Why does Dark Souls sound like Dark Souls?

The music of the souls games has a very specific sound that doesn't change much throughout the series, so in this video I take a look at some of the common elements that define the sound of these games.
0:00 - Intro
0:41 - No Music
1:27 - Orchestration
2:37 - Iudex Gundyr - Dark Souls 3
4:00 - Gehrman's Theme - Bloodborne
5:33 - Dominant V chords
6:31 - Firelink Shrine - Dark Souls
7:45 - Diminished vii chord
8:18 - Tower Knight - Demon's Souls
9:29 - Godskin Apostle - Elden Ring
11:19 - Great Grey Wolf Sif - Dark Souls
13:02 - Sinh, the Slumbering Dragon - Dark Souls 2
15:14 - Ornstein & Smough - Dark Souls
17:20 - Outro
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[@majortom8688]

Gwyneveres theme is in a major key and it makes so much sense! (She is an illusion and when you break it all the sun light drains away from the world)

[@AC-hj9tv]

Amazing chest ahead 😎 👍

[@BurritoMaquiavelico]

​@@AC-hj9tvTry holding with both hands 😎 👍

[@smartsmartie7142]

@AC-hj9tv when I played the game in German I searched for 15 minutes for invisible walls lol

[@kage_6]

That's so dark lmao

[@r0bz0rly]

congratulations on completing 9th grade!

[@manracmolactrac]

I remember it hitting me hard that Dark Souls had almost no area music the first time I found Ash Lake. The sudden arrival of the music really made me feel like I'd found something really secret, ancient, and magical.

[@nilan3294]

This happened to me in Elden Ring when I got to Altus. Didn't even realize that music was missing up until that point

[@twixchexmix]

Ash Lake really is an atmospheric masterpiece, with the descending journey there, and the combination of the visuals and music all coming together in this primordial space. Makes it hard to even care that there’s not really anything else there other than that one covenant and a hydra

[@decal4707]

@@nilan3294there’s atmospheric music throughout all of Elden Ring, just not quite as instrumental and grand as Altus and beyond.

[@unrefinedmorosis5546]

@@nilan3294 There actually IS music in all the overworld areas and even the legacy dungeons. It's just very subtle and texture-focused to strike a good balance between something interesting to listen to while you explore the massive overworld without it taking up too much focus. It's only at Altus and beyond that it really picks up though.

[@katieosterchill5980]

Opening the door to Limgrave and hearing the first note of that area's theme for the first time and hearing Gwyn's theme during the Soul of Cinder fight are two of the most unforgettable musical moments ever for me. The Souls soundtracks have got to be the very definition of 'hauntingly beautiful'.

[@noahsan92]

that's funny, the final song of the 3rd game and the first song of its spiritual successor

[@geordiejones5618]

I always hear longing. A whisper for what was and can never be again.

[@TylerRayJohnson]

Plin plin plon. Tears required ahead

[@jarlwhiterun7478]

You are talking about Elden Ring but commenting on the Souls games?

[@ni9274]

@@jarlwhiterun7478elden ring is a souls game, and he talked about Elden ring in this video

[@samg3634]

Ludwig, the Accursed’s theme has to be my all time fav souls music. When the second half of the boss fight starts and the music hits I get goosebumps every damn time

[@doublebinthemorning5999]

The phase 2 music is a waltz, it's great that the battle becomes a dance half way through

[@ripdeyu]

@@doublebinthemorning5999it really does feel like a dance between you and ludwig. From fighting a beast in its raw form, to a refined swordsman who’s honed his skills over countless days. Truly one of the best, and most memorable moments in my favorite game.

[@smergthedargon8974]

3:13 Ah, but there's one absolutely amazing major chord in the Souls games - Gael's theme, the very final boss song of the Dark Souls games, has a totally out-of-nowhere super heroic major chord in his second phase that very much calls attention to itself. I think it's a dominant fifth, but I'm pretty sure it's just a plain major chord, no seventh, so it really does stand out as bright. It also has actual Latin lyrics as opposed to a "Latin-sounding" choir. It's probably my favorite boss theme in the series. Edit: Gael's theme doesn't actually have lyrics, it's just pareidolia. Woops!

[@majortom8688]

Also Gwynneveres theme is in a major key!

[@smergthedargon8974]

@@majortom8688 Sure, but she's not a boss, and more famous for something that isn't her theme.

