No mention of the Tron soundtrack ... I guess it didn't "change music" but I really liked her compositions.
It is mentioned in passing.
How Wendy Carlos Changed Music
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Re: How Wendy Carlos Changed Music
#12The Tron score did a wonderful job blending early synth sounds with an orchestral backdrop.
It also has a odd and memorable theme that moves around using augmented triads yet isn't octatonic nor based on a whole-tone scale.
There's also a nice moment at the beginning of the credits-- where the theme previously wandered through harmonies quite rapidly, here it gets anchored to a single key with a fairly lush orchestral accompaniment. Then that leads in to a massive pipe organ solo doing the chromatic version of the theme for a final time, then to more fitting electro-orchestral credits music that cycles chromatically through augmented triads. (I think there's a reference to this music in the NES metroid game somewhere, I think it's Ridley's lair)
Anyhow-- the strange orchestral changes and lyrical melodies are the kind of thing that make you stick around for the credits. It's all very simple in a way, but extremely effective, too.
Contrasting that-- I almost laughed in the new Star Wars movie when at the climax the brass just loudly ascends up root position minor triad. It's like being served a steak with a side of a stick of butter.
Edit: I guess I should have written "spoiler" about the loud arpeggiation of a minor triad in the Star Wars movie.
Re: How Wendy Carlos Changed Music
#13The secret ingredient in Switched on Bach is that it is an outrageously good musical performance. Lots of other synth albums are technology demos, collections of cool sounds. Switched On Bach stands out because Carlos adapted Bach for the medium of the Moog synth, clearly understanding the compositions' underlying gestures, and ensured that those gestures all come through. In some cases, they come through more clearl…
Yes! Exactly! The key thing there is that Carlos is a musician as well.
I think Tomita is another great example of a musician who took material and adapted it for a new medium in really interesting, innovative ways.
Re: How Wendy Carlos Changed Music
#14The Tron score did a wonderful job blending early synth sounds with an orchestral backdrop. It also has a odd and memorable theme that moves around using augmented triads yet isn't octatonic nor based on a whole-tone scale. There's also a nice moment at the beginning of the credits-- where the theme previously wandered through harmonies quite rapidly, here it gets anchored to a single key with a fairly lush orchestra…
You made me really happy with this comment. Tron was a big movie for me in my youth and a big reason why I was drawn to computers and ultimately programming. I also came to love synth and electronic music (Art of Noise etc.) around the same time and have always thought the Tron soundtrack to be amazing, especially the credits track. But I know nothing about music theory, I'm just glad it's good music. Thanks.
I heard as an aside that the London Philharmonic parts of the soundtrack were commissioned and recorded because Disney didn't have confidence that Carlos would finish her work on time (or at all, the relationship was a little strained), and using both was a decision made only afterwards.
Re: How Wendy Carlos Changed Music
#15So, let’s say we offset the gender imbalance in various affected workplaces, by converting 50% of males directly into females through gender dysphoria. Does that solve the problem?
Re: How Wendy Carlos Changed Music
#16Does anyone have an idea why her albums aren't currently available?
Re: How Wendy Carlos Changed Music
#17I still enjoy listening to my Clockwork Orange soundtrack that I got for my 16th birthday. I used to listen to it all the time when doing math homework. Good music for concentration. My fave track being 'Theme from A Clockwork Orange (Beethoviana)'.
I bought the Clockwork Orange soundtrack when I was a teenager, and it took quite some time for me to appreciate _Timesteps_.
(IIRC there are at least two versions of the soundtrack, with various tracks added or missing. Caveat emptor . . . but I cannot find any of Wendy's music online to purchase or stream now anyway).
Re: How Wendy Carlos Changed Music
#18The Tron score did a wonderful job blending early synth sounds with an orchestral backdrop. It also has a odd and memorable theme that moves around using augmented triads yet isn't octatonic nor based on a whole-tone scale. There's also a nice moment at the beginning of the credits-- where the theme previously wandered through harmonies quite rapidly, here it gets anchored to a single key with a fairly lush orchestra…
You made me really happy with this comment. Tron was a big movie for me in my youth and a big reason why I was drawn to computers and ultimately programming. I also came to love synth and electronic music (Art of Noise etc.) around the same time and have always thought the Tron soundtrack to be amazing, especially the credits track. But I know nothing about music theory, I'm just glad it's good music. Thanks. I heard…
You made me really happy with this comment. I have Tron (and Dad's Vic-20 of course) to thank for opening many doors. Boards of Canada, newer music but puts me right back where it all started. Almost like Tron
Re: How Wendy Carlos Changed Music
#19Also a pioneer for the trans community. What a fantastic person.
I just noticed that the album cover refers to her production company as 'Trans-Electronic Music Productions, Inc.' I guess 'trans' was a term in the 60s, but not likely that many listeners realized the significance.
Re: How Wendy Carlos Changed Music
#20This article mentions Carlos's collaborations with Kubrick. She actually composed a full score for The Shining, but the director ended up using only parts of it. [0] Instead, he used existing pieces by other contemporary classical (acoustic) composers. Carlos's influence on music was huge, as this article points out, but Kubrick's eventual choice of music for The Shining has also gone on to influence horror movie scores since then. To this day, many emulate the sounds of Bartok, Ligeti, and Penderecki.