Nightmare King (from Hollow Knight) - Piano Tutorial

👑 POV: you're about to get wrecked 😥
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#HollowKnight #GodsAndNightmares was the unexpectedly delightful new #soundtrack from #Christopher Larkin. #NightmareKing was made for the inarguably challenging Nightmare King Grimm fight.
Nightmare King (from Hollow Knight) by Christopher Larkin
Arranged by Rafał Bienias
Edited by Samuel Dickenson
Rendered with Embers 🔥 embers.app
Produced by Andrew Wrangell & Samuel Dickenson
sheetmusicboss.com
Find our official sheet music here:
Musicnotes: www.musicnotes.com/sheet-musi...
Gumroad: gumroad.com/sheetmusicboss
#SheetMusicBoss #PianoTutorial

[@landonadams9935]

Huh, there’s a full version of this song? I usually only hear the first thirty seconds.

[@SheetMusicBoss]

*double mask damage sound*

[@landonadams9935]

@@SheetMusicBoss don’t give me ptsd like that

[@randombozo1306]

Dude, that's gotta be like a wr. Can't believe you can beat him so fast lmfao

[@Lolomaster47]

@@randombozo1306 don't you know about somsthing called "radiant difficult"

[@rupmarch]

You guys beated Grim?

[@randommoth1235]

Note to self In silkson, if the boss name takes the whole screen, run, you are not ready, and never will

[@KnightrideThrillz]

Yes, if the name of the boss fills the whole screen, you know your gonna die… *a lot*

[@hugodenooij1580]

Normal radiance was doable tho

[@lulux8040]

Nightmare King is easier than the other since his moves are more memorable. He's the easiest boss for me

[@billcipherthedreamdemon2422]

@@lulux8040 but was he easy the first time

[@floopyy_]

@@hugodenooij1580 people already no damaged anyrad iirc

[@kew65]

It's incredible how Christopher Larkin uses leitmotifs. "Nightmare King" and "Grimm Troupe" use the same core melody as the one played by Brumm on his accordion inside the tent.

[@Moss_Dude]

That's _a_ leitmotif... You're not wrong, but you described it pretty poorly.

[@kew65]

@@Moss_DudeWhat did I describe poorly?

[@Moss_Dude]

@@kew65 You said how amazing it was that he used them, and then just gave 1 example. Using leitmotifs a single time is hardly that impressive.

[@kew65]

@@Moss_Dude I gave three? And there are countless other examples that I didn't care to mention. The electric guitar riff in Nightmare King is literally just the leitmotif used as an ostinato with some changes. It can be heard when you summon the troupe. And while fighting the grimm kin across the map. Your point?

[@EssentiallyFalse]

KZbin reply section try not to start pointless arguments challenge (impossible)

[@herothecrow994]

Ooh, the choir bit at 1:35 was done really well

[@bluemoth6983]

Why is this the second time I've accidentally run into you in youtube comments lmao

[@kuapzznomberonefan2103]

@@bluemoth6983 and that’s how I met your mother/j

[@herothecrow994]

I comment on things

[@yusheitslv100]

All I hear at that mark is "Burn the Father! Feed the Child" being endlessly repeated because of Man on the Internet.

[@mysterygamer5179]

@@yusheitslv100 when i hear this theme, i hear the lyrics he sings along

[@toonzelda3353]

Ngl Ive played quite a few themes on piano such as Hornet's theme, Dirthmouth, Queens Gardens, Resting Grounds, Main Theme and even White Palace. Never would have thought this version of Knightmare King Grimm would sound as amazing as it does here! Havent been able to find a single better version of this anywhere so thank you! :). Also recently started playing Hollow Knight again with a custom whale skin. Can't wait! Solid stuff Andrew! You inspire me to keep playing more piano everyday. Never say you wish you could or you cant. If you really want to try something and are dedicated and commmited then make the attempt to practise everyday. Reach out and have others listen and provide their own feedback that way you can improve. Playing by ear or even with sheet music isnt something everyone learns how to do right away but if you don't try or at least make an attempt you won't get anywhere near the level of the pros.