[@Gante_Gato]

Can you substantiate that lyrics claim? I'm pretty sure the only game with latin lyrics is Bloodborne (and that one song from Elden Ring)

[@smergthedargon8974]

@@Gante_Gato I'm pretty sure I hear something like "Da me tuum cruorem atrem" once the second part of the song kicks in, which is Latin for "Give me your dark blood". They might have gotten some grammar wrong (i.e. might say "tuus" instead of "tuum", which'd be incorrect), but I do think I hear actual lyrics in at least parts of the song.

[@Junk_And_Junkets]

@@smergthedargon8974 Heyo! Sorry to be that One Annoying Guy, but this involves my pet peeve. That's a lie spread by Daniel Olmos-who speaks Latin... American Spanish, not Classical Latin, and admitted to making it all up. And the Latin he posts is all kinds of wonky. Even that one is more like (and forgive my rusty Latin) "You give! Your black gore me!" ["Me" here is accusative; it needs to be in the dative. "Do/Dare" is the origin of the word "dative"! And "Cruor" is more like spilled gore than symbolic blood. Trust me, I made that mistake in a song long ago...] If you want to see the "real" lyrics to some Elden Ring songs, and a few things that have translatable words, Antonius Tertius has the real deal. I'd post the link, but I think KZbin filters posts that do that. Have a sweet Friday/Saturday!

[@DamesTC]

So glad you highlighted that part of the Godskin Apostle theme mentioned at 10:48. It was so memorable to me when I first heard it and I also particularly enjoy that section

[@randychristensen1028]

That part you're talking about is why ai have this song on my Spotify. It's so damn good

[@zenhsu]

Awesome analysis! I feel like Elden Ring is a tad bit "brighter" (but not by much), the feel of the game feels more hopeful than just crippling depression hammering you down constantly. I also feel the tracks that Yuka Kitamura adds an ethereal contrast than the rest of the soundtracks, like "Father Ariandel & Sister Friede" and "Rennala, Queen of the Full Moon" just to name a few; would really like to see her composing style and how she achieves that very melodic and ethereal sound without pulling apart it's identity and tone from the souls series :)

[@ThommyofThenn]

I agree on Elden Ring. I think DS3 has the darkest ost while DS1 has this wonderful fantasy feel to it.

[@AltAccount-dz8rp]

It's definitely by much

[@ThommyofThenn]

@@soldjaroffortun3 That's a really good take

[@ALLMINDmercenarysupportsystem]

​@soldjaroffortun3 You could argue that Maliketh is at his lowest, with his sword weakened from the Night of Black Knives, a long time with no practice or practical usage of his skills, and seemingly some degree of self-loathing from his failure, once again at the Night of Black Knives. There's also Radahn, Rennala, Radagon, Placidusax, Fire Giant, and many others who are undeniably at their worst. But I do agree with your take, Elden Ring's world is not dying (or at least is nowhere near as close as Dark Souls) and a fair amount of it's critical characters are either at their strongest or not as weakened as equivalents in DS.

[@hackabusa]

@@ALLMINDmercenarysupportsystemit’s not so much that the world is dying in ER, another age is coming to a close; another cycle coming to completion, although Elden Ring’s cycles don’t seem to repeat themselves. From the age of dragons to the age of plenty and further, ER’s world continues to LIVE despite its inhabitants’ fates.

[@forceofnature26]

Sakuraba is so interesting to me because he makes a lot of bombastic prog rock for the Tales of and Star Ocean games among others, and then jumps into deep orchestral and baroque music for the Souls games

[@verylargemandarinslice8965]

He does deep orchestral and baroque music on the tales series too tho

[@benisser]

My favorite Motoi Sakuraba tracks are the ones where he goes wild on time signatures in addition to key signature so you really have no idea what's going on the first 20 times you hear them. Fits really well for random battle themes in RPGs

[@NickOleksiakMusic]

Those are some of my favorites as well! It really shows off his prog rock chops.

[@toprak3479]

Seath the Scaleless is WILD harmonically and rhythmically. It's the Rite of Spring of Dark Souls.

[@gaobot]

Golden Sun =D

[@jb1980ist]

Yeah, I tend to find his harmonic language really static unless he's switching up the time signatures too.

[@knasigboll]

I can't unhear golden sun in his dark souls boss music anymore

[@balladin9200]

I was hoping for Gael's, ludwig's, ds3 epilogue's and especially demon of hatred breakdown in this video but i'm still glad you made this, there are also so many more to list with cool ideas in them

[@andimari9194]

Slave knight gaels theme (especially phase 3) is one of the best compositions I’ve ever heard

[@smergthedargon8974]

Oh man, when that phase 2 music hits with the out-of-nowhere super heroic major chord - it's SO good!

