What Made Laura Palmer's Theme The BEST Of Twin Peaks

[@CharlesCornellStudios]

This show was a new one for me! I was just never really aware of it until recently. So I checked it out and it is...well...I'm not even really sure where to begin. If you've seen it, how would you describe the show? Also don't forget, get on the list early ahead of the Black Friday sale coming up! resources.betterpiano.com/countdown

[@magnusRL]

here we go!

[@abstergo06]

it's a place both wonderful and strange my friend

[@hannahvolt5248]

Twin Peaks is an absurdist homage to the American soap opera. IT seems more out of left field now because soap operas and the whole experience of consuming television has completely changed since 1990. It's kind of funny when you think back on it this way, with all the tonal dissonance of disturbing moments combined with saccharine melodrama and corny gags. Making a sort of narrative pastiche. Kind of like the theme come to think of it! Also there was a fish in the percolator.

[@zenverak]

The show is something that exceeds its bounds as a TV show. It feels like a high end streaming show given when it was made.

[@_demitri]

If you liked Twin Peaks you should also watch the movie and then the 3rd season. IN THAT ORDER

[@abstergo06]

YES FINALLY TWIN PEAKS I NEVER CLICKED SO FAST CHILLS AND TEARS EVERYTIME

[@BelaHvizdak]

Same!!!

[@akeithing1841]

Driving with the soundtrack is a Lynchian experience

[@evanhodgescomposer]

As a composer that works primary in film, this is how I work out a lot of my themes. Before I was a media composer, I was a jazz bassist. When I'm not writing to the locked picture, I compose sketches from the script or look book (essentially a mood board of what the film will look and feel like). I rely heavily on my use of improvisation for this process, often recording a lot of different ideas into my DAW and then slowly chisel the sounds away, till I find what I'm looking for. I find that this methodology is the purest form of artistic expression to picture, as it takes away an preconceived notion of what you'd write, and it allows for some amazing sonic exploration. Great video man!

[@nikovz4719]

Hmm definitely gotta try this! Would def help in my “drawing” side as well! Win win!

[@RandomCrewPotatoSoup]

everything about twin peaks is so special. it’s the most moving piece of art i’ve ever experienced

[@docsavage8640]

So you've seen one piece of art then.

[@iLeetjeeh]

@@docsavage8640 I laughed

[@RandomCrewPotatoSoup]

@@docsavage8640 good one man. i’ve only seen one piece of art and it happens to be a TV show from before i was born that had a prequel movie and a 25-year-later 3rd season. you’re right on the money

[@SammjuBognir]

​@@docsavage8640You can disagree with someone without debasing their opinion o7

[@AndresWalsh]

Agreed. It changed the rest of my life completely. That's what deep art can do sometimes. You can't explain it.

[@okamiseven]

That gum you like is going to come back in style!

[@Tzulander]

This theme is a masterpiece in resolving chord progressions, honestly. It's just this fantastic journey to home.

[@DaveMarx-te2rs]

But you can never really go home again :(

[@prisonbread]

Really well put. Absolute masterclass in resolution

[@EzekielBrockmann]

Yes. If "home" is dead wrapped in plastic in Cmin.

[@47Jonesy]

but home is never as safe as we think it is in the shadows, eh?

[@DaveMarx-te2rs]

@@EzekielBrockmann dark

[@argkitsune]

RIP Angelo Badalamenti

[@GabrielPiazentin]

OH ANGELO

[@adityasrinivasulu]

YOU'RE BREAKING MY HEART

[@danielplainview2584]

Was lucky enough to meet Angelo back in 2018. We had a great conversation about usage of unconventional instruments and sound design in conventional scoring. Was an incredibly nice guy. He made some amazing contributions to music. The modulations in this track are so beautiful. Would love to see more on his stuff, either more Twin Peaks stuff (the FWWM theme and Audrey's Dance are super interesting harmonically) or Mulholland Drive/Lost Highway!

[@froggouk2]

I saw a video with Angelo Badalamenti explaining the process and as he said Lynch dictating "And now you see Laura Palmer coming out of the woods" during the change in tone made me appreciate the track so much more.

[@lt_johnmcclane]

12:53

[@47Jonesy]

"Yes, Yes!! You're DOING IT ANGELO!!!" I love lynch lol

[@postmodernrecycler]

My crazy aunt played the Julee Cruise "Falling" song from the intro theme as her first dance at her wedding. Badalamenti was astonishing and unique.

