Moral ambiguity seems to be a recurring theme in Undertale huh... Btw, go watch my other Undertale videos if you haven't already: ruclips.net/video/HPx6t-o8xko/видео.html
On the theme of Undertale's music, you should review "Hopes and Dreams ~ Save the World." It's a very monumental final battle, and ties together a lot of themes throughout the game.
The following comment has a bit of spoilers but with Undertale it's impossible to avoid them, still, I warned you This battle is a battle neither of you want to have, but toriel (the one you're fighting) wants to stop you from leaving, to protect you, but you can't stay in that place forever, so you're either battling her to k i l l her, to get her out of your way, OR you're trying to convince her to let you go, and it's overall a pretty emotional moment.
So glad you did this one, I was hoping you would after Asgore. Heartache is my favorite song on the soundtrack. I think you nailed it with the word "resignation" toward the end of the video.
That "bittersweetness" is right on point. This character wants to care for you as her own child, but the player decided to go out on their own. Its the story of a loving mother letting go of her child, without knowing if they are capable of taking care of themself.
It's not just _a_ child, she's losing _another_ child. 6 children have already fell down and died to Asgore because she couldn't stop them from leaving the ruins, and now she's about to lose another... about to lose her last
I’ve always felt that the motif that toriel and asgore share have different time signatures because the two of them simply can’t see eye to eye. They both want to help their people but see the problem so differently
@@mrnour1742 bruh he literally figured that out just listening to Asgore's theme lmao. The man is LITERALLY *_THE_* most divorced man in the world lmfao
Thanks so much for sharing babes 🥺 ...it is sad, really expresses the moment with how Toriel is distraught with the choices being made but hopeful it'll work out 🥺
I got strick with that same feeling after the hollow knight videos he did as well as another channel. I especially love to learn more about music since I have a hobby for making and rewriting music.
@@NightmareZerogbs The main example I was thinking of was thethirdbill and his reaction to the Arcane OST. He figures out a good 90% of the plot while having zero knowledge of any characters or story: ruclips.net/video/tUKHVr0P1Hw/видео.html
my jaw dropped too, because before he explained it, i though to myself it either means begging for mercy for your life or begging someone to stop doing what they are doing and I was somehow right lol.
The disturbing chord in the beginning is actually pretty important. This OST plays in a scene were the player can choose to do something morally awful which impacts the story drastically. The change in melody from serious to happy probably suggest the changing of the players and also characters mind during said scene. I won’t say what’s going on due to spoilers but the fight is a mixture of emotions and changing between good and evil while also painfully considering what’s really the best for this exact situation even tho the reality might be tragic.
The subtley of the chord might also be thematically tied to not having all the information. The entire scene where it takes place is all about building looming implications, things that you the player do not understand or fully register yet. Reading into this scene after having completed the game highlights some hidden tragedy that was not understood in the beginning.
Not only can the player make that choice, I’d argue it’s the point in the game where they’re most notably pushed to do so (disregarding the points where they have no choice)
If you’re taking a while to finish, it means you’re being patient and trying to find the best solution. So the soundtrack is trying to reinforce this by becoming more positive as things continue.
2:20 - Amazing that you picked up on Asgore's Melody being in 4/4 while Toriel (Heartache) is in 3/4. Toby composed the music where the female themes are mostly 3/4 and male themes are 4/4.
@@cdogthehedgehog6923 Not at all. From a musical approach, 3/4 is very swing like. Elegant, moving, and a sense of grace with it's structure. Waltz's are 3/4. 4/4 is very technical and rigid. It's the simplest time signature, but can easily convey themes of strength, anger, and subtle emotion. Toriel is very flowing with 3/4 while Asgore is stern and resolute in his 4/4.
First with picking out the “perseverance” and now the “irony” so many key details to the game and the characters and their fights and he’s reading it like a script with the music!
That is the beauty of Toby Fox’s music. There is not a single composer other than him that I know of that is able to worldbuild and characterize a story through just music without using lyrics. Words cannot describe how superior Toby Fox is to other composers.
@@keithwiechart7744 I don't think that Toby is actually some kind of musical mastermind the likes of which overshadows almost any other composer ever. He's just extremely good, not that that's anything to understate. Many others are also on his level of talent that shouldn't be understated either, is what my point is
I think the silly childlike aspect fits well because it's a song near the start of the game, when you've not experienced all that much yet. I think it is fully genuine, despite the heartache that is also part of this scene
I mean it's (spoiler alert) your very first boss battle. It's supposed to be exciting to you, as a player, to experience that battle, since you're the one wanting to progress on the story and whatever this new world has to offer for you from this point forward.
One of the things that’s really great about Undertales OST is that Toby Fox actually made the music for an environment and boss *BEFORE* he made the fight itself. The entire game is designed around its music
Heartache was originally music for Deltarune's precursor game (The one based on the 2011 fever dream. It's original name was "Joker Battle". Make of that what you will
this series of yours on Undertale proves how good Toby is as a composer. Without ever having played the game you can analyze his songs and your interpretation of them is spot on to their meaning within the game's story.
8:16 With the context of the game, I feel like it’s more desperation. The beginning sounds like Toriel is determined to get the player to stay. As the song progresses, her will is shaken and she panics that she wont be able to save the player
Your comment made me re-imagine those two sequences as Toriel and the main character arguing back and forth, and sure enough the latter sequence sounds like desperation. Just like the old days where characters had sound effects to get emotion across instead of actual spoken dialogue. Never picked up on it before.
I just LOVE how Toby Fox puts the entire story into the soundtracks and how easily you can "read between the notes". You should totally listen to "Hopes and dreams" in the near future, I'm sure you'll find some interesting similarities between that track, "Asgore" and "Heartache"
It might be better if he experience it last, after doing so more videos on undertale ost so he can get the links between them like he did in this video between Heartache and ASGORE.
@@pros_0143 That's not a bad point at all. I suppose it all depends on how many he plans to do. On one hand, seeing some others first and picking up leitmotifs from the whole game would be good for a long playlist, with His Theme's feeling of almost... finality. On the other hand, it has some key themes that are recognizable throughout the game, and listening to it first may help him even start to put together the lore.
Starting off more upbeat? ✅ Quietly disturbed? ✅ Grief ironically turning to joy, or resignation? ✅ Yup, that's Toriel. Was so happy to see this video after the ASGORE one! For a little context, Toriel, the character whose theme this is, is the divorced wife of Asgore, the character who the previous theme is named for. Toby did a great job portraying the unhappy couple and their struggle through their music. Great analysis!
Once again, you are picking up on so much!! This song is for the first boss fight, which is with a character who believes she's ultimately protecting you by fighting you - very similar motivations to Asgore, who is fighting you to protect his kingdom. And, not to spoil things for you, those two characters have much more history than might be initially obvious...
Honestly, hearing you talk about these songs hits all the feels. The journey we all took, the things we all felt. You are able to put words to the emotions that we experience playing these games. Thank you for this. Almost therapeutic in a sense.
Brings back a lot of emotion indeed. It's a nice way to reconnect to Undertale, it feels so far away already so hearing a new perspective on these songs is fantastic.
man the songs always cut off seemingly too soon, because they are supossed to loop, and the fact that you get a feeling that the song is incomplete when it ends proves how well Toby Fox made these songs, for them to loop so seamlessly.
@@coreblaster6809 i think what they were saying is that toby could only loop the songs from the beginning, and not starting from a middle point of the song; due to the engine's limitations But he did find a way to "bypass" that in the asgore theme for example, by splitting the track in two different songs
@@mparagames Ah I see, there are a few intro songs in the soundtrack but I'm not sure if there are any outro songs, I suppose that's harder to do timing wise
I'm not the first to say how insane it is that Davi can basically read off the plot of these games from the OST alone, but what stood out to me very strongly was the "irony" you mentioned, that happy section of the song that almost feels sarcastic. That's a powerful theme running throughout a great deal of this game. The idea of laughing through the pain, holding off sad thoughts using lighthearted jokes, and so on. After hunting down so many instances of it in the actual dialogue of the game, it's fascinating to see that it was also reflected so brilliantly in the music. Several years later and this game still holds secrets from me...what a masterpiece.