[@SheetMusicBoss]

Thanks so much! I'm glad to hear we inspire you - it doesn't matter if you (or anyone) can do something yet, it just matters that you always keep working at it. One day we'll all get there, with that consistent effort.

[@nengsivaiphei4063]

I wasted 20 mins of my life on this

[@tjjrbooqua225]

0

[@JokerExe7359]

@@SheetMusicBoss 🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤤😪🤤🤤🤤🤤

[@knifebladeplayz3670]

@@SheetMusicBoss I can play the Hollow Knight theme on my guitar, yeah I can't really play the guitar too well

[@waddledee6642]

pianists dream of endless fire, sheet music burns and embers swoop, burn the father, teach the child, Call and serve the Dread piano master’s troupe.

[@KingNios]

YES!! I was hoping you'd do this one after the Grimm troupe!

[@dominicburch2374]

Same here pal!

[@frostyvoid827]

🅱️rimm 🅱️roupe

[@sheevpalpatine1105]

the fight against normal grim is like an elegant dance, if you get the beats you can beat him nightmare king grim stops the dance and starts break dancing, with break i mean your legs

[@substandardnerd]

Oh, it's still a dance. It just so happens to specifically be the Masochism Tango

[@Moss_Dude]

Light the path with a fleeting spark, Through our dance we shall honor him, Feed the child of the beating heart, Sing the praise of the master Grimm!

[@rockyboi1961]

I’ve never seen this poem before did you make it?

[@Pikachu0071000CS]

@@rockyboi1961 iirc, it's in the Hunter's Journal?

[@Moss_Dude]

Both of you are wrong, they're lyrics from Man on the Internet's video of the Grimm troupe. I recommend a watch.

[@justtoiko5576]

Burn the father, feed the child

[@SorowFame]

@@rockyboi1961 knowing where this is from it’s weird seeing someone think it’s a poem though I can see how you’d think that. BTW it’s from Man on the Internet’s version of lyrics for the song, they’re on KZbin if you’re interested. Just in case the above reply gets deleted or something like that.

[@geegox2459]

BEST SONG FROM HOLLOW KNIGHT FINALLY WITH A PLAYABLE PIANO EDITION!!!!!

[@LevSeven_]

Playable only if you're a pro lmao

[@jamesnall6462]

Have you listened to Truth, Beauty, and Hatred? Obviously not. (to the Karens, this is a joke. OP's opinion is just as valid as mine.)

[@geegox2459]

@@jamesnall6462 ah, that one is good but you need head bangers besides Mozart to bop your head to.

[@richardzaloudek8208]

Nightmare king: I'm unplayable

[@Huh.0]

yes

[@StellarAeon]

Oh. My. God. I've always wanted to learn how to play piano, and this video alone is all the motivation I needed, the way you played this song gives such a great piano vibe while maintaining the original feeling of a boss battle, I can't put into words how incredible your Sealed Vessel, Grimm troupe and Nightmare King Grimm sound, you did an absolutely incredible job on these!

[@notmusictheory74]

1. It’s a piece 2. He didn’t play it

[@StellarAeon]

@@notmusictheory74 oh no!

[@22timesstunning67]

Will any of these amazing Hollow Knight arrangements be coming to Spotify?? They are a must have!

[@tvflight7858]

1:34 music theory goes brrrrrrr I love it!

[@soundtheartist9212]

I was so happy when I saw this in my recommended. A few months ago I was trying to find a good and intense piano cover for this song, but had no luck. This is amazing. Thank you so much.

[@moondreemurr7656]

The fact that this song plays so much impact and power is incredible! Especially with it slightly echoing!

