WE FINALLY DID IT. And boy did we barely scratch the surface. Definitely going to revisit this game! ALSO, there's literally like one day left to grab Intro to Piano at 50% off CHECK IT OUT!! betterpiano.com/intro-to-piano
I have literally watched an lp, let's play of the Chrono trigger series with a TH-cam gamer. And it was amazing just hearing the music, with some of the texts of the visual novels being read of the game, and it was just really good. Even the court music, the guardians theme, Zeo Kingdom which you just touched, and a lot of the music from this game is really good. Now, unfortunately, you couldn't get to the track called singing mountain, because it was unused. It was in the game's code, but went unused in the game itself. Singing mountain had this really good thing for Chrono trigger music as well, and it was good. The chord changes and everything went really good. So if you would like to, you can go a little more in-depth in the singing mountain. Which like I said, was in the game's code, but went unused.
Yasunori Mitsuda's story on how he became the composer for Chrono Trigger is amazing. He wanted to compose music so bad, that he told his boss if he doesn't get to make music for a game, he would quit his job. They gave him the opportunity to work on Chrono Trigger, and it became one of the best, if not best, video game sound tracks of all time.
In many regards, Chrono Trigger had a dream team working on it. You had Sakaguchi as director, two unsurpassed titans on the soundtrack, the late Toriyama doing character designs and Tetsuya Nomura doing the background art. I'm sure I'm forgetting someone, but with such talent it would have been hard to make a less than stellar game.
@@BeastOfSodaYou are not wrong but throwing top talent at a problem and expect it to be resolved is naive at best. Nothing is guaranteed and rock stars are notoriously difficult to bring into a choir 🙂 Still for CT they made an awesome game, that we agree on!
@@wertigontrue enough, do remember however that these fine folks had already worked together: AT was doing art for Dragon Quest all the way back in the mid eighties, while the others were all Squaresoft with several successful SNES games under their belts. I mean, if they made any more drastic decisions, like for example handing directorial duties to a younger Nomura, I could see it going south, but they played it relatively safe (and with a homerun of a game to show for it).
I’m a gamer and musician for over 30 years. I played CT basically when it came out when I was 10 or so. I have yet to play a game that has had as massive an impression on me as Chrono Trigger and a huge part of that was the score. Before Logic, I downloaded the MIDI files and used my old freeware of a program called Mozart to convert the MIDI tracks into notation. It came out with the tracks not parsed properly so I had to spend probably hours combining the staffs to convert it into usable sheet music, but then I could play the music from Chrono Trigger!!! To this day, when I sit down at a piano, a few of the go-to things I like to play are variations I came up with as developments of CT music.
This is very well said. If you haven't already, I'd recommend looking up the several historical accounts of Yasunori Mitsuda's work on the score. Colossal effort.
I fell in love with this game at the age of 13, years ago playing it on an emulator WITHOUT music. Shame, I know. Luckily I played it many times after that with music to fall even more in love with it.
@@HoorayFerSocks1 You should check this game cover of it, it was the first song i listened too by ferdk and i've been a big fan of his ever since. I have this song and many others i listen to when i work out. th-cam.com/video/wRBkcN3FGws/w-d-xo.htmlsi=3RAkgyHck2MMik0_
It is very hard to pick the best track in the OST, because it is phenomenal as a whole, but still this is probably it. Was listening to it on repeat during different times, never got old, always magical.
@@cjnf11 Btw: I once had the idea to play this tune on piano with four hands on a rooftop in summer... But I never made it happen... :( At least not yet! :)
My favorite rendition of 'Corridors of Time' is by the moonbowmusicmovie channel. 1 cello and 2 acoustic guitars...nothing beats it in my opinion. Check it out if you get the chance.
My dad arranged millennium (?) fair for my brother’s wedding ceremony. He arranged it for flute, piano, classical guitar, and church organ. My brother and his wife fell in love playing chrono trigger together in college. The whole thing is pretty cute
It's been so long since I've replayed the game I'm fuzzy on the details of this part of the story, but the emotion still hits me like a freight train. every. time.
Frog's theme starts shy and clumsy, until it becomes a song of bravery and resolution, which in my opinion fits Frog as a character perfectly. Man, do I love this OST
@@damaljinev It's that sweet sweet nonfunctional harmony, instead of doing like a V to I move that clearly establishes a key, and "pushes you forward", its not even really in a key at all (or perhaps, it changes key every chord), and it all congeals into this yummy soup.
10:57 I honestly think of playing chrono trigger as being like your grandfather telling you the greatest bedtime story EVER. The music keeps you cozy like a blanket, but the action and story keep you awake, like his unbridled enthusiasm. I don’t think it’s a feeling any other piece of media has replicated.
When he does, he could rickroll us when he gets to Robo's theme, because it totally isnt "Never Going to Give You Up", haha.. seriously, Im not hating on the soundtrack at all, I love it and Robo's thene is one of my favorites, but I couldnt for the life of me put my finger on why it sounded familiar, until someone pointed out how its similiar to "Never Going to Give You Up"
dude...watching this video was great because your excitement for the music is exactly how I felt when i heard it for the first time in 1995...i wish i could relive that moment again
Chrono Trigger was a miracle. Every single piece of the production as good as its was possible to make it. The team defied the odds to create something more than art, something sublime, something legendary. And tragically much of the original project documents and materials are lost to time.
Chrono Trigger was literally lightning in a bottle. Years later they tried bringing the band back together to do it again with a game called Blue Dragon or something like that to... less than stellar response.
Timestamps / Chapters 0:00 Intro 0:21 Presentiment 2:19 Chrono Trigger Theme 6:57 Editor pokes fun at Charles' laugh 9:13 Corridors of Time 11:44 Frog's Theme 13:54 Schala's Theme Strangely absent tracks that are hugely popular: Secret of the Forest Memories of Green Wind Scene
12:39 Your analysis on Frog's theme is spot-on. He's a "ridiculous" character, until you learn his back story, and then it turns out it's rather epic and tragic, and under that weird exterior he is, above all, a knight with purpose and strength. The theme juxtaposes both.
It's honestly a testament to how good this ost is. The fact that he could describe frog so spot on just from the music without knowing anything is really incredible
Chrono trigger is beautiful. I think people forget that games like this may as well have been the equivalent of a novel or gripping tv drama. You get all the action, a fun story, compelling characters, secrets, mystery, drama, and of course, an unforgettable sound track, all in a single game. Of course people can't let go. Is it an easy game? Yes. But it's also a rollercoaster of fun.
It may not be the most complex RPG but it certainly still is the most flawless on every single aspect. Not to mention it is thematically appropriate for this game specifically to be "timeless".
I feel the same. That game blew me away as a kid. I love time travel stuff which was like the cherry on top. I really liked Chrono Cross too. I would love to see another game using the battle system from Chrono Cross. Best battle system in an RPG and no other game has ever used it.
Frog's Theme is my favourite song in the game. The orchestral version that plays when Frog cuts the mountain in half (in the NDS cutscene) always makes me emotional.
I was replaying it (for like the 30th time in my life) on the mobile version, and hearing the song with the full animated sequence of cutting apart the mountain had me nearly sobbing. Frog’s whole storyline is probably the most emotional part of the game for me.
It's one of my favorite OST's of all time, I only played Chrono Trigger as an adult (after hearing a cover of the main theme and deciding that I had to play the game, now it's one of my favorites of all time) and even then, To Far Away Times is an absolute bomb of emotion and (pseudo)nostalgia, the perfect ending to a perfect game.
Schala’s Theme is exquisite. There is a full orchestral arrangement of that if you look online. Corridors of time/Schala’s theme. Makes me cry. - EDIT: title of video I’m talking about is Chrono trigger orchestral arrangement side B. Then go to the time stamp on that video that has the piece. You’re welcome.