[@andimari9194]

@@smergthedargon8974 I know right??? I wonder if they went for a more heroic chord to signify both the player and Gael? Gael is trying to fulfill his lady’s painting, while the player is trying to stop the blood hungry beast Gael has become. Really amazing harmonies throughout the composition and those string runs are crazy

[@AD-yv4jw]

​@@smergthedargon8974 Phase 2 sticks out so well because of that. Unlike the themes of other bosses, which paint them as intimidating monsters you have little hope of defeating, gales phase 2 instead feels like an epic of two crazy powerful people, duking it out at the end of the world. It puts you as an equal to gael, and for that, it so incredibly unique for souls.

[@justpython4021]

Yuka Kitamura is so talented, ngl, motoi sakuraba tracks are boring, yet this video didn't covered any of Yuka's tracks, THAT'S SO SAD

[@gugg2216]

​@@andimari9194a true battle of pure ambition and the ultimate climax + finale to the souls trilogy

[@pedroscoponi4905]

Digging so deep into the Fromsoft OST without mentioning Lord of Cinder, (our beloved "plim plim plom") is a genuine _feat._ Personally, the quieter parts of the boss music never fails to add the tragic knife twist to the immediate danger you're in. You have this huge threat in front of you that is so often 2, 3 times your size and you still can't help but feel that you're either doing something terribly wrong you'll regret, or putting something pitiful out of it's misery. I also love how much music there is in Elden Ring during exploration compared to the other games. Something about that decision feels very right.

[@variousthings6470]

Gwyn's plims (or plins?) were covered in the 2017 video "How Dark Souls Turns Motifs into Music".

[@lukasgraesslin]

He's done a whole separate video on Plin Plin Plon from a couple of years ago ;)

[@duro3666]

Yeah, ER needed ambient music but I'm not sure if it'd work well for the classic souls formula; there's something very special about only hearing the sounds of the dark world around you and only hearing the crackling of a bonfire while sitting down in the only safe spaces you have. It also makes moments like discovering Ash Lake much more special. But for an open world you kind of need it or it'd get stale

[@damusaetrum6742]

Plin plin plon

[@slicknicdwyer]

Don't need genuine feats when we got genuine feets 1:30

[@PlatypusAfro]

The Twin Princes and Maliketh's phase two theme have such a desperation to them that matches the bosses' storylines so perfectly. I think the Princes even have harpsichord in there which really gives the feeling of having an audience with royalty. I love this music, especially Yuka Kitamura's- thanks for explaining exactly WHY it's so good.

[@HaitaniMasayuki]

My favorite of these soundtracks in general is still the first Demon's Souls on PS3. It was performed with a very small orchestra, which gave all its tracks such a weird feeling. As if you're in a world so hostile, not even the orchestra is left fully.

[@Future_Doggo]

Dark Souls 3 is my favorite, but Demon's Souls is hella underrated.

[@colossusjak2]

That’s actually a good point never thought of that. Demon souls has a very raw sounding subdued sound as if half the orchestra didn’t show up, obviously it’s an electronic orchestra but the effect is a pretty lonely atmosphere.

[@DensetsuVII]

Hope we get a follow-up comparing the direction of Armored Core 6's music in comparison to Souls and the earlier AC games - I'd say the musical influence of the souls series on AC is one aspect no one's better qualified to cover!

[@Ceece20]

I would love to see that

There's also King's Field.

[@AC-hj9tv]

True

[@earthbound9999]

I want this if only to see them try to convey the drum & bass of early armored core as sheet music lmao

[@bek7562]

My husband (a huge dark souls fan) sent me this since I studied piano and musical theory for just about all of my childhood (7-17). Even being nearly 10+ years since I even touched a piano this was extremely interesting.

[@malehvor]

There's so much amazing music in this series it would have been impossible to cover everyone's favorite track. I feel that while the skeleton has stayed the same, there has still been a pretty clear journey from Shunsuke Kida's and Motoi Sakuraba's original crunchy, slightly grotesque soundtracks in Demon Souls and Dark Souls to the Yuka Kitamura heavy Dark Souls 3 and now to Elden Ring. The music in general has gotten a lot more fleshed out and heavily orchestrated, and while Dark Souls 3 has one of my favorite soundtracks in gaming full stop, there's something really poignant about sparser tracks from the first two, like Maiden Astraea, not to mention Sif and Gwyn's theme that really drive home how gone everything is. Maiden Astraea's theme makes me tear up just thinking about it, and I haven't played Demon's Souls since 2011.

