I'm curious to see if my video essay will change anyone's thoughts on BOTW's soundtrack, so I set up a simple little poll - I'd really appreciate if you fill it out once you finish watching the video! goo.gl/forms/glQ0sqQsvfKX3FQb2 ~~~~~ Sorry for the mic popping everybody, I recorded the voiceover way back when I still sorting out my recording set-up and hadn't quite figured out how to get the best-sounding audio. Flaws in the voiceover aside, I'm using some new video editing software which is a definite improvement from what I was using previously. I really tried to step up the visual aspect of this video, and put a lot of effort into creating some fun and appealing visuals - I hope it paid off!
It didn't change my opinion because I already loved it to begin with, even if it was mostly because I find most video game music annoying to the extent that I'll often mute it and risk surprise enemy attacks just because it's so repetitive. But this video did help me to appreciate this soundtrack even more and it gave me the chills a few times. Great video!
Spirit Tracks is a big reason why BoTW's soundtrack is like this. In Spirit Tracks, you're out in the wild often with just you and your train. A bombastic and awesome song constantly plays over your activities. ....this gets old very quickly and subconsciously contributed to a lot of fans disliking Spirit Tracks. Which is a shame. =\
if i need a video essay to make me understand how good a soundtrack is - then its not good btw loved the video essay :D very enlightening. sad to see you didn't really continue with video essays though
I remember the first time I saw a dragon in the world. I was terrified and thought it was gonna eat me. But when that calming violin started playing, I could only watch in awe.
How can people say this, it has one of the best soundtracks in the whole franchise! And it has lots of epic music. I can't believe what people said, I'm depressed now.
I never understood how people could hate of BOTW’s soudtrack. I will ALWAYS remember how AMAZED I was playing this game for the first time and watching this video got me tearing up! I feel a STRONG nostalgic feeling toward this game!
I just think the community was expecting a bombastic, adventurous soundtrack as always, and couldn't appreciate the new style/direction this was going for It's why the community was so divided when the game first came out
It’s not hated, there just isn’t enough of it. The music is a hugely important ‘character’ in the Zelda franchise. There was too much piano tinkling and not enough impactful music.
One thing I noticed about the older 3D Zelda games, is that they sort of weaponized a lack of music. Like when they wanted to create an air of tension or atmosphere, they'd snatch the music away so all you could hear is the sounds of Link moving around. This was so effective because of how rarely we go without music in the older games, it is almost always present. Like you said, BotW did the sort or reverse of this, and whenever the music got busier and more active, it was so unusual that it really did make you pay attention. Fantastic video my dude, I'm pleased to subscribe.
The battle music in BotW would make me panic because it was such a jarring change from the peaceful soothing overworld music. TotK has more music, but uses progressive weird insertions to build tension in certain situations. Both different, both wildly effective, and showcasing the story, world, and character development over the time of the two games. The two soundtracks are a cohesive whole.
Ugh, the sound usage in this game is just so audibly gorgeous to me. I get goosebumps from just sitting in a random field and listening to all of the ambience and the occasional piano kicking in. It's nothing short of beautiful
It's basically the same effect as minecraft music, which botw is probably heavily inspired by. It's subtle enough so that you barely notice that it's there, but it's still integral to the experience regardless.
This video was extremely well put together. I love BotW’s music so much. It may not be as upbeat as other Zelda... but honestly I prefer this more emotional soundtrack. Whenever I hear some of these themes, I can’t help but tear up. This game has become one of my top 3 favourite games, and my favourite non-Pokémon game. I really hope we get another BotW-esque game with a soundtrack like this.
Overall, Botw is a really calming game… And I also don’t understand how people can say none of these musics are memorable. Each and every one of those is engraved in my memory and reminds me the time when I first saw the let’s play that made me discover it. It most definitely is memorable.
The 4 common complaints you listed starting at 5:27 are also the ones I see and I cannot express how much it upsets me; not in the "your opinion is different than mine so it makes me angry" sort of way...but in that so much care, consideration, and curation went into the composition, arrangement, and placement of the music that i am INORDINATELY ANGRY people are 1.) unable to give appreciation where it's due and 2.) unable to reap the benefits of the composer's/arranger's great effort. It is an incredible injustice to the music and to the game.
I cannot imagine dismissing a composer's (or anyone's) hardwork like that "..just random notes on a piano.. " I bet the people who said it aren't even musicians. It's really frustrating.
@@maiainoue9880 Someone I knew who went to Berkeley School of Music said that and it made me so so so mad. He was also an opinionated asshole - his description even - so … yeah.
in the same way that hearing the full main theme in the credits hits emotionally, i adored the use of the theme in the "true ending" cutscene. hearing that full, bombastic, triumphant version as the camera pulled away from link and zelda, sweeping over the field now covered with silent princesses, really gave this sense of final victory, that all their pain and hardship and effort had been worth it, and they could finally step into the future.
it genuinely blows my mind how many people can't remember this game's themes. the themes that play at certain shrine areas keep popping into my head in random occasions, and so do all the village and divine beast themes. I still remember the feeling of awe the first time I heard the snowy mountain shrine music, the slow sound of it is so beautiful and really fits how lonely some shrines are. also, the theme at selmie's cabin? beautiful. absolutely gorgeous, I love that song and not just because it's an altered version of the original house theme, but because its so quiet, yet calming. you're out in the middle of nowhere, but selmie and her cabin are a light of life in what's otherwise a pretty desolate region save for its sparse animals and of course the monsters. I could talk for hours about how much I love this soundtrack, and *why.* it's a very good soundtrack and people need to give it more credit.
the only theme i can remember is the one that plays when a guardian is about to laser link into oblivion because that shit gave me PTSD, the rest however seems to be made to be forgotten, how am i supposed to remember the music if there is almost none, and when it plays it's the most passive forgettable music possible?
@@youtubeaccount697 i'm sorry this game has so little music it's so hard to remember, yet i can clearly remember the other zelda OST, or the DS1 and DS3, or elden ring, or so many other games but not this one, maybe, just maybe, it's because it didn't do it's job like any other zelda OST has
Funny, BOTW is my favorite Zelda soundtrack out of all games. It is the most serene and calming while still being bombastic when needed too. It’s ambient nature fits the game perfectly and the solo piano matches the idea of the game. YOU ARE ALONE, that’s why one piano is used. It’s isolated, without help, just like the character of link
@@Dkad i think what he means is that botw is more open-world focused that the games that came before, and you really need to figure a lot of things out by yourself with it not really having a clear storyline
Kass' Theme - I had found it annoying only because, in retrospect, it was just a reminder that I had to figure out another one of his riddles to unlock a shrine. But then it was a "put some respek to my name" moment when I heard the full version. I love it now! Great game.
How tf am I just now seeing this. I just love how when you reach the castle it slams you with a familiar and fast-moving song that reminds you ‘this is what you set out to do from the beginning. Everything else was all your own doing’
Am I the only one who nearly cried the first time I heard the Rito Village theme, and realized what it was reprising? Truly a magical, memorable moment for me. I also was slightly disappointed at the lack of sweeping, epic Zelda-esque themes, when I first began playing the game. But the more I played, the more I couldn't imagine it any other way. This is a broken Kingdom, shattered by war, and the remains have been scattered by the winds of time. Occasionally, you will stumble upon bits and pieces of that once-great kingdom; crumbling relics that have not yet been reclaimed by the wild. They serve as bittersweet reminders of what came before. The vast emptiness that surrounds these isolated pockets of nostalgia serves to make them far more precious to most of us, but ESPECIALLY to those of us who have spent time in previous iterations of Hyrule. There's a lot of brilliant video game music. However, Zelda is the only series whose music makes me FEEL things at such a deep, emotional level, and I think a lot of people feel similarly. Because of that, the expectations are set much higher for Zelda OST's than the vast majority of (even first party) franchises. After playing through Breath of the Wild, I can confidently state that they still haven't missed the mark yet.
