The Wii Shop Theme can teach you Jazz Songwriting

[@biggallcaps]

It gifts us with excellent themes for musical theory. Pacing, gentle chord progression, comfortable clashes, and because each bit of the melody takes regular breaks it is so easy to loop without making it feel like it is looping

[@Bardometer]

I can tell I'm getting better at music theory because each of these videos is starting to make more sense to me

[@Eltrotraw]

Hey, me too! I'm mostly self-taught using videos like this to help me learn more

[@Sol-Amar]

@@Eltrotraw How long have you've been self-teaching?

[@Eltrotraw]

@@Sol-Amar as of typing this message, almost two years

[@bazooka-9]

so true

[@Somanybeats]

Slowly but surely lol

[@NeosAvias]

That comments you may near the end about how a jazz teacher will be reluctant to admit how well this song is written made me remember my issues when I was in school from music education and stuff. The way that they talked about alternative forms of music and music comp and being so rigid about it really turned me off and I ended up not doing music for a long time after that. I really wish that communication on this kind of stuff was more common; you do a pretty good job at it. 💚

[@Sol-Amar]

I like music too. I don't like the rigidity, elitism, and competitive behavior that comes with it either. Perhaps you could be one of the many people here that will change that.

[@werdna1969]

“Guitar is not a musical instrument" - my high school music teacher 😢

[@doodman285]

I’m a professional electronic and metal musician. I have been a musician, music producer, sound engineer, and composer for over 10 years now. you wouldn’t believe how often I used to hear people tell me that I’m not a musician, or that electronic music is not real music. It’s so frustrating because I’m classically trained and can play the drum set and piano as well. But people are so rigid and close minded. I appreciate your comment because there too many people out there who don’t educate themselves on things before dissing it

[@TAP7a]

Bad theory teachers have ruined theory for entirely too many students. Always forgetting things like - Theory is descriptive, not prescriptive - Much of it is specific to (extended?) Common Practice Period - Students need to know that doing exercises with rigid rules is about building foundational skills and pattern recognition, like compositional and theoretical scales and arpeggios, not about "correctness" or creative prescription - shut up about parallel fifths unless you're doing CPP counterpoint. Just shut up. - like literary analysis, the goal is not and has never been to infer what the composer's "iNtEnTiOn" was, only to describe the relationships and structures in use - western classical theory _can_ be applied to music deriving from other traditions to gain *insight*, but it can *never* tell you anything about how _good_ a piece of music is. Descriptive not prescriptive. And more. If anyone reading is in a theory class which feels like it's actively trying to creatively stifle you, read the above truths a few times and realise it's got nothing to do with limiting your creative possibilities. If your teacher is using it to say your creative interests in general are somehow forbidden by theory, they're wrong, but if you try to spice up a 4-part Bach chorale with some crunch and are surprised your exercise is marked poorly then it is you who has missed the point. Theory is not a limiter, it is a descriptor of a certain kind of music which has been extended to the upper limits of flexibility. Exercises that help you internalise the structures of classical theory are not prescriptive

[@a1fastyellowkitten780]

i think anything can be music even know a few songs with dogs barking as the lead

[@pauljensen519]

Fun fact: The real title of this piece is "Wanderley", after the Bossa Nova legend Walter Wanderley. That's according to the sequence data for the piece.

[@duckielouise]

Amazing as always! 2:19 one note here is that elevator music was intended to keep early elevator passengers calm as they risked their lives riding often-failing lifts.

[@RobinSylveoff]

Adam Neely: Laufey isn't jazz 8-bit Music Theory: The Wii Shop Theme is jazz

[@kaiiboraka]

get out of my feed, charles

[@iau]

Adam Neely already covered the huge NY jazz scene around videogame music, including this theme

[@Veilure]

fr. jazz is whatever we want it to be, you stinky elitist :P

[@mateusbmedeiros]

As a Brazilian, I just wanna say thanks for making the effort to try to pronounce "Antônio Carlos Jobim" at 2:39, it was actually pretty decent! And I mean, in a good way! Like, of course if you spend a bunch of time trying to pronounce a specific word in a different language, you probably won't get near perfect. And that's absolutely normal. No one is entitled to require that someone that doesn't natively speak your language is able to magically learn new phonemes and rules than the ones you spent your whole life using. But still, I think it usually shows when the person at least made some effort vs someone who just pronounces it as they see it. And I appreciate that you cared enough to think about trying to make that effort. :)

[@ShowWithNoName]

This and the Mii Channel theme will live on for decades.

