ESB 13: Spooky Insecurities

THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK
Written By Chrysanthe Tan

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 scream.

  • 20:27 - Loading up the musical slingshot before jumping to lightspeed.

  • 22:38 - Comparison to the Battle of Hoth.

  • 29:18 - Threepio's backseat piloting. (Is there a supercut of C3PO saying "We're doomed" throughout the 9 saga films?)

  • 32:44 - Space slug!

  • 36:59 - Listener quiz! I play something; you tell me where it appears in the film.

  • 44:31 - Glissando lizard and other Ben Burtt Dagobah creations.

  • 51:31 - The Wildlife of Star Wars: A Field Guide.

  • 56:53 - Yoda's words and syntax.

  • 57:53 - Start of tangent (Yoda's teaching style, religious feelings, the Force, the Dark Side, the devil, temptation, mental health, discipline, curiosity, Darth Sidious, attachment, institutions).

  • 1:23:27 - End of tangent.

  • 1:23:46 - Artoo's vibe check.

  • 1:26:10 - Cue 6M5/7M1 "Magic Tree"

  • 1:36:01 - A specific clarinet tone.

  • 1:37:45 - "Mariiiiia."

  • 1:43:47 - Magic Tree waveform (visual).

  • 1:50:39 - Dark Side motif. Flute grace note melody.

  • 1:55:23 - New layers of animal sounds.

  • 2:06:00 - Raiders of the Lost Ark comparison.sunk

  • 2:12:56 - Synthesizer. (Btw, this is not the first appearance of a synth; there was one in last week's minutes too.)

  • 2:25:54 - Visual aid (transcription of repeated string cells).

  • 2:32:29 - Why was the synth used? Musings about the limitations of acoustically amplified orchestral instruments.

  • 2:36:55 - Cave visions are the best part of Star Wars.

  • 2:43:47 - Comparisons to The Last Jedi cave sequence.

  • 2:46:50 - Start of Jedi Fallen Order spoiler.

  • 2:47:43 - End of JFO spoiler.

  • 2:57:44 - Spooky insecurities.

  • 3:03:45 - Vergences in the Force, magnets, sourdough.

  • 3:06:10 - Molecular people ??? Help plz. 🙏🏼

  • 3:10:32 - Slow frame rate.

  • 3:19:00 - SWMM Questionnaire

Things to Check Out:

Cues:

  • 6M3 "This Is Not A Cave"

  • 6M5/7M1 "The Magic Tree"

Musical Themes:

  • 1a. Main Theme (A Section)

  • 16a. Dark Side (Motif)

  • Sort of 35) Cascading Trumpet Lines

Where are we in the soundtrack?:

  • "Jedi Master Revealed/Mynock Cave"

  • "The Training of a Jedi Knight/The Magic Tree"

  • "The Training Of A Jedi Knight"

  • "The Magic Tree"

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STAR WARS MUSIC MINUTE QUESTIONNAIRE:

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

  • New answer: Colorful, rollercoaster, crosstalk.

  • Solo season answer: Actually close enough. (to John Williams)

  • ANH season answer: California radio voiceovers

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

  • New answer: The various vocal effects used for aliens and glissando lizards. He's like to create a plug-in for a DAW.

  • Solo season answer: How musical notation works in Star Wars. What does Bith notation look like for the Cantina Band? How about Max Rebo's charts? Does he read sheet music or play by ear?

  • ANH season answer: the making of one musical cue from start to finish

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

  • New answer: Looper (composed by Nathan Johnson)

  • Solo season answer: The Village (composed by James Newton Howard)

  • ANH season answer: Knives Out (composed by Nathan Johnson)

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Guest: Ender Smith (of AurekFonts)

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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:

Chrysanthe Tan

Composer / Violinist

www.chrysanthetan.com
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ESB 12: Horror With a Punchline