I recommend you to hear "Your best nightmare" And "Finale" they played in that order in a game. It's awesome story in just 2 songs, you should totally check if out! 😁
His musical analysis adds a whole other layer to understanding the messages and themes of the music from a technical side (I have zero musical experience) that I would miss out entirely. The use of happy and sad chords, measure and such is fascinating. I'd love to see this analysis applied to hopes and dreams, although I do believe that should be the last song he reacts too
If each song is a musical journey, the game itself is a whole odyssey! If your just considering the next song, I would propose "Spear of Justice". It's actually an alternative battle theme to "Battle Against a True Hero", in that you will only ever hear the latter under extremely specific conditions, but it contains a melody that you'll hear throughout the game in several places and in different forms.
It's so crazy how you're picking up on the emotions and context of the game without having played it. Much of the statements you make (like describing perseverance from the music) are very accurate to what's happening in the fight. It's really neat to see, and I do want to see your reactions when you have all the context.
As a big fan of Undertale and Toby Fox, these videos really make me appreciate even more how good both him and you are at what you do, since you can pick up pretty much exactly what his music is trying to communicate without even knowing the game. It feels like he is telling a story and you are understanding it without a single word, just from the music. That's amazing to me.
Now that I genuinely listen to these songs and hear a professionals take on the music, I finally understand it's almost as if the boss is fighting you through music as well.
6/8 works better symbolically because if you think about it, the number 6 has its own symbolism in Toriel's story (and if you count the first one that fell and the one she's fighting against when this song plays, that makes 8 in total)
Makes sense that Toriel's song really goes between the sad, (I would call it more) anxious, and happy themes before going to happy on the pacifist route. She's the first character you face, and what you do to her is what decides your route! Usually anyways.
Yeah, most of Undertale’s soundtrack are pretty short. But you could analyze two related soundtracks in one video (like “Nyeh Heh Heh!” + “Bonetrousle”), because it’s interesting to hear how they relate and derive from each other.
tracks with the same leitmotifs could be very interesting! for instance, you can hear "sans." in "it's raining somewhere else" but the two tracks are very, very different despite both relating to the same character. i also think it would be cool to hear about his reading on alphys based on "alphys" and then listen to "here we are" which uses the same leitmotif. "death by glamour" uses "metal crusher" and "it's showtime!" i see a lot of people throwing tracks like hopes and dreams/your best nightmare/finale out there and i think it would be cool if he quickly listened to "your best friend" before these, since all of these use that melody. so many opportunities! the undertale soundtrack is wonderful.
Love watching these deeper dives into this fantastic soundtrack. For a change from boss themes, I would really love to see 'Its raining somewhere else' in the future.
11:07 "Resignation"! Oh my god how could you possibly get this so correct! That is the exact spot where Toriel's will breaks and she begins to concede.
I also love the percussion in this piece. It has that jazzy kinda vibe, and combined with the main rhythm, it feels like a combination of lively yet stressful. A battle or a dance, depending on which one you listen to. It feels like Toriel, even though she's dead faced and angry, is having fun with this ballad.
Entertaining and interesting content as always! I suggest listening to ''Your best nightmare'' and ''Finale'' (both songs are connected) these and ''Death by glamour'' are the ones I consider to be the most exciting and it would certainly be great to watch you react to both masterpieces. PD: Try making a video analyzing ''Megalovania'' (probably the most known and recognizable song out there) and watch how the hundreds of thousands of views stack up lol
Death by glamour has to be my favorite OST from the game but I don’t think it’s worth it’s own video. It’s just good music. No big and deep meaning behind these notes tbh.
One note I’ll say about Death By Glamour. In the fight, Mettaton is posing constantly, to the point where it’s a move you can take that helps you win the fight. Now listen to Death By Glamour. Does it sound familiar? It is melodically and instrumentally similar to Madonna’s “Vogue”, a song about posing on the dance floor
At this point, I kinda just want him to do the entire soundtrack, be given the correct order for them, and try to come up with his own story to connect it. THEN he can play the game.
That disturbing note mingled between happy and sad cords is absolutely meaningful. And the fact that it's very carefully hidden is also meaningful. "Heartache" really describes the feelings behind this character and why you're fighting her in this part of the game. --- Also I'd love to see your analysis of Hopes and Dreams.
I want that so badly, but I want to see it _after_ he knows more about the game. He'll be able to pick out the Flowey/Your Best Friend leitmotifs, the Once Upon a Time leitmotifs, and will have context for what emotions he's looking for. As much as I love these blind reactions, Hopes and Dreams I'd prefer an informed analysis. (And anyway, I can't trust that the comments won't spoil it for him!)
Your videos just show me two things 1. Toby Fox is genius for being able to tell you a story and make you feel things with just a simply ost 2. You are as genius as him for being able to translate these ost into actual words
I gotta say, I've seen a whole lot of HK and UT music reaction videos, but yours are definitely my favorite! They are much more elaborate, much more in-depth, much more understandable. The way you simplify things (at least for me, who does play a musical instrument, but doesn't know crap about music theory) is really nice and good to see, the "sad chord - happy chord - tense chord - disturbing chord" things you do are also really really cool, they are plain and nice, they let me understand more about the music I already love with all my heart. And of course, seeing the surprise, the confusion, the satisfaction on your face, makes me happy like nothing else, because, again: I love this music. I see that you, a professional, love it, understand it. I understand and love this music even more now. So far a lot of your videos, if not every I've watched, have brought tears of joy on my face. And the accuracy with which you describe the mood and the setting of the game without knowing a single thing about the plot is honestly sometimes scary. I'm in love with your videos, and I'm really excited to see what you're planning to do in the future!!
Definitely recommend "Waterfall" or "It's Raining Somewhere Else" as the next listen. "Waterfall" actually carries one of the leitmotifs you've just listened to in Heartache, and I'm not exactly sure why.
Ha! Funny fact! There are about i think five songs in the soundtrack and Toby just remixed all of them, lol! Look it up! There are so many videos showing the similarities between songs and it's a fun watch :)
its incredible how many little details of undertale's story you can pick out just by listening to the music! your mention of the disturbing chord is spot-on, even as someone listening to the ost for years i didn't realise how well the song fits the story! now that i think about it the disturbing chord makes sense: at first it seems that the boss of this song is just heartbroken that you choose to leave her, hence sad chords and bittersweet tones, but with the given backstory suddenly you realise why she's desperate to keep you with her - she's seen others like you before, choosing to leave her and in doing so getting killed. on another slightly unrelated note, im seeing many people recommend you listen to your best nightmare and finale next, and i definetly agree with them! finale is my favoruite song of the ost and i think it would be interesting to see you break down these two songs. i would also recommend you listen to your best friend alongside them, since its a very short song, and because all three songs share the same leitmotif, your best friend being the first song of the ost to have the melody. if you're curious to know why everyone's recommending your best nightmare and finale side-by-side, its because in the game those songs play immediately after the other, finale being almost like the continuation of your best nightmare
I think listening to Another Medium and CORE together in one video would be a good idea. In that order specifically. They're similar tracks, but both very splendid in their own right. Death By Glamour is also a huge one I'd love to see you react to.
you really gotta try to give the whole OST a listen at once, the amount of motifs and leitmotifs you'll find throughout the soundtrack would be so fun for you. I also think your clear knowledge of music would be so interesting to listen to while you listen to all of it
I like reaction channels that actually add meaningful commentary to whatever they're reacting to and you're definitely one of the best of them, love learning new ways to appreciate some of my favorite songs!
