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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 12 พ.ค. 2024
- In the ruins of ancient Ikana, stands the gigantic Stone Tower Temple. But what is Stone Tower, what makes it so fascinating, and how did Koji Kondo compose the music for the Stone Tower Temple Theme? Please enjoy the next entry in our Zelda Dungeon design and music analysis series! This time we focus on the Stone Tower Temple Music from Majora's Mask. This does conclude the dungeons in Majora's Mask. I intend to cover some more music from the Nintendo 64 Zelda Games before moving on to new stuff. Let me know what you'd like to see me do some music analysis on!
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00:00 - Introduction and Theory
3:34 - Dungeon Analysis
6:44 - Music Analysis
Run On Music's cover of Stone Tower: • Stone Tower Temple Cov...
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Thumbnail art used is from: www.pinterest.jp/pin/23700199...
#Stonetowertemple #StoneTowerTheme #StoneTowerMusic - เกม
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What do you think about Stone Tower Temple and it's music? And what songs from the N64 games would you like to see us cover next? Tell us about it below!
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Stone Tower Temple is probably the most fitting fourth act the dev team could’ve come up with for this game. It’s atmosphere and it’s design are so indicative of Majora’s Mask that Stone Tower Temple is pretty much a perfect representation of the game itself. While I think they could’ve used it’s gimmick to greater effect and I think it has a few moments where it stumbles, I feel like Stone Tower Temple is unquestionably a great dungeon. And the music is exactly what the title of this video says it is: iconic. It’s one of the best dungeon themes in the entire Zelda franchise and it’s so distinct and fitting that it will stick with you long after completing the dungeon. Basically, Stone Tower Temple is awesome. Also, I think a song from the N64 games I’d like to see you guys cover is the ranch theme, like Lon Lon and Romani Ranch.
It falls into my top 5 Zelda songs... simple as that... the first time you enter the temple you see chests upside down and locked doors that make no sense... but then the little flute starts playing and you remember: -you just have to press A!
“PBS Gaming” or someone said that like 8 years ago, and I can’t agree more
Stone tower took me years to beat growing up due to one of the enemies guarding an important switch I could never kill and the gim reaper enemy. Thus the temple has been stuck in my memory for years. The thing is though, it is still one of my favorite dungeons to this day. The story and architecture were the first time I got a glimpse at the deeper Zelda lore and the music to this day is like a soothing lullaby.
I knew of the combined instruments thing, but I never considered it being a flute in the inverted version. I always thought it was the ocarina. It really does lend credence to Majora (while using the Skull Kid as its puppet) decending Link into its hell. But I think it's more like, even though all three heroes have presumably come to grips with their deaths, they still linger on through Link, and are almost being used by Majora in a sense. Because their forms are being used by Link to aid him in his quest.
I really went off the rails there. These are just such thought provoking tracks. Great video as per usual!
I would love an analysis of the 4 variations of the theme in MM that plays in the swamp, the snowland, the beach and the canyon. That is one of Kondos greatest compositions in my opinion.
That last detail of the Ocarina and the Flute representation was mind-blowing, love it
RIGHT?!?!!? I never thought of it like that! One represents Link the other one Skull Kid! 🤯 MY FLIPPING HEART DROPPED!
"He's done it again. He used a tritone."
Jesse: HE CAN'T KEEP GETTING AWAY WITH THIS!
😂😂😂
Apparently... he can
Fire temple
Aside from the music, design of the temple, the Ikana people and the Garo what about Poe Brothers Sharp and Flat?
Why do Sharp and Flat still linger in the ancient kingdom just like the Ikana and Garo?
11:30 - 11:42 Holy crap... That revelation... the song is essentially an allegory for the progress of the game... Mind... blown.
14:41 "We're descending into Majora's world, with Skull Kid's flute leading us there." Holy... you did it twice, man. I never even THOUGHT of that before! either of them! It's DOUBLY symbolic! Holy crap...
Koji Kondo truly is a genius.
Yeah, it blew my mind too.
Yes, this was mind blowing.
Well, not really. What he calls “brass” is actually a reed instrument, a bassoon, that has very little to do with deku brass. Music is an abstract emotional form of art, the sheer beauty of this tune needs no explanation. I’m just happy to know it is still loved and listened to around the world :)
Marjora's Mask already has so much depth to it in its storyline alone, but you breaking the music down just added even more depth to it. This was incredible.
