"Invisible" Sound Design in Breath of the Wild

[@cherish_xo]

One of my favourite sounds is when Kass's accordion music mixes with the stable music he's at (like at the Rito stable). It's super comforting!

[@celyn4304]

Chi Chii Omg same! I rly like his music

[@lukecremecheese597]

i think a lot of the music is a remastered version of classic songs (my only experience is with majoras mask) and if you listen to kass, what he's playing is the simpler classic song from romani ranch :)

[@cherish_xo]

@@lukecremecheese597 omg you're right!

[@mikeysrose]

I LOVED it on my first play-through when I was exploring Hyrule and started hearing his accordion somewhere nearby. He made me feel less lonely, especially when I was doing the Champions Ballad and found him on the plateau during the OHO challenge. I was like, "What are you doing here, man??"

[@sakurai6176]

Chi Chii that's Epona's song , dude!

[@mattr791]

Some random dude at Nintendo: "ah so they do notice my work"

[@sune9578]

That's how it goes for many thankless jobs, no?

[@JordyZijlmans]

@@sune9578 As a Sound-Designer myself I can say lots and lots of people don't even know I "exist". As soon as I tell them about my job they simply assume all the sounds in a film were recorded right there and then. "People only notice you when you do a bad job".

[@KonamiKonami]

Koji Kondo?

[@nowonmetube]

Koji Kondo = random dude???

[@joshuaprancl]

Koji Kondo is a composer, not a sound designer. And he didn't work on BotW.

[@yusuke9483]

One thing, The music is what makes the guardians scary.

[@measlyfurball37]

It's funny. I have the Stalker Guardian theme on my "panic" playlist (for last-minute studying heroics) and my roommate was confused when it came on after BFG Division. He hasn't played BotW, so to him, it sounded perfectly innocuous, even cute. I think it's the fear association more than anything that makes it scary.

[@Ssure2]

I think that the guardians themselves are also designed to induce fear. Like, they are massive, centuries old machines, made from old technology to fire lasers at you. They almost become alive after being broken for years to go after you, so every broken guardian is a bit scary due to the risk. And then there's the legs. I'm not that scared of spiders myself, but I'm getting some serious 'giant spider robot' vibes from the guardians when they walk.

[@naverilllang]

Really? I thought it was the death laser and the 1500 health

[@quimiu4400]

i dont think they're scary at all, i just think they're cool one thing i really like about guardians are the mechanical sounds they do (altrough you mostly can only hear it when it's not charging the laser at you/the music is not playing and you're close enough, sometimes i used to crawl under guardians for literally no reason lmao) and that "wee woo wee woo wee woo" sound they do when they're still in that pink color and then it stops when it's not pink. i love how they put details to little things like that

[@embrianne2286]

Whenever I hear that f*ching piano I sh*t my pants

[@kurag5198]

Everything sounds so natural it’s almost like someone didn’t just program it to sound that way, it just sounds like that because of course it would make that noise when you do that

[@cajbajthewhite4889]

Honestly that design philosophy permeates the game. Breath of the Wild might not be the most "realistic" game there is, but I would argue that it has the highest degree of believability/verisimilitude of any game. Everything feels like it reasonably should.

[@kojideer1918]

Arlo?

[@nyanscout3413]

Robin it’s not the most realistic game, but it looks better than whatever game toted as realistic today.

[@CabinetGremlin]

I’d prefer these vibrant greens over the “realistic” browns and grays of modern games any day.

[@kurag5198]

Koji Fiaro Ah, somebody got it

[@BanglesAU]

This is probably why BOTW is one of the few games where the game music doesn't drive me insane. I did not notice most of those things, but I am so glad that the designers were so careful and thoughtful to include them as BOTW is an AMAZING game.

[@Gatitasecsii]

Exactly, it pisses me off when OoT zealots bash this game for not blasting you 24/7 with the classic Hyrule field theme. This is so much better.

[@potatoking4227]

@@Gatitasecsii those ocarina of time idiots should really play termina field throughout the entirety of the over world and see how annoying the music gets.

[@50zezima]

This. Is true. Not a lot of games have a soundtrack that doesn't eventually get on your nerves until you want to turn off the music completely, skyrim suffered from this problem bad as do a lot of games. Except I'll admit I really don't thoroughly enjoy hyrule castles music very much

[@yveltalsea]

Too poo uh yeah, no. compare the amount of people complaining about skyrim's soundtrack to this soundtrack, even if it's not "repetitive", technically, the combat music in botw just sounds straight up bad lol. i'd rather take a repetitive combat theme over random notes, thanks

[@smolpeepee245]

@@yveltalsea I don't really think it's that bad :o though it might just be that I've heard it so many times that it's kind of slipped my mind

[@zarkflappysheep]

i love how when he’s talking about minute details no one pays attention too while he simultaneously made a whole ass remix of the deku forest theme and just played it in the background nonchalantly. perfect example of what he was explaining

[@sansibit4706]

Lmao ikr he added in some invisible design himself

[@otesunki]

wait wHa

[@Jolmex]

I thought it was just some other version he used to avoid copyright, but now I realize that nintendo doesn’t copyright strike youtubers that use their music

[@seandesvarro588]

idk what your talking about I been jammin to this bgm

[@LocalGoober10]

Easy solution: Walk up the damn mountain and stick it to the rain. *Really!* A little practice can make you the the human equivalent of a goat (though a little lesser.) Happy travels! :)

[@MyDogIsYoshi]

Whenever people complained about the lack of music, I was always enthralled by it. There is so much going on. The minimalism of the game is only a mask for the depths within.

[@frydsaman6857]

Woa rly deep

[@JamFlexx]

To be fair the music could have been so much more grandiose though

[@adamyooz]

Jam Flex For how the game is, it wouldn’t work. It’s not a grand adventure so much as it is tranquil exploration interrupted by obstacles

[@adamyooz]

shut up a'ya face Dumb and wrong opinions featuring this guy

[@MyDogIsYoshi]

No wrong opinions here. Just opinions.

[@AKiwi]

“you need to know what a lynel is” *Deaths = 1,927*

[@stefthorman8548]

That was me until I learned how to dodge

[@bilbotbaggins1536]

That first Lynel above Zora's Domain...