I absolutely love these breakdowns. Music theory has always interested me and hearing you disassemble the Undertale soundtrack, which is full of subtle meanings and beautiful melodies, is such a joy. I'm real eager to hear you go through the soundtrack more, and maybe even touch upon its spiritual successor Deltarune.
10:45 GOD DAMMIT, he literally deciphered the whole vibe/feeling of this scene by listing to the music. . Explanation with little spoiler: . . . In this scene Toriel tries to stop main character from going deeper into the underground, because she knows that they'll die, and she knows that, Because the exact same thing already happened 6 times, and she fights you to try to convince you to go back. And in the middle of the fight she knows she can't stop you, and after you spare her, she that it's ironic, how she can't stop even a little child, although she already did that 6 times.
How is it that in all of these emotional game soundtrack reviews he makes, every time he describes what the music makes him think of it's a PERCECT METAPHOR FOR THE SITUATION
Regarding your point on perseverance, a common theme to Undertale that is basically integral to the story is determination. In a normal playthrough, each save point will give a small bit of text followed by the text "you're filled with determination", without exception. Determination is why you keep going, and in one route in particular, it is death-defying. It's basically a sort of meme in the Undertale community, but it's also significant to the story.
i've always known toby was great at conveying emotions and ideas through his music, but it's even more amazing how accurately you're predicting the background behind it. you're reading the subtext like a book, word for word, line for line. it's almost like a conversation in a strange way. i guess that goes to show how experience you have. can't wait to see more
Admittedly I really love hearing all your thoughts on the soundtrack, specifically cause you do not know the actual story yet! It's super cool just how much of it you can decode just from the songs, showing just how well written they are Part of me wishes you'd analyze all the boss battles and otherwise big important songs before playing the game and then revisit your thoughts on the game and soundtrack afterwards, cause this is a very unique situation you're in Also unrelated to that I adore how you analyze music! The focus on the emotion of the song and the specific chords is the coolest, I love learning how the theory behind the music shows the emotions it evokes I definitely started binging your undertale and monster hunter work :>
This track serves as Toriel's theme - one of the first characters you meet in the game. She acts as the sort of tutorial. (ha, tuTORIEL, get it?) But by the end of your time with her, she attempts to stop you from moving forward, for fear of you getting hurt or killed. Her way of trying to stop you is essentially fighting you. She doesn't want you to get hurt, and she's so adamant about protecting you that she'll hurt you. The irony of the situation definitely shows in the track. At a certain point (if your health gets low) her attacks will start avoiding you, and she looks guilty. However, there is a MINISCULE chance that her attacks can kill you, which will show you a single frame of her looking terrified at what she's done. It's really a beautiful game.
Man I hope he keeps going through all of them. There is a ton I wanna see him analyze and see how close he is about guessing stuff about the character scene.
It's interesting that you decided to listen to them in this order, because the Asgore song is at the end of the game and the Heartache song is at the start!
seeing someone geek out over undertale music in just the music theory aspect is my new favorite thing. i’m in choir and my teacher has us so listening assignments where we write a couple sentences of commentary on the songs. he wants us to go into the theory part of it but no one really does;however, watching these undertale video’s of yours makes me see exactly what my teacher what’s us to do and it’s so interesting and i love it
It's fascinating to see you tease out little details in these tracks that go completely over the heads of lay people like me. Most people can catch on to recurring melodies, leitmotifs, as well as the general vibe of the song, but it gives me an entirely new appreciation for the soundtrack when you so aptly describe and explain the emotions the song is conveying through different techniques. Especially considering you don't have the benefit of context when it comes to the story! Keep up the good stuff.
Toby Fox is a storytelling and musical genius to be able to tell so much about a character without a word. As someone who knows a LOT about the lore, every song is very intentional and specific, and he knows when and where to repeat themes and adjust them to connect characters, scenes, and ideas.
Great video as always! I really find Undertale's music to be unique and magical. This piece is so nostalgic yet surprising, like encountering the unknown thing. Even if I’ve never played the game, I can't help but get emotionally attached to this music. So amazing. Thank you for this video, Davi!!
This track is unique for me in that it's a real 'bellweather' track. I will react to it in completely different ways depending on my mood - all the way from "god I love this cool tune" down to "I am suddenly an emotional mess". I like to keep it lurking in my shuffle playlist so that it can hit me with a surprise 'audit' on my mental wellbeing. 😅
If you ever get around to playing Undertale, I recommend listening to this after you finish the Genocide route. ruclips.net/video/KGfJYHZCNyU/видео.html I wanna see you comment on this track. It's related to a character that doesn't exist but does things anyway. If you find out about him in-game I'll be VERY impressed. I will say though that he has more direct involvement in the next game Deltarune.
The song represents a mother figure doing what she thinks is best for you. You have the option to do something very bad to her, and it feels almost like a betrayal. She cares for you but is in the way.
After listening to Heartache and ASGORE, I think the perfect song to listen to next would be Undertale. It uses the main themes and leitmotifs present in most of the songs in this ost.
I'm so happy you picked heartache. Such an emotional song and one of the most emotional on the soundtrack. Please listen to the one and only Megalovania at some point in time!
Excellent work, Davi! Generally speaking, you have a good idea of the story behind the track. A few things however may require in-game context understand the music fully. In short, this fight is the equivalent of a tutorial boss fight. This character is intent on proving your ability to survive outside of the region she is in, out of fear that you will be killed upon leaving the area. She is incredibly hesitant and even shouts in *heartaching* pleas for you to fight back during and before the fight, and nearing the end of a non-hostile approach, she hesitates to fight you as well. A lot of context for the songs requires playing the game itself, and once you understand her theme's relation to ASGORE's theme, (and the character's relationship itself), you will understand why they sound so similar. Thanks for reading!
This is great! You’re really very accurate about pretty much everything you point out. Honestly it’s a huge testament to what can be conveyed through music! If you want to continue your Undertale Journey, “You’re Best Nightmare” paired with “Finale” would be great- both songs are wonderful but work better in context of hearing them back to back.
this would be interesting!! i also think he should listen to "your best friend" first, since it's so short and is sorta the basis for the other two. there's so much chaos in "your best nightmare," i'd love to see him break it down :p
idk why it was this video in specific but ive been watching your channel for a while and i just realized while watching this how much i love hearing you puzzle out music. i think because undertale has so many layers and makes so many uncommon choices that it requires a deeper look which has made the things i like about this channel more apparent here, but despite knowing nothing about music theory i am incredibly intrigued by each of your insights and videos. moreover, in my daily life i have become slightly more aware of and invested in the music i consume. i played violin for about five years when i was younger and took a class in high school about musical literacy (which granted was not the most intensive learning environment lol) but i feel like ive retained more from your videos about how music works than from any of that. the simplified way you explain music that still allows beginners to partially grasp why a sequence makes you feel a specific way, via music they already like and are attached to, is a phenomenal teaching tool for getting people interested in thinking about music and composition without it necessarily feeling like there is an ulterior motive or need to do something with the knowledge. the insights are high level but the requirements for engagement are low, allowing basically anyone to come in and have a good time seeing someone examine music they love. The comments tell me im not alone in this, either; the most common one i see after recommendations or lore explaining is "wow i dont know anything about music theory but i love your videos and how you explain things, ive really learned a lot!" Obviously, saying that, this wont be new information for you then lol but I wanted to show my appreciation, even if its just in the small algorithm boost this comment will give you. these videos have fostered a fledgling love of composition and music theory in me that i wouldnt have even known i'd be interested in having otherwise. I dont actually know if you'll see this or if itll mean anything coming from a faceless stranger, but i would like you to know your content has positively impacted my life, even if its in a pretty inconsequential way. you also just seem like a chill guy who really loves what you do. thanks for the videos, thank you for sharing your knowledge and passions, and keep doing what makes you happy 👍
I love how you simplify things for the layman. So many other similar channels just seem to pander to the people in the know. (nothing wrong with that per se)
Don't forget about microtones Toby is good for this. I love listening to your deconstruction of each ost. Like the images I've received in my dreams. It's like a replay. I love it!