[@bongor628]

Wii Shop Wednesday will forever be a goated sketch, such a banger

[@RikiazGaming]

I cannot hear the Wii Shop theme without singing the song from that sketch. It's so damn funny.

[@BradsGonnaPlay]

@@RikiazGaming”okay we get it; you memorized a-“

[@JKKUSA]

I rike it. I rike it.

[@M1kaelJohansson]

I think the whole muzak/ elevator music thing has lost a lot of its original meaning/ associations with gen Z. Now you just hear regular top 40 pop music everywhere, so there's a novelty to music designed specifically to be non-intrusive. Not to mention the fact that the jazz/bossa nova influence that used to be so prevalent in pop music in the 60s and 70s has slowly been replaced by other sounds, so basically everything about the wii shop channel song sounded fresh and new in 2006

[@vidcas1711]

I’m on the older side of Gen-Z, and I can’t remember the last time I’ve actually heard muzak/elevator music in real life situations. To me, it’s always been an archaic trope in media, and have come to appreciate it from the Wii Shop channel and The Sims soundtrack.

[@feliperamedeiros]

Hey 8-bit! The Wii Shop Theme is clearly undeniable and heavily inspired by the tune "Surfboard" by Jobim! I've always thought that the theme was just a cooldown version of Surfboard 😅

[@davidgoeller5843]

Damn you weren't kidding. You can also hear the Wii Shop melody pop up for a second towards the end of Aspettando Giorgio from the great Nino Rota's soundtrack for Nights of Cabiria. I always thought that was the inspiration but your theory seems much likelier.

[@grubino]

I was going to say the exact same thing! I always felt like the only one who ever realized that...

[@AltimaNEO]

Huh, I figured they were mimicking 60s/70s retail store muzak

[@muulwarf]

Nice! I always thought Walter Wanderley's "Surfboard" to be the origin, but Jobim is actually 3 years earlier

[@jNetDowling]

I can't believe how much your channel has grown! Now if you'll excuse me, I'll be trying to get the Wii Shop theme out of my head for the rest of the day

[@phazonruler3000]

Good video but I wish you had taken a second to recognize the composer Kazumi Totaka.

[@TylerAStinson]

Learning jazz bass at SNHU. This is such a great video. I was learning how those upper extensions came from Romantic composer Claude Debussy and are also called French Impressionist Extensions. Still this is a 21st century bossa nova standard

[@markr.denison9768]

Nice analysis!! I am one of those jazz teachers (community college) and I just forwarded your video to our band chat. Great job! and Thanks! (because it's reinforcing exactly what we are studying right now - modulations!)

[@markr.denison9768]

And I sent them the link while I was still at the 10-minute mark. (And yeah, I cracked up at the jazz teacher comment at the end, because you are absolutely right. A lot of cats in higher ed tend to not give credit where it really is due.)

[@laradurrant2590]

Have you ever heard Casiopea's "Take Me"? I can't help but wonder if it was the original inspiration for the Wii Shop theme! Casiopea is a Japanese jazz fusion group from the 1970's/1980's with some seriously awesome music. Definitely worth checking them out if you haven't already.

[@Pericles777]

I don’t think I’ve heard elevator music since the late 90s. It got phased out and they just started playing pop radio essentially

[@emmbeesea]

It really does make you want to buy these things and bask in the wonders of jazz harmony. Another classic video in the books!

[@annieoddo1475]

There are two things I love about this video: 1, you’ve been consistently doing more totaka content and that guy is seriously one of the most interesting and talented composers ever to work in the game world, and 2, I just enjoyed listening to you talk about the history of bossa nova and how the style came to be. Jazz history is fascinating and wonderful and you sound like you’re really in your element when you talk about it.

[@sus-kupp]

6:14 bro thought we wouldnt notice him sneaking giant steps in there 💀

[@MaeJazz]

I was thinking this

[@ultra64fan1]

That's the power of the 2-5-1 👌

[@dink_lord_]

shouts out to the KNOWER clip :)

[@korados5146]

You beat me to it!

[@allthethingsyouare]

KNOWER RULZ!

[@Ircaleonius]

Haven’t finish listening but just want to mention the exact title of the video was my first thought upon listen to the song after my degree in jazz music haha

[@pauljs75]

I feel like if somebody was being funny and flubbed a bit while playing "Girl From Ipanema", they could just slip the Wii Shop in there without missing a beat before sliding back to the main song. Dunno why that comes to mind in this context, but it does.

