What Makes a GOOD Leitmotif? | Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time/Darkness/Sky

[@josephmurray5915]

The sound tracks to these games are so underrated. They are so pretty.

[@jacksonlovesnintendo]

#gocougs

[@ericantillon8202]

Jackson 🙏🏽🙏🏽

[@cocoahere875]

That opening theme straight up sound like music from the start of an old movie

[@kjl3080]

Yeah I agree

[@Coolio_Ash]

Honestly the whole early series is underrated.

[@calebangell77]

The mystery dungeon series, especially the soundtrack, is truly underrated.

[@shinigamimiroku3723]

Really? Everywhere I go, I always hear how incredible the MD games and soundtrack are. Not quite with the rabidness of the Undertale fandom, granted...

[@BHox01]

@@shinigamimiroku3723 Really? Everywhere you go? The greater gaming community doesn't even know these games are good, or potentially that they even exist.

[@MusicalRiolu]

i wouldn't say underrated as much as it is unknown. pretty much every single person who I've seen listen to it has enjoyed it and acknowledge it as good.

[@RogueRen]

I just hate how TPC has stabbed and mutilated the series into a "kid friendly" game that is so easy now that the newest games LITERALLY play themselves (L button to turn on auto mode)

[@MusicalRiolu]

@@RogueRen uhm can't you like not press L????? it like it's feature you can turn off, it's just there for people who want to use it it's like a counterpart to having an easy mode in the main menu, but in gameplay, and you still need to play battles out.

[@Shymain]

It's perhaps worth noting that the third (sky) leitmotif is itself a variation of the main leitmotif from the original PMD games, which I think is pretty cool. It serves more as a motif for the whole series rather than just this game, which makes it even more emotionally resonant in moments like various of the ending themes.

[@emmadraws14953]

YESSSS, I always called it "the rescue team main theme", because that's where it came from. I love it so much

[@adamlee4218]

I think i remember it in super mystery dungeon but do they use it in gates to infinity?

[@Shymain]

@@adamlee4218 I haven't played GTI yet, actually! So I'm not sure about that. But since I don't have a good response, here's a fun tidbit: Check out the Sky Tower theme from the original PMD games (specifically the bridge section around 2:00) and see if you can find anything that sounds familiar! I just noticed it while playing PMD DX a couple days ago, but I'm fairly confident that it actually contains a quite similar motif to the one used in Dialga's Fight to the Finish. Really cool how interconnected these soundtracks are!

[@elsplorgo1547]

Okay Edgeworth

[@extremmefan7305]

@@adamlee4218 When my sis played Gates, I remember hearing a part of the opening sound like something I heard in Explorers's soundtrack a number of times. And given it was the opening, I'm going to assume that was the theme in question.

[@Jskid666]

Yes!!! The best pokémon soundtracks are finally getting the respect they deserve!!! The Don't ever forget music still gets me to tear up.

[@altos5069]

Oh man, I'm tearing up just thinking about that song. xD ;_;

[@hyperr799]

Agreed. Didn't help that I had to see my favorite pokemon crying at my death

[@FizzieWebb]

Memories Returned, for that absolute gut punch.

[@timegame8026]

Memories Returned..

[@kevin13cabello]

I have only ever played sky so this is the first time hearing of I don't want to say goodbye. I looked it up and it's just called "Don't Ever Forget" in the sky version.

[@ShroomRPG]

The fact someone did all this with DS soundfonts in 2008 still blows my mind.

[@karimari974]

Laugh in Mozart

[@ShroomRPG]

@@karimari974 DID MOZART MAKE HIS MUSIC WITH DS SOUNDFONTS? HUH? DID HE? I DIDN'T THINK SO, SMH

[@n-2873]

@@karimari974 smh

[@aubreyh1930]

@@ShroomRPG yes he did how do you not know that smh

[@heldon7951]

Tru

[@Linkchu]

When you have to limit it to 3 leitmotifs because the game has more than you can possibly cover in one video... My life may finally be fulfilled with this video released. This was something I never expected to get but it was without a doubt needed.

[@AdvosArt]

petition for a longer video with all the leitmotifs

[@zekromplayspiano]

10 hour full soundtrack analysis lets go bois

[@Linkchu]

@@zekromplayspiano I'm down, let's make it happen.

