The sound that connects Stravinsky to Bruno Mars

It’s an 1980s pop music cliche that dates back to 1910.
Subscribe to our channel! goo.gl/0bsAjO
If you listen to the first few seconds of Bruno Mars’ “Finesse” (hint: listen to the Cardi B remix) you’ll hear a sound that immediately creates a sense of 80s hip-hop nostalgia. Yes, Cardi B’s flow is very Roxanne Shante, but the sound that drives that nostalgia home isn’t actually from the 1980s.
Robert Fink and the inventor of the Fairlight CMI, Peter Vogel, help me tell the story of the orchestra hit - a sound that was first heard in 1910 at the Paris Opera where the famed 20th century Russian composer Stravinsky debuted his first hit, The Firebird.
The video above is, in short, a history of the original orchestra hit sample from The Firebird Suite to the 1982 hit “Planet Rock” to “Finesse.” And as a treat, here’s a playlist of way more songs with orchestra hits than you probably wanted.
Playlist: open.spotify.com/user/estelle...
Fairlight CMI app: Peter Vogel CMI by Peter Vogel Instruments Pty Ltditunes.apple.com/us/app/peter...
Robert Fink's paper: www.jstor.org/stable/3877522?...
Some songs don't just stick in your head, they change the music world forever. Join Estelle Caswell on a musical journey to discover the stories behind your favorite songs.
Check out the entire Vox Earworm playlist here: bit.ly/2QCwhMH
And follow Vox Earworm on Facebook for more: / voxearworm
Vox.com is a news website that helps you cut through the noise and understand what's really driving the events in the headlines. Check out www.vox.com.
Watch our full video catalog: goo.gl/IZONyE
Follow Vox on Facebook: goo.gl/U2g06o
Or Twitter: goo.gl/XFrZ5H

[@Vox]

The '80s were a golden age of musical experimentation. Watch the Earworm episode on how a recording accident led to one of the decade's most iconic sounds: bit.ly/2GgQq58

[@gregfrin8702]

Pretty cool

[@gregoirenedelcovici7790]

Love your vids, the editing, the rythme and the crispy info we get. Eye opener to the history of details in music.

[@athko]

Can you talk about the amen break?

[@mechajay3358]

Vox 80's defined Experimental Music.

[@TheGiftof7PRESENTS]

Keep making great content. Dap👊🏽🎶

[@panjia_imnida]

so the windows error sound is an orchestra hit

[@nestorgutierrez3031]

Sup

[@MacetazzOpina]

its actually another 80s staple sound, the electric piano 1 on the dx7

[@synchronicitystudios8217]

Lol

[@lpschaf8943]

@@nestorgutierrez3031 SUms it uP

[@NegativeReferral]

@@MacetazzOpina That was the Windows Vista/7 error sound. The XP error sound was a deep orchestra hit.

[@MarkHatlestad]

Fun fact: Stravinsky was born when Brahms was writing symphonies, and died after the Beetles broke up. Thanks for the excellent video!

[@1UpsForLife]

Beetles lol

[@jrexx2841]

What's Beetles I only know the Beatles

[@allisonflores9075]

Mark Hatlestad Beatles*

[@pablov1973]

And composed for 65 years, I believe that only Elliot Carter composed more time.

[@JoseMorales-lw5nt]

Another fun fact: Mark Twain was the closest thing to a celestial being/alien on Earth. How, you ask? Well, this literary genius lived and died... with Halley's Comet! Yeah, when he was born in 1835, Halley's Comet passed the night sky, visible to humans at that time. Just after his death, in 1910, Halley's Comet rocketed the nightsky. Dwell on it...

[@bait3027]

Proof that an appreciation of ALL music genres is necessary for an understanding of music

[@Chad_Eldridge]

I feel like the same can be said for any artistic medium. Looking at every genre and seeing how much can be achieved in that medium gives one a good sense of how special it is.

[@Alberto-ny7kf]

you can analyze it and learn from it but appreciating all music genres isn't really necessary.

[@Chad_Eldridge]

@@Alberto-ny7kf Maybe it's not necessary, but it's still very beneficial regardless.

[@Alberto-ny7kf]

@@Chad_Eldridge yeah

[@ylstorage7085]

or just know fourier transform

[@erwinhewitt7438]

I’ve heard this so many times, even when Stravinsky himself plays it it still sounds like a sample

[@animec-dramaskpop6362]

Earworm is my favorite show on Vox. This was amazing, thank you.