[@akechijubeimitsuhide]

I'm an opera fan, and these are exactly what I love :D That big, bombastic mid-late 19th century orchestra and chorus. A few pieces, like the Bell Gargoyles, Godrick or Rykard feel a bit more modern, still classical-style but have that dissonant early 20th century feel to them. Which fits the bosses really well.

[@basselfmusic]

I'm so happy to see you bring up Sinh, the Slumbering Dragon in this video! This is one of my favorites in the series ♥

[@variousthings6470]

There's one sound in Dark Souls that I've always been genuinely curious to see analysed from a music theory perspective: The "alarm" gramophone record that plays in the prison of The Duke's Archives. I don't want to dismiss it as "just noise". There must be something musically interesting going on, in order for it to be able to loop indefinitely while permanently maintaining the tension without any sense of resolution, right? What sort of intervals are involved to make it sound so unsettling, abrasive and noisy? On a similar note: what's going on with the music that plays when you look up in Ash Lake? Both of these sounds are unusual in Dark Souls, because they're two of the only pieces of music that turn up outside of boss fights and Firelink.

[@MagnoSauce]

My first thought for the alarm was a shepard's tone, since that would be the first thing I would choose to thematically emphasize the spiral staircase, or if it were descending maybe Seath's and Logan's mental descent. It doesn't really soundlike one though. But it does have a spiraling "lower seamlessly replaced by upper" and vice versa sound to it. Maybe it's a modified version

[@toprak3479]

Duke's Archives gramophone is an interesting sound imo too, I'm curious as well. Also, what happens to the music when you "look up" in Ash Lake? Never heard of tbat.

[@variousthings6470]

@@toprak3479 When you arrive in Ash Lake, you can hear a choir - but it only plays if you're looking above a certain angle; it stops playing if you look down. (Presumably they did this to make sure that it only plays to coincide with the trees being visible.)

[@ivanquish3372]

@@toprak3479 Wait a second here... You can't hear that but you criticize my opinion about the quality of the compositions in the Dark Souls II soundtrack as "least popular take ever"...? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA, amateur!!

[@toprak3479]

@@ivanquish3372 Dark Souls 2's soundtrack is the least widely praised one among the community.

[@LivingGuy484]

1:56 I like that you make a nod to Majula's theme, it's one of my favorite pieces from the Souls series

[@foxglovelove8379]

I'm so happy you made this video. I love these soundtracks and I feel like they don't get enough love and attention. It's great to get more insight from someone with a deeper understanding of music.

[@amazinduck1878]

I just did an analysis of Nameles Song from DS 1 for my music theory class and it was really neat seeing you make a lot of the same points that I did in that essay! Awesome video :)

[@jasonhunter2819]

Dark Souls 3 has perhaps my favorite soundtrack of games OR film of the last 20 years. It is just so evocative and purposeful and tells you so much the boss you're fighting at any given moment.

[@jonathancastillo6433]

I’d love a dissection of bloodbornes sound track. I’ve listened to the whole thing (this was a while ago) and I found that boss track compositions matched lore. Ie, all tracks with vocal choirs involved magic/insight/great ones. All strings accompanied beasts ect. Idk, it’s been a while and it could be cool. Love your work btw

[@SaimoodPianoVersions]

" The First Hunter " hits so hard. What a masterpiece.

[@themightymcb7310]

I always loved Living Failure's boss theme, such a cool piece of music

[@viinaart]

I've listened to that soundtrack so often it turned up in my spotify recap this year lmao😭 I especially love bsb's theme, it's so unnerving!

[@joeywaite1365]

One thing I'd love to see you analyze is the flamenco music in "Blasphemous". It inspired me to begin to learn Spanish guitar and I think it's such a unique style of music!

[@jaefellow9010]

realest comment EVER

[@blankface911]

Yet again you've covered a game series that I adore and yet seemingly overlooked musically and now am going to listen to on the way to work. Thank you!

[@rootfifthoctave5336]

these videos seem like such hard work! and always extremely educational, thank you so much

[@mynona9020]

Dark Souls 3 main theme and Ludwigs Theme are two of the most epic pieces of music i ever heard, especially with the memories of the games connected to it

[@mr.mephitis2492]

This series has such an excellent sound to it; it's nice to see an analysis of it.

[@ferenc_l]

I was waiting for this video since forever! I could never pin down what makes Souls music the way it is. Thank you!

