Why Stone Tower Temple's Music in Majora's Mask is so Iconic

[@SaveDataTeam]

What do you think about Stone Tower Temple and it's music? And what songs from the N64 games would you like to see us cover next? Tell us about it below! Check us out on all these platforms: Discord: discord.gg/kt9AJtp Patreon: Patreon.com/savedatateam Twitch: Twitch.tv/savedatateam Instagram: Instagram.com/savedatateam Twitter: Twitter.com/savedatateam Facebook: Facebook.com/savedatateam

[@shadowpheonix1751]

Stone Tower Temple is probably the most fitting fourth act the dev team could’ve come up with for this game. It’s atmosphere and it’s design are so indicative of Majora’s Mask that Stone Tower Temple is pretty much a perfect representation of the game itself. While I think they could’ve used it’s gimmick to greater effect and I think it has a few moments where it stumbles, I feel like Stone Tower Temple is unquestionably a great dungeon. And the music is exactly what the title of this video says it is: iconic. It’s one of the best dungeon themes in the entire Zelda franchise and it’s so distinct and fitting that it will stick with you long after completing the dungeon. Basically, Stone Tower Temple is awesome. Also, I think a song from the N64 games I’d like to see you guys cover is the ranch theme, like Lon Lon and Romani Ranch.

[@ketochiesesoyyo]

It falls into my top 5 Zelda songs... simple as that... the first time you enter the temple you see chests upside down and locked doors that make no sense... but then the little flute starts playing and you remember: -you just have to press A! “PBS Gaming” or someone said that like 8 years ago, and I can’t agree more

[@milleniumfrisbee]

Stone tower took me years to beat growing up due to one of the enemies guarding an important switch I could never kill and the gim reaper enemy. Thus the temple has been stuck in my memory for years. The thing is though, it is still one of my favorite dungeons to this day. The story and architecture were the first time I got a glimpse at the deeper Zelda lore and the music to this day is like a soothing lullaby.

[@Acidfrog475]

I knew of the combined instruments thing, but I never considered it being a flute in the inverted version. I always thought it was the ocarina. It really does lend credence to Majora (while using the Skull Kid as its puppet) decending Link into its hell. But I think it's more like, even though all three heroes have presumably come to grips with their deaths, they still linger on through Link, and are almost being used by Majora in a sense. Because their forms are being used by Link to aid him in his quest. I really went off the rails there. These are just such thought provoking tracks. Great video as per usual!

[@einterranaut1724]

I would love an analysis of the 4 variations of the theme in MM that plays in the swamp, the snowland, the beach and the canyon. That is one of Kondos greatest compositions in my opinion.

[@Jun-13]

That last detail of the Ocarina and the Flute representation was mind-blowing, love it

[@link3hyrule]

RIGHT?!?!!? I never thought of it like that! One represents Link the other one Skull Kid! 🤯 MY FLIPPING HEART DROPPED!

[@1insane614]

I got chills when he said that

[@hooray4paradiddles]

"He's done it again. He used a tritone." Jesse: HE CAN'T KEEP GETTING AWAY WITH THIS!

[@SaveDataTeam]

😂😂😂

[@thehermit8618]

Apparently... he can

[@Matanumi]

Fire temple

[@dianabuttercup2818]

Aside from the music, design of the temple, the Ikana people and the Garo what about Poe Brothers Sharp and Flat?

[@dianabuttercup2818]

Why do Sharp and Flat still linger in the ancient kingdom just like the Ikana and Garo?

[@ethantercier6057]

The entirety of the ikana region has some of the best music in the game

[@monsieurlefrog8706]

the entirety of majoras mask has some of the best music in gaming

[@redstoxic9252]

@@monsieurlefrog8706 nothing truer has ever been said other than animals breathe

[@monsieurlefrog8706]

@@redstoxic9252 thanks buddy

[@SlyHikari03]

Same for woodfall temple

[@Fermin-hw5pd]

@@monsieurlefrog8706 Really, I can't really think of many remarcable songs from Majora's...

[@damonpulse]

11:30 - 11:42 Holy crap... That revelation... the song is essentially an allegory for the progress of the game... Mind... blown. 14:41 "We're descending into Majora's world, with Skull Kid's flute leading us there." Holy... you did it twice, man. I never even THOUGHT of that before! either of them! It's DOUBLY symbolic! Holy crap...

[@johnsmith-ck4qt]

Koji Kondo truly is a genius.

[@Mr.Sneeze]

Yeah, it blew my mind too.

[@Nhnhnfk]

Yes, this was mind blowing.

[@thefalselemon579]

​​@@thechampestofthemall And the stringed instrument isn't a guitar. So what? The symbolism is still there.

[@alejandracisneros6444]

Is interesting how the "link version" of the temple has the mature-like chant as a representation of link who looks like a child but is a grew and more mature person and the "skulkid version" has a childish chant, as a representation of his mind innocent and simpler

[@rhandyrhoads12]

Spot on

[@romano-britishmedli7407]

With Skull Kid probably being super-old, maybe even one or more millenia, since he is present in the townsfolk's legend of the Four Giants abandoning their imp-friend (and in the final cutscene before the credits directly talks with the Giants about this past event). Another contrast to Link.