As a composer myself, I prefer more melodic, theme focused, orchestral type of scores, but I know when a big fanfare just isn't the right thing for the project. As a composer, you have to put aside your personal preferences or habits and do what's right for what you're scoring. Great essay. Even though I usually lean more towards the more distinct melodic side of things, I think this was the perfect score for this game. It doesn't sound lazy at all; you can tell someone put a lot of work and thought into it and it's got some complex music theory that would be really hard to recreate. And there are the proper melodic sections when needed. It evokes a unique and purposeful atmosphere that communicates everything this game is meant to be. And you're right, when the Zelda main theme finally plays, it's so much of a reward than if it played the whole time. Music is SO important in fiction like this and this soundtrack tells this story so well. This is how you do a score like this. UPDATE: I listened to the score by its self and there are plenty of memorable themes. In fact, I have the main theme stuck in my head right now. This score gives us the best of both worlds with iconic melodies, old and new, plus a unique simplistic/chaotic style like we've never heard it before. 10/10
The whole design philosophy of Breath of the Wild is "less is more". This propagates to its music as well. All the scores hit so much harder because they're used sparingly and in a subtle way. This makes the final rush for hyrule castle, and the subsequent final battle against ganon, that much more rewarding and impactful. It's the one time where the game fully leans into an adventurous and epic score, and it hits so hard because it's the only time it happens in the game. It feels different, it truly feels "final". This is punctuated during the Dark Beast Ganon fight, as link gets on his horse and zelda says the line "Courage need not be remembered...for it is never forgotten" and the music swells into an epic orchestra, it truly moves you to tears. I literally JUST played this game for the first time a few weeks ago, and even though I was 7 years late, I'm already nostalgic for it. What an absolute masterpiece.
Why on earth does this video have only 400 views?! Stuff like this is fascinating and interesting, seriously clever and thought provoking. This is fantastic!
Like I just wrote in an answer to Tom Sauce's comment: UA-cam's algorithm is not designed to high-prio-promote quality stuff like this which is not a high-level click-baity cash cow.
The stable music and rito village music is definitely memorable. Oh yeah and kass theme. Also it makes the places which do have proper music much more meaningful. Oh yeah and this game is way more about the nature, like the ambient sounds in this game or so much more well developed in this game. Like the sound design in general in this game is so much better than all past Zelda game.
"Less is more" definitely makes sense for the BotW world, especially with the aspect of "overworld navigation" in mind. Catching up visible and audible details has become a "lost art" especially for the younger generations, so putting a focus on that particular skill is important for training players to regain that ability (and, likewise, essential for the game). Nevertheless, in terms of "orchestral completeness", as a musician I was missing but felt the need for some more "density" and "gravity" in a number of pieces for them to match my personal taste. That's why I decided to go all-in with the OST orchestra for a live play-along, which resulted in an extra church organ audio layer to support and enhance the original experience. For reference: ua-cam.com/video/8xvwNNcMb-k/v-deo.html or #BreathOfThePipes
After completing my first divine beast, I remember retreating to the temple of time to just let Link rest a little bit. Standing in the gaping hole in the wall and staring out over Lake Hylia- and slowly the piano notes for the song of time became familiar to me, like an echo of a time from looong ago. It made so much pride for Zelda games just swell in my chest
Stellar analysis! The soundtrack, like basically everything else, was ahead of its time and was such a fresh shake-up. Plus, people who say the themes are not memorable are crazy or just didn't actually PLAY the game much: off the top of my head, the main BotW theme, Kass's theme, Stable theme (which also incorporates Epona's Song), Rito Village (has a Windwaker song in it), and Korok forest are ones that are easy to get stuck on/hum along. And as you noted, every home/village tune is clear and memorable, and the repeated, varied uses of Zelda's lullaby and the original game's theme tie it all together.
i think i saw this video in 2019 on my home page and didn't finish watching it because i was interrupted and forgot to add it to watch later. i searched far and wide. i don't know why i couldn't find it earlier but i finally found it and it's as good as i remembered the part of it that i managed to watch
This was a fantastic video! I really came to appreciate Breath of the Wild’s soundtrack after I really got into the game. If it was more grand and adventurous it just wouldn’t feel right! Also! I loved the analysis and break down of how Tarrey Town comes together and adds instruments from the people you invite into the town! I hadn’t noticed that before! And I had the same reaction to Rito Village as well! The Wind Waker is my favorite game as well, and when I noticed Rito Village was playing the Dragon Roost Island theme, I got very excited and it had a great emotional impact! It instantly became my favorite location and song in the game! This was a great video! You were able to articulate why I enjoy this soundtrack so much! Keep up the great work!
Thank you my friend! Glad you enjoyed the video, thanks for watching! Tarrey Town, Rito Village... just a few of Breath of the Wild's special musical moments :)
as much as i miss some of the more traditional, grand sweeping music of zelda, like the several iconic hyrule field themes, i couldn’t agree more that the use of music in breath of the wild is so intelligent and almost perfect. i would like to see a few more of the grand, catchy type songs we know from the past in breath of the wild 2, maybe a new grand theme for when you’re diving through the sky
This music design of this game is just on another level. Go to the shrine on the Eventide Island and hang out around the edge of that rock. Listening to the music being played there, while looking out to the clouds in the sky is a one profound moment in my life.
I love listening to soundtracks so much, and I really pay attention to it. BOTW is the first console game I played after about ten years, and I was instantly surprised and captivated by its music. I've never played games such as this before, and I didn't really expect to love this game as much as I do now. But the opening theme really did a good job of pulling me into this world, and the Zelda franchise as a whole. Also, this is such a good, quality video essay that deserves more views. I didn't even realize this was 30 minutes long lol
aaaaaaaa, why am I crying?! This was really good, even though I knew almost everything in here, I loved this video and seeing other people notice a lot of the little references is really cool.
My favorite moment of the game was, at Vah Naboris, when you unlock the terminal, that amazing song begins to play. I stared at the night desert, chilling with the song. Also, The Attack of Vah Ruta is when I've said "this game, dude, this game is something else". Divine beast's songs are pure Zelda, sadly you didn't cover any, ideas for a new video perhaps?
Another cool way the composers referenced older Zelda themes is King Rhoam's theme, which is a remix of A Link to the Past's Hyrule Castle theme but it's remixed in the style of how it was remixed in Goodbye Good King in Wind Waker. Pretty cool
I just recently got a nintendo switch and my first game is BOTW. I'm so happy to have seen this very informative video as this video articulated how I feel while playing the game.
This is such a wonderful video, pixel! Your points are wonderfully laid out and presented in such an engaging way - I loved every minute of it. I must admit I was one of those who were initially against the minimalistic, impressionistic style when I watched the trailers, but after playing the game myself, it instantly grew on me and cemented the fact that yes - this works extremely well. Each piano chord, each bird call, all helped in reinforcing the amazing feeling of exploring this vast, open, and really fairly desolate world. It helped make every discovery of places like villages or stables that much more impactful. Breath of the Wild's soundtrack is a prime example of how sometimes in gaming, all you need to show off an amazing world, is the world itself - while music will always help this fact, it doesn't always have to be a full orchestra. If this style comes back in the future games, or if it doesn't - it was just the breath of fresh air the series needed and I'm happy that it was at least in one game.
Thank you for your kind words Matthew, I'm glad you enjoyed the video! Well put. I too was a little unsure about Breath of the Wild's soundtrack at first, but I very quickly came to appreciate what the composers and sound team were going for and really enjoy the soundtrack (if this video didn't make that obvious!) Its a brilliant soundtrack and I'm happy they changed pace like this, at least for one game!
Matthew, as a composer you might probably be interested in the edits/add-ons that I did to the BotW OST. Perhaps these may convince you to take a pipe organ into account for one of your next creations... :-) If you're interested to listen, you'll find the enhanced OST via the #BreathOfThePipes search tag. EDIT: For more background info relevant to musicians/composers/etc., I highly recommend to read the full video description.
I know this video came out 3 years ago, but an analysis of the theme songs for the Divine Beasts would be AMAZING. Especially the use of Morse code in the background
I don’t know why this didn’t show up in my sub box but this is a beautifully done video essay that perfectly conveys what I’ve been wanting to say for a long time
I have never felt so catered towards by a video essay like this lol. The sheer sense of justice I felt having my exact takes on this soundtrack defended with such similarity to how I view this game’s music that at multiple occasions I was filling in your exact next sentence before you even said it - truly amazing. Absolutely legendary video!
As someone who started playing piano not too long ago, as well as diving into music more and more, it was truly interesting to see how music affects the game and the player. Very well done!
This may sound kind of strange considering the legacy of this studio, but BotW feels very much like a Ghibli movie, at least in terms of its atmosphere. Ghibli movies love emphasizing the tone and mood of a scene through their audio, with both music and environmental sounds. The same goes for BotW. A great example of this comes when you run into your first Guardian; it's all calm and peaceful, but then you hear that piano pick up while the buzzing of the Guardian's laser target draws closer. This in turn instills a sense of danger and dread in the player, letting them know there's something nearby they should fear. I love nearly all Zelda soundtracks, but BotW is honestly one of my favorites for how unique and beautiful it is. I'm hoping we get the same in its sequel, though with more dread since according to Aonuma its tone will rival that of Majora's Mask. Great video!
