Intro to Galactic Popular Music

Table of Contents

Section 1: Introduction to the Course

Section 2: Popular Music Styles

Section 3: Instrumentation and Orchestration

Section 4: Prominent Figures

Section 5: Listening Guide

Section 6: Credits

Section 1: Introduction to the Course

As the Empire continues to spread peace on order in the galaxy, it is incumbent upon us all to understand the cultures of those we seek to protect. Grand Admiral Thrawn has been quoted as saying “Learn about art, Captain. When you understand a species’ art, you understand the species.”

Music is defined as “The art of arranging sounds in time so as to produce a continuous, unified, and evocative composition, as through melody, harmony, rhythm, and timbre.” Throughout the galaxy, nearly every intelligent species has been observed as having some semblance of expression that can only be described as music. Though not all of it is pleasing, or even perceptible, to species outside their own. This course will serve as an introduction to some of the more universally enjoyed “arrangements of sounds in time”.

Figure 1. Palandag trio of Jhat, Dhuz, and Hhex, playing on their f’nonc horns.

Section 2: Popular Music Styles

Jatz – Dating back to approximately 4,000 BBY and still popular today, jatz is one of the more enduring styles of dance music. Jatz is typically characterized as incorporating smooth, bass-heavy instrumentals.

Jizz – This genre of music was popularized by the Bith culture and is characterized as having upbeat, swinging melodies. So pervasive and ubiquitous was jizz music, that it ended up spawning many sub-genres like jizz-wail, Wroonian blues, gliz, Tatooine blues, and aubade. Jizz is considered by some to be tangentially related to jatz.

Figure 2. Max Rebo Band concert poster.

Heavy Isotope – Born of the boroughs of Coruscant’s Slum District G17 This music was unofficially adopted as the theme of the death stick culture during the years up to and including the Clone Wars. This music was loud with its rhythms closely mimicking that of the human heartbeat.

Glimmik – Glimmik is a music genre known for its “loud, frenetic sound and thumping beat.” Popular with racers and those living high-energy lifestyles (particularly non-humans), glimmik, while similar to heavy isotope, features a more extreme image and inspirational lyrical content.

Leap-jump – A loud, rhythmic genre of music, leap-jump frequently featured vocalists, like Dasha Sigweed and Dobi Deene.

Section 3: Instrumentation and Orchestration

There are many, many instruments across the galaxy. Sometimes they are intricate works of art in their own right; other times they can be a physical part of the musician themselves. For example, Verpine choral arrangements are performed by the musicians by rubbing their legs together. The music is really only appreciated by the Verpine themselves and other insectoid species. Obviously, Verpine are the only species that can authentically perform the works.

One instantly recognizable instrument is the kloo horn, made famous by jizz music. The wind instrument features tone selectors and an s-shaped mouthpiece connection. The best kloo horn player is undoubtedly the Bith musician Lirin D'avi, though the most famous is likely jizz musician Figrin D’an, leader of Figrin D’an and the Modal Nodes – also a Bith. In fact, the only instrument truly needed for a jizz band is the kloo horn. The saying goes among aficianados, “A jizz band without a Bith has its work cut out for them. A jizz band without a kloo horn should find a new gig.”

Figure 3. A kloo horn.

Section 4: Prominent Figures

With countless forms of music and likewise countless performers, it is impossible to limit noteworthy performance down to just a few. However, for the scope of this introductory, there are three that stand apart from the pack.

Figrin D’an -

A male Bith born on the species' homeworld of Bith, Figrin D'an had a fine aptitude for music. He also boasted a high manual dexterity, allowing him to play a range of instruments though he specialized in the Kloo horn and Gasan string drum. He eventually became head of the all-Bith band, Figrin D’an and the Modal Nodes; a group that would go on to be one of the most respected jizz group in the galaxy.

Unfortunately, D'an was an overbearing bandleader, a compulsive sabaac gambler, and potentially a murderer, allegedly shooting Letaki bandleader Evar Orbus dead over some heated words. His quick temper as well as his mastery of his Kloo horn earned him the nickname "Fiery" Figrin D’an.

Figure 4. Figrin D'an, famous Bith kloo horn player.

Max Rebo -

Maximilian "Max" Rebo was born on the cold planet of Orto. Rebo was a popular jizz-wailer musician who led the Max Rebo Band. He mainly played the red ball jett organ, which he played with his feet; he and his band often performed for criminals and gangsters.

Rebo and his band were in service of the crime lord Jabba Desilijic Tiure (aka. Jabba the Hutt) when the palace was besieged by rebel insurgents leading to the eventual destruction of Jabba’s sail barge, the Khetanna. The terrorist action killed most on board, including Jabba.

Max Rebo survived.

Years later, Max Rebo reemerged at Garsa Fwip's Sanctuary in Mos Espa, still performing with a red ball jett organ. In 9 ABY, the cantina was the center of a dispute between former bounty hunter and new daimyo of Mos Espa, Boba Fett and the Pyke Syndicate. The Pykes would go on to terrorize the city by bombing the Sanctuary, killing dozens.

Max Rebo survived, yet again, though his whereabouts are unknown.

Figure 5. Max Rebo playing his red ball jett organ.

Section 5: Listening Examples

While there are innumerous fantastic examples of the myriad styles of popular music across the stars, it is well outside the scope of this introductory course to delve deeply into the pantheon of performers. Instead, here are two of the most important tracks by the two musicians we have covered.

From their popular setlist as performed in Chalmun's Spaceport Cantina in Mos Eisley on Tatooine.

Figrin D’an and the Modal Nodes – “Mad About Me”

https://youtu.be/grj2exmu-_A?si=-2WY2heleY-bJ4Nc

As performed on Jabba the Hutt’s sail barge the Khetanna on the day of the terrorist attack.

Max Rebo Band – “Galactic Dance Blast”

https://youtu.be/VacG9L2Zkq8?si=rTU8wXOmRwQZsDWR

Section 6: Credits

Course created by Matt Brass

Resources:

https://starwars.fandom.com/

https://ahdictionary.com/word/search.html?q=music

https://www.starwars.com/news/10-star-wars-musical-instruments

Slugthrowers: An Overview of Popular Music and Musicians in a Galaxy Far Far Away Parts 1 and 2

 

QUIZ QUESTIONS

Question 1) According to Grand Admiral Thrawn, why is it important to learn about art? [1 pt]

Question 2) Define music based on the provided text. [1 pt]

Question 3) Describe the characteristics of jatz music. [2 pts]

Question 4) How did jizz music influence other genres? [1 pt]

Question 5) What are the defining features of Heavy Isotope music? [2 pts]

Question 6) What distinguishes glimmik music from Heavy Isotope? [1 pt]

Question 7) Who are some notable vocalists in the leap-jump genre? [2 pts]

Question 8) Explain how Verpine choral arrangements are performed. [1 pt]

Question 9) What is the significance of the kloo horn in jizz music? [1 pt]

Question 10) Compare and contrast the musical careers and notable events of Figrin D'an and Max Rebo based on the provided text. [4 pts]

Question 11) Describe the stylistic elements and emotional impact of one of the provided listening examples. Stylistic elements could be: texture (what different things are you hearing at once; is it sparse? dense?), tempo (speed), dynamics (how loud or soft), etc. Do you like the piece? Why or why not? [6 pts]

 

ANSWER KEY CLASSIFIED/REDACTED

22 points possible.

Total word count prior to redaction: 1409