35 - "Mine Mission" counterpoint 29:33 - Oasis of friendship, then back to the mission 36:36 ...

Solo 15: Do You Like It? (Minutes 71-75 with Christina Ward)

June 03, 2022 13:00 - 1 hour - 71.8 MB

Composer Christina Ward joins Xanthe for a detailed listen and analysis of minutes 71-75 of Solo: A Star Wars Story, which starts with the crew landing on Kessel and ends with L3 liberating a droid. Timestamps: 00:00 - Hello there! 05:39 - All roads lead back to the Empire. 11:15 - Where the music abruptly changes, Baroque vibes, Enigma Variations, Britten, large interval leaps, unified instrument sections 22:02 - Qi'ra and the gang walk out to greet the Pykes. Music leaves space for di...

Solo 14: Romance Roller Coaster (Minutes 66-70 with Crystal Beth)

May 27, 2022 13:00 - 1 hour - 67 MB

"Lando's Closet" is the horniest cue on the Solo soundtrack, Y/N? Crystal Beth joins me today for a discussion about minutes 66-70 of Solo: A Star Wars Story! Timestamps: 00:00 - Hello there! 02:32 - Cue naming conventions. 10:02 - Secrets theme 6x buildup. 12:43 - Horniness of this cue. Roller coaster. 14:38 - Narrating the roller coaster of the full cue. 17:16 - Buzzkill version in the film. 22:25 - Wanting to be sold on Han + Qi'ra's passion. Why this scene perhaps doesn't feel "t...

Solo 13: Millennium Pop Anthem (Minutes 61-65 with Dan Golding)

May 20, 2022 13:00 - 1 hour - 95.4 MB

Dan Golding is back, and ahhh OKAY, we need to talk about the fact that Luke's theme plays like a pop anthem when Han lays eyes on the Millennium Falcon (!!!) In this episode, we examine the musical devices that contribute to that epic reveal, discuss John Powell's internal logic, evaluate Powell's underscore, talk about nostalgia in the Star Wars franchise, and more. Turns out there are lots of great conversation starters in minutes 61-65 of Solo: A Star Wars Story! Timestamps: 00:00 - He...

Solo 12: Homunculus Hans (Minutes 56-60 with Tony Thaxton)

May 13, 2022 13:00 - 1 hour - 94.7 MB

Why does the music in the sabacc scene sound like a romantic comedy? What does a cortical homunculus have to do with Solo? How does The Lodge compare to the other watering holes of Star Wars? Tony Thaxton returns to the show to talk about all of this and more in minutes 56-60 of Solo: A Star Wars Story! Timestamps: 00:00 - Hello there! 03:27 - Musical playfulness of a romantic comedy. 10:36 - Do you remember watching Solo for the first time? 18:07 - Music with room for interludes and fl...

Solo 11: Under Pressure (Minutes 51-55 with Triad of the Force)

May 06, 2022 13:00 - 1 hour - 102 MB

Triad of the Force (Gus, Nani, Moe) join Xanthe in a discussion about the music and sound in minutes 51-55 of Solo: A Star Wars Story, which starts with Han convincing Dryden to give them a chance and ends with Han challenging Lando to a game of sabacc. We talk about musical pivot points, toxic professors, dialogue mixing, peacocks, the cue that sounds like David Bowie, and more! Timestamps: 00:00 - Hello there! 11:46 - Toxic professors. 25:19 - Love themes in Star Wars. 30:51 - A slink...

Guests

John Hoey
1 Episode

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