Why am I analyzing the music to Disney's animated series, Star vs. the Forces of Evil? Over the years watching it, this show has evolved and changed along with the characters but every that goes into each episode along with Brian H. Kim's musical score, always hits the right notes.
Because of the show, I have grown an interest in virtual instrument software and digital audio workstations such as GarageBand and Logic Pro X. Also, I'm now able to see the comparisons and contrasts between different scoring styles of various film and TV composers.
Throughout my blog, alongside mentioning Brian H. Kim and his various styles throughout the show's score, I would often mention three composers that often appear on my musical radar.
John Williams - classical-style composer, known for using leitmotifs (a musical statement/melody representing an idea/character), uses complex and polyphonic textures, such as melody and countermelody at the same time.
Hans Zimmer - modern-style composer, often associated with the use of the D minor musical key, known for using ostinatos which are repeated musical fragments, (even from broken chords, or arpeggios), simple/repeated rhythms, and sometimes the melodies aren't recognizable. However, Zimmer creates many unique soundscapes through is own synthesizer sound creations and sound design alone. That is what Kim is doing with SVTFOE.
Randy Newman - film composer from a pop artist background. An odd choice but I see that he balances between the two composers' styles I mentioned (not intentional). I'm more familiar with his use of mickey-mousing (synchronizing the actions to the screen) and musical onomatopoeia (which instruments imitate an action such as bass drum/timpani hits sounding like a giant's foot steps). If you listen to Newman's music, you often hear motifs/melodic fragments while often providing harmony, texture, rhythm (even when it is an ostinato) to each music cue. For the record, Newman doesn't create musical soundscapes but is more traditional with his choice of a large orchestra.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMEOxlCrMis (Here is a video from Inside the Score as he explains the musical onomatopoeia concept.)
Starting off from the first episode, we will explore each musical cue as Brian H. Kim helps creates Daron Nefcy's magical universe of magic, everyday situations, good vs. evil, comedy and drama, and development from Star Butterfly, Marco Diaz, and all beloved characters on Star vs. the Forces of Evil.
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