I’m so glad you made this, I was freaking out about the music in the opening so hard as I played it. That little distorted theme from the first trailer and trying to figure out the reversed audio of it is what first got me hyperfixated on this game 4 years ago. Even hearing the first few notes when I started playing had me freaking out and the way it progressed was absolutely brilliant.
The panning shot when you jump off and the music with it are also STUNNING. I didn’t pick up on the piano intro calling back to the breath of the wild opening and I love that so much.
Yeah I listened to it again, it’s not like it has minor chords or much harmony at all, but it’s worth noting for a video I’ll eventually do on the Master Sword. I’m always note-taking and organizing. Probably 150 open notes on different progressions, theme, etc. LOL.
Whenever you cook food in this game, Link hums classic zelda themes like sarias song, Lon Lon ranch, Zelda’s lullaby and kass’s theme. There’s more but I couldn’t figure out which they were
Make sure you listen to the first chord in the ost that plays on Mipha’s court, it sounds like the first chord in the main theme to oot. And in gerudo town, you can hear the gerudo theme from oot if you listen carefully. There is also something in the water temple, if I remember correctly, you can hear botw’s main theme there. Also in the wind temple, listen for the vah medoh theme!
I remember when I first left the cave on the Great Plateau in BOTW. The music began similarly to the main thene of Howl's moving castle, but then was totally different and it truly was like a breath of fresh air. Now in TOTK even though it calls back that scene it changes dramatically. Musically it opens up much faster and then suddenly turns into this chill "sky sailing" and after that just amazing epic.
Thanks so much Joep! I’m gonna keep trying to keep quality content and consistency both high. It’s tough 🤣 But TOTK is here so it’s time to grind. Lots of videos coming soon!
I’m so excited to see a break down of the chasm cave and the over world theme in hyrule. It took me a bit to realize but they have the same theme from one of the trailers. Very pretty and ominous
I can’t think of the overworld theme off the bat, but Chasm Cave is just the depths right? Or is it a different theme? (Feel free to send a link). I actually heard that creepy sound and IMMEDIATELY knew it was from a trailer in like Aug or Sept 2022, because THAT WAS MY FIRST VIDEO! And I love and hate that music, because I filmed an entire video twice and threw both away, it was just SO HARD to make that section engaging, I knew people were gonna click away. I didn’t post my first video after that until a whole new trailer came out in Feb 2023 hahaha. So Boy I recognized it immediately. Played it on piano a ton of times trying to make those sounds somehow interesting to the audience. Instead I took my best two ideas and made “Why Zelda Music Sounds… Japanese, and like Flying” from that same trailer. And I threw out that first half of the creepy piano music. How funny.
The main background them that plays while exploring the sky islands immediately got stuck in my head as "THEEEE BLUUUUEEE LIIIIIGHHHHTT", from a song by Frank Zappa, "The Blue Light".
“And I haven’t yet left the Great Sky Island” Same!! I went through another pass around the entire islands and there was SO much that I missed music wise and chests/enemies/etc
9:24 I 100% slowly panned! I actually did it twice to make sure I did it slowly enough that when I rewatched the video I had it slow enough to take in the details 🤣
So excited for the future of this channel. Just thought about years down the line where you’ll be doing the same for the next zelda, and the vast backlog of zelda music to dive through on the way and beyond there.
Man I’m excited for that. I’ll definitely do some previous Zelda games too. Just gotta focus on the stuff that’s more relevant, but of course will do as much as I can.
Wow that’s worth looking into. It also sounds a lot like Ghirahim’s theme, I’m gonna have to note that and check later on a piano by pulling them up and figuring out the notes of all 3 to see if any are the same intervals or same key. Very interesting. Love comments like this!
i know this video is a few months old but i hope you can look at the music that plays as you approach ganondorf! i love how it develops up until you begin the actual battle. *and then obviously i love the music up until the end of the game too. but thats a lot of music to look at. LMAO
This is what I'm talking about. ZMT strikes yet again. The notes at around the 7:28-ish mark sound like the first notes from the theme that plays when Link enters the Sacred realm to talk to Rauru in Ocarina of Time. (Connections due to the same name?) The next analysis I'd like to hear is the new overworld battle theme (for basic enemies). Sounds pretty similar to the old one, but they changed it slightly. In the middle there is an interesting part with notes that just keep climbing that really accentuate the drama and the tension, e.g. when fighting against the new Bossblins!
