Pandora Podcast Series

Drum Feels (With Hi-Hat and Snare)

Tue, 24 Jun 2008 00:33:13 -0800

Tiny changes in a drummer's playing can create dramatic shifts in a song's feel. Pandora dance music analyst and session drummer Jeff Anthony gets into his trick bag to show some of the little variations he throws in to boost a song's energy going into the chorus. He also breaks down the difference between the two-handed Britpop hi-hat style and the looser, one-handed Yankee hi-hat style. The audio on the outro, by the way, is from a session Jeff played on -- an album for singer-songwriter Stephen Ashbrook. (8 mins.)

Melodic Construction: Pitch and Contour

Wed, 11 Jun 2008 04:41:04 -0800

Melody is so central to much of the music we love. This week, singer and composer Melody Parker stops by to describe how pitches can be strung together to form a melody, and the ways in which a melody can quickly burst out, slowly develop, or gradually expand over the course of a whole section. There's a delicate art at play in the placement of pitches, from the use of motives in a sequence to the deployment of broad leaps and arpeggi. (10 mins.)

On the next page, check out clips from brilliantly composed songs that employ different melodic techniques, and hear for yourself how scalar motion can increase catchiness, how a line can be monotonous without being boring, and how simple motives can sound rich and full.

Types of Metal

Wed, 28 May 2008 00:01:36 -0800

WARNING: this episode is not for the faint of heart. We tear into the gristle, meat and grisly bones of Metal on this one. Our guests are guitarist Ava Mendoza, bassist Kurt Kotheimer and drummer Weasel Walter, and they show us the musical components of various metal genres: grindcore, metalcore, black metal, death metal, thrash, hair metal, and more. If you've ever wondered about the dark side but were too afraid to ask, dive in here and get your hands dirty. (12 mins.)

Drum Feels (With Toms and Kick)

Wed, 07 May 2008 10:25:28 -0800

When it comes to arranging a song, the drum parts selected for verses, choruses and bridges are crucial. Session drummer and Pandora music analyst Jeff Anthony shows us ways that he uses his toms and kick drum to create these variations. Among the styles he gets into: a kick-heavy sixteenth note part; a spacious, rolling pattern meant to accompany a guitar drone; a syncopated and anticipated style suitable for a lively R&B track in the vein of Earth Wind & Fire; a track that accelerates to push the chorus. (10 mins.)

Metric Modulation

Wed, 23 Apr 2008 00:36:48 -0800

Don't let the technical name throw you off -- metric modulation is something you will be able to hear very clearly. Pandora dance music captain Chris Horgan from Beatropolis comes by to show how tempos (tempi) can change on a dime, with the use of subdivided beats. Speeding up and slowing down are not the only ways to jump from BPM to BPM, as you will soon hear. (10 mins.)

Building A Song From The Ground Up

Tue, 08 Apr 2008 16:36:45 -0800

It's been said that writing about music is like dancing about architecture. If that is true, then let's look at the recording studio as if it's an architect's drafting table. Pandora music analyst Scott Pinkmountain pulls apart a song brick by brick, and we hear the thought processes that informed his decisions. From the drummer's British-style swing to the method they used to alter the piano's tone with a tissue box, we hear how "You Gave Me This" was constructed, layer by layer. (10 mins.)

Strings

Mon, 31 Mar 2008 04:04:12 -0800

Johnny, rosin up your bow. Guest host Samantha Grant welcomes Pandora music analysts Alan L. Lin and Yair Evnine. Alan, a violinist, and Yair, a cellist, give us a primer on string theory as it relates to legato and staccato, arco and pizzicato, and other aspects of bowing and plucking in both the classical and pop (singer-songwriter) realms. (9 mins.)

In addition to their work as performing musicians, Alan and Yair have both spent a lot of time analyzing music for the Music Genome Project. You can hear songs that both of them have analyzed on your Pandora stations.

Index of Musical Terms

Tue, 25 Mar 2008 10:47:27 -0800

We had a recent listener request for an index of terms. As the old saying goes, your wish is our command: Here it is. It's an alphabetized index, built to let you scroll through and select episodes based on the musical concepts addressed. This is an ever-evolving site, so please remember that your suggestions are always welcome, and always listened to.

Elsewhere on Pandora, you can see our video coverage of the South By Southwest music festival in Austin, TX. That main video site will feature a new video every Wednesday, so keep tuning in and we'll keep showing you intriguing corners of the music universe. Thanks for spending time with us.