[@ChaosBatkick]

Ah, Hollow Knight Soundtracl has enticed you as well. Fantastic job, the range of sounds your one virtual keyboard can produce is stunning

[@ChaosBatkick]

Would you like to watch my Rush E video please SMB? I put three months into it

[@malaert64]

Just as I predicted. Fantastic stuff - thanks for doing my favourite Hollow Knight boss justice with this one! 💜

[@julesstigers6587]

OMG!! My favorite theme, my favorite character, my favorite boss fight!! I'm so excited to learn another version of this song on piano 🎹

[@firebolt3490]

Amazing cover! I really love the recent pivot to having the handcam in the videos. It honestly makes it a lot easier to figure out fingering placements when I'm learning a piece, so I really appreciate it

[@tvflight7858]

I love this Hollow Knight series! I try to play some of the songs myself but I can't finish because when the new one comes out I'm like: I WANNA PLAY THIS! Thank you

[@XerxesWorldweaver]

Legendary piano cover of the legendary boss.

[@jasperliu219]

First time I fought NKG this theme had me panicking, now it’s one of my favourite boss fights and tracks.

[@cutestcreeper569]

Although I don't play piano and currently don't plan on playing, I still sometimes watch these videos and listen to the piano versions of songs I like. This is a great recreation.

[@kingdawson4300]

I haven't been consistently watching but I HAVE been here for almost 5 years. Wanted to throw in my possible first comment in this half a decade to say thanks for continuing what you do and excelling at it :) Your videos are always a nice little breather from everything else.

[@BlazingJ972]

I saw this and immediately felt serotonin. Thank you SO MUCH. THIS IS AMAZING

[@mysticvision316]

This track still sends chills down my spine. I'd love to see a tutorial for the Pure Vessel next.

[@admpianoproductions]

That was incredible!!! 😮 🎉🎉🎉 The technique you use consistently every time for each one of your videos makes my jaw drop!

[@guilhermeartmann1055]

The amount of perfectly executed notes from 1:15 to 1:20, WOW. Greetings from Brazil 🇧🇷

[@cristianacastanheira9784]

É uma inteligência artificial que toca no vídeo, não uma pessoa de verdade

[@poggestfrog]

This is played by an AI not by actual people lol

[@Valerescence]

I played the nightmare king for my recital right about when this came out and I’m just finding out 4 weeks later that this version exists. I know what I must do now.

[@MarioBrother642]

Probably one of my most favorite themes in Hollow Knight, it captures the intensity of the fight perfectly. When I defeated NKG for the first time, I never felt so much satisfaction in victory ever since I beat Radiance. Then, like the madlad that I was, I went to the Hall Of Gods via Godhome and fought Nightmare King Grimm on Radiant Difficulty and, when I eventually managed to beat him after countless deaths, I felt like my soul left my body after being so focused during that fight. FYI for those who don't know, Radiant Difficulty makes it to where any attack can kill you in one hit, including hazards. No matter how much health you have, you'll die in one hit.

[@numberz-9306]

This brings back good and bad memories such as: fluking a no hit as my first ever kill on him and suffering for 2 hours just attempting to beat him

[@schneekers7906]

Another immaculate performance!

[@nicolase4049]

How about you do the “Menu theme” from Metroid Prime?

[@aurheig]

how bout u stop spamming

[@galaxylad8152]

@@aurheig how about you just ignore it?

[@catchylow3444]

@@galaxylad8152 kinda hard to when it's the top comment

[@Unoriginal____Starwalker]

We are focusing on one Metroidvania right now.

[@th4tgamerchick775]

One of my favorite boss battle themes in the game. Very well done

[@geaux13saints56]

YES I was waiting for this

[@the_supern0va238]

Another banger, guys. I'd really like to see you keep up the Hollow Knight train with Pale Court, if possible. It deserves way more attention than it's getting right now.

[@WindSnake146]

YES THANK YOU!!! I LOVE IT

[@King-lt5yw]

Yes!!! I love this song, same goes for the boss fight, because how cool and thrilling it is

[@WaluigiisthekingASmith]

I like the cluster tones throughout the song

[@DiscoHead-d5g]

Nightmare king Grimm with lyrics is playing in my head while listening to this Burn the father, feed the child

[@irenewilliams6723]

Same

[@shoobedooba2908]

Been waiting for this lol

[@patrickcummings6831]

At last! Thank you so so much! XD

[@dumplingofdoom9069]

Best boss with best music. Great work

[@HolyKnightGuy73002]

YEAH. Always amazing, but this one is 110%. Love it. Great work, appreciate it!