[@victornoagbodji]

you had me at afro and curly! be awesome girl : )

[@animec-dramaskpop6362]

victor noagbodji 😊

[@iibigfoot1242]

la la lalisa blackpink in your area

[@tharii314]

@@iibigfoot1242 E

[@xWood4000]

These music explanations are great.

[@stop6578]

Actually it was quite easy to understand even though I'm not knowledgeable in music.

[@xWood4000]

Chickenwomp I do have some education too, but I said that it's great in general that it's on this level because otherwise people that haven't got that would struggle and not watch the video.

[@yeezythabest]

right and even those like me who have a decent musical background and know the technical and creative side of the music don't always know the historical side of it.

[@angelictreble]

I know, right!! I'm a musician but I never learned about a lot of this stuff. These videos are great :)

[@yourfriendlyneighborhoodtr3590]

Chickenwomp IKR? hahahaha

[@CrisBlyth]

Last night I had some young musicians visiting my studio. I started by showing them this fantastic video - They were intrigued and had their eyes glued. When it got to the Fairlight part they were amazed that this machine existed way before they were born. As they watched, I started removing the dust covers of my equipment.. and the real moment was when I uncovered my CMI and drew their attention with an 'ahem...'. They freaked out.. it was a classic moment. THEN I showed them a floppy disk with the ORCH sample on it... it was indeed a priceless moment. Thank you so much for this great video.

[@TheSEOQueenOfficial]

This is music history and very well worth the conversation. It is all so inspiring.

[@mikabreto]

We’re not worthy! We’re not worthy! (Obligatory Wayne’s World reference)

[@ExperimentIV]

can I come hang out

[@chryssanthemum]

😍😍😍😍

[@TakeMeOffYourMailingList]

@dbltrplx As opposed to what? Imaginary music? Who is the arbiter of what makes music "real"?

[@nicolassantos7691]

YO i was wondering where the first time i heard that orchestra hit, it was freaking jellyfish jam from spongebob

[@theshyguy1580]

SAME!!

[@gc1097]

💀 you're absolutely right mgg

[@SieMiezekatze]

No wonder my 5 year old self loved it

[@mariusdamchristophersen1453]

Nicolas Santos you definitely heard it before but didn’t remember it

[@LiveLife-fg1bz]

for me it was when i was 3 (2014), and i was watching a youtube video, and it was background music in a video. it was the konami one, though.

[@xisumavoid]

Ive also heard the orchestral hits referred to as a "stab" in music production, primarily when its not an actual orchestra but a loud sound with fast attack and short decay! Great video btw, fascinating! well presented :-)

[@decko87]

Yep, "stab" has replaced "hit" in the electronic world. I wonder if it's a reference to the audiovisual stabs in Hitchcock's Psycho?

[@adobewallhacks9489]

Thats a really good guess! wouldnt of thought of that

[@braclo93]

decko87 Interesting thought about Psycho. The way I thought of it is the bow across the strings stopping abruptly, the violinist's arm moves as if it was a stabbing motion.

[@Phanyxx]

Yup! We used to call that one a stab.

[@djedg10]

Hey X!

[@anuragss938]

I've spent an hour trying to figure out what this sound is called and finally found it. The internet can be marvellous.

[@kawsakiTV]

I’m so glad somebody else is talking about the “Orchestra Hit”. I definitely heard it on many songs from my childhood and vividly remember it in the theme song for the show “In Living Color”! I’ve also heard it annoyed the heck out of people by the late 80s lol. Man, Vox! I love how you guys tell history! Kudos 😀

[@sirsketches9776]

ok boomer

[@BizzycardozaETA]

The orchestra hit sounds amazing on hard hip hop tracks to.