[@veganfire4218]

@@bilbotbaggins1536 Yeah no kidding. Prince Sidon was like "Oh, that monster on the top of the mountain... gotta watch out, Link" and you're like "yeah right woowoo monster monster" but then it's a fkin Lynel and you're like "Sidon was right".

[@ImMorii]

@@veganfire4218 The first time I encountered that first Lynel it whooped my ass. I was trying to take a picture of it for a quest but I took it right before it hit me. As soon as I put down the camera, I got flung off the mountain lmao

[@deletedkneecaps]

I was fighting the Lynel in the tower near the center of Hyrule and it took me so long to finally defeat it. I was dumb enough not to save before climbing up the tower to fight more enemies and I died. *and had to fight the Lynel all over again*

[@GrimFelArt]

One of my favorite sound details is to do with water. When you've run through water or swam, when you run afterwards your boots make a squelching sound for a few minutes. I love this game so much.

[@thegreatpapyrus2306]

I have never noticed that.

[@kingo5940]

@@thegreatpapyrus2306 how :D

[@mrsaturn26]

Nice lookin water in this game

[@TheSultan1470]

Grand Theft Auto V does this too.

[@JNJNRobin1337]

you dont notice it because you dont think of it you'd have to actually look(listen) for that detail

[@bananasplit3132]

Me: hears combat music Also me: automatically nervous

[@FredChuck64]

Same dude! It gets me on high alert mode. It’s amazing how a little tune can have this chemical impact on our brain. Music is so powerful. :o

[@TheDovahBorn]

I don't get scared from the battle theme! *hears guardian music* Wait I want to change my mind.

[@900bishopstreet5]

Ryan Hurley in hyrule field I'll get random guardian music with no guardians around and I panic everytime.

[@kylehill3643]

You think that is sick listen to the boss themes in Banjo Tooie! Too bad I'm too late or I'd say more.

[@clownmonomaniac2630]

Banana Split SAME bro i keep getting attacked by a bunch of monsters at night randomly and i get kdnwnsken

[@rfh9560]

8:49 you know a game is good when people climb a mountain to watch the sunrise

[@sheeloesreallycool]

RFH95 THANKS MINECRAFT

[@justno2472]

@@sheeloesreallycool eh

[@sheeloesreallycool]

Just No I use shaders

[@SunnyShuklathedoctor]

This is one of those few games where you look at the sunrise because it reminds you that if you went outside in a place like that, the sunrise would look exactly the same.

[@georgaseebalack6003]

@@SunnyShuklathedoctor honestly. I freaking just love riding around and being in teh villages. part of me wishes botw was mixed with ac elements. I wanna buy furniture, and have villagers and stuff. The game is just so beautiful and that house in hetano is not enough. It's like teasing me. I wanna go on adventures, then chill in my village. play with the npc, etc. And I loveeeee gliding. it's too damn satisfying.

[@peppymations5379]

The audio clues can genuinely scare me sometimes. Like, just hearing the “a guardian has spotted you” music immediately activates my anxiety.

[@TheTattorack]

I don't have arachnophobia, but I assume the guardian spotting music is how arachnophobia sounds like.

[@elizabethayala647]

Same

[@nyghtwng]

@@TheTattorack YES!! thats the best way i can describe it.

[@ZeldaVerde]

It activates my lust for some guardian blood

[@n8with8s]

Honestly yeah even though now I can kill them easily with a shield or whatever I still feel chills when those first few piano notes come in

[@TheNayinator]

crazy to think one of the most common criticisms of this game was it's 'sparse' sound design, I've always believed it to be perfect, but I didn't know just how perfect it really is.

[@COOLMCDEN]

itzzNay agreed I’m not sure if I prefer botw’s occasional music or rdr2 relying on the sounds from wildlife.

[@newsupermariobros.uworldla5626]

This game has really clever sound design. My main complaint is the lack of melodic music. It's all very ambient. Wind Waker's soundtrack, I found, was a comprehensive collection of dynamic tracks that adjust to what's happening in the game *and* toe-tapping melodies that you'll be humming to yourself months after you finish the game. The town themes in Breath of the Wild are generally alright, but a number of them are rehashes of old themes. Even if you love this game's soundtrack, you at least have to admit that the boss themes are all same-y as hell. Of course, you're fighting the same Shoot-Me-In-My-Big-Glowy-Eyeball McGee, so it's sort of fitting, but I still would have preferred some variety. My fanboy is showing, but I think a good example of varied boss themes is Wind Waker--Molgera's boss theme is the bees knees.

[@COOLMCDEN]

@@newsupermariobros.uworldla5626 the music from the village's and towns are good though.

[@Minuey]

@@newsupermariobros.uworldla5626 Okay but frenchblight (windblight) ganon is very distinct lol

[@Derekuko]

@@Minuey Another amazing design choice. The Windblight boss has different keys and some other notes to represent Revali not giving up until the very end where he perished, that's why it subconsciously sounds more frantic than the other 3 bosses.

[@noahhunt8575]

I KNEW I WASN’T CRAZY! I always thought that the music almost became clearer when it got clearer in snowy parts. I also just want to say I really love the music when you ride a horse. I always travel to a stable in the region next to the one I need to be in because the music is so good.

[@kylehill3643]

Banjo Tooie has CRAZY boss themes!

[@bigchad3644]

4:49 nostalgia alert.

[@AmnieKa]

It also gets clearer when it stops raining

[@kawaiibanansvan]

I've always thought of it as the music "clearing up" in sync with the weather

[@bongibot1104]

Hate it though when a random monster ruins the beautiful horse music. Though the one time the music didn't cut away while riding on a horse, realizing it eventually becomes the zelda theme, damn I was WET

[@paincreatesfame]

Something I've always found cool is that wearing a monster mask makes your walking/movement sound mimic the monster of the mask you're wearing. If you're wearing a Bokoblin mask you're gonna sound more like a Bokoblin, if you're wearing a Lizalfos mask you're gonna sound more like a Lizalfos, etc. It's one of those little things I _love_ noticing

[@BoyProdigyX]

The Boko Mask standing animation is my favorite. Too cute.

[@Clownfly64]

Fun fact: In Age of Calamity, Link doesn't just sound MORE like the monsters when wearing those masks, he sounds EXACTLY like those monsters.

