Forget about Han and Greedo for a second. The Special Edition release of A New Hope also brought us Jabba the Hutt and his virtuosic tuba theme (which originally debuted in Return of the Jedi). Trombonist in the Disneyland Band Justin Mitnik joins me today in a discussion about minutes 51-55 of Star Wars. We talk about the cantina songs, villains, orchestration, and more.

Discussion Guide:

• 00:00 - Hello there!

Things Mentioned:

• HelloGreedo's video about who shot first: https://youtu.be/6wFNyaCGpvk

Themes: Main Theme (A Section)

Soundtrack: "Cantina Band 2," "Inner City," "Millennium Falcon/Imperial Cruiser Pursuit"

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STAR WARS MUSIC MINUTE QUESTIONNAIRE:

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

• Galactic thematic masterpiece.

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

• All the distinct sound effects. Justin has always been fascinated by them and could never tell what comprises them.

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

• Gladiator (composed by Hans Zimmer)

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Justin Mitnik:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mitnikjm/

Star Wars Music Minute:

• Website: starwarsmusicminute.com

Xanthe:

• Twitter: @chrysanthetan

Kris AKA Star Wars Lawyer joins me in a discussion about the music and sound in the infamous cantina scene of Star Wars: A New Hope! This takes place during minutes 46-50 of the film.

This episode is also on YouTube: https://youtu.be/vMV5GadqP5o 

Discussion Guide:

• 00:00 - Hello there!

Things Mentioned:

• The Soundtrack Show (hosted by David W. Collins) Star Wars Part II episode - https://www.iheart.com/podcast/105-the-soundtrack-show-29021108/episode/star-wars-the-music-part-ii-29333139/

Themes:

• No "themes" other than the diegetic songs.

Soundtrack: "Cantina Band," "Cantina Band 2"

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STAR WARS MUSIC MINUTE QUESTIONNAIRE:

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

• A galactic symphony

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

• A deeper dive into the Star Wars themes (motifs, etc)

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

• Interstellar (composed by Hans Zimmer)

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Follow Star Wars Lawyer (Kris):

• TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@starwarslawyer?lang=en

Star Wars Music Minute:

• Website: starwarsmusicminute.com

Xanthe:

• Twitter: @chrysanthetan

When Luke looks out at the Burning Homestead, we hear an overt reference to the first four notes of Dies Irae. What is the meaning of this musical meme? Where else does the Dies Irae show up in Star Wars? Alex Ludwig AKA "Dies Irae guru" joins us today to help us gain a deeper understanding of this foundational musical trope.

Discussion:

• 00:00 - Hello there!

Stuff from the episode:

• Check out Alex's Dies Irae list: https://alexludwig.net/

Themes:

• 3. Force

Soundtrack:

• "The Return Home"

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STAR WARS MUSIC MINUTE QUESTIONNAIRE:

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

• triumphant brass fanfares

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

• What it's like for new composers (Michael Giacchino, John Powell, Ludwig Göransson, etc) to play in the playground of Star Wars music -- to have all these themes at their fingertips, get to use them and take them to new places. "What is it like to get the keys to this kingdom as a composer?"

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

• The Social Network (composed by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross) and Sunset Boulevard (composed by Franz Waxman)

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Alex Ludwig:

• Dies Irae List: https://alexludwig.net/

Star Wars Music Minute:

• Website: starwarsmusicminute.com

Xanthe:

• Twitter: @chrysanthetan

This episode is about music and sound heard in minutes 36-40 of Star Wars: A New Hope.

Obi-Wan finally hears Princess Leia's message, Luke isn't ready to go to Alderaan, and Vader finds Admiral Motti's lack of faith disturbing. Today, Elizabeth Lain joins me in a discussion about oboes, Death Star sound design, sonic screen wipes, and more!

Highlights:

• 00:00 - Hello there!

Musical Themes:

• 4. Leia

Where we are in the soundtrack album:

• "Tales Of A Jedi Knight/Learn About The Force" by John Williams

References:

• telemetry: the in situ collection of measurements or other data at remote points and their automatic transmission to receiving equipment (telecommunication) for monitoring.

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STAR WARS MUSIC MINUTE QUESTIONNAIRE:

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

• John Fucking Williams.

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

• A super detailed deep dive on C-3PO's voice; like, the very, very specifics of specifics, including which effects units they put on it, what the raw recordings sound like, what microphones they use, etc.

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

• Chernobyl (miniseries) composed by Hildur Guðnadóttir

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Follow Elizabeth Lain!

• Bandcamp: https://elizabethlain.bandcamp.com/

Star Wars Music Minute:

• YouTube: /starwarsmusicminute

Xanthe:

• Twitter: @chrysanthetan

Lightsaber Sound Design: an extreme deep dive in 4 levels with Justin Leo Kennedy.

NOTE: This episode contains a plethora of lightsaber sound effects that may be jarring for some listeners. You may want to have the volume controls handy. Furthermore, headphones or a quiet environment may be helpful for part 3 (starting at the 1-hour mark) if you want to hear the details in the sound design demonstration.

Discussion Guide:

• 0:00:00 - Hello there.

Musical Themes:

• 12) Distress

Where we are in the soundtrack album:

• "Landspeeder Search/Attack of the Sand People"

Sound Sources and Other References:

• Ultimate Lightsaber Sounds HD (Mauler Cosplay): https://youtu.be/XBeXy62JSxY

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STAR WARS MUSIC MINUTE QUESTIONNAIRE:

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

• pwsh vrrrrum shhpt

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

• "Duel of the Fates" orchestration

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

• I, Robot (composed by Marco Beltrami)

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Follow Justin Leo Kennedy!