[@MusicalRiolu]

when the motif content of your game is so good, a video called "what makes a good motif" didn't even need to cover the fan favorite.

[@cantavanda]

Hello Linkchu!

[@csweezey18]

It is my humble opinion that the Mystery Dungeon series (especially Time, Darkness, and Sky) are LEAGUES better than main series Pokémon. They are horribly underrated, unfortunately.

[@shinydino]

Satan Agreed!

[@matthewv.g7594]

That's not an opinion you just stating facts.

[@antifascistamerican3782]

Pre-Gen VI, both series are neck and neck.

[@AuraKumo104]

Unfortunately people seem to hate dungeon crawlers and care more about gameplay they like rather than story. PMD is underrated, because most people can't seem to get past the fact that they don't like dungeon crawlers and don't give it a chance. Most Pokemon fans only play rpg or jrpg games, so they don't pay attention to spinoffs that are different from the main series. PMD is kind of a niche series.

[@JasonsHoerbuchstube]

If Satan tells the truth, than it has to be MORE than true XD

[@AuraBOI]

I really REALLY hope we get an Explorers remake like the Rescue Team remake

[@pokemind7159]

I'd be so endlessly happy if that were to happen, would be the greatest moment of my life and that is truly no exaggeration

[@brennanruiz1803]

An Explorers remake will be what eventually gets me to buy a Switch.

[@barmacidic2257]

AuraBOI honestly, I’d be happy if we got that, and we never even saw a glimpse of the Gen 4 remake. A Gen 4 remake used to be what I wanted, and felt was realistic, but now that there’s a Rescue Team remake, I care much less about Gen 4, and much more about having more people play this amazing game.

[@firebubble2]

Pretty sure it's going to come, probably some time after the Gen 4 remakes maybe comes out :)

[@FizzieWebb]

I'd like them to ditch the storybook artstyle, but as long as the story isn't altered, and the soundtrack is remastered faithfully, I will be really happy.

[@eeeeggnog._.]

Surprised this didn't even cover the motif every fan of this game thinks of most. The melody in Time Gear, Through the sea of time, Temporal Tower/Spire, Dialga's Fight to the Finish, In the Hands of Fate.

[@thebravegallade731]

this game, this SERIES, has WAY too many motifs and WAY too many songs using said motiefs to cover even a fraction in one video.

[@Missingno_Miner]

@@thebravegallade731 Still, rather odd not to use the best known motif in the game

[@khazaharto515]

@@Missingno_Miner well this is disscusion of a good leitmotif with an example of PMD song, instead of disscusion about PMD leitmotif itself

[@Missingno_Miner]

@@khazaharto515 You are totally correct, however I still feel it's rather odd to leave out one of the most instantly recognizable motifs in the game.

[@Eclin]

Don’t ever forget always makes me teared up

[@anthonycasino8955]

I love how the Sky Motif is also used in Wigglytuff's Guild, along with that "left, left, left, right, left" marching bass line.

[@horrorfan117]

I'm actually surprised it wasn't brought up as an example. Wigglytuff's guild is such a bop.

[@Ham_991]

Time Sky Darkness? Explorers? Mystery Dungeon? 8 BIT MUSIC THEORY?!?! Count me in!

[@actualizedanimal]

I love the way the Time motif is used in "Don't Ever Forget", one of the most emotional songs in the game. Up to that point in the story, the Time motif is used in mysterious and mystical contexts, but here it's just incredibly bittersweet.

[@NitroIndigo]

Don't you mean the Darkness motif?

[@Horystar]

@@NitroIndigo Both are used, the time motif is a bit tweaked tho

[@NitroIndigo]

@@Horystar Oh. I never noticed it.

[@khazaharto515]

U know Defend Globe?

[@Horystar]

@@khazaharto515 I haven't listened to it in a while

[@vahto7854]

Me watching this video without any knowledge of music theory: "Ah, notes, i see. I collected them in Banjo-Kazzoie."

[@GiroKuluBOWSER]

God it is about TIME that someone talked about this soundtrack, thank you so much for making this!! I still cry listening to the tracks from the end of the game, thats how impactful this OST is

[@pekowhomst7994]

I haven’t even played explorers but the soundtrack I can feel the emotion poured into the music nonetheless

[@Zelinkokitsune]

Yea the those tracks really did forever entwine them with those events. They're damn chilling...