Thank you!
Is interesting how the "link version" of the temple has the mature-like chant as a representation of link who looks like a child but is a grew and more mature person and the "skulkid version" has a childish chant, as a representation of his mind innocent and simpler
Spot on
With Skull Kid probably being super-old, maybe even one or more millenia, since he is present in the townsfolk's legend of the Four Giants abandoning their imp-friend (and in the final cutscene before the credits directly talks with the Giants about this past event).
Another contrast to Link.
I'm unsure if it's childish, but honestly I still love the comparison.
6:28
TwinMold
TwinRova (Ocarina of time)
Yep, absolute rookie mistake and I apologize. Please forgive me.
@@SaveDataTeam don't worry, is just a smaller detail in a incredible video.
I kept saying the same thing throughout the video. Even when twinmold appeared in the cutscenes😂I actually felt like such a diehard fan
Thank you 😅
Hahaha I caught it too!! Dude me and girlfriend have been waiting for this video for weeks!!! Finally!!! :)
Something I've learned from watching videos like this: Symbolism in music is just as important as the notes in the melody.
Honestly it’s something I learned while doing this series 😅
Last detail about the ocarina and flute actually
Makes sense. In the normal temple all the instruments play together and support each other. In the inverted version skull kids flute doesn’t play along with the other instruments at all. It’s isolated and alone, not playing with any one else.
we spoke about this already, but Imma say it again: do FINAL HOURS
I’ll get to it haha 😅
I really want to see one for the twilight music from twilight princess. You know, this one.th-cam.com/video/bUwkjIXaHEI/w-d-xo.html
Agreed 👍
That is the song we need analyzed
Subscribed. This was very informative. Love this song.
The entirety of the ikana region has some of the best music in the game
the entirety of majoras mask has some of the best music in gaming
@@monsieurlefrog8706 nothing truer has ever been said other than animals breathe
@@redstoxic9252 thanks buddy
Same for woodfall temple
@@monsieurlefrog8706 Really, I can't really think of many remarcable songs from Majora's...
1. In your Shadow Temple breakdown, you compared the two chanting voices to a demon (bass) and angel (soprano) in painful conflict.
2. The "Stone Tower of Babel" theory posits that the people of Ikana abandoned worship of the Triforce Goddesses in order to revere the (masculine) Four Giants, and the Goddesses punished them for their transgression by flipping the Stone Tower Temple so that heaven became hell.
3. What if the (bass) chant in the normal Stone Tower theme represents the giants, and the (soprano) chant in the reversed version represents the Goddesses?
Yeah, and I think this is further supported by the fact that there’s a Giant’s Mask in this temple. Clearly the ancient civilization wanted to reach the heavens with the power of the giants, and I’d even say potentially slay the goddesses.
In the Inverted song you can even get the feeling that they still intend to climb to the heavens, but like the drum beat, their attempts at climbing are vain, as they fall into hell with their mask, the Voice of the Goddess, rejoicing in their victory.
yesss
The Stone Tower Temple is the best Dungeon of the game.
It's a difficult challenge, even whitout trying to get all the Fairies.
The reverse Dungeon dynamic is soo original.
But the Stone Tower theme is the best from everything this dungeon has to offer, it's melancholy fits soo well, even more knowing every area of Termina represents a phase of the "Death's Duel", The Stone Tower being the representation of the "Acceptance", finally reaching the "Light" represented by the light arrows, to finally rest in peace.
This place is a masterpiece.
I'll go one above you.
Stone tower temple might be the greatest dungeon in the entire series. It's definitely a Contender for all-time great Zelda dungeons
@@Matanumi It really is.
The only thing bad about the Stone Tower temple is the boss. Twinmold is frankly a boring boss and incredibly underwhelming...
@@sora4440 on the 3ds yea but the spectacle of the n64 version's was sick
I loved this breakdown of the song and even your Zelda theories.
Need something?
Ah thank you! I’m a huge fan of your Skyrim series! 😅
Ah yes, JinnKid is an avid enjoyer.
Jinnkid waddup man, isn't Majora's mask a beautiful game!
So when will there be breakdowns of the song from Twilight Princess temples?