Everyone should SERIOUSLY look up Animalisa's full homage to the entire score. It's unbelievably perfect. Maybe better than the original in certain ways. Tell her "the Diamond Dragons guy sent me" if you wish. 🙂 🐲✨🐲✨🐲✨
@@EstamosDenot that one. It’s pretty good but not like the one I’m talking about. Corridors of Time links direct into Schala’s Theme. It’s incredibly moving.
chrono trigger is the pinnacle of the potential that 16-bit games were capable of achieving and i will be forever grateful and enriched for having experienced it.
I literally said to myself, "So nice." at 10:49 and you said it right after that! This proves that this music transcends levels of understanding, as I am in no way shape or form a musician, and you are great at understanding the music in a way I can't.
There's a reason that Overclocked Remix, the OG Home for some of the biggest modern game composers and even hollywood composers, was stacked to the *gunwales* with Crono Trigger remixes.
Some of the best music on OC Remix is definitely Chrono Trigger. But my favorite song on the whole website is Death on the Snowfield. Check it out and let me know what you think!
Oh my, a fellow OC Remix fan? Alright, let me tug some potential nostalgia strings: Dwelling of Duels. Some of the greatest covers I found there. Two of the most beloved sites I used to frequent back in the days.
Love that you went into this blind and gave us your first and immediate reactions, your earnest and joyful responses to the musical developments I know are coming brought tears to my eyes. I love this soundtrack, and it feels amazing to watch you fall in love with it for the first time. I can't wait for you to come back to this, some of the best tracks are still waiting for you.
10:55 "There's something so calming about this." One of the main undercurrents of the entire soundtrack is a gentle and reassuring sense of hope. It doesn't force anything, yet itself is a force guiding the listener on a journey. I love this soundtrack so much.
It & Schala's are my favorite tracks (along with Magus' battle & the Ocean Palace - everything along that vibe). It musically shows the complexity & complacency of the culture. It's headed for destruction due to a maniacal tyrant, but the people are unbothered because her scheming doesn't negatively affect them - yet.
600AD Theme is one of the most important, foundational, formative elements in my harmonic language, to this day. This melodic work, especially, is just impeccable, and I feel lucky to have been privileged enough to play this game as a kid, and be influenced by its artistic merits and prowess from such a young age.
Now that Chrono Trigger is on the table, fingers crossed Secret of Mana and Golden Sun are now on the radar. There's something about those two games, their OST's are top tier...
Lovfe the fact that you've combined 1) Piano expertise with 2) Teaching with 3) Video games and 4) Monetization - you're living the dream. Keep up the good work! I don't do music or music theory at all - but you made it seem fun! Well done!
"Undersea Palace" is one of my favourites. The strings hold the same chord for 3 whole bars, while the piano plays the bass line. The tension is unbelievable. Please do more JRPG soundtracks. The music from the two Nier games, Replicant and Automata, are both incredible!
Undersea Palace is mind bogglingly good, it still amazes me to this day how perfectly that track captures the increasing dread of descending towards the inevitable doom awaiting you at the bottom.
Love seeing people react to this OST for the first time ever and being absolutely blindsided by how insanely good it is. A 95 snes game pushing what game music was about to another level indeed
You know he's into it when he starts improv'ing over everything. Although I love this whole OST, I think To Far Away Times and To Good Friends would be amazing to break down together. Thank you so much for all your videos!
Modes are SUPER powerful when it comes to experienced musicians (magicians?) using chord structure to communicate emotional power. Any legitimate composer would *instantly* recognize the brilliance of C-Trigger's grand master score. If they did not, you'd immediately know that they were phonies. No joke. 🐲✨🐲✨🐲✨
To Far Away Times managed to just capture the perfect sound for the end of the story. The first I heard it it made me nostalgic for a game I'd finished about 30 seconds prior.
When I was stationed in Japan back in '95 for the Air Force, this was one of the soundtracks I bought on CD from the video game section in the music store.
No joke, when I was 13 and got to Zeal for the first time was the most magical experience I've ever had while playing a game. Going from these fairly grounded environments in various points in history to a dead, snowy wasteland and then being transported to a gorgeous kingdom on floating sky islands with THAT ZEAL THEME you react to at 9:14... exquisite. I still remember that feeling, and it was _exquisite._
The key changes in the intro are related to the different time periods they're traveling through and the characters they're showing since they all have motifs.
Nailed it! 💪😎✌️ We're traveling ALLL around the clock, ya know? All around the scale to some extent. Epic adventures that span all of Time & Space. If only C-Trigger could get made into a trilogy of films. 🐲✨🐲✨🐲✨
You actually hit upon a very important part about video game music from that era. File size mattered a lot so using the fewest number of notes possible in a chord progression was critical in keeping the music compact. These creative limitations highlight even more how awesome chrono trigger is
It's not so much the filesize, but rather that the sound chip could only handle 8 separate channels at once, so there could not be more than 8 notes simultaneously (including other melodies, percussion, etc.). These channels can change sample on the fly but the amount of different samples that can be fit on the cartridge is definitely determined by file size, lol
That makes me think of how there was only so much room for text on SNES cartridges, so instead of using more dialogue the devs compromised by giving each party member unique sprite animations and their own theme songs to build character. So instead of it being a limitation, they actually flourished under the restraints of the time. It's something a lot of people trying to imitate them just can't seem to grasp.
Everything about Chrono Trigger's development is a testament to true artists working with their limitations to create something special. The game is only about 35-45 hours on a first playthrough, even if you're taking your time, which is incredible for a JRPG.
Mitsuda, the composer, is an absolute genius, and I loved your reaction to the way he enjoys resolving his chords. It’s very characteristic of his compositional style. Strongly recommend looking into more of his works (Chrono Cross, Xenogears, etc.), I genuinely think you’ll enjoy it!
I feel one of the strengths of the music for Chrono Trigger is its centered around amazing melodies. They stick in your brain. You just want to whistle or hum along to them. Then when backed up by amazing orchestration and some really amazing sample work (especially for the snes) gives it a rock solid sounding soundtrack, that honestly you forget is being produced by a 16 bit sound chip. It is a testament to the musicality of Yasunori Mitsuda and Mitsunobu Nakamura. Their songs will live in my brain and heart for ever.
The game itself is told in the music. Timeless calm, Adventurous music, tragic morbidity, melancholy melody, fantastic fanfare, it goes everywhere and everywhen.
I love when you are experiencing so much joy at exploring the song that you can barely catch a moment to formulate a sentence. Hooting, hollering, saying Strange things like "THERE'S A CLUE!" It's a true delight and perfectly encapsulates what makes this music great
That Chrono theme is probably the most insanely put together song I've ever listened to or study closer. Crazy skilled composer who had mastery over emotion when making these songs.
"Battle with Magus" is a perfect example of a song that does a lot with very little. It takes a very simple chord progression and takes it to the freaking stratosphere.
One of my top boss tracks, plus one so perfectly suited to the character. Starts grim, wistful, and brooding, then crescendos into this diving melody that-I think-represents the formative moment of his life and the end of the Kingdom of Zeal: a sudden, brutal plunge from epic and powerful heights to cruel ruin and darkness. The original track also includes wing blowing, Janus’s warning of death approaching. “The black wind howls.”
You can feel his seething rage in that brutal part. So good, and then it goes until those parts that make me think of him as an epic, noble, anti-hero.
@@anthonybird546 Yeah! The pipes/flute parts give “tragic hero” and “path of vengeance” vibes rather than being purely villainous. It’s definitely intimidating and scary when he’s fighting you, but it’s got enough pathos and sadness in it that you can’t help but wonder where his anger is coming from.