• Website: https://www.justinleokennedy.net/

Star Wars Music Minute:

• Leave a voice message: https://starwarsmusicminute.com/comlink

Xanthe:

• Twitter: @chrysanthetan

A thorough analysis of the Force theme with music theorist/film musicologist Frank Lehman. We discuss form, structure, harmony, orchestration, and John Williams's alternate "Binary Sunset" cue that didn't make it to the film.

Discussion Guide:

• 0:00:00 - Hello there.

Musical Themes:

• 3. Force

Where we are in the soundtrack album:

• "The Hologram/Binary Sunset"

Things Mentioned:

• Frank Lehman's other episode on this show: Musical DNA of The Last Jedi - https://youtu.be/NZwIpV3igBo

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STAR WARS MUSIC MINUTE QUESTIONNAIRE

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

• Dissonant pedal notes.

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

• What we're musically in store for as Star Wars moves onto the next chapters of its development.

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

• Star Trek: The Motion Picture  (1979) (composed by Jerry Goldsmith)

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FOLLOW DR. FRANK LEHMAN AND HIS WORK!

• Complete Catalogue of the Musical Themes of Star Wars (Frank Lehman): https://franklehman.com/starwars/

Star Wars Music Minute:

• YouTube: /starwarsmusicminute

Xanthe:

• Twitter: @chrysanthetan

"Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi. You're my only hope." In minutes 21-25 of Star Wars, we see and hear Princess Leia's hologram, Lovesick Luke™, and the glorious ambience that is the Lars Homestead. Joining me for this episode is opera singer/librettist/robot dad Aiden Feltkamp!

This episode is also available on YouTube in video format. 

Timestamps:

• 0:00:00 - Hello there.

Musical Themes:

• 4. Leia

Where we are in the soundtrack album:

• "The Princess Appears"

Shazam test:

• "Sector 12" by Marsfinder

References:

• Aiden's robots are Sony aibo: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AIBO

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STAR WARS MUSIC MINUTE QUESTIONNAIRE:

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

• Expansive. Dramatic. Romantic.

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

• R2-D2.

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

• TRON (composed by Wendy Carlos)

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Follow Aiden Feltkamp!

• Website: https://www.aidenkimfeltkamp.com/

Star Wars Music Minute:

• YouTube: /starwarsmusicminute

Xanthe:

• Twitter: @chrysanthetan

The Jawa ice-cream truck parks in front of the Lars homestead, and Uncle Owen gets a translator droid that speaks Bocce. Today, Mat from Blue Bantha Milk Co. is here to help us dive into the music and sound of Star Wars: A New Hope! Minutes 16-20 correspond to timecode 00:15:01-00:20:00 of the film.

Timestamps:

• 0:00:00 - Hello there

Musical Themes (leitmotifs and incidental motifs):

• 6a. Imperials (Motif)

Where we are in the soundtrack album:

• "The Dune Sea Of Tatooine/Jawa Sandcrawler"

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STAR WARS MUSIC MINUTE QUESTIONNAIRE:

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

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

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

• Tenet (composed by Ludwig Göransson)

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Follow Blue Bantha Milk Co!

• Blue Bantha Milk Co creates Star Wars fan-fiction performances written by artificial intelligence. They call this Star Wars written by AI 'The Banthaverse'.

Star Wars Music Minute:

• YouTube: /starwarsmusicminute

Xanthe:

• Twitter: @chrysanthetan

There's no music for our first 90 seconds on Tatooine, forcing us to reckon with the cicadas, barren landscape, and Threepio's frozen joints. This is a deep dive into the music and sound of Star Wars: A New Hope, Minutes 11-15. Guest: Ender Smith AKA AurekFonts.

Let's see if timestamps work this time (if not, I'm sorry!):

• (0:00:00) - Hello there.

Musical Themes:

• 7. Jawas

Where we are in the soundtrack album:

• Dune Sea of Tatooine/Jawa Sandcrawler

Anything Else Mentioned:

• Star Wars Minute 11: Cicadas (with guest Chris Radtke): https://wiki.starwarsminute.com/index.php?title=Star_Wars_Minute_11:_Cicadas

STAR WARS MUSIC MINUTE QUESTIONNAIRE:

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

• California radio voiceovers

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

• Ender would like to see the making of one musical cue from start to finish (similar to the documentary Star Wars Within A Minute: The Making Of Episode III Documentary). This might include things like John Williams looking at a scene, writing sketches, passing it on to copyists, all the way to editors and sound team working on the final mix.

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

• Knives Out (composed by Nathan Johnson)

GUEST LINKS:

Follow AurekFonts!

• Twitter: https://twitter.com/AurekFonts

SWMM LINKS:

Star Wars Music Minute:

• YouTube: /starwarsmusicminute

Xanthe:

• Twitter: @chrysanthetan

Acknowledgments:

• "Cantina Band" theme music written by John Williams, performed by Chrysanthe Tan

First Darth Vader appearance in all of Star Wars. First Force theme appearance in all of Star Wars (but it's different than we expect). First stun gun. First droids on Tatooine... Element7 (Pep) joins me in a discussion about the music & sound in minutes 6-10 of Star Wars!

Discussion Highlights:

• 0:00:00 - Introduction

Themes Referenced:

• 4. Leia

References:

• Complete Catalogue of the Musical Themes of Star Wars (Frank Lehman): https://franklehman.com/starwars/

STAR WARS MUSIC MINUTE QUESTIONNAIRE:

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

• Beyond the horizon

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

• Lightsaber sounds

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

• The Last Samurai (composed by Hans Zimmer)

GUEST LINKS:

Follow Element7 (Pep)!

• Element7 Website: https://www.7thelement.net/

SWMM LINKS:

Star Wars Music Minute:

• YouTube: /starwarsmusicminute

Xanthe:

• Twitter: @chrysanthetan