[@wnchoy9008]

Sorry I was late for this tutorial! Thanks for doing nightmare king, it is my favorite piano piece in HK, if not the all games I ever played, even above Megalovania!

[@Devotee_of_emptiness]

One of my favorite

[@dif854]

i can't tell which piece i'm learning to play is harder: lattice's arrangement of spider dance or this but i can tell that both pieces are effectively breaking my fingers, arms, and sanity so far, i can handle the first 2 pages (except the last 5 measures of the second page 0:32), but the third page is killing me with its chords cause my hands are smaller than most people my age lol 0:40 -7/14/2022 Heyy I'm back (I honestly forgot I wrote this comment lmao). SO, I'm now able to play the first 2 pages perfectly (the beginning~the part where the 4 finger chords begins to starts 0:39), but the chords are still a pain in the ass. Now I'm working on the 4th page which is a bigger pain in the ass 0:55 -9/7/22

[@RandomEevee]

I wish you the best of luck :D

[@stalkerfish8621]

this is so good

[@-Cloud-9-Nine-]

everybody gangsta til the nightmare heart glowin'

[@olehzolotukhin8778]

amazing

[@Flowery0]

Finally, a good sounding piano cover of this song

[@David111IsHere]

Yooo this is sick

[@MsTenseiga]

I rocked to this one so hard as this guy murdered me like 100 times before I got the dance moves down to best him.

[@masnousonia]

Truly amazing :0 first piano cover that sounds good. also could do Lace, from silksong teasers, it's a banger and i'm sure you'll enjoy it!

[@bartvansliedregt5482]

That is really very good

[@CroissantDestroyerofWorlds]

damn that part sounds nice, wonder if I'll ever get to hear it

[@williamparker3939]

Good job

[@canal8sjhh2024]

Es hermoso

[@aydenrozzelle7691]

This was your best cover yet

[@ALRIGHT_Josh]

Thank you

[@isaacfaucher7447]

Arguably harder than the boss fight

[@someperson3335]

Can confirm this

[@system_ai9248]

Yep, by a lot

[@coreylarsen1401]

as someone who has been trying to beat coliseum 5 i am having flash backs to every time my run ended to nkg. Amazing work love your stuff

[@Kjolinio]

You beat it?

[@coreylarsen1401]

@@Kjolinio after many hours of trying i have beaten him and pure vessel twice each i have also beat the first 3 endings in steel soul

[@Kjolinio]

@@coreylarsen1401 nice, I'm currently at radiance in the p5, but with currently I mean, "there was a mosquito on my monitor so I pauzed to get the mosquito away" currently

[@Kjolinio]

And I just failed on the last phase fok this game

[@coreylarsen1401]

@@Kjolinio keep at it you will get it eventually

[@DefNotDemon]

Because of english in school i now ik now that faster music makes the scene feel more intense and also is fast when its a darker scene but when music slows down it makes the music more romantic or something, now you know why i have no friends:)

[@user-sp2hl3vl9m]

Top 3 song in the game, remeber beating him the first time, took me ages to get max grimchild

[@loidamayneyee9749]

Yes.!!!! Also, PTSD from fighting Nightmare King Grim has returned...

[@viperion3930]

I beat this boss on radiant before i beat normal pure vessel. It's just such a fun fight i couldnt stop lol

[@Cepbe3Ho_Cepbe3HoBN4]

Tutorial? Will anyone even try to learn this tune? Sick, Man.

[@raginrhino436]

Amazing as always!!!

[@DJ-ew8fd]

Very impressive.