Thank you so much once again Charles for this. Chrono Trigger is such an iconic piece in all of its aspects (music, designs, story, gameplay). His main composer, Yasunori Mitsuda, is a wonderful musical universe alone, still working on new compositions until these days. Chrono Trigger's sequel, Chrono Cross, might be even better in the music aspect, so I strongly recommend you to check that out, plus the marvelous official orchestral and band arrangements of the franchise, these mainly being: - Chrono Trigger Orchestra Extra Soundtrack - To Far Away Times: Chrono Trigger & Chrono Cross Arrangement Album - Chrono Trigger Orchestral Arrangement - Chrono Cross Orchestral Arrangement - Chrono Cross 20th Anniversary Live Tour 2019 PD: 3:30 sounds like a Candy Crush exclamation 😂✨
The greatest thing about the Chrono Trigger OST for me is that even though the tracks are short, the game use so many track in one area. Medina village has a theme, the town square has a theme, the overworld has a theme, the locked door has a theme, the basement has a theme. It creates an incredibly rich music experience for the player. The music never feels like short loops just to fill the background, it feels like a GPS in this time travelling epic.
Seeing someone hearing this for the first time and being this excited brought back so many good memories/feeling of playing this game for the very first time when I was 15 years old. I'm so happy I found this video.
I love how simple some of these melodies are, one of my favorites is how Magus' theme is literally as simple as walking down an E phrygian scale. it's so simple but Matsuda made it sound great. incredible work
I don't know that much about musical modes but the Phrygian seems exactly right for Magus. Not Ionian or Dorian (so named, I suspect, because Western musicians wanted their standbys to have prestigious Greek names). Magus is a reclusive warlock who prefers the company of Mystics to humans.
My favourite piece of Chrono Trigger music isn't even in Chrono Trigger. It's "Time's Scar" from Chrono Cross. Pity the game couldn't live up to its predecessor, but the music did.
omg he finally did it. Thank yooooou. As someone really into irish folk music, I'm so happy you covered this. Now do Mistuda's and Uematsu's other works! Their influences, love and passion for the type of music they create and how it weaves into the experience is so inspiring, I absolutely wish more people recognized how rich this video game music from decades ago can be.
A personal favorite song of mine from Chrono Trigger has always been Wind Scene. Just something about that song is so serene and calming to me, I love it so so much.
You have arrived my friend. My favorite soundtrack, period. When they played it during the Olympics I about came out of my seat. Bravo btw, I could listen to you play it all day long. Can't wait for part two+.
@Djou-Karl they played classic Japanese video game music during the opening ceremony. Tracks from Chrono Trigger, Final Fantasy, Monster Hunter, Sonic, and more.
YES, thank you for covering this one! That face at 5:35 at THE MOST AMAZING part of the opening theme was gold. This was composer Yasunori Mitsuda's first big commercial project and he nailed it so, so well. Even the more basic video-gamey tracks are quite good. The man's command of leitmotif makes me unable to shut up about it, lol. World Revolution is another keeper on the OST if you ever revisit it.
it's also interesting that Mitsuda had to be hospitalized for overworking himself during development and Nobuo Uematsu was asked help finish the soundtrack, I think he only did a few tracks, but it's fairly easy to tell which ones were his because the style leans towards what you'd hear in Final Fantasy VI and Tyran Castle has motifs that show up in FFIX's Dark Messenger track
Yeah, '92-7 was ace for OSTs; Chrono Trigger, Final Fantasy 6 and 7, Secret of Mana, and Symphony of the Night are some of the best scores I've ever heard. And Earthbound? That biz is just crazy.
"Symphony of the Night" is truly phenomenal as well. The opening piece is TREMENDOUS. And whenever I hear some serious electric guitar, metal-ish versions of it... it's like... YES. 💪😎✌️ Yes. This.
@@Novastar.SaberCombat And the super groovy piano jazz pieces in some of the subterranean areas are such a tone shift! Such a broad soundtrack, I love it!
A couple of songs that were missing - Memories of Green (shares leitmotif with the main theme) - Wind Scene - Secret of the Forest - Silent Light - Boss Battle 1 - Kingdom Trial - Ruined World - People Without Hope - Lavos´ Theme (shares leitmotif with the one mentioned below) - The Day the World Revived - Brink of Time - Boss Battle 2 - Battle with Magus - Tyran Castle - At the Bottom of the Night - Zeal Palace - Black Omen - World Revolution (shares leitmotif with the main theme) - Last Battle - To Far Away Times
Greatest OST I have ever heard in my life and the main reason I became a musician. My favorite music from this game changed a few times over the past 29 years but Corridors of Time always hits different due to how mind blowing that part of the story is. It is as if the story and the music are trying to outdo themselves in the best way possible and the result was so impactful and powerful that the game itself forgot it was a game. I have never experienced something like that part of the game in my life. It was like peeking through the fabric of the cosmos and for just a very brief moment understanding infinity. The entire OST is untouchable but here are some interesting ones to check out: - Wings of Time (a compositional masterpiece) - Battle Theme 1 (a lesson on how to construct a piece of music that will be heard over and over again that needs to hype the player but also avoid getting old due to repetition) - Wind Scene (my favorite to play on acoustic guitar) - At the bottom of the night (masterful musical storytelling. Exceptional to listen to while writing a story yourself)
I like your tastes! I have the same experience with Battle Theme 1 not getting old. I’m not a musician but the best way I can describe how it stays fresh is that each instrument can take the lead based on the listener focus. At the same time, they can all be in harmony together.
Incredible , this game is masterpiece, in history, music, characters, gameplay, in such old and limited power machine like Super Nintendo. Now im waiting for the " Wind Scene" , the most beatiful in my opinion
Everyone who played CT cries or get Goosebumps from just hearing the soundtracks... The Emotions you feel are undescribeable , its simply the best Game cause its harmonic in every aspect.
When you were improving with the cords of the main theme at 11:17, it felt like you were reaching into my soul and wiggling your fingers a bit... gave me the chills in a good way. Playing Chrono trigger happened during a defining moment in my early life, so the memories that were formed with the game were always etched into my brain with the hard times that were associated with them. It was the only solace I had in a storm. Thanks for hitting that spot of nostalgia for something that took me away from reality when I needed it most. Thank you for being a music educator and helping bring passion an understanding to something that everyone loves!
Man, you’re on bloody fire! Three videos on the trot that have spoken to me! So glad you’re finally getting around to Chrono Trigger! Such an awesome soundtrack!
You should do part 2 man, not blind. This soundtrack deserves full attention. Absolutely the best soundtrack to a game ever made, the feeling behind each song was purposeful. Thanks for covering this
Oh God, CC is doing a CHRONO TRIGGER analysis? This is my frickin' adolescence. Only 2 minutes in and I had to comment my excitement. Yasunori Mitsuda's work on Chrono Trigger is legendary. The soundtrack has been covered _heavily_ by labour-of-love TH-camr arrangers for years. Honestly Charles, the CT score is a very well-composed 60-track 1995 SNES RPG ensemble piece. Every composition has it's rightful place as one takes their journey across the story, each one meant to evoke a particular kind of feeling and listened to continually on loop without boredom. I simply cannot list them all here to do them enough justice. Thanks so much for diving in! Everyone check out *Malcolm* *Robinson* *Music* for superb orchestral arrangements.
It's incredible to me that some 30 years later, the music of Yasunori Mitsuda is still blowing people away. Truly some of the best artists of our age are in video games to one degree or another. Incredible time to be alive.
The correct answer to “woah, what was that” at the start is “Yasunori Mitsuda”. This was one of my first games when I was way too young. It means a lot to me.
I definitely recommend revisiting the Main Theme, checking out the Lavos Theme, and then putting them both in the context of World Revolution. You want to see some call-and-answer, World Revolution is built on it!
"Corridors of Time" from the Chrono Trigger soundtrack was always one of my favorites.. and then when I heard Zohar's piano arrangement of that song I was IN LOVE.
I go through such a range of emotions listening to this. So much nostalgic is attached to it. Please, do more of this amazing soundtrack. I would easily watch a 3 hour video of you going over this. Hearing it through a piano is beautiful
For nearly 20 minutes, you really took me on a little trip I didn't expect to take. I grew up with Chrono Trigger and it holds still a very special place in my heart and I really needed this today. You have an infectious attitude and I love your enthusiasm for the beauty of this game. Thank you.