Also, I’ve always thought that that the bass and deepness of the voices in the regular version feels very grounded and earthy, like you can feel the whole planet beneath your feet, while the inverted version feels very light and airy with its high pitched voices and anemic drums, and now the only thing below you is heaven like you could just fall into it.
Yes. You put exactly what I was feeling into words. The Inverted almost has this coldness you'd only feel in the depths of space.
*anemic* drums. What a powerful descriptor.
This is exactly the feeling I've got from it!!
The boss is Twinmold, not Twinrova ;)
Great video though, the part about the inverted song blew my mind.
In the Spirit Temple video, he originally reversed the names.
The way I always felt about the flute in the song was that it was lonely but hopeful, almost as if to signify Link being the only source of light in a foreboding and dark tower.
Literal chills at the explanation of the flute at the end.
i realized just a moment before he said the skull kid and i was like "daaaammnn" such a good video
But nothing could compare to the nightmare fuel giant turtle from the original majora mask
Stone Tower's music might be the temple theme that gets stuck in my head more than any other, even all these years later. The mix of medieval instruments and the reverse version's sound effects are so cool, and the whole experience always gave me a bit of a Matrix vibe. It was also _sort of_ the first time in Zelda that we got that sci-fi feel that has been expanded on in every game since MM
There is a lot of really cool things going on in both versions. It's a really cool track. (and I definitely agree with the increase in tech and sci-fi elements in future Zelda titles)
Stone Tower doesn't really feel sci fi
@@jaydenc367 Termina has a bunch of very advanced tech, aliens, also there's a moon crashing on the world.
@@grandsome1 Ok I know Terraria has those first two things but when you say Moon do you mean the Moon Lord?
@@jaydenc367 Reread his comment.
The use of the 4 instruments is pure fucking genius.
As soon as you pointed out the flute vs the ocarina and the connection between the flute and the Skill Kid I just screamed I LOVE THIS GAME I LOVE KOJI KONDO. Seriously this guy is a genius. And you are as well! Thankyou for your hard work ♥
It's this symbolism that makes me really love Majora's Mask so much, through the music and the Stone Tower, it's the perfect symbol of ascending and descending through darkness.
I always loved that music but never realized how bloody brilliant it is. I never noticed how the instruments are the ones your playable characters play and how deep it actually is. Thanks a lot.
During an accident, i had a near death experience. Guess which song was playing in my mind
No way
Lost Woods?
Do you wanna enlighten us?? It sounds so interesting
Was it the flipped version or the original? 🤔
Shit, I hope you are ok!
I always thought the "distorted sound" that plays in the inverted theme was part of the magic of the red gem that inverted the temple.
In his guest appearance on Game Grumps, Grant Kirkhope told Jon and Arin that he based most of the music composed for Banjo-Kazooie around the "devil's tri-tone".
Said it fit the dynamic of Banjo and Kazooie's mismatching personalities.
Love me some Grant Kirkhope! Maybe someday I'll cover some Banjo-Kazooie music!
Sweet!
Fun Fact: Grunty's theme is based off of the 1932 Henry Hall song, "Teddy Bear's Picnic." What a coincidence! ;)
That’s true, his BK music does feature diminished fifths/augmented fourths (i.e. tritones) frequently and all over the place, but it’s important not to think that tritones must always necessarily evoke diabolical evil.
While it’s true that, naturally, the tritone by itself has a naturally unsettling and even sinister sound, it can achieve other effects with the right context.
For example (and I would say this is the main way in which Kirkhope uses the tritone for BK), the whole tone scale naturally features an augmented fourth (tritone), however the very distinctive effect of the whole tone scale is usually used to invoke a sense of intense mystery and very often magic and wonder.
Another example (also used a bit in BK, I think) is the Lydian mode.
There are seven modes (there are actually many more, but they’re all or mostly all derived from the main seven ones). IMO, A mode is best explained like this: if you establish what key you’re in - it doesn’t matter which so let’s say C major - then play all the notes of that key in a row, starting from the root note of the key (I.e. C) - C D E F G A B C - you get a C major scale.
Now, a mode is where you do exactly the same as that, but you start from a different note than C *while keeping* the same key of C. Each of the scales you could play in this way - e.g. starting on D, on E, on B, etc. - show you what the notes are of a different mode - e.g. D Dorian, E Phrygian, B Locrian, etc.