[@khazaharto515]

Have you heard Defend Globe?

[@holyelephantmg8838]

You mean to tell me Dialga talked about this soundtrack.?

[@nickbullinger141]

The climax of Time Gear sounds like Dialga's Fight to the Finish, and both sound like the Chrono Trigger theme, although that's probably a coincidence Edit: specifically the B section of Chrono's theme

[@bengoodwin2141]

Well, it uses the same leitmotif, it is the *time* motif after all

[@WeazelGaming]

Not only Dialga's Fight to the Finish; Temporal Tower, Through the Sea of Time, and In the Hands of Fate all call back to Time Gear. Heck, there's probably more call backs to that specific melody that I'm not remembering. It helps connect all these themes and the events that occur as they play to one another, it's really cool!

[@Shadox-yv8ms]

Weazel75 Yeah Time Gear is the most used leitmotif in these games which makes sense considering its the most important item in the story

[@TheJanny]

I've always thought the overall mood and atmosphere of the early mystery dungeon games feel very inspired by Chrono Trigger

[@ArloMathis]

I had the same feeling regarding the similarity to Chrono Trigger. TBH I think it's mostly due to both games using an ethereal, unstable feeling and a ticking type of rhythm to evoke their themes of time in general.

[@jakepenndragon2670]

Both Temporal Tower and Temporal spite evoke unique emotions with the “time motif” with Temporal Tower evoking a pressing urge to get to the top whereas Temporal Spire makes you wait in anticipation as to what’s going to happen at the top. I don’t know anything about music theory but Mystery Dungeon does an amazing job with it’s score that I love

[@antifascistamerican3782]

Jake Penndragon Music KZbinr GlitchxCity likes to pepper the time motif in her Pokémon remixes.

[@A_Player]

I was literally JUST thinking about why there wasn't an analysis like this on the PMD soundtrack. Then I noticed that this was uploaded TODAY. My mind is officially blown. I don't know anything about music theory but I still find these videos interesting.

[@renno2679]

Theres another one made by someone else. I don't remember who tho lol

[@turaychu]

@Divvy Glazed what about me:3

[@cloudeddaze9502]

I was almost crying this whole video. The music of these games means everything to how they’re pulled off

[@EruRoraito040]

I love how you grab this 2007 gem right when the whole world is like: "ANIMAL CROSSING!!" Another fantastic Analysis! I love this channel.

[@markdm1125]

Seeing this in my feed improved my day. Nobody talks about these game anymore. I wish they did.

[@buizelmeme6288]

Also, can you make a “How PMD music makes you cry” Video? Just like the “How Pixar Music makes you cry” Video

[@micmikhail]

Yes I want this tooooo!!

[@serendrixsan9191]

Bruh i cried so hard when my main character died after the dialga battle

[@MusicalRiolu]

it just does

[@emmbeesea]

For a spin-off series, PMD has some of the best music in the franchise. So much character from different composers and arrangers to make unique and memorable music while keeping the grand adventure of catching them all from the main series of games. Absolutely wonderful. A friend of mine made an orchestral arrangement of "I Don't Want to Say Goodbye" and as a percussionist, I gushed over how much attention the mallet instruments get not just for the melody, but also the driving rhythm and harmony.

[@timegame8026]

Who says a Spin off couldn't be a Masterpiece lol

[@emmadraws14953]

Ooh can we have the link?

[@Wurmze]

Honestly gen 4 in general has the best music in the franchise

[@MrTalithan]

There is a very good reason as to why many people consider the PMD series BETTER than the mainline games. The music is one of the pillars that support the claim. The second is the writing and characters. I have yet to confirm the third, but I think it's just the amount of Content they typically, especially Explorers of Sky's case, have.

[@timegame8026]

@@MrTalithan well. Another thing is. It isn't the same mainstream 10 year old forcing animals to fight for money. (Dogfighting lol)

[@tri-slosher]

The soundtrack for the Explorers games changed my outlook on game soundtracks as a whole, and this video only heightens my appreciation for how well crafted the OST really is. Thanks for making a video on this masterpiece of a soundtrack!