I still remember playing this game for the very first time in the mid-late 90s. The intro. Your reaction at 0:33 was the exact same as mine. I knew I was in for something special. I pressed the A button and was on my way.
Watching you happily improvise during the song toward the end of the video was such a pleasure to watch, and showed me how much you were connecting with what is a timeless song and soundtrack, thank you for diving into this, was so fun.
Yes, FF6 is the only one of Chrono Trigger’s contemporaries that I would put it up against. I love both games and their soundtracks so much. If he hasn’t done FF6, I hope we get that as well someday!
Agree across the board. Destiny of an Emperor is one I don't hear suggested often, but it is excellent even as an NES game compared to these next gen suggestions
Yeah, Yasunori Mitsuda created an amazing and iconic soundtrack with CT. You should also check out Sea of Stars, a similar RPG which he wrote a few tracks for.
As a percussionist, I always had an appreciation for the orchestration of this OST. Even the calming, serene, and ethereal pieces have you bouncing your head.
The percussion in Schala's Theme is so bonkers, you can tell Mitsuda has an incredible handle on incorporating percussion to benefit the mood instead of just to fill space.
Just discovered you. 28 yrs ago I Begged for Piano lessons to no avail. I taught myself. Kind of. Chrono Trigger/Final Fantasy music perpetuated my learning. I feel So Re-Inspired by You! Thank You!
![Beyond the Flow of Time | Full Chrono Trigger Album [2021]](/img/n.gif)
WE FINALLY DID IT. And boy did we barely scratch the surface. Definitely going to revisit this game! ALSO, there's literally like one day left to grab Intro to Piano at 50% off CHECK IT OUT!! betterpiano.com/intro-to-piano
yees yees ! Thanks you!!
It's about time!
This game's music is just so good.
I'm still waiting for that video you do on Kirby. Amazing stuff, but barely anyone pays attention to the series' music in depth like you do.
Dude, I know you are swamped with requests, but its about damn time that you covered Chrono Trigger.
I have literally watched an lp, let's play of the Chrono trigger series with a TH-cam gamer. And it was amazing just hearing the music, with some of the texts of the visual novels being read of the game, and it was just really good. Even the court music, the guardians theme, Zeo Kingdom which you just touched, and a lot of the music from this game is really good. Now, unfortunately, you couldn't get to the track called singing mountain, because it was unused. It was in the game's code, but went unused in the game itself. Singing mountain had this really good thing for Chrono trigger music as well, and it was good. The chord changes and everything went really good. So if you would like to, you can go a little more in-depth in the singing mountain. Which like I said, was in the game's code, but went unused.
You’re going to need a Part 2 for this one…
And my favorite Chrono Trigger track is “Secret of the Forest.”
I see you are a man of culture, my favorite is between that and Silent Light
yes!
100 forest is the BEST.
+1 for a Part 2, we didn't even get to Lavos' theme in this one, which is in my opinion one of the most cataclysmic sounding boss themes in gaming.
@@jonathanhargraves2241Nobuo Uematsu doing his magic as always.
Yasunori Mitsuda's story on how he became the composer for Chrono Trigger is amazing. He wanted to compose music so bad, that he told his boss if he doesn't get to make music for a game, he would quit his job. They gave him the opportunity to work on Chrono Trigger, and it became one of the best, if not best, video game sound tracks of all time.
He worked so hard on it, he developed health issues and then Uematsu had to step in.
In many regards, Chrono Trigger had a dream team working on it. You had Sakaguchi as director, two unsurpassed titans on the soundtrack, the late Toriyama doing character designs and Tetsuya Nomura doing the background art. I'm sure I'm forgetting someone, but with such talent it would have been hard to make a less than stellar game.
@@BeastOfSodaYou are not wrong but throwing top talent at a problem and expect it to be resolved is naive at best. Nothing is guaranteed and rock stars are notoriously difficult to bring into a choir 🙂 Still for CT they made an awesome game, that we agree on!
@@wertigontrue enough, do remember however that these fine folks had already worked together: AT was doing art for Dragon Quest all the way back in the mid eighties, while the others were all Squaresoft with several successful SNES games under their belts. I mean, if they made any more drastic decisions, like for example handing directorial duties to a younger Nomura, I could see it going south, but they played it relatively safe (and with a homerun of a game to show for it).
The Chrono series has the best music ever hands down imo.
I’m a gamer and musician for over 30 years. I played CT basically when it came out when I was 10 or so. I have yet to play a game that has had as massive an impression on me as Chrono Trigger and a huge part of that was the score. Before Logic, I downloaded the MIDI files and used my old freeware of a program called Mozart to convert the MIDI tracks into notation. It came out with the tracks not parsed properly so I had to spend probably hours combining the staffs to convert it into usable sheet music, but then I could play the music from Chrono Trigger!!! To this day, when I sit down at a piano, a few of the go-to things I like to play are variations I came up with as developments of CT music.
How old were you when you started playing?
@@NativeWarrior081 trumpet, 9. Trombone, 15. Piano, 17. Guitar, 33. Main instrument is trombone
This is very well said. If you haven't already, I'd recommend looking up the several historical accounts of Yasunori Mitsuda's work on the score. Colossal effort.
Hell yeah Mozart brings back memories
Wild ARMs, the original, on Playstation (PSX) gave me similar vibes/feelings. Such great games and I was lucky to experience them as a kid.
I am a 40 year old who got this game brand new when I was 13 years old and it still gives me goose bumps when I hear it.
Same. I was utterly absorbed by it; I didn't want to give it back to my friend from whom I had borrowed it
I fell in love with this game at the age of 13, years ago playing it on an emulator WITHOUT music. Shame, I know. Luckily I played it many times after that with music to fall even more in love with it.
12:01 I’m so glad you got to Frog’s Theme! That was always my favorite song in the game. His story is epic and heroic and sad.
@@HoorayFerSocks1 You should check this game cover of it, it was the first song i listened too by ferdk and i've been a big fan of his ever since. I have this song and many others i listen to when i work out. th-cam.com/video/wRBkcN3FGws/w-d-xo.htmlsi=3RAkgyHck2MMik0_
SAME DUDE!! Crono and Frog theme get me going every time. Absolutely!
And the Zeal theme is just so beautiful!
"Corridors Of Time" is such an epic, endlessly beautiful piece. Gives me goosebumps everytime!
Dude. You "MUST* check out Animalisa's full homage rendition of the entire score. Seriously. *EVERYONE* should.
🐲✨🐲✨🐲✨
@@Novastar.SaberCombat Did you get paid by her? :P But seriously, I will. Thanks
It is very hard to pick the best track in the OST, because it is phenomenal as a whole, but still this is probably it. Was listening to it on repeat during different times, never got old, always magical.
@@cjnf11 Btw: I once had the idea to play this tune on piano with four hands on a rooftop in summer... But I never made it happen... :( At least not yet! :)
My favorite rendition of 'Corridors of Time' is by the moonbowmusicmovie channel. 1 cello and 2 acoustic guitars...nothing beats it in my opinion. Check it out if you get the chance.
My dad arranged millennium (?) fair for my brother’s wedding ceremony. He arranged it for flute, piano, classical guitar, and church organ. My brother and his wife fell in love playing chrono trigger together in college. The whole thing is pretty cute
Please tell me it's on tape give us the link!
Do you have any videos of this or anything? I would LOVE to hear this!
That is wonderful!
I also put this in my wedding.
Please share a recording of this
"Schala's Theme" will *always* get me in tears. Every time. Without fail.
Such a sad storyline
I was literally bawling when I scrolled down and saw this comment
It's been so long since I've replayed the game I'm fuzzy on the details of this part of the story, but the emotion still hits me like a freight train. every. time.
lil pixelated Schala how did she made me feel all theese emotions!!😭😭
i wanna time travel just to rescue her so bad.
same here
Frog's theme starts shy and clumsy, until it becomes a song of bravery and resolution, which in my opinion fits Frog as a character perfectly. Man, do I love this OST
Few songs say 'you were always worthy' better.