[@moresnqp]

the section on voice leading with chord extensions was actually really useful, thank you! i normally do it myself but it's useful to know why

[@Lucas.Blevins]

It would’ve been cool if you linked all the covers you used footage from in the description so that I can go watch them! (And credit to other YT creators is always good)

[@kirjian]

3:09 LOUIS COLE

[@bmac4]

I cant hear this song without thinking of the Siivagunner rip where it becomes Fly Me to the Moon lol

[@furretturret]

This is very informative, thank you! Your video on the Dolphin Shoals solo from years ago was super useful for my own composition, and I've been referring back to your channel often!

[@liimlsan3]

🎶 I found the truth at Seventeen, / this song's a slowed-down Wii shop theme / with melody in slow descent / and two-five-one accompaniment.

[@Manamaraya]

man, I'm dying for someone to suggest splatoon's Ink Theory or Yoko and the Gold Bazookas for you to dissect. I love your videos so much. They're so accessible and entertaining, thank you.

[@GeekyGami]

My god Gmod Idiot Box AND Brentalfloss in the same video? What in the absolute fuck?

[@dogdrovenorth]

Take the Samba and slow it W A Y D O W N .

[@CarlitoProductions]

Gonna use this as a basis to study jazz. Totally didn't think of the Wii shop music as jazz but now it takes a while new level of appreciation

[@TwilightWolfi]

The wii shop theme is just... Girl from Ipañema. It sounds so similar, yet distances itself so much. The main melody is heavily influenced by it when you pay attention.

[@silphv]

A lot of bossa nova will sound similar, but it does sound a lot like Jobim (who wrote Girl from Ipanema) and especially like this song of his kzbin.info/www/bejne/q5KYpJuMmt6CgZY

[@silphv]

What would you call the form ii-♭ii°-i that’s in there multiple times? It looks kind of like a tritone sub (ii-♭II-I) but it’s targeting a minor chord so the third and seveth of the V7 are flatted, making it a dim7. Examples from the Wii shop theme are bar 5: (Bm7 - B♭°7 - Am7), and bars 13-14 see it twice in a row (D♯ø - Dm6) - (C♯m7 - C°7 - Bm7). The thirds and sevenths of ♭ii°-i make the same movement as V-I, but they are both one semitone flatter than in ii-V-I (relative to the ii), and since the third and seventh are so strong, the target i chord doesn’t feel like a resolution, it almost feels more like a I with a raised root (of a key one semitone flatter). The Wii shop theme doesn’t treat it like a resolution but reframes the i as the start of another ii-V-I (or another ii-♭ii°-i ) every time. What do you call this?

[@johnsch8634]

I feel like I'm listening to the Giant Bombcast and Jeff, Ryan and Vinny are just about to tell me about the hot new downloadable titles this week!

[@crumpsyjay]

Fantastic analysis as always.

[@TeaquestSagas]

I love Jazz, but the Wii Shop Theme never really stood out to me. Glad to connect some more with it over this video.

[@hudsondunbar7853]

I have been waiting on this specific video to drop for like 2 years now.... I love that so many streamers bring this back to use because of the nostalgia of it, and I unironically love the theme to the point where I even do work with it on in the background sometimes. It's just so good, and I feel like I can get stuff done to the the theme because it doesn't demand my attention. I can never get work done to something like a SMG playlist

[@TheUKNutter]

4:02 That’s a F#m7b5. You really need me to correct your notation.

[@zacharywong483]

Fantastic video, as always! Love your choice of piece to analyze!

[@brokensubaru93]

Love your videos man! Was wondering if you could cover some of the 'Risk of Rain 2' soundtrack if you haven't already?

[@element_119]

I second this, and also add Risk of Rain 1 and Deadbolt as well!

[@Pattamatt1998]

God yeah. Chris Christodolou's work on those games is phenomenal.

[@brunooliveira3579]

Bossa nova? Brasileiro invocado Vi tom jobim na thumb e cliquei 🇧🇷

[@pattrika]

I would love if you covered pikmin 4’s soundtrack! I love your pikmin video and would love a sequel.

[@official_swamp]

4:16 4:50 Bro stop calling sounds delicious☠️

[@Demanufactur3r]

Now you obviously have to give the Mii Channel theme the same great treatment!