[@TheOnyomiMaster]

Nitpick: "Life Goes On" is the ending theme for one of the special episodes, not the entire game, but I do agree that both "Life Goes On" and the regular ending theme use the motifs in ways that create a good "sendoff" effect. Also, some motifs you didn't discuss but that I think are very noteworthy (no pun intended): - The Dialga/Temporal Tower motif - used in "Dialga's Fight to the Finish", "Time Gear", "Through the Sea of Time", "Vast Ice Mountain", etc. - Motifs from Red and Blue Rescue Team (the intro and Pokémon Square themes) - reused in "Pokémon Exploration Team Theme", "Wigglytuff's Guild", "Top Menu Theme", "On the Beach at Dusk", etc. I'm actually really glad that the intro motif was used a lot in Explorers because it wasn't used much in Rescue Team at all.

[@Shymain]

Man, every time I hear the re-arranged opening theme as part of the ending sequence, I get chills. EoS and co. have some of the best written music in video games and I adore the soundtrack.

[@fakeadamlee]

Music from the explorer games really invited you into their world, miss playing this game for the first time and being a part of the guild

[@Antoras663]

Excellent video, I never even picked up on the “Darkness” leitmotif in the soundtrack until now! I do want to note that you didn’t cover the most significant leitmotif in the soundtrack, which is the second half of “Time Gear”, and appears in many tracks such as “Pokemon Exploration Team Theme”, “Through the Sea of Time”, “In The Hands of Fate”, “Temporal Tower”, “Temporal Spire”, “Dialga’s Fight to the Finish!”, “Ending Theme” and “Vast Ice Mountain Peak”. I also wanted to see you mention how the “Sky” leitmotif is used in the Ending Theme Intro and Ending Theme itself. The Ending Theme also feels like a strange omission from the video since it features many leitmotifs, including the main theme of the previous game, Rescue Team, and is itself a beautiful track. But it warms my heart to see the Explorers music analysed like this!

[@KMArrangements]

Always loved this series and I'm incredibly excited that you covered the games music, there is such charm to its music that I can't get enough of it! Glad I could help you out a bit with my transcriptions! :)

[@Pikanyaasan]

KM Arrangements Thank you so much for requesting it! Despite having no background in music theory, I’ve always wanted a music channel to talk about PMD music and why it sounds so catchy, emotional, and memorable. Hopefully this won’t be the last 8BMT video talking about PMD. I’d love to see one on Super MD’s soundtrack, especially highlighting its use of rhythm shifts in the dungeon soundtracks specifically, and whatever else they use to make each dungeon sound so thematically unique.

[@ADayintheLifeoftheTw]

I don't know anything about music, instruments, song writing; anything. Yet I always enjoy your videos because of how passionate you are in explaining the topics and how you actively try and show explinations for the audience to follow along. Thank you for that. Keep up the great work.

[@emmadraws14953]

YES YES YESSSSSS the PMD soundtracks getting the RESPECT THEY DESERVE

[@TheHappyMadman]

Hey I recognize you from Own Eye/Skarblown's stuff

[@emmadraws14953]

@@TheHappyMadman oh haha you've seen my comments?

[@TytolisMemes]

Outstanding video! Very PMD.

[@dede6giu]

much pokemon. sad story. such tears

[@TightSweaters4]

Fun fact Anoyth is a good person

[@ClearsightAltAccount]

oh hi aaaaaaaanoyth

[@lineshawn4819]

I love how Primal Diagla's theme plays with the time theme and throws a bit of the sky theme in there too.

[@harryrobinson6195]

After growing up with the pure magic that is the PMD: Explorers of Sky soundtrack, this was truly a welcome surprise, another amazing video man :)

[@NimbusAlamaa]

Explorers of Sky has been my favorite OST for years, thank you so much for doing a vid on it!

[@megankarow2328]

this game is the reason why i’m a music composition major! there’s so much love and care put into the ost and it shows with every note. i could talk about it for hours.

[@fatestarne2694]

Sideways, is that you? Love these games so much, going as far as saying they are my favorite games ever. Thank you so much for this video!