Ecri, thanks for the comment! So I listened at 7:28 but can’t quite hear anything. If you find a link to OoT and let me know what time I’ll definitely vet that. It would be a very cool reference. And I have done the battle theme inside the shrine I think, not sure if it’s the same but you’ll find out in like 24-36 hours. Gotta drop them as soon as I can! Hahaha 😄 Feel free to send me a link if you find the fight theme you’re referencing as well.
@@ZeldaMusicTheory Hi, never mind the battle theme; when searching for it, all I could find were a lot of spoiler-heavy thumbnails and no actual ost. So here is instead the Ocarina of Time "Chamber of the sages"/"Sacred Realm" theme. The first 5 notes are almost the exact same in the video at the mark. In game I didn't notice it, but when you played the notes, it clicked! If definitely is that theme in my opinion! ruclips.net/video/yesH8OQPUFc/видео.html Video comparion: 7:20
Dang I wanted to hear the connection but I don’t think it’s there. The notes in my video 7:20 are basically CF#B (Major seven sharp eleven chord) but the notes of the Sages theme from OoT are all whole tone. Like C Bb E C D E. So it’s not the same. Always appreciate attempts though!
7:48 I think part of the reason why you might love that chord is because in the context it was used as the bVImaj7#11, which is really just the zelda chord with a #11, and that has an interesting connection with the twilight princess/botw motif theme thing. The #11 of bVI is just the 9th or 2nd of 1, which if you're in d minor, for example, the motif is D A E and E is the #11 of the zelda chord in Dm. Am I making any sense?
You speak my language! Okay so the reason holding that bVI maj 7 chord sounds like Lydian and has sharp 4ths is because in minor, you’re on the 6th scale degree of major. So by moving down two whole steps and hanging out there you essentially are on the 4th scale degree. So it IS kinda Lydian. I mean only for a moment, but that’s why it has that chord naturally in it. Love talking about this stuff!
The music does the same thing at the end of the game where it carefully and gradually builds tension as you get deeper and closer to the end. It freaked me out so much I had to quit playing and come back the next day to finish the game 😂
I hated the music in BOTW. But this game's boss themes specifically have *sent* me every time. Especially Gleeok's theme... Which is nice considering Gleeok keeps oneshotting me and I gave up fighting him
Hahaha looking forward to that. Zelda 1 on the NES is actually one of my favorite Zeldas, so bringing back enemies that originated there is always a plus to me. Haven’t heard all the enemy themes yet but have heard some of the dungeon themes. Sick. I gotta race through the game so I don’t spoil it all now.
@@ZeldaMusicTheory no prob. Lotta enemies from classic series and some surprise appearances from OOT and Wind Waker, but i aint revealing nothing that wasnt in any of the trailers. They showed off Like Likes at Nintendo Treehouse though so they're on the table for me to talk about.
Great way to indulge in totk while I can’t play it 😛 Pretty obsessed right now 😬 That chord that plays when Link is lifted back up by the arm, I actually know from jazz as a “Phrygian sus” chord (F-Gb-Bb-C), very similar to a major 7 #11, just with a different root/way to hear it. Very interesting sound. Also very curious what that chord is that plays when you “get” the master sword...
Wow that’s actually very helpful! I’ll remember that- Phrygian Sus. Makes sense. Always let me know if you see chords or scales I don’t know the name of. And when you officially get the Master Sword later in the game? Or in a cutscene early on? (Haven’t gotten that far yet).
@@ZeldaMusicTheory Of course! I probably won't know much more, but I will if I notice any! Oh, I just meant in the cutscene in this video, when you wake up and "get" the decayed master sword. I'm not that far either 😛It's not a big deal, it just sounds interesting, maybe some kind of augmented chord? I haven't had a chance to sit down and try to figure it out.