[@manunova5929]

I'm unsure if it's childish, but honestly I still love the comparison.

[@goldenwolfio6701]

⁠@@romano-britishmedli7407and yet despite the fact that skull kid is much older than link, he was unable to grow and mature, which is why he did the things he did, but link was forced into his life of heroism and was still able to grow and help those around him.

[@romano-britishmedli7407]

@@goldenwolfio6701 Oohh, nice catch! This is a good take! Never thought about it this way, but I like it. The Hero of Time is so awesome!

[@TheNpcsim]

Marjora's Mask already has so much depth to it in its storyline alone, but you breaking the music down just added even more depth to it. This was incredible.

[@SaveDataTeam]

Thank you!

[@teejaaydee3686]

we spoke about this already, but Imma say it again: do FINAL HOURS

[@SaveDataTeam]

I’ll get to it haha 😅

[@hylianchampion8867]

I really want to see one for the twilight music from twilight princess. You know, this one.kzbin.info/www/bejne/mIbanJ1_jcZ7e6s

[@SomaCoreaix]

Agreed 👍

[@CAHB9295]

That is the song we need analyzed

[@sergiobricenos]

Subscribed. This was very informative. Love this song.

[@lolitsme]

Last detail about the ocarina and flute actually Makes sense. In the normal temple all the instruments play together and support each other. In the inverted version skull kids flute doesn’t play along with the other instruments at all. It’s isolated and alone, not playing with any one else.

[@salzulli6290]

Something I've learned from watching videos like this: Symbolism in music is just as important as the notes in the melody.

[@SaveDataTeam]

Honestly it’s something I learned while doing this series 😅

[@carinapabst4807]

As soon as you pointed out the flute vs the ocarina and the connection between the flute and the Skill Kid I just screamed I LOVE THIS GAME I LOVE KOJI KONDO. Seriously this guy is a genius. And you are as well! Thankyou for your hard work ♥

[@AleXCD74]

Literal chills at the explanation of the flute at the end.

[@fernanditosem]

i realized just a moment before he said the skull kid and i was like "daaaammnn" such a good video

[@Hounddog3380]

But nothing could compare to the nightmare fuel giant turtle from the original majora mask

[@michaelkaduck1915]

It's this symbolism that makes me really love Majora's Mask so much, through the music and the Stone Tower, it's the perfect symbol of ascending and descending through darkness.

[@JinnKid]

I loved this breakdown of the song and even your Zelda theories.

[@toptiermediocrity3345]

Need something?

[@SaveDataTeam]

Ah thank you! I’m a huge fan of your Skyrim series! 😅

[@rojoscostanada8685]

Ah yes, JinnKid is an avid enjoyer.

[@jordangonzalez4658]

Jinnkid waddup man, isn't Majora's mask a beautiful game!

[@dianabuttercup2818]

So when will there be breakdowns of the song from Twilight Princess temples?

[@bananajoe9951]

I just realized the fairies' names spell tattletale... I am 30+ years old and grew up playing this game many times over the years. Seriously underrate channel, love the analysis and payoff to it all!

[@chompythebeast]

Stone Tower's music might be the temple theme that gets stuck in my head more than any other, even all these years later. The mix of medieval instruments and the reverse version's sound effects are so cool, and the whole experience always gave me a bit of a Matrix vibe. It was also _sort of_ the first time in Zelda that we got that sci-fi feel that has been expanded on in every game since MM

[@SaveDataTeam]

There is a lot of really cool things going on in both versions. It's a really cool track. (and I definitely agree with the increase in tech and sci-fi elements in future Zelda titles)

[@Jdudec367]

Stone Tower doesn't really feel sci fi

[@grandsome1]

@@Jdudec367 Termina has a bunch of very advanced tech, aliens, also there's a moon crashing on the world.

[@Jdudec367]

@@grandsome1 Ok I know Terraria has those first two things but when you say Moon do you mean the Moon Lord?

[@lazernor]

@@Jdudec367 Reread his comment.

[@tootyrnt5533]

The use of the 4 instruments is pure fucking genius.

[@ryplecuk767]

The Stone Tower Temple is the best Dungeon of the game. It's a difficult challenge, even whitout trying to get all the Fairies. The reverse Dungeon dynamic is soo original. But the Stone Tower theme is the best from everything this dungeon has to offer, it's melancholy fits soo well, even more knowing every area of Termina represents a phase of the "Death's Duel", The Stone Tower being the representation of the "Acceptance", finally reaching the "Light" represented by the light arrows, to finally rest in peace. This place is a masterpiece.

[@Matanumi]

I'll go one above you. Stone tower temple might be the greatest dungeon in the entire series. It's definitely a Contender for all-time great Zelda dungeons

[@ryplecuk767]

@@Matanumi It really is.