[@PiotrHryncyszyn]

Cool aunt.

[@postmodernrecycler]

@PiotrHryncyszyn Ha, totally!

[@prisonbread]

Dude, the magic of Cruise and Badalamenti together is otherwordly. What an incredible pairing

[@dasninjastix]

The most brilliant TV drama in history. The music is still haunting, still captivating.

[@bloodnchocolate]

This interview with the masterful Angelo Badalamenti never fails to get a few tears out of me. What a revelatory, climactic, heart-opening moment between him and David Lynch.

[@sydgerald]

I remember watching Twin Peaks as a young teen (I'm 45 now) and that intro always hypnotized me, the song and that machine sharpening that cutting disk in repetitive motion was great. I don't know how many years has passed (I guess about 32) but still I have those images in my head.

[@tylerf.145]

i love twin peaks so much!!!!! lauras character is so incredible, she feels like a real person to me if youve seen fire walk with me or read her secret diary

[@atomsofstardust]

I think one incredibly important lesson here is to write melodies (or anything really) with intentionality, for a scene or with a feeling in mind. It’s amazing when you can collaborate like that with someone, literally have a director there who describes what he wants to feel, but it’s obviously harder if you’re writing music solo. If you’re alone you kinda need to have an introspective dialogue with yourself, figure out what exactly you want to deliver, which feeling or emotion. It can be quite a tough process, but this intentionality is what will separate you from a pile of “meh” that’s being created and released every minute right now. Thank you for the video, Charles, absolutely fantastic one!

[@thereturners7564]

In the late 90s, my much older brother gifted me the Twin Peaks soundtrack, seemingly at random. I never watched the show - and still haven't - but I absolutely love its music!

[@lotsofspots]

The Nightingale is beautiful!

[@AurelienCarnoy]

It is great.

[@EstamosDe]

I know one of the themes because it was played here on a radio in SouthAmerica, in a program on the night, it was the theme of the radio program (they aknowledged it was from Twin Peaks). The theme with the bass.

[@Str0b0]

Just watch the show already! :D It's a classic.

[@flowerlandofjohn]

That soundtrack sold like butter. I worked in Sweden’s biggest record store at the time and was absolutely amazed of the impact this music made. Beautiful 👌🏻🤩

[@OofHearted]

I feel so emotional when hearing Twin Peaks music. Even just seeing the photo of Laura Palmer also makes my heart sink.

[@docsavage8640]

That's kinda pathetic. Maybe explore real life so your emotions aren't so stunted.

[@charliekrengel1344]

This show means so much to me. I remember when i first stumbled upon that video of Angelo talking about composing the theme with David's direction, couldn't help but shed a tear. Thanks for covering it; althought Twin Peaks is higely popular in certain circles, I still feel it is vastly underrated as a whole, and its music is no exception.

[@chilldude30]

Wow, that interview with the composer was emotional and inspiring. That's essential viewing for any musician I think. Thanks

[@davepeters1311]

i’ve waited so long for this!!!

[@Resopheed]

It's the restraint that Angelo shows in his playing that I admire the most. He's not rushing to get to the next chord change. He holds each chord for juuust long enough.

[@halt.halt.halt.]

Such an iconic theme - as special as all three seasons of twin peaks themselves. Just one of Angelo‘s unbelievable themes through the years. May he rest in peace.

[@Frostweather]

9:30 You're walking in the woods. There's no one around and your phone is dead. Out of the corner of your eye, you spot him (Shia LaBeouf)

[@matthewanderson2464]

😂

[@adriapujol5987]

Laura Palmer... Twin Peaks... Haunting...

[@rodrigovieirastudies]

Dude, they made a 3rd season back in 2017. You should check it, as well as the sountrack.

[@PhilRG]

2:46 Danny Elfman Batman moment😃

[@FreeTheJambon]

Thought the same lol

[@prisonbread]

Damn, good call! How have I never made that connection. Thank you :)

[@dwells37]

Charles, thank you for covering this music! This piece takes me back to 1990. Your adjectives for this theme are dead-on; stunning, haunting, beautiful. Absolutely love what Angelo Badalamenti has composed.

[@marysumner335]

This is why I teach improvisation to my elementary babies...so when they become adult musicians they can make amazing things like this and they are not intimidated. ❤

[@jventimusic]

If you record this song with midi and then look at your piano roll, it literally forms twin peaks.

[@nacholatino]

3:30 Danny Elfman's Batman

[@RichardCharter]

DAMN good modulation.

