The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim - Secunda | Reacting To Video Game Music!

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#TheElderScrollsV #Skyrim #Reaction

[@bakubread9308]

Skyrim's non-combat BGM is genuinely some of my favorite videogame music ever. Nothing hits like exploring that world and one of these tracks playing as you look up at the night sky and across the mountains and plains.

[@Dasaltwarrior]

Emphasis on the non-combat music. The combat tracks aren't bad, but they feel VERY repetitive in comparison to the exploration tracks Which kinda applies to Skyrim in general tbh. The exploration and setting is immaculate, but the action and set pieces are . . . Anything but

[@rezahydra]

@@Dasaltwarrior I’ve argued this for the entire series, outside of a single moment in Oblivion and the scale of everything when you’re about to destroy the spoiler in Morrowind. Though admittedly, I’ve also only been able to enjoy only Skyrim and Morrowind in spite of this. Still question why, but that’s a tangent for another time. In spite of how basic everything is, the short answer is there’s still fun to be had.

[@Laezar1]

Secunda is the name of one of the two moons in that world. It's basically the "night in snowy biomes" exploration music. It's the kind of vibe that still makes me think of this game often, despite all the criticisms I have of this game I've never had any other experience that made me feel so much like a traveller in a fantasy world.

[@GoldenLeafsMovies]

There are a few things that made the game what it is today and I think one of the slightly under appreciated things is the music. It's just so insanely good.

[@DivineFalcon]

When you wander the land of Skyrim at night, sometimes you stop just to watch the northern lights dance against the moons. Secunda conveys that feeling perfectly.

[@bru4773]

Not really a story thing, this is just a background, outdoor night theme from Skyrim. Secunda is the name of one of Skyrim's moons. Skyrim is a northern, snow-covered province, so it makes sense. I dont think Ive ever listened to this song outside of the game, but yeah, I totally feel the cold tranquility of a snow-covered forest. It feels... lonely, but also kind of mystical.

[@historiabyssus]

This song formed a core memory for me: the first time I ever played Skyrim when it first came out, I had never before played anything like it before. So when I discovered I could break into the shops at night and steal stuff, I was so gobsmacked by it. First time I heard this I was sneaking around in the Riverwood store, then I came out and immediately got attacked by hired thugs for stealing.

[@Greyknight1575]

When people have nostalgic memories of skyrim, this is the song that they're reminiscing about. The immersion of wandering the roads and wilds of Skyrim with this song playing is unforgettable. In the multiple times i've gone back to Skyrim over the years, I've realized this is what I come back for. Not for the adventure but just the vibe.

[@Dangitbobby-KFP_Shaman]

This song is peak nostalgia for me. I got Skyrim on 11/11/11 (it's release date) and back then I would never have been able to imagine what this song would eventually come to mean to me. To me this song is *peace* incarnate. I remember walking along a beach just northwest of Solitude with this song playing, looking to the right out onto the ocean, looking diagonally upwards, and seeing a gorgeous aurora in the sky. I just stopped stared and listened forever (until the sun came up basically), I can't remember the last time I felt so at peace.

[@MultiYoYoshi]

Skyrim takes place in the region of Skyrim, which is mostly mountains and forests, all of which are snow-covered. So with that, plenty of songs from the Skyrim OST have a snowy feeling to them, not all of them, plenty of songs also have a bit of a warm, homey feeling to them, like town songs. But, excluding combat tracks, all of them are more or less somewhat ambient tracks. And also similar to Minecraft, there isn't always music playing, so sometimes you're just walking through a snowy landscape, hear your armor and weapons rattling, hear your footsteps through the snow, even some insects making sounds, hear the wind blowing through the trees. And then sometimes, the wind picks up; when, for instance, climbing up a mountain, it's getting louder and stronger, and then a snowstorm happens. Occasionally there's also a thunderstorm or just rain as well. All those soundscapes are really immersive and put you into the game's location. But then when the music kicks in, you just get completely lost in the game. On KZbin, there are so many videos with tens of millions of views (one has over 20 million views) with some Skyrim music playing, along with the ambient ingame sounds, and the video shows some peaceful locations from the game, the videos are often about 1h long (but sometimes 10h as well). So many people just find this ambience calming and relaxing, and just always come back to it. Since the game is open-ended (it's still an RPG with a main quests, but a lot of people don't even focus on that) and you do a lot of exploration and walking around the map, most of the Skyrim OST doesn't play at specific locations or events but rather at certain settings/vibes. You have the outdoors day songs, outdoors night, towns & cities, taverns, dungeons, and then finally battle tracks. This song in particular is an outdoor night song, which conveys the feeling, in my opinion, of being outside in nature while everything is covered in snow just perfectly. It just radiates such a calming tranquility. And an interesting thing about Skyrim OSTs and other Bethesda games is that the music is actually one of the first things they do in the concept phase of the game. So they then use the composed music as a guidance for the vibe and tone for the whole game. (As to the other way around for most other studios, where the music comes after the locations are made)

