ONE WEEK we're making the Intro to Piano course 50% off so that you can learn to creep people out on the internet with bizarre memes, too! No code needed, just go here: cornellmusicacademy.com/
Hey I was wondering if you could possible do Pokémon Champion Cynthia's Encounter/Battle/Victory Theme or basically in short the PTSD Suite of Music from Gen 4
Fun Fact: The vocal synthesizer you keep referring to is the actually text to speech program from Moonbase Alpha - the cover is done by Oasty, and it’s linked in this vid if you want it check it out EDIT: Thanks to Stinjin Van Droglin for pointing this out in the replies - The synth is based on DECTalk (specifically the Perfect Paul setting) - a text to speech synth that came out in 1984
4:04 he says “it gives us this feeling of…” then he just plays a bunch of notes and I think that really speaks to the fact that music is its own language.
for real music's not only its own language but its own home the own place one can find heart my guy this is what music means to me and i agree with you music is also its own language for me.
3:55 I love that when he knows what to say, but can't find the words necessary to say it, he instead describes it in his own, equally beautiful music. It's something that I think all musicians can relate to.
2:51 this shit right there is why im subbed, going from a sentence straight into this level of improvisation is mindboggling to me. you should make an album just with you impovising, id buy it
I never saw the original song or the cover or the meme as creepy I think they're all actually pretty peacefully nostalgic and calming despite the uncanny nature of the video/meme one
Btw, that noise that's doing Undertale's soundtrack isn't actually a synth. It's a tts voice used in a game like Moonbase Alpha. By using some funny lines you can basically play the tts voice as an instrument in that game.
Singing is an intentional feature of Dectalk, the syntax for pitch control is quite extensive. Back when it was an actual product being sold to PC users, it often came with example songs.
Somethinf about 3:53 really gets to me and touches me. Not only the fantaaaasticly beaauutiful improv there, but alsl the fact that he doesn't even finish his sentence and goes straight into playing some of the most perfect 20 seconds of music I've experienced. It showed how important being in touch with your emotions and feelings are when it comes to playing and making music.
The section from 3:50 to 4:23 is really something else. Truly struggling to find the words to explain the tonality of the minor IV, so he puts it in other words, improvising with his musical vocabulary instead. This man has unlocked the connection between these two languages, and it's miraculous to see and hear him explain things.
@@raygun1414 music theory is the technical part of music, like grammar and conjugation in a language. But you still don’t need to know it to enjoy music, to understand it.
3:45 - so THAT'S what it's called when music does that! I've never been able to define it, but when music goes through cords and it dips slightly like that, I love it.
@@aatosohikaura1596 Ah I see, I did think it was something like that but some notes were the same as well. I'm assuming that that means the chord names in the version I played are different?
@@mallows9779 if you listen to the original song from the game, the key is halfway between two keys on the piano. it's in D half-flat major. its likely that the official score chose to transponse up a quarter step for piano instead of down like the meme edit did.
4:07 inspired me to do learn reading piano sheets as well as music theory. The way he just made that segment up as improvisation is amazing... It sounds so beautiful, and hopefully I'd learn to make up my own progressions someday that sounds as beautiful as this one
my favorite part of this video is at 3:53 Charles attempts to describe the feeling of minor 4 then starts describing it by playing, and finishes with “you know what i mean?” words just couldn’t quite capture the emotion. but his playing described it in detail. this is why i’m such a fan of music and music theory despite not playing instruments (yet)
Undertale's entire soundtrack is incredible. My favorite aspect of it is how many times various character motifs appear throughout the game. The Ruins melody is sprinkled into so many of the other tracks. Also, the Toriel theme and the Asgore theme have so many reflections of one another, with those two characters being spouses. In both examples, the songs are so intrinsically tied while still sounding like completely different tracks. It makes my music nerd heart sing!
@@zombieboss5178 what do you mean? All the songs mentioned in this thread are from Undertale, and Charles asked for suggestions from Undertale OR not from Undertale. Who's a dummy?
This is the second time I've ever been in a UA-cam video by accident before. This is genuinely surreal and makes me feel better about my countless hours spent venting making funny comments and sharing my inner thoughts with people in the comments. I honestly didn't think what i said would actually resonate with many people, since most people corrected me and said what i said made no sense. Glad to know what i said actually mattered and i could get across how something makes me feel so well it was worth siting. That comment was about you btw. Crazy that you where somehow gravitated towards it and used it as a way to potray the beauty of this song and build upon my thoughts in a constructive and understandable way that fits with the musical theory. You took some casual writers reminiscing and dreaming about nostalgia, and made it so much more than i thought it could be. Thank you for giving me some bonus confidence. I've loved Undertale since it was released back in 2015. I even played through it once on my old currently broken computer years ago. And have watched many playthroughs, fan dubs and musical covers. Thank you again. This means the world to me that i could contribute somehow, although indirectly, to your content.
5:26 true while listening to this kinda made me remember my dog who died like 6 years ago and it kinda make me sad that the memory just faded and now I can't stop thinking about how that memory just faded away when he was my favorite dog
The way you improvised over the song near the end reminds me of a homestuck song called moonsetter, the original is upbeat but this youtuber called joe Jeremiah did a cover that made it sound so somber and nostalgic, in a way that recontextualizes the events associated with it after finishing the story. It’s so good!
hey charles! I know you made a video about a few songs in the Undertale soundtrack already, but you should definitely listen to every song in the Undertale (and Deltarune) soundtrack if you haven't already. the entire soundtrack is a masterpiece!
of all video game soundtracks, fallen down has to be the only one that has made me actually shed a tear. the comment on 5:28 perfectly describes the feeling it gives me, i'd rather not go into what that memory is, but i can tell you that that comment describes it near perfectly
the original song is a cover named Underbase - Fallen Down. The creator of the “my reaction to that information” then used it in a tiktok, turning into what we know today. The original cover was made in 2015.