This is a fantastic video that really breaks apart all of those misconceptions about the soundtrack. I really love the way you went through the different types of music in the game and how they're used in different ways, though I'm honestly shocked you went the whole thing without mentioning any of the Champion or Divine Beast themes! They're such incredible compositions that are (almost) completely original, and they get overlooked whenever someone says that the game has "no music". If you want melodic character motifs, you get the Champion themes (Mipha and Revali's themes are my personal favorites), and if you want bombastic battle music then you can check out Attack on Vah Medoh, Vah Naboris, or Vah Ruta (Vah Rudania is more subtle stealth-mission music instead of battle theme). I also really really love the subtle sound design in the dungeon themes for the divine beasts. The mechanical clicking and ambient pulsing, the unsettling melodies that get stronger and more filled out as you complete the terminals, and of course the chilling implication of the SOS morse code beeps! It's truly brilliant musical storytelling that really reminds the player that these aren't dungeons, they're *tombs* Anyway, I'll definitely be recommending this essay to anyone who says that breath of the wild's soundtrack is terrible lol. The fact that anyone can come to that conclusion at all just baffles me!
Absolutely beautiful video. This game was such a safe haven of calm and happiness for me in one of the dumbest times of my life. Listening to the full Terry Town song with your explanation of the hope that side quest and song presents made me tear up. Thank you so much for making this video. Your calm and thoughtful way of explaining these ideas fit wonderfully with the tone the soundtrack is going for.
I've only played Breath Of The Wild so I had no way of knowing how other games were. Now that I've done a bit of research on other games (to decide which ones are worth playing), I think that Breath Of The Wild's soundtrack is perfect the way it is. I love listening to the sounds of nature alone, it makes the experience so relaxing, and emphasizes the important moments like the absolutely AMAZING soundtrack that plays while fighting a Molduga. Also, I've came to the conclusion that I NEED to play the Wind Waker because not only it's adorable, it also has an amazing soundtrack.
I felt really emotinal recognizing the themes, like Zelda's Lullaby on Ganon's theme, I'm not a big Zelda fan, but hearing the few songs that I know bc of Smash, UA-cam, etc... Being played in such a sad way really hits different
This video made a great case for botw soundtrack without feeling the need to reference the bangers like mipha’s theme, prince Sidon’s theme, Urbosa’s theme, attack on vah medoh, inside vah medoh, zora’s domain, and so many more. Well done
Wait a freaking second. When you talked about what the parts in Hyrule castle's theme represent, it finally clicked to me that the very first part can very much represent Link's (literal) Awakening after 100 years of sleep, with it being the first notes of the Ballad of the Wind fish from that game. I recognized it since the first time I heard it, but thought it didn't make sense so I thought it may have been just a coincidence, but no, it totally makes sense.
Awesome video🙏 i don't understand why people hate on botw music. Yes it's different from other zelda games, but when you actually play this game it works so incredibly well for the mood and fits perfectly
I like to think the small wisps of old songs from other zelda games in breath of the wild is like little memories that he cant quite remember that thing that right at the tip of your tongue but cant get it like how you forget a game you loved as a child but you stumbled upon music from that game and you dont know why but it gives you a bittersweet feeling
30:14 I absolutely love that you talked about this theme. I was really able to appreciate the subtle hints at previous themes in other themes of BOTW, but I remember when I tried exploring Hyrule Castle for the first time in the game. The music pulled at my heartstrings. It isn't quite heroic, and it shouldn't be: it's a heartbreaking, guilt-ridden, lonely, terrifying last-ditch effort to save Hyrule. It's just heroic enough to give you the sense that you *might* save the world.
this video is insanely well put together. it is just generally excellent and i loved every second of watching it. thank you for making this masterpiece
Honestly came to this video already having fallen in love with the music from this game and in an endeavor to study it. I love the way that you describe the new temple of time theme as empty sounding. I posit that this "empty" sound is actually a result of the complex and dissonant harmonies and the distance between each of the phrases. The irony of describing the new theme as empty in comparison is fascinating. Because you are right. It certainly provokes a vacant feeling, but in reality, so much more had to be done from a music composition technique perspective to get that feeling across. For instance, the original theme was only a melody, nothing else, and while the harmonic context existed within that melody, you don't actually hear any harmonies. Where as in Breath of the wild, various almost blues like harmonies are introduced in such a way that it removes the melody from its own natural harmonic context, effectively removing the harmonic core of the theme entirely. So the melody is there, completely intact, but its phrasing is slightly spliced into segments and its harmonic core appears to be crumbled apart by the new alternative ones. It perfectly creates that feeling of emptiness. The foreboding nature of the original theme was already somber in the context of Ocarina. So I love that you used that example. That the theme was made almost hollow by the added dissonance and space. It is even more foreboding in that emptiness, and I am not dissing the original theme when I suggest this, but my experience with composition tells me that the musical knowledge required to accomplish this iteration in such an effective way is more demanding than the knowledge required to accomplish the original. So yes. It is much fuller technically, but ironically, it is functionally much more empty. Awesome.
This is so helpful! Im studying music production and songwriting and for my assignment I'm composing a song for BOTW. This vid is helping me with my essay! Cheers!
That's so cool!! Glad my video has been helpful! Best of luck with your assignment - I would love to hear your song if you end up posting it anywhere when its finished :)
Hahaha this is two years later but I ended up differing my studies. I am now in the same position and using this video for my final project! Will defo send you my music when its done, thanks again for this video :-) @@superpixeltea
I think the fact people say they often don't hear the music, makes it so amazing. It adds so much to the experience, blending in so well you don't evem notice it sometimes
This video is excellent and concisely says everything i want to say when talking about the botw soundtrack. Personally, the botw ost is my favorite game ost, ever. There's so many emotional moments, callbacks, new original tracks, great character themes etc. As a music nerd I've tried to play as many pieces as I can on the piano and try and dissect them into what makes them so great, much like 8 bit music theory. The points in your video just made me nod my head and agree with every new segment. Also, the part that gives me the MOST feels, is at the very very end of the ending scene of the hidden memory. That was the large bombastic callback to the main theme I feel everyone wanted, and in order to get it, the game made you put in the work and find every memory. That part gives me chills every time.
This is probably the best video I have ever seen made on the topic, and I’m really happy you covered it in such a great way. This was my first Zelda game that I played, and loved the ambient and atmospheric music (it’s the music I listen to when I study 😄). It never made sense to me why people didn’t like the music simply because it was non-existent, and I’m really happy you brought out the points to BOTW’s atmospheric music. The more I listened to the music, especially after beating the game and coming back to it, the more I appreciate the work done by the composer. Your video was really done well pixeltea. I enjoyed the subtle backgrounds playing, which gave more focus on the game while showcasing the game. It was always interesting and engaging. I don’t usually type out such a huge paragraph, but I really wanted to share my feelings and support, and a new sub :) Despite already loving and appreciating the music for what it does to that game, you just increased my respect for it.
This is an amazing well put together video, thank you for dedicating the time and effort into making this! You summed up all of my feelings about this game's soundtrack. Five years later, and I still get shivers from hearing things like the main theme, and the dragons' theme. Hearing the first few riffs of the guardian theme still invokes the 'oh god' feeling even though I can confidently take them down. Still remains some of my favorite audio design out of any video game.
I'd like to add that in the Hyrule Castle theme, during Zelda's part, the accompanying background instrument is similar or reminiscent to the low health sound effect from A Link to the Past, signifying that Zelda is running out of time or power after fending off Ganon for 100 years. Some say it might be a bit of a reach, but even then I feel we've all heard that low health sound effect in other games, like in Pokemon for instance, so in my opinion it at least signifies that Zelda is waning. I thought that was a very powerful and audible message to the player that they need to, in a sense, "hurry up" and come to her aid.