7:11 I believe the note you are referring to may be related to another song called "His Theme" and it has a major connection to the song that you listened to. Won't spoil too much. You probably will recognize when you listen to it
Toriel is our mother figure in the game, her name is literally a play on "tu-toriel". However, she asserts herself as your caregiver within 20 seconds of meeting her, and you can see some aspects of her instability and pain. She tries very hard to keep you safe, to the point where it is overbearing, but also attempts to keep herself safe at different times, fearing the child would leave her like the others. While Toriel is a kind and protective woman, her same aspects are disturbing and frightening, especially to a child who just met her and likely has no concept of what he hot-cold behavior means in terms of Toriel's pain and fear. She watched her children die, her husband go mad in grief, and monsterkind hunt children. She has no trust and a black and white view of monsterkind, and feels betrayed by the world. She is not a bad person, despite everything. Her self-imposed isolation has only worsened her normally good traits into darker aspects of their alter egos, she forced herself into a situation where she cannot physically thrive. She loses as much as she gives up, keeping what is left to herself in protection. It's ironic, considering her husband, Asgore has the same problem- a man forced into a situation where he cannot live. He loses everything to the world, and results in giving everything away and stripping himself of his free will, keeping what is left of his sanity by completely refusing himself. Toriel is a hard character for me, because I see a lot of self-sabotage in her. It's hard to see what is forced upon her and what she forces upon herself. The description of irony and resignation is perfect, because that is exactly what happens in her battle. Either way, I enjoyed the analysis! Is there any chance you could do some of the shorter songs? Alphys would be an interesting one, though it is not a full song like the others. The best one would be "The song that might play when you fight sans." Why? Because that song is actually not in the game, and since you did bonetrousel, it would be a perfect duo of brothers. Thank you for your content! I enjoy it very much. Stay safe.
If you find Undertale's music interesting, I'd recommend looking into Touhou Project's music (especially "Hartmann's Youkai Girl"; try to focus on the time signature of the harmony and the drums). Toby took a lot of inspiration from Touhou in his music and even makes a few musical references to them in some of the music tracks.
Definitely empathise with the sadness about the song being over so abruptly! It make sense, because most of these songs are written so they they can loop indefinitely for as long as it takes for the player to finish the boss fight the theme plays in without giving you a janky transition, but doesn't take away the "...aww" feeling.
MAN been watching your recent Undertale videos and you really reflect how it felt listening to these songs for the first time, keep going i like your stuff
My favorite part about this track is how the game play ties in with the music since killing toriel is significantly faster and easier compared to sparing (becoming friends) with her killing toriel leaves you off with sad cords and very heavy hitting drums but if you spare her the whole track plays leaving you with a significantly more up beat ending
i absolutely adore your ability to explain music theory in a way that even people without any background knowledge understand whats happening! id love to see more UT tracks from you, mainly Undertale, Death by Glamour and Amalgam
When you said "bittersweetness", I was brewing away at how accurately you can depict it. 0.0 I am amazed at both Tobby's music and your sense of music.
4:00 wow. the fact that you got that, that precisely, without having any context for the song at all besides the title just goes to show how masterfully the soundtrack was put together. Toby Fox truly is a musical genius
Props to you and the composers who got such a clear message across with only sound. The fact that you can pick all of this up so accurately is amazing to me!
I'd suggest It's Raining Somewhere Else next, personally. It contains a hell of a lot of emotion for something as simple as it is. Definitely a must listen.
I love watching videos like these. Toby Fox is genuinely one of my biggest inspirations, not just in music but in art in general, and seeing and hearing about how his music works like this and watching you being able to get the story of the game from the music alone is incredibly powerful and oddly satisfying I hope one day to be able to do similar stuff to Toby Fox, especially being able to convey theme, meaning, character, and story through music alone, because I feel that's what helps make his music so powerful and impactful
Moral ambiguity seems to be a recurring theme in Undertale huh...
Btw, go watch my other Undertale videos if you haven't already: ruclips.net/video/HPx6t-o8xko/видео.html
On the theme of Undertale's music, you should review "Hopes and Dreams ~ Save the World." It's a very monumental final battle, and ties together a lot of themes throughout the game.
interesting that you point out the similarities to Asgore's theme as this song is for his wife.
In my opinions The best once are "Finale" and "Hopes and Dreams"
You should check it out
The following comment has a bit of spoilers but with Undertale it's impossible to avoid them, still, I warned you
This battle is a battle neither of you want to have, but toriel (the one you're fighting) wants to stop you from leaving, to protect you, but you can't stay in that place forever, so you're either battling her to k i l l her, to get her out of your way, OR you're trying to convince her to let you go, and it's overall a pretty emotional moment.
So glad you did this one, I was hoping you would after Asgore. Heartache is my favorite song on the soundtrack. I think you nailed it with the word "resignation" toward the end of the video.
This man’s about to decipher the whole plot just by listening to ost. Big kudos to Toby for putting so much care and thoughts in the soundtrack
So true lol
Or for the guy for being such a music sage.
Would be funny if Toby just put sounds together and everyone is just getting random messages from nowhere
@@trentecinq35 knowing toby, that's most likely true
He shows Toby's genius with his own genius. I can not believe in this guy!
That "bittersweetness" is right on point. This character wants to care for you as her own child, but the player decided to go out on their own. Its the story of a loving mother letting go of her child, without knowing if they are capable of taking care of themself.
@LeanGalaxy well it's undertale
It's not just _a_ child, she's losing _another_ child. 6 children have already fell down and died to Asgore because she couldn't stop them from leaving the ruins, and now she's about to lose another... about to lose her last
@@enigmatic3194 not including a certain other character that was the catalyst of this whole tragedy in motion of course.
@@skyeguy7914 yup, good ol’ chara
@@skyeguy7914 *two* other characters
I’ve always felt that the motif that toriel and asgore share have different time signatures because the two of them simply can’t see eye to eye. They both want to help their people but see the problem so differently
I wouldn't be surprised is this was the case, a good observation.
Love this idea!!!
That’s pretty much what’s up. They’re divorced, after all.
@@GreenAndGoth bro spoilers
@@mrnour1742 bruh he literally figured that out just listening to Asgore's theme lmao. The man is LITERALLY *_THE_* most divorced man in the world lmfao
"Sadness with a little bit of hopefulness", poor Toriel 😭😭
Thanks so much for sharing babes 🥺 ...it is sad, really expresses the moment with how Toriel is distraught with the choices being made but hopeful it'll work out 🥺
Watching musicians predict whole game/show storylines with incredible accuracy off of just the OST has become my new obsession.
It's amazing how much depth there is in composing that is imperceptible to untrained ear.
Mine too! I'm a student right now, and these videos are convincing me that I need to take music classes.
I got strick with that same feeling after the hollow knight videos he did as well as another channel. I especially love to learn more about music since I have a hobby for making and rewriting music.
Are there other cases you could point me to? I just subscribed and am loving this channel, I didn't know how to put it into words, but you just did.
@@NightmareZerogbs The main example I was thinking of was thethirdbill and his reaction to the Arcane OST. He figures out a good 90% of the plot while having zero knowledge of any characters or story: ruclips.net/video/tUKHVr0P1Hw/видео.html
You said "resignation" and my jaw DROPPED. It's so incredibly on point and really speaks to both you and Toby's talent in this craft!
my jaw dropped too, because before he explained it, i though to myself it either means begging for mercy for your life or begging someone to stop doing what they are doing and I was somehow right lol.