So the piano part there (if I put it in the same key as Lon Lon Ranch/Epona’s Song D major) would be C# B A, and Epona’s Song goes D B A. So it’s kinda close, I can see why you heard that. The different context of the chords and other notes definitely makes it sound very different.
It really does feel like one of the games major themes that permeates every aspect of the game, is giving you an answer without telling you the context or even the question yet. Don't want to put spoilers for the plot, but once you do find out what's happening everything falls into place.
I have had a plot theory since the final trailer, and it’s been correct so far all this time except two tiny details. But the plot so far, yes. And now after the tear memories, I have an endgame plot theory that I expect will play out. It was very blatantly in our faces, so I doubt they’ll surprise me, but I could be pleasantly surprised. So far, it’s not confusing. But I do have many questions about what it means for other games in the timelines!
In a future videos, would you be able to have the volume set a little bit higher? I am listening to you while driving, and it is really hard to hear. Even though I'm using earbuds set at max volume. The sounds of the car and the road are too overpowering, but other videos that I've been listening to don't have this problem. I think you just need to turn your volume up a little for your videos. Thanks!
Thanks for the feedback! I struggle with this every single video. I boost it right after recording like 25-30 decimals, then in the editing software I boost the individual clip AND the track. It’s always either too quiet or way too buzzy, and really annoys me. I feel like most of my videos are a little soft but sometimes one is even softer. And I’m filming and editing so fast sometimes I’ll lose a track in my rush to delete stuff so I have space on my iPad. It’s complicated 🤣😅 But you’re right!!! Plus then the adds are all super loud when you turn up the volume. Thanks for the comment!
WHAT SHOULD I COVER NEXT??
Kevin
ZMT
I think if you play through a bit you’ll see!
The songs he hums while cooking! There are a couple I couldn't figure out.
@@debramartinez1975 I got saria, main title and Lon Lon so far
I jumped out of my seat during the part of the game when the title appeared because the music went so hard
Loved that part
The music as you descend down that staircase to Ganondorf’s chamber is absolutely terrifying.
I LOVE how the music intensifies throughout the game as you progress through certain areas. Its so masterfully done
[slight music spoiler]
the boss fight music for the rito main quest is god like
I appreciate the heads up! The Rito Level music has SO MANY REFERENCES! Like 6 different pieces directly quoted. Have to do that one soon.
I’m so glad you made this, I was freaking out about the music in the opening so hard as I played it. That little distorted theme from the first trailer and trying to figure out the reversed audio of it is what first got me hyperfixated on this game 4 years ago. Even hearing the first few notes when I started playing had me freaking out and the way it progressed was absolutely brilliant.
The panning shot when you jump off and the music with it are also STUNNING. I didn’t pick up on the piano intro calling back to the breath of the wild opening and I love that so much.
I know all of it is amazing. Yeah I almost missed that piano reference when Link catches Zelda. So cool!
I love how when you get the decayed master sword it’s the usual new weapon tune but in a sad minor key.
Yeah I listened to it again, it’s not like it has minor chords or much harmony at all, but it’s worth noting for a video I’ll eventually do on the Master Sword. I’m always note-taking and organizing. Probably 150 open notes on different progressions, theme, etc. LOL.
The music in TOTK is just as good as in BOTW your music reactions from the game are just amazing Kevin i really enjoy this type of content you do 👍
Thanks so much Chris! It’s a lot of fun. And LOVE what they’ve done so far. More to come soon!
Whenever you cook food in this game, Link hums classic zelda themes like sarias song, Lon Lon ranch, Zelda’s lullaby and kass’s theme. There’s more but I couldn’t figure out which they were
That’s Amazing! We’ll have to figure those out. Maybe I can do a video on it soon. Thanks, that’s why I need you guys!
Ballad of the Wind fish is another one he hums and I think song of storms when it rains, but I could be wrong.