[@gargles5270]

@@BoyProdigyXi love how he hunches over but the lynel one always makes me laugh lmao

[@BoyProdigyX]

@@gargles5270 Yo! Like he's about to rumble... It's Stud Link!!! 💪🏽 Such a Twunk!!! haha

[@davidsandoval5018]

What about when you're sneaking around a guardian, and the music will include that eerie high pitch piano very subtly.

[@matthewl6627]

even worse, when you hear the guardian theme but you don't see any guardians

[@moonchild6352]

I began the game yesterday and those guardians are already driving me insane 😭

[@TheNinja94a]

@@moonchild6352 did you learn to parry them with your shield

[@moonchild6352]

@@TheNinja94a Oh no I didn't try, I assumed that my shield would break just like the wooden one burnt in I don't remember which game I just learned to sneak around them-

[@pissfrog]

You can sneak around guardians? I usually end up sprinting in the other direction

[@massimo4683]

Was i the only one getting anxiety when the battle music started? man the guardians were scary when you played the game for the first time. .

[@nicolefuccio]

The guardian song is a way to get anxiety. But I really like the song when fighting the rock boss

[@spaeracount5160]

Any normal person would find the giant octopus robots terrifying the first time, especially if your first proper introduction to the mechanical abominations is the music starting up as the fucker comes charging at you out of nowhere.

[@teamsabre4]

beep beep beep beep beeep beep beep beep beep beep!!!

[@reidhersey4386]

After my first traumatizing experience with guardians in the beginning of the game I left them alone for so long out of fear. The first time I faced a guardian was two at a time in the Terry Town quest from the rich guy. I walked in with fully upgraded armor, the master sword, and the royal stallion with ancient armor, and i was still SO terrified!

[@r1tualistic]

my heart started beating harder and i was so restless omg

[@zen-nb2fd]

My all time favorite musical peice in this game is when the dragons are flying near you. When I first heard it I was hit with an unknown emotion, seeing that dragon for the first time while this slow enchanting music played made me realize how amazing this game is.

[@woah0449]

Same here, the music does a wonderful job of giving that mystical and kinda mysterious vibe for whenever a dragon is passing by. If I’m not being attacked at the moment I always take a few seconds to watch them gracefully fly through the air and just admire them.

[@TheOneGuy1111]

And there's even a dark variant for when Naydra is covered in malice.

[@pseudonymous_]

i absolutely agree

[@ermalando4401]

I remember hiding from them thinking they were evil when I litteraly just started and as soon as I heard the music I was instantly like "oh......friend maybe?"

[@329link]

here's a good one; listen carefully whenever the last weapon in your inventory breaks while you're playing master mode. if you listen very closely, you can hear yourself quietly muttering various profanities.

[@altito180]

I almost choked on my own saliva of laughter.

[@Isaiasguerrerorivas]

Watch your profanity

[@wastedbase6421]

No, I think that's just me

[@j.corbygaming]

329link Seriously? I need proof

[@aidantanis4478]

J.Corby Gaming Go play yourself, you’ll definitely hear it. If not you, anyone else that’s listening.

[@AG.Floats]

Ride a horse for a while at night and you get a special song...

[@nicomon.mp4]

old town road?

[@genesissophia6478]

yes! there is a day time and night time theme when you ride your horse(i like the night one a lot)

[@Quickipede]

During the day you get "Zelda's Lullaby" and night it's "the hero's theme"

[@erob9446]

The Legend Of Zelda Theme

[@foxofsky5]

ag.onewheel XR really? I have to try that :)

[@ConscienciaSonoraa]

I love it when the music changes to a "Forest kind of theme", full of soft pianos, cause I lknow I´m in a secure location, that I won´t be stumbling on some guardian or something

[@certainly_celeste]

*stumbles on some guardian or something*

[@pokechimp88]

@@certainly_celeste thank goodness there are no guardians in Korok forest!

[@alpacarice2304]

Fun Fact: The Nintendo Switch has a sensor that captures brain waves to detect if the player wants to climb a mountain, and when it does it specifically causes rain in your gameplay of Legend of Zelda BOTW.

[@maximini4923]

That's why it is always raining when I climb someting!

[@greenwrldd]

And nintendo also broke into the homes of everybody who bought the Wii u edition to add that tech to their Wii u! Really shows how dedicated they are to making a quality experience.

[@michaelgillespie8097]

I remember waiting three whole in game days to light the akkala tech lab lanterns because I went around killing all the enemies to make my journey easier the first day, getting blindsided by a blood moon the second day, and being cockblocked by rain on the third.

[@shade4404]

@@michaelgillespie8097 lmao

[@shade4404]

@@michaelgillespie8097 When I went to light the akkala tech lab, I was out of wood weapona to light the torch, so I blew up a bunch of trees to get tree branches. That was fun

[@erimbirol]

"I accidentally discovered it while watching the sunrise from the summit." No other game. Ever.

[@sozi6862]

You missed the key word though. He was TRYING to watch the sunrise from the summit. This game makes you WANT to do those things. I think that's the most beautiful thing about it. There's no reward or reason to watch the sunrise from the summit. It's just something that you think would be beautiful on your own, so you want to do it just to experience it.

[@jenellsaphid]

@@sozi6862 so true. I found myself trying to fly as long as I could just to enjoy the amazing scenery. Like what other game could you even do that, let alone want to?

[@DiSiPii]

@@jenellsaphid Minecraft maybe lol

[@Leapoffaith4]

@@DiSiPii That's what I was thinking.

[@jenniferchough]

For sure. This is the first game where I found myself just stopping in my tracks and listening or just taking in the view for a while. No other game has compelled me to do that more than a few times. In this game, COUNTLESS times. It made it that much more immersive to me that I actually felt I was on hill watching the sunrise and I could feel the chill air loosen around me as night turned to dawn.

[@jaspercs]

one of my fondest memories of this game is seeing the wind start to pick up, the music slowing fading into the purified dragons theme and then turning around to see one of the dragons right beside me. gives me chills every time and the music is beautifully crafted for this exact moment.