[@sora4440]

The only thing bad about the Stone Tower temple is the boss. Twinmold is frankly a boring boss and incredibly underwhelming...

[@Sephirothkingdom782]

@@sora4440 on the 3ds yea but the spectacle of the n64 version's was sick

[@Karalora]

1. In your Shadow Temple breakdown, you compared the two chanting voices to a demon (bass) and angel (soprano) in painful conflict. 2. The "Stone Tower of Babel" theory posits that the people of Ikana abandoned worship of the Triforce Goddesses in order to revere the (masculine) Four Giants, and the Goddesses punished them for their transgression by flipping the Stone Tower Temple so that heaven became hell. 3. What if the (bass) chant in the normal Stone Tower theme represents the giants, and the (soprano) chant in the reversed version represents the Goddesses?

[@312348]

Yeah, and I think this is further supported by the fact that there’s a Giant’s Mask in this temple. Clearly the ancient civilization wanted to reach the heavens with the power of the giants, and I’d even say potentially slay the goddesses.

[@NOIDEAIWILLJUSTUSEHAILEYIGUESS]

In the Inverted song you can even get the feeling that they still intend to climb to the heavens, but like the drum beat, their attempts at climbing are vain, as they fall into hell with their mask, the Voice of the Goddess, rejoicing in their victory.

[@graysonrogers-barnes6302]

yesss

[@TheNerdyOrganist]

I always loved that music but never realized how bloody brilliant it is. I never noticed how the instruments are the ones your playable characters play and how deep it actually is. Thanks a lot.

[@thisisfyne]

The boss is Twinmold, not Twinrova ;) Great video though, the part about the inverted song blew my mind.

[@JaredtheRabbit]

In the Spirit Temple video, he originally reversed the names.

[@MasterLYT]

Stone Tower is the best Not only is the music amazing but the inversion my jaw literally dropped the first time and the music just got better and its been my favorite temple ever since

[@sydc3667]

0:58 From far away, the Stone Tower looks like the spires of the Basílica de la Sagrada Família, a project so ambitious that it's been under construction for over a hundred years.

[@KARLOSPCgame]

If this game is remade in the future (and nintendo gives a damn), i would be great that this theme would use the 3D sound system

[@SaveDataTeam]

that would be excellent!! I love adaptive music in games.

[@strawberry14]

Wasn't Majora's Mask already remade for the 3DS in 2015? I wonder if they would bring it to the Switch someday..

[@rojoscostanada8685]

They probably won’t due to their new design philosophy which also killed Paper Mario. There are legitimate reasons for this, but damn I’ll miss the old philosophy of fun.

[@warv6552]

@@rojoscostanada8685 What killed Paper Mario? I haven’t played the newer games so I don’t really know what happened

[@eugenio027]

@@rojoscostanada8685 What are their philosophies (old and new)?

[@MonsterMaze]

I'm really enjoying these Zelda music breakdowns. As a musician, this fascinates me greatly ^^

[@willisrose9756]

Damn I didn't know that you were here!

[@christopherspaulding9283]

In his guest appearance on Game Grumps, Grant Kirkhope told Jon and Arin that he based most of the music composed for Banjo-Kazooie around the "devil's tri-tone". Said it fit the dynamic of Banjo and Kazooie's mismatching personalities.

[@SaveDataTeam]

Love me some Grant Kirkhope! Maybe someday I'll cover some Banjo-Kazooie music!

[@christopherspaulding9283]

Sweet!

[@vgfan100]

Fun Fact: Grunty's theme is based off of the 1932 Henry Hall song, "Teddy Bear's Picnic." What a coincidence! ;)

[@joshburns1777]

That’s true, his BK music does feature diminished fifths/augmented fourths (i.e. tritones) frequently and all over the place, but it’s important not to think that tritones must always necessarily evoke diabolical evil. While it’s true that, naturally, the tritone by itself has a naturally unsettling and even sinister sound, it can achieve other effects with the right context. For example (and I would say this is the main way in which Kirkhope uses the tritone for BK), the whole tone scale naturally features an augmented fourth (tritone), however the very distinctive effect of the whole tone scale is usually used to invoke a sense of intense mystery and very often magic and wonder. Another example (also used a bit in BK, I think) is the Lydian mode. There are seven modes (there are actually many more, but they’re all or mostly all derived from the main seven ones). IMO, A mode is best explained like this: if you establish what key you’re in - it doesn’t matter which so let’s say C major - then play all the notes of that key in a row, starting from the root note of the key (I.e. C) - C D E F G A B C - you get a C major scale. Now, a mode is where you do exactly the same as that, but you start from a different note than C *while keeping* the same key of C. Each of the scales you could play in this way - e.g. starting on D, on E, on B, etc. - show you what the notes are of a different mode - e.g. D Dorian, E Phrygian, B Locrian, etc. If you play the scale starting from F (still in the key of C major), you obviously get the notes F G A B C D E F. This is the Lydian mode, F Lydian in this case. The only difference between this and F major is the fourth note of the scale, B, which is lowered by one semitone to Bb (B flat) in the “normal” scale/key of F major. In a major scale, the interval between the first and fourth notes of the scale are what’s known as a “perfect fourth” (e.g. F to Bb), because that’s regarded as sounding very pure and neutral. If you raise or “augment” the fourth note of the scale by a semitone (e.g. change it from B flat up to B), that interval of a perfect fourth (e.g. F to Bb) becomes an augmented fourth (e.g. F to B) - **the tritone**. So, in any Lydian mode, the interval between the first and fourth notes of the scale is a tritone. Much like the whole tone scale, to me the Lydian mode and its characteristic tritone usually evokes a sense of mystery, but for me it always feels more like excitable anticipation of the unknown or restless, electrifying energy before exploration and adventure - that sort of thing. **TL;DR**: the tritone isn’t necessarily just “the devil sound” - it can achieve a variety of effects depending on the musical context in which it’s used. God I got so carried away - sorry for the essay