Did you like the video?? 😁
Yes I did, I always enjoy your content when I have time to watch it
Uncontrollable shivers after that first dive...
Make sure you listen to the first chord in the ost that plays on Mipha’s court, it sounds like the first chord in the main theme to oot. And in gerudo town, you can hear the gerudo theme from oot if you listen carefully. There is also something in the water temple, if I remember correctly, you can hear botw’s main theme there. Also in the wind temple, listen for the vah medoh theme!
Revali’s theme also has a bit of it appear in the wind temple, not just medoh itself!
I remember when I first left the cave on the Great Plateau in BOTW. The music began similarly to the main thene of Howl's moving castle, but then was totally different and it truly was like a breath of fresh air.
Now in TOTK even though it calls back that scene it changes dramatically. Musically it opens up much faster and then suddenly turns into this chill "sky sailing" and after that just amazing epic.
Exactly! Parallel scenes.
I’m so glad your videos kept getting recommended to me. The level in which you’re able to hear these tiny details is beyond to me
Thanks so much Joep! I’m gonna keep trying to keep quality content and consistency both high. It’s tough 🤣 But TOTK is here so it’s time to grind. Lots of videos coming soon!
@@ZeldaMusicTheory I’ve no doubt you’re gonna keep knocking it out of the park! Keep doing what you’re doing and we’ll support whatever you put out :)
THE JASMINE HOPPING THE PALACE FENCE CHORD OMG 😭💖
Hahahaha 🤣 Isn’t that hilarious
I’m so excited to see a break down of the chasm cave and the over world theme in hyrule. It took me a bit to realize but they have the same theme from one of the trailers. Very pretty and ominous
I can’t think of the overworld theme off the bat, but Chasm Cave is just the depths right? Or is it a different theme? (Feel free to send a link). I actually heard that creepy sound and IMMEDIATELY knew it was from a trailer in like Aug or Sept 2022, because THAT WAS MY FIRST VIDEO! And I love and hate that music, because I filmed an entire video twice and threw both away, it was just SO HARD to make that section engaging, I knew people were gonna click away. I didn’t post my first video after that until a whole new trailer came out in Feb 2023 hahaha. So Boy I recognized it immediately. Played it on piano a ton of times trying to make those sounds somehow interesting to the audience. Instead I took my best two ideas and made “Why Zelda Music Sounds… Japanese, and like Flying” from that same trailer. And I threw out that first half of the creepy piano music. How funny.
The main background them that plays while exploring the sky islands immediately got stuck in my head as "THEEEE BLUUUUEEE LIIIIIGHHHHTT", from a song by Frank Zappa, "The Blue Light".
Hahaha I did go listen, that song is crazy.
Thank you for this video! Im in love 😍
Interesting that you say "drums = ganondorf?" As the drum pattern resembles his heartbeat which is highlighted when he's waking up
That’s so cool I didn’t realize that.
“And I haven’t yet left the Great Sky Island”
Same!! I went through another pass around the entire islands and there was SO much that I missed music wise and chests/enemies/etc
6:39 whoa
This channel was necessary dude. THANKS.
Hahaha thank YOU!
i love these videos. and i adore your playing + the tone of the keyboard. just beautiful
Thanks so much! I love the keyboard sound. Piano is definitely my favorite instrument.
2:36 near licc spotted
Hahaha, it’s everywhere!
9:24 I 100% slowly panned! I actually did it twice to make sure I did it slowly enough that when I rewatched the video I had it slow enough to take in the details 🤣
I was like, I know what’s coming, but let me soak it in 😄 So cool
That one theme they used from the trailer reminds me a lot of ghirahim’s theme!
Kinda similar sounds! Very dissonant.
So excited for the future of this channel. Just thought about years down the line where you’ll be doing the same for the next zelda, and the vast backlog of zelda music to dive through on the way and beyond there.
Man I’m excited for that. I’ll definitely do some previous Zelda games too. Just gotta focus on the stuff that’s more relevant, but of course will do as much as I can.