If you play the scale starting from F (still in the key of C major), you obviously get the notes F G A B C D E F. This is the Lydian mode, F Lydian in this case. The only difference between this and F major is the fourth note of the scale, B, which is lowered by one semitone to Bb (B flat) in the “normal” scale/key of F major. In a major scale, the interval between the first and fourth notes of the scale are what’s known as a “perfect fourth” (e.g. F to Bb), because that’s regarded as sounding very pure and neutral. If you raise or “augment” the fourth note of the scale by a semitone (e.g. change it from B flat up to B), that interval of a perfect fourth (e.g. F to Bb) becomes an augmented fourth (e.g. F to B) - **the tritone**. So, in any Lydian mode, the interval between the first and fourth notes of the scale is a tritone.
Much like the whole tone scale, to me the Lydian mode and its characteristic tritone usually evokes a sense of mystery, but for me it always feels more like excitable anticipation of the unknown or restless, electrifying energy before exploration and adventure - that sort of thing.
**TL;DR**: the tritone isn’t necessarily just “the devil sound” - it can achieve a variety of effects depending on the musical context in which it’s used.
God I got so carried away - sorry for the essay
Woah uh... tldr discordance in short moderation can spice things up and make things jazzy, silly, or happy weird.
If this game is remade in the future (and nintendo gives a damn), i would be great that this theme would use the 3D sound system
that would be excellent!! I love adaptive music in games.
Wasn't Majora's Mask already remade for the 3DS in 2015? I wonder if they would bring it to the Switch someday..
They probably won’t due to their new design philosophy which also killed Paper Mario. There are legitimate reasons for this, but damn I’ll miss the old philosophy of fun.
@@rojoscostanada8685 What killed Paper Mario? I haven’t played the newer games so I don’t really know what happened
@@rojoscostanada8685 What are their philosophies (old and new)?
You've GOT to do Twilight Princess music next! It's all so deep and it complements the surroundings so much!
I just realized the fairies' names spell tattletale... I am 30+ years old and grew up playing this game many times over the years. Seriously underrate channel, love the analysis and payoff to it all!
the "too long didnt read version of the bible" XD as a christian who actually has read the bible, i will 100% use this to sum up random stories now.
It’s been over a decade since I read through most of it, so now I view everything through a “what was the tldr version of Samson, David, etc?” 😅
Speaking other languages doesn't stop us from communicating. Curious, but does the bibble explain why they gave up building the tower? There was likely plans, and knowledge of said plans... so the story just seems like one writen by a child with no knowledge of how language and communication works...
@@ericaallisonc well the language wasnt really the part that made them stop. they moved to various different places, and because they werent all at the location of the building, they couldnt continue to work on it. im not a "bible scholar" so i dont know why they separated, but the exact words are "Then God scattered them from there all over the world. And they had to quit building the city. That’s how it came to be called Babel, because there God turned their language into “babble.” From there God scattered them all over the world." (thats a modern translation but the meaning is the same, dunno what the hebrew is bc i dont know hebrew :|) its honestly a really good question, one that i cannot answer in full. but yea, the language wasnt actually the thing that stopped them, even tho thats the way people say it alot of the time.
i mean it may be worth mentioning that they had never done any comunication that wasnt verbal up until this point, anyone that was deaf, mute etc. would just be killed, or shunned and they would make no effort to communicate with them. and everyone else spoke the same language so no reason to do anything else. and tehy didnt have a written language cuz they were fucking stupid. thats just observation tho, not sure about it (take it with a grain of salt)
Stone Tower is the best
Not only is the music amazing but the inversion
my jaw literally dropped the first time
and the music just got better
and its been my favorite temple ever since
I'm really enjoying these Zelda music breakdowns. As a musician, this fascinates me greatly ^^
Damn I didn't know that you were here!
0:58 From far away, the Stone Tower looks like the spires of the Basílica de la Sagrada Família, a project so ambitious that it's been under construction for over a hundred years.
I didn't know anything about the music behind the Stone Tower Temple.
But I did used to think that the Stone Tower's face was the King of Hyrule in the Zelda CDi Games.
MUH BOI!
I'm not gonna lie, I've been waiting for this video for a few weeks now haha I'm loving the content!
Sorry for the wait! I hope you enjoy!
