Can any music experts explain to me why the TNG theme is so good? (lemmy.ml)

submitted 1 year ago by maegul@lemmy.ml to c/startrek@startrek.website

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There's something about the TNG theme (played during the opening credits) that seems unique and special to my ear. But I don't know about music and orchestral production to make sense of it.

It sounds to me like the mix or maybe arrangement is somewhat unusual, even compared to other TNG era star trek themes. It seems to have a brightness and sheen to its tones that are almost synth like (??) But also the arrangement seems to hit some sweet sci-fi spot, like the way strings and trumpets with oboes/clarinets underneath (??) all mix together? Or is the chords that are played some where?

I don't know, but I've always thought it had a sheen and sparkle that almost sounds like star trek (or at least TNG star trek).

Anyone else notice something similar? Anyone know what's going on?

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[-] Someology@lemmy.world 13 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

TL;DR: It's the only symphonic march. Loads of brass chord progressions.

Because Jerry Goldsmith did a great orchestral arrangement riffing on the old sci-fi 60s style theme. He made it very grand with Symphonic March style and the layered horn/trumpet progressions. It is a revision of what he had previously written for Star Trek: The Motion Picture, which might also be part of why it's a March. So, if we look at the styles of a bunch of the the themes:

TOS: fast 60s vocal arrangement
TNG: symphonic march with cascading brass/french horn progressions
DS9: Slower non-march style of symphonic theme
VOY: Slower grand/inspiring symphonic theme
ENT: Well, it's a pop song.
DISC: Very moody/pensive slow start, growing slowly to a note of inspiration.
PIC: Similar to DISC with a very slow/moody start. Lots of melancholy layering.
SNW: Almost between a march and mini overture in feel, but without all those cascading horn progressions that TNG had.

this post was submitted on 11 Jul 2023

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