Sound Field

2. Why Does Sarah McLachlan’s “Angel” Sound So Sad?

It only takes a few notes of Sarah MacLachlan’s “Angel” over images of homeless dogs and cats to trigger our tear ducts. Heartbreaking visuals aside, what makes the song itself so sad? What is it musically about a song that makes it sound sad? Hosts Nahre Sol and LA Buckner hear from experts and break down the components of sad-sounding music, creating their own somber composition.

3. How Trap Music Took Over

Hi-hats. That blazing fast sound is everywhere—pop, reggaeton, country—and hi-hats are essential in trap music. Where exactly did trap music come from and how did it become a part of so many other musical styles? Hosts LA Buckner and Nahre Sol explore the genre's roots and make their own original beat inspired by the trap sound.

4. Music from the Golden Ratio and Fibonacci Sequence

Since the beginning of time Phi—also known as the golden ratio—has inspired the world around us. Have you ever noticed how some pieces of music just seem to make sense? From the notes and chords to the phrasing and dynamics, they can all feel like they were meant to go together. Many people believe this is not a coincidence but the golden ratio in action.

5. The Metal Scream: From Nordic Vikings to Black Sabbath

Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin were some of the first bands to perform the metal scream, but the origin of screaming in music actually goes back a lot further to the Nordic Vikings.

6. Is This Even Music? John Cage, Schoenberg and Outsider Artis

What is music? From John Cage to Legendary Stardust Cowboy, avant-garde artists have forever been pushing on the edges of what is considered music. Composers like Arnold Schoenberg, Harry Partch and outsider musicians like The Shaggs are constantly changing music.

7. Pitch Shifting in Music: From Chipmunks to Kanye

Have you heard the conspiracy theory that Nicki Minaj songs are just Jay-Z pitched up? Well that may not be true, but changing the pitch of their songs can create a hilarious effect. LA Buckner and Nahre Sol explore the history of how pitch shifting has been used in music for artistic results, from Alvin and the Chipmunks to T-pain.

8. How The Exorcist Changed the Sound of Horror

Why do so many horror film scores today sound similar to The Exorcist from 1973? A lot of that is thanks to Krzysztof Penderecki, a Polish composer whose music was used by director William Friedkin to score The Exorcist. Penderecki's music can be heard in the works of Stanley Kubrick and David Lynch, and has even inspired the scores of modern horror films such as Bird Box.

9. How Kacey Musgraves Changed Country With "Golden Hour"

Kacey Musgraves won the Album of the Year award at the 2019 Grammys, becoming only the 4th country album to ever win that award. Two of the producers of the album, Ian Fitchuk and Daniel Tashian, talk to us about how they and Kacey were able to make such a crossover success.

10. From Mozart to Weird Al: The Evolution of Parody

"Weird Al" Yankovic might be the first person to come to mind when you think of parody music, but did you know that composers like Bach, Mozart, and Satie have been parodying each other's work for centuries?

11. What Is the Spotify Sound?

Streaming services like Spotify are changing more than the way we listen to music - they are actually changing the way music is written.

12. The Magic Formula Behind Disney Music

The songs of Disney musicals do more work than you might think. Under all that fairy dust and sparkle, there are techniques songwriters use to make sure Disney musicals keep the story moving. LA Buckner and Nahre Sol unlock the magic of Disney musicals and with the help of Alexandra Smither, try to write the next Disney hit song.

13. How Classical, R&B, and Jazz Musicians Play Differently

Adam Neely joined LA and Nahre in the studio for an improvised jam session. Adam comes from a jazz and rock background, while Nahre comes from a classical background, and LA comes from a gospel and r&b background. Together they talk about the differences in how they approach music.

14. Ballroom: The Sound of NYC’s Underground Vogue Scene

You’re probably familiar with New York’s underground ballroom scene through Madonna’s Vogue or films like Paris is Burning. This subculture has been recognized for creating the inventive dance style voguing, but they’ve also created a music genre that’s all their own.

15. Are Three 6 Mafia the Godfathers of Modern Rap?

Three 6 Mafia are a Memphis based group that created the building blocks for the trap sound. Though trap music came from Atlanta, the sound originates from other earlier down south hip-hop genres like crunk, miami bass, bounce, and chopped & screwed. Nahre and LA explore how Three 6 Mafia's sound influences modern rap music and later make their own crunk inspired beat.

16. Where did Goth Music and Fashion Come From?

Today goth is a subculture popularized by movies like the Addams Family or the fashion of Billie Eillish, but where did this scene originate? Many agree that the sound of goth rock came from post punk in the late 1970's with bands like Siouxsie and the Banshees, Bauhaus and Joy Division. Nahre and LA put on their dark clothes, discover the true roots to goth music and fashion.

17. It's Time to Rethink the Banjo

The banjo was, at one time, the most popular instrument in America, with tens of thousands manufactured and sold between 1910 and 1930. Nahre talks to Béla Fleck and Abigail Washburn to discover the origins of the banjo as an African and Middle Eastern instrument.

18. What Do Billboard Hit Songs Have in Common?

We broke down every song in the Billboard top five from the last two years and found some interesting trends. LA and Nahre try to write the next Billboard chart-topper with the help of Singer/Songwriter Tinzo and a whole lotta stats.