@@SaveDataTeam oh I will :) got an alarm set for when this is live so I can watch :D
Couple months here
Those first 10 seconds or so of the Inverted Stone Tower theme always gives me vertigo. It's so mesmerizing.
Now it's Gerudo's Valley turn
This theme just fckin' slaps, I just love it
I see you played Lanayru Mining Facility at one point in this video. I'm excited to see you eventually dive into it's music given how there's two different themes and how it's my favorite dungeon in the game.
Yeah, say what you want, but Skyward Sword’s music really is top notch 🙌
@@SaveDataTeam Not everyone likes the controls (which I hope is rectified for people in the HD version) but it has great aspects like the music and design.
It’s finally here!
After watching your Great Bay Temple video, I kinda went on a binge of all the other Zelda dungeon music videos, and I’ve been looking out for this one ever since because this is kind of the big one. Glad to see that it’s finally ready! Love these videos!
Aw thanks!! Glad you’ve enjoyed the series so far! Hope this one is worth the wait! 😁
@@SaveDataTeam just finished it, wow. Realizing that each instrument in the theme is one of Link’s forms was super interesting! Another great video.
Thank you!
7:38 The piece has the same key signature as F-major, but it's actually in A-minor. Or rather, the melody uses A-minor while the harmony borrows the B-flat to place itself in A-phrygian. The tritone comes into play because B-flat is the one note of disagreement between A-minor and A-phrygian. The B-flat in the harmonies rubs up against the E, while the B in the melody rubs up against the F.
Yeah, there’s no indication anywhere this piece is in F. Whatever 25 year old midi website he nicked the sheet music from probably just had that key signature for no reason (transcriber was maybe fooled by the momentary b-flats in the synth male voice). It’s pretty firmly rooted in A minor throughout if you listen to the bass line. More importantly, F never sounds like the tonic if you play along on a keyboard.
This is my favorite Majora’s Mask song. It sounds like the “definition of Majora’s Mask.”
I'm not much a music expert, but I think I know why I was so drawn to this track. I enjoy contemporary music that has middle eastern, microtonal elements or psychedelic vibes. Not sure if I'd consider this one psychedelic though, but, it's a vibe
Oh its definitely psychedelic. At least in a shamanic sense. The flipping of the tower representing as above so below and the spiritual nature of the journey being both ascending yet descending at the same time. It's pretty trippy to me lol
For me I have this vague category of music I keep that refer to as "Music that makes me Astral project into I-don't-know-where" and this definitely fits the vibe
I would love an analysis of the 4 variations of the theme in MM that plays in the swamp, the snowland, the beach and the canyon. That is one of Kondos greatest compositions in my opinion.
It’s known as Marsh Land
That would be a really cool analysis to see. The notes in the first measure are just... creepy! O.O (Hint: Look at the sheet music, and you'll see why)
@@KTSpeedruns lol! No! Those theme music tracks are called, 'Southern Swamp', 'Mountain Village', 'Great Bay Coast', and 'Ikana Valley'! :D
The moment you said it was "a flute" my heart sank with realization
Not sure if anyone mentioned it yet, but the section you had marked as “Brass”, isn’t that a Bassoon?
That was my first reaction, too XD Good break down but I don't know what brass instrument sounds like that... though I'll concede at the right audio quality it *could* be
Yeah that was a distinctly a double reed sound, not a brass sound.
Yes I'm like that's obviously bassoon DUH
I think the key is A Phrygian, rather than F Major.
That is correct. "A Phrygian" has the same key signature as F Major, but because the music centers around the tonic A, it gives the piece a darker tone - not the happy tone we typically associate with a major key (i.e. Ionian mode, if we want to stay in the Greek modes). While the chanting is keyed in A Phrygian, the melody and the bass line is still playing in A minor, which is why one hears tritones when the melody plays the B natural and the bass line holds on the F natural. If you listen to Hebrew prayer music or Klezmer music, it will have a similar tone as Stone Tower Temple's music. This makes sense since an inspiration for the temple could be from the Tower of Babel from the Book of Genesis, which is the first book of the Hebrew Bible.
Also, someone mentioned this earlier, but the broken 5ths played with the chanting in Stone Tower Temple's music (Non-Inverted) are played by an English horn, not brass. Also, the "flute" in the inverted Stone Tower music is played by an English horn as well.
I’d say it’s more A eolian or simply A minor since I don’t think there are any Bb anywhere in the tune.