4 years later. so glad u defended it back then. botw is actually my favorite zelda ost...until totk, that is. it found the perfect balance, since the world is in danger again but its not empty
Thank you so much for making this video! I’ve just started playing BotW last week and I am in love with how the soundtrack in this game works. I’m all for the minimalistic yet impactful approach, but there’s no one I know that I can discuss with about the beauty of this game’s music. You however, gave me the comfort of knowing that there are many other people who appreciate the unique, ambient and adaptive style of BotW music. I’m especially happy that you mentioned Rito Village’s Dragon Roost Island motif, because I love Wind Waker too and hearing that while in Rito Village definitely gets me emotional. You did an amazing job with this video essay, you managed to keep my interest and describe exactly what I think and love about the game’s music throughout the whole video. Again, I can’t thank you enough for this masterpiece of a video.
FANTASTIC video my dude!!!!! honestly i could write my own essay on the music in this game with how much i ve thought about it, but this video hit so many of my thoughts/opinions and expressed them perfectly!! especially with the sentiment of the music being different from past zelda games because hyrule itself is different this time. no idea why this doesn't have more views
10:18 Breath of the Wild truly has some of the most unique sound-scapes from any videogame ever. I can just listen to the gameplay, without any visuals, and I immediately know that it's breath of the wild. Every single little action, from footsteps to button presses, the tensing of a bow or the brandishing of a weapon, to even the sounds of the UI and the sheikah slate, it's all super unique and instantly recognizable. It truly has an incredible sound identity that's difficult for any other game to match.
Such a brilliant and underrated video it’s always nice to come back to and your dedication and love for your work is very evident by the fact that even after 2 years you are still hearting comments
I enjoy how the music is a gentle throwback to all out of the music from past games if you listen in. You’ll catch fragmented segments of previous songs scattered like a ruin. I also really like how the pacing and the music actually shifts based on what you’re doing. Half of staying out of trouble in hyrule castle is listening to sound changes as you’re exploring!
Thank you for this amazing video essay. It baffled me when I saw people complain about BOtW's soundtrack because I thought the disorientated and broken music fit the game immensely. Spectacular video, my guy! You covered all of the points I agreed with, as well as points I never even thought of!
Holy Cow, this is the greatest music anylaysis I have ever heard! I learned so much from this and it changed my perspective to the game in the best way. Thank you for making this so in depth yet structured and understandable!
This is so good, much like a comedian sets up most punchlines, the game sets you up for immersion...making you anticipate parts of the game, haunting you. This makes the game replay-able, making you seek for more adventure.
I thought that the soundtrack for this game was BRILLIANT. The way that it breaks apart lil bits of music that we've heard across the franchise and repurposes them fits thematically within the tone of the game and - more importantly - its story. You are walking through a world that had been broken down and must be built back up into something new, and that is precisely what the musical score stives to do! I think it does it very well! Any time I heard lil bits of motifs from the franchise, it reminded me of where the story came from, as well as where it's headed. The creators of this game didn't want to make just another Zelda title - they wanted to push the limits and break the boundaries on what a Zelda game is supposed to be *while simultaneously returning to Zelda's roots.* Using broken light motifs mixed in with an entire sound and style that otherwise contrasts with the Zelda soundtracks we've heard before conveys this tone perfectly. The person(s) who wrote the score for this game displayed naught but pure genius, and I won't hear otherwise.
I love the music for the older games but every soundtrack was very similar sounding (heroism and determination) Botw’s scenery is unlike any other Zelda game. It was made that way so the player could feel that they were in the world of hyrule. If there is loud heroic and boisterous music it would be hard to focus on how beautiful the game is and beautiful soft music is a perfect match.
As others have mentioned, very thought provoking and well articulated. You raised a lot of good points and there were a few things about the soundtrack I had forgotten or just not even noticed. Very well done and underrated video!
I think the lack of music, or "notable" music throughout the game is its high point, because, like Link, the player is lost. We are left with no memory, only whispers of what once was, like remnants of Lon Lon Ranch or the decaying Temple of Time, as we travel a long dead Hyrule. The silence speaks volumes, it amplifies both Link's and the player's loneliness, that when we hear music, it leads us to civilization, it leads us to the soul of the kingdom, while beaten down, is still hanging on. The music brings hope in what I think many forget is not an adventurous game, but a bittersweet and somber one.
I don't know why it took so long but I'm so glad your video was finally recommended to me! I've obsessed over botw's soundtrack since it released and you actually brought up quite a few things that I'd never thought of or realized before! This video was so well written, presented, edited, etc. Absolutely well done!
Most zelda games after Ocarina of time were disliked when it came out but over the years were considered amazing So I think that's also the case with this game. I still listen to botw soundtrack to relax, the game came out 5 years ago
After 7 years of wanting to play this game, I finally got it a few days ago. I'm enthralled by it. The music is wonderful and works very well, my favorites so far are the horse stable theme and the fairy fountain theme
This video was incredibly good, I already loved the soundtrack (I have a liking for melancolic and discrete tunes) this made me appreciate it even more. But having not played that much of the other Zelda games, a bit of the emotions and meaning conveyed by the callbacks were lost on me. Especially love how you made the connection between the soundtrack and the emotional themes of the game clear, when many OST focus more about more straightforward musical storytelling. I absolutely adore this game and its soundrack is one of the best things about it.
UA-cam youll bring up the most random useless videos in my feed but i missed this by 2 years when this is the content im seeking im sorry your video is like others have said criminally underatted.
The music in this game is incredible. Even as I play through it again, there are aspects of the game play that get a little boring or tedious. The music, however, never gets old.
This was an amazing exploration of the soundtrack! You did a wonderful job! I just finished Breath if the Wild a few days ago and I thoroughly enjoyed the soundtrack throughout the game, but having no technical knowledge of music I was unable to explain why I found it so great, and you did such a good job doing that! It's also my first time playing any Zelda game, so you highlighting the callbacks to earlier games was really nice, it uncovers even more of the magic of this wonderful soundtrack for me and amyone who didn't or couldn't recognize them! Thank you so much for this wonderful video, I'm sure I'll go back to it in the future :)
I liked the new direction the composers took for the game's soundtrack, especially the calming piano pieces that play when roaming the field on foot and on horseback. These pieces help me relax and allow me to think deeply about what I should do next while playing the game compared to the bombastic field themes in previous Zelda games. While these pre-Breath of the Wild compositions did give me a sense of adventure and excitement when playing these games, I would often get tired of listening and would feel exhausted to the point that I would put down my controller and turn off the console. When the devs wanted to break the usual Zelda series conventions, I believe that a change in music direction was one of these conventions they wanted to change for Breath of the Wild.
Its been quite a while since this video came out, so i hope you dont mind my commenting. I just wanted to say that i love the death mountain soundtrack. The music from exploring, to being in goron city. But i have to say my most favorite ambiance in botw is vah rudanias music. It just makes sense. It sounds like a mighty goron would.
I'm curious to see if my video essay will change anyone's thoughts on BOTW's soundtrack, so I set up a simple little poll - I'd really appreciate if you fill it out once you finish watching the video! goo.gl/forms/glQ0sqQsvfKX3FQb2
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Sorry for the mic popping everybody, I recorded the voiceover way back when I still sorting out my recording set-up and hadn't quite figured out how to get the best-sounding audio.
Flaws in the voiceover aside, I'm using some new video editing software which is a definite improvement from what I was using previously. I really tried to step up the visual aspect of this video, and put a lot of effort into creating some fun and appealing visuals - I hope it paid off!
It didn't change my opinion because I already loved it to begin with, even if it was mostly because I find most video game music annoying to the extent that I'll often mute it and risk surprise enemy attacks just because it's so repetitive. But this video did help me to appreciate this soundtrack even more and it gave me the chills a few times. Great video!
always loved it but now i know the impact that these songs had from the beginning of the legend of zelda's story. Great video
Spirit Tracks is a big reason why BoTW's soundtrack is like this. In Spirit Tracks, you're out in the wild often with just you and your train. A bombastic and awesome song constantly plays over your activities.
....this gets old very quickly and subconsciously contributed to a lot of fans disliking Spirit Tracks. Which is a shame. =\
prefeckt. :)
if i need a video essay to make me understand how good a soundtrack is - then its not good
btw loved the video essay :D very enlightening. sad to see you didn't really continue with video essays though
I remember the first time I saw a dragon in the world. I was terrified and thought it was gonna eat me. But when that calming violin started playing, I could only watch in awe.
That violin is actually an erhu, a traditional chinese instrument, it represents a human voice
Thats not a violin, but an erhu
Unbelievable how few people have seen this.
Indeed. The reason being, UA-cam's algorithm works great on promoting clickbait but still sucks on personal interests.