I think hearing those vocal synths as creepy makes sense, but I cannot hear them that way as they are the ones Moonbase Alpha uses and there were so many memes. It was a simpler time
I love how you sway when you're playing. I do the same thing and people made fun of me saying it was weird swaying around. Sometimes you're just really feeling the music though and can't help it.
It's going to sound stupid, but when you explained that one note to being "painfully beautiful", I almost teared up. I've never had a word for it, but that fits it brilliantly. Even with it being so simple. Never thought that a video covering a meme, covering a video game, covering a soundtrack would somehow be so heartfelt that it made me fall in love with what makes music beautiful once more. Thank you!
Maybe it's a friendship that wasn't meant to be, a friendship so strong that it's tearing the universe apart and to save the universe would mean the friends would have to forget each other and start a new life without each other, and this is what Plays as they are remember everything they've done together before never seeing each other again
4:07 this actually stabbed me in the heart, but in the best way possible. it's just so, so goddamn beautiful. i physically hunched over and grabbed my chest.
Charles' playing using the minor fourth (3:45 - 4:20) reminds me so much of Pokemon Gold/Silver's National Park theme. Is that what's going on in that beautiful theme that gets me in the feels every time?
Yup! It's even in the exact same key (Db) as the National Park theme. He's just doing a IVmaj7 - iv6 - iii7 - VI7 in Db. (Gbmaj7 - Gbm6 - Fm7 - Bb7) Sort of like the Fallen Down progression, but extending it by resolving to the iii instead of the I. Look up "vgleadsheets pokemon national park" to get a lead sheet and see!
If you love Fallen Down, you should definitely check out the reprise version, aka the extended version you only hear during the True Pacifist Route before the final boss
I love the way you express what your thinking through your music like when your having a tough time explaining a feeling and you play the piano to try and help us understand
“It gives us this feeling of *plays piano expressively* you know?” Yeah, I do. The way you express yourself through music is admirable and incredible and I hope to be able to do it like you someday.
My favorite thing about Charles hands down is when he is explaining a chord or progression he will just replace adjectives with just improving piano and it works better than words. It's fascinating, effective, and also really funny lol
5:57 leias theme has always been my favorite thing john williams has ever done. it is soooo perfect i totally understand why he reused the almost exact same in indiana jones. it is just so beautiful!!!
"That minor chord, it really gives you that feeling of..." ((plays the most beautiful improv on the piano but otherwise no other explanation)) "...you know what I mean?"
"That's not outside of your grasp!" I want every other expert UA-cam channel to repeat that mantra. At the end of the day, we're all just humans, doing our best. It can be absolutely intimidating to hear some of the music theory language you toss out and feel inadequate, but I think it's a bit more "grounding" for most people to realize that "This was done by another human." I definitely run into that dynamic in the IT stuff I make. As always, your videos are stellar. Gotta say I was surprised you didn't de-tune your piano to demo the difference in sounds, but maybe that's a separate video. :)
You had a best friend and together you and your best friend saved the world, but in the process forgot about each other, and this is what plays as you are remembering all the adventures and happy times you've had with your best friend before you get about them for potentially eternity
i think fallen down depicks you as a child in a new world to you, full of wonder but there are fears in your imaginations, while toriel tries to guide you you not completly trusting but she is soft and warm with you
I've been doing a lot of deep diving into that whole dreamy nostalgic feeling in music for fun, because I really love this type of music. The constant bounce back and forth between major and minor really messes with the brain. The mind always wants things to eventually resolve, but since the song repeats it never quite gets there. Your left in this odd in-between state that feels like limbo. You're not building towards tension, you're not building towards release. Your just kinda floating between the chords. Also each game you play will have memories and emotions attached to them. Music is an easy way to link those memories. So when you hear the song you will be brought back to the emotions you felt while you played the game for the first time. Works the same way you associate certain songs with life events. In the end it all comes together to give that particular feeling we seem to gravitate towards. Another game composer that loves to do this is Koji Kondo in his works for Mario and Zelda. A good portion of his music has this sad, dreamy feeling to it. I swear some of the chord progressions he uses to get this effect are borderline experimental, I love it. Off the top of my head, some non-game composers I can think of that also use it frequently are Radiohead and Aphex Twin. Seems to be a good reason why there songs are so memorable, among other things.
I played Undertale in 2016 and all of the music in it brings so much nostalgia in me, and the most interesting part is I vividly remember having the same feelings WHILE I was playing the game. It's like I had a glimpse of the future me getting nostalgic from the soundtrack and thus feeling nostalgic in the present. It's kinda hard to explain, lol. Anyway, love your Undertale ost videos, I hope you could explore even more of it in the future, cause honestly, every track on that game is a true masterpiece and Toby Fox is an actual genius, who (in my opinion) is not appreciated enough outside of the UT community.
3:05 Listening to the way you so casually play with the song on the piano, going through the chords and melodies, even if only for a moment... I think you'd have an amazing album of video game music covers, all in the style of like a jazz pianist playing in a quiet lounge or fancy restaurant. I'd listen to that for hours. ❤ Edit: 8:35 & 10:05 SEE?? I'd listen to an ENTIRE ALBUM of this SO MUCH.
I like to think of Fallen Down as Happiness covering sadness. It feels and sounds happy, but with something different to the equation. That’s what I hear.
