Palace / Temple Theme ~Castlevania style | Zelda II: The Adventure of Link Orchestral Arrangement
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- Опубліковано 4 бер 2024
- Playlist: • Zelda II: The Adventur...
Link kicks the door in. This version adheres to the feel of the original track a lot more than my first version, and is actually what I concepted first and saved it for now. Anyone that has played the classic Castlevania games will know that Zelda II shares more similarities with the Castlevania series, more notably Castlevania II: Simon's Quest, than its own franchise. It gave me the idea to arrange the Palace track using mainly musical styles from the Castlevania games. I immersed myself in the soundtracks of all the classic games, and took all the stuff I felt could merge well with the Palace theme. Most of what I borrowed comes from Simon's Quest and Symphony of the Night, and while me looking outside the series may feel like I am diverging from the rest of the Zelda II arrangement, I feel this actually enhances the spirit of the original music, because the game itself does the same thing.
Here, I placed commonly appearing Castlevania instruments in the forefront: Organ, vocals, drums, harpsichord. No electric guitar, sorry, because it was kinda crowding out too much of the main orchestra. These instruments together create a pretty distinct soundscape that over the last decade, many of us easily associate with maze-like levels, gothic structures, undead enemies, backtracking, etc, and how the instruments create that feel are self-evident, and I don't need to explain much.
Just as the overworld theme begins with a reference of the main Zelda fanfare before jumping into its own theme, I wanted to portray the same thematic divergence by calling back to the first game's dungeon theme. This game is pure action platforming and combat, and as soon as the beat kicks in, you know Link means business. Shout out to the acoustic drums. It has appeared occasionally in mainline Zelda games (hey even the official arrangement in Smash Bros), but this marks my very first time using it in a Zelda arrangement. As I want to portray the player and Link as an expert fighter, I spent hours upon hours practicing my playthrough so the expert-looking footage helps emphasize that the player now should be unstoppable, and the music encourages you to play well.
I expanded my use of the harpsichord immensely, using it for melody, chords, texturing, whatever suits my need and I've only scratched the surface with its potential. As you can see with the footage, I made a lot of syncs with the footage and music, so it looks like I was actually scoring each individual palace room. Even though I'm jumping all over the place with ideas, I still want the track as a whole to sound like a single song.
This track is always transforming, and on average every 4 bars, I'm changing the instrumental phrasing and motif to some new configuration, and this is to accommodate all the different Castlevania music ideas I want to integrate, almost like it's a 10-track medley. Dracula's castle (and all Metroidvanias) have different music for each locale or section, but we only have one palace track to work with. I've recently been listening to Jpop group Atarashii Gakko!, and I love how their early music has this manic energy that combines jazz, rock, traditional Japanese music together in perfect harmony. Similarly, I took some inspiration from YOASOBI with how the melody in their songs just keep going without break and has such great forward momentum.
In retrospect, I finally understood why this methodology is taking up so much of my time for each track and I think I'm ready to simplify it back down going forward. I will only work off of one single idea for the next track and I will finish it much sooner!
Support me at / thesecondnarrator
Arrangement and illustrations by Jeremiah Sun
Original Theme by Akito Nakatsuka
#ZeldaII #Castlevania #Orchestrated
It genuinely astounds me how 1.7k people can listen to a godly composition like this and only 200 of them’ll give it a like.
1.7k views does not mean that 1.7k people viewed.
No joke, your arrangements are everything that makes me prefer soundtrack music over mainstream, lyrical music
The arrangement is spectacular!
Also, whoever the player of the game is is amazing!
I'm halfway through the arrangement, and so far it's excellent. I felt like I need to comment that your video edit is top notch as well. I noticed a lot of stuff lining up with musical cues and I just wanted to applaud you for that. Might go unnoticed if people are just listening to this music in the background!
I remember the first time I did that red dungeon that you get into by playing the whistle on the beach, and I didn't have the master key or w/e it's called, and had to turn into a fairy and shimmy my way through the various locked doors. It was a pain in the ass, but I did it lol.
I have never felt more targeted by a musical arrangement. This is a exactly my thing. :D
The Castlevania elements work wonderfully with the Zelda melodies. Absolutely love this!
HOT DAMN your work is always so impressive! absolutely wonderful listening experience
I see you have fused my two favorite things… what a wonderful arrangement!!
I've been watching you're stuff since you did Link's Awakening and have loved everything you've put out. This is quite possibly my favorite of your arrangements. Not surprising being an avid Casltevania and Zelda II fan. Amazing work!
I love how you have the calmer theme for the easier dungeons and then this hardcore music for the harder ones. Really gives off that vibe of light world to dark world dungeon contrast that makes A Link to the Past's dungeon themes feel so good.
Good stuff!
If Zelda 2 got a remake, making it 3D like N64 titles would be to its benefit. And of course by using your interpretation of the soundtrack.
Incredible. Great work, I love the whole album so far
Amazing dude! Way to knock it out of the park!
Very unique, very good, well done
Magnifique !
Encore bravo pour ces musiques de qualité !
This is awesome though I suppose that is to be expected.
Your arrangements just keep getting better, Second Narrator. It's almost disturbing.
fukin epic : O
it sounds like goldeneye, sometimes
The name is Link.
There I Subscribed. Now Teach me your ways, Master
(In case you couldn’t tell, I want to learn Music from you)
Hey, I just wanted to ask, since I couldn't find any info about this, are people allowed to use your music in their videos?
I have seen a comment somebody posted 3 years ago when you replied with yes but since it was long ago, I thought that it's better to ask.
Sure go ahead. Just remember to credit me!
@@thesecondnarrator Thank you! - and you will be credited for sure!