[@jedor988]

I never actually knew the name of this song until I saw it on the patreon poll, to me it was always just "that relaxing winter forest song from Skyrim." Cause that's when it plays in-game, during moments of peaceful exploration of Skyrim's snowy woods and mountains. It's just quintessential icy snowy atmosphere music in my mind. Also the Wise Tree song but that's unrelated... xddtree

[@PalomaMcClain]

Skyrim was what really introduced me to what open world RPGs could be. This tune is so nostalgic

[@Azarel410]

This song only plays at night and it makes sense cuz you can always see the giant moon called Secunda in the sky when that time comes and how it fills the ambience of snowy, rainy or even the full of auroras sky is amazing..

[@neonlatte]

I love listening to the "exploration" part of the Skyrim OST as cozy background music when I'm working, especially in fall/winter months. It's so relaxing and has this ambient peacefulness for me, and reminds me of so many comfy hours exploring Skyrim.

[@kizznillroy07]

Jeremy Soule has crafted many of my favorite video game themes over the years. I will always be grateful for the music he shared with us.

[@hamzahax]

One thing that stands out about Elder Scrolls games is that they know how to create the atmosphere of their vast and diverse world for the player to enjoy, it actually makes you feel like a part of that world and has made me lose countless hour just aimlessly wandering through various places

[@Nautinthislifetime]

I still play Skyrim to this day but with a different music score modded in. As soon as Secunda started, I teared up there. I listened to this song so so much when I lost my father 8 years ago and it takes me right back. It is so beautiful, peaceful and serene.

[@MetroidFission]

I haven't played Skyrim since it came out basically but every so often I'll listen to a mix of this song that has added rain noises and is a few hours long. It's so relaxing.

[@carlosscreamer5028]

This song single-handedly convinced me to try the game, i started it yesterday lol, it was a geniune suprise to realize that the "Oh, you're finally awake" meme was from this game, and i'm still laughing about it. Let's see how it goes.

[@smol_hornet613]

The definitive night theme.

[@jesusfilosofo6385]

please do more of the elder scrolls soundtrack, its immaculate, one of the best worldbuilding pieces of media out there.

[@dreioo8759]

I always listen to Secunda during Winter evening walks especially when it snows and everything is silent. I'm lucky to live in a city that has an old quarter at the base of a mountain -- It's the perfect setting for Soule's exploration music.

[@outofthenox]

Besides the main Dragonborn theme, most of the songs in Skyrim are tranquil and serene. I have listened to this song and other Elder Scrolls music for hundreds of hours and I never tire of it.

[@outofthenox]

Oh, also excellent interpretation for not having played the game. 👍

[@rezahydra]

Spoilers I want you to imagine you’re heading into the north-eastern mountains of a continent. The only things you hear besides this music and the occasional creature that’s either friend or foe is the wailing winds and heavy snow falling. Then, suddenly, the snow breaks. The skies open up to an aurora borealis shining through the skies. That’s normally how this song plays. Occasionally it can play in southern parts of the game too, in the more forested regions, but still. Skyrim tends to be more ambient in its OST, beautifully so.

[@excrono]

The ambient Skyrim Atmospheres side of the Skyrim OST release would be of interest, which focuses on environmental effects from the game. It feels like a tribute to the 90s New Age nature with music sub genre.

[@SkyBlueFox1]

This is probably the most popular of the "overworld songs" in Skyrim, and for good reason - the piano sets a very distinct atmosphere, and combined with the landscapes this tends to play in (usually at night), it leaves an impact. ...that said, while I've softened up on Skyrim over the past few years, I still think this doesn't even hold a candle to Peace of Akatosh, from Oblivion (Skyrim's predecessor). They share the same general "environment" - typically playing at nighttime while out on the overworld - but they're executed very differently, which I think is the key. Secunda is more of a proper song, with the piano melody, the strings at the end, and so on... but Peace of Akatosh is a very minimalist, almost-entirely-choir-based piece, and it just hits *different*.