[@KamiKazuo]

Lets not forget the most iconic song of them all, Crank Dat Soulja Boy

[@kykale]

#only00skidswillremember

[@Matt-fo9ut]

Back when he wasn't being corny as hell... Now hes charging $100 to follow remaining fans and he can't even go gold 😑😑

[@dundee6402]

KazuoTV I thought orchestral hits were unpopular as soon as 1995 hit,,,

[@XXLGHOST]

Yup

[@sean..L]

KazuoTV youuuu

[@sophroniel]

This makes my inner music student overwhelmingly happy

[@jamisongordon1606]

Lul

[@jalene150]

Your face makes me overwhelmingly happy. 😍

[@nuberiffic]

As an actual music student, this video makes me really sad

[@sophroniel]

nuberiffic Are you saying I'm not a music student? I was on a composition scholarship lol I just finished uni

[@nuberiffic]

No, you said that. When you say "my inner *blank*" you are saying you are not actually that thing, but that you feel a connection to it.

[@Afrito98]

OMG the girl on 5:19 is Tatiana M. Ali who plays Ashley's character in the Fresh Prince of Bel Air

[@kyser3ify]

That deserved a honorable mention

[@henryreyes9369]

Thotiana?

[@KGrooveBlanka]

I remember that episode of Sesame Street too!

[@sillau9]

Yeah,she look soo adorable

[@JerzyFeliksKlein]

Which was produced by Quincy Jones!

[@UrsusCanis]

The Orchestra Hit is the key to time travel, I'm sure of it.

[@VARIOUShorses]

Aye, the best Vox series is back! Great stuff as always, I love learning all this history behind stuff I've been hearing for ages but never really gave any thought to.

[@flashuser777]

Can’t believe it. Just “Oh, that’d be a good one to put in, yeah,” became one of the most defining instruments of an entire era...

[@raywoods2071]

Musicology is so much fun, and well researched & presented ones like this are real treasures, both educational and entertaining.

[@BolshephobicBabe]

Wait, we've had touch screens for that long?

[@Pantano63]

Yeah, touch screens were invented in the 70s, only later did they become popular. Just imagine what kind of technology they have now but they're keeping from us.

[@isaakwelch3451]

Old buicks had touch screens as a factory option

[@Chad_Eldridge]

Well, not exactly. You had to use a special pen that emitted a particular light, where touch screens today work by being sensitive to the heat emitted by your fingers.

[@juuus2764]

@@Chad_Eldridge actually its not heat of your fingers but rather the electricity or polarity of your body. Thats why the touchscreen reacts also to metallic material.

[@Chad_Eldridge]

@@juuus2764 Really? Huh. I'm surprised that didn't come up in my Computer Science textbook and that I didn't bring up how metal objects have a similar effect.

[@StandAgainstTheCartels]

The story could have gone back further as Stravinski wasn't doing anything new with his Orchestra Hit. Earlier composers were using the technique to create high intensity. Verdi's Requiem Dies irae for one which was first performed in 1874. Someone with a thorough background in classical music would add a lot to this story. It's neat to hear that the guy who first sampled an Orchestra Hit described it as "a complete accident" and just happened to have that record nearby. Like a lot of history, a coincidence set it off from there. Everything's a remix.

[@badgerjohn31]

And you don't even need to dig that deep into the classical canon. Haydn's Surprise Symphony went for the same effect in 1791.

[@usernotfound6475]

badgerjohn31 I swear I’ve heard it earlier. At least Late Beethoven

[@alontal3883]

@@usernotfound6475 5th symphony 1st movement has some as well

[@usernotfound6475]

alon tal does the third symphony have some too? I’ve heard them in his ninth aswell

[@alontal3883]

@@usernotfound6475 I don't remember, but classical music is all about orchestration, so I assume most symphonic pieces would have a momentary boom like that

[@RetsamX]

... and it was even used in Pokemon Music :D

[@OF01975]

Retsam but nobody cares about that

[@RetsamX]

Listen up Rob Spaghetti, if you don't care, don't comment. It's as easy as that.

[@OF01975]

Retsam yourube literally says Add a public reply... so they want me to comments your comment was bum ass though so i had to call it out

[@OF01975]

Retsam also its not spaghetti its spagrenetti

[@RetsamX]

That contradicts with your statement that nobody cares, because you care to make everybody's day worse by telling them something is ass.

[@retro2161]

I've always been a big fan of samples and it's history and this video truly helped me see things clearer.

