Our final look at the music of Star Trek puts us in the position of the show's music editors and composers. With so many classic episodes to get through, how did they stretch their music budget to cover an entire season? The music of Sol Kaplan, Joseph Mullendore, Gerald Fried and Fred Steiner is examined, and we also look at a series of clever music edits for tracked scores. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jul 15, 2024•58 min
Music production on a full season of Star Trek begins! Our first two composers get to work, as Alexander Courage and Fred Steiner start writing and recording music at a frantic pace. We'll hear the rest of Courage's work on season one, and listen to Steiner's amazing contributions to Star Trek's musical vocabulary. We also examine the critical role played by the music editors, as they work to establish and shape the music of season one. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoi...
Dec 20, 2023•56 min
Before making it to air, Star Trek had not one, but two pilots scored by Alexander Courage. Once the first season finally went into production, it took five composers to pull it off. This episode explores the musical, financial and creative realities of 1960s television music production, as we discuss the scores for these two pilots, and the creation of some of the show's musical sound effects. We are also introduced to season one's other four composers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit m...
Jul 05, 2023•56 min
The history of television and the origins of Star Trek are explored through the life and career of composer/orchestrator Alexander Courage, television star Lucille Ball, and Desilu music director Wilbur Hatch. The main title melodies for Star Trek are analyzed and discussed, along with their place in the history of 20th Century television music. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jun 19, 2023•49 min
In our final episode on the music of E.T. we listen to the second half of the movie's incredible music, cue by cue. We also discuss the work of film editor Carol Littleton, and vocal sound designer Ben Burtt. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
May 12, 2023•1 hr
In Part II we take it from the top, and listen to how the film score for E.T. is constructed in the first half of the movie. We examine multiple themes, and discuss the movie's emotional honesty. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Apr 26, 2023•56 min
The film score to E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial is widely considered to be one of the most important film scores of all time. We discuss what makes the music so great as a whole, and we discuss the evolution of the score's most important themes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Apr 19, 2023•47 min
In Part III of our series on Ocarina of Time, we tackle our main quest to save Hyrule by learning more complex melodies, mastering new musical dungeons, and ultimately facing off against our bongo-playing, pipe organ-pounding foes. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Dec 18, 2021•59 min
In Part II of our series on The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, we look at the first act of the game and discuss all of its musical diversity: the dungeons, the distant lands, and the melodic fragments we learn to play on our digital ocarina. The game's over "music" theme is discussed, as well is hidden homages to the Zelda series' musical past. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Mar 24, 2021•48 min
The groundbreaking interactive music of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is both diegetic and non-diegetic music, as it plays a central role in both the story and gameplay. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Mar 03, 2021•56 min
The music to original NES title The Legend of Zelda is discussed. We break down the main overworld theme, talk about its impact, and share memories of the original Zelda experience. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Feb 17, 2021•51 min
In part II of our interview with Carlos Rafael Rivera, we discuss how he wrote around diagetic music and sound design. Themes for the main character are discussed, as well as parts of The Queen's Gambit that feel like a sports movie. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Feb 10, 2021•45 min
We meet and celebrate Carlos Rafael Rivera, the composer for the hit Netflix series The Queen's Gambit. His musical background and career rise are discussed, as well as his overall approach to working with directors. His love for Randy Newman and film music is also covered, and we begin our in-depth discussion of The Queen's Gambit's wonderful score. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Feb 03, 2021•57 min
In part II of our interview with Zach Robinson and Leo Birenberg, we discuss the rock and metal influences in Cobra Kai's score. We also talk about their use of thematic material, musical humor, and the show's return to Okinawa. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jan 27, 2021•44 min
We get a chance to sit down with Cobra Kai composers Zach Robinson and Leo Birenberg, as they discuss their music, their process, and their love of film scoring. The various musical styles of the Karate Kid franchise are discussed, as well as their own unique take on this hit TV series. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jan 19, 2021•40 min
In our second episode on the music of Karate Kid, we take a close look at the music of Mr. Miyagi, the pan flute music of Zamfir, and how it tells the story of Miyagi and Daniel's friendship. More songs are discussed, and we hear restored music in the movie's dramatic finale for the very first time. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Jan 13, 2021•55 min