19. How to Get a 10/10 on The Needle Drop

For our episode on music criticism we spoke to Anthony Fantano of The Needle Drop about the purpose of music criticism in today's digital world. We also broke down how to get a 10/10 from The Needle Drop by breaking down 7 qualities he gives praise to in each of his 10/10 reviews. Lastly, LA, Nahre, and Fantano flip the script and create their own song for you to review in the comments.

20. What Does Electric Pow Wow Sound Like?

Canadian DJ collective A Tribe Called Red combine Native American drum circle sounds with electronic music to create Electric Pow wow. Nahre Sol travels to Toronto to meet A Tribe Called Red to learn how they blend native sounds and electronic music. LA Buckner meets with Iron Boy drum circle in Minnesota to watch a live performance and learn about their sound.

21. Is Blues the Mother of All Modern Music?

We explore where the blues came from and how it went on to influence many modern genres of music. From Delta Blues pioneers like Robert Johnson and Son House to Chicago Blues icons like Muddy Waters and B.B. King. We breakdown how this genre can be heard in everything from heavy metal to country music. Later Nahre and LA take the elements of the blues to create their own unique track.

22. What Makes Black Gospel Musicians So Skilled?

LA and Nahre travel to Chicago, the birthplace of gospel music. There they meet gospel artist, Donald Lawrence and LA introduces Nahre to drum shed culture at a shed session on the south side. Later LA travels to Orlando to meet singer Tye Tribbett at his church. They talk about the shared exchange between secular and non secular music.

23. Why Don't Classical Musicians Improvise?

Bach, Mozart, Clara Schumann and Chopin all improvised as part of their performances. Today, classical musicians rarely improvise. So what changed? Nahre Sol and LA Buckner improvise together while talking about the reasons why classical musicians no longer improvise. It's one big jam, that ends with tips on how to improvise better in your own playing.

24. Bachata: Why You’re Hearing This Dominican Rhythm Everywhere

Bachata music comes from the Dominican Republic in the 1960's but thanks to newer acts like Romeo Santos and Aventura, has blown up internationally. We visited the Mexican-American band La Santa Cecilia to learn how they mix latin genres with pop and rock. Join Nahre in learning about this distinctly latin rhythm as she attempts to create her own bachata fusion song.

25. Where is the Funk? How Prince Created the Minneapolis Sound

The electro-funk style known as the Minneapolis Sound took over pop music in the 1980s and 90s. LA is in Minneapolis to meet with Jellybean Johnson of the Minneapolis Sound pioneering band, The Time, to find out how Prince and artists like Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis developed the sound. Jellybean also helps LA create his own Minneapolis-style original composition.

26. Why K-Pop Is More Complex Than You Think

K-Pop has become a global phenomenon. While K-Pop may seem like traditional pop music, it's actually more complex. It borrows from a variety of genres like R&B, EDM, and Hip-Hop while maintaining it's own distinct sound. Nahre Sol investigates why K-Pop is different from other styles of Pop music, speaks to K-Pop producer and songwriter David Amber and attempts to create her own K-Pop track.

27. Wait... Where Did Dubstep Go?

Dubstep came from UK garage music in the 90's, influenced by the syncopation of 2-step and the bass and reverb of Jamaican dub. What started off in London as an underground scene, became the soundtrack for popculture in the 2010's. So how did dubstep become mainstream, and where did it go? LA Buckner researches the roots of dubstep. Everything from Skrillex to Skream, Benga, and Burial.

28. What It's Like Busking in the NYC Subway

Busking, also called street performance, is the act of playing in public for donations. The tradition goes back to ancient history and has launched the careers of artists Robin Williams, Ed Sheeran, and Sheryl Crow. Nahre Sol visits the amazing musicians of the New York City subway to learn about why they busk. Later she gets tips from the pro buskers and attempts busking herself with her friend.

29. How To Make a Living as a Drummer with LA Buckner

LA Buckner is the host of Sound Field but also a professional drummer, producer, and teacher. LA tells us about his musical journey from drumming at 3-years-old to performing for audiences of 8,000. We visit LA at his church in Minneapolis, and even sit in on one of his music lessons with a young student.

30. Nahre Sol: How I Became a Classical Pianist and Youtuber

Nahre Sol is the host of Sound Field but is also known worldwide as a classically trained pianist and composer. As a soloist and chamber musician she has played across North America and Europe, and she teaches piano and music genres on her own YouTube channel. In this interview, she answers viewer submitted questions. She also shows us where she practices and gives us a behind the scenes tour.

31. Is Indie a Music Genre?

Independent, or "Indie" music, has a broad definition that can be applied across genres and regions. So what makes indie music indie? LA Buckner interviews Quinn Christopherson, an up-and-coming indie musician in Anchorage, Alaska and 2019 NPR Tiny Desk Contest winner, about what it's like to create DIY music. Together they create their own indie song that you can hear at the end of the video.

32. How Charlie Parker Changed Jazz Forever

LA Buckner spotlights the innovative style of Kansas City's own Charlie “Bird” Parker — a legendary jazz musician who has influenced many of today's genres and helped develop the genre bebop. LA interviews jazz saxophonist Bobby Watson and sound archive director Chuck Haddix while tracking down Parker’s influence on bebop, jazz and the rest of the musical world.