[@francinesux]

I love this series SO MUCH (even that I know very little about music / music theory), and I'll be forever thankful for this for introducing me to Peter Gabriel's music (on the gated reverb video). Really apreciate the work done here

[@aishwaryarawat8337]

*who knew Stravinsky was so lit*

[@OF01975]

aishwarya rawat he wasnt really his music was ass

[@vesteel]

Rob Spagrenetti his music is good. I might as well sacrifice you so spring would come

[@riyazuo]

Well, maybe he's just being _Extravinsky_

[@OF01975]

vesteel his music maybe was good in like 1800 its modern days now if you still listen to his ass sounds then your wrong

[@memyselfandhereiam]

vesteel nice

[@jjsmith706]

Orchestra hit, gated reverb, saxaphones... the sounds of the 80s.

[@unclesam530]

& lots of hairspray

[@jjsmith706]

I don't remember hearing hairspray in 80s music.

[@unclesam530]

on account of the big hairstyles

[@augusto7681]

dont forget loop of drums

[@rabokel]

Dx7 e-piano and the chorus effect

[@candiceallie]

This just makes me so happy. Great job Vox! Made me miss playing on the keyboard with my dad!

[@WashedUpSpearfish]

"I know someone who'd be really interested to see this..." Yeah so would Stevie...

[@sonofabippi]

I'm so glad I'm not the only one who thought this.

[@majapr2004]

I can never unhear this now

[@shakudavid]

That's why it's called an EARWORM. ;)

[@LashanR]

So weirdly proud that an instrument made by an Australian literally defined the sound of the 80s. We've invented some good stuff hey?

[@hopelesscreative6977]

Lachi James dont forget about the turn table

[@RKTologist]

dont get me wrong, great things have come from australia. but the fairlight did not define the sound of the 80s what are you talking about

[@skierpage]

It would be neat to identify the other ubiquitous Fairlight samples besides breaking glass and orchestra hit. I think Peter Gabriel was first with the shakuhachi flute sound, what else? Duran Duran keyboard player Nick Rhodes had hundreds of floppy disks of sounds.

[@DavidDiMuzio]

Not you. They.

[@dukes1590]

Lachi James fdytgggferk

[@michaelbauers8800]

I never tire of the orch hit, or discussions on it. Been in love with it since I first heard it.

[@MuusiicRafael]

Thank you for educating us on music. I love these 💖💖💖

[@Lobstrique]

earworm is a freaking amazing show. finding links in places i would never even think to look, showing how everything in the beautiful realm of music is connected. thank you so much.

[@rfldss89]

Haha they were basically doing what every child does when he gets to touch a synth or electric keyboard :p

[@oppfattet]

Exactly what I was gonna say!

[@RKTologist]

all in harmony and at the right time boyyyy

[@darrencastleton5994]

Fantastic. Thanks for taking the time to do this. Planet Rock changed my life back in 1982.

[@sparkymularkey6970]

This has always been one of my favorite sounds.

[@thecampfire4877]

That was WAAAAY more interesting than I expected. GREAT video.

[@aspieinabowtie]

More 80s music tech to make a Earworm vid out of: the Yamaha DX-7 synth. That electric piano patch was used to death on every R&B, soft rock, and rock power Ballard in the 80s. Even the Doogie Howssr MD theme song was written with that patch.

[@blackbrainz]

Doug Perry DX-7 is a great synth, FM is so fascinating

[@skierpage]

Tahnk taahnkk tahhnk! Is there a name for that particular style of FM Synthesis?

[@olymoon2008]

About the DX 7 remember the bass patch too, it was over used all over the 80's and beginning of 90's

[@cwildeman]

This series is absolutely fantastic. Keep'em coming.

[@bjjbarbells2735]

I seriously cherish these videos whenever I come across them. She is so brilliant- I love these explanations!

[@nanisimo]

Best show on KZbin. And I'm not that into music anyway, but this is SO good.

[@nanisimo]

Politics and movies. I mean, John Oliver rocks, but that’s HBO, not exclusively KZbin.

[@jarrarali2143]

Emilio Doménech Adam Neely beats this by lightyears

[@Ildskalli]

Jarrar: Usually, yes, Adam Neely's content is far superior. But the production values in this video, and the fabulous mixture of geekiness, pop music and history makes me want to like it a million times. She really pulled through this time!

[@ThatCrazyMexicanBoii]

Emilio Doménech you should watch unsolved Supernatural on Buzzfeed Blue . Buzzfeed isnt that great i know, but Buzzfeed Unsolved is really interesting & entertaining because of the two dudes who host it

[@t33nyplaysp0p]

Not into music...thats like not being into food. Who are you demons?