How can people say this, it has one of the best soundtracks in the whole franchise! And it has lots of epic music. I can't believe what people said, I'm depressed now.
@@WoodymC facts dude you can only find these types of videos by hoping it will pop up by searching it while jimmy kimmel is on trending constantly.
I never understood how people could hate of BOTW’s soudtrack. I will ALWAYS remember how AMAZED I was playing this game for the first time and watching this video got me tearing up! I feel a STRONG nostalgic feeling toward this game!
People hate the soundtrack? This is the most passive music I've ever heard, in the good way.
it's easy to hate it when it's the only soundtrack i can't remember
I just think the community was expecting a bombastic, adventurous soundtrack as always, and couldn't appreciate the new style/direction this was going for
It's why the community was so divided when the game first came out
It’s not hated, there just isn’t enough of it. The music is a hugely important ‘character’ in the Zelda franchise. There was too much piano tinkling and not enough impactful music.
Incant remember any music because i didnt hear the tracks often enough
One thing I noticed about the older 3D Zelda games, is that they sort of weaponized a lack of music. Like when they wanted to create an air of tension or atmosphere, they'd snatch the music away so all you could hear is the sounds of Link moving around. This was so effective because of how rarely we go without music in the older games, it is almost always present.
Like you said, BotW did the sort or reverse of this, and whenever the music got busier and more active, it was so unusual that it really did make you pay attention.
Fantastic video my dude, I'm pleased to subscribe.
That's an excellent point that I hadn't considered before! Thank you for your comment!
And thank you for subscribing :)
Yep, that's an important point --- which I couldn't have described in any better way. Thumbs up for that, Nayru.
The battle music in BotW would make me panic because it was such a jarring change from the peaceful soothing overworld music. TotK has more music, but uses progressive weird insertions to build tension in certain situations. Both different, both wildly effective, and showcasing the story, world, and character development over the time of the two games. The two soundtracks are a cohesive whole.
Ugh, the sound usage in this game is just so audibly gorgeous to me. I get goosebumps from just sitting in a random field and listening to all of the ambience and the occasional piano kicking in. It's nothing short of beautiful
Personally, I like going to the ancient columns and, like, hang out with that soft piano melody.
It's basically the same effect as minecraft music, which botw is probably heavily inspired by. It's subtle enough so that you barely notice that it's there, but it's still integral to the experience regardless.
This video was extremely well put together. I love BotW’s music so much. It may not be as upbeat as other Zelda... but honestly I prefer this more emotional soundtrack. Whenever I hear some of these themes, I can’t help but tear up. This game has become one of my top 3 favourite games, and my favourite non-Pokémon game. I really hope we get another BotW-esque game with a soundtrack like this.
Thank you for watching, glad you liked the video!! :)
Hey.
Overall, Botw is a really calming game…
And I also don’t understand how people can say none of these musics are memorable. Each and every one of those is engraved in my memory and reminds me the time when I first saw the let’s play that made me discover it. It most definitely is memorable.
The 4 common complaints you listed starting at 5:27 are also the ones I see and I cannot express how much it upsets me; not in the "your opinion is different than mine so it makes me angry" sort of way...but in that so much care, consideration, and curation went into the composition, arrangement, and placement of the music that i am INORDINATELY ANGRY people are 1.) unable to give appreciation where it's due and 2.) unable to reap the benefits of the composer's/arranger's great effort. It is an incredible injustice to the music and to the game.
I cannot imagine dismissing a composer's (or anyone's) hardwork like that "..just random notes on a piano.. " I bet the people who said it aren't even musicians. It's really frustrating.
@@maiainoue9880 Someone I knew who went to Berkeley School of Music said that and it made me so so so mad. He was also an opinionated asshole - his description even - so … yeah.
in the same way that hearing the full main theme in the credits hits emotionally, i adored the use of the theme in the "true ending" cutscene. hearing that full, bombastic, triumphant version as the camera pulled away from link and zelda, sweeping over the field now covered with silent princesses, really gave this sense of final victory, that all their pain and hardship and effort had been worth it, and they could finally step into the future.
it genuinely blows my mind how many people can't remember this game's themes. the themes that play at certain shrine areas keep popping into my head in random occasions, and so do all the village and divine beast themes. I still remember the feeling of awe the first time I heard the snowy mountain shrine music, the slow sound of it is so beautiful and really fits how lonely some shrines are. also, the theme at selmie's cabin? beautiful. absolutely gorgeous, I love that song and not just because it's an altered version of the original house theme, but because its so quiet, yet calming. you're out in the middle of nowhere, but selmie and her cabin are a light of life in what's otherwise a pretty desolate region save for its sparse animals and of course the monsters. I could talk for hours about how much I love this soundtrack, and *why.* it's a very good soundtrack and people need to give it more credit.
the only theme i can remember is the one that plays when a guardian is about to laser link into oblivion because that shit gave me PTSD, the rest however seems to be made to be forgotten, how am i supposed to remember the music if there is almost none, and when it plays it's the most passive forgettable music possible?
@@darkcust4478 bro even forgot the divine beast themes
@@wauweau yup
Just not played often enough
@@youtubeaccount697 i'm sorry this game has so little music it's so hard to remember, yet i can clearly remember the other zelda OST, or the DS1 and DS3, or elden ring, or so many other games but not this one, maybe, just maybe, it's because it didn't do it's job like any other zelda OST has
Funny, BOTW is my favorite Zelda soundtrack out of all games. It is the most serene and calming while still being bombastic when needed too. It’s ambient nature fits the game perfectly and the solo piano matches the idea of the game. YOU ARE ALONE, that’s why one piano is used. It’s isolated, without help, just like the character of link
Well Link has always been kind of alone in every Zelda game, so as I'm concerned I don't know if I agree with that justification =)
@@Dkad i think what he means is that botw is more open-world focused that the games that came before, and you really need to figure a lot of things out by yourself with it not really having a clear storyline
Kass' Theme - I had found it annoying only because, in retrospect, it was just a reminder that I had to figure out another one of his riddles to unlock a shrine. But then it was a "put some respek to my name" moment when I heard the full version. I love it now! Great game.
How tf am I just now seeing this. I just love how when you reach the castle it slams you with a familiar and fast-moving song that reminds you ‘this is what you set out to do from the beginning. Everything else was all your own doing’
23:01 the memory I have when I first heard that piano riff was so scary from a slow raising eyebrow to a silent screaming when I saw that guardian.
_p a n i c_
Am I the only one who nearly cried the first time I heard the Rito Village theme, and realized what it was reprising? Truly a magical, memorable moment for me.
I also was slightly disappointed at the lack of sweeping, epic Zelda-esque themes, when I first began playing the game. But the more I played, the more I couldn't imagine it any other way. This is a broken Kingdom, shattered by war, and the remains have been scattered by the winds of time. Occasionally, you will stumble upon bits and pieces of that once-great kingdom; crumbling relics that have not yet been reclaimed by the wild. They serve as bittersweet reminders of what came before. The vast emptiness that surrounds these isolated pockets of nostalgia serves to make them far more precious to most of us, but ESPECIALLY to those of us who have spent time in previous iterations of Hyrule.
There's a lot of brilliant video game music. However, Zelda is the only series whose music makes me FEEL things at such a deep, emotional level, and I think a lot of people feel similarly. Because of that, the expectations are set much higher for Zelda OST's than the vast majority of (even first party) franchises. After playing through Breath of the Wild, I can confidently state that they still haven't missed the mark yet.
As a composer myself, I prefer more melodic, theme focused, orchestral type of scores, but I know when a big fanfare just isn't the right thing for the project. As a composer, you have to put aside your personal preferences or habits and do what's right for what you're scoring. Great essay. Even though I usually lean more towards the more distinct melodic side of things, I think this was the perfect score for this game. It doesn't sound lazy at all; you can tell someone put a lot of work and thought into it and it's got some complex music theory that would be really hard to recreate. And there are the proper melodic sections when needed. It evokes a unique and purposeful atmosphere that communicates everything this game is meant to be. And you're right, when the Zelda main theme finally plays, it's so much of a reward than if it played the whole time. Music is SO important in fiction like this and this soundtrack tells this story so well. This is how you do a score like this.