The Trumpet

Wed, 05 Mar 2008 04:14:16 -0800

Time to warm up your mouthpieces, empty your spit valves, and get your brass on. Composer and Pandora music analyst Gene V. Baker shows the ranges, tones and techniques of trumpet and cornet. We look at how partials allow multiple notes to come from the same finger position, and show ways to get different timbres and effects. Jen Baker, Gene's bandmate in the R&B Freejazz Gospel Supreme 80, drops in to play some trombone for us as well. (10 mins.)

Our New Season Begins Wednesday, March 5th

Mon, 04 Feb 2008 12:23:27 -0800

I am pleased to announce that the new season of "Pandora Presents..." begins on Wednesday, the 5th of March.

In the meantime, we really need to build up our subscriber numbers. These are FREE subscriptions, and will continue to be free, but our sponsors need to see that there is interest in these original shows.

Please encourage your friends to subscribe, eh? It costs them nothing, but justifies our production budget.

In the meantime, the 30 shows from 2007 are all available for streaming or for download.

And while I have your attention:

What would you like to see me do differently? How can I improve our shows?

Peace,
Kevin

The Blues Scale

Wed, 19 Dec 2007 00:58:16 -0800

Modern American popular music all traces back to the blues in one way or another. Guitarist and Pandora senior music analyst Bob Coons swings by the studio to talk about the blues scale, a six-note (heptonic) sequence of tones that appears in countless tracks. It's a scale that changes the feel of any song in which it appears. We show how the scale is fluid, with bending pitches and blue notes, and Bob plays some blues-inspired passages to show this scale in action.

Hop onto this link here to see images of string bends, to hear examples of songs that feature the scale, and for some great blues stations.

2008 Topics for the Musicology Show

Wed, 12 Dec 2007 14:15:32 -0800

We are gearing up for a new season of the Musicology Show. Thanks again for subscribing and supporting the show. Each fortnight in 2008, host Kevin Seal will welcome a new guest and tackle a different aspect of music production and composition. New shows will continue to pop up every other Wednesday.

We would love to hear which of these topics are of the most interest to you. Over the course of the year, we won't have time to hit even half of these 63 concepts. We bring this question to you, our beloved listener: what would you like to dive into with us? We are all ears.

Holiday Music

Wed, 21 Nov 2007 16:02:01 -0800

'Tis the season: snow, jingling bells in swing time, and choirs aplenty. Acoustic guitarist and Pandora music analyst Todd Haemmerle comes in to talk about holiday music with host Kevin Seal. They look at the swing origin of much modern Christmas music, talk about minor and major tonality in carols, and get into word painting and vocalizing. Did you realize that the "NFL on Fox" theme is really a line from "Sleigh Ride"?

Click here to hear and see more, and for some Holiday Music stations.

Word Choice In Lyrics

Wed, 07 Nov 2007 17:42:39 -0800

Why do those specific words in the song move you so much? What is it about that turn of phrase or that one vivid image that speaks directly to you? Pandora music curator Michael Zapruder and host Kevin Seal talk about touch, smell, and taste imagery in songs -- there's more out there than just "Savoy Truffle," "Incense and Peppermints," and "Lips Like Sugar." They also get into the idea of timeless language vs. time-specific language, and look at the ways in which new and modern words can alter a song's feel.

On the next page, hear the songs themselves.

Singing Intervals

Wed, 17 Oct 2007 10:26:53 -0800

More about singing! Picture this: you're sitting on a plane, and a melody pops into your head. You want to remember this melody, but you have no instrument on which to pluck out the pitches. Your piano, unfortunately, exceeded the size limitations for carry-on luggage. What do you do? How do you keep from forgetting the melody? If you know your intervals, then you can write melodies anywhere, spilling those lovely songs directly from your brain to the cocktail napkin. Pandora music analyst and songwriter Melody Parker joins host Kevin Seal to sing intervals for you, and they give you a cheat sheet of well-known songs that use those intervals. (10 mins.)

On the next page, see a list of the intervals, with handy song references to help you remember those spans. We've also drawn on a photo of a piano keyboard, to show you how far these intervals range from a C.

Electronic Dance Music, Part II

Sat, 15 Sep 2007 00:02:11 -0800

Pandora's Dance Music Genome teacher Chris Horgan continues his talk about electronica with host Kevin Seal. (If you haven't heard Part I of this show, you should start there.) This time, the DJs are spinning Breakbeat, Drum and Bass, and Downtempo. Chris and Kevin count out the tempos and beat patterns used in these styles, discuss the chill-room settings that helped Trip Hop flourish, and shine a light on the beat pioneers who innovated in these genres. (10 mins.)