The disturbing chord in the beginning is actually pretty important. This OST plays in a scene were the player can choose to do something morally awful which impacts the story drastically. The change in melody from serious to happy probably suggest the changing of the players and also characters mind during said scene. I won’t say what’s going on due to spoilers but the fight is a mixture of emotions and changing between good and evil while also painfully considering what’s really the best for this exact situation even tho the reality might be tragic.
I just now realized that the intro is played in minor chords while the Halfway mark is in major chords. You learn something new every day
The subtley of the chord might also be thematically tied to not having all the information. The entire scene where it takes place is all about building looming implications, things that you the player do not understand or fully register yet. Reading into this scene after having completed the game highlights some hidden tragedy that was not understood in the beginning.
Not only can the player make that choice, I’d argue it’s the point in the game where they’re most notably pushed to do so (disregarding the points where they have no choice)
If you’re taking a while to finish, it means you’re being patient and trying to find the best solution. So the soundtrack is trying to reinforce this by becoming more positive as things continue.
That and the incredibly complicated cocktail of emotions that the person on the other side is feeling. Grim purpose and hope at the same time.
2:20 - Amazing that you picked up on Asgore's Melody being in 4/4 while Toriel (Heartache) is in 3/4. Toby composed the music where the female themes are mostly 3/4 and male themes are 4/4.
Hah women are smaller fractions I getchu.
@@cdogthehedgehog6923 Not at all. From a musical approach, 3/4 is very swing like. Elegant, moving, and a sense of grace with it's structure. Waltz's are 3/4. 4/4 is very technical and rigid. It's the simplest time signature, but can easily convey themes of strength, anger, and subtle emotion.
Toriel is very flowing with 3/4 while Asgore is stern and resolute in his 4/4.
@Leoncroi yeah women are lesser I get what you're sayjng.
@@Leoncroiwhat a great description! it makes a lot of sense. i had no idea the undertale music was structured that way
@@cdogthehedgehog6923Ok that was funny lol
First with picking out the “perseverance” and now the “irony” so many key details to the game and the characters and their fights and he’s reading it like a script with the music!
D E T E R M I N A T I O N
That is the beauty of Toby Fox’s music. There is not a single composer other than him that I know of that is able to worldbuild and characterize a story through just music without using lyrics. Words cannot describe how superior Toby Fox is to other composers.
@@keithwiechart7744 I don't think that Toby is actually some kind of musical mastermind the likes of which overshadows almost any other composer ever. He's just extremely good, not that that's anything to understate. Many others are also on his level of talent that shouldn't be understated either, is what my point is
2 replies
*clicks on the replies*
there are 3 replies... why (now it's four)
@@Ramzi65ok because the number can't update but the replies themselves can
I think the silly childlike aspect fits well because it's a song near the start of the game, when you've not experienced all that much yet. I think it is fully genuine, despite the heartache that is also part of this scene
it would be spoiler, but yes. You continue no matter what into the game after this song, unless you're like suicidal.
I mean it's (spoiler alert) your very first boss battle. It's supposed to be exciting to you, as a player, to experience that battle, since you're the one wanting to progress on the story and whatever this new world has to offer for you from this point forward.
@@KuroSys wouldn't homicidal be a more fitting word?
One of the things that’s really great about Undertales OST is that Toby Fox actually made the music for an environment and boss *BEFORE* he made the fight itself.
The entire game is designed around its music
well, toby is known by many as a musician. the history of the track megalovania is fascinating
@@cicadeus7741 live a live
Now I imagine Toby doing the same exact thing as in the video, except all of his "guesses" actually become the story
@@cicadeus7741 lamelovania
Heartache was originally music for Deltarune's precursor game (The one based on the 2011 fever dream. It's original name was "Joker Battle". Make of that what you will
this series of yours on Undertale proves how good Toby is as a composer. Without ever having played the game you can analyze his songs and your interpretation of them is spot on to their meaning within the game's story.
8:16 With the context of the game, I feel like it’s more desperation. The beginning sounds like Toriel is determined to get the player to stay. As the song progresses, her will is shaken and she panics that she wont be able to save the player
Your comment made me re-imagine those two sequences as Toriel and the main character arguing back and forth, and sure enough the latter sequence sounds like desperation. Just like the old days where characters had sound effects to get emotion across instead of actual spoken dialogue. Never picked up on it before.
I just LOVE how Toby Fox puts the entire story into the soundtracks and how easily you can "read between the notes". You should totally listen to "Hopes and dreams" in the near future, I'm sure you'll find some interesting similarities between that track, "Asgore" and "Heartache"
LOVE? Not Love?
LOVE is an acronym, standing for LEVEL OF VIOLENCE.
Love is the feeling we all know and love.
To be fair those three are related so it is to be somewhat expected
I'd strongly recommend giving "His Theme" a listen- it contains key leitmotifs for a lot of the game. Incredible video as always!
"His Theme" broke me...especially the toy piano
I was going to say more of Undertale, but His Theme might be a good listen for the leitmotifs.
Oh god, are we ready for Him?
It might be better if he experience it last, after doing so more videos on undertale ost so he can get the links between them like he did in this video between Heartache and ASGORE.
@@pros_0143 That's not a bad point at all. I suppose it all depends on how many he plans to do. On one hand, seeing some others first and picking up leitmotifs from the whole game would be good for a long playlist, with His Theme's feeling of almost... finality. On the other hand, it has some key themes that are recognizable throughout the game, and listening to it first may help him even start to put together the lore.
Starting off more upbeat? ✅
Quietly disturbed? ✅
Grief ironically turning to joy, or resignation? ✅
Yup, that's Toriel.
Was so happy to see this video after the ASGORE one! For a little context, Toriel, the character whose theme this is, is the divorced wife of Asgore, the character who the previous theme is named for. Toby did a great job portraying the unhappy couple and their struggle through their music. Great analysis!
Once again, you are picking up on so much!! This song is for the first boss fight, which is with a character who believes she's ultimately protecting you by fighting you - very similar motivations to Asgore, who is fighting you to protect his kingdom. And, not to spoil things for you, those two characters have much more history than might be initially obvious...
Great job by the way at explaining motive without spoiling the ending/connections no sarcasm intended 👏 👏
Yes pick the separated husband and wife
Stop spoiling him! He wants to play the game!
Uhm actually it's the second one 🤓
@@TheQwertt umm actually….shut up 💀💀💀
Honestly, hearing you talk about these songs hits all the feels. The journey we all took, the things we all felt. You are able to put words to the emotions that we experience playing these games. Thank you for this. Almost therapeutic in a sense.
Brings back a lot of emotion indeed. It's a nice way to reconnect to Undertale, it feels so far away already so hearing a new perspective on these songs is fantastic.
man the songs always cut off seemingly too soon, because they are supossed to loop, and the fact that you get a feeling that the song is incomplete when it ends proves how well Toby Fox made these songs, for them to loop so seamlessly.
because Game Maker has no way of having an intro+loop in one file, with the metadata telling the engine when to loop
@@Vexnatos I don't think that has anything to do with how the songs end abruptly because they are supposed to loop
@@coreblaster6809 i think what they were saying is that toby could only loop the songs from the beginning, and not starting from a middle point of the song; due to the engine's limitations
But he did find a way to "bypass" that in the asgore theme for example, by splitting the track in two different songs
@@mparagames Ah I see, there are a few intro songs in the soundtrack but I'm not sure if there are any outro songs, I suppose that's harder to do timing wise
I'm not the first to say how insane it is that Davi can basically read off the plot of these games from the OST alone, but what stood out to me very strongly was the "irony" you mentioned, that happy section of the song that almost feels sarcastic. That's a powerful theme running throughout a great deal of this game. The idea of laughing through the pain, holding off sad thoughts using lighthearted jokes, and so on. After hunting down so many instances of it in the actual dialogue of the game, it's fascinating to see that it was also reflected so brilliantly in the music. Several years later and this game still holds secrets from me...what a masterpiece.