UPDATE: I listened to the score by its self and there are plenty of memorable themes. In fact, I have the main theme stuck in my head right now. This score gives us the best of both worlds with iconic melodies, old and new, plus a unique simplistic/chaotic style like we've never heard it before. 10/10
The whole design philosophy of Breath of the Wild is "less is more". This propagates to its music as well. All the scores hit so much harder because they're used sparingly and in a subtle way. This makes the final rush for hyrule castle, and the subsequent final battle against ganon, that much more rewarding and impactful. It's the one time where the game fully leans into an adventurous and epic score, and it hits so hard because it's the only time it happens in the game. It feels different, it truly feels "final".
This is punctuated during the Dark Beast Ganon fight, as link gets on his horse and zelda says the line "Courage need not be remembered...for it is never forgotten" and the music swells into an epic orchestra, it truly moves you to tears. I literally JUST played this game for the first time a few weeks ago, and even though I was 7 years late, I'm already nostalgic for it.
What an absolute masterpiece.
Why on earth does this video have only 400 views?! Stuff like this is fascinating and interesting, seriously clever and thought provoking. This is fantastic!
Thank you so much, I appreciate the kind words! Glad to hear you enjoyed the video!
Like I just wrote in an answer to Tom Sauce's comment: UA-cam's algorithm is not designed to high-prio-promote quality stuff like this which is not a high-level click-baity cash cow.
The stable music and rito village music is definitely memorable. Oh yeah and kass theme. Also it makes the places which do have proper music much more meaningful. Oh yeah and this game is way more about the nature, like the ambient sounds in this game or so much more well developed in this game. Like the sound design in general in this game is so much better than all past Zelda game.
"Less is more" definitely makes sense for the BotW world, especially with the aspect of "overworld navigation" in mind. Catching up visible and audible details has become a "lost art" especially for the younger generations, so putting a focus on that particular skill is important for training players to regain that ability (and, likewise, essential for the game). Nevertheless, in terms of "orchestral completeness", as a musician I was missing but felt the need for some more "density" and "gravity" in a number of pieces for them to match my personal taste. That's why I decided to go all-in with the OST orchestra for a live play-along, which resulted in an extra church organ audio layer to support and enhance the original experience. For reference: ua-cam.com/video/8xvwNNcMb-k/v-deo.html or #BreathOfThePipes
After completing my first divine beast, I remember retreating to the temple of time to just let Link rest a little bit. Standing in the gaping hole in the wall and staring out over Lake Hylia- and slowly the piano notes for the song of time became familiar to me, like an echo of a time from looong ago. It made so much pride for Zelda games just swell in my chest
This video is criminally underrated
Stellar analysis! The soundtrack, like basically everything else, was ahead of its time and was such a fresh shake-up. Plus, people who say the themes are not memorable are crazy or just didn't actually PLAY the game much: off the top of my head, the main BotW theme, Kass's theme, Stable theme (which also incorporates Epona's Song), Rito Village (has a Windwaker song in it), and Korok forest are ones that are easy to get stuck on/hum along. And as you noted, every home/village tune is clear and memorable, and the repeated, varied uses of Zelda's lullaby and the original game's theme tie it all together.
This is a FANTASTIC video essay. Can see all the work you put into this, and want to thank you for your effort.
My top 10 BOTW songs:
#10 Kakariko Village
#9 Mipha’s Theme
#8 Kass Theme
#7 Rito Village
#6 Korok Forest
#5 Tarrey Town
#4 Hyrule Castle
#3 Daruk’s Theme
#2 Attack on Vah Naboris
#1 Hateno Village
i think i saw this video in 2019 on my home page and didn't finish watching it because i was interrupted and forgot to add it to watch later. i searched far and wide. i don't know why i couldn't find it earlier but i finally found it and it's as good as i remembered the part of it that i managed to watch
This was a fantastic video!
I really came to appreciate Breath of the Wild’s soundtrack after I really got into the game.
If it was more grand and adventurous it just wouldn’t feel right!
Also! I loved the analysis and break down of how Tarrey Town comes together and adds instruments from the people you invite into the town! I hadn’t noticed that before!
And I had the same reaction to Rito Village as well! The Wind Waker is my favorite game as well, and when I noticed Rito Village was playing the Dragon Roost Island theme, I got very excited and it had a great emotional impact!
It instantly became my favorite location and song in the game!
This was a great video! You were able to articulate why I enjoy this soundtrack so much!
Keep up the great work!
Thank you my friend! Glad you enjoyed the video, thanks for watching!
Tarrey Town, Rito Village... just a few of Breath of the Wild's special musical moments :)
as much as i miss some of the more traditional, grand sweeping music of zelda, like the several iconic hyrule field themes, i couldn’t agree more that the use of music in breath of the wild is so intelligent and almost perfect. i would like to see a few more of the grand, catchy type songs we know from the past in breath of the wild 2, maybe a new grand theme for when you’re diving through the sky
This music design of this game is just on another level. Go to the shrine on the Eventide Island and hang out around the edge of that rock. Listening to the music being played there, while looking out to the clouds in the sky is a one profound moment in my life.
I love listening to soundtracks so much, and I really pay attention to it. BOTW is the first console game I played after about ten years, and I was instantly surprised and captivated by its music. I've never played games such as this before, and I didn't really expect to love this game as much as I do now. But the opening theme really did a good job of pulling me into this world, and the Zelda franchise as a whole.
Also, this is such a good, quality video essay that deserves more views. I didn't even realize this was 30 minutes long lol
aaaaaaaa, why am I crying?! This was really good, even though I knew almost everything in here, I loved this video and seeing other people notice a lot of the little references is really cool.
This might be about to hit the algorithm
I can’t believe how you left out King Rhoam and the old man’s theme.
My favorite moment of the game was, at Vah Naboris, when you unlock the terminal, that amazing song begins to play. I stared at the night desert, chilling with the song. Also, The Attack of Vah Ruta is when I've said "this game, dude, this game is something else". Divine beast's songs are pure Zelda, sadly you didn't cover any, ideas for a new video perhaps?
The passionate creativity that went into Breath of The Wild is absolutely astounding! And what attention to every detail! I love this game!
Another cool way the composers referenced older Zelda themes is King Rhoam's theme, which is a remix of A Link to the Past's Hyrule Castle theme but it's remixed in the style of how it was remixed in Goodbye Good King in Wind Waker. Pretty cool
I just recently got a nintendo switch and my first game is BOTW. I'm so happy to have seen this very informative video as this video articulated how I feel while playing the game.
This should have a million views. The quality of this video is unreal.
so ture
This is such a wonderful video, pixel! Your points are wonderfully laid out and presented in such an engaging way - I loved every minute of it. I must admit I was one of those who were initially against the minimalistic, impressionistic style when I watched the trailers, but after playing the game myself, it instantly grew on me and cemented the fact that yes - this works extremely well. Each piano chord, each bird call, all helped in reinforcing the amazing feeling of exploring this vast, open, and really fairly desolate world. It helped make every discovery of places like villages or stables that much more impactful. Breath of the Wild's soundtrack is a prime example of how sometimes in gaming, all you need to show off an amazing world, is the world itself - while music will always help this fact, it doesn't always have to be a full orchestra. If this style comes back in the future games, or if it doesn't - it was just the breath of fresh air the series needed and I'm happy that it was at least in one game.
Thank you for your kind words Matthew, I'm glad you enjoyed the video!
Well put. I too was a little unsure about Breath of the Wild's soundtrack at first, but I very quickly came to appreciate what the composers and sound team were going for and really enjoy the soundtrack (if this video didn't make that obvious!) Its a brilliant soundtrack and I'm happy they changed pace like this, at least for one game!
Matthew, as a composer you might probably be interested in the edits/add-ons that I did to the BotW OST.
Perhaps these may convince you to take a pipe organ into account for one of your next creations... :-)
If you're interested to listen, you'll find the enhanced OST via the #BreathOfThePipes search tag.
EDIT: For more background info relevant to musicians/composers/etc., I highly recommend to read the full video description.
I know this video came out 3 years ago, but an analysis of the theme songs for the Divine Beasts would be AMAZING. Especially the use of Morse code in the background
I don’t know why this didn’t show up in my sub box but this is a beautifully done video essay that perfectly conveys what I’ve been wanting to say for a long time
Its annoying when the sub box doesn't do its job, UA-cam can be a pain sometimes. Anyway thank you for your kind words! Glad you enjoyed the video!
I have never felt so catered towards by a video essay like this lol. The sheer sense of justice I felt having my exact takes on this soundtrack defended with such similarity to how I view this game’s music that at multiple occasions I was filling in your exact next sentence before you even said it - truly amazing. Absolutely legendary video!