[@TheUnstealth]

I saw the dragon from a distance and thought i started a boss fight and ran away

[@austinwheeler3665]

I’m now playing Tears of the Kingdom, and I recently had a similar experience. I was diving into a dark and obviously evil chasm (no more spoilers) falling for a full 30 seconds, when halfway down, I happened to time it with Naydra passing through. So as I’m falling into this endless, cruel, dark abyss, suddenly I’m greeted by a soft blue light, a gentle, calming tune, and suddenly a breathtaking enormous dragon gliding effortlessly right in front of me, completely neutralizing the hostile world I was falling through. Absolute poetry. I felt like I was living in a cutscene.

[@bblulz7554]

i’m sure this has already been discovered/commented, but as you find more and more terminals in each of the divine beasts, the music changes from a gloomy, death-like sound, to something more hopeful and slightly more upbeat. and there’s a new sound/instrument added each time you find a terminal. the music also matches the region, which i find really cool. it’s midnight and too tired to edit this to find better words for how much i love the music composition for this entire game

[@Not_Ciel]

I just got done beating my first Divine Beast (Mipha's Elephant thing) and I didn't notice that until now. Neat.

[@MickZarco]

Well, I guess I'll play it a third time.

[@Fermin-hw5pd]

Naboris is a very good example, when you start, it's a very eerie sound with piano suddenly playing (wich, sounds like that piano exploded), but as you go on, the song turns into the Gerudo Town song, wich makes me believe Urbosa lover her tribe and hometown

[@nightingale3847]

bblulz I thought I was going crazy when the naboris theme sped up after I beat all 5 terminals

[@jhoannefrancisco490]

It goes upbeat when its boss fight time and it actually does the opposite to me like the anxious feeling of a guardian music playing but not seeing where the guardian is haha

[@BasthiaXx]

AAAANnnd people say Breath of the Wild doesn't have proper music, like the sound director/sound designer were lazy. That's because this design is ahead of this time!

[@namenamename390]

It isn't traditional game music, that's undisputable. But it is so wonderful in its own way and it may very well be ahead of its time!

[@potatoking4227]

what if you just heard termina field throughout the entire overworld even in different regions? then people start complaining again because that's the zelda community.

[@arikeve387]

@@potatoking4227 agreed. Even though I really love Termina Field

[@zanthiablue5254]

Agreed. The sound design had to be changed to suit the change in atmosphere and gameplay. I don't nessesarily want that for all Zelda games, but for this Zelda game it was the best option.

[@calebstultz2813]

So I know this comment is really old but I'd like you to take a look at this video from KaptainKristian; kzbin.info/www/bejne/oH6ZgYOug5arl9U ... In it, he explains many aspects of Miyazaki's work and how amazing it is. A love letter of sorts. However, what I would like for you to notice is his distinction between Western and Eastern audiences when it comes to music. That point is raised somewhere around 4:07 of that video. I'm excited to see what kind of connection you'll find when you see that idea in that video vs points that Western audiences make when they say that BoTW doesn't have "proper music."

[@jamarthegamer5011]

"...and what you know what a *lynel* is." Shivers in hyah

[@machete660]

What

[@cloutfetti2817]

@@machete660 do you know what a lynel is bro?

[@joelikescats]

Lynels arent scary, i fight gold lynels for fun when im bored

[@thespanishinquisitionprofe2151]

@@joelikescats (Y) Same

[@trashgang_]

Yeah, it's kinda like guardians. When you start the game you are TERRIFIED of those things because they can oneshot you, but by the end of the game they basically become free loot if you care enough to prey them. The only instance where this doesn't happen with any enemy is the yiga hideout, because the Yiga that spawn there can oneshot you no matter what.

[@gumbus3876]

*What I love* is the quality and effort you put into your videos.

[@itrosaic]

Underrated comment right here

[@shibahacking]

FireTheCanons agreed

[@amazingslab]

Hello!

[@Skidd0]

Like how he wrote in sheikah on the little thingies at the beginning

[@jjpgaming7995]

I know right every single one of his videos are masterpieces

[@pixelmaster9964]

BOTW is the only game that I willingly search for animals under rocks

[@vovabars1234]

Lmao same

[@guywhoasked903]

Yahaha!

[@faroshscale]

I love finding lizards lol

[@xian2themax]

Useful tip- if there are no enemies around, the “near shrine” version of the music will play when near a buried shrine. That is the only way I found the Gerudo shrine where you have to light four torches in the desert.

[@anzack2551]

That little Link giggle at the end was so freaking cute, it has the same feeling as your intro!

[@JadeJuno]

Is it really Link tho? It doesn't sounds like him to me :/

[@anzack2551]

Gølder06 No, it’s Scruffy’s impression of the giggle Link does when he’s done cooking. It’s even more adorable imo

[@JadeJuno]

@@anzack2551 ah that makes more sense. Yeah it's more adorable ngl

[@xury24]

Hi Niko 🤠🤩😂

[@gem3806]

Someone make it into an SFX clip to play over and over again

[@MaxMallard]

Others: I don’t like how the game has barely any real music. Scruffy: The sound design in this game is genius and here’s why.

[@radishhat5736]

ngl that complaint annoys me because the games ost is pretty well made and like 3 discs long, its just atmospheric and something that goes on subliminally

[@MaxMallard]

@@radishhat5736 Its music is certainly not as prominent as in previous games, but I don't think that makes it bad. It's just something else the devs decided to do differently with BoTW. Less music and more ambience I think really helps, as it really emphasises how far the Calamity's reach can go, whereas in say OOT, as great a game as it is, only really keeps that atmosphere of a battle lost within Castle Town

[@kimgkomg]

@@MaxMallard I can't really imagine playing this game with a powerful rendition of the main Zelda theme, it wouldn't fit right at all

[@JorgetePanete]

@@radishhat5736 it's*

[@kurag5198]

Radish hat Honestly the boss themes are some of the best songs in the Zelda franchise, that’s how you know they weren’t Being lazy, they just wanted to create an atmosphere

[@PabloCardonaMusic]

A detail I really appreciated was in the Tarrey Village side quest, where you have to provide some materials to create a new village and invite people. You invite people from the main tribes of the game, Gorons, Zora, Gerudo and Rito, and with each person that came in, the game would add a new instrument and melodic line to the theme of Tarrey Village entirely based on the theme of the invited person's native village. Such a nice, subtle touch, not even necessary because you can complete the game without it and yet there it is

[@BoyProdigyX]

It's funny cuz I just noticed that on my last playthrough. After I brought the Goron there, I was dropping in and noticed that farty instrument from Death Mountain haha

[@swishfish8858]

Your adorable "hello" melted my heart You owe me a new heart I'll send you the bill

[@vwoopselkek6260]

Not just yours

[@CarMedicine]

How much is it? 100000$ or 10 hours of time spent? I'm just curious.