I don't know why, but with that Fallen Down playing the video is extremely interesting to look at. It feels so deep though unsettling. It feels so much like a memory. It's black and white, it looks so distorted (like memories tend to get) with his large mouth. Despite all of that, there's a clear smile, and his movements are clearly of happiness, though the song doesn't match it. Memories get older and despite their happy content, the get sadder as they fade and distort, and I think this almost represents that perfectly for me. Why is this a meme? I'm almost moved to tears, who's laughing at this meme?
7:05 ~ I thought the name "fallen down" referred to falling down into the world of monsters. And I thought it was supposed to be played around the start of the game. Which makes sense given its connected with Toriel all the time. However this new understanding makes it so much sadder! (I've never played undertale)
this is a song where if you try not to apply memories to it. It can make you cry, and laugh, smile, and have heart ache. absolutely one of the most feeling packed song without lyrics I've ever heard. that makes this a truly powerful piece. Honestly, I have found my self soothed, and then the next second on the verge of a breakdown. While most songs have lyrics to accomplish these same feelings, I believe that's what makes this so special. this is a phenomenal song.
i would absolutely love for you to dive more into toby fox's works in the undertale and deltarune games, he has so many interesting musical ideas in his pieces and i love what he does with composition (and game developing)
Fallen down is lovely, but take a look at the reprise! It takes a turn and even incorporates the main theme of the entire game back into it! It’s wonderful
iv gives me vibes that, like what was said in the video, can be described as "longing for something" or "nostalgia", but I think it can also be described with the scenario of "calming down by gazing at someone you love" (well i guess technically it's still "longing for something"...)
man i finally found someone as crazy as me for that altered fourth minor I litterally see myself explaining those notal and melodical relations in Charles. Great content, bro! Shouts out from Brazil! Love your mom lol
6:52 While yes, “fallen down” does refer to the comatose state, “Fallen Down”’s title more likely refers to the protagonist’s very recently having, well, _fallen down_ into Mt. Ebott - in an expanded sense, a sentiment from Toriel’s point of view that she must care for and watch over this child that has fallen down, and the small joy and normalcy that it brings her, but it also brings up bittersweet memories and feelings. “Fallen Down”, to me, is warm and sweet like a hug and fresh, soft cookies, but there’s sad memories behind it, something old. It’s love - one old and bandaged, and one new and maybe a just the littlest bit scared of further loss, but as said, deeply longing. It’s _Toriel._
Honestly it might refer to both things, the fact that you fell down and the "fallen down" state, if I really wanted to find a connection tho, I might say it's representing the hope the monsters have to see the light and feel the warmth of the sun once more, a hope lost twice (when they were banished into the underground and when both people "fell down" (if you played the game you know who I'm talking about)) that came back once more, knowing freedom is one step away Edit: yeah this explains nothing, the hope regained after out the despair the monsters had when both people fell down
This track is so pretty. I noticed that not much is mentioned about the guy in the meme that caused this song’s “resurgence”. He’s (what I would describe as) a surrealist artist who goes by the name 5:57am. He’s primarily on tiktok. And I think the way you described this track is actually super in line with the rest of his content. Surreal, unnerving, melancholy, but also very sweet. He’s very entertaining and oddly enough, kinda comforting.
I think another thing that makes it feel so wistful is the C in the bass, right before the repeat. It gives the impression the progression wants to walk down to Bbm
You should definitely check out OMORI's soundtrack, a lot of the songs in here have harmonies that are not really conventional but somehow sound incredibly good, and I thought it would be very interesting if you could explain why they sound good
That would be awsome. Until that happens, there is a whole Undertale jazz album I love called "Live at Grillby's". While it is missing Fallen Down, it might tide you over.
Really wish you used the reprise version of the song. I think the switch to the 6/8 section is a really incredible turn and brings the piece to a whole other level.
You should certainly check out some of Thomas Bergersen's stuff, especially his Humanity project. He is a master of setting the atmosphere and telling a story without lyrics purely through harmony and instrumental choices. He also often mixes various genres of music within tracks and does a great job at transitioning between them.
Hey! Would it be possible to view/download pdfs of the sheet music that you sort of generate? during these breakdowns? I’ve been wondering since some of the first Hayao Miyazaki vids but finally figured I’d ask 😅 anyway, thanks again for such a quality, educational and engaging take!
That feeling of spooky nostalgia is the exact effect I get with Keiichi Okabe's compositions for the soundtracks to the Nier video game series. Thought I even heard a bit of Song of the Ancients during the improvisation at 4:00.
So I'm a self taught guitarists and a baby so when I decided to learn this song that I loved, I played it in the key of C for familiarity's sake, so forgive me that I won't speak about the song in it's intended (and better) key... I 100% agree with the observation about the minor 4th adding a listful and almost sad emotion to the song. However. While learning and playing and listening to "Fallen Down" on repeat I found that personally the most pulling and glaring thing that stood out to me was the way it starts. The melody bouncing between the 3rd and the 7th (or E and B strings). This creates a really cool chord on guitar. A C major chord but missing the high C in place of a B. And while that sounds neat on it's own, It's only truly heard when the song loops back to the begining. The rest of the song uses that normal C major chord until it loops back to the C (sustained? I think idk). That shift back into the 3rd and 7th get me every time. It's one note off from what my ears expect and it makes lean in and listen closer. Oh! it's just so beautiful. I love music. I just wondered if anyone else experienced or noticed the same thing. PS. if you have something to correct or add to my comment, please do. I am self taught and would love to be corrected if I made any mistakes. Thank you.
I'd recommend looking at Bonetrousle or Spear of Justice, they both have more punch to them with nice progressions. Also, you don't have to worry about claims. Toby Fox does not care about policing his copyright at all. You're more likely to be claimed by someone who remixed his music than by Toby Fox himself.