At 4:35, this is reminiscent of the Ganon's dungeon from the first Legend of Zelda at the end of the phrase before the key change.
ruclips.net/video/m-DAsdX82O0/видео.html
Wow that’s worth looking into. It also sounds a lot like Ghirahim’s theme, I’m gonna have to note that and check later on a piano by pulling them up and figuring out the notes of all 3 to see if any are the same intervals or same key. Very interesting. Love comments like this!
i know this video is a few months old but i hope you can look at the music that plays as you approach ganondorf! i love how it develops up until you begin the actual battle.
*and then obviously i love the music up until the end of the game too. but thats a lot of music to look at. LMAO
Dude, so good - as always.
Thanks so much!
This is what I'm talking about. ZMT strikes yet again.
The notes at around the 7:28-ish mark sound like the first notes from the theme that plays when Link enters the Sacred realm to talk to Rauru in Ocarina of Time. (Connections due to the same name?)
The next analysis I'd like to hear is the new overworld battle theme (for basic enemies). Sounds pretty similar to the old one, but they changed it slightly. In the middle there is an interesting part with notes that just keep climbing that really accentuate the drama and the tension, e.g. when fighting against the new Bossblins!
Ecri, thanks for the comment! So I listened at 7:28 but can’t quite hear anything. If you find a link to OoT and let me know what time I’ll definitely vet that. It would be a very cool reference. And I have done the battle theme inside the shrine I think, not sure if it’s the same but you’ll find out in like 24-36 hours. Gotta drop them as soon as I can! Hahaha 😄
Feel free to send me a link if you find the fight theme you’re referencing as well.
@@ZeldaMusicTheory Hi, never mind the battle theme; when searching for it, all I could find were a lot of spoiler-heavy thumbnails and no actual ost.
So here is instead the Ocarina of Time "Chamber of the sages"/"Sacred Realm" theme. The first 5 notes are almost the exact same in the video at the mark. In game I didn't notice it, but when you played the notes, it clicked! If definitely is that theme in my opinion!
ruclips.net/video/yesH8OQPUFc/видео.html
Video comparion: 7:20
Dang I wanted to hear the connection but I don’t think it’s there. The notes in my video 7:20 are basically CF#B (Major seven sharp eleven chord) but the notes of the Sages theme from OoT are all whole tone. Like C Bb E C D E. So it’s not the same.
Always appreciate attempts though!
7:48 I think part of the reason why you might love that chord is because in the context it was used as the bVImaj7#11, which is really just the zelda chord with a #11, and that has an interesting connection with the twilight princess/botw motif theme thing. The #11 of bVI is just the 9th or 2nd of 1, which if you're in d minor, for example, the motif is D A E and E is the #11 of the zelda chord in Dm. Am I making any sense?
You speak my language! Okay so the reason holding that bVI maj 7 chord sounds like Lydian and has sharp 4ths is because in minor, you’re on the 6th scale degree of major. So by moving down two whole steps and hanging out there you essentially are on the 4th scale degree. So it IS kinda Lydian. I mean only for a moment, but that’s why it has that chord naturally in it. Love talking about this stuff!
Love the videos! Keep up the great work!🔥🔥🔥
The music does the same thing at the end of the game where it carefully and gradually builds tension as you get deeper and closer to the end. It freaked me out so much I had to quit playing and come back the next day to finish the game 😂
That’s hilarious, now that I’ve beaten it. I walked sooo slowly once I landed and the suspense was real.
@@ZeldaMusicTheory 💯
I hated the music in BOTW.
But this game's boss themes specifically have *sent* me every time. Especially Gleeok's theme... Which is nice considering Gleeok keeps oneshotting me and I gave up fighting him
Hahaha looking forward to that. Zelda 1 on the NES is actually one of my favorite Zeldas, so bringing back enemies that originated there is always a plus to me. Haven’t heard all the enemy themes yet but have heard some of the dungeon themes. Sick. I gotta race through the game so I don’t spoil it all now.
@@ZeldaMusicTheory no prob.
Lotta enemies from classic series and some surprise appearances from OOT and Wind Waker, but i aint revealing nothing that wasnt in any of the trailers.