[@JarOfGibbons]

I think he intentionally "sang" it in the same key as the intro, too. Sol to mi if you know solfege

[@scruffmutt]

And his little laugh at the end!!! What a sweet voice

[@TheKd8lvt]

@@scruffmutt That little laugh at the end was him mimicking the cooking theme from BoTW. (Which is what was playing just before); Link does that at the end if it's a food item with buffs attached.

[@lyl14ghost]

Making video games is like cooking. The secret ingredient between Good and Great is heart.

[@benedict6962]

specifically, a lynel heart. Adds body to the dish, and tears to the player.

[@daridon2483]

@@benedict6962 Must be from a golden lynel to add some spicyness

[@deccy_boi5569]

How tasty are hearts then?

[@menosproblemos6993]

"Scruffy" sounds so rough compared to the smoothness and tempo of the voice and words. I really like this contrast.

[@trequor]

Ikr right? Like isn't this guy supposed to be cleaning boilers and toilets at Planet Express?

[@thepixelglitched]

I suppose we can call this "Name Design" to compliment the theme of "Sound Design".

[@bakedgoldfish45]

@@trequor Why? Just why?

[@erzelulvrich3903]

Botw made me wanna paraglide everytime I see images of cliffs or high places

[@clownmonomaniac2630]

Erzel Ulvrich SAME

[@kaosanddestruction]

Erzel Ulvrich I literally watched movies of people being afraid near a cliff, and me being the tired person I was, said, “Why don’t they just use the paraglider?”

[@clownmonomaniac2630]

Cace Ideas djsnwksn i love that

[@phoenixcat2203]

Nice

[@esmooth919]

It's hard to resist

[@KaseyTheGolden]

Just playing the music in the first few seconds of the video gave me goosebumps. This game truly is something else. I really enjoyed this video! Music and sound is SUCH a huge part of a game for me. A good soundtrack is almost required, I mean... how can I spend hundreds of hours on a game and hate the soundtrack? Looking forward to more videos from ya!

[@carbonated_salt9645]

Hi kasey 💖

[@sierranalaniwilson8845]

Omg the art queen was here! ❤💫

[@geno_cyanide0796]

You watch Zelda (°¬°!!! Holy cow your awesomeness increased drastically/ `Г`)/!!!***

[@ChiaraTomassone]

Hi Kasey I didn’t expected to see you here! I always draw with Zelda’s soundtrack It helps me concentrate

[@coffeeleijon2770]

Woah I did NOT expect to see you here, that was some surprise

[@bubbles-1020]

Another one for you, in case no one else has already mentioned it: There are 4 (I think) different themes for Tarrey Town, depending on how many people you already invited. Probably the most noticeable is when you invite the Rito, since the clarinet added from Revali's theme really stands out if you know the theme. At the end, the Tarrey Town music is just a mix of Goron, Gerudo, Zora and Rito sound effects. Neat!

[@baxle_b]

I won't lie, yes I did notice all of the mentioned flares of sound design (bar the last one). But I must say the way you presented it gave me a new understanding of what I only understood subconsciously. Sometimes I forget how beautiful games can be. Thanks for making me want to play botw again!

[@jonathanodude6660]

i knew there were 6 variations of the battle theme and i kinda noticed it added sounds when you landed a hit (other zelda games do change the sound when you land a hit but only for the first hit) but i didnt know that there were tiers to it

[@Yasashiao]

I recently discovered the village themes, the song in between. I was listening to the Korok Forest theme while I was drawing, and then I noticed the day theme transitioning into the night theme. It sounded really nice, from the tempo going fast, to changing notes and instruments as it slowed into the night theme. I also heard it going from night theme to day.

[@mynameiscraig1388]

Y’all didn’t notice shit stfu

[@baxle_b]

@@mynameiscraig1388 ahaha, I'm doing acoustics at university but I honestly love good sound design in media. especially botw, it's got such depth that I've found myself playing the game purely to listen to it.

[@2GoatsInATrenchCoat]

What's funny is that the last one is the only one I noticed! My musical intelligence is at 0, but I do love climbing very tall mountains in every possible game (see: Skyrim) and then languishing at the top to revel in my victory, so I have heard the clear weather musical change. I haven't studied music so I had no idea about the musical science behind it, but I was still like "oh that's cool! The music changes with the weather" and then went about my business. but I think I assumed that it probably happens in all snowy terrain, not just the summit of huge mountains, so it may not count as me truly noticing it because I didn't actually understand what they were really doing with the music.

[@quaychuletseii7163]

This game wasn’t just a creation, it was a literal art piece.

[@BodywiseMustard]

It was a visual and audial art piece

[@saltystorm8806]

My Friend: there is barely any music in breath of the wild and its all just a couple taps on a piano, it sucks Me: 0_0

[@linkhascrashed3450]

B R E A K U P W I T H H I M (im kidding)

[@calamaribowl8683]

Me: YOU FOOL, YOU BUFFOON, HOW ABOUT THE MAIN THEME? BOSS THEMES? BATTLE THEMES? THE STABLE THEME? TOWN THEMES? THE KOROK FOREST THEME? HOW DARE YOU?!?!?!?! I forgot Kass' theme

[@wackyanimations3326]

@@calamaribowl8683 champion theme, divine beast themes

[@naturalLog26]

@The Monster Under Your Bed indeed it is, but I don't consider it a bad thing giving the post apocalyptic nature of the game

[@naturalLog26]

@The Monster Under Your Bed yeah me too

[@FBIMOUS377]

One of the first things I noticed is after you wake up and first talk to the old man, they actually input sounds for his lantern when it clinks around and I was immediately like damn they put real effort into this game.