[@Manas-co8wl]

Woah uh... tldr discordance in short moderation can spice things up and make things jazzy, silly, or happy weird.

[@DrakeTheVoidDragon7577]

I loved everything about Ikana valley when I got to it. Something about it gave me a feeling like... unfamiliar territory, creepy stuff, lore... it was so cool, my favorite part of the game. I played the game for the first time all the way through and got 100% in under 2 weeks, excluding fishing but who cares about fishing. Most of it was a breeze to be honest, but something about Ikana valley stuck with me. Especially this stone tower music.

[@shadowpheonix1751]

It’s finally here! After watching your Great Bay Temple video, I kinda went on a binge of all the other Zelda dungeon music videos, and I’ve been looking out for this one ever since because this is kind of the big one. Glad to see that it’s finally ready! Love these videos!

[@SaveDataTeam]

Aw thanks!! Glad you’ve enjoyed the series so far! Hope this one is worth the wait! 😁

[@shadowpheonix1751]

@@SaveDataTeam just finished it, wow. Realizing that each instrument in the theme is one of Link’s forms was super interesting! Another great video.

[@SaveDataTeam]

Thank you!

[@ironwolfstudios2857]

It's also fascinating that both versions of this theme blend together seamlessly when played on top of each other. They both occupy rests in the other themes music and their parts harmonize flawlessly together. It's very weird, but it feels wildly complete.

[@CyberseGod]

I'm not gonna lie, I've been waiting for this video for a few weeks now haha I'm loving the content!

[@SaveDataTeam]

Sorry for the wait! I hope you enjoy!

[@CyberseGod]

@@SaveDataTeam oh I will :) got an alarm set for when this is live so I can watch :D

[@Muddeth63]

Couple months here

[@Rokushi_ftw]

Now it's Gerudo's Valley turn This theme just fckin' slaps, I just love it

[@cyanmanta]

7:38 The piece has the same key signature as F-major, but it's actually in A-minor. Or rather, the melody uses A-minor while the harmony borrows the B-flat to place itself in A-phrygian. The tritone comes into play because B-flat is the one note of disagreement between A-minor and A-phrygian. The B-flat in the harmonies rubs up against the E, while the B in the melody rubs up against the F.

[@hemslonnigum]

Yeah, there’s no indication anywhere this piece is in F. Whatever 25 year old midi website he nicked the sheet music from probably just had that key signature for no reason (transcriber was maybe fooled by the momentary b-flats in the synth male voice). It’s pretty firmly rooted in A minor throughout if you listen to the bass line. More importantly, F never sounds like the tonic if you play along on a keyboard.

[@psuedonym9999]

I always thought the "distorted sound" that plays in the inverted theme was part of the magic of the red gem that inverted the temple.

[@sammiejeanne3846]

I'm not much a music expert, but I think I know why I was so drawn to this track. I enjoy contemporary music that has middle eastern, microtonal elements or psychedelic vibes. Not sure if I'd consider this one psychedelic though, but, it's a vibe

[@NaturalStateWingChun]

Oh its definitely psychedelic. At least in a shamanic sense. The flipping of the tower representing as above so below and the spiritual nature of the journey being both ascending yet descending at the same time. It's pretty trippy to me lol

[@blak4831]

For me I have this vague category of music I keep that refer to as "Music that makes me Astral project into I-don't-know-where" and this definitely fits the vibe

[@Drvm614]

12:15 thats the sound the great helix sword makes when wind blows through it

[@TBoneTony]

I didn't know anything about the music behind the Stone Tower Temple. But I did used to think that the Stone Tower's face was the King of Hyrule in the Zelda CDi Games.

[@ShotaroAsakura]

MUH BOI!

[@affinityforanime]

Those first 10 seconds or so of the Inverted Stone Tower theme always gives me vertigo. It's so mesmerizing.

[@arkofpolaris4646]

This is my favorite Majora’s Mask song. It sounds like the “definition of Majora’s Mask.”

[@mitri-dvp]

This is so mindblowing, I've just finished the Stone Tower Temple today, I didn't expect such a story hidden in the music

[@tako-sensei6072]

the "too long didnt read version of the bible" XD as a christian who actually has read the bible, i will 100% use this to sum up random stories now.