[@dyroth]

WOWWWW this is exactly the kind of video I’ve been waiting from you haha, and damn did you not disappoint. Lots of insane theory breakdowns which I’ll go through in depth at some point, just want to say thank you and that’d I’d love to hear more on the souls music if you’re interested :)

[@falconmcleod-shabogesic790]

Oh man I’ve always wanted you to do a deep dive into bloodborne music! This is so awesome that you touched on a variety of fromsoftware soulsborne games 🤘🏽Thank you so much!

[@ScarHydreigon87]

I have absolutely no knowledge of music theory or how to read music, but your videos are always fun to watch

[@shadowcub5751]

I’m recording the boss fights on my current and first run through DSIII and the first thing I immediately noticed is how little I pay attention to the music while actually playing… because I am far too busy trying to not get my hide shredded. I’ve found myself rewatching these fights much less for the nostalgic glory or reviewing failures, but to just listen to and watch everything I missed while doing them. I really wish I had done the same when I ran through DS the first time.

[@debrucey]

What I always found interesting about dark souls music is how recognisably Sakuraba it is, despite it being very different in style to the majority of the rest of his work

[@Mr.Nichan]

For anyone who doesn't know, the music he's playing from 5:46 to 6:30 is from Mozart's Requiem (probably the most famous part), and thus probably not from a Dark Soul's game. I actually sang this part in choir once (not that anyone cares).

[@mareco7854]

I FUCKING CARE I HAVE BEEN SEARCHING FOR THIS SONG FOR FUCKING EVER THANK YOU

[@Mr.Nichan]

@@mareco7854 Wow, thanks for validating the things I do. I just added this comment out a perfectionist desire to correct the video's vagueness about it. I wasn't expecting anyone to be so happy about it!

[@robTCGZ]

I love this series so much! I cannot even put it into words.

[@labakrapscalio451]

I've heard it so many times and didn't pay it much mind, but I had a dream once and heard the round table hold them in my dream. When I woke up I pulled it up on KZbin and it's an amazing piece of music when you really pay attention to it. It constantly sounds like it's approaching a resolution and never does

[@makingnoises2327]

this reminds me of one of my favorite pieces of lost media: an hour long documentary about the writing of the music for Bloodborne. I haven't been able to find it for years, but it had really great interviews with the composer and musicians.

[@empowers67]

been waiting on this video for SO LONG! i love your videos, music theory, and dark souls is my favorite game of all time!! thank you for the awesome work you do!

[@beansnrice321]

Glad you started with the lack of music. In many ways I feel like the sound of the game is the real music. Your broken footsteps, your confident march forward. Your cautious tiptoeing around scary or distracted foes. The sound of your sword swings follow by the clang of swords bouncing off shields. These all are little rhythms and motifs all their own. The orchestral music then kicks in for bosses or the Firelink shrine and that's about it, stressing the importance of those places. In fact stress is a key part of the music, Gwyn and Firelink being calm and somber songs and every other song being stressful and anxiety inducing. (In fact, if you want a simple if not odd hack for the boss fights, especially for Bloodborne, try turning the music off entirely to see how much easier the fights are without it.) Music and sound are key aspects of these games and in ways must games do not consider using. Thanks you for covering so many video game compositions but extra thank you for covering Dark Souls. =)

[@GameDevYal]

And not to forget the most important, most relieving sound effect in the entire game: the "enemy death" sound. Especially when it just cuts off a boss track when you land the final hit and you can feel all the tension evaporate as you finally get to stop holding your breath.

[@umukzusgelos4834]

15:00 probably my favorite part in the theme and in a lot of themes of the series in general I don´t know there is something in that grandiose opening statement in that theme that always get´s me really hyped up, especially with that little tonal ladder before it

[@leaphan6141]

So funny this came into my feed! Im going through DS3 for the first time and just defeated Deacons. "Souls of Fire" from DS1 and the title screen score for DS2 will always hold a place in my heart. 200% a crying shame DS2 Title Screen isn't listed in the official soundtrack.

[@Kithara1117]

A long overdue Sakuraba video! I'm especially fond of his work in the Tales series.