They showed off Like Likes at Nintendo Treehouse though so they're on the table for me to talk about.
Great way to indulge in totk while I can’t play it 😛 Pretty obsessed right now 😬 That chord that plays when Link is lifted back up by the arm, I actually know from jazz as a “Phrygian sus” chord (F-Gb-Bb-C), very similar to a major 7 #11, just with a different root/way to hear it. Very interesting sound. Also very curious what that chord is that plays when you “get” the master sword...
Wow that’s actually very helpful! I’ll remember that- Phrygian Sus. Makes sense.
Always let me know if you see chords or scales I don’t know the name of.
And when you officially get the Master Sword later in the game? Or in a cutscene early on? (Haven’t gotten that far yet).
@@ZeldaMusicTheory Of course! I probably won't know much more, but I will if I notice any!
Oh, I just meant in the cutscene in this video, when you wake up and "get" the decayed master sword. I'm not that far either 😛It's not a big deal, it just sounds interesting, maybe some kind of augmented chord? I haven't had a chance to sit down and try to figure it out.
I LOVED that scene, need to do all cutscenes and memories like next year 😩
RUclips mistaken this as a gameplay
4:29 in this video is the same motive used at 0:42 in the BOTW switch presentation trailer
Thank You! I thought it was BOTW but couldn’t remember which one and decided to keep moving instead of try to pull it up. You guys are amazing!
Of course, love your stuff man keep it up!
Thanks Nathan!
First! and great video!
Thanks so much!
Brooo, you are a genius, if you open an only fans just playing piano and decoding music, I would subscribe for suuure!
🤣🤣🤣 Thank you! It’s a lot of fun! Sharing music I’m passionate about, I’m so glad others are too!
At 3:12 is that a minor key version of Lon Lon ranch/epona?
So the piano part there (if I put it in the same key as Lon Lon Ranch/Epona’s Song D major) would be C# B A, and Epona’s Song goes D B A. So it’s kinda close, I can see why you heard that. The different context of the chords and other notes definitely makes it sound very different.
@@ZeldaMusicTheory Oh interesting thanks! So pumped for your series, legit look forward to these vids
Let’s go. LOTS to come on the channel.
The more I get into this game, the more I’m confused about what’s happening
Hahaha so far same.
It really does feel like one of the games major themes that permeates every aspect of the game, is giving you an answer without telling you the context or even the question yet. Don't want to put spoilers for the plot, but once you do find out what's happening everything falls into place.
I have had a plot theory since the final trailer, and it’s been correct so far all this time except two tiny details. But the plot so far, yes. And now after the tear memories, I have an endgame plot theory that I expect will play out. It was very blatantly in our faces, so I doubt they’ll surprise me, but I could be pleasantly surprised.
So far, it’s not confusing. But I do have many questions about what it means for other games in the timelines!
In a future videos, would you be able to have the volume set a little bit higher? I am listening to you while driving, and it is really hard to hear. Even though I'm using earbuds set at max volume. The sounds of the car and the road are too overpowering, but other videos that I've been listening to don't have this problem. I think you just need to turn your volume up a little for your videos. Thanks!
Thanks for the feedback! I struggle with this every single video. I boost it right after recording like 25-30 decimals, then in the editing software I boost the individual clip AND the track. It’s always either too quiet or way too buzzy, and really annoys me. I feel like most of my videos are a little soft but sometimes one is even softer. And I’m filming and editing so fast sometimes I’ll lose a track in my rush to delete stuff so I have space on my iPad. It’s complicated 🤣😅
But you’re right!!! Plus then the adds are all super loud when you turn up the volume.
Thanks for the comment!
@@ZeldaMusicTheory I love your breakdowns, they're really insightful. Keep up the great work!
I am working on making volume higher. Lmk next couple vids and thanks for the feedback!
i saw you private that rauru video 👀
So sorry! Part of it was glitching and going super slow mo. Now somehow it’s working fine 😬
@@ZeldaMusicTheory hahaha no worries brother loving the content keep it up