[@TheSteelDialga]

@A Rogue FBI Agent oh god no

[@TurtwigX]

Whenever it's safe to hold a convention again, this'll be a part of my next Layering Leitmotif panel. I love how you really dig into the strengths of each leitmotif and show how versatile a melody can really be. And what a game to pull from. It's what sparked my love and fascination for Turtwig and Pokémon in general. Just thinking about it again is making me want to do a second playthrough~

[@BlueGrovyle]

Sacrifice and Dialga's Fight to the Finish share a pretty unforgettable motif.

[@hh-dr4db]

8-bit Music Theory: Leitmotifs should be distinct. Uematsu: ascending melodic minor scale (Shinra theme)

[@TimBagels]

Uematsu is just built different. He IS the exception

[@heldon7951]

I'm so happy you did a video on my favorite game. :) Pokemon Mystery Dungeon Explorers of Sky is truly an adventure. The music, story, emotions are just perfect and I'm so happy it's still getting some recognition 😢❤️

[@murabitoreal]

this is exactly why i love this game’s soundtrack thank you so much.

[@SuperPaperPokemon]

Guess who's happy that their favourite Franchise having any sort of representation? Me!

[@nathan714]

whenever i think of leitmotifs, i thinkof the one present in "dialga's fight to the finish" i have no understanding of music theory to tell you which note it is, only that it also appears in the "goodbye" in a far more somber tone than the adventurous one it has throughout the game making you feel like this departure is tied to the fight that just occured

[@generalsweet8212]

That’s weird, I was just thinking about playing through this game again.

[@PeppoMusic]

The new Animal Crossing New Horizons has very strong (well, interesting at least) usage of leitmotif in fairly large amount of tracks with a very wide diversity and in some, it's very subtle but definitely there, a lot more subtle than your examples given. It's definitely short and recognizable. Also, great vid!

[@galebegnaud9447]

All these comments are saying how memorable this soundtrack, and they’re right, this game was my childhood, and any time I hear the ost I’m flooded with nostalgia

[@FizzieWebb]

Seeing thing thumbnail: Oh, cool leitmotifs in pokemon, there are some pretty iconic ones. Reading the title: Exploration Team Theme, the best opening song Pokemon has ever had.

[@CrappyBlue]

this video made me so emotional. i played Explorers of Time at a really formative part of my life, and i haven't played through it in full in years, but apparently just hearing the music today is enough to make me cry. i'll take this moment to comment on another strong leitmotif in the soundtrack, one that actually comes up in the video at 17:40. this is a holdover from the first game, Red/Blue Rescue Team, and the way it's used between both games and as a connection point between both soundtracks gives it strong ties to the core concept of starting and adventuring as a rescue team. in the first game's soundtrack, it can be heard at the end of the title theme, and in general it seems like a minor, occasionally-recurring part of that game's full theme. in Explorers of Time/Darkness/Sky, it's again found in the last 8 bars of the menu theme, but it's also prominently featured at the beginning of Wigglytuff's Guild and "Do Your Best, as Always!", the theme used for the player's home in the postgame. it's notable in contrast to the leitmotifs discussed in this video in one major way: where this video highlights leitmotifs that represent aspects of the narrative that come into contact with key events (the growing darkness, the loss and gain of time's flow), the "rescue team" motif is hinted at once in the menu theme before being firmly planted in the guild theme, which gets used at various points in the game to highlight optimism and determination from the protagonists. leitmotifs are often talked about in the transformative sense, where they are shaped and reshaped by their use in the narrative, but they can also be unchanging, unflinching themes and still be leitmotifs simply because they're attached to a particular idea and recur whenever that idea does.

[@chicle-_3536]

Perfect timing because I just finished this game like 2 days ago (including the special episodes) Truly a wonderful experience.

[@pedrogomezid]

I'm so fucking happy you did this, the PMD series uses Leitmotif in such an amazing way. When I realized Defy The Legends reprises Run Away in a triumphant tone it gave me goosebumps.

[@egan452]

My favorite motif is the one from Through the Sea of Time. It's the one with the most emotional impact to me and is by consequence the one most associated with the game in my mind. It plays at both emotional highpoints and lowpoints, and I think conveys the courage the characters have to have.

[@elkholm]

Man, as someone who loves every little thing about music, and someone who loves this games soundtrack as well as the fact that it's my all-time favorite game, this was a heck of a thrill to watch. Keep it up. Music in video games get far overlooked as is!