Every time he said it was creepy I couldn't help but feel there was a better word for it. I finally found the word. It's foreboding; the way the song kinda just stops at, like he said, character interactions makes me feel as though there must be more. I feel as if the song is not a feeling from me but a long felt feeling that the whole of the underground feels. Their sorrow and the feeling of hope long gone. Or it could just be a single person's feeling such as Chara, Toriel, Asriel, or Sans. It could very well be Chara's feeling being conveyed since the ruins is where she fell, Toriel is someone she cares deeply for, and her house looks the same. Similar to when Chara has her own outlook on the house when in the genocide run except more subtle.
ONE WEEK we're making the Intro to Piano course 50% off so that you can learn to creep people out on the internet with bizarre memes, too! No code needed, just go here: cornellmusicacademy.com/
my reaction to that information
Could you please consider checking comments on recent past videos? 🙏
Hey I was wondering if you could possible do Pokémon Champion Cynthia's Encounter/Battle/Victory Theme or basically in short the PTSD Suite of Music from Gen 4
Kid named reaction to that information:
You should react to DM DOKURO’s music, especially “the step below hell” and “the tale of a cruel world”
Fun Fact: The vocal synthesizer you keep referring to is the actually text to speech program from Moonbase Alpha - the cover is done by Oasty, and it’s linked in this vid if you want it check it out
EDIT: Thanks to Stinjin Van Droglin for pointing this out in the replies - The synth is based on DECTalk (specifically the Perfect Paul setting) - a text to speech synth that came out in 1984
We’re whalers on the moon
We use a harpoon
But there ain’t no whales
So we tell tall tales
And sing our whaling tune
He’s a legend and has done some fantastic moonbase alpha covers
John Madden John Madden John Madden John Madden
aeiou
aeiou
"It gives us this feeling of like: ..."
*Absolutely kills it on the piano with beautiful chords and melody*
"... You know what I mean?"
YUP i literally had to go to the comments when I heard that, this man can just come up with some of the most beautiful stuff mid sentence
@@OxzowachiAlt it feels like..
"Bababababababababaaa, babababababababa"
U know?
By the way, does anyone know any piano pieces/theme that has something similar to that? I always end up loving those types of melodies
@@OxzowachiAlt SAME LOL. so beautiful :')
I was literally just going to talk about that
Here to inform that there is actually another version of this called "Fallen down (Reprise)" which adds more to the end, and sounds so good.
I think he used a clip of it in the video, though i might just be confusing it with another version
The reprise is so beautiful
try listening to Fallen Down Kelso remix
@@tedwintheslyfox9382 thanks now my ears are blessed
the reprised version is so beautiful... Undertale has the best songs, memorable, Amazing 😍
4:04 he says “it gives us this feeling of…” then he just plays a bunch of notes and I think that really speaks to the fact that music is its own language.
"it's kinda like *music starts playing*, y'know?"
Music is the language that needs no words, and speaks loudest to the listeners when played soft and sweet
for real music's not only its own language but its own home the own place one can find heart my guy this is what music means to me and i agree with you music is also its own language for me.
Perhaps a feeling of... *determination*
Music is a world within itself with a language we all understand... With an equal opportunity for all to sing, dance and clap their hands
3:55
I love that when he knows what to say, but can't find the words necessary to say it, he instead describes it in his own, equally beautiful music. It's something that I think all musicians can relate to.
2:51 this shit right there is why im subbed, going from a sentence straight into this level of improvisation is mindboggling to me. you should make an album just with you impovising, id buy it
And 4:03
Learn the Jazz 2:5:1 thats what it is
@@darkcognitive The fact that he went into improv of the 2:5:1 at exactly 2:51 in the video is astounding!
@@jeffreysherman8224 oh shit that’s crazy
And the 251 is explained at 2:51
I never saw the original song or the cover or the meme as creepy I think they're all actually pretty peacefully nostalgic and calming despite the uncanny nature of the video/meme one
That's cool, but unfortunately I am inside your walls.
I found it to be really emotional and sad.
@@Disanem nice opinion
One small issue
I am at your door
*Knock knock knock
Exactly
Its not creepy to me but nostalgic
Btw, that noise that's doing Undertale's soundtrack isn't actually a synth. It's a tts voice used in a game like Moonbase Alpha. By using some funny lines you can basically play the tts voice as an instrument in that game.
Technically it is still a synth. Just a speech synthesizer :P
Singing is an intentional feature of Dectalk, the syntax for pitch control is quite extensive. Back when it was an actual product being sold to PC users, it often came with example songs.
I swear to god I thought this song was created using an otamatone
aeiou
It's a voice synthesiser called DECtalk. A synth, if you will
Somethinf about 3:53 really gets to me and touches me. Not only the fantaaaasticly beaauutiful improv there, but alsl the fact that he doesn't even finish his sentence and goes straight into playing some of the most perfect 20 seconds of music I've experienced. It showed how important being in touch with your emotions and feelings are when it comes to playing and making music.
2:51 please make a full song like that, it made my ears melt
i second this, a year later
The section from 3:50 to 4:23 is really something else. Truly struggling to find the words to explain the tonality of the minor IV, so he puts it in other words, improvising with his musical vocabulary instead. This man has unlocked the connection between these two languages, and it's miraculous to see and hear him explain things.
Yea I noticed. He’s like “It’s gives the feeling of like 🎹”😂😂
literally only heard something like it from pokemon
You know what song he did ? I wanna know..
Makes me think of the park theme he covered from Pokémon gold/silver
@Chewinard I think it was all just improvising, which is the crazy part! Good enough to be a song though.