[@kovanova9409]

Something about the main hyrule field theme. In previous games it's bombastic and about link's journey. However in botw it is soft, sparatic, and organic in a way as if the theme is the music of the wind and the grass or in better words "the breath of the wild"

[@kavokonkav]

Casey wasey It makes you literally HEAR the game‘s freedom.

[@inuloveskago]

Someone else mentioned it but it also shows Link's lonely journey - having barely any sounds and just nature.

[@potatoking4227]

it disappoints that the reason to why breath of the wild has no memorable soundtracks is so simple.. just shows how toxic and dumb most of the zelda community is..

[@Randomness823]

Okay but the simplistic art style of "soft" white against "soft" black is so pleasing. Paired with your incredibly patient, soft, mid-range voice is so, so nice. Definitely a new sub.

[@SwitchyWitch_]

Also the reverse note in the field day song has a higher chance when you are 2-1 days away from a blood moon. Atleast from my experience.

[@jakebylsma7641]

Yep the reverse piano fade in is definitely linked to the incoming Blood Moon

[@lolslols755]

@@jakebylsma7641 it's like a cool hint to something gone awry in the air

[@seess8251]

YES I KNEW IT the first time a blood moon happened i was so scared that the eery note would get me goosebumps from ptsd, till i stopped playing

[@seess8251]

@M R yeah but the sky tho

[@azb2a]

@M R Blood moon are freaking terrifying, it makes me feel uncomfortable like rarely I've felt in a video game

[@BenedictBerganio]

This is good. It makes me wanna grab my Switch and play it again. Also, you forgot to mention the evolving soundtrack of Tarry Town.

[@sittimariamvillalon8430]

that was my favorite and what made tarrey town so wholesome.

[@nightingale3847]

Benedict Berganio ikr, nobody talks about that! The additional instruments to the tune as the population grows just feels so wholesome

[@valentinamacedo301]

I think he didn’t mention it because it’s not really invisible. For example, there are all the evolved versions in the soundtrack, whereas with invisible sounds they’re like secrets. Still a beautiful theme though.

[@jhoannefrancisco490]

I didn't noticed that...whoa but I admit it was the music was practically quiet when it was just you and Hudson

[@decaf9150]

All those beautiful hidden subtleties are what sucked me into this game for over 300 hours now. It's by far the most immersive sound design that I've ever heard in a game that I've played. So much so that I barely notice it! To everyone on the sound design team, thank you for all your incredible, invisible artistry.

[@dkpsyhog]

The way metal weapons and armour clink around as you run is one of my favourite details... also, can you believe people used to complain about BoTW’s soundtrack?

[@DjFrexira]

It SoUnDs So EmPtY

[@teamsabre4]

Most of them can't afford good headphones

[@JamFlexx]

I find it kind of annoying tbh. Found myself taking off my shield for long periods of running as I don't use my horse much. Yes my sound system is pretty decent.

[@AF4028]

The fighting music sounds retarded

[@austinkamp8048]

Can we all agree that Nintendo is wildly underrated for the amount of work they put in to make their games true masterpieces?

[@allenelijah7063]

I can agree. Nintendo is incredibly popular, but the extra layer of sophistication in all of their games is something truly special, and I'd say that particular part is underrated.

[@rafaelfreitasazevedo7791]

I mean, they got GOTY for this game, so I guess it wasn't that underrated?

[@potatoking4227]

@@rafaelfreitasazevedo7791it only got goty of the year because it's a zelda game. it doesn't deserve goty for how bad it is.

[@rafaelfreitasazevedo7791]

potatoking124 Jesus, such a shitty bait

[@allenelijah7063]

@@rafaelfreitasazevedo7791 Either that or a toxic Oot/TP fan

[@LoverOfStuff]

Best song in the game? Hestu’s dance.

[@althea7181]

The first song in botw i fell with LMAO

[@codeyhuntting8830]

I’m sorry, where the FRICK have you been all my life, Scruffy?! KZbin finally decided to stop being idiots and recommend one of your vids to me. You’re voice is so relaxing, and this video of yours is wonderfully informative *subscribes aggressively*

[@hondaguy9153]

My thoughts upon finding him today too! *Fist bump*

[@thegeneralist5279]

Yeah, that's kinda what I did.

[@akirawang6275]

I know this video from a retweet and searched all the way here. All of his videos are amazing!

[@istabkiwisforfun7907]

Codey Huntting I feel same in luv with thisGUY I amXDXD

[@lauraheadsout3101]

*I A G R E E **_AGRESSIVELY_*

[@dampethenarrator]

Every single video you put out is a polished masterpiece. I look forward to your uploads every single time!

[@rgprosucctions1704]

Thank Merc treads, You make Morgana tolerable

[@iatoa2812]

i couldn't agree more

[@BeaverOfDooom]

How does he do it? The madman

[@criticorn663]

Every single video has a more and more adorable "Hello!" at the beginning too

[@RustyRusty]

You got me a win against an ahri that was carrying. thanks :)

[@jenniferchough]

Hey Scruffy: I have watched this video multiple times now and just wanted to say thank you again for this amazingly intricate look into BotW's sound design. More than any game I've ever played over the past 25 years, nothing has engaged me as aurally as this game. While playing, I found myself pricking my ears at every cue or rustle or jingle. The breeze as it played through the leaves, grass, and city accoutrements made me feel as if I were standing there. The squeaky pinwheel noises or rattling berries made me swing around and look for that korok nearby. Kass' accordian had me follow my ears to him. And even the sound of Link's footfalls on the grass, gravel, sand, snow, are music to my ears. Thank you for bringing to light the genius and care that went into this game's attention to detail which elevated it onto a whole new level for me.

[@leocat2662]

Well I think you're going through every step of sound design. What makes Mario music so catchy? What is the culture behind Arms? I really like this idea. Instead of just showing some gameplay you are animating stuff. Scruffy, you are my favourite KZbinr.

[@optillian4182]

The game is like a painting of a living, breathing world that you're a part of. That's what makes it so unique and memorable.

[@Korpirun0]

I love how the music in botw is always blending so well with the environment, it’s like the music and nature are vibing with each other. The melancholic and mellow tunes are so beautiful. I´m baffled about how some people think Botw doesn’t have proper music, i just don’t get it at all. Well, then again, i’m from Nordic countries so maybe that explains it a bit, we basically love vibing to nature and sad music 😄

[@Mr_Potatobread]

"This actually starts in, and cycles between 3 possible keys" *Giant Steps intensifies*

[@kapcsford]

I get this comment. Can I be proud?