@@greenbefore2828 there’s a Bb in the low half notes, which are parallel fifths: E-F-D and A-Bb-G.
@@hornguy04 you are right! I still feel like eolian is as present, if not more present than Phrygian in the tune. What has more weight, melody or harmony?
@@greenbefore2828 I don’t know. That’s the thing that makes it sound so eerie. It sounds like it’s in two different keys.
you did this song justice and no one can change my mind
id like to see you cover molgera's theme from wind waker
Molgera’s theme is so good!! When I get to WW, I’ll have to think about how I cover the boss themes since they are all distinct from the temple’s themes in that game I believe.
It's also fascinating that both versions of this theme blend together seamlessly when played on top of each other. They both occupy rests in the other themes music and their parts harmonize flawlessly together. It's very weird, but it feels wildly complete.
That flute idea on the inverted part is really cool ! I had never thought of it, but I love that idea !
You should do the Deku palace theme! That always gets stuck in my head as I go through the swamp
This is so mindblowing, I've just finished the Stone Tower Temple today, I didn't expect such a story hidden in the music
Love your videos! However, some things feel odd in your analysis here. I find it odd to use the F (Dmin) key as there's only one voice who uses a Bb once in a while. Shouldn't it be the A minor/aeolian key (no flats or sharps) with a napolitan (Bb) surrounding the A tonic (like some sort of cluster) instead? The tonic of the melody and harmony definitely feels like A (every phrase starts or ends on it) and the E feels like the dominant a lot as well. Just curious! Keep up the good work!
Glad I wasn't the only one that noticed this discrepancy. Thank you!
yeahhhh it's literally just in A minor, in which b is Normally natural
YAAAAS, I've been waiting for this one. Thank you for this series!!
Time for trivia!
Stone Tower's instrument bank (0x17) is shared with Clock Town Day 1, 2, 3 and the Deku Palace!
That "brass" instrument is really an oboe. I was always obsessed with this temple's music.
It’s too low to be an oboe, it’s a bassoon. But yeah, it’s a double-reeded woodwind.
@@ineedprofessionalhelp I'm thinking English horn, which is cool because it's the same instrument playing the melody when we first hear the theme for Majora's Mask.
@@ineedprofessionalhelp I think you mean too low to be an oboe.
@@ineedprofessionalhelp it’s a bass oboe, i think. too warm to be a bassoon.
One of the greatest videos I've watched about the music, you really go in depth. Thanks for making this!
I waited so long for this analysis, thank you!!!
I love the simplicity of the lower voices from the first version becoming high-pitched in the inverse. It's like the music-theory version of flipping those weighed down with sins and ascending them into the heavens, even through blasphemy, and you can visibly see it on the score page. Incredible.
I cant get over how good this series is
Thanks! 😅
Loving these music breakdowns, definitely looking forward to seeing more of them!
We need more of these videos
Perfect timing and observation! 💜
This type of intricate analysis is what I love about the Zelda franchise! Even the music has such deep and powerful meaning! This was a great video!
Remember that the Giant’s Mask is also found in this dungeon. The ancient civilization that built this tower was probably trying to reach the heavens and overpower the goddesses with the power of the giants. Perhaps that’s what the Gregorian chanting in the original theme represents... masculine power making its ascent to the heavens. And the soprano chanting in the inverted theme is the goddesses’ response after they caused the world to flip upside down, sending the ancient civilization to a kind of hell instead.
Love this series and can't wait to see more! The musical theory is amazing to see, as well as the Zelda theories and origin speculations.
"It's Skullkids flute leading us..."
Who was leading Link through the Lost Woods, in both OoT and TP, by playing the flute?
The Skullkid.
I like that little detail a lot.
This is the one I've been waiting for and you nailed it! Stone Tower is my favorite temple theme in the entire Zelda series. I love how you covered the lore in the beginning and how it fits in with the music itself. You really knocked it out of the park with this one.
Thank you so much!
I can't believe this was 2 weeks ago and I just happened to reach this part of the game on my first playthrough just a few days ago. What incredible timing!
I can't wait for your channel to grow. You guys have such awesome content!
There's not a lot of videos on Zelda lore and it's awesome to see videos like this.
Genius. Thank you for the in depth analysis here. Keep up the great work!