[@suicunesolsan]

Unexpected pick. It's not a boss theme or a main theme or a credits theme. It's just a song that makes an impression on you as you're exploring the world. Makes me want to play Skyrim again...

[@Daikyu9.47]

If I ever gonna be at my lowest and will have no hope in tomorrow, I know that I can turn on "The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim - Secunda" and life will become a happy and nostalgic place for 2 minutes and 5 seconds.

[@bpopa27]

This track is best appreciated in the context in which it's being played. : A moonlit tundra surrounded by mountain ranges

[@RatchildUK]

Skyrim music is just pure nostalgic bliss, love it so much

[@guruthosamarthruin4459]

I can't hear this song without imagining being at "my house" near Morthal, sitting on the porch, and watching the Aurora over the ocean.

[@jedikitteh]

God this brings back so many fond memories. Makes me wanna cry.

[@Boethion]

Serenity is an amt description of what it feels like to play Skyrim and wander around the map with no goal other than "lets see whats behind that mountain or in that Cave" which is the best way to play the game since you aren't ever forced to engage with the actual story. There are also random encounters like a couple of nobles trying to get to a wedding or a bandit ambush that could happen on the road which all really makes the world feel alive. Imo THIS is why Skyrim is so popular and there are many more ambient tracks like Secunda that further add to the vibe.

[@elecspark]

My experience with this song was always running in the dark moonlit grass hills of Skyrim in the night, maybe walking in town with torch light illuminating the city walls, running into strangers and wild animals whether friendly or dangerous. Riding my horse of choice or walking, with a companion who will chime in with observations and adventure along with me, on a quest to help someone get to a safe place or retrieve what was lost. Or walking alone after a tough battle with a mythical beasts like a dragon or troll, hopefully able to make it back to my home before I am met with another exhausting battle.

[@gandarf80]

Ahh yes, Secunda (and Dawn) the background music of many DnD games and streams, its the normal background music for our homegame too xD

[@lukapitkanen3333]

The whole Skyrim soundtrack is so good. Pick any track from the game and it's a total vibe. You should listen something from Oblivion too (the elders scrolls IV)

[@excrono]

His Skyrim Atmospheres side is the jewel in the crown of this soundtrack release.

[@consensus688]

Shame that the composer Jeremy soule got into drama years ago and basically vanished from the internet, Curious if they will be able to capture the same feeling in Elder Scrolls 6 with someone else

[@dewyocelot]

Did you also get recommended the video about “the disappearance and downfall of Jeremy Soule”?

[@gentianae]

@@dewyocelot I did

[@consensus688]

@@dewyocelot Yeah but it wasn't anything I didn't already know

[@excrono]

Sometimes the best approach to that kind of drama is to walk away with your art leaving its legacy on the world.

[@cerealexperimentsgrain]

this has gotta be one of my favorite tracks from skyrim

[@sander7989]

The original Skyrim trailer (not the announcement one) uses Dragonborn (and it’s the title theme), and it’s genuinely one of the most epic and impressive trailers ever made. I suggest looking it up.

[@ScarletThot]

This and “Streets of Whiterun” are my favorites

[@matthewbreytenbach4483]

If you'd like to hear some other great Jeremy Soule pieces then you should listen to The Besieged Town of Stonebridge from Dungeon Siege 1 and the main menu theme from Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.

[@RedheadButNotReally]

Shit you not, I've very quickly fallen asleep _multiple_ times while watching my girlfriend play this and this theme comes on. Easy thing to do after a hard day at my construction job. 😅

[@Komradvsky]

wise mystical tree

[@herbmaaster]

the music is the best aspect of elder scrolls 5, the gameplay is buns

[@guruthosamarthruin4459]

@1:57 Yeah, FF15 was literally trying to be like an Elder Scrolls game, and went so far as to literally rip off the entire theme song of The Elder Scrolls, almost note for note. I pointed that out immediately when I saw a video of it, and FF15 fanboys were actually trying to deny it. It's basically NOTE FOR NOTE. It's so much of a ripoff, that I wouldn't be surprised if they could sue for it!

[@JustKelso1993]

FF15 definitely is not an elder scrolls type game, it is just open world. That is where the similarities stop.

[@samuelsun3560]

...great bgm.. but sadly the most meme theme song from Skyrim and yes i hate memes hence why i said sadly