you should listen to "Your Best Nightmare", and/or "Finale" next, they are some of the more technically interesting songs in my opinion
They should be reacted to in the same vid, finales so much better coming right off of your best nightmare
YES FINALE PLEASE
@@kowonski7729 Agreed
Agreed
omg hi minos
I recommend you to hear "Your best nightmare" And "Finale" they played in that order in a game. It's awesome story in just 2 songs, you should totally check if out! 😁
to preface, he needs to hear “your best friend”! a very important motif in the game
I'm so SO excited for all the undertale content. Truly a brilliant soundtrack
If you diden't played the game stop sploiling at your self and go try it. The sweetness of the game is when you know nothing about it
His musical analysis adds a whole other layer to understanding the messages and themes of the music from a technical side (I have zero musical experience) that I would miss out entirely. The use of happy and sad chords, measure and such is fascinating. I'd love to see this analysis applied to hopes and dreams, although I do believe that should be the last song he reacts too
If each song is a musical journey, the game itself is a whole odyssey!
If your just considering the next song, I would propose "Spear of Justice". It's actually an alternative battle theme to "Battle Against a True Hero", in that you will only ever hear the latter under extremely specific conditions, but it contains a melody that you'll hear throughout the game in several places and in different forms.
It's so crazy how you're picking up on the emotions and context of the game without having played it. Much of the statements you make (like describing perseverance from the music) are very accurate to what's happening in the fight. It's really neat to see, and I do want to see your reactions when you have all the context.
As a big fan of Undertale and Toby Fox, these videos really make me appreciate even more how good both him and you are at what you do, since you can pick up pretty much exactly what his music is trying to communicate without even knowing the game. It feels like he is telling a story and you are understanding it without a single word, just from the music. That's amazing to me.
Now that I genuinely listen to these songs and hear a professionals take on the music, I finally understand it's almost as if the boss is fighting you through music as well.
I like to count Heartache as 6/8 since I feel the beat more in 2s. Also because counting and conducting 3/4 quickly makes my mind melt.
6/8 works better symbolically because if you think about it, the number 6 has its own symbolism in Toriel's story (and if you count the first one that fell and the one she's fighting against when this song plays, that makes 8 in total)
Makes sense that Toriel's song really goes between the sad, (I would call it more) anxious, and happy themes before going to happy on the pacifist route. She's the first character you face, and what you do to her is what decides your route! Usually anyways.
Yeah, most of Undertale’s soundtrack are pretty short. But you could analyze two related soundtracks in one video (like “Nyeh Heh Heh!” + “Bonetrousle”), because it’s interesting to hear how they relate and derive from each other.
tracks with the same leitmotifs could be very interesting! for instance, you can hear "sans." in "it's raining somewhere else" but the two tracks are very, very different despite both relating to the same character.
i also think it would be cool to hear about his reading on alphys based on "alphys" and then listen to "here we are" which uses the same leitmotif.
"death by glamour" uses "metal crusher" and "it's showtime!"
i see a lot of people throwing tracks like hopes and dreams/your best nightmare/finale out there and i think it would be cool if he quickly listened to "your best friend" before these, since all of these use that melody.
so many opportunities! the undertale soundtrack is wonderful.
@@tundracactus0 and since Your Best Friend is the first character theme song that you hear
Love watching these deeper dives into this fantastic soundtrack. For a change from boss themes, I would really love to see 'Its raining somewhere else' in the future.
11:07 "Resignation"! Oh my god how could you possibly get this so correct! That is the exact spot where Toriel's will breaks and she begins to concede.
I also love the percussion in this piece. It has that jazzy kinda vibe, and combined with the main rhythm, it feels like a combination of lively yet stressful. A battle or a dance, depending on which one you listen to. It feels like Toriel, even though she's dead faced and angry, is having fun with this ballad.
Entertaining and interesting content as always! I suggest listening to ''Your best nightmare'' and ''Finale'' (both songs are connected) these and ''Death by glamour'' are the ones I consider to be the most exciting and it would certainly be great to watch you react to both masterpieces.
PD: Try making a video analyzing ''Megalovania'' (probably the most known and recognizable song out there) and watch how the hundreds of thousands of views stack up lol
Death by glamour has to be my favorite OST from the game but I don’t think it’s worth it’s own video. It’s just good music. No big and deep meaning behind these notes tbh.
@@mt2r-music On second thought, you are right. It is just amazing but it lacks meaning
I was thinking why not do undertale?
One note I’ll say about Death By Glamour. In the fight, Mettaton is posing constantly, to the point where it’s a move you can take that helps you win the fight.
Now listen to Death By Glamour. Does it sound familiar?
It is melodically and instrumentally similar to Madonna’s “Vogue”, a song about posing on the dance floor
Hey, what if we have him react to So Sorry!, that secret boss fight in Hotland/CORE? (I forgot where it was, been a while, lol!)
8:38 Don't mind me, I just need a timestamp for him playing that melody. It gave me chills, and I need a way to replay it.
Good for you
At this point, I kinda just want him to do the entire soundtrack, be given the correct order for them, and try to come up with his own story to connect it. THEN he can play the game.
That disturbing note mingled between happy and sad cords is absolutely meaningful. And the fact that it's very carefully hidden is also meaningful.
"Heartache" really describes the feelings behind this character and why you're fighting her in this part of the game.
---
Also I'd love to see your analysis of Hopes and Dreams.
I want that so badly, but I want to see it _after_ he knows more about the game. He'll be able to pick out the Flowey/Your Best Friend leitmotifs, the Once Upon a Time leitmotifs, and will have context for what emotions he's looking for. As much as I love these blind reactions, Hopes and Dreams I'd prefer an informed analysis. (And anyway, I can't trust that the comments won't spoil it for him!)
Your videos just show me two things
1. Toby Fox is genius for being able to tell you a story and make you feel things with just a simply ost
2. You are as genius as him for being able to translate these ost into actual words
I gotta say, I've seen a whole lot of HK and UT music reaction videos, but yours are definitely my favorite! They are much more elaborate, much more in-depth, much more understandable. The way you simplify things (at least for me, who does play a musical instrument, but doesn't know crap about music theory) is really nice and good to see, the "sad chord - happy chord - tense chord - disturbing chord" things you do are also really really cool, they are plain and nice, they let me understand more about the music I already love with all my heart. And of course, seeing the surprise, the confusion, the satisfaction on your face, makes me happy like nothing else, because, again: I love this music. I see that you, a professional, love it, understand it. I understand and love this music even more now. So far a lot of your videos, if not every I've watched, have brought tears of joy on my face. And the accuracy with which you describe the mood and the setting of the game without knowing a single thing about the plot is honestly sometimes scary. I'm in love with your videos, and I'm really excited to see what you're planning to do in the future!!
One thing I also noticed is that he's _incredibly_ good at catching subtleties and little details in songs that even other composers themselves miss
I'm looking up to see this guy listen to "Amalgam" and find out stuff i myself never found after listening it a thousand of times
Definitely recommend "Waterfall" or "It's Raining Somewhere Else" as the next listen. "Waterfall" actually carries one of the leitmotifs you've just listened to in Heartache, and I'm not exactly sure why.