[@SaveDataTeam]

It’s been over a decade since I read through most of it, so now I view everything through a “what was the tldr version of Samson, David, etc?” 😅

[@ericaallisonc]

Speaking other languages doesn't stop us from communicating. Curious, but does the bibble explain why they gave up building the tower? There was likely plans, and knowledge of said plans... so the story just seems like one writen by a child with no knowledge of how language and communication works...

[@tako-sensei6072]

@@ericaallisonc well the language wasnt really the part that made them stop. they moved to various different places, and because they werent all at the location of the building, they couldnt continue to work on it. im not a "bible scholar" so i dont know why they separated, but the exact words are "Then God scattered them from there all over the world. And they had to quit building the city. That’s how it came to be called Babel, because there God turned their language into “babble.” From there God scattered them all over the world." (thats a modern translation but the meaning is the same, dunno what the hebrew is bc i dont know hebrew :|) its honestly a really good question, one that i cannot answer in full. but yea, the language wasnt actually the thing that stopped them, even tho thats the way people say it alot of the time.

[@tako-sensei6072]

i mean it may be worth mentioning that they had never done any comunication that wasnt verbal up until this point, anyone that was deaf, mute etc. would just be killed, or shunned and they would make no effort to communicate with them. and everyone else spoke the same language so no reason to do anything else. and tehy didnt have a written language cuz they were fucking stupid. thats just observation tho, not sure about it (take it with a grain of salt)

[@niahoad]

During an accident, i had a near death experience. Guess which song was playing in my mind

[@user-bf6gz8ej4o]

No way

[@CayenneTurboDriver]

Lost Woods?

[@The_Jolly_Jackass]

Do you wanna enlighten us?? It sounds so interesting

[@ladyfarona1988]

Was it the flipped version or the original? 🤔

[@amiiredhead2676]

Shit, I hope you are ok!

[@rabnadskubla8594]

I see you played Lanayru Mining Facility at one point in this video. I'm excited to see you eventually dive into it's music given how there's two different themes and how it's my favorite dungeon in the game.

[@SaveDataTeam]

Yeah, say what you want, but Skyward Sword’s music really is top notch 🙌

[@rabnadskubla8594]

@@SaveDataTeam Not everyone likes the controls (which I hope is rectified for people in the HD version) but it has great aspects like the music and design.

[@emmamix]

I never really noticed this before, but the symbol/gem on the king's chest is the sane as the symbol on the belt/sash of the Poe Collector.

[@farmerphern]

The moment you said it was "a flute" my heart sank with realization

[@silvercandra4275]

"It's Skullkids flute leading us..." Who was leading Link through the Lost Woods, in both OoT and TP, by playing the flute? The Skullkid. I like that little detail a lot.

[@thegreatmajora5089]

That flute idea on the inverted part is really cool ! I had never thought of it, but I love that idea !

[@ThomasCrockett2846]

The final hours music in major as mask! So haunting!!!

[@einterranaut1724]

I would love an analysis of the 4 variations of the theme in MM that plays in the swamp, the snowland, the beach and the canyon. That is one of Kondos greatest compositions in my opinion.

[@KTSpeedruns]

It’s known as Marsh Land

[@vgfan100]

That would be a really cool analysis to see. The notes in the first measure are just... creepy! O.O (Hint: Look at the sheet music, and you'll see why)

[@megalisa830bright6]

@@KTSpeedruns lol! No! Those theme music tracks are called, 'Southern Swamp', 'Mountain Village', 'Great Bay Coast', and 'Ikana Valley'! :D

[@0ctopusComp1etely]

I love the simplicity of the lower voices from the first version becoming high-pitched in the inverse. It's like the music-theory version of flipping those weighed down with sins and ascending them into the heavens, even through blasphemy, and you can visibly see it on the score page. Incredible.

[@Michela]

This is the one I've been waiting for and you nailed it! Stone Tower is my favorite temple theme in the entire Zelda series. I love how you covered the lore in the beginning and how it fits in with the music itself. You really knocked it out of the park with this one.

[@SaveDataTeam]

Thank you so much!

[@brandonroy7554]

Not sure if anyone mentioned it yet, but the section you had marked as “Brass”, isn’t that a Bassoon?

[@sibeosowm1097]

That was my first reaction, too XD Good break down but I don't know what brass instrument sounds like that... though I'll concede at the right audio quality it *could* be

[@princekamoro3869]

Yeah that was a distinctly a double reed sound, not a brass sound.

[@adamzimmerman2464]

Yes I'm like that's obviously bassoon DUH

[@nomadsweetbusinesssimper8927]

you did this song justice and no one can change my mind id like to see you cover molgera's theme from wind waker

[@SaveDataTeam]

Molgera’s theme is so good!! When I get to WW, I’ll have to think about how I cover the boss themes since they are all distinct from the temple’s themes in that game I believe.