[@davidasher22]

Those soundtracks inspired me so much. I’m still pulling ideas from Angelo’s tunes 30 years later.

[@codedimaggio]

AHHH you did the TP theme! Love this show and I'm presently watching it again and showing it to my mom. Such a beautiful / haunting theme.

[@georgiostemirsidis1966]

I wish more people would know that this show is the best thing that's ever happened in tv history! It truly is David Lynch's crowning achievement!

[@troubleondemand7703]

Badalamenti was a freaking genius. So much great work that sounds like no one else. The Fire Walk With me soundtrack is phenomenal.

[@fmaylinch]

Angelo wrote the perfect tune for the crazy genius of Lynch. This makes me want to watch Twin Peaks again.

[@ijustneedmyself]

Seriously. It's been a long time. I need a rewatch!

[@JazzKid-in7cx]

Hey Charles! I was waiting for this video, I’m glad you went over it. After season 2, you should def watch season 3. Imo it’s the best season of the show honestly

[@agentooe33AD]

I think it was either an Alpha Juno 2 or MKS-50 (or one of the modules from the MKS series) that was used to create the pad sound. They all pretty much use the same sound design/circuitry. Such a simple sound and yet so luscious and moving. It truly is the embodiment of less is more.

[@Yupppi]

I watched it finally some years ago and my mom said she watched it from tv when I was a baby. It really did change something in my life after watching, like I saw the world in a new way. Then I played a game called Deadly Premonition which is a Japanese game that feels like it could just as well be a licensed Twin Peaks game. And it has the most bugged PC port I've ever seen, which is pretty typical for Japanese games. Honestly the latter part of the video, explaining these tricks to prime playing and thinking in a certain way, or more like abandoning it, was very good and valuable. And I learned a completely new and interesting thing about music and that theme in particular, just that experience of them interacting - telling a story and fitting music in - both being so proficient in what they do, is so interesting. There's been so many times when I've heard the composition tell the same story as the lyrics and it made me wonder if the music came after the story. Or that they felt the music of the story first and wrote what sounded right to the drama's progress in the music.

[@MadailinBurnhope]

this really is a gorgeous piece of music

[@DaveMarx-te2rs]

3:08 They have taken you from the Imperial City's prison, first by carraige, and now by boat. To the east, to Morrowind

[@MarksUkuleleTips]

Great video Charles. You always mix the how and the why so well. And tying it to a well known example, you're an excellent teacher. I'm sure your teacher would be very proud of you.

[@Brutusque]

Thank you so much for this, as a Twin Peaks fanatic, this one hit me right in the feels! Another composer I absolutely adore and would put in the same realm as Badalamenti is Vangelis. Specifically Memories of Green from Blade Runner. A breakdown video of that song some day purrrrhaps?😃

Sir, you have a good tästä of music.

[@_demitri]

Bro just casually ignored Season 3's existence

[@walrusman8691]

In fairness, the existence of season 3 is not really relevant to the process of composing the original score.

[@Sasquiny]

​@@walrusman8691 Irrelevant

[@pingunooty]

Season 3 is peak

[@chilldude30]

And unfortunately you just reminded me of its existence

[@loreleiofthemist]

​@@chilldude30 it's not unfortunate tho, in fact you should go watch it right now 👀

[@BelaHvizdak]

My favorite piece of art ever. Twisted and beautiful. And more relavant than ever. Nothing has ever done what twin peaks has. The music, the camera work, the acting, the queer representation, it's beyond words. Its means so much to me as a woman in america, it made me and my struggle feel seen

[@hgc7000]

Wow Bob, Wow! This is my favorite TV show, and the musical score is just amazing. The song is haunting, hopeful, terrifying, and beautiful all at the same time.

[@pdwalker6072]

Thank you. Definitely my favorite TV show theme. Just beautiful.

[@maynardyorke]

amazing song people don't hear more about if i can ask- do SOMEWHERE IN TIME, incredible story in that song

[@Astral-Sine-Techno]

C major has NEVER sounded as good! It's all about the contrast. But wow - it's scary YT knows me so well to understand that this was my favorite show/score back then! Great vid! : )

[@Astral-Sine-Techno]

You asked about the description of the show: David Lynch. Ok, I'll expand. Brilliant, mysterious, humorous, macabre, beautiful, chilling, sexy, unforgettable. UNIQUE

[@EvanAgee]

So many chills, thank you so much for covering this song!

