Waffles Plus Mochi is a wild and wacky children’s series from creators Erika Thormahlen plus Jeremy Konner and producer Michelle Obama where two puppets explore the world of food. Composer Spende Sokoloff used different methods to create beautiful musical madness.
The series follows Waffles, a powder-white, furry fox-like creature with waffles for ears. Waffles’ partner in the fun-filled mischief is Mochi, a palm-sized creature inspired by the Japanese food. Waffles does most of the particular talking, and Mochi replies with wordless sounds. The particular pair come from the “land of frozen foods” and will stop at nothing to work at a neighborhood grocery store in New York. Each of the six episodes focuses on an ingredient that takes Waffles plus Mochi out into the neighborhood, where they meet the likes of Michelle Obama.
PopAxiom spoke with Gabe Sokoloff about becoming a composer and creating the diverse soundscape associated with Waffles and Mochi’s Restaurant .
It Happens
Gabe’s musical life began with “piano lessons as a kid, ” but he admits that he “never took it too far. ” But his dad was an amateur musician. “So we always had some recording gear around the house for basic multi-track recording. ”
“I has been a late bloomer, ” he says. “I think part way through college; I started to entertain the idea that I could do this professionally. I started playing catchup in college, taking courses within my senior year, yet I grew into it fast. ”
Gabe moved out to Los Angeles “… without the clear plan except for pursuing music. We met all these kids with many connections plus all the new gear. It gave me this feeling of being behind, but it lit a fire under me. ”
“I lucked into a part-time gig along with BT, ” pioneering electronic musician Brian Transeau. “I also had a job doing audio editing at a commercial house. I did that with regard to several years, working my way up to a staff composer. I loved it … it was the first job composing, and I was delighted in the variety of styles plus work I was doing. ”
With experience under their belt, Spende “… began thinking regarding expanding into other realms. I did a few pop music work. I’d written funny songs regarding a state farm radio campaign. Someone I knew sent that to the particular people behind JibJab, the e-card company. ”
“It happens that will those guys decided to create a television kids’ program, ” he continues. “It had usually been their dream. They had an universe of characters called the particular StoryBots. I actually contributed songs to it, including the theme song. That became our entry in to kids and family television. I also met the lot associated with Netflix people that way. ”
About Waffles + Mochi Restaurant
Gabe’s connection to Waffles plus Mochi began with an audition when producers sought a new flavor and approach to the series’ music. “I brought my style to audition. I put my songs into a couple of clips from the upcoming season. The clips had a similarity between them that had the particular signature of the show’s dramatic arc. Each clip experienced emergencies that will weren’t emergencies. These high-stakes situations that were silly. ”
“I approached the audition and the whole time of year with a tonal mix that’s 90 percent panic and frenzy in those moments, ” this individual explains, “blunted with some musical nods in order to how ridiculous it is. I put several orchestral drama but elements which were completely out of place. For example, one had the bebop trumpet part running into this orchestral piece. ”
Gabe was upon a weekly schedule while putting together Mochi plus Waffles . “It has been a lot of work. The creators wanted something lively and animate, plus the music had to do its part. We talked a lot about embracing contrast . keeping this energized. This went smoothly thanks in order to all the feedback I got that was articulated and targeted. ”
“One of the particular initial challenges with the project was knowing how varied the songs had to be and the constant change plus contrast these people wanted within the sound, ” he explains. “I thought about maintaining coherence, so it feels like Waffles and Mochi’s restaurant. That will it almost all belongs to the same world. ”
Gabe accomplished tying in the diverse music “by honing in on a few instruments and re-contextualizing them cue in order to cue. With regard to instance, many of the cues contained trumpets; sometimes it was bebop trumpet, this was mariachi, and the idea was orchestral. Decisions like that kept a strand of unity that gave coherence but allowed intended for diversity of sound. That is an insight I’ll carry with me personally moving forward. ”
Wrapping Up
“I’m a huge Stephen Sondheim acolyte. I feel like his work, musically, lyrically, it’s influenced my process inside every realm, ” he says without the second thought while adding a second, related influence. “Most from the classic renditions associated with his musicals, the orchestrations are done by Jonathan Tunick, who’s masterful. So orchestration-wise, I’m influenced by him. ”
Gabe loves Alexandre Desplat and John Williams “though not so much their more famous work yet the more incidental cues. I love electronic songs like Jon Hopkins. We love what he does with sound. He inspires me on an abstract level. ”
“I’d be interested in contributing to the world of adult animation, ” responding to what’s on his project wish list. “Something to get teenagers and up is something I actually haven’t touched yet. So a project in that realm would be exciting. ”
What’s coming next pertaining to Gabe? “I’ve written a musical with my brother. It’s called Enjoy the Ride . It is a vaguely political comedy about the fictional account of how repressive dictators acquire their armored vehicles. ”
Is Waffles plus Mochi upon your watch list?
Thanks to Gabe Sokoloff and Rhapsody PR
for making this interview possible.
Find more interviews from Ruben R. Diaz!