[@QuestForTacos]

Just discovered the channel, and I'm loving it. This series, which focuses on the music of games and it's thematic importance, is so awesome. People often don't give much thought to the soundtrack of games, however, some of my most memorable gaming experiences were made notable due to the music. It's all about that atmosphere. You've got a new fan, and viewer, in me. Keep on keeping on.

[@SaveDataTeam]

Thank you so much! Glad you've enjoyed this series!

[@Nyxael5845]

Time for trivia! Stone Tower's instrument bank (0x17) is shared with Clock Town Day 1, 2, 3 and the Deku Palace!

[@seesaw41]

3:35 is that Lanayru mining facility I hear there? Ooh, I love that track. And at 9:13 again.

[@SaveDataTeam]

Sure is!

[@seesaw41]

@@SaveDataTeam I have not played many zelda games, but lmf is my absolute favourite dungeon theme.

[@SaveDataTeam]

It’s a great track! Hopefully I’ll cover it someday!

[@JingleJoe]

I cant get over how good this series is

[@SaveDataTeam]

Thanks! 😅

[@eldisenodetodo]

Just yesterday I found your channel and, man, once again the algorithm did it! This series has been just absolutely fascinating to watch. Thank you so much and congratulations on such original and well-made content!

[@SaveDataTeam]

Glad you enjoyed it! Thank you!

[@wesleyridenour4809]

I can't believe this was 2 weeks ago and I just happened to reach this part of the game on my first playthrough just a few days ago. What incredible timing!

[@KingdomKing13]

What perfect timing! I just finished helping my friend go through this temple, and your closing comments about the music actually gives credence to some of her theories! Thanks!

[@SaveDataTeam]

Glad to help out!

[@RobbyForShort]

This type of intricate analysis is what I love about the Zelda franchise! Even the music has such deep and powerful meaning! This was a great video!

[@gainzday2838]

That's what I love about Zelda. There's so much rich history behind every aspect of the games, birthing great videos like this one for decades.

[@WolfNightSoul]

Definitely the most iconic dungeon theme in the game!

[@OliyTC]

I have one main question: What indicates that the key is in F? The choral section seems to resolve to an A chord, the repeating brass riff seems to treat A as the tonic and E as the dominant, and the melody always resolves to A and never an F. I think that tritone point definitely still exists but instead between the B flat in the choral harmony and the E in the melody/repeating brass riff, so the video still makes sense overall, but I just don't understand why F is the key of choice. It feels so clearly like it's in A minor to me, which is an even simpler key than F.

[@lordpsi99]

And the brass riff is not a brass riff at all but actually a bassoon.

[@rangedweevil6150]

You should do the Deku palace theme! That always gets stuck in my head as I go through the swamp

[@AnAdorableWombat]

Wow! Unbelievable video! You've given me chills! This is what I love to experience when I watch a video analysis! Thank you ! New subscriber!

[@YosherYoshi]

Lots of new respect for the music in this game now, this is some serious musical depth.

[@Beautiful_Sound_1995]

Stone Tower, the Castle, the Canyon, the temple. All of them are great. All of the music in Majora's Mask is excellent.

[@icewhallowcome6689]

I honestly think that the Ikana Castle deserves a video of its own

[@Taylor-vz4ot]

my father was a minister of music. he hated working with tritones, and jokingly called them "the devil's notes". of course he didn't believe they were evil. he reserved that judgement for me when i denounced his from birth grooming of me to become a minister.

[@hornguy04]

I think the key is A Phrygian, rather than F Major.

[@vgfan100]

That is correct. "A Phrygian" has the same key signature as F Major, but because the music centers around the tonic A, it gives the piece a darker tone - not the happy tone we typically associate with a major key (i.e. Ionian mode, if we want to stay in the Greek modes). While the chanting is keyed in A Phrygian, the melody and the bass line is still playing in A minor, which is why one hears tritones when the melody plays the B natural and the bass line holds on the F natural. If you listen to Hebrew prayer music or Klezmer music, it will have a similar tone as Stone Tower Temple's music. This makes sense since an inspiration for the temple could be from the Tower of Babel from the Book of Genesis, which is the first book of the Hebrew Bible. Also, someone mentioned this earlier, but the broken 5ths played with the chanting in Stone Tower Temple's music (Non-Inverted) are played by an English horn, not brass. Also, the "flute" in the inverted Stone Tower music is played by an English horn as well.

[@greenbefore2828]

I’d say it’s more A eolian or simply A minor since I don’t think there are any Bb anywhere in the tune.

[@hornguy04]

@@greenbefore2828 there’s a Bb in the low half notes, which are parallel fifths: E-F-D and A-Bb-G.

[@greenbefore2828]

@@hornguy04 you are right! I still feel like eolian is as present, if not more present than Phrygian in the tune. What has more weight, melody or harmony?

[@hornguy04]

@@greenbefore2828 I don’t know. That’s the thing that makes it sound so eerie. It sounds like it’s in two different keys.