4:03 one would never think music can be a good language, but sometimes words can't express what music can
It’s the only language you don’t need to learn to understand
@@gubbinsly Music Theory: HELLO
@@raygun1414 She said "understand", not "use" though xD
@@raygun1414 music theory is the technical part of music, like grammar and conjugation in a language. But you still don’t need to know it to enjoy music, to understand it.
I this music is a extension to the normal language, but arguably it does a better way of conveying emotions.
3:45 - so THAT'S what it's called when music does that! I've never been able to define it, but when music goes through cords and it dips slightly like that, I love it.
Yes it usually a major turned minor its really fun to play too
The way he explained this meme fills you with determination
Where do I find the prize
What if I don’t have telegram?
Hold up I’ll be back soon I’m just gonna do something brb
Oh and what’s the prize?
@@Oliver_the_cafe_owner it's a fake account man
THAT ONE GUY IS RECEIVING LOVE AND I'M HERE FOR IT!!!!!!!!
I love how he explains feelings with a piano peace. Even without words, we can still understand exactly what he's trying to say
Peice
@@kdkhj bro you spelt it wrong too???💀💀💀
@@Stuffies2022 it’s actually spelled peece
@@ProdbyLamont lmaooooo
@@ProdbyLamontit’s spelt piss
I learned this piece from the undertale piano score book but Charles always plays it a little differently, yet it sounds exactly the same somehow
Charles played it in a different key than the one you find if you search something like "fallen down piano tutorial"
@@aatosohikaura1596 Ah I see, I did think it was something like that but some notes were the same as well. I'm assuming that that means the chord names in the version I played are different?
@@xBlablahi most likely
I believe Charles intentionally made it offkey so it intentionally sounds like this.
@@mallows9779 if you listen to the original song from the game, the key is halfway between two keys on the piano. it's in D half-flat major. its likely that the official score chose to transponse up a quarter step for piano instead of down like the meme edit did.
Finally, the undertale analysis we’ve been waiting for
im pretty sure he did one before check it out
^
FINALLY, I agree.
4:07 inspired me to do learn reading piano sheets as well as music theory. The way he just made that segment up as improvisation is amazing... It sounds so beautiful, and hopefully I'd learn to make up my own progressions someday that sounds as beautiful as this one
Show it to me 🔫🌝
How much have you progressed?
4:04 jesus christ i almost cried to how beautiful this sounds
my favorite part of this video is at 3:53
Charles attempts to describe the feeling of minor 4 then starts describing it by playing, and finishes with “you know what i mean?”
words just couldn’t quite capture the emotion.
but his playing described it in detail.
this is why i’m such a fan of music and music theory despite not playing instruments (yet)
2:51 you are now obligated to make a jazz rendition of Fallen Down
I need full version of this song
Gives me a Mr Rogers vibe
Undertale's entire soundtrack is incredible. My favorite aspect of it is how many times various character motifs appear throughout the game. The Ruins melody is sprinkled into so many of the other tracks. Also, the Toriel theme and the Asgore theme have so many reflections of one another, with those two characters being spouses. In both examples, the songs are so intrinsically tied while still sounding like completely different tracks. It makes my music nerd heart sing!
Ex spouses.
Then there's Death by Glamour. Just vibing
not from the undertale soundtrack dummy
@@zombieboss5178 what do you mean? All the songs mentioned in this thread are from Undertale, and Charles asked for suggestions from Undertale OR not from Undertale. Who's a dummy?
@@Lexichi22 oops I am sorry I could only bear to watch the first minute since he literally called a fan-made Undertale song an Undertale song
This is the second time I've ever been in a UA-cam video by accident before. This is genuinely surreal and makes me feel better about my countless hours spent venting making funny comments and sharing my inner thoughts with people in the comments. I honestly didn't think what i said would actually resonate with many people, since most people corrected me and said what i said made no sense. Glad to know what i said actually mattered and i could get across how something makes me feel so well it was worth siting. That comment was about you btw. Crazy that you where somehow gravitated towards it and used it as a way to potray the beauty of this song and build upon my thoughts in a constructive and understandable way that fits with the musical theory. You took some casual writers reminiscing and dreaming about nostalgia, and made it so much more than i thought it could be. Thank you for giving me some bonus confidence. I've loved Undertale since it was released back in 2015. I even played through it once on my old currently broken computer years ago. And have watched many playthroughs, fan dubs and musical covers. Thank you again. This means the world to me that i could contribute somehow, although indirectly, to your content.
Literally did not ask.
5:26 true while listening to this kinda made me remember my dog who died like 6 years ago and it kinda make me sad that the memory just faded and now I can't stop thinking about how that memory just faded away when he was my favorite dog
The way you improvised over the song near the end reminds me of a homestuck song called moonsetter, the original is upbeat but this youtuber called joe Jeremiah did a cover that made it sound so somber and nostalgic, in a way that recontextualizes the events associated with it after finishing the story. It’s so good!
Here’s the link if anyone is interested:
ua-cam.com/video/AiWjDNby5Ys/v-deo.html
Funny you say that, most music in Homestuck was actually made by Toby Fox. My guy has been banging out the most emotional tracks for over a decade.
I do think we need an extended version.
oh my god I love that song !!!
@@AnonsTreasuresdefinitely a lot of tracks, but i wouldn't say most
hey charles!
I know you made a video about a few songs in the Undertale soundtrack already, but you should definitely listen to every song in the Undertale (and Deltarune) soundtrack if you haven't already. the entire soundtrack is a masterpiece!
"Long Elevator" is my personal favorite song in the soundtrack
ong
And deltarune
Not only that, but he needs to go way more in depth on Toby Fox's use of musical motifs to represent characters, events, etc.
"ooo" and "long elevator" are absolute bangers
Fun fact: the song was originally written for an Earthbound fan album.
and the original version is in G major!