[@sweetwheatsy]

Amazing rundown. Both your analysis at the beginning and hearing his own process with Lynch. Really inspiring stuff.

[@ashtonhettich9195]

This has to be one of the best soundpainting done for a soundtrack that I've ever heard! Such genius here!

[@laerwen]

Soundpainting. That's exactly what I think of this as. The theory is just the structure, which you need - but the art is the darkness and the girl.

[@theinkspot1279]

This show and soundtrack mean the world to me. Thank you do much for doing this

[@libracordial]

Great breakdown! That theme truly lives inside the world of Twin Peaks, absolutely builds it from within.

[@crumblingindisgrace1767]

The Twin Peaks and Fire Walk with Me soundtracks are so amazing. I love playing them while driving at night.

[@weepingscorpion8739]

Laura's Theme is amazing. Thanks for this! :)

[@michellemonet4358]

Which Lauras Theme?

[@weepingscorpion8739]

@@michellemonet4358 OK, I see now that it is actually called Laura Palmer's Theme. I thought there were more than one Laura's theme but it is that one that I was referring to.

[@santiagorojaspiaggio]

I'm an aspiring screenwriter and during the last 6 years i've been very inclined towards screenplay theory (conflict; structure; etc). And since those concepts have been developing in my head and extending to all my artistic knowledge, screenplay theory and musical composition theory are becoming more connected (till some point). So i found really interesting what you said about forgetting all preconcepts and structures when you're creating, and THEN using all the theorical knowledge to correct or polish your work. Because that's the same thing i say about writing a screenplay. Creating (imagination) and knowing (rationality) are two different parts of the brain, and we shouldn't confuse them nor make them obstruct each other.

[@iguanaman08]

Always get goosebumps when I hear this music.

[@megamatt1915]

One of my favorite themes of all time. Great breakdown!

[@benwilliams5837]

YESSS this music is so special and iconic. My partner and I just got a record player and she got me the soundtrack on vinyl.

[@Gearhart_Music]

When that show first came out I wasn't that into it. But I watched it a few years ago and was struck with how awesome the music was. It was so dramatic and beautiful. It took me awhile to really get into David Lynch's style but I dig a lot of what he does as a director/writer. He's also a big music guy. He does the eerie unsettling thing really well.

[@dallinforsyth8762]

Could you talk about Vienna Teng's "Hymn of Axciom" at some point? It's such an beautiful song but still is the most interesting sounding musical piece of art I've really ever heard. It's a musical goldmine of everything talked about in your videos and I think it'd be amazing for you to cover! (Bonus points for the Bluecoats 2014 performance)

[@macrumpton]

That theme is such an emotional roller coaster!

[@_mickmccarthy]

The video of Angelo Badalamenti talking about how he wrote it with Lynch is wonderful, well worth checking out for anyone who hasn't seen it. Edit: Only just opened the video when I left this comment, looks like a lot of this video is covering the video in question, whoops!

[@iancurry]

Great lesson in composing and improvising, as well the theme itself...Thanks

[@Constantinesis]

This must be magic because I looked for Twin Peaks song two days ago after not listening it for many years and also I`v just discovering your channel a few days before that!

[@HenningUhle]

I never saw the TV Show or the movie. Don't know why as I must have been the target group in terms of age. But - of course - I know the soundtrack. I absolutely love "Falling" by Julee Cruise. But since I didn't see anything from the series, I didn't link Laura's Theme to Falling. I first came across these beautiful chords by listening to "Go" by Moby. To this day this is one of the most iconic songs from the electronic music. These beginning chords from the theme which are the basis for "Go" have such a unique sound that they immediately catch you when one of the songs begin. Now that I know the complete "Laura's Theme" I totally agree to what you said in the video. Thank you for this.

[@christopherellis2663]

That's incredible! Incredible, I tell you! Incredible!

[@maximyanchenko3780]

By the way, B natural can be viewed as #11 in F (which is just another way to look at G/F)

[@NaanProphet]

If anyone has ever wanted to hear something that's directly inspired by the title theme and this, the band Dream Theater did an instrumental song called Eve back in the 90s as their ex keyboardist was a huge Twin Peaks fan. It never made it on an album and is very chill for a DT song. But the vibe is there. Highly recommend.

[@jeremiahnoar7504]

Maybe every initial meeting with a director and composer should go like that. It's like Badalamenti captured not the scene, but the soul beneath the scene. He didn't play the sound of wind, he played like the metaphysical representation of what wind means.