[@TheVirtualRealityShow]

You have no idea how thankful I am that you've made this :') my new video intro that I'm adding to my upload later today uses pokemon mystery dungeon as inspiration. This soundtrack is everything to me, truly.

[@cydrofx]

Arata Iiyoshi is a musical genius. My favourite Leitmotif is the main melody for Temporal Tower and how it shifts and evolves as you climb the levels, Temporal Tower, Temporal Spire and Temporal Pinaccle

[@myrrical2203]

I feel like I didn't realize how good the music and these games in general were when I was first played them

[@mysticat]

just what i was looking for!

[@tristanmorgan4661]

Yes

[@TheMaestroso]

Really surprised you didn't mention how the latter half of the time motif was integrated into the accompaniment in the Time Gears track. It's such a cool implementation!

[@gamefan1353]

Even just the music at the beginning made me super emotional again. I love those games

[@Kitty_kisses97]

This game and its sound track have such a powerful effect on me, even all these years later. i was getting chills up and down my spine and I was also tearing up a bit. I'm so sad that these games are so underrated. They're so beautiful.

[@RyanLeach]

Something about the Pokemon Exploration Team Theme at 14:31 reminds me of early They Might Be Giants, like Pencil Rain or something.

[@sargentbaco9182]

I’m so happy you analyzed music from this game. It might be my favorite soundtrack of all time. These games are a wonder and no other game has ever made me feel so much..

[@slavicsandvich5967]

PMD2 and have Paper Mario 2 in the intro. Both my favourite games ever. Thank you for pointing out just how well thought-out the OST is in this game(s)! I never noticed all those connections in the very first song!

[@Theaggyyu]

I very much enjoy this series so I'm thrilled to see my recordings of the cutscenes appear in this video! Thank you for talking about this amazing series

[@GD-ep5fl]

[@GentlemanJaggi]

I don't get a whole lot of this music theory stuff but what I did understand is that this game's soundtrack is objectively excellent (although I of course already knew that!) Thanks for making this video and thanks to KM for suggesting this. PS: I love how excited you sound about "Life Goes On" at the end ;D

[@jblen]

This is going straight in the watch later because I need my brain to kick into gear before watching it, but for now all I have to say is that mystery dungeon EoT/D/S have such incredible OSTs and I'm so glad you're delving into them Edit: well, I came back and boy, I played explorers of time so the time motif really brings back a ton of memories. Saying that, I'm not sure if you were saying all three motifs appeared in all games, which if that's true then I just remember the time motif because it's the best one in my opinion. I do also feel like the 'sky motif' is the guild motif rather than the sky one, since it does appear in all three games for sure, and if my memeory serves correctly I think it's commonly used in association with the guild or wigglytuff rather than whatever 'sky' is meant to imply.

[@zacharyhojdik4863]

Please do more PMD analysis in the future, the soundtrack of these games are some of our favorite songs and carry a lot of memories. Being able to understand why helps so much in learning why I care about these songs and continue to think about the good times!

[@AnthonyJohnson-zk7cc]

I've always loved your videos, they have really got me into music theory and i've started writing music and doing transcriptions because of it, your videos have been a huge inspiration to me and they cover one of the most underrated forms of music, video games!

[@hashbrownslinging-slasher872]

Apind Bro, 100% in the same boat here. After I realized just how passionate his analysis were for all these great tracks, but how little of it I actually understood, I just had to delve in further. Now I’ve written tons of pieces that I’m proud of. Kind if incredible, really.

[@kavinaderrow3269]

I was just looking for something like this yesterday. I really love the Time Gear motif. It's in Temporal Tower and Dialga's Fight to the Finish, as well as Grovyle's sacrifice.

[@Nyahahameha]

The leitmotif that stuck with me is the string of notes at 17:40. If I remember correctly, it was most prominent in Wigglytuff's Guild theme and also appeared in the Treasure Town theme. Memories of getting ready to explore the next dungeon always come rushing back when I hear it.

[@damayonnaise]

Thank you thank you thank you!!! I loved this video so much! I have always thought the music from these games and the rescue team games was absolutely phenomenal! The "sky" theme is also reminiscent of the theme from red and blue rescue team, which makes it even cooler! I cannot thank you enough for analyzing the phenominal music of these phenominal games! The music is so criminally underrated! By far, it's some of my favorite video game music of all time!