Click the "Continue reading" button below to hear examples of these specific styles, and to see the musical terms we discuss in the episode.

Meters & Time Signatures

Wed, 05 Sep 2007 00:43:56 -0800

Much of the music we love exists in four-beat measures. Why is this? Why is 4/4 so natural? What happens when you don't have four beats in each bar? Host Kevin Seal and Pandora music analyst Adam Blum talk about signatures and meter, with musical illustrations played by drummer Jeff Anthony. They visit the land of the waltz, and look at ways that a smartly-written drum part can make 5/4 and 7/4 feel natural and inconspicuous. (11 mins.)

Click the "Continue reading" button below to see illustrations of odd-metered measures, and to hear examples of different time signatures in songs by the Beatles, R.E.M., Pink Floyd, Radiohead and Nine Inch Nails.

Synthesis

Wed, 22 Aug 2007 00:28:42 -0800

How does a synthesizer shape soundwaves to emulate the sounds of bells or helicopters or organs? Pandora's Music Operations Manager Steve Hogan joins host Kevin Seal to look at how a basic square wave or sine wave can twist and morph. They break down the Attack-Decay-Sustain-Release model of synthesis, and show how to sculpt some sounds that go from beeping to birdsong, and from white noise to whistling. (10 mins.)

Click the "Continue reading" button below to see the shapes of the actual soundwaves, and to hear clips of analog synths being used in everything from the Monkees to Kraftwerk to the Killers and the Rapture to Dr. Dre's productions.

Quiet & Loud

Wed, 08 Aug 2007 00:02:38 -0800

Marimbist Matt Cannon meets up with host Kevin Seal to dive into quiet and loud, soft to screaming, gentle to gigantic, whispered to wailing, and the other ways one can describe the spectrum of dynamics. Matt shows how marimba is especially well-suited to dynamic playing, and the two gents show how pianissimo, fortissimo, and all points in between are employed in different kinds of music. (11 mins.)

Click the "Continue reading" button below to hear examples of dynamics in the works of Radiohead, Bjork, Shirley Bassey, Sinead O'Connor, Sunny Day Real Estate and more, and to see photos of Matt at the marimba.

Three Chords

Wed, 25 Jul 2007 00:49:17 -0800

Classical Music Analyst Russell Johnson and host Kevin Seal talk about the harmonic primary colors. The chordal holy trinity. The triad of triads. In other words, they break down the three chords you hear most in blues, rock, country, and folk, which are the I-IV-V: the tonic, the subdominant, and the dominant. Find out why the rock mantra of "three chords and the truth" is so prevalent (and yep, it's these three chords they're talking about), and hear how these chords work together to create tension and resolution. (10 mins.)

On the continuation page, listen to songs that share these chords, and see a list of the musical terms defined in this podcast.

Hip Hop Rhyme Schemes

Wed, 11 Jul 2007 00:01:06 -0800

When he's not at Pandora analyzing songs for the Music Genome Project, Darian Gray is performing with his live hip-hop band, Dynamic, and at those shows he drums and raps at the same time. In this episode, Darian and I discuss the ways that rhyming cadences have evolved from the early days of old-school hip hop to today. We show how rappers have developed greater complexity and irregular line breaks, and give credit to some of the great lyricists who innovated with their unique approaches to rhythm. (11 min.)

On the next page, listen to samples of different flows that hit these cadences, and see a list of the musical terms defined in this podcast.

The Guitar Riff

Wed, 27 Jun 2007 00:05:02 -0800

There is a science at work in the construction of a riff, and in this episode we peer over the shoulder of guitar shredder Will Redmond as he designs some blueprints for guitarchitecture. Will and Kevin go into the subtle distinctions that have given great riffs to the legendary guitarists -- the anticipation of Angus Young, the patience and pull of Tony Iommi, the chromaticism of Jimmy Page, the muted riffing of Tool's Adam Jones, and more. (11 min.)

Click the "Continue reading" button below to hear both classic and modern riffs in these styles, and to see Will demonstrate natural harmonics, tapping techniques and more.

Percussion Without Borders

Wed, 13 Jun 2007 00:16:09 -0800

We look at the global cross-pollination of rhythm, as percussionist Sameer Gupta joins host Kevin Seal in the studio. They look at different ways in which percussion instruments and their beat patterns can evoke cultural references -- from tabla in Indian classical music, to a Brazilian samba beat, to gongs in Indonesian gamelan, to a swinging drumset sound in African-American jazz. (9 mins.)

Click the "Continue reading" button below to hear examples of these specific styles, and to see the musical terms we discuss in the episode.