[@SliminBlue]

My protesting worked. I am satisfied with the Hollow Knight tutorial here, we have pretty much all the staples that everyone knows and needs. BUT if I'm being pedantic I'll also request Lace from the Silksong OST sample but since it looks like Silksong is still approximately 20 years off from releasing we're fine for now

[@TheInauspiciousOre]

Let’s goooo nightmare king

[@paolacarvalhaes4032]

Wow 😮

[@QuiEstJohnGalt]

I bought the game because if theses piano videos, and I really enjoy it

[@whitemagicalhat2844]

In my honest opinion, one of the greatest boss fights of all time.

[@blsl5262]

I took myself a break from this fight..the break? ah yes, white palace, path of pain and radiance

[@Mr_Youngblood]

When you start feeling the symptoms of PSTD, but you're used to it and now you enjoy it ❤️

[@Terrandrei]

Ah yes one of the few bosses i havent beaten yet

[@kalia264]

i was waiting for your cover of this song, and its great! Edit: as for next song, you can try play Lace theme (from SILKSONG), it can be found on youtube and it sounds fantastic

[@altaccount7556]

This game is amazing. Tragic, beautiful, funny, epic, relaxing, intense and brutal. Grimm is by far my favorite boss. His soundtrack is awesome and is just an awesome character all around. When his name popped up on the screen in red I knew I was screwed and yeah, 8 seconds later I was dead.

[@kelton_.]

Ayyyy SMB thank you for making these Hollow knight Videos i really love them !

[@TheGrinningGamer]

Ah, literal HELL yeah!

[@brothersaturn3937]

Remember if youre struggling against grimm or nkg equip dreamshield

[@ytyeetofficial1598]

literally like I read this book somewhere and I found out about Hollow Knight there, then I find it other places and now it's all over, even though it's 5 years old

[@hihowareyou717]

Memories broken

[@indrickboreale7381]

The truth goes unspoken

[@georgeman1000e]

I beat the Nightmare King on radiant after 5 hours of non stop grinding. I have officially unlocked ptsd.

[@FG_Enthusiast]

This guy is so whack! I still haven't beat him, but it's been months since I last played. He does have a good theme, though. Thank you for doing this one, Samuel and Andrew! I've really been enjoying all the Hollow Knight songs you've been doing. 😄

[@viperion3930]

Youll get there bro weve all been there lol. I couldnt beat him like 4 years ago or smt and when i came back to the game this year beat him on radiant first try. Im not even that good

[@saifnakhleh9410]

you just gotta memorize the attacks. took me a whole day to beat him the first time, but i can beat him radiant almost 100% of the time now

[@spacenai4461]

@@viperion3930 tbf NKG is pretty easy to dodge once you know all the wind up

[@viperion3930]

@@spacenai4461 yeah fr, but remember back then i was like 14 so i mean i kinds sucked

[@Calsual]

This is so fire! 🔥🔥🔥

[@cat-astrophe808]

my will to play this will be as shortlived as any fight against him ill have in game

[@dominicburch2374]

Sounds like someone finally saw our suggestion for the Nightmare King Grimm Boss music.

[@Annoying-doggo]

Wow! thats great!

[@ill_steal_your_pbj7363]

Honestly this sounds better on piano than in the OST, at least to me. I miss the heavy guitar in the background, but the piano feels more haunting, and the sharp notes really hit.

[@DunceDude]

At this point SMB is a VFX artist instead of a pianist.

[@liamcullen3035]

Oof. Traumatic flashbacks. Wicked music though!

[@abbyvonzorro2782]

I honestly can't fucking tell if the hands are fake or real; the lighting is too perfect and the movements are too smooth

[@TrashDragon89]

They are fake, but very well animated! :D

[@abbyvonzorro2782]

@@TrashDragon89 knew ittt; ty

[@Frosty-zd4rl]

YEEEEEEEESSSSSSSS

[@ins1ght_]

after recently beating nkg this song makes me want to throw my phone at a wall

[@Moon-pt5fn]

You hear this bustin music, then you lose 11 masks in 5 seconds

[@sohan2362]

I'm loving this hollow knight stint you guys are going on

[@bruhment2002]

In the actual battle i just paused the game so i could just listen to the music

[@michealsayswassup]

HE FINALLY DID IT!