[@SlyHikari03]

Totaka is the man.

[@MasDouc]

3:08 weird you show Knower here when they're not a jazz band they're a funk band. You should have shown someone like BadBadNotGood or something.

[@Dadmagic]

If you ever get chance please cover the reharmonisation of Zelda’s lullaby from the end of TotK, it’s really well done, considering how traditional the tune is normally portrayed across the games.

[@stonethemason12]

Just starting the video. The nostalgia is probably partly responsible. Never before has an online marketplace been so welcomed in our homes... 😐

[@dreampillet]

I just want to say this was a phenomenally concise and well explained video! It's so brilliant how you took a seemingly simple track so many of us were familiar with and used it to explain so many concepts it builds upon. I definitely have even more respect for the music after watching and will take these points into consideration when writing music myself.

[@gorntaron5156]

I don't understand all the musical explanations at all but the videos are really fun to listen too.

[@TheUKNutter]

8:23 😂😂😂 Trombone Champ!!!

[@henrybuckland6812]

Bro you HAVE to do a video about the puzzle song in the photo app

[@8bitMusicTheory]

Wow certified bop, can’t believe I’ve never heard this before!

[@smithjohnsonwilliams]

AGAIN THE MELODIC APPROACH TO BOSSA NOVA IS NOT TAKEN FROM AMERICAN JAZZ. CHORO is a Brazilian style already extremely popular in the streets of Brazil back in the 1860s/1870s. Look it up (Choro and Chorinho), does it sound like Jazz? Yeah it does but the timeline does not fit your american storytelling that it would have been taken from american jazz. Bossa Nova comes straight from Choro and Samba. Please stop this bs

[@pixelatedaces7952]

The bossa nova group in 2:48 is Joan Chamorro and the Sant Andreu Jazz Band. I'd HIIIIIGHLY suggest looking at their performances. They are a fantastic jazz youth band!

[@rcutler9]

"Knock knock" "Who's there?" "Putin" "Putin who?" "Putin my comment hete to say how great this video is 😎"

[@MarcPlaysPiano]

Helpful video. I’d better work on my II-V-Is now! Thanks.

[@covert0overt_810]

“you used to call me on my cellphone…”

[@maxspecs]

I don’t fully understand why but my brain keeps going to the Super Mario Land 2: 6 Golden Coins OST while listening to the Wii Shop theme.

[@trebmaster]

I miss these memes. The Wii shop channel song is INTENTIONALLY bland though. Don't miss that that's the joke.

[@capn_boxfort]

Love the Knower shots, especially that wtf shot of Sam the bassist

[@mistaowickkuh6249]

Nintendo is notorious for composing absolute fire shop themes and I refuse to believe they are supposed to be muzak or whatever. Another wonderful example would be hearing the shop theme in pokemon heart gold/soul silver for the first time. It's enchanting in a similar way. They did an awesome job with the hardware's capabilities. It even has a bit of a jazz standard easter egg in it. Their games are usually brimming with great music but I immediately remembered this since the topic is shop themes.

[@zerochan2915]

Voice leading is more like a tool rather than a reason to explain how certain chord movements work. Almost any chord can voice lead into any other chords in some specific voicings, with equal to or less than a wholestep movement in between the voices. But not all of them can be considered as a smooth jazz progression. You can't say that certain progression works because they have a good voice leading. A simple way to explain a progression is to just say that they are traditionally widely accepted in jazz, and give examples. On the other hand a ii-V-I doesn't need good voice leading to work. It also shouldn't be explained by mere voice leading. A lot of effort indeed but I am afraid that this video is somehow misleading to someone who are starting to get into jazz writing. The wii shop theme is certainly a masterpiece, but it should be explained in a more professional manner.

[@rogeriomelofranco]

It is a pastiche of Jobim's Surfboard song. If you want to listen to the real thing, try Jobim's Antonio Brasileiro album version

[@loreleiofthemist]

if young people dont like elevator music, why is vaporwave so popular? on the contrary i find a lot of younger people (gen z and below) are fascinated by it and a lot of millenials like myself are nostalgic for it. maybe that's why the wii shop channel theme gives me such a warm and fuzzy feeling.

[@sadib100]

I suddenly realized how this song sounds like "Here Comes a Thought" from Steven Universe.