[@312348]

Remember that the Giant’s Mask is also found in this dungeon. The ancient civilization that built this tower was probably trying to reach the heavens and overpower the goddesses with the power of the giants. Perhaps that’s what the Gregorian chanting in the original theme represents... masculine power making its ascent to the heavens. And the soprano chanting in the inverted theme is the goddesses’ response after they caused the world to flip upside down, sending the ancient civilization to a kind of hell instead.

[@TheSinDeath]

Great video. I have just one gripe. Stone Tower is definitely in A minor, not F Major. Here's why: 1. It's definitely in a minor key to use the tone that would create as opposed to what a major key would convey. 2. It's tonic (root) chord is a minor (as you laid out, btw) and the other chords (b dim, and G Maj) are surrounding that tonic chord, reinforcing it as the center of the piece. Additionally, there are ZERO F Major chords, but A minor comes up over and over. 3. There's no cadence that would make any amount of sense for F Major (especially since there are no F chords of any kind), yet there is one that is used all the time that makes sense for a minor: G Maj -> A min 4. There is NEVER a Bb in the entire piece, yet B natural appears all the time (it's the note you used to talk about tritones), and B natural organically exists within A minor. Otherwise, this video was fantastic. I loved how set up the lore/history and potential historical/religious inspirations for the Stone Tower so you could connect how the music being played might reflect that. I also loved how you went into detail about the very instruments being used and how it reflects the different forms Link takes and how the inverted version switches from Ocarina to Flute to showcase the Skull Kid. That really got my lore nerd brain going and I love it.

[@SaveDataTeam]

Yeah, a lot of people have pointed this out, and I think you’re all correct. I went off sheet music provided to me, and it seems even the others online are mostly in C. 😅 I might have to start commissioning people to draft sheet music for me in the future

[@TheSinDeath]

@@SaveDataTeam I figured it had to be something like that. If you're just going off what the key signature says, then defaulting to F Major makes sense. What perplexes me is why was it written with that key signature at all? It would literally be easier to just leave it in A minor (in which there are no sharps nor flats) than having to write all those accidentals. It's ultimately a small issue and doesn't compromise your other points at all. This video is really good.

[@marcusgibert3324]

Great video! But I think the song it's written the key A minor. That's why the bass is playing A repeatedly. This key has no b flat, so the theory of the tritone would loose strength. Anyway, it's very entertaining to hear theories about this game, thank you!

[@_gl1ch_reveiwsnerf213]

HE CALLS TWINROVA TWINMOLD AND TWINMOLD TWINROVA RRRREEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!

[@ceraz052]

Incredible break down on the lore and the song. The final detail brought it together and blew my mind!

[@kyungsik]

This piece is definitely in A minor. The melody outlines an A minor triad and is supported by the baseline which starts and lands on the open fifths on A. I think the transcriber used the F key signature for convenience of not having to write a Bb in the baseline every other bar. I wouldn’t say the B natural in the melody is outlining a tritone in this case because F is never the tonal center or root in the bass. BUT it does often create dissonance when it clashes with the Bb in the bass, so I’d attribute the crunchiness you’ve highlighted in this piece to that half-step friction as oppose to something specifically tritone related. I adore these vids thanks for putting so much work into them and keeping the love for this music alive.

[@SaveDataTeam]

Yeah I think that’s probably why they put it in F. 😅 (thanks for being kinder about it than some) I’m not the biggest music theory genius, I try and do some research and have some people fact check me, but it’s not always right. 😕

[@UnknownSpooky]

Really just called an obvious BASSOON sample a "brass instrument" Also of note. This track is not in F. It is in A minor (or A phrygian, if you analyze based on the bass line and not the melody line). Not just because of the Bs all being natural in the melody, but overall, the bassoon part establishes a very strong tonic on A. These videos are interesting, but compositionally, I've found problems with points in every one of them. I'm not saying they're bad, I'm just saying that there's a LOT of room for improvement in the compositional analysis part of the videos going forward.

[@thalesacguimaraes]

Yeah, I had the same impression here, I believe this theme is in Am. I think Mr. Kondo wrote this modally instead. The chant uses a Bb indeed, which points to A Phrygian, with the melody using either a passing B natural or mixture to A minor, isn’t it?

[@UnknownSpooky]

@@thalesacguimaraes I believe so, yes. More of a phrygian feel overall. However, the dissonance between a flat and natural 2 between the bass and melody could be said to contribute to the feeling of unease. It's really anyone's guess, but what should not be anyone's guess is that this track is NOT based in any variation of the key of F.

[@thalesacguimaraes]

@@UnknownSpooky ah, yes. Thanks!

[@Lieutenant_Dude]

The Majora statue in the opening of upright temple looks like the face of Majora’s Wrath. When the tower flips, the statue then looks like the mask.

[@TheCoolerDrilis]

Hm, I think this series ought to cover all the 3D _Zelda_ games, at least until moving onto 2D. So... _The Wind Waker_ next? Ooh, I'm excited just thinking about it!

[@shadowpheonix1751]

He said he was going to do some requests for N64 songs and then move onto Twilight Princess after that sadly.