As someone who started playing piano not too long ago, as well as diving into music more and more, it was truly interesting to see how music affects the game and the player. Very well done!
Wow this is an amazing and underrated video, definitely made me appreciate the ost of Breath of the Wild even more
This may sound kind of strange considering the legacy of this studio, but BotW feels very much like a Ghibli movie, at least in terms of its atmosphere. Ghibli movies love emphasizing the tone and mood of a scene through their audio, with both music and environmental sounds. The same goes for BotW. A great example of this comes when you run into your first Guardian; it's all calm and peaceful, but then you hear that piano pick up while the buzzing of the Guardian's laser target draws closer. This in turn instills a sense of danger and dread in the player, letting them know there's something nearby they should fear. I love nearly all Zelda soundtracks, but BotW is honestly one of my favorites for how unique and beautiful it is. I'm hoping we get the same in its sequel, though with more dread since according to Aonuma its tone will rival that of Majora's Mask. Great video!
This is a fantastic video that really breaks apart all of those misconceptions about the soundtrack. I really love the way you went through the different types of music in the game and how they're used in different ways, though I'm honestly shocked you went the whole thing without mentioning any of the Champion or Divine Beast themes! They're such incredible compositions that are (almost) completely original, and they get overlooked whenever someone says that the game has "no music". If you want melodic character motifs, you get the Champion themes (Mipha and Revali's themes are my personal favorites), and if you want bombastic battle music then you can check out Attack on Vah Medoh, Vah Naboris, or Vah Ruta (Vah Rudania is more subtle stealth-mission music instead of battle theme).
I also really really love the subtle sound design in the dungeon themes for the divine beasts. The mechanical clicking and ambient pulsing, the unsettling melodies that get stronger and more filled out as you complete the terminals, and of course the chilling implication of the SOS morse code beeps! It's truly brilliant musical storytelling that really reminds the player that these aren't dungeons, they're *tombs*
Anyway, I'll definitely be recommending this essay to anyone who says that breath of the wild's soundtrack is terrible lol. The fact that anyone can come to that conclusion at all just baffles me!
Absolutely beautiful video. This game was such a safe haven of calm and happiness for me in one of the dumbest times of my life.
Listening to the full Terry Town song with your explanation of the hope that side quest and song presents made me tear up.
Thank you so much for making this video. Your calm and thoughtful way of explaining these ideas fit wonderfully with the tone the soundtrack is going for.
I've been making this exact point since the game came out
I've only played Breath Of The Wild so I had no way of knowing how other games were. Now that I've done a bit of research on other games (to decide which ones are worth playing), I think that Breath Of The Wild's soundtrack is perfect the way it is. I love listening to the sounds of nature alone, it makes the experience so relaxing, and emphasizes the important moments like the absolutely AMAZING soundtrack that plays while fighting a Molduga.
Also, I've came to the conclusion that I NEED to play the Wind Waker because not only it's adorable, it also has an amazing soundtrack.
I felt really emotinal recognizing the themes, like Zelda's Lullaby on Ganon's theme, I'm not a big Zelda fan, but hearing the few songs that I know bc of Smash, UA-cam, etc... Being played in such a sad way really hits different
This video made a great case for botw soundtrack without feeling the need to reference the bangers like mipha’s theme, prince Sidon’s theme, Urbosa’s theme, attack on vah medoh, inside vah medoh, zora’s domain, and so many more. Well done
32:22 genuinely made me almost cry a little, it's insane that music can make chemicals in my dumb brain do stuff like that
Wait a freaking second. When you talked about what the parts in Hyrule castle's theme represent, it finally clicked to me that the very first part can very much represent Link's (literal) Awakening after 100 years of sleep, with it being the first notes of the Ballad of the Wind fish from that game. I recognized it since the first time I heard it, but thought it didn't make sense so I thought it may have been just a coincidence, but no, it totally makes sense.
“Theres no music” meanwhile im fighting for my life with a molduga while listeming to the most frantic music ive ever heard in my life
Awesome video🙏 i don't understand why people hate on botw music. Yes it's different from other zelda games, but when you actually play this game it works so incredibly well for the mood and fits perfectly
I like to think the small wisps of old songs from other zelda games in breath of the wild is like little memories that he cant quite remember that thing that right at the tip of your tongue but cant get it like how you forget a game you loved as a child but you stumbled upon music from that game and you dont know why but it gives you a bittersweet feeling
From one youtuber to another. this is an incredibly well made video. Thank you!
30:14 I absolutely love that you talked about this theme. I was really able to appreciate the subtle hints at previous themes in other themes of BOTW, but I remember when I tried exploring Hyrule Castle for the first time in the game. The music pulled at my heartstrings. It isn't quite heroic, and it shouldn't be: it's a heartbreaking, guilt-ridden, lonely, terrifying last-ditch effort to save Hyrule. It's just heroic enough to give you the sense that you *might* save the world.
this video is insanely well put together. it is just generally excellent and i loved every second of watching it. thank you for making this masterpiece
Honestly came to this video already having fallen in love with the music from this game and in an endeavor to study it. I love the way that you describe the new temple of time theme as empty sounding. I posit that this "empty" sound is actually a result of the complex and dissonant harmonies and the distance between each of the phrases. The irony of describing the new theme as empty in comparison is fascinating. Because you are right. It certainly provokes a vacant feeling, but in reality, so much more had to be done from a music composition technique perspective to get that feeling across. For instance, the original theme was only a melody, nothing else, and while the harmonic context existed within that melody, you don't actually hear any harmonies. Where as in Breath of the wild, various almost blues like harmonies are introduced in such a way that it removes the melody from its own natural harmonic context, effectively removing the harmonic core of the theme entirely. So the melody is there, completely intact, but its phrasing is slightly spliced into segments and its harmonic core appears to be crumbled apart by the new alternative ones. It perfectly creates that feeling of emptiness. The foreboding nature of the original theme was already somber in the context of Ocarina. So I love that you used that example. That the theme was made almost hollow by the added dissonance and space. It is even more foreboding in that emptiness, and I am not dissing the original theme when I suggest this, but my experience with composition tells me that the musical knowledge required to accomplish this iteration in such an effective way is more demanding than the knowledge required to accomplish the original. So yes. It is much fuller technically, but ironically, it is functionally much more empty. Awesome.
This is so helpful! Im studying music production and songwriting and for my assignment I'm composing a song for BOTW. This vid is helping me with my essay! Cheers!
That's so cool!! Glad my video has been helpful! Best of luck with your assignment - I would love to hear your song if you end up posting it anywhere when its finished :)
Hahaha this is two years later but I ended up differing my studies. I am now in the same position and using this video for my final project! Will defo send you my music when its done, thanks again for this video :-) @@superpixeltea
I think the fact people say they often don't hear the music, makes it so amazing. It adds so much to the experience, blending in so well you don't evem notice it sometimes
Thanks for this amacing vid!! Keep doing this.
This video is excellent and concisely says everything i want to say when talking about the botw soundtrack. Personally, the botw ost is my favorite game ost, ever. There's so many emotional moments, callbacks, new original tracks, great character themes etc. As a music nerd I've tried to play as many pieces as I can on the piano and try and dissect them into what makes them so great, much like 8 bit music theory. The points in your video just made me nod my head and agree with every new segment.
Also, the part that gives me the MOST feels, is at the very very end of the ending scene of the hidden memory. That was the large bombastic callback to the main theme I feel everyone wanted, and in order to get it, the game made you put in the work and find every memory. That part gives me chills every time.
Dude the Tarrey Town embellishments over time are genius !
This is probably the best video I have ever seen made on the topic, and I’m really happy you covered it in such a great way. This was my first Zelda game that I played, and loved the ambient and atmospheric music (it’s the music I listen to when I study 😄). It never made sense to me why people didn’t like the music simply because it was non-existent, and I’m really happy you brought out the points to BOTW’s atmospheric music. The more I listened to the music, especially after beating the game and coming back to it, the more I appreciate the work done by the composer. Your video was really done well pixeltea. I enjoyed the subtle backgrounds playing, which gave more focus on the game while showcasing the game. It was always interesting and engaging. I don’t usually type out such a huge paragraph, but I really wanted to share my feelings and support, and a new sub :)
Despite already loving and appreciating the music for what it does to that game, you just increased my respect for it.