Electronic Dance Music, Part I

Wed, 30 May 2007 00:01:05 -0800

Our podcast series makes its first foray into electronica, as host Kevin Seal welcomes Dance Music Genome teacher Chris Horgan. Chris programs beats, does production, and plays live drums for the downtempo group Beatropolis. They will talk about the stylistic elements that help define House, Trance, and Techno, explore the music's roots in disco, minimalism, and Ghanaian drumming patterns, and explain how dance music is experienced vertically, not horizontally. (11 mins.)

Click the "Continue reading" button below to hear examples of these specific styles, and to see the musical terms we discuss in the episode. When you're finished, be sure to check out Part II of this show.

Mixing Vocals

Wed, 16 May 2007 00:37:45 -0800

Host Kevin Seal welcomes back soul singer and songwriter Ariah Firefly, and she demonstrates some of the techniques she uses in the mixing studio after her voice is recorded. We look at de-essing, self-doubling, robotic track-cloning, and the vocoder, and talk about their appearances in the works of different recording artists. Ariah also delves into the various reverb settings at her disposal, which can place her voice in a small room or a huge theater (10 mins.)

Click the "Continue reading" button below to hear how these effects are used in songs by Madonna, Liz Phair, 2Pac and Bjork, and to see the musical terms we discuss in the episode.

Major & Minor

Wed, 02 May 2007 00:05:15 -0800

Like the alpha and omega, or the proton and electron, major and minor are the polar centers of music. Some music tends toward the major (country), other styles tend toward the minor (hardcore), but most music plays between those tonal poles. In Episode 11, Scott Pinkmountain of P.A.F. and Pink Mountain demonstrates the push and pull of major and minor chords, and re-harmonizes one of his own songs to be fully minor, fully major, and fully ambiguous. We also talk about how the Romantic composers used parallel keys to create moments in which "the ground just falls from below you and you're instantly in another world." (10 min.)

Click the "Continue reading" button below to see illustrations of relative minor displayed on a piano keyboard, and to hear songs by Neil Young, the Police, David Bowie, and Howie Day that use parallel key and other major-to-minor flavorings.

Song Lyrics

Wed, 18 Apr 2007 02:04:52 -0800

Many listeners have requested a show about lyrics, and in Episode Ten, we step up to the plate. Pandora's music curator, Michael Zapruder, talks with host Kevin Seal about ways that words intersect with melodies. They play examples showing how complex music often calls for simpler language, and vice versa. After touching on devices that writers like Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan and Leonard Cohen have used in their literary lyrics, they explore how character studies and personae have appeared in the songs of Randy Newman, the Kinks and Ice-T. (10 min.)

Click the "Continue reading" button below to hear examples of great songs with words, and to chat with Michael and Kevin about your favorite or least-favorite lyrics.

Upright Bass

Wed, 04 Apr 2007 00:52:05 -0800

Pandora Podcast Nine catches up with Seth Ford-Young and his standup acoustic bass. You can hear Seth's upright playing on the latest Tom Waits album, Orphans. In this show, he and Kevin Seal talk about arpeggiated bass lines, bowed bass, and how to get percussive sounds by smacking the strings. They also talk about how bassists choose their notes when improvising a walking bass line in jazz or blues. So much variety can be plucked out of just those four strings. (10 min.)

Click through to the next page to hear bass examples in rock, jazz, swing, pop, R&B and punk. Also see Seth demonstrate arco and pizzicato techniques, and view a list of the musical terms discussed in the episode.

Reggae, Ska, Rocksteady and Dub

Wed, 21 Mar 2007 00:49:22 -0800

In episode eight, the Soul Captives show host Kevin Seal how to bubble and skank. They lay out the differences between bluebeat, ska, rocksteady, early reggae, roots reggae, and dub, while providing historical context. Guitarist and Pandora engineer Vic Wong mixes a live dub session for us, after he and organist (and pianist and Pandora music analyst) Ray Jacildo, drummer Jayme Arredondo, and bassist Mark Allen-Piccolo (pictured) perform in a variety of Jamaican rhythmic feels. (10 min.)

Click through to the next page to hear examples from the original Jamaican artists, to see session photos, and to view the lingo and slang talked about in the episode.

Pedal Point

Wed, 07 Mar 2007 00:28:47 -0800

In the seventh installment of our podcast, host Kevin Seal talks with Pandora music analyst Michelle Alexander about pedal point. Michelle and Kevin perform live examples, and explore the ways that composers from Beethoven to Pete Townshend to Prince have used this technique to build tension, create drama, or establish a feeling of triumph and joy. Take a peek under the hood with us and listen to Pedal Point (9 mins.)