The music doesn't shove you around to go where it's trying to take you, it throws an arm over your shoulder and walks with you there.
That's a poetic way of describing it. I'll have to think about how the music accomplishes that.
@@damaljinev It's that sweet sweet nonfunctional harmony, instead of doing like a V to I move that clearly establishes a key, and "pushes you forward", its not even really in a key at all (or perhaps, it changes key every chord), and it all congeals into this yummy soup.
This is the most emotionally honest way I've heard this described. Perfect. Even the most intense and disturbing tracks lead you in, hand in hand.
Or 10
That’s a beautiful turn of phrase
10:57 I honestly think of playing chrono trigger as being like your grandfather telling you the greatest bedtime story EVER. The music keeps you cozy like a blanket, but the action and story keep you awake, like his unbridled enthusiasm.
I don’t think it’s a feeling any other piece of media has replicated.
Oh I love how you put this. Thats an AMAZING Analogy
So it’s The Princess Bride?
Oh the era. Chrono Trigger, Secret of Mana, Final Fantasy, Breath of Fire.
Wow very well said, nailed it!
@@prismblack9631Yeah.😂
Please do a part 2 of this. Chrono Trigger is one of the best soundtracks of all time and your analysis of more of the tracks is NEEDED.
Yup. "Secret of the Forest." needs to be included in this.
There's no way to cover all of the best tracks in one video.
@@bazzfromthebackground3696 True. Let's encourage him to just make a whole series about it.
When he does, he could rickroll us when he gets to Robo's theme, because it totally isnt "Never Going to Give You Up", haha.. seriously, Im not hating on the soundtrack at all, I love it and Robo's thene is one of my favorites, but I couldnt for the life of me put my finger on why it sounded familiar, until someone pointed out how its similiar to "Never Going to Give You Up"
@@josephpaolilli9229 I can't unhear it now
dude...watching this video was great because your excitement for the music is exactly how I felt when i heard it for the first time in 1995...i wish i could relive that moment again
Chrono Trigger was a miracle. Every single piece of the production as good as its was possible to make it. The team defied the odds to create something more than art, something sublime, something legendary.
And tragically much of the original project documents and materials are lost to time.
Someone needs to go back in time to save them, then.
@@Dalamrthey already did it 😊
Chrono Trigger was literally lightning in a bottle.
Years later they tried bringing the band back together to do it again with a game called Blue Dragon or something like that to... less than stellar response.
> And tragically, much of the original documents and materials are lost to time.
Quick, let's get into the Epoque!
I know perfection doesn't exist but Chrono Trigger certainly makes a strong case against this argument. It is unfathomable that it exists.
Timestamps / Chapters
0:00 Intro
0:21 Presentiment
2:19 Chrono Trigger Theme
6:57 Editor pokes fun at Charles' laugh
9:13 Corridors of Time
11:44 Frog's Theme
13:54 Schala's Theme
Strangely absent tracks that are hugely popular:
Secret of the Forest
Memories of Green
Wind Scene
What about magus
Draw, didn't cover Rick Roll, erm, Robo's theme.
Hopefully there will be a part 2 to include those missing tracks. Would love to see Far-off Promise and To Far Away Times.
Thanks for the timestamps! And agree there are plenty of tracks left for a part 2 🙏🙌
And plenty more than those mentioned as being popular
12:39 Your analysis on Frog's theme is spot-on. He's a "ridiculous" character, until you learn his back story, and then it turns out it's rather epic and tragic, and under that weird exterior he is, above all, a knight with purpose and strength. The theme juxtaposes both.
Hell yeah! I remember thinking he was just a wacky frog warrior then got to learn about him and took him very seriously.
The frog that deserve a kiss from a princess the most!
Once you get context of frogs redemption, the song becomes more cheerful
It's honestly a testament to how good this ost is. The fact that he could describe frog so spot on just from the music without knowing anything is really incredible
Well but the theme for Frog was the theme for Robo before release. I think it suited better to Frog btw.
90s RPG games where a beautiful introduction to the power of music in gaming.
PLEASE, I'm BEGGING you to do more of this game. It's my favorite RPG of all time and the music has stuck with me this entire time.
Chrono trigger is beautiful. I think people forget that games like this may as well have been the equivalent of a novel or gripping tv drama. You get all the action, a fun story, compelling characters, secrets, mystery, drama, and of course, an unforgettable sound track, all in a single game. Of course people can't let go. Is it an easy game? Yes. But it's also a rollercoaster of fun.
It may not be the most complex RPG but it certainly still is the most flawless on every single aspect. Not to mention it is thematically appropriate for this game specifically to be "timeless".
I feel the same. That game blew me away as a kid. I love time travel stuff which was like the cherry on top.
I really liked Chrono Cross too.
I would love to see another game using the battle system from Chrono Cross. Best battle system in an RPG and no other game has ever used it.
Not only that, with the multiple ending, it’s an interactive choose your own adventure book… finally done perfectly.
Back when games were released finished
Its not difficult, but everything about chrono trigger has no fluff to it, every gets to the points
Frog's Theme is my favourite song in the game. The orchestral version that plays when Frog cuts the mountain in half (in the NDS cutscene) always makes me emotional.
I second this, I was tearing up from just the small amount we got in this video.
I was replaying it (for like the 30th time in my life) on the mobile version, and hearing the song with the full animated sequence of cutting apart the mountain had me nearly sobbing. Frog’s whole storyline is probably the most emotional part of the game for me.
I used to code it into the Nokia 5110's ringtone maker note by note when I was little 😅
That mountain don't stay cut in half, I think 400 years later it's intact again. But as Frog himself says, "My life retaineth its meaning!"
Schala's theme is my favorite.
Corridors of time is my all time fav. I can vibe to that for hours. Or use it to fall asleep.
"To Far Away Times!" Such a beautiful ending to the game, it's just the perfect melody. Like drifting off to sleep after the best bedtime story.
The composer said he heard it in his dream and had to put it in a game
@@Bajansilva Not surprising at all.
It's one of my favorite OST's of all time, I only played Chrono Trigger as an adult (after hearing a cover of the main theme and deciding that I had to play the game, now it's one of my favorites of all time) and even then, To Far Away Times is an absolute bomb of emotion and (pseudo)nostalgia, the perfect ending to a perfect game.
Yeah, To Far Away Times resides in a very special spot in my heart. Very special soundtrack.
Still my my favorite CT track. Gets me teary-eyed to this day, but Mitsuda's music has the tendency to tug my heartstrings like that. :)
Schala’s Theme is exquisite. There is a full orchestral arrangement of that if you look online. Corridors of time/Schala’s theme. Makes me cry. - EDIT: title of video I’m talking about is Chrono trigger orchestral arrangement side B. Then go to the time stamp on that video that has the piece. You’re welcome.
by Pixelophonia? I ask because I want to have your experience haha
Everyone should SERIOUSLY look up Animalisa's full homage to the entire score. It's unbelievably perfect. Maybe better than the original in certain ways. Tell her "the Diamond Dragons guy sent me" if you wish. 🙂
🐲✨🐲✨🐲✨
@@EstamosDeapparently TH-cam won’t let me link another TH-cam video…
@@EstamosDenot that one. It’s pretty good but not like the one I’m talking about. Corridors of Time links direct into Schala’s Theme. It’s incredibly moving.
@@EstamosDe search on TH-cam for “chrono trigger orchestral arrangement side b” then go to minute 5:12. Enjoy.
chrono trigger is the pinnacle of the potential that 16-bit games were capable of achieving and i will be forever grateful and enriched for having experienced it.
I literally said to myself, "So nice." at 10:49 and you said it right after that!
This proves that this music transcends levels of understanding, as I am in no way shape or form a musician, and you are great at understanding the music in a way I can't.