[@looney1023]

A few of my other favorite Dark Souls music thingies! - Moonlight Butterfly's Boss Theme - Souls of Fire (the character creation music in Dark Souls 1) is rhythmically very complex and hard to quantize and thus it feels like a kind of serene stream of conscious thought (I think it's actually in 5/8+4/8) - The Limgrave music in Elden Ring has that same Firelink Shrine feeling, but I love how sparse and isolated the chords are, the french horn voicing, and that aleatoric string "static" that gives 2001: A Space Odyssey. - Elden Ring's Tibia Mariner music just fucking slaps tbh

[@armouredrabbit]

Thanks for the upload! Been binge watching all of your videos and now I got even more!

[@ryangattini862]

Thank you so much for the work and analysis of these games incredible soundtracks, i was sad when it wrapped up lol

[@balladin9200]

I was begging for this in my head actual perfect timing

[@nataliem4434]

this video has been a long time coming, thrilled to see it!

[@_g_h_]

i like the cheeky use of demon's souls remake footage with zero mention of the hit job bluepoint pulled on the ost

[@moonlapsepiano]

Lovely video! Love to see the amazing music from this series being explored further.

[@kudosensei]

I like how you tend to skirt around the obvious fan favourite picks (plin plin plon in both forms) and just go into dissecting the sound over all. I gotta say that I was so ready for the Burnt Ivory King theme when I saw the video footage.

[@lownotez8501]

Would LOVE LOVE LOVE to see this video type on “Slave Knight Gael” from dark souls 3 as I see it as one of the greatest orchestral pieces of all time

[@nathanbean4580]

Hi, loved the video, can you please do a part 2, looking at more music from the Souls Series?

[@iagocampus4818]

OMG finally some love for Sinh's theme, such an underrated track

[@xpendabull]

I haven't experienced every boss fight or bit of music in the Fromsoft games, but my favorite so far is probably the Ancestor Sprit from Elden Ring. Something about the setting and the music truly makes it feel like you are in the presence of something so ancient and primordial but now is just a withered husk hiding in a dark corner of the world. It feels like once you defeat it you erased something that witnessed the creation of the world, and the world is lesser for it.

[@dannycowgranados]

Loved the video, makes me want to brush back up on my music theory to get back into composing

[@ExpertDual]

I wish you mentioned the composer of each piece because they all do things differently. One example I know is that the Lord of cinder theme is played with only the white keys on the keyboard while the ds3 soul of cinder boss forgets that rule. Ornstein and smough really rocks though

[@joehickmanmusic1504]

I did this same topic for my final dissertation at uni! I’m quite relieved that I’ve seen you catch on to the same things I did because I was worried it was all just coincidence - must’ve been the lack of sleep!

[@lebannerfan65]

Any chance to read your thesis? Would love to dig into deeper harmonic analysis

[@joehickmanmusic1504]

@@lebannerfan65 honestly I’m really not proud of it and it didn’t do too well either so I don’t think it would be worth your time :( If I had the chance to do it again and could really get the best out of my potential then I’d probably feel more willing to!

[@Radahntheconqueror]

We’ve been waiting for the Music Lore of Souls-games. Thank you for going into the depths of this!

[@Cynsham]

When I first played through DS3 I was listening to Pontiff Sulyvahn’s theme over and over while I kept attempting to kill him. One of my favorite boss fights in the entire series with an equally amazing theme to match.

[@Funko777]

Yep, he kicked my ass for so long during my first playthrough of DS3 and only Nameless king matched his ass kicking efficency. This also meant I was pretty frustrated with him. However, he's now equal with Gael for my fav Dark Souls specific boss and his theme is party responsible for that. The way he just stands there after you've slowly pieced together what info you could about how big of a turd he is prior to the fight and buffs his sword in unison with the opening bit of music still gives me goosebumps. I actually just did another DS3 playthrough last week and I make it a point to slow walk towards him in the arena for as long as possible. Plus I now let him live a few extra rounds so I can experience the fight/music a few times. I do the exact same with Morgott in ER lol wish they'd just add a damn boss revive mechanic like Sekiro.

[@toprak3479]

Sulyvahn's theme is amazing. The first phase is even better, honestly.

[@THEPurpleEgg]

I've never played a souls game before, but I can now TOTALLY hear Christopher Larkin's (and way more) inspiration for his boss themes in each of these epically futile-sounding songs, especially in Godskin Apostle's theme

[@Lishtenbird]

Yeap - haven't played them either, but pretty quickly thought of stylistic similarities in Hollow Knight.

[@person3362]

Godskin Apostles was released and presumably composed waaaay after all of the Hollow Knight music had come out. Still there is definitely a lot of similarities between the two games and not just musically.