[@dwdei8815]

If you watch any the extras on the DVD set of David Lynch's outstanding latest (last? *sniff*) Twin Peaks season, he uses this extraordinary improvisatory technique throughout. It appears he doesn't hand round a selection of scripts to be learned and recited, he leads his entire cast through the labyrinth of his inventiveness by guiding them. He'll say something like "You want to say to the other man that you need the money. When he asks you what for, say you are frightened. Say you are obsessed with his shoes. And you, when you hear that, you say you understand". (Or whatever.) Must be a thing of wonder and great fulfillment to work with him.

[@dylianobiano]

Wow I never thought you would ever go over Twin Peaks! Kudos to you and your continuing devotion to creating great content.

[@halcyo]

What's truly amazing is that David Lynch literally DIRECTED the score itself, by instructing the improvisation of Badalamenti. Unbelievable creativity!

[@veskuheikkinen798]

Wow, I really enjoyed the whole content of this video. What's music about; expression. Not just candy for the masses, not just technical superiority and conventional, but expressing thoughts, feelings and all. ❤

[@jubelbrosseau7966]

Oh hell yeah. More “Twin Peaks” music, please! In the meantime I’ll share this video with fellow Peaks fans on social media. Recommended pieces: “Audrey’s Dance,” and “The Dance of the Dream Man.”

[@NunyaB1s]

Absolutely love that you’re covering more than game music (but please never stop covering game music!!!)

[@JacobCanote]

So good. Love TP

[@jaysal_dies]

there was a fish in the percolator

[@notoriouswhitemoth]

You say 'play the squirrels', I'm like 'easy', we've got a line running up the scale and hammering on a high note for a bit, we've got a little gallop in a middle register that occasionally jumps around, moving from cache to cache, maybe that high note comes down but then runs back up and slips into its drey Not just randomly jumping around, actually trying to represent specific behaviors of the real squirrels living in my backyard! Guess I was on the same page as your teacher there

[@cortx7]

That beginning actually sounds A LOT like 90s Batman.

[@aaronboligitz7891]

One of the darkest and greatest Drum Corps Warm-Ups ever! I loved playing this in the Crossmen Drum and Bugle Corps! LET"S GO BONES!

[@stoatystoat174]

I find the chord change from C to E very interesting. I think because the 3rd of the E chord is the minor 6th of the C chord (and the 5th of the E chord is the root of C down a half step) it feels like you are moving somewhere murky rather than a bright major place 😎

[@luserdroog]

It's almost like he's pedalling around (enharmonic respellings) of that Ab note. The bass motion creates drama, but it's like the chords simply arise as the sum of the bass motion and the melody springing off of the Ab.

[@AtlasAndersson]

Absolutely love it 💚

[@jessicapinto3817]

THIS.. is how music tells stories and we can all feel it.

[@Firearrow5235]

Just took my roommate through all of Twin Peaks (S1, S2, Fire Walk With Me, The Return). Funny to see this suddenly show up in my feed.

[@Time-Shepherd.]

Mellifluous ♥️

[@flounder31]

I love this channel. Thank you.

[@ChaseWulff]

“Angelo, that’s tearing my heart out.”

[@Panzer_the_Merganser]

To everyone that clicked on this as fast as I did, cannot recommend enough hunting down the "Twin Peaks Archive" from back in 2011. Lynch released a TON of different takes of songs and several that were previously unreleased. I don't think it's available in a lot of places, but I'm sure you could track down some MP3's at least.

[@Keenergetic]

Beautiful series and music!

[@keithjung5856]

If you look at the piano roll, the shape of the melody basically looks like two peaks.

[@mrmitchell78]

I watched the first episode when I was 13. I was utterly petrified that evening and barely slept. The theme tune and incidental chords still freak me out.

[@Joshsclips]

Never heard of this theme but I’ve played it multiple times while improvising, even the major key changes. Funny how that works

[@jesseglenn8803]

Just watched this show over Halloween for the first time 😎

[@michellemonet4358]

How was it

[@jesseglenn8803]

@michellemonet4358 not the best, not the worst, certainly worth having the dvds. 😎

[@michellemonet4358]

@jesseglenn8803 thanks. Not the worst..doesnt sound too appealing.

[@khalixaurelius1473]

Hey Charles, have you heard Jesús Molina's version of "A Night In Tunisia"? It's so cool!

[@mt97man]

This song also inspired Michael Jackson's Dangerous song demo. You can hear the same melody at the end of the demo. It might be one the reasons why it was reworked before release.