[@liamwhite3522]

My favorite game, AND my favorite music concept?! Hell yes! Edit: No damn way. I never clocked the Dark motif. It's so satisfying having it shown, and to have a motif to each version is great!

[@liamwhite3522]

Now that I recognize the Dark motif, it's ALL OVER in Dusknoir and Palkia's boss themes, with an added walk down after the fact for added menace. And of course Dialga's theme includes the Time motif, and Sky too, I'm now discovering. God, this soundtack is so good.

[@egg1899]

Listening to the music brings back so many emotions and memories. MY HEART CAN'T TAKE IT MAN.

[@filippopratesi2997]

I get chills every time I listen to tracks from these games. They're genius, if I may say so in my blissful ignorance of anything that is music theory

[@galacticpenguinz2205]

Nothing could ever come close to PMDs music for me, thank you for making this!

[@trombonekid1998]

Last year for my Theory IV class, I did an analysis of the leitmotifs in Dialga's fight to the finish. I had no idea just how interwoven those themes were in the soundtrack! This probably explains why I love this game's music so much.

[@Hadaron]

For a New Life, shown at 5:55, has an additional dose of symbolism that I LOVE. Those lighter chime-like bells at the start always represent the heroes. Those lower, tolling bells always represent the villains. For the first time, the villain (Dusknoir) is starting to align himself with the heroes (Grovyle). They’re echoing beautifully in this song.

[@kiro9291]

16:56 my heart melted from nostalgia thank you for doing this, I'm gonna go play the game again now edit: I felt genuine excitement and thrill through the whole video, this is my favorite video from you so far, best 23 minutes of my life

[@Nryan-ks5tz]

i know little music theory but i can appreciate your enthusiasm and it's pmd :) good video

[@frogabelle]

my eyes went WIDE when I saw you were doing PMD!

[@the_furf_of_july4652]

The Kid agreed

[@cavanohara1541]

This is such a good video! I showed it in my music theory class last year and it just enhanced one of my favorite games from my childhood even more

[@zorquil]

Honestly, PMD has some of the best motifs and soundtracks in the whole Pokémon franchise. However, my favorite leitmotif transformation has to be "Magnagate" from PMD: Gates to Infinity. More importantly, the transformation of this motif when used in "Infinite Dungeon 2". In Magnagate, the feeling of the piece is more adventurous, excitement abound. Meanwhile, Infinite Dungeon 2 gives a more epic adventurous sound, with a more "finality" to it. I'm talking about the main motif that starts in the second chorus, and how the harmonic structure changes everything. --- In "Magnagate", it brings forth the adventurous sound by using a major sound. With the instrumentation, a lot of the sounds are higher pitch. The strings are soaring with or above the main pan flute, while the bells and snare roles emphasize beats 1 and 3 on the first measure and the first beat of the second measure, with the bass drum hitting beats 3 and 4. On the last measure of the 8 bar phrase, the bells strike on each beat while the snare mixes the roll and triplet figure by rolling the first beat and hitting the two other beats in the triplet form. The pulse throughout is given by the timpani. All together, it gives a huge adventurous vibe everyone getting excited for. However, in "Infinite Dungeon 2", when it gets to the Magnagate motif, the pan flute plays the same melodic idea almost completely identical to the one in "Magnagate" (with the only difference being tempo). But instead of the high strings giving a more joyous excitement, it plays its own countermelody that's a bit more hollow and sad. The snare is completely removed, instead replaced with a more striking sounding drum that emphasizes beats 1, and of 2, and 4, giving a bit more openness with a constant eighth note pattern. Each 8-bar phrase starts with a wail of a woodwind instrument. The pulse, once again, is given by the timpani. All together, it gives a more final dungeon-type sound. --- The other reason I love "Infinite Dungeon 2" and "Magnagate" is mostly due to the fact that it was the one that really introduced me to the power of a motif. Sure, there are other songs with motifs and the like, but when I first heard "Infinite Dungeon 2", I loved the sound of it, and when it hit the Magnagate part, it sent chills down my spine. At the time, I didn't realize it was a motif until one day, I realize "wait, that sounds familiar". So I listened to the whole PMD: GtI soundtrack until I found out where that part came from, and I was just completely dumbfounded and exhilarated that PMD was able to drastically change a motif's sound despite being almost completely identical!