On the next page, you can check out the audio examples, see the musical terms we're talking about, and check out session photos and other images of slash chords and organ pedals.

Drums and Drumming, Part II

Wed, 21 Feb 2007 05:01:30 -0800

Back by popular demand, session drummer and Pandora music analyst Jeff Anthony joins host Kevin Seal to look at swing and shuffle, and how those are applied in country, blues, jazz and reggae (8 mins.)

This episode works best if you've heard "Drums and Drumming, Pt. I," so you may want a quick refresher.

On the next page, see a list of the musical terms discussed in this episode, check out pictures of Jeff's stick and brush techniques, and listen to audio examples from classic songs with these kinds of beats.

Elements of Salsa

Wed, 07 Feb 2007 05:58:48 -0800

Pandora music analyst, trumpeter and bandleader Marina Garza of Orquesta D'Soul comes in to talk about salsa music in Episode Five. She and Kevin are joined by Orquesta D'Soul's bassist Mike Lazarus, pianist Jason Moen and percussionist Patricio Angulo (on timbales, bells and congas). They break down the different percussive patterns played in mambo and salsa, look into the music's Cuban roots in cha and son, and show the 2:3 and 3:2 son clave patterns that form the backbone of the groove. (9 mins.)

On the next page, see a list of the musical terms defined in this podcast, and listen to classic and modern songs that demonstrate the different salsa rides.

Recording Vocals

Wed, 24 Jan 2007 11:56:20 -0800

Neo-soul chanteuse Ariah Firefly appears for the fourth episode in Pandora's podcast series, and she and host Kevin Seal explore the recording of vocals. They talk about natural reverb, plosives, and background vocalizing, and compare condenser and dynamic microphones. They also discuss proper mic technique, and the different pattern settings that change a microphone's sound. (8 mins.)

On the next page, see a list of the musical terms defined in this podcast, check out pictures of Ariah recording her vocals, and listen to examples from famous singers that demonstrate the ways they use the studio to their advantage.

Electric Guitar Effects

Wed, 10 Jan 2007 15:11:44 -0800

The third episode in Pandora's podcast series demonstrates how pedal-board trickery makes for distinctive guitar styles. Host Kevin Seal talks with Pandora music analyst Patrick Greene about the tremolo of Dick Dale's surf guitar, the distortion of Jimi Hendrix, the wah-wah of the funk masters, and the delay of U2's the Edge. (9 mins.)

On the next page, see a list of the musical terms discussed in this podcast, check out pictures of Patrick kicking his stompboxes, and listen to examples from well-known songs that feature these effects.

Drums and Drumming, Part I

Fri, 15 Dec 2006 15:00:36 -0800

The second edition of our music series explores drum grooves and the techniques drummers use to get "that sound." Pandora's host Kevin Seal and Pandora music analyst Jeff Anthony show how a basic backbeat can go from disco to hard rock with the subtlest of changes. Learn how drummers use the kick drum, snare and hi-hat to make a groove really groove. (8 mins.)

On the next page, see a list of the musical terms defined in this podcast, check out pictures of Jeff demonstrating his rhythmic techniques and listen to examples from well-known songs and famous drummers. Also, be sure to check out the second half of this show, "Drums and Drumming, Part II."

The Basics of Vocal Harmony

Tue, 14 Nov 2006 13:45:17 -0800

In the first installment of our podcast, Pandora music analyst Kevin Seal (of Griddle) works with Greg and Kelly from the San Francisco band 20 Minute Loop to lead you through the basics of vocal harmony: tutti harmony, unison singing, parallel and contrary motion, call and response and more. Take a peek under the hood with us and listen to the Basics of Vocal Harmony (9 mins.)

Once you've listened to the podcast, you might want to check out the vocal harmony examples on the next page to further hone your expertise.

2007 Pandora Podcast Schedule

Wed, 01 Nov 2006 11:42:56 -0800

Starting in January 2007, the Pandora Podcast Series will feature a new episode every other Wednesday. Each fortnight, host Kevin Seal will welcome a new guest and tackle a different aspect of music production and composition.

On the next page, click to see the current list of shows scheduled for the 2007 season. Your suggestions are welcome and encouraged.

Music Played For Our "Pandora Everywhere Platform" Event

Tue, 23 May 2006 16:43:56 -0800

We at Pandora would like to take an opportunity to thank the artists who gave us permission to play their recordings during the party for the new Pandora Everywhere Platform. Please check out the songs and pages linked below to learn more about these artists.