[@ERRandDEL]

Majora's Link could probably improvise on it.

[@mysticsanta3714]

Giant Steps kinda sounds like the fighting song thingy for when you get spotted by a bad guy... but ✨ g r o o v i e r ✨ 🕺

[@dyllpickleproduces9588]

John Coltrane has entered the room

[@kaworeal]

Alternate title: KZbin *FINALLY* puts something I love in my recommended

[@cateyedboy4168]

Yes

[@Irish_Enderman]

I love how the battle theme changes when fighting weaker/stronger enemies

[@aaronvanhemert9809]

Thank you again for such an in-depth and interesting essay on another looked over game mechanic

[@samanthakittle]

I never like to play Legend of Zelda without sound because the sounds and music enrich the gameplay so much

[@jillh1099]

when you wake up a guardian and the piano freaks out

[@aaronvanhemert9809]

BotW is a game about exploration. Uncovering invisible sound design is part of the exploration, especially with that last design choice you mentioned. We should embrace our discoveries!

[@Nic_2751]

Aaron van Hemert exactly

[@McNugNug255]

F***ing epic game gets even more epic. Sound design always fascinates me when implemented correctly but hot damn does nintendo know how to do sounds

[@Nic_2751]

NugNug I know right?

[@shoveahamproductions2896]

Too bad they won't implement all of their skills into Pokemon

[@tadpoletoots]

Shove a Ham Productions nintendo isnt making it

[@starranger4104]

Your profile picture matches your comment

[@ethanotoroculus1060]

Ghh, I can't, that cute little *"hello"* in the intro gets me every time.

[@elote7628]

The title makes me so excited to watch this video, and you never let me down Scruffy.

[@ChibiRandom13]

All of the sounds make the world feel so natural and because I've been so in love with the music and sound design (one of my favorites is the way the music changes when the dragons show up) I actually did notice that last one, though I didn't realize it had a specific cue. One thing I adore that made me first notice the sound design, outside of the walking and horse sounds, is the restless crickets! They actually do sound like lil winged bugs when they jump from place to place! Idk why but when I first noticed the sound they made I was so fascinated I sat in the stealth armour and just sat and watched crickets.

[@nicholastodirita7934]

Didn't even notice Scruffy's background music in some parts of the video until I watched this for like the third time. The way he illustrates these ideas is masterful in and of itself

[@CosmicEternityCD]

There's such a natural feel to these sounds- I could have never put all these sound design quirks and concepts into words like you do, but I noticed it a lot while playing. These subtle little things really pull you in- they make you feel present, like you're really there with Link. For the last bit.. I love that shift in the piano theme so much. Not only, on a technical level, is it interesting that it grows deeper and richer, but it beautifully matches the weather clearing. With just the high notes, it feels cold- distant. Hopeful, but still as cold as the weather around you. But when that deepness comes in... It makes you feel warm, like the sun shining down on you, filling you properly with the warmth that piano melody brings. That's such beautiful design and attention to detail- Every little bit of detail in this game was genuinely crafted with love, and this video really helped me appreciate that even more than usual.

[@megslug]

i will forever click on videos that praise botws ost and sound mixing this is wonderful

[@KittMouri]

Because the music in this game doesn't get NEARLY enough love! The soundtrack was absolutely fantastic!

[@potatoking4227]

@@KittMouri yea it's bad when songs like this exist kzbin.info/www/bejne/nJ67homYptV1rZI (this is sarcasm btw)

[@theblooper9631]

"and you know what a Lynal is" You mean the thing that likes to bully Link. yeah he knows what it is and has PTSD from it.

[@cb-jj9oq]

i just started botw and one of my favorite musical points in the game is the horseback music and how if you ride long enough without interruption strings are added in as sort of a landscape builder in the context of roaming hills and allowing yourself to take in scenery,, i think they were purposeful in introducing the strings at such a later part of the song to emphasize on the fact that maybe youre playing just to enjoy it... i really appreciate the music and sound in botw and im so excited to see this video!!! please make more because i think theres so much more to talk about in that game 😫😫😫

[@TheSurgePhoenix]

Nintendo really outdid themselves with the music of BOTW

[@joyconbulb3743]

​@shut up a'ya face Oh so you just hatting on every comment about breath of the wild? Looks like we got a Sony pony over here. If the game is so bad why don't you explain your self instead of blindly hating the game?

[@swmswmswm]

theres so many people who think the soundtrack of botw is way too minimalist and underwhelming but I honestly find it perfect. Then you make them listen to the Hyrule Castle theme and watch as they change their mind lol

[@Not_Ciel]

@shut up a'ya face I found the one guy on planet earth that can't afford a Switch to experience BOTW. It's okay, friend.

[@koiuses]

you should play animal crossing new leaf

[@davepatois297]

@@Not_Ciel i couldnt afford one so my friend lent his one to me so i could play botw.

[@KlldbyCuriosity]

I love that you mentioned minimalist music in this analysis, a lot of people don't understand what that is to be fair but this entire soundtrack is in the vein of minimalist greats like Steve Reich and Philip Glass

[@adamkampen]

I love how the background sounds in your videos coordinate to your lines, like after you said "sound mixing nerd Spirit Orb" the piano in the background seamlessy became the sound that plays after obtaining a Spirit Orb before fading out for the next transition. Your videos are both a treat to listen to and to watch, as well as full of interesting content.

[@loganmartinez2439]

Guess that game took your breath away.

[@TerraKnight27]

Now it's just The Legend of Zelda: of the Wild

[@vwoopselkek6260]

NO YOU'RE BREATHTAKING!

[@jerrywhetmoisture8910]

These pun lines are LEGEND

[@lorelo.]

The legend of Zelda:Choker of the wild.

[@marcohurtado2857]

That’s pretty wild.

[@Allplussomeminus]

2:11 I loved the equipment rustling sounds in OoT. It made it seem like you were Really on an adventure.