Frog's Theme gives me goosebumps to this day every time I hear it.
Yes me too!
He’s avenging a friend q_q
Yes it's just like that! So epic!
SO GOOD
Same here and I'm sure it always will.
There's a reason that Overclocked Remix, the OG Home for some of the biggest modern game composers and even hollywood composers, was stacked to the *gunwales* with Crono Trigger remixes.
Some of the best music on OC Remix is definitely Chrono Trigger. But my favorite song on the whole website is Death on the Snowfield. Check it out and let me know what you think!
My favourite song on ocremix is blue minded good by zeratul
Which is the magus theme
@@jasonheadlee2oh that brings back memories. Had that on my mp3 back in the day ❤
Ahh yes!
OCRemix is amazing.
Oh my, a fellow OC Remix fan? Alright, let me tug some potential nostalgia strings: Dwelling of Duels.
Some of the greatest covers I found there. Two of the most beloved sites I used to frequent back in the days.
Chrono trigger was so formative for my childhood that to me this video is like someone discovering Bach for the first time
Love that you went into this blind and gave us your first and immediate reactions, your earnest and joyful responses to the musical developments I know are coming brought tears to my eyes. I love this soundtrack, and it feels amazing to watch you fall in love with it for the first time. I can't wait for you to come back to this, some of the best tracks are still waiting for you.
10:55 "There's something so calming about this." One of the main undercurrents of the entire soundtrack is a gentle and reassuring sense of hope. It doesn't force anything, yet itself is a force guiding the listener on a journey. I love this soundtrack so much.
so true! it's like the soundtrack is constantly saying "the stakes are high, but you got this!"
I also love how lavos' 3rd theme has chrono's theme intertwined with it, really highlighting the struggle against him.
It & Schala's are my favorite tracks (along with Magus' battle & the Ocean Palace - everything along that vibe).
It musically shows the complexity & complacency of the culture. It's headed for destruction due to a maniacal tyrant, but the people are unbothered because her scheming doesn't negatively affect them - yet.
600AD Theme is one of the most important, foundational, formative elements in my harmonic language, to this day. This melodic work, especially, is just impeccable, and I feel lucky to have been privileged enough to play this game as a kid, and be influenced by its artistic merits and prowess from such a young age.
AKA Wind Scene!
Yeah that wind scene is one of my all time favorites too. Not necessarily the most plot relevant music but a beautiful work nonetheless.
It's been in my head for almost 30 years and I don't even mind lol
It's my favorite to play on acoustic guitar.
Somehow, a Super Nintendo can make pizzicato strings.
Now that Chrono Trigger is on the table, fingers crossed Secret of Mana and Golden Sun are now on the radar. There's something about those two games, their OST's are top tier...
I’ve played both, but Golden Sun over 1000 hours. I would die if he did it.
Seconded. Do Secret of Mana
Dont forget The Legend of Dragoon!
it'd be sick if we could get trails too!
Golden Sun has one of the greatest OSTs ever.
Lovfe the fact that you've combined 1) Piano expertise with 2) Teaching with 3) Video games and 4) Monetization - you're living the dream. Keep up the good work! I don't do music or music theory at all - but you made it seem fun! Well done!
"Undersea Palace" is one of my favourites. The strings hold the same chord for 3 whole bars, while the piano plays the bass line. The tension is unbelievable.
Please do more JRPG soundtracks. The music from the two Nier games, Replicant and Automata, are both incredible!
SECONDING THIS. If you did the music from Automata I'd lose my mind, lol.
Undersea Palace is mind bogglingly good, it still amazes me to this day how perfectly that track captures the increasing dread of descending towards the inevitable doom awaiting you at the bottom.
Easily my favorite on the soundtrack.
Undersea Palace grooves!
Nier Automata is one of the most unexpected and affecting game soundtracks I've heard in the last ten years
"To Good Friends" and "To Far Away Times" are absolutely the prettiest pieces from Chrono Trigger.
@@josephpicalila3749 Far Away Times is the Pinnacle victory lap theme for any game tied with the medley outro in FF6 when that chapter book opens.
Love seeing people react to this OST for the first time ever and being absolutely blindsided by how insanely good it is. A 95 snes game pushing what game music was about to another level indeed
You know he's into it when he starts improv'ing over everything. Although I love this whole OST, I think To Far Away Times and To Good Friends would be amazing to break down together. Thank you so much for all your videos!
Modes are SUPER powerful when it comes to experienced musicians (magicians?) using chord structure to communicate emotional power. Any legitimate composer would *instantly* recognize the brilliance of C-Trigger's grand master score. If they did not, you'd immediately know that they were phonies. No joke.
🐲✨🐲✨🐲✨
Also at the bottom of the night
@@RobinsMusic oh absolutely!!!!
I've been spelling Improv'ing as improving this whole time and never noticed. Thank you
“To Far Away Times” is one of the best ending tracks of all time, in any game.
Wild Arms ending theme is number 1 for me but this is a close second.
Getting all those different endings to the tune of To Far Away Times...
Now I want a bunch of balloons and fly away with my cats
I wonder if I can get him to listen to Lufia II sometime, I want to hear him nerd about To The Future
To Far Away Times managed to just capture the perfect sound for the end of the story. The first I heard it it made me nostalgic for a game I'd finished about 30 seconds prior.
one of the greatest songs ever written
When I was stationed in Japan back in '95 for the Air Force, this was one of the soundtracks I bought on CD from the video game section in the music store.
No joke, when I was 13 and got to Zeal for the first time was the most magical experience I've ever had while playing a game. Going from these fairly grounded environments in various points in history to a dead, snowy wasteland and then being transported to a gorgeous kingdom on floating sky islands with THAT ZEAL THEME you react to at 9:14... exquisite. I still remember that feeling, and it was _exquisite._
The key changes in the intro are related to the different time periods they're traveling through and the characters they're showing since they all have motifs.
Nailed it! 💪😎✌️ We're traveling ALLL around the clock, ya know? All around the scale to some extent. Epic adventures that span all of Time & Space.
If only C-Trigger could get made into a trilogy of films.
🐲✨🐲✨🐲✨
You actually hit upon a very important part about video game music from that era. File size mattered a lot so using the fewest number of notes possible in a chord progression was critical in keeping the music compact. These creative limitations highlight even more how awesome chrono trigger is
It's not so much the filesize, but rather that the sound chip could only handle 8 separate channels at once, so there could not be more than 8 notes simultaneously (including other melodies, percussion, etc.). These channels can change sample on the fly but the amount of different samples that can be fit on the cartridge is definitely determined by file size, lol
The music is amazing for sure. Not as good as Jet Force Gemini OST.
That makes me think of how there was only so much room for text on SNES cartridges, so instead of using more dialogue the devs compromised by giving each party member unique sprite animations and their own theme songs to build character. So instead of it being a limitation, they actually flourished under the restraints of the time. It's something a lot of people trying to imitate them just can't seem to grasp.
Everything about Chrono Trigger's development is a testament to true artists working with their limitations to create something special. The game is only about 35-45 hours on a first playthrough, even if you're taking your time, which is incredible for a JRPG.
Charles, we need more Chrono Trigger! Here are my three favourites:
• Memories of green
• Wind Scene
• Secret of the Forest
Memories of green 💚
I'd replace Wind Scene with Silent Light for my personal top three, but yeah, total agreement on the other two.
You are 100% spot on. Its so many songs in this game too that you never explored that are mind blowing too
Mitsuda, the composer, is an absolute genius, and I loved your reaction to the way he enjoys resolving his chords. It’s very characteristic of his compositional style.
Strongly recommend looking into more of his works (Chrono Cross, Xenogears, etc.), I genuinely think you’ll enjoy it!
A great example of non-functional harmony. Great for looping tracks.
Can't forget Nobuo Uematsu in there too!
Chrono Cross - Scars of Time is my favorite. GOATed
I feel one of the strengths of the music for Chrono Trigger is its centered around amazing melodies. They stick in your brain. You just want to whistle or hum along to them.