The music in 1984's The Karate Kid is both song score and film score, and composer Bill Conti worked with both. We discover how the songs and underscore are musically related, and discuss how main character themes are woven throughout this musically eclectic movie. The history of "You're The Best" is discussed, as is the movie's dramatic finale. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Dec 30, 2020•42 min
We take a close listen to the end of Home Alone, breaking down how the music scores the comedy, and when it holds back. Diagetic songs and song scores are discussed, as is the recording of a large collection of Holiday hits. We hear how Williams uses themes to complete the story, bringing it all home with a feel-good conclusion. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Dec 23, 2020•53 min
Let's hear it from the top! We take a close look at various parts of Home Alone to break down the compositions, and we examine a scene with omitted music restored. The use of popular Christmas music is discussed, as is the comedic effect of orchestration. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Dec 16, 2020•51 min
In our first look at John Williams' score for Home Alone, we discuss the background of the project, and how it greatly influenced the score. We listen to a few leitmotifs, and discuss how they became songs for the film, and we examine their use in the film. Broad styles of Holiday music are also discussed, as are themes of family, fear, and love. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Dec 09, 2020•51 min
Our final episode on Superman the Movie takes a close look at the heroic music in Metropolis, as well as the unfolding villainy of Lex Luthor. The heavy use of Superman's fanfare leitmotif is discussed, and we share thoughts from John Williams about the lasting, positive impact of Christopher Reeve as Superman. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Apr 29, 2020•52 min
In part three of our look at Superman the Movie, we examine great musical moments from the film score, starting at the beginning. Multiple versions of Krypton are compared, and we listen to more of the music from Smallville. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Apr 22, 2020•47 min
We continue our fly-through of Superman (1978) by listening to the love theme from the film score, and discuss a fascinating behind-the-scenes story. Other themes are analyzed and discussed, including a theme for Smallville, Lex Luthor and the March of the Villains, and a theme for the green crystal of Krypton. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Apr 15, 2020•43 min
John Williams' iconic Superman score is analyzed in context of a 3-part superhero movie: science fiction in the beginning, Americana growing up in Smallville, and a full-blown comic book in Metropolis. The main themes used in Williams' score are analyzed via breaking down these three influences. The history of Superman is discussed, and behind-the-scenes stories of the making of 1978's Superman are revealed. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Apr 08, 2020•52 min
We continue our interview with Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez, discussing the iterative and very personal nature of songwriting, life stories shared in the writers room, Anna's character arc, and the heart-warming struggle that Kristoff faces when trying to express his feelings. We also discuss the inspiration behind Olaf's song "When I Am Older." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Feb 12, 2020•41 min
Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez join us in the studio for a 2-part interview about the songs of Frozen II. They discuss their process of discovering the songs that drive the story, their collaboration with Disney, and share fascinating stories of their iterative songwriting adventures into the unknown. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Feb 05, 2020•55 min
We conclude our listen to Return of the Jedi, and the whole classic Star Wars trilogy, with the Battle of Endor. Themes are discussed, as are moments where music was omitted. We explore more diagetic music with the Ewoks, and compare multiple versions of the film's ending. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Dec 19, 2019•1 hr 14 min
In part 2 of our analysis, we look at roughly the first half of Return of the Jedi. We discuss each cue, its dramatic effect, and the creative process behind the final presentation. The diagetic, in-world music is also discussed, and we compare the original 1983 music to the changes that were made in the 1997 Special Edition. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Dec 11, 2019•1 hr 14 min
Return of the Jedi is the third Star Wars score from John Williams, and it transforms his overall musical approach to that of an operatic cycle. We look at how familiar themes from the first film are treated, and we explore and dissect some of the major new themes that greatly enrich the classic trilogy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Dec 04, 2019•51 min
We continue our listen to Morricone's groundbreaking, stylish scores for director Sergio Leone and his "Spaghetti Westerns," including a close examination of For a Few Dollars More, and The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly. The cultural impact of these movies is also discussed, and we listen to the clever sound editing and effects that made the soundscape so memorable. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Nov 27, 2019•57 min