Ha! Funny fact! There are about i think five songs in the soundtrack and Toby just remixed all of them, lol! Look it up! There are so many videos showing the similarities between songs and it's a fun watch :)
@@wolftango6084 Ghost fight, Dummy, Spiderdance, Metal Crusher and Death by Glamour have the same leitmotif no?
its incredible how many little details of undertale's story you can pick out just by listening to the music! your mention of the disturbing chord is spot-on, even as someone listening to the ost for years i didn't realise how well the song fits the story! now that i think about it the disturbing chord makes sense: at first it seems that the boss of this song is just heartbroken that you choose to leave her, hence sad chords and bittersweet tones, but with the given backstory suddenly you realise why she's desperate to keep you with her - she's seen others like you before, choosing to leave her and in doing so getting killed.
on another slightly unrelated note, im seeing many people recommend you listen to your best nightmare and finale next, and i definetly agree with them! finale is my favoruite song of the ost and i think it would be interesting to see you break down these two songs. i would also recommend you listen to your best friend alongside them, since its a very short song, and because all three songs share the same leitmotif, your best friend being the first song of the ost to have the melody. if you're curious to know why everyone's recommending your best nightmare and finale side-by-side, its because in the game those songs play immediately after the other, finale being almost like the continuation of your best nightmare
I think listening to Another Medium and CORE together in one video would be a good idea. In that order specifically. They're similar tracks, but both very splendid in their own right. Death By Glamour is also a huge one I'd love to see you react to.
you really gotta try to give the whole OST a listen at once, the amount of motifs and leitmotifs you'll find throughout the soundtrack would be so fun for you. I also think your clear knowledge of music would be so interesting to listen to while you listen to all of it
Please do continue the undertale OST series, Toby Fox is an amazing composer
Maybe afterwards even expand into Deltarune, even.
@@GreenAndGoth I would be so happy. Deltarune is a huge part of my life lol, also perfect username!
I like reaction channels that actually add meaningful commentary to whatever they're reacting to and you're definitely one of the best of them, love learning new ways to appreciate some of my favorite songs!
I absolutely love these breakdowns. Music theory has always interested me and hearing you disassemble the Undertale soundtrack, which is full of subtle meanings and beautiful melodies, is such a joy. I'm real eager to hear you go through the soundtrack more, and maybe even touch upon its spiritual successor Deltarune.
10:45 GOD DAMMIT, he literally deciphered the whole vibe/feeling of this scene by listing to the music.
.
Explanation with little spoiler:
.
.
.
In this scene Toriel tries to stop main character from going deeper into the underground, because she knows that they'll die, and she knows that, Because the exact same thing already happened 6 times, and she fights you to try to convince you to go back.
And in the middle of the fight she knows she can't stop you, and after you spare her, she that it's ironic, how she can't stop even a little child, although she already did that 6 times.
Everybody losing their minds the moment he says anything that is similar to determination. Lmao
How is it that in all of these emotional game soundtrack reviews he makes, every time he describes what the music makes him think of it's a PERCECT METAPHOR FOR THE SITUATION
Regarding your point on perseverance, a common theme to Undertale that is basically integral to the story is determination. In a normal playthrough, each save point will give a small bit of text followed by the text "you're filled with determination", without exception. Determination is why you keep going, and in one route in particular, it is death-defying. It's basically a sort of meme in the Undertale community, but it's also significant to the story.
Also Perseverance is the name of one of the human souls that died before you in the underground (I think the green one)
@@tychoderkommentator2989 the purple one; green is Kindness
The exception:
3 left
@@SpindlyTree86 That’s why I said normal playthrough.
I’m obsessed with the undertale OST analysis videos! If you’re looking for suggestions- Hopes and Dreams is one of my absolute favorites ❤
i've always known toby was great at conveying emotions and ideas through his music, but it's even more amazing how accurately you're predicting the background behind it. you're reading the subtext like a book, word for word, line for line. it's almost like a conversation in a strange way. i guess that goes to show how experience you have. can't wait to see more
Admittedly I really love hearing all your thoughts on the soundtrack, specifically cause you do not know the actual story yet! It's super cool just how much of it you can decode just from the songs, showing just how well written they are
Part of me wishes you'd analyze all the boss battles and otherwise big important songs before playing the game and then revisit your thoughts on the game and soundtrack afterwards, cause this is a very unique situation you're in
Also unrelated to that I adore how you analyze music! The focus on the emotion of the song and the specific chords is the coolest, I love learning how the theory behind the music shows the emotions it evokes
I definitely started binging your undertale and monster hunter work :>
2:06 you werent close, you were ON THE SPOT, perseverance and determination is what makes up the whole undertale story!
Yep. The whole thing is how that perseverence and determination is used.
This track serves as Toriel's theme - one of the first characters you meet in the game. She acts as the sort of tutorial. (ha, tuTORIEL, get it?) But by the end of your time with her, she attempts to stop you from moving forward, for fear of you getting hurt or killed. Her way of trying to stop you is essentially fighting you. She doesn't want you to get hurt, and she's so adamant about protecting you that she'll hurt you. The irony of the situation definitely shows in the track. At a certain point (if your health gets low) her attacks will start avoiding you, and she looks guilty. However, there is a MINISCULE chance that her attacks can kill you, which will show you a single frame of her looking terrified at what she's done. It's really a beautiful game.
I love that you are consistently disappointed when the songs end lol. Really shows how much you’re enjoying them.
Man I hope he keeps going through all of them. There is a ton I wanna see him analyze and see how close he is about guessing stuff about the character scene.
Honestly, Davi's gonna have a hell of a time if anyone ever suggests Your Best Nightmare to him (Omega Flowey's theme)
It's interesting that you decided to listen to them in this order, because the Asgore song is at the end of the game and the Heartache song is at the start!
seeing someone geek out over undertale music in just the music theory aspect is my new favorite thing. i’m in choir and my teacher has us so listening assignments where we write a couple sentences of commentary on the songs. he wants us to go into the theory part of it but no one really does;however, watching these undertale video’s of yours makes me see exactly what my teacher what’s us to do and it’s so interesting and i love it
It's fascinating to see you tease out little details in these tracks that go completely over the heads of lay people like me. Most people can catch on to recurring melodies, leitmotifs, as well as the general vibe of the song, but it gives me an entirely new appreciation for the soundtrack when you so aptly describe and explain the emotions the song is conveying through different techniques. Especially considering you don't have the benefit of context when it comes to the story! Keep up the good stuff.
Toby Fox is a storytelling and musical genius to be able to tell so much about a character without a word. As someone who knows a LOT about the lore, every song is very intentional and specific, and he knows when and where to repeat themes and adjust them to connect characters, scenes, and ideas.
Great video as always! I really find Undertale's music to be unique and magical. This piece is so nostalgic yet surprising, like encountering the unknown thing. Even if I’ve never played the game, I can't help but get emotionally attached to this music. So amazing. Thank you for this video, Davi!!
I played tuba professionally for a while, it's been so long since I've listened critically to music. Thanks for bringing it back for me :)
I've just watched your other two undertale videos and saw this one as "hidden", and now that I check again It's already out, perfection
This track is unique for me in that it's a real 'bellweather' track. I will react to it in completely different ways depending on my mood - all the way from "god I love this cool tune" down to "I am suddenly an emotional mess". I like to keep it lurking in my shuffle playlist so that it can hit me with a surprise 'audit' on my mental wellbeing. 😅
Death by Glamour is an absolute must for any Undertale music reaction.
If you ever get around to playing Undertale, I recommend listening to this after you finish the Genocide route. ruclips.net/video/KGfJYHZCNyU/видео.html I wanna see you comment on this track. It's related to a character that doesn't exist but does things anyway. If you find out about him in-game I'll be VERY impressed. I will say though that he has more direct involvement in the next game Deltarune.
Also, if you want a trip, find all the places that Toby fitted the Your Best Friend track into in the music. You're in for one wild ride.
The song represents a mother figure doing what she thinks is best for you. You have the option to do something very bad to her, and it feels almost like a betrayal. She cares for you but is in the way.
After listening to Heartache and ASGORE, I think the perfect song to listen to next would be Undertale. It uses the main themes and leitmotifs present in most of the songs in this ost.