[@tonylancer7367]

Probably the orchestral hit was most used in the late 80s with New Jack Swing and Hip-Hop. That is orchestral hit heaven right there.

[@girllionness5944]

yup, definitely. i listen to a lot of new jack swing and rnb from the late 80s and sometimes i feel like it's almost used too much. but i still love it tbh.

[@csmcrckrs]

And every Freestyle song lol

[@jasonosgood3639]

@Tony Mosdef. We're overdue for a New Jack Swing revival.

[@rickylovesyou]

Pre-new jack mostly. New jack swing era started to move away from that type of sound. BBDs third album, guys later albums for example gives a marker on where they moved away from that pre new jack sound and entered new jack territory.

[@TlanImass]

@@csmcrckrs Oh, after reading this comment, Information Society immediately came out of my thoughts. And they used the Orchestra Hit plenty! lmao

[@davidronbrothers1764]

I absolutely love your content on 80s music. Thank you so much for doing what you do.

[@florif3792]

Estelle you are absolutely the best documentarist I know! Congratulations on your amazing work!!!

[@RexPhalange]

I waited throughout the video to hear if you'll mention Max Martin. You did at the very last minute! Max Martin's orchestra hit really is my favorite version of orchestra hit. His team uses several versions, (there are brassy ones, 'camera shutter'-like ones, stabby squeak ones, etc. and the 'standard' one like in the Britney and BSB songs in this vid) but they're all very punchy and sharp.

[@Kaizaratl]

What you call, Orch2 is what I call the sound that you made when you do a special trick on Tony Hawk's Pro Skater.

[@m1kulas]

I was exactly looking for this comment.

[@sprocket_holes]

Dear Estelle (and the Vox team!), I'm obsessed with your videos. Pure gold. Thank you so much for sharing such an amazing content.

[@anunnyfose]

this is the best series on youtube. thank you for your work!

[@markjamesmason]

Robert Fink is a legend. His history of EDM class was awesome!

[@211teitake]

Estelle, I love your Earworm series. It's one of my favorite Vox video series. Please make more.

[@AfroSnackey]

You don't know how many years I was looking for this sound effect thank you!

[@defunctjeyeco1241]

Please never stop making these videos, they're so good

[@malirabbit6228]

I have always loved this sound! I didn’t know that the heck it was. That it has a name! WOW!

[@mikosoft]

It's always awesome to see something like the original record that spawned a whole decade and something of sound.

[@morange]

Yay! more of Estelle's playlists. They're always great to listen to.

[@johnnybrasil1572]

Always wondered from where that sound came, here in Brazil Freestyle was really big, and still is ver present some places. And almost every song has that sound effect. This is the best channel on youtube to me, you are truly amazing.

[@thoyo]

So we just not gonna mention that Ashley from Fresh Prince is at 5:17?

[@elgamerico]

That's great, but there's a Fairlight CMI in the same clip :)

[@therealDannyVasquez]

"Tatyana Ali"

[@dinolandra]

T A T Y A N A A L I

[@user-vi4xy1jw7e]

No

[@dr.christopherdiaz4473]

and are we just gonna act like she didn't have a Spanish accent as a baby?!?

[@kasper2447]

This series is so good

[@zenlee1109]

thank you for this incredible series!!

[@timonroehrbacher]

thank you for that playlist! i love u guys

[@jaironcuadra]

Best series on KZbin.

[@spelunkerd]

Watching Vox is always an eye opening experience. Just like the Bourne movies, there is visual punch, with remarkably short clips, constantly entertaining, in your face. Of course with this one you're talking about music, another dimension. When I think back on the thousands of hours I spent in the classroom, I realize that the old teaching format can never compete....

[@brooklynbailey9978]

THESE VIDEOS ARE AMAZING please keep making them

[@plokiju88]

I’ve always wondered about that planet rock sound and why I liked it so much ❣️you have gone beyond explaining it and I’m forever great full.

[@moumous87]

these music videos are awesome!!!!!

[@ambrosia417]

This is absolutely fascinating! I love learning about music origins and how they're all interconnected. Thanks, Vox!

[@debjyotibiswas3793]

This is amazing. Nice well researched work.