(and also not detuned, it's in A4=440Hz)
Which one?
@@angelsartandgaming I Miss you 2012
of all video game soundtracks, fallen down has to be the only one that has made me actually shed a tear. the comment on 5:28 perfectly describes the feeling it gives me, i'd rather not go into what that memory is, but i can tell you that that comment describes it near perfectly
the original song is a cover named Underbase - Fallen Down. The creator of the “my reaction to that information” then used it in a tiktok, turning into what we know today. The original cover was made in 2015.
I think hearing those vocal synths as creepy makes sense, but I cannot hear them that way as they are the ones Moonbase Alpha uses and there were so many memes. It was a simpler time
aeiou
John Madden
it’s not gay if it’s on the moon
@@2h4d0wDK football
@@devinward461 snake
snake
SNAAAAAAKEEEEE
S A K E
Xd
4:05 to 4:20 (ish) straight up sounds like a ghibli soundtrack and i love it! Its amazing how well you improvise!
I know it’s so sweet
Ah, a fake..
I love how you sway when you're playing. I do the same thing and people made fun of me saying it was weird swaying around. Sometimes you're just really feeling the music though and can't help it.
If they don't move when they make or play music, they're doing it wrong. Or they're Kraftwerk, in which case, fair enough : )
If anyone makes fun of you for THAT then give up your seat and ask them to play something
That swaying is just your body channeling the emotions of what you're playing. Anyone who makes fun of you for that is a clown.
It's going to sound stupid, but when you explained that one note to being "painfully beautiful", I almost teared up. I've never had a word for it, but that fits it brilliantly. Even with it being so simple. Never thought that a video covering a meme, covering a video game, covering a soundtrack would somehow be so heartfelt that it made me fall in love with what makes music beautiful once more. Thank you!
Maybe it's a friendship that wasn't meant to be, a friendship so strong that it's tearing the universe apart and to save the universe would mean the friends would have to forget each other and start a new life without each other, and this is what Plays as they are remember everything they've done together before never seeing each other again
8:36 sounded so good!
4:07 this actually stabbed me in the heart, but in the best way possible. it's just so, so goddamn beautiful. i physically hunched over and grabbed my chest.
No it didn’t
Yea, this definitely didn't happen
@@roboticfuzzball179 why though? some people are just a lil dramatic lol
@@layalsaleh4103 but more people make stupid lies on the internet for minor amounts of attention, Your point?
You should get that checked
Charles' playing using the minor fourth (3:45 - 4:20) reminds me so much of Pokemon Gold/Silver's National Park theme. Is that what's going on in that beautiful theme that gets me in the feels every time?
Yup! It's even in the exact same key (Db) as the National Park theme. He's just doing a IVmaj7 - iv6 - iii7 - VI7 in Db. (Gbmaj7 - Gbm6 - Fm7 - Bb7) Sort of like the Fallen Down progression, but extending it by resolving to the iii instead of the I.
Look up "vgleadsheets pokemon national park" to get a lead sheet and see!
yeah! he even made a video on that song actually
YESSS I’m not the only one😂
I'm certain there's a siivagunner rip that's done this already
I came here to see if anybody noticed that, its the same key and same ish chord progression.
If you love Fallen Down, you should definitely check out the reprise version, aka the extended version you only hear during the True Pacifist Route before the final boss
Try listening to Fallen Down Kelso remix. Truly underrated
@@tedwintheslyfox9382 wow you're right that was amazing
I love the way you express what your thinking through your music like when your having a tough time explaining a feeling and you play the piano to try and help us understand
“It gives us this feeling of *plays piano expressively* you know?” Yeah, I do. The way you express yourself through music is admirable and incredible and I hope to be able to do it like you someday.
My favorite thing about Charles hands down is when he is explaining a chord or progression he will just replace adjectives with just improving piano and it works better than words. It's fascinating, effective, and also really funny lol
5:57 leias theme has always been my favorite thing john williams has ever done. it is soooo perfect i totally understand why he reused the almost exact same in indiana jones. it is just so beautiful!!!
Wait, where does he reuse it in Indiana Jones?
"That minor chord, it really gives you that feeling of..." ((plays the most beautiful improv on the piano but otherwise no other explanation)) "...you know what I mean?"
I would love to play piano like you. So much emotion at your fingertips, you translate your ideas seamlessly to the keyboard
The song always gave me a feeling of depression, a peaceful yet sad song. Toby Fox is a musical genius.
"That's not outside of your grasp!"
I want every other expert UA-cam channel to repeat that mantra.
At the end of the day, we're all just humans, doing our best. It can be absolutely intimidating to hear some of the music theory language you toss out and feel inadequate, but I think it's a bit more "grounding" for most people to realize that "This was done by another human." I definitely run into that dynamic in the IT stuff I make.
As always, your videos are stellar. Gotta say I was surprised you didn't de-tune your piano to demo the difference in sounds, but maybe that's a separate video. :)
Can you make a video of you just improvising for like ten minutes? That would be awesome and your playing is so good
Seconded! Improv is so fun to listen to!
I feel the best way to describe it is 'Haunting'. Not necessarily creepy nor sentimental, but a piece that lingers like a forgotten spirit.
Underrated comment
My feeling exactly 💯
You had a best friend and together you and your best friend saved the world, but in the process forgot about each other, and this is what plays as you are remembering all the adventures and happy times you've had with your best friend before you get about them for potentially eternity
I love the midi piano at the bottom! Helps me play along while I watch the video :)
i think fallen down depicks you as a child in a new world to you, full of wonder but there are fears in your imaginations, while toriel tries to guide you you not completly trusting but she is soft and warm with you
Not going to lie that thing you played at like 3:50 gave me goosebumps
I've been doing a lot of deep diving into that whole dreamy nostalgic feeling in music for fun, because I really love this type of music. The constant bounce back and forth between major and minor really messes with the brain. The mind always wants things to eventually resolve, but since the song repeats it never quite gets there. Your left in this odd in-between state that feels like limbo. You're not building towards tension, you're not building towards release. Your just kinda floating between the chords.