[@NickHoad]

7:47 almost 20 years of making music including a degree and I never knew this

[@SJrad]

Honestly elevator music is has such a nostalgic feel

[@ctoonlink]

Wii Shop Bling mentioned 🥹🥹🥹

[@olxad9]

I didn't know Jerma played acoustic guitar, based on the thumbnail

[@pureetofu]

I would love to see your analysis of the Mii Channel Music compared to the Wii Shop Channel

[@lunarkorr]

I can't believe that it took the breakdown of the Wii Shop Theme for me to recognize that the death music in Mario games is also Jazz.

[@thespeedyyoshi]

“As you know now, since you watched this far…” I think you’re greatly overestimating my ability to understand what you’re talking about 😅😅

[@thespeedyyoshi]

I just like watching the magic brainless haha

[@Crespire]

Bruh, I have a jazz music degree and I learned some shit. Granted, I was a bad student, but still!

[@luancarvalhomatos7888]

Do That Ab7 Gmaj7 couts as a V-I to G again? If that is true so this songs modulates do 7 different keys

[@Mellowbaton]

Great video, but youre wrong about one thing: Elevator music is hip af

[@habbi1974]

hi there i can't dissociate this melody from "surfboard" by jobim himself. both are almost identical at first.

[@JeffBriceMusic]

I saw you Giant Stepping in there, don't think you can hide from me :P

[@TAP7a]

Nice Gmod Idiot Box clip, hadn't thought about that series in ages

[@immagns]

antônio carlos jobim a legend a goat i swear

[@shyfire6416]

how do you really change keys with II V I i never got tha

[@briankennedy4141]

this is a really accessible breakdown of a lot of the core concepts of jazz harmony. the suggestion that the melody is playing a subversively supporting role is so obvious, but its honestly never even occurred to me in this kind of context. good shit all around

[@rich_in_paradise]

While I agree that it is a genuinely good piece of music, I think it's only become very popular in recent years as a meme almost. I'd certainly never heard it when the Wii was a current console.

[@wangledteb5671]

this and the Mii Channel are both modern classics lol

[@TheGlamourNazi]

I love that groovin…. What is that, a bossa nova beat?

[@chickengogo1683]

super mario rpg sonic the hedgehog donkey kong 3

[@florentsolut1521]

Wow, is that Gmod idiot box at 2:09 ?! :D

[@funtonite]

I recognized it too!!

[@pulserato5922]

Bro talks about jazz standards and shows Knower footage...

[@whackman47]

"If you like it you should have put a ring on it"

[@zachindes]

The theme is just too good, it’s too easy to loop and too catchy not to play the entire thing when I hear it

[@vulminous]

Oh hey im early. I absolutely love your videos, every one is informational and investigates in depth music I've never even considered before. Amazing job ❤

[@lfmssoundman]

Why did it take you so long to make this video?❤

[@dexmagedan5530]

I hate slow bossa but love faster bossa like 180 and up

[@neeko5918]

I FUCKING LOVE BOSSA NOVA MUSIC FINALLY A NICHÉ VIDEO FOR MEEEEE

[@samanthaturner1836]

Welp I guess I'm composing a bossa nova style piece now.

[@masonwong6131]

The Wii was my childhood, and this will stick with me forever...

[@purpleabsol2115]

Is it just me or do a lot of the downward motions around 11:15 sound like game over themes in other nintendo games?

[@ledusko]

Hey I’m currently following intensive music theory learning with only youtube tutorial, and I’m getting a lot of things in juste one week, but it’s the first time I see thoses numbers with the « ^7 » what those that mean? I think it’s the key for me to really understand the video (I’m not fluent in english so if he explain it in the video I’m sorry I might don’t get it)

[@silphv]

The little hat ^ (called a caret) over a number refers to "scale degree". So for example I could say: in the key of C, the dominant chord G7 is made up of the notes of scale degrees ^5, ^7, ^2, ^4. Sometimes instead of referring to the scale of the key, it might be the interval relative to the root of a chord. So in this video he uses ^3 and ^7 and ^9 to just refer to an interval relative to the current chord (as he has labeled them). Bonne chance !

[@Basheequa]

Great video, I just wanted to add that I think the intro is a big part of why it blew up so much, specifically because of none Wii owners like myself. The intro comes on suddenly, strong, grabs your attention and it's easy to remember and I think the intro is what elevates the theme from being just a meme for Wii owners to a full gaming community meme.

[@connordarvall8482]

6:00 Warn me before you hit me with the Watery Graves.