This is an amazing well put together video, thank you for dedicating the time and effort into making this! You summed up all of my feelings about this game's soundtrack. Five years later, and I still get shivers from hearing things like the main theme, and the dragons' theme. Hearing the first few riffs of the guardian theme still invokes the 'oh god' feeling even though I can confidently take them down. Still remains some of my favorite audio design out of any video game.
I'd like to add that in the Hyrule Castle theme, during Zelda's part, the accompanying background instrument is similar or reminiscent to the low health sound effect from A Link to the Past, signifying that Zelda is running out of time or power after fending off Ganon for 100 years. Some say it might be a bit of a reach, but even then I feel we've all heard that low health sound effect in other games, like in Pokemon for instance, so in my opinion it at least signifies that Zelda is waning. I thought that was a very powerful and audible message to the player that they need to, in a sense, "hurry up" and come to her aid.
4 years later. so glad u defended it back then. botw is actually my favorite zelda ost...until totk, that is. it found the perfect balance, since the world is in danger again but its not empty
Thank you so much for making this video! I’ve just started playing BotW last week and I am in love with how the soundtrack in this game works. I’m all for the minimalistic yet impactful approach, but there’s no one I know that I can discuss with about the beauty of this game’s music. You however, gave me the comfort of knowing that there are many other people who appreciate the unique, ambient and adaptive style of BotW music. I’m especially happy that you mentioned Rito Village’s Dragon Roost Island motif, because I love Wind Waker too and hearing that while in Rito Village definitely gets me emotional. You did an amazing job with this video essay, you managed to keep my interest and describe exactly what I think and love about the game’s music throughout the whole video. Again, I can’t thank you enough for this masterpiece of a video.
FANTASTIC video my dude!!!!! honestly i could write my own essay on the music in this game with how much i
ve thought about it, but this video hit so many of my thoughts/opinions and expressed them perfectly!! especially with the sentiment of the music being different from past zelda games because hyrule itself is different this time. no idea why this doesn't have more views
10:18 Breath of the Wild truly has some of the most unique sound-scapes from any videogame ever.
I can just listen to the gameplay, without any visuals, and I immediately know that it's breath of the wild. Every single little action, from footsteps to button presses, the tensing of a bow or the brandishing of a weapon, to even the sounds of the UI and the sheikah slate, it's all super unique and instantly recognizable. It truly has an incredible sound identity that's difficult for any other game to match.
I know I'm watching this a little lite but dude this is so underrated, awesome video.
Such a brilliant and underrated video it’s always nice to come back to and your dedication and love for your work is very evident by the fact that even after 2 years you are still hearting comments
I enjoy how the music is a gentle throwback to all out of the music from past games if you listen in. You’ll catch fragmented segments of previous songs scattered like a ruin. I also really like how the pacing and the music actually shifts based on what you’re doing. Half of staying out of trouble in hyrule castle is listening to sound changes as you’re exploring!
Thank you for this amazing video essay. It baffled me when I saw people complain about BOtW's soundtrack because I thought the disorientated and broken music fit the game immensely. Spectacular video, my guy! You covered all of the points I agreed with, as well as points I never even thought of!
this is such a beautiful and nuanced breakdown of what i personally think is a masterful soundtrack. 10/10
Holy Cow, this is the greatest music anylaysis I have ever heard! I learned so much from this and it changed my perspective to the game in the best way. Thank you for making this so in depth yet structured and understandable!
This is so good, much like a comedian sets up most punchlines, the game sets you up for immersion...making you anticipate parts of the game, haunting you. This makes the game replay-able, making you seek for more adventure.
I thought that the soundtrack for this game was BRILLIANT. The way that it breaks apart lil bits of music that we've heard across the franchise and repurposes them fits thematically within the tone of the game and - more importantly - its story. You are walking through a world that had been broken down and must be built back up into something new, and that is precisely what the musical score stives to do! I think it does it very well! Any time I heard lil bits of motifs from the franchise, it reminded me of where the story came from, as well as where it's headed. The creators of this game didn't want to make just another Zelda title - they wanted to push the limits and break the boundaries on what a Zelda game is supposed to be *while simultaneously returning to Zelda's roots.* Using broken light motifs mixed in with an entire sound and style that otherwise contrasts with the Zelda soundtracks we've heard before conveys this tone perfectly.
The person(s) who wrote the score for this game displayed naught but pure genius, and I won't hear otherwise.
I love the music for the older games but every soundtrack was very similar sounding (heroism and determination) Botw’s scenery is unlike any other Zelda game. It was made that way so the player could feel that they were in the world of hyrule. If there is loud heroic and boisterous music it would be hard to focus on how beautiful the game is and beautiful soft music is a perfect match.
i adore the stable music and kass' theme i will stand next to him in the game for ages just to listen
This is literally the best video essay I've ever seen. you really put so much effort into this @pixeltea and I can tell
This needs more views man, this video is fantastic, 10/10
As others have mentioned, very thought provoking and well articulated. You raised a lot of good points and there were a few things about the soundtrack I had forgotten or just not even noticed. Very well done and underrated video!
full kass theme absolutely GUTS me every time
I think the lack of music, or "notable" music throughout the game is its high point, because, like Link, the player is lost. We are left with no memory, only whispers of what once was, like remnants of Lon Lon Ranch or the decaying Temple of Time, as we travel a long dead Hyrule.
The silence speaks volumes, it amplifies both Link's and the player's loneliness, that when we hear music, it leads us to civilization, it leads us to the soul of the kingdom, while beaten down, is still hanging on. The music brings hope in what I think many forget is not an adventurous game, but a bittersweet and somber one.
I don't know why it took so long but I'm so glad your video was finally recommended to me! I've obsessed over botw's soundtrack since it released and you actually brought up quite a few things that I'd never thought of or realized before! This video was so well written, presented, edited, etc. Absolutely well done!
This is the first video I’ve seen from you, and let me just say, you’ve gained a subscriber.
Thanks for subscribing! :)
Incredible video. I found it through someone linking it in the replies to a tweet I just saw. Hopefully the algorithm picks up this old video
Most zelda games after Ocarina of time were disliked when it came out but over the years were considered amazing
So I think that's also the case with this game. I still listen to botw soundtrack to relax, the game came out 5 years ago
Soooooooo good man!!! Keep the quality vids coming!!
Thank you so much!! Thanks for watching!
After 7 years of wanting to play this game, I finally got it a few days ago. I'm enthralled by it. The music is wonderful and works very well, my favorites so far are the horse stable theme and the fairy fountain theme
This video was incredibly good, I already loved the soundtrack (I have a liking for melancolic and discrete tunes) this made me appreciate it even more. But having not played that much of the other Zelda games, a bit of the emotions and meaning conveyed by the callbacks were lost on me. Especially love how you made the connection between the soundtrack and the emotional themes of the game clear, when many OST focus more about more straightforward musical storytelling.
I absolutely adore this game and its soundrack is one of the best things about it.
UA-cam youll bring up the most random useless videos in my feed but i missed this by 2 years when this is the content im seeking im sorry your video is like others have said criminally underatted.
The music in this game is incredible. Even as I play through it again, there are aspects of the game play that get a little boring or tedious. The music, however, never gets old.
I kept getting emotional watching this
This was an amazing exploration of the soundtrack! You did a wonderful job! I just finished Breath if the Wild a few days ago and I thoroughly enjoyed the soundtrack throughout the game, but having no technical knowledge of music I was unable to explain why I found it so great, and you did such a good job doing that! It's also my first time playing any Zelda game, so you highlighting the callbacks to earlier games was really nice, it uncovers even more of the magic of this wonderful soundtrack for me and amyone who didn't or couldn't recognize them! Thank you so much for this wonderful video, I'm sure I'll go back to it in the future :)
I liked the new direction the composers took for the game's soundtrack, especially the calming piano pieces that play when roaming the field on foot and on horseback. These pieces help me relax and allow me to think deeply about what I should do next while playing the game compared to the bombastic field themes in previous Zelda games. While these pre-Breath of the Wild compositions did give me a sense of adventure and excitement when playing these games, I would often get tired of listening and would feel exhausted to the point that I would put down my controller and turn off the console.
When the devs wanted to break the usual Zelda series conventions, I believe that a change in music direction was one of these conventions they wanted to change for Breath of the Wild.
Its been quite a while since this video came out, so i hope you dont mind my commenting. I just wanted to say that i love the death mountain soundtrack. The music from exploring, to being in goron city. But i have to say my most favorite ambiance in botw is vah rudanias music. It just makes sense. It sounds like a mighty goron would.
Yeah this needs way more views