[@TheSmythington]

Give the full Firebird Suite a listen. Stravinsky gave wings to the concept of rebirth.

[@kavyajha4]

I love this series!

[@Nathanroot]

Literally the best series of videos I've seen on youtube in years!! I work in media and the amount of work and love which has gone into each one of these is astounding. Estelle Caswell, you are a lighthouse in a sea of mediocrity!

[@novikovPrinciple]

It's a strange and impressive kind of story-telling that makes me completely forget the inciting incident ("The orchestra hit"), takes me on a decades-long journey of discovery, only to remind me so close to the end that there's a reason I started this whole trip in the first place. Thank you for the great ride, Vox!

[@tommykavounidis]

For those wondering Bruno didn't use a CMI for his orchestra hit sample his sounds more like a Korg orchestra hit sample.

[@TheSomeawesome]

YES EARWORM IS BACK!! Best thing on Vox. Keep them coming!!

[@FantageJapanRules]

i feel like i've watched this video 5 times since it came out, yet i have never gotten tired of it 😩

[@lewiscrawford2030]

Love these Spotifyplaylists!!!! Please keep producing these Videos and Playlist!

[@CalpolMeister]

This is by far and away the best episode of Earworm I've ever had the pleasure of watching

[@chicolofi]

People who appreciate music should take a time to listen to Stravinsky's music. You won't regret it.

[@overgrowncaterpillar]

These earworm series are fantastic! Keep up the great work!

[@moniquerh1]

It's been too long!!!!!! I'm so glad you are back!!!!! LOVE EARWORM!!!!!!

[@ikkarurisan]

The series is back!

[@reemyziz]

7:33 I love that little chuckle Joss does when she realized she says something that rhymed

[@pinkajou656]

“8-bit orchestra hit” 😁

[@schmoopieschmoop3383]

Wow! thanks so much for making this

[@monodux]

This has got to be the coolest and most important music video I’ve seen. Well done!!!

[@andrewnibbi]

It still boggles my mind that someone allowed Duran Duran to do the Bond theme. Imagine if the next bond movie came out and Migos came out over the silhouettes like “jamesbond, jamesbond, drivin fast cars with a hot blonde”

[@gehteuchnichtsan7911]

Whoa that Fairlight CMI with pen input was so far ahead of its time. The rhythm that Herbie Hancock programmed sounds like "this is how we do" from the game thou :D

[@xavierliu6146]

Stravinsky is one of my favorite composers! Glad to see that his "Firebird" Orchestra Hit still affects modern music today! Just like his "Rite of Spring," truly timeless!

[@amarks4383]

thanks for all these in-depth videos they are incredibly interesting and entertaining. You put so much research into these !

[@sumairb9978]

I immediately thought of "Jam" by Michael Jackson

[@melaniemagdalene1616]

Me too!

[@_Maxten]

i think of just got paid by johnny kemp

[@_Maxten]

but yeah, jam is a good one because teddy riley used it a lot

[@ma_junia]

And Jam also has glass shattering though I don’t know where that one came from

[@OXyGeNe8DJ]

Many tracks... 2BAD

[@levi2234]

My fav vox series

[@ASH_musica]

The amazing history of Orchestra Hit! Thanks for this video, I totes enjoyed it

[@panosalex6242]

just a 1000000 thank you because its very important to know what you hear in a song and you give us this gift, thank you and make more videos like this .

[@joey15ization]

Stravinsky "New Jack Swing" Thanks you!

[@blakeboss1427]

Keiv Brown woah Teddy Riley who made the new jack swing. It uses the Orchestra hit but not all songs use it

[@finnroche6194]

Immediately I thought of smooth criminal

[@ahanuban]

Every new Earworm episode is at least as interesting as the last... Thank you guys so much for this, and please keep up the great work!!

[@aneessamir1084]

wow... love the way you present the history of music... keep going on... love ya..👍👍

[@lazyperfectionist1]

Well, let's hear it for _nostalgia,_ then.

[@someguy2135]

I miss nostalgia!

[@f4tornado450]

4:23 Not anymore RIP Auxy, I will never forget how one day you held all my work hostage behind a subscription wall. ;-(

[@biancapardinas]

This video was full of song recommendations and I love it

[@cjr3559]

Awesome video. Smiling all the way through 👍🏻