Then when backed up by amazing orchestration and some really amazing sample work (especially for the snes) gives it a rock solid sounding soundtrack, that honestly you forget is being produced by a 16 bit sound chip. It is a testament to the musicality of Yasunori Mitsuda and Mitsunobu Nakamura. Their songs will live in my brain and heart for ever.
"Music is *MAGIC*!" --Bardiche (DD1)
🐲✨🐲✨🐲✨
and the melodies supported by Mitsuda's amazing use of tension
The SPC700 processor is actually 8-bit. Only the DSP is 16-bit.
@@soundspark Fair enough. Even so, the soundchip in the Super Nintendo is still a lot more capable then the sound chip in the NES :)
@@elecblush Not at all denying it; the SNES sound processor probably has the best quality of the Fourth Generation of home consoles by far.
The game itself is told in the music. Timeless calm, Adventurous music, tragic morbidity, melancholy melody, fantastic fanfare, it goes everywhere and everywhen.
Exactly. Well said. A game soundtrack is truly a masterpiece when this is the case.
For real. Not many games execute this perfectly. Maybe FFX
The music is beyond good. your commentary almost made me cry. its just too beautiful😭😭 need more pronto
I love when you are experiencing so much joy at exploring the song that you can barely catch a moment to formulate a sentence. Hooting, hollering, saying Strange things like "THERE'S A CLUE!"
It's a true delight and perfectly encapsulates what makes this music great
That Chrono theme is probably the most insanely put together song I've ever listened to or study closer. Crazy skilled composer who had mastery over emotion when making these songs.
"Battle with Magus" is a perfect example of a song that does a lot with very little. It takes a very simple chord progression and takes it to the freaking stratosphere.
One of my top boss tracks, plus one so perfectly suited to the character. Starts grim, wistful, and brooding, then crescendos into this diving melody that-I think-represents the formative moment of his life and the end of the Kingdom of Zeal: a sudden, brutal plunge from epic and powerful heights to cruel ruin and darkness. The original track also includes wing blowing, Janus’s warning of death approaching. “The black wind howls.”
There's a fan-made musical that turned Battle With Magus into a call-and-response battle duet that should not work as well as it does.
This soundtrack is a masterclass in boss music
You can feel his seething rage in that brutal part. So good, and then it goes until those parts that make me think of him as an epic, noble, anti-hero.
@@anthonybird546 Yeah! The pipes/flute parts give “tragic hero” and “path of vengeance” vibes rather than being purely villainous. It’s definitely intimidating and scary when he’s fighting you, but it’s got enough pathos and sadness in it that you can’t help but wonder where his anger is coming from.
Thank you so much once again Charles for this.
Chrono Trigger is such an iconic piece in all of its aspects (music, designs, story, gameplay). His main composer, Yasunori Mitsuda, is a wonderful musical universe alone, still working on new compositions until these days.
Chrono Trigger's sequel, Chrono Cross, might be even better in the music aspect, so I strongly recommend you to check that out, plus the marvelous official orchestral and band arrangements of the franchise, these mainly being:
- Chrono Trigger Orchestra Extra Soundtrack
- To Far Away Times: Chrono Trigger & Chrono Cross Arrangement Album
- Chrono Trigger Orchestral Arrangement
- Chrono Cross Orchestral Arrangement
- Chrono Cross 20th Anniversary Live Tour 2019
PD: 3:30 sounds like a Candy Crush exclamation 😂✨
The greatest thing about the Chrono Trigger OST for me is that even though the tracks are short, the game use so many track in one area.
Medina village has a theme, the town square has a theme, the overworld has a theme, the locked door has a theme, the basement has a theme. It creates an incredibly rich music experience for the player. The music never feels like short loops just to fill the background, it feels like a GPS in this time travelling epic.
Absolutely loved your improv to "Schala's Theme"!
Seeing someone hearing this for the first time and being this excited brought back so many good memories/feeling of playing this game for the very first time when I was 15 years old. I'm so happy I found this video.
Yeah, “Frog’s Theme” has been stuck in my head for decades.
I love how simple some of these melodies are, one of my favorites is how Magus' theme is literally as simple as walking down an E phrygian scale. it's so simple but Matsuda made it sound great. incredible work
I don't know that much about musical modes but the Phrygian seems exactly right for Magus. Not Ionian or Dorian (so named, I suspect, because Western musicians wanted their standbys to have prestigious Greek names). Magus is a reclusive warlock who prefers the company of Mystics to humans.
This OST deserves another 2 videos
Three minutes in and I know this series is going to take about a year to get through if you pull apart every amazing detail in this soundtrack.
One entire episode dedicated to "To Far Away Times"
My favourite piece of Chrono Trigger music isn't even in Chrono Trigger. It's "Time's Scar" from Chrono Cross.
Pity the game couldn't live up to its predecessor, but the music did.
omg he finally did it. Thank yooooou.
As someone really into irish folk music, I'm so happy you covered this. Now do Mistuda's and Uematsu's other works!
Their influences, love and passion for the type of music they create and how it weaves into the experience is so inspiring, I absolutely wish more people recognized how rich this video game music from decades ago can be.
A personal favorite song of mine from Chrono Trigger has always been Wind Scene. Just something about that song is so serene and calming to me, I love it so so much.
You have arrived my friend. My favorite soundtrack, period. When they played it during the Olympics I about came out of my seat. Bravo btw, I could listen to you play it all day long. Can't wait for part two+.
The soundtrack was played during the Tokyo olympics? :O
@Djou-Karl they played classic Japanese video game music during the opening ceremony. Tracks from Chrono Trigger, Final Fantasy, Monster Hunter, Sonic, and more.
So cool that a guy with zero experience with the game absolutely nailed the vibe all us veterans get from it. Thats when you know the music is 10/10.
Watching you experience this for the first time literally brought a nostalgic tear to my eye. Man, makes me so happy you covered this!
Black Omen and Ocean Palace are some great tunes for a revisit!
YES, thank you for covering this one! That face at 5:35 at THE MOST AMAZING part of the opening theme was gold. This was composer Yasunori Mitsuda's first big commercial project and he nailed it so, so well. Even the more basic video-gamey tracks are quite good. The man's command of leitmotif makes me unable to shut up about it, lol. World Revolution is another keeper on the OST if you ever revisit it.
it's also interesting that Mitsuda had to be hospitalized for overworking himself during development and Nobuo Uematsu was asked help finish the soundtrack, I think he only did a few tracks, but it's fairly easy to tell which ones were his because the style leans towards what you'd hear in Final Fantasy VI and Tyran Castle has motifs that show up in FFIX's Dark Messenger track
Yep! There are definite echoes of Bike Chase in the bike chase track from FFVII, lol
Yeah, '92-7 was ace for OSTs; Chrono Trigger, Final Fantasy 6 and 7, Secret of Mana, and Symphony of the Night are some of the best scores I've ever heard. And Earthbound? That biz is just crazy.
"Symphony of the Night" is truly phenomenal as well. The opening piece is TREMENDOUS. And whenever I hear some serious electric guitar, metal-ish versions of it... it's like... YES. 💪😎✌️ Yes. This.
@@Novastar.SaberCombat It's so good I own it on vinyl ;)
@@Novastar.SaberCombat And the super groovy piano jazz pieces in some of the subterranean areas are such a tone shift! Such a broad soundtrack, I love it!
Original Master of Orion on PC in '93 is all just different genre interpretations of a single leitmotif.
The spirit of Mother 2 lives on
Chip Tanaka is still doing crazy compositions to this day.
This is more than just a soundtrack to a game. It's a soundtrack to a generation.
