Steve Hackman

Kendrick Lamar doesn’t just make albums, he builds WORLDS. In this first installment of ”Musical DNA,” we break down what I call his ‘Ingenuity of Scope’: the way albums function similarly to a large-scale symphony or opera, with movements, motifs, and narrative arcs.

I’ve always wanted to arrange this song for string orchestra, and here’s a taste. I just recorded a full version of this one and can’t wait to share it with you all.

🎵 @radiohead “Everything in it’s Right Place”

We'll be in Nashville next week recording these orchestral Taylor Swift arrangements, along with a ton of other music, and bringing them to streaming services ASAP! In the meantime, here’s one we'll be including.
be the first to know when it’s ready! laylo.com/stevehackman

When adapting @chappellroan “Femininomenon” for string orchestra, the original violin solo felt untouchable. It’s already such terrific writing, and it really sets the stage. Following the intro, I love the sound of all the strings, in unison, playing Chappell’s melody.
🎻 solo: Lucia Micarelli

Excited to be back in Dallas this Saturday with @dallassymphony 🎻Where are my Cowboys fans? 🏈 @dccheerleaders @dallascowboys

🎵: @acdc “Thunderstruck”

There’s a reason why all these songs feel like Christmas! It was so much fun to break this down. Let me know what you are hearing! 🎄 #christmasmusic #musictheory #christmastiktok TikTok video by Steve Hackman

If you want to hear these examples, here’s a video I did deconstructing the sound of Christmas. 🎄Happy Holidays!!!🎄

www.tiktok.com/t/ZTYpwSdDj/

🎺BRASS🎺 They roll out the horns. Examples can be heard in Andy Williams’ “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year,” Donny Hathaway’s “This Christmas,” Perry Como, The Fontane Sisters’ “It’s Beginning to Look at Lot Like Christmas” and on Michael Bublé’s “Santa Claus is Coming to Town”

…come from a bygone era of songwriting where that chromatic alteration device mentioned above was more common in songwriting. Sinatra, Crosby, Cole were bringing in orchestras for albums so it’s no surprise their Xmas songs have lush string sections.

🎻STRING SECTION🎻 As a conductor/arranger this is very close to my heart. With a lot of these classic songs, producers will pulling out all the stops. They brought in the strings, the brass, the choir, they wanted an extravagant production. Also, a lot of the most favorite, cherished Xmas songs…

🔔BELLS🔔 Tonal or pitched bells as opposed to sleigh bells (which are like a member of the percussion family). I’m talking about a church bell or glockenspiel.

🎼LOWERED 6th SCALE DEGREE🎼 this single alteration of the 6th scale degree gives songs a more melancholic feeling and can be heard in Bing Crosby’s White Christmas,” Nat King Cole’s “Christmas Song,” multiple times in Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas,” and countless others!

🛷SLEIGH BELLS🛷 Jingle bells or sleigh bells appear within seconds of the songs beginning. Examples can be heard in Frank Sinatra’s “Jingle Bells,” Bobby Helms’ “Jingle Bell Rock,” Wham! “Last Christmas,” and Bruce Springsteen’s “Santa Claus is Coming to Town”

Have you ever noticed how easy it is to recognize a Christmas 🎄 song within seconds of hearing it? I consider myself a real student of Christmas music, it’s some of the best that’s ever been written. Here’s the devices that composers and producers use to make a song sound like Christmas 🎶🎅…

Drake should do less fighting and more collaborating. Proof via Tchaikovsky X Drake with New World Symphony in Miami. Full version: youtu.be/Ej_TH-W8mV0?...

So many breathtaking pieces of classical music were inspired by poetry: Debussy’s ‘Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun’ (inspired by Mallarmé) and ‘Clair de Lune’ (Verlaine), Mahler’s ‘Song of the Eart... TikTok video by Steve Hackman

More here: www.tiktok.com/t/ZTYUouG8U/

So many breathtaking pieces of classical music were inspired by poetry: Debussy’s ‘Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun’ (inspired by Mallarmé) and ‘Clair de Lune’ (Verlaine), Mahler’s ‘Song of the Earth’ (Bethge) among them. This piece of mine was inspired by the Baudelaire poem ‘Elevation’.

Music can name the unnameable and communicate the unknowable - Leonard Bernstein

I got a lot of requests to compare these two @Taylor Swift songs. Are “Cassandra” and “Mad Woman” related? This was so fun. Here are my observations… #musicreaction #swifttok #erastour TikTok video by Steve Hackman

watch the rest here: www.tiktok.com/t/ZTYkeQ4sp/

I got a lot of requests to compare these two #TaylorSwift songs. Are “Cassandra” and “Mad Woman” related? This was so fun. Here are my observations… #musiciansky #swifties #erastour #musicreaction

“I can't live one day without hearing music, playing it , studying it, or thinking about it.”
Leonard Bernstein

MAHLER = BALLER
#musicansky #musicsky #classicalmusic

Cate Blanchett, gripping the baton and giving upbeats in TAR like she’s been doing it her whole life! Loved watching her conduct Mahler 5. Upload whole video please 😏 #musiciansky #moviereaction

Hey @bsky.app 👋 I'm a composer, conductor, producer, songwriter and arranger who loves exploring the fusion of classical and pop music. Here's an excerpt from my production of Tchaikovsky x Drake. What are the best music accounts to follow on this app?