[@MoD1510]

Christopher Larkin hasn't composed anything for a released game since Elden Ring (the game with the Godskin Apostle) came out, so I'm not sure I follow what you mean here

[@qwertymesa]

been waiting for a video on the souls franchise for years now!

[@davidvazquez5200]

I knew about lore analysis but I never considered music theory analysis for games, especially for the Souls series. Thanks for this cool video

[@hitlord]

I've no idea why I clicked this video, other than a curiosity to understand why so many games try to emulate the Souls feeling through music and fail, considering I don't understand music theory that much, but I'm glad I did. Even with what little knowledge I have of theory and sheet music reading I have, this did end up answering me. Which in turn leads me to say that this is a fantastic video, considering I managed to learn what I wanted while not being that good in the subject to begin with. You're a good teacher, and please do more of these. Added bonus of the whole video for me though, listening to the OSTs of my favourite games again.

[@ArthurGanjei]

I’ve been waiting so long for a video like this

[@grahamwalker2168]

Didn't know how much I wanted this video till I saw it.

[@Gnurklesquimp2]

I'd love a video just for the Dark Souls 1 music, especially the more (internally) typical boss themes. Taurus, Gargoyles and O&S especially, those are so weirdly iconic, just unmistakeable. Even something as iconic in it's own right as Firelink... I could EASILY see that in another game and plenty have had music along those lines, but these boss themes? Put something that sounds remotely like them in another game and I'd be distracted by how much it sounds like Dark Souls. The way they use chromaticiscm in such discordant yet catchy ways over huge raging percussion, SO many dramatic jumps in the harmony and melody, it's just such a consistent style.

[@LegendaryBrah]

The music will always be in synergy with the lore of the boss. The most impactful feel of the lore of its bosses are: Abyss Watchers, Pontiff Sulyvahn, Lorian and Lothric, Demon Prince, Slave Knight Gael, Godfrey, Morgott, Malenia, and of course, Soul of Cinder. Example: in the Abyss Watchers OST, you can hear multiple voices that are not in synergy with the main lead and you can hear bells. The multiple voices symbolizes that the Abyss Watchers are broken and out to kill each other but when phase 2 starts, there’s only one voice because they all pooled together, to be in synergy one last time. And the bells you hear are the Bells of Awakening because the Abyss Watchers are an undead legion that will keep reviving to continue to fight.

[@martinperez9968]

Ive been waiting for this video for so long

[@lukasgraesslin]

A video about Dark Souls? Oh boy count me in!

[@SaimoodPianoVersions]

Omg, thank you so so much for doing a video about Dark Souls. ❤

[@Martinarroyou]

great video and analysis

[@gdot5555]

Love your videos dude keep going :)

[@thegothaunt]

my soul left my body I got so excited to see Dark Souls on my feed today 😂 this was fantastic

[@HaydenKinsmanMusic]

This was fantastic, really well explained. Might show this to a couple of my piano students!

[@jamesminer4472]

This vid went by so fast. I love the whole souls series music

[@Terpsichorean-oj8vc]

Holy shit. I will admit, I am a bit of a classical snob, so usually I find something objectionable in these kind of compositions... but this is just immaculate. It's clear the guy has a solid training.

[@bencetakacs1049]

Just realised how smooth is the voice leading in Firelink Shrine. The second chord, the Am(add4) contains a D note, the b7 of the scale. That means, the 2nd, 3rd and 4th chords in the progression containa a b7 - 7 - 1 melody that is so exciting and heartbreaking to hear. I love it! The V works wonderfully here, because the accompanying chords perfectly utilize it's uniqueness. Thanks for writing it down, these videos giving me new ideas to play with all the time!

[@jessetoews2446]

This vid is awesome, love that F chord in the Godskin music

[@thebigcheeze6430]

"And Harp, when you're in one of the few truly safe places in the game" Pictures Medula *FLASHBACK OF THE LIL PIGS MURDERING MANY NEW PLAYERS*

[@voxstelarum]

O&S is such a hype theme I love it

[@WaywardPython]

I’ve watched so many strat videos about O&S that the music is soaked into my brain, and I love it ( especially the organ solo).

[@Kamer.Sounds]

salivating at these chord progressions

[@user-ec2ms4ct2z]

Glad you noted the lack of music at the beginning, it was something that always stood out to me in dark souls games. If you've ever played dragon age origins you should totally make a video on how it really reinforces the dark/epic fantasy aspect of the game, I always find the main theme that plays on the titlescreen to be very romantic & epic. The Grey Warden theme is another one off the soundtrack that always enchanted me with it's sound. (They use a variety of languages in it with some interesting instrument choices for what is essentially a marching theme!)