[@natedogsturdikat8538]

The games elements work together so naturally that it doesn’t even feel like a game. Don’t have a metal object to conduct electricity? Use your sword. It’s small consistencies that make it feel connected

[@hamei9875]

I wish I could just refresh my mind so I could enjoy this game the same way I did when I first started playing it, the feeling of being alone in a world full of mysteries.. ahh :,)

[@firebal6129]

Really...I've tried going back, but it isn't the same. It lost the magic of mystery, and of not knowing what's around the corner ;_; Looking forward to BOTW2 though!

[@endertwelve]

The items falling into water design is absolutely insane. The level of detail is *staggering.*

[@wedontaskquestionsherelol1163]

I think I got one. When Link goes from a place that is not in a cave to a shine that is within a cave it plays a different type of music. Try it. It’s one of my favorite songs.

[@jenniferchough]

yes, that is music for interior of a cave. It's on the OST :-)

[@BasthiaXx]

@@jenniferchough and the name of this song is *CAVE*

[@legendswithjasper]

This is absolutely incredible. How did I not notice most of these with 300+ hours played?

[@rikustorm13]

I love the stealth suit, and I love the items “clanking” on Link’s back

[@neocraftz1553]

4:41 yoooo no wonder the field music sounds unique every time. You're making me want to pick up my switch again lmao

[@sjorswinkenius]

The more I get to know about the game the more I fall in love with it. It's such a beautiful game and it's my all time favourite. I can only hope that the sequel will be as good. And the more I get to know about BOTW the more I realise how crap Pokemon Sword and Shield are. Imagine BOTW but with Pokémon, so much wasted potenial.

[@mikuenjoyerXD]

That's what I'm worried about

[@this_username_is_taken7004]

Tell me about it. I played Pokemon Sword one night and I got a little annoyed because: a) Couldn't move the camera angle in towns and non-Wild Area places b) The plus button summoned the bike instead of the menu b.i) The minus button didn't summon a map c) There's no paraglider! d) You can't climb stuff e) Trainers at the side of the road are annoying, even more so than the Yiga Clan (at least you can throw bananas at those eejits. Aaand get bananas in return, talk about a Fairtrade, am I right?) What I realised that night was just how many 'chains' there are in the latest Pokemon games, and that Breath of the Wild was more like a Breath of Fresh Air. I swear to Hylia, I hope the Sinnoh remakes take inspiration from what Breath of the Wild did right, and not just because Diamond was my first ever Pokemon game, lol.

[@sjorswinkenius]

@@this_username_is_taken7004 The Sinnoh remake will suck ass if made by gamefreak. They don't have the passion or manpower to live up to the hype. They will be like sword and shield, rushed and easier than stealing candy from a baby.

[@windy6587]

@@sjorswinkenius damn this comment aged nicely

[@osmofina]

@@windy6587 *poorly

[@kait33]

Im one of those ADDers who just has noise running through my head pretty much constantly, and I never realized how much these sounds just live in my head rent free until watching this

[@robonerd125]

i thought for certain you were gonna mention the SOS signals in each of the divine beast themes...

[@bens5093]

That's not invisible sound design as much as it is an easter egg tho

[@TheArcadeLink]

@@bens5093 It is invisible if you don't know what an SOS sounds like; I didn't know about that until just recently and I've been playing the game since it's release.

[@gulusgammamon]

@@TheArcadeLink However, he said it wasn't going to contain major spoilers and those could almost be considered depending on who it is

[@Qwackin604]

I like how for the hateno village theme you can hear the person playing the pan flute breathing

[@jenniferchough]

@@Qwackin604 - did you mean for the kakariko village theme? that's where you hear the intake of breath. i don't think there are any wind or woodwind instruments in the hateno village theme.

[@xthatghomiex2939]

5:25 John Coltrane wants to know your location. The level of care and thought that went into this video is amazing. As a musician, it was really refreshing to hear you briefly mention theory in a meaningful and accurate way. As a gamer, I loved the way you related these observations to the brilliant overall sound and game design.

[@deathfrombelow1193]

Ffs, stop overrating shit. This is not Coltrane tier.

[@yusip1015]

After watching this video I became much more aware of sounds when playing. It really made the gameplay much more enjoyable than it already was, it's like a bonus :)

[@Cerealnom]

we are STILL learning new things about this game YEARS after its release date, that's NUTS HUGE kudos to you for finding this stuff

[@SirWetBiscuit]

So you're telling me you didn't notice the sound and musical artistry of this game while playing it?

[@michaeljs04]

SirWetBiscuit I’ve just hit 500 hours in botw and i hadn’t realised a lot of this until i watched this video.

[@PrincessFelicie]

I'd noticed that something had changed about the piano, but I could've never guessed it was something as technical as a hi pass filter! The audio design of BOTW is masterful, and I'm glad we've got a master at audio to explain it all.

[@agent3689]

Even the "brandish weapon" noise changes depending on what weapon you currently have equipped - a metal broadsword, a claymore, or a wooden club will all make different noises from each other when pulled out.

[@merrymarigoldgold]

I only recently found your channel and I've already fallen in love with your soft little 'hello' at the top of the video. Keep up the great work!

[@jellycakes5054]

Game: **Exists** Scruffy: SOUND

[@edgytoucan3444]

Graped Soda yea pretty much

[@jane.or.something]

i love experiencing media through the eyes of experts and enthusiasts- i’ve seen a video on why the stamina wheel mechanic is perfect design, now the sound design. i appreciate it so much more now

[@hyrumerdman4366]

Hearing the Field Theme hit me in the feels so hard I almost teared up. I know the soundtrack for this game has been divisive, but I loved it from the beginning and it's only grown on me. I know every note... and each resonates with me in a unique way. It's amazing.

[@themickeysquad5121]

Honestly I’m surprised this video isn’t viral. The animation is beautiful, the editing is seem-less, and that’s not even talking about the actual incredibleness of the idea and explanations in the video. Amazing job dude! Edit: and your voice is very fitting!

[@kfctwigs4104]

seamless

[@Eeevonn]

1:26 I like how you placed the last marker at the spot you would find mount lanayru on the botw map

[@dnddude9652]

“I recommend that you know what *THIS* part of the map is” Alright, I’ll just go grab my grab my switch and- “-and that you know what a Lynel is” ...oh no It wasn’t even needed!

[@Juan-xn8ef]

I think it was a minor spoiler warning