[@tailesque]

16:56 this is a technique that was also done in the rescue team titles before explorers; initial file select menu with a more relaxing, slower paced version of the main theme

[@Luvutoo]

I genuinely can't decide which OST I love more: Rescue Team or Explorers. PMD is the only series where I can't choose one over another

[@Dalucy8317]

Bro when hearing the opening theme again after having these leitmotifs being pointed out, a light switch just went off in my head and I now feel like a god. Thanks

[@GL_099]

AAHHH yes, covering yet another series that has been among my favorites for a long time.

[@Aarhead]

I cannot tell you how HAPPY I am that you covered the PMD series. I was hoping that you'd talk about it ever since I found your channel. Explorers is a huge part of my childhood and really helped shape my love of music that I have today, so thank you so much for deeply analyzing a part of the games that means so much to me. I never realized how many different ways the leitmotifs in these games are used, so I definitely learned a lot. You didn't mention it, but my favorite use of leitmotif is in the "In the Future of Darkness" special episode where a whole new leitmotif is introduced. The leitmotif appears in tracks like "Living Spirit" and "In the Morning Sun," but my favorite use is in "Proud Accomplishment" where the motif overlaps on itself in a really interesting and emotional way.

[@spaceyalter]

Options during quarantine: 1. Get homework done. 2. Learn how to play 8-bit Music Theory intro on piano. I'm leaning into #2 big time.

[@soccermom5772]

This is a fantastic summarization of the different ways you can effectively use a leitmotif. I honestly don't think you could have chosen a better game for this topic. Great video for a great game!

[@artistotaku8344]

Funny how this appears in my recommended when I started to play Explorers of Sky again. The quarantine got me to go back to it...Yes I did cry quiet a bit all over again

[@yoman21a]

I need to listen to these OSTs for sure. I think Kirby does a great job of taking advantage of these ideas as well. Especially like the Planet Robobot leitmotif.

[@pukalo]

_A Wish for Peace_ uses a variation of the Darkness leitmotif that's been altered to give a tranquil major-key feel.

[@jakobkleeman6705]

I am SO unbelievably happy that this soundtrack can be properly recognized and analyzed by someone with an audience! Hell yeah, give these games (specifically the soundtrack) the praise they deserve! As for my favorite iteration of a leitmotif in the soundtrack, i always love it when they smash multiple leitmotifs one right after the other, like in Time Gear 2, where they use the time leitmotif and the immediately throw in what ill call the endgame leitmotif (think the melody of the climax of fight to the finish) for that extra spice of grandios. This track plays for the first time at your first glimpse of a time gear in person. The super cool part is how the first part of the track is nearly identical in tune to another track earlier in the game, Time Gear 1. The second half, however, starts off by simultaneously resolving the chord AND incorperaring the endgame leitmotif, which not only portrays the mystery solving aspect of finally discovering a time gear, but also gives the scene weight and drama. Perfect track for the resolution of act 1 in the plot.

[@seththemage6029]

I have never clicked on a video so fast in my life.

[@megagyraswampx9239]

Plot twist: you got it 5 hours before it was posted

[@Zykrath]

The music in Explorers of T/D/S is sublime. Great video

[@galebegnaud9447]

I love looking for primal dialga’s theme because it’s everywhere and it’s great

[@jonathanrobinson8926]

These games were so good. And the music is amazing. These introduced me to Pokemon Mystery Dungeon.

[@usamimi-no-majo]

Dialga's Fight to the Finish! obviously uses the Time Gear motif throughout the entire theme, which makes perfect sense since, in essence, Dialga *is* the Time Gears. Temporal Tower does the same I believe, but it's a much heavier alteration. More noticeable again in the last ten floors.

[@ghostmell0sanimationchanne877]

ngl i know nothing about music but i like your funny words magic man.

[@papaelf420]

The MOTHER series has so many good leitmotifs it's unreal.

[@jonathanrobinson8926]

The music in these games will never leave me. Such a formative game for me, and the music was a huge element of that. I'd go so far as to say the music is a dominant driver in how you experience these games.