[@SaltySK]

I've been waiting for this video for years. I love you (non-parasocially 😎)

[@Delano777]

i need a video on the majula theme for how hopeless it makes me feel while also having the most hopeful feeling in every hub in these games

[@regpett3730]

A while ago I listened to the Dark Souls 1 soundtrack when it dropped on Spotify from beginning to end (first time I had done so). By listening to the Soundtrack in one sitting, I had some observations on it as a whole vs. judging each piece alone. Throughout the game, a large part of most of the music is the use of vocals basically wailing and crying out in the background, that is except for the character creation menu, Firelink Shrine and Gwyns theme. The character creator theme I do not really count as part of this observation since it exists outside of the game itself (though is very possibly my all time favorite menu music period). This is a game about traversing basically a nightmarish hellscape literred with souls of the heros that came and whlie getting farther each time, eventually giving up and going follow along the way and fighting demons. The orchestral vocals to me invoke more than epic-ness in your quest (that is more so during Ornstein and Smoughs fight and onward during the victory lap of taking down the 4 lords) it invokes a certain cheering on by crying for the current, hopefully not to become hollowed hero. At Firelink shrine, the current hero can not only get away from said wails but find some peace in the music and reflect while they level up with the idea in mind still that they cannot stay but must venture out again eventually. In Gwyns theme, it not only works as a juxtaposition to what has been built up as this raw fight between the biggest bad around but instead what is the equivalent of a walking burnt out match, a literal hollow of his former self. You might feel triumphant for a fleeting moment after striking him down but that feeling is quickly dissipated when you realize what you did/had to do. After the fight however and after deciding to link the fire or purge the world into darkness, the credits roll with the last song accompanied by vocals, though this time not the voices of lamenting hollows but that of a child, innocent and a blank slate for this new blank world linked or not. A nameless song for the nameless hero.

[@LastProtagonist]

Hey man, I really enjoyed the video, but the audio transitions between your voice and the music felt a bit too abrupt and that the bgm was waaay louder. This also made it more difficult to understand what you were saying. Other than that, great job, it was interesting, but I'm also curious if the DS sound was more limited to specific composers. I know you mentioned Sakuraba, but were these kinds of sounds more limited to just his work, or were they found throughout all of the composers' work?

[@alex_opr]

been waiting for this

[@hibiscusman]

17:00 I always thought O&S's theme was super appropriate, given that it sounds like two different pieces of music being played one phrase at a time back and forth. Take the phrase ending triumphantly on a Cmajor sus resolution, only to immediately skip a tritone to F# minor, then back to a heroic E major - it really feels like the music just does something totally different for four bars before getting back to its previous thought. Really appropriate writing given the fight, love it. I've always been fascinated with the Lothric/Lorian theme. What I would consider the main section of the piece just feels like a never-ending cadence, constantly teasing a resolution but always shifting the progression into a totally new idea without completing the last one. Yuka Kitamura's music always stands out to me in every game she works on. Loved hearing your thoughts on the series, so many cool insights. Thanks for the video!

[@snubabubba2745]

Everyone likes to bring up plin plin plon when talking about final boss themes but for me Radagon's theme hitting you in the face like a truck when his boss fight begins (along with it having very heavy influences from the title menu music) will always be my favorite musical moment in From games. That theme is so good, especially after your very first playthrough of that game.

[@SmashFace777]

Awesome video, New subscriber unlocked

[@alvaropereztovar987]

Great vídeo, thanks!!!

[@nunobarbosa77]

Gehrman's theme is... the best sound track in a videogame! Bloodborne in general has the best soundtrack of all videogames, it's so powerful. Actually the game become much more easy if you turn off the music, because the soundtrack alone makes your blood pump like crazy... that is genius!

[@DingleberryProductions]

Been on both a dark souls and music learning kick so this is hittin

[@capainsharp1447]

Dear sir, I have watched so many videos of yours when ever I read a book I hear your voice narrating it.

[@gugg2216]

Nobody talks enough about the Burnt Ivory King theme. DS2s dlcs really took the step forward into the style the composition ds3s music has.

[@SomethingWellesian]

I’ve never played a Souls game, but I have been writing the soundtrack for the D&D horror game I’ve been running recently, and I’ve been struggling to get the right vibe for battle music. I think this video may have finally got me there. Thanks.

[@Jynx215]

Pontif Sulyvhan and nights cavalry are 2 of my favorites