Disney theme park historian and analyst Foxxy Hooves of the excellent Passport to Dreams blog is known for her long and very detailed articles on the esoterica of Disney’s theme park design. I always learn something, even on a subject matter I consider myself very… Read More »Main Street U.S.A. Music Lesson
In its latest post, Passport 2 Dreams talks about the music behind one of my favorite attractions – The Matterhorn at Disneyland. Set in the Swiss Alps, the Matterhorn background music is best known for its polka music full of broad accordion playing and, of… Read More »For the first time ever, the complete Matterhorn Background Music Loop
Probably not all too shocking for those who know me: I am a bit of an audiophile. Specifically, I enjoy listening to music from the Disney Parks; after all, they are some of the few places on Earth where your life has beautiful background music wherever you go! From the moment you step into the park until the moment you leave, you are surrounded by some amazing scores and sounds that magically morph as you stroll from one location to the next. After all, Disney is known for the details, and the music composed for the parks is no different. As much thought goes into the themes, instrumentation, and timbres as can be said for details in the architecture, technology, and storytelling goes into the attractions. Unfortunately, many of the musicians who imagineer these aural attractions remain relatively unknown to the majority of park guests. Well, that’s where I’m about to step in.
One of my blogging goals has always been to explore those composers who help create the music, and I decided to start with what is perhaps my favorite pieces of park music: the Future World/Innoventions Area Loop heard in EPCOT. Whether crossing from Mission: Space over to Soarin’, Spaceship Earth over by the Fountain of Nations, or simply stopping to enjoy a Mickey bar and soak in the ambiance of Future World, this is my go-to track whenever I’m looking to take a mental trip back to my happy place. I figured if I was going to start my exploration of the musicians who create the “magic” via background music, it was going to be here, with this loop composed by Russell Brower. The amazing thing is once I discovered Mr. Brower was on Twitter, he was gracious enough to share a bit of his story as well as the story behind this awesome music!
Read More »Getting to know Disney Music Maker Russell Brower
If you visited Disneyland yesterday you probably sensed that something was different, but weren’t immediately sure what it was. Walt Disney knew that sound plays an important role in the total immersion experience that was his new invention – the theme park. He crafted specific… Read More »Disneyland Updates Main Street Soundtrack
Do you make a habit of chatting with strangers? How about someone you’re sitting next to on an airplane for a few hours? Perhaps you should. You never know who you might meet. In this case, Noah met a man he’s calling Mr. Q. Mr.… Read More »Inventing Ambient Sound for Walt Disney World