I'm so happy you picked heartache. Such an emotional song and one of the most emotional on the soundtrack.
Please listen to the one and only Megalovania at some point in time!
Man, hearing how much of the story you're able to glean from the music alone really hammers home how good of a composer Toby is!
Excellent work, Davi! Generally speaking, you have a good idea of the story behind the track. A few things however may require in-game context understand the music fully. In short, this fight is the equivalent of a tutorial boss fight. This character is intent on proving your ability to survive outside of the region she is in, out of fear that you will be killed upon leaving the area.
She is incredibly hesitant and even shouts in *heartaching* pleas for you to fight back during and before the fight, and nearing the end of a non-hostile approach, she hesitates to fight you as well. A lot of context for the songs requires playing the game itself, and once you understand her theme's relation to ASGORE's theme, (and the character's relationship itself), you will understand why they sound so similar.
Thanks for reading!
Perseverance you say? Ooooor determination? Daaamn he really is gonna sort out the story straight out of the music.
This is great! You’re really very accurate about pretty much everything you point out. Honestly it’s a huge testament to what can be conveyed through music!
If you want to continue your Undertale Journey, “You’re Best Nightmare” paired with “Finale” would be great- both songs are wonderful but work better in context of hearing them back to back.
this would be interesting!! i also think he should listen to "your best friend" first, since it's so short and is sorta the basis for the other two.
there's so much chaos in "your best nightmare," i'd love to see him break it down :p
idk why it was this video in specific but ive been watching your channel for a while and i just realized while watching this how much i love hearing you puzzle out music. i think because undertale has so many layers and makes so many uncommon choices that it requires a deeper look which has made the things i like about this channel more apparent here, but despite knowing nothing about music theory i am incredibly intrigued by each of your insights and videos. moreover, in my daily life i have become slightly more aware of and invested in the music i consume. i played violin for about five years when i was younger and took a class in high school about musical literacy (which granted was not the most intensive learning environment lol) but i feel like ive retained more from your videos about how music works than from any of that. the simplified way you explain music that still allows beginners to partially grasp why a sequence makes you feel a specific way, via music they already like and are attached to, is a phenomenal teaching tool for getting people interested in thinking about music and composition without it necessarily feeling like there is an ulterior motive or need to do something with the knowledge. the insights are high level but the requirements for engagement are low, allowing basically anyone to come in and have a good time seeing someone examine music they love. The comments tell me im not alone in this, either; the most common one i see after recommendations or lore explaining is "wow i dont know anything about music theory but i love your videos and how you explain things, ive really learned a lot!" Obviously, saying that, this wont be new information for you then lol but I wanted to show my appreciation, even if its just in the small algorithm boost this comment will give you. these videos have fostered a fledgling love of composition and music theory in me that i wouldnt have even known i'd be interested in having otherwise.
I dont actually know if you'll see this or if itll mean anything coming from a faceless stranger, but i would like you to know your content has positively impacted my life, even if its in a pretty inconsequential way. you also just seem like a chill guy who really loves what you do. thanks for the videos, thank you for sharing your knowledge and passions, and keep doing what makes you happy 👍
This excellent analysis fills you with *determination*
The track "Undertale" is another great track. It also has the distinction of being one of the two tracks in the game to use a physical instrument.
Please keep this going, I'm lovin' it
1:53 ahhh man you almost said DETERMINATION
I love how you simplify things for the layman. So many other similar channels just seem to pander to the people in the know. (nothing wrong with that per se)
Don't forget about microtones
Toby is good for this. I love listening to your deconstruction of each ost. Like the images I've received in my dreams. It's like a replay. I love it!
7:11 I believe the note you are referring to may be related to another song called "His Theme" and it has a major connection to the song that you listened to. Won't spoil too much. You probably will recognize when you listen to it
that note isn’t in his theme or memory, why are so many (2) people suggesting this connection from a single note anyway
Toriel is our mother figure in the game, her name is literally a play on "tu-toriel". However, she asserts herself as your caregiver within 20 seconds of meeting her, and you can see some aspects of her instability and pain. She tries very hard to keep you safe, to the point where it is overbearing, but also attempts to keep herself safe at different times, fearing the child would leave her like the others. While Toriel is a kind and protective woman, her same aspects are disturbing and frightening, especially to a child who just met her and likely has no concept of what he hot-cold behavior means in terms of Toriel's pain and fear. She watched her children die, her husband go mad in grief, and monsterkind hunt children. She has no trust and a black and white view of monsterkind, and feels betrayed by the world. She is not a bad person, despite everything. Her self-imposed isolation has only worsened her normally good traits into darker aspects of their alter egos, she forced herself into a situation where she cannot physically thrive. She loses as much as she gives up, keeping what is left to herself in protection. It's ironic, considering her husband, Asgore has the same problem- a man forced into a situation where he cannot live. He loses everything to the world, and results in giving everything away and stripping himself of his free will, keeping what is left of his sanity by completely refusing himself.
Toriel is a hard character for me, because I see a lot of self-sabotage in her. It's hard to see what is forced upon her and what she forces upon herself. The description of irony and resignation is perfect, because that is exactly what happens in her battle.
Either way, I enjoyed the analysis! Is there any chance you could do some of the shorter songs? Alphys would be an interesting one, though it is not a full song like the others. The best one would be "The song that might play when you fight sans." Why? Because that song is actually not in the game, and since you did bonetrousel, it would be a perfect duo of brothers. Thank you for your content! I enjoy it very much. Stay safe.
If you find Undertale's music interesting, I'd recommend looking into Touhou Project's music (especially "Hartmann's Youkai Girl"; try to focus on the time signature of the harmony and the drums). Toby took a lot of inspiration from Touhou in his music and even makes a few musical references to them in some of the music tracks.
Definitely empathise with the sadness about the song being over so abruptly! It make sense, because most of these songs are written so they they can loop indefinitely for as long as it takes for the player to finish the boss fight the theme plays in without giving you a janky transition, but doesn't take away the "...aww" feeling.
I Love ur reactions of Undertale and Hollow Knight Tracks, two of my favorite games and OST
You have elite taste my friend
MAN been watching your recent Undertale videos and you really reflect how it felt listening to these songs for the first time, keep going i like your stuff
My favorite part about this track is how the game play ties in with the music since killing toriel is significantly faster and easier compared to sparing (becoming friends) with her killing toriel leaves you off with sad cords and very heavy hitting drums but if you spare her the whole track plays leaving you with a significantly more up beat ending
I always find it charming when Davi gets sad when the song ends. Wonderful video as always!
i absolutely adore your ability to explain music theory in a way that even people without any background knowledge understand whats happening! id love to see more UT tracks from you, mainly Undertale, Death by Glamour and Amalgam
When you said "bittersweetness", I was brewing away at how accurately you can depict it. 0.0
I am amazed at both Tobby's music and your sense of music.
4:00
wow. the fact that you got that, that precisely, without having any context for the song at all besides the title just goes to show how masterfully the soundtrack was put together. Toby Fox truly is a musical genius
"The drums are so cool"
Props to you and the composers who got such a clear message across with only sound. The fact that you can pick all of this up so accurately is amazing to me!
I'd suggest doing a whole livestream or two of all the ost's.
i love how you describe this soundtrack, undertale has one of my all time favorite soundtracks, 10/10 recommend playing when you can
I'd suggest It's Raining Somewhere Else next, personally. It contains a hell of a lot of emotion for something as simple as it is.
Definitely a must listen.
I love watching videos like these. Toby Fox is genuinely one of my biggest inspirations, not just in music but in art in general, and seeing and hearing about how his music works like this and watching you being able to get the story of the game from the music alone is incredibly powerful and oddly satisfying
I hope one day to be able to do similar stuff to Toby Fox, especially being able to convey theme, meaning, character, and story through music alone, because I feel that's what helps make his music so powerful and impactful