The Simpsons hasn’t had to replace any of its core voice cast just yet, but will nonetheless sound a bit different in Season 29. Longtime composer Alf Clausen was apparently let go from the series after nearly three decades, while the show pursues “a different kind of music.”

Variety reported news of Clausen’s sudden firing, which follows a twenty-seven year career with twenty-one Emmy nominations (two wins) and five Annie Awards, after scored over 560 episodes. The “different kind of music” FOX is reportedly seeking for its flagship animation may include digitized scoring, as Clausen made use of a thirty-five-piece orchestra each week, something creator Matt Groening insisted on.

The cost of putting together so many musicians every week ranged into millions of dollars each year, and the show’s budget certainly doesn’t get less expensive over time. At the very least, Danny Elfman’s Simpsons theme will still be a part of the show, so don’t expect too many glaring changes just yet.

The Simpsons Season 29 will premiere on Sunday, October 1, though no composer has yet been hired to score the season opener. Is this the first of many changes to come?

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