Also each game you play will have memories and emotions attached to them. Music is an easy way to link those memories. So when you hear the song you will be brought back to the emotions you felt while you played the game for the first time. Works the same way you associate certain songs with life events. In the end it all comes together to give that particular feeling we seem to gravitate towards.
Another game composer that loves to do this is Koji Kondo in his works for Mario and Zelda. A good portion of his music has this sad, dreamy feeling to it. I swear some of the chord progressions he uses to get this effect are borderline experimental, I love it. Off the top of my head, some non-game composers I can think of that also use it frequently are Radiohead and Aphex Twin. Seems to be a good reason why there songs are so memorable, among other things.
Koji Kondo, Toby Fox and Lena Raine are all great at composing songs with this kind of vibe for games.
I played Undertale in 2016 and all of the music in it brings so much nostalgia in me, and the most interesting part is I vividly remember having the same feelings WHILE I was playing the game. It's like I had a glimpse of the future me getting nostalgic from the soundtrack and thus feeling nostalgic in the present. It's kinda hard to explain, lol.
Anyway, love your Undertale ost videos, I hope you could explore even more of it in the future, cause honestly, every track on that game is a true masterpiece and Toby Fox is an actual genius, who (in my opinion) is not appreciated enough outside of the UT community.
3:05 Listening to the way you so casually play with the song on the piano, going through the chords and melodies, even if only for a moment... I think you'd have an amazing album of video game music covers, all in the style of like a jazz pianist playing in a quiet lounge or fancy restaurant. I'd listen to that for hours. ❤
Edit: 8:35 & 10:05 SEE?? I'd listen to an ENTIRE ALBUM of this SO MUCH.
4:03 is where he kills it, absolutely gorgeous to my ears
I like to think of Fallen Down as Happiness covering sadness. It feels and sounds happy, but with something different to the equation. That’s what I hear.
I don't know why, but with that Fallen Down playing the video is extremely interesting to look at. It feels so deep though unsettling. It feels so much like a memory. It's black and white, it looks so distorted (like memories tend to get) with his large mouth. Despite all of that, there's a clear smile, and his movements are clearly of happiness, though the song doesn't match it. Memories get older and despite their happy content, the get sadder as they fade and distort, and I think this almost represents that perfectly for me. Why is this a meme? I'm almost moved to tears, who's laughing at this meme?
Memes are just ideas that get replicated! So sad memes are totally valid
@@geoffstemen3652 I suppose you're right
This is the track that first made me fall in love with the demo (nearly a DECADE AGO) so it's great to have someone really touch on it in-depth
7:05 ~ I thought the name "fallen down" referred to falling down into the world of monsters. And I thought it was supposed to be played around the start of the game. Which makes sense given its connected with Toriel all the time. However this new understanding makes it so much sadder!
(I've never played undertale)
It's definitely how it's meant to be interpreted at the start.
this is a song where if you try not to apply memories to it. It can make you cry, and laugh, smile, and have heart ache. absolutely one of the most feeling packed song without lyrics I've ever heard. that makes this a truly powerful piece. Honestly, I have found my self soothed, and then the next second on the verge of a breakdown. While most songs have lyrics to accomplish these same feelings, I believe that's what makes this so special. this is a phenomenal song.
3:46 that shift + charles enchantively glancing into my eyes = goosebumps
we are collectively in love
I have been trying to know why this piece sounds so sentimental for months and you did it perfectly. Thank you.
Not sure if its a minor 4 chord, but one of my favorite songs that has a similar movement is Clare De Lune. Great video.
Sure is a minor iv! Good ear.
I love the fact that when he can't explain with words he just plays it beautifully
bro this guy could make a whole game soundtrack with just one piano and it would sound amazing
i would absolutely love for you to dive more into toby fox's works in the undertale and deltarune games, he has so many interesting musical ideas in his pieces and i love what he does with composition (and game developing)
This is what I would LOVE for Charles to do. I definitely agree for this.
Fallen down is lovely, but take a look at the reprise! It takes a turn and even incorporates the main theme of the entire game back into it! It’s wonderful
@4:10 the melody here is incredibly similar to the song Memory from Cowboy Bebop. Another good example of a bittersweet nostalgic song.
i love how enthusiastic this guy is about piano and how much he enjoys chords and stuff, truly inspiring
Honestly, hearing you rift over the "fallen down" chords and melody just makes me so, so happy
iv gives me vibes that, like what was said in the video, can be described as "longing for something" or "nostalgia", but I think it can also be described with the scenario of "calming down by gazing at someone you love" (well i guess technically it's still "longing for something"...)
Man I love this song so much and I'm so glad you made a whole video dedicated to it.
man i finally found someone as crazy as me for that altered fourth minor
I litterally see myself explaining those notal and melodical relations in Charles.
Great content, bro!
Shouts out from Brazil! Love your mom lol
I’ve also heard the fallen down was written with a 24 tone scale which is what gave it that detuned sound as some of it was microtonal
I love how passionate he sounds talking about stuff I don’t remotely understand
6:52 While yes, “fallen down” does refer to the comatose state, “Fallen Down”’s title more likely refers to the protagonist’s very recently having, well, _fallen down_ into Mt. Ebott - in an expanded sense, a sentiment from Toriel’s point of view that she must care for and watch over this child that has fallen down, and the small joy and normalcy that it brings her, but it also brings up bittersweet memories and feelings.