I honestly think that the Ikana Castle deserves a video of its own
Bruh i didnt know that u can make those soldiers dance, while using the bremen mask.
Amazing work! Loved all of these videos!
Amazing work! Love it! Thanks for videos like this ones! ❤️
Hm, I think this series ought to cover all the 3D _Zelda_ games, at least until moving onto 2D. So... _The Wind Waker_ next? Ooh, I'm excited just thinking about it!
He said he was going to do some requests for N64 songs and then move onto Twilight Princess after that sadly.
Lots of new respect for the music in this game now, this is some serious musical depth.
This was amazing!!!
Especially the part with the flute at the end, wow.
I really enjoyed this bro well done!!
Just discovered the channel, and I'm loving it. This series, which focuses on the music of games and it's thematic importance, is so awesome. People often don't give much thought to the soundtrack of games, however, some of my most memorable gaming experiences were made notable due to the music. It's all about that atmosphere. You've got a new fan, and viewer, in me. Keep on keeping on.
Thank you so much! Glad you've enjoyed this series!
Definitely the most iconic dungeon theme in the game!
Another beautiful video that makes me appreciate the songs more. Stone tower was already one of my favorites and this made me reappreciate it
I've seen this video so many times. I love it. Great job!
A few songs I would love to see are Milk bar, Final hours, song of storms and most obviously saria's song
The version of the theory that I'm familiar with points out the four phallic monuments outside the temple and posits that those building the tower rejected the feminine goddesses in favor of Termina's masculine four giants. Which maybe makes it a bit ironic that Majora turns out to be a feminine demon.
I think that version also states that the goddesses flipped the tower to send the heretics to the underworld in which we find Twinmold, but in the past this may have been where Majora's mask was originally discovered. The ultimate curse for Termina. Perhaps the monuments to the mask seen in the temple were added afterwards?
Anyway, love that you covered my favorite fan theory and even added more credence to it with the music breakdown.
What is this theory called?
Amazing video series I hope you do more. Great analysis and content watched all of the series
Your best video so far! Loved it!
Twinmold. Twinrova are the witches.
I was about to comment the same. Upvote for you!
Yep, this was an absolute mistake on my part. Please forgive me
@@SaveDataTeam :D
It is rumored that the tribe that used Majora's Mask were sent into the twilight realm soon after they finished the tower as punishment.
I had been waiting for this video for so long !!!
Great content, that analysis was mind blowing.
Does anyone else love the final hours theme in MM?
Great video. I have just one gripe.
Stone Tower is definitely in A minor, not F Major. Here's why:
1. It's definitely in a minor key to use the tone that would create as opposed to what a major key would convey.
2. It's tonic (root) chord is a minor (as you laid out, btw) and the other chords (b dim, and G Maj) are surrounding that tonic chord, reinforcing it as the center of the piece. Additionally, there are ZERO F Major chords, but A minor comes up over and over.
3. There's no cadence that would make any amount of sense for F Major (especially since there are no F chords of any kind), yet there is one that is used all the time that makes sense for a minor: G Maj -> A min
4. There is NEVER a Bb in the entire piece, yet B natural appears all the time (it's the note you used to talk about tritones), and B natural organically exists within A minor.
Otherwise, this video was fantastic. I loved how set up the lore/history and potential historical/religious inspirations for the Stone Tower so you could connect how the music being played might reflect that. I also loved how you went into detail about the very instruments being used and how it reflects the different forms Link takes and how the inverted version switches from Ocarina to Flute to showcase the Skull Kid. That really got my lore nerd brain going and I love it.
Yeah, a lot of people have pointed this out, and I think you’re all correct. I went off sheet music provided to me, and it seems even the others online are mostly in C. 😅 I might have to start commissioning people to draft sheet music for me in the future
@@SaveDataTeam I figured it had to be something like that. If you're just going off what the key signature says, then defaulting to F Major makes sense.
What perplexes me is why was it written with that key signature at all? It would literally be easier to just leave it in A minor (in which there are no sharps nor flats) than having to write all those accidentals.
It's ultimately a small issue and doesn't compromise your other points at all. This video is really good.
Incredible break down on the lore and the song. The final detail brought it together and blew my mind!