It's nice that 42 year old me can still get goosebumps from Schala's theme.
fkn same
A couple of songs that were missing
- Memories of Green (shares leitmotif with the main theme)
- Wind Scene
- Secret of the Forest
- Silent Light
- Boss Battle 1
- Kingdom Trial
- Ruined World
- People Without Hope
- Lavos´ Theme (shares leitmotif with the one mentioned below)
- The Day the World Revived
- Brink of Time
- Boss Battle 2
- Battle with Magus
- Tyran Castle
- At the Bottom of the Night
- Zeal Palace
- Black Omen
- World Revolution (shares leitmotif with the main theme)
- Last Battle
- To Far Away Times
Just a couple! 🤣
Oh snap the last battle themes for second and third phase are both so great
Battle with Magus always gets the blood pumping!! Whenever I do a replay, I like to pause the game and just let the music play for a while 🎶
"The black wind howls....
... alright, give it your best shot."
Magus rules, man. F yeah.
At the Bottom of Night is my favorite, love the sound of that piano
Greatest OST I have ever heard in my life and the main reason I became a musician.
My favorite music from this game changed a few times over the past 29 years but Corridors of Time always hits different due to how mind blowing that part of the story is. It is as if the story and the music are trying to outdo themselves in the best way possible and the result was so impactful and powerful that the game itself forgot it was a game. I have never experienced something like that part of the game in my life. It was like peeking through the fabric of the cosmos and for just a very brief moment understanding infinity.
The entire OST is untouchable but here are some interesting ones to check out:
- Wings of Time (a compositional masterpiece)
- Battle Theme 1 (a lesson on how to construct a piece of music that will be heard over and over again that needs to hype the player but also avoid getting old due to repetition)
- Wind Scene (my favorite to play on acoustic guitar)
- At the bottom of the night (masterful musical storytelling. Exceptional to listen to while writing a story yourself)
I like your tastes! I have the same experience with Battle Theme 1 not getting old. I’m not a musician but the best way I can describe how it stays fresh is that each instrument can take the lead based on the listener focus. At the same time, they can all be in harmony together.
My brother bought me Chrono Trigger, Christmas 1994 (or 5, Im not positive) and it blew me away. Thank you for the trip through time!
It came out in 1995 so it must be that
This video wasnt long enough! I could listen to your reaction and analysis of Chrono Trigger music for hours
Incredible , this game is masterpiece, in history, music, characters, gameplay, in such old and limited power machine like Super Nintendo. Now im waiting for the " Wind Scene" , the most beatiful in my opinion
Agree, Wind Scene is lovely. The Consouls have covered that also (they have jazz cover of Secret of the Forest and Corridors of Time)
I don't think any piece of music anywhere can ever top Wind Scene.
Everyone who played CT cries or get Goosebumps from just hearing the soundtracks... The Emotions you feel are undescribeable , its simply the best Game cause its harmonic in every aspect.
When you were improving with the cords of the main theme at 11:17, it felt like you were reaching into my soul and wiggling your fingers a bit... gave me the chills in a good way. Playing Chrono trigger happened during a defining moment in my early life, so the memories that were formed with the game were always etched into my brain with the hard times that were associated with them. It was the only solace I had in a storm. Thanks for hitting that spot of nostalgia for something that took me away from reality when I needed it most. Thank you for being a music educator and helping bring passion an understanding to something that everyone loves!
Man, you’re on bloody fire! Three videos on the trot that have spoken to me! So glad you’re finally getting around to Chrono Trigger! Such an awesome soundtrack!
Your improv to "Schala's Theme" was really lovely - I kept going back to listen to it over and over again because it felt so warm.
You should do part 2 man, not blind. This soundtrack deserves full attention. Absolutely the best soundtrack to a game ever made, the feeling behind each song was purposeful. Thanks for covering this
自分がなぜクロノトリガーの音楽に感銘を受けていたのか、音楽的な理論で解説してくださりありがとうございます。ぜひこれからもいろんな日本のゲーム音楽を取り扱って欲しいです！
Man, that improvisational "backup" ypu did towards the end was friggin gorgeous
Just heard the first 3 chords of the Intro and I was in tears. Behold the power of Nostalgia.
Oh God, CC is doing a CHRONO TRIGGER analysis? This is my frickin' adolescence. Only 2 minutes in and I had to comment my excitement. Yasunori Mitsuda's work on Chrono Trigger is legendary. The soundtrack has been covered _heavily_ by labour-of-love TH-camr arrangers for years. Honestly Charles, the CT score is a very well-composed 60-track 1995 SNES RPG ensemble piece. Every composition has it's rightful place as one takes their journey across the story, each one meant to evoke a particular kind of feeling and listened to continually on loop without boredom. I simply cannot list them all here to do them enough justice. Thanks so much for diving in! Everyone check out *Malcolm* *Robinson* *Music* for superb orchestral arrangements.
It's incredible to me that some 30 years later, the music of Yasunori Mitsuda is still blowing people away.
Truly some of the best artists of our age are in video games to one degree or another. Incredible time to be alive.
The correct answer to “woah, what was that” at the start is “Yasunori Mitsuda”.
This was one of my first games when I was way too young. It means a lot to me.
I definitely recommend revisiting the Main Theme, checking out the Lavos Theme, and then putting them both in the context of World Revolution. You want to see some call-and-answer, World Revolution is built on it!
"Corridors of Time" from the Chrono Trigger soundtrack was always one of my favorites.. and then when I heard Zohar's piano arrangement of that song I was IN LOVE.
The game itself is a rollercoaster.
It's the only game I have ever played in my life that managed to genuinely reduced me to tears.
10:15 improv almost brought me to tears
Honestly my favorite part of the video. Absolutely beautiful
"To Good Friends" always gets me teary-eyed.
"To Far Away Times" always destroys me
Part 2 please!! Battle with Magus was soooo good. Got chills. The setup for that scene with the torches was sooo good.
The Magus theme is epic in its simplicity. Love it to death!
A Black Wind Blows ? That piece?
Dude the stuff at 14:00 you played made me go someplace I haven't felt since I played this and the Cross game YEARS ago.
Holy hell dude. :')
I go through such a range of emotions listening to this. So much nostalgic is attached to it. Please, do more of this amazing soundtrack. I would easily watch a 3 hour video of you going over this. Hearing it through a piano is beautiful
Me too bro
For nearly 20 minutes, you really took me on a little trip I didn't expect to take. I grew up with Chrono Trigger and it holds still a very special place in my heart and I really needed this today. You have an infectious attitude and I love your enthusiasm for the beauty of this game. Thank you.
I still remember playing this game for the very first time in the mid-late 90s. The intro. Your reaction at 0:33 was the exact same as mine. I knew I was in for something special. I pressed the A button and was on my way.
Watching you happily improvise during the song toward the end of the video was such a pleasure to watch, and showed me how much you were connecting with what is a timeless song and soundtrack, thank you for diving into this, was so fun.
CT could be potentially one of the greatest RPG music compositions of all time. Maybe rivaled with FF6 or Destiny of an Emperor.
Yes, FF6 is the only one of Chrono Trigger’s contemporaries that I would put it up against. I love both games and their soundtracks so much. If he hasn’t done FF6, I hope we get that as well someday!
Agree across the board. Destiny of an Emperor is one I don't hear suggested often, but it is excellent even as an NES game compared to these next gen suggestions
Yeah, Yasunori Mitsuda created an amazing and iconic soundtrack with CT.
You should also check out Sea of Stars, a similar RPG which he wrote a few tracks for.
1. Memories of Green
2. Wind Scene
3.Battle with Magus
4.The day the world revived
5. At Bottom of night.
Great for piano.
Please do for part 2!
As a percussionist, I always had an appreciation for the orchestration of this OST. Even the calming, serene, and ethereal pieces have you bouncing your head.
The percussion in Schala's Theme is so bonkers, you can tell Mitsuda has an incredible handle on incorporating percussion to benefit the mood instead of just to fill space.
Just discovered you. 28 yrs ago I Begged for Piano lessons to no avail. I taught myself. Kind of.
Chrono Trigger/Final Fantasy music perpetuated my learning. I feel So Re-Inspired by You! Thank You!