“Fallen Down”, to me, is warm and sweet like a hug and fresh, soft cookies, but there’s sad memories behind it, something old. It’s love - one old and bandaged, and one new and maybe a just the littlest bit scared of further loss, but as said, deeply longing. It’s _Toriel._
Honestly it might refer to both things, the fact that you fell down and the "fallen down" state, if I really wanted to find a connection tho, I might say it's representing the hope the monsters have to see the light and feel the warmth of the sun once more, a hope lost twice (when they were banished into the underground and when both people "fell down" (if you played the game you know who I'm talking about)) that came back once more, knowing freedom is one step away
Edit: yeah this explains nothing, the hope regained after out the despair the monsters had when both people fell down
I never seen a musician try to explain his feelings by playing music to express what he feels
4:19 PLEASE KEEP PLAYING IT SOUNDS SO BEAUTIFUL 😭
this song makes me think of a “we may rest now, it’s the end of your journey…”
This track is so pretty. I noticed that not much is mentioned about the guy in the meme that caused this song’s “resurgence”. He’s (what I would describe as) a surrealist artist who goes by the name 5:57am. He’s primarily on tiktok. And I think the way you described this track is actually super in line with the rest of his content. Surreal, unnerving, melancholy, but also very sweet. He’s very entertaining and oddly enough, kinda comforting.
Ah yes moonbase alpha singing fallen down from undertale
I think another thing that makes it feel so wistful is the C in the bass, right before the repeat. It gives the impression the progression wants to walk down to Bbm
Fallen Down makes me think of my mom. My mom is cool and I love her a lot
Can't believe someone is actually making so much detailed video on a meme
You should definitely check out OMORI's soundtrack, a lot of the songs in here have harmonies that are not really conventional but somehow sound incredibly good, and I thought it would be very interesting if you could explain why they sound good
i think charles might just explode if he listened to my time
@@levonkeijner1092 HAHAHAHA
@@levonkeijner1092 Yeah lol
Close
@@randomyoutubeuser44 your mouth
@@someoneontheinternet5014
You'll shut up soon
this man just gave us free piano lessons.
respect. i have no idea what you're talking about
I feel you bud.
You should turn Undertale’s Fallen Down to a jazz piece with lots of improvs!
That would be awsome.
Until that happens, there is a whole Undertale jazz album I love called "Live at Grillby's". While it is missing Fallen Down, it might tide you over.
check out "insane in the rain" i think he might have done that. He's jazzified a lot of video game soundtracks
Charles you should do a video with the piano in the background. Love the clean background btw
Really wish you used the reprise version of the song. I think the switch to the 6/8 section is a really incredible turn and brings the piece to a whole other level.
You should certainly check out some of Thomas Bergersen's stuff, especially his Humanity project. He is a master of setting the atmosphere and telling a story without lyrics purely through harmony and instrumental choices. He also often mixes various genres of music within tracks and does a great job at transitioning between them.
5:34 that is exactly how that song makes me feel
Hey! Would it be possible to view/download pdfs of the sheet music that you sort of generate? during these breakdowns? I’ve been wondering since some of the first Hayao Miyazaki vids but finally figured I’d ask 😅 anyway, thanks again for such a quality, educational and engaging take!
this video was uploaded on my birthday and discusses music from one of my favorite games in one of my current favorite memes lmao
I love it
That feeling of spooky nostalgia is the exact effect I get with Keiichi Okabe's compositions for the soundtracks to the Nier video game series. Thought I even heard a bit of Song of the Ancients during the improvisation at 4:00.
So I'm a self taught guitarists and a baby so when I decided to learn this song that I loved, I played it in the key of C for familiarity's sake, so forgive me that I won't speak about the song in it's intended (and better) key...
I 100% agree with the observation about the minor 4th adding a listful and almost sad emotion to the song. However. While learning and playing and listening to "Fallen Down" on repeat I found that personally the most pulling and glaring thing that stood out to me was the way it starts. The melody bouncing between the 3rd and the 7th (or E and B strings). This creates a really cool chord on guitar. A C major chord but missing the high C in place of a B. And while that sounds neat on it's own, It's only truly heard when the song loops back to the begining. The rest of the song uses that normal C major chord until it loops back to the C (sustained? I think idk). That shift back into the 3rd and 7th get me every time. It's one note off from what my ears expect and it makes lean in and listen closer. Oh! it's just so beautiful. I love music. I just wondered if anyone else experienced or noticed the same thing.
PS. if you have something to correct or add to my comment, please do. I am self taught and would love to be corrected if I made any mistakes. Thank you.
I'd recommend looking at Bonetrousle or Spear of Justice, they both have more punch to them with nice progressions. Also, you don't have to worry about claims. Toby Fox does not care about policing his copyright at all. You're more likely to be claimed by someone who remixed his music than by Toby Fox himself.
Every time he said it was creepy I couldn't help but feel there was a better word for it. I finally found the word. It's foreboding; the way the song kinda just stops at, like he said, character interactions makes me feel as though there must be more. I feel as if the song is not a feeling from me but a long felt feeling that the whole of the underground feels. Their sorrow and the feeling of hope long gone. Or it could just be a single person's feeling such as Chara, Toriel, Asriel, or Sans. It could very well be Chara's feeling being conveyed since the ruins is where she fell, Toriel is someone she cares deeply for, and her house looks the same. Similar to when Chara has her own outlook on the house when in the genocide run except more subtle.
The original song is called Underbase: Fallen down it uses the space engineers text to speech
this version of fallen down wasnt originally made for the my reaction meme, the original video is called underbase fallendown