I am so fascinated by these analyses. You really can tell a story through music
Really just called an obvious BASSOON sample a "brass instrument"
Also of note. This track is not in F. It is in A minor (or A phrygian, if you analyze based on the bass line and not the melody line). Not just because of the Bs all being natural in the melody, but overall, the bassoon part establishes a very strong tonic on A.
These videos are interesting, but compositionally, I've found problems with points in every one of them. I'm not saying they're bad, I'm just saying that there's a LOT of room for improvement in the compositional analysis part of the videos going forward.
Yeah, I had the same impression here, I believe this theme is in Am. I think Mr. Kondo wrote this modally instead.
The chant uses a Bb indeed, which points to A Phrygian, with the melody using either a passing B natural or mixture to A minor, isn’t it?
@@thalesacguimaraes I believe so, yes. More of a phrygian feel overall. However, the dissonance between a flat and natural 2 between the bass and melody could be said to contribute to the feeling of unease. It's really anyone's guess, but what should not be anyone's guess is that this track is NOT based in any variation of the key of F.
@@UnknownSpooky ah, yes. Thanks!
I love your breakdowns of Zelda’s music. I never miss any of them.
Wow! Unbelievable video! You've given me chills! This is what I love to experience when I watch a video analysis! Thank you ! New subscriber!
Are we gonna ignore the fact, that he called the Stone Tower Temple's boss "Twinrova"?
Oh trust me, MANY people have corrected me on that one 😅 I’m embarrassed I said it twice
I’m at Twinrova on my first play through of OoT, getting ready for MM next, and honestly I’m just thrilled to hear it’s NOT another twinrova fight lmao
AMAZING video, thank u!
@@guerrero975 Hey, congrats! how many medallions do you have? the spirit temple has to be my favorite just because of the music. how are you liking OoT?
@@hylianchampion8867 I’ve enjoyed it more than I expected given the whole 25ish years old thing!! I’m now at the final ganondorf battle, he destroyed me in his final form because I did NOT know how to get to his weak point-tail but next time..? Hyrule will be SAFE
@@guerrero975 Sounds good, I'll be cheering for you!😁👍 And OoT will always be awesome, even when it is 100 years old.
I'm sorry to say that this video really is full of all kinds of errors. My suggestion is to withdraw it and maybe revise and repost.
1) The key is not F. Not even kind of. A is clearly "home" here.
2) You ignored the fact that the B-flats in the "chant" borrow from the Phrygian mode, which lends itself to atmosphere the music is attempting to create. So you can make a solid argument that the key is A minor with some borrowing from Phrygian mode.
3) Yeah, the B-naturals sound against the F's, but only in passing. The tritones are there, but they aren't the main source of the tension.
4) What is more a source of tension is this mixing of modes - B-naturals in the A-minor melodies vs. B-flats in the chants. And that blending of the modes gives the music some of the effect the composer was going for.
5) Tritones aren't hard for choirs to sing, especially in lines like these where the B is in the midst of a melody and the Fs are part of chord notes. Tritones pop up all the time music, including in dominant 7 chords, for example.
6) Calling this chanting Gregorian is a bit of Western bias, don't you think? There are other cultures that would chant open fifths with this kind of Phrygian thing going on.
7) The "strings" don't play a "harmony" to the flute. They play the same tune in unison or octaves.
8) There IS a harmony part underneath one of the melodies, but it's the same instrument, and you didn't even mention that.
9) The melody is notated wrong. Those high E's are not simultaneous with the notes shown.
10) Are 10:30, you bar between the two staves while talking about two instruments playing simultaneously. You use that bar to show simultaneous notes.
11) You miss the registration (octave) changes, especially the woodwind, which are part of the charm of this piece of music.
12) The comparison of the instruments to the characters' instruments is completely forced and artificial. That's not a brass instrument in this piece: it's a reed. And that's not a guitar. It's perhaps some other kind of stringed instrument.
13) You ignored the eerie underlay sound we hear, including the really low pitches in there. That part is actually pretty important because it's the first thing you hear and it's still present even in some of the more stripped down repetitions.
This is a REALLY good analysis of Stone Tower's music. I would definitely consider the points made here and revise the video to accurately reflect these points.
For point 12, I think the string instrument is a dulcimer.
@@vgfan100 Thank you very much. I appreciate that. I hope the original poster enjoys the analysis.
This was great ! Never would have thought about all of links forms instruments plus links instrument making up the this theme ! Awesome !
I have been waiting for this!