[@deadSalesman_GD]

The song isn’t in F. It’s in A Phrygian and A minor. The chords in the chant are A5 Bb5 G5 A5 Bb5 A5 or a i bII bvii i bII i chord progression. The brass instrument mostly alternates between A and E which are the two most important notes in the key of A (major, minor, Phrygian, etc.) The melody outlines an Am9 chord, ending it’s antecedent phrase on the 5th of the key (E) and it’s consequent phrase on the root (A). This mistake isn’t uncommon. F major and A Phrygian have all the same notes because they are modes of each other. Phrygian however has a much darker sound than F major and if you use a B natural instead of Bb in the key of F like the melody does you get F lydian which is an even brighter sound than F major. The way this confusion could have been avoided is if the sheet music had been written in A minor (no sharps or flats) with the Bb’s added in as accidentals. This works because it implies that A or C will be the tonic and the chords then reveal which it is. The key signature of one flat however implies either F major or D minor is the key and this piece does not resolve to either of those notes. Oh also Gregorian chant existed before the concept of major and minor and was instead written in a modal framework.

[@tnytrot]

Love your videos! However, some things feel odd in your analysis here. I find it odd to use the F (Dmin) key as there's only one voice who uses a Bb once in a while. Shouldn't it be the A minor/aeolian key (no flats or sharps) with a napolitan (Bb) surrounding the A tonic (like some sort of cluster) instead? The tonic of the melody and harmony definitely feels like A (every phrase starts or ends on it) and the E feels like the dominant a lot as well. Just curious! Keep up the good work!

[@madpistol]

Glad I wasn't the only one that noticed this discrepancy. Thank you!

[@-liomus-8197]

yeahhhh it's literally just in A minor, in which b is Normally natural

[@Testostenori]

The augmented fourth in the stone tower temple music is from the lydian mode, which brightens the tone of the piece.

[@Rome.Monroe]

That "brass" instrument is really an oboe. I was always obsessed with this temple's music.

[@ineedprofessionalhelp]

It’s too low to be an oboe, it’s a bassoon. But yeah, it’s a double-reeded woodwind.

[@vgfan100]

@@ineedprofessionalhelp I'm thinking English horn, which is cool because it's the same instrument playing the melody when we first hear the theme for Majora's Mask.

[@Equinerhael]

@@ineedprofessionalhelp I think you mean too low to be an oboe.

[@emilyb5762]

@@ineedprofessionalhelp it’s a bass oboe, i think. too warm to be a bassoon.

[@ZephyrBallard]

The idea that the instruments used in this temple are those of the transformation masks and Link's ocarina was what I always believed! Just like the Elegy of Emptiness statues showing them all coming together, this song is representing that as well. In a twist on the Babel story, the temple could represent a sort of unity. Also, I took the deep chanting as the four giants, but I never could come up with anything for the higher chants or the flute.

[@edcr2959]

Twinmold. Twinrova are the witches.

[@evlinay]

I was about to comment the same. Upvote for you!

[@SaveDataTeam]

Yep, this was an absolute mistake on my part. Please forgive me

[@evlinay]

@@SaveDataTeam :D

[@rxg9er]

I played brass instruments (trombone and baritone) in jr high and high school. What you've called brass is actually a double reed instrument, most likely a bassoon.

[@vgfan100]

It sounds more like an English horn. It does sound very close to a bassoon, but the timbre leans more towards the higher frequencies. But yes, definitely not a brass instrument.

[@Sacred_Korok69]

Bruh i didnt know that u can make those soldiers dance, while using the bremen mask.

[@benediss132]

Dude you have to keep going. I can't get enough of these videos. I'd love to hear your breakdowns of the dungeons in Wind Waker, Twilight Princess, Skyward Sword and beyond!

[@Jeeves72]

The version of the theory that I'm familiar with points out the four phallic monuments outside the temple and posits that those building the tower rejected the feminine goddesses in favor of Termina's masculine four giants. Which maybe makes it a bit ironic that Majora turns out to be a feminine demon. I think that version also states that the goddesses flipped the tower to send the heretics to the underworld in which we find Twinmold, but in the past this may have been where Majora's mask was originally discovered. The ultimate curse for Termina. Perhaps the monuments to the mask seen in the temple were added afterwards? Anyway, love that you covered my favorite fan theory and even added more credence to it with the music breakdown.

[@novakitty1619]

What is this theory called?

[@JoeCalderone]

If every Bb appears as a B natural, why isn’t this piece considered to be in the key of A minor?

[@TheCampbellian]

Does anyone else love the final hours theme in MM?

[@ImWeirdBoy]

Koji Kondo is such an amazing artist. I love the LOZMM soundtrack.

[@jackrinaldi9098]

It is rumored that the tribe that used Majora's Mask were sent into the twilight realm soon after they finished the tower as punishment.

[@lincolnprestes7617]

I need to play these games again some day. The details you bring about the temple, the story, it is something I never grasped as a kid.

[@dennisdesormier6886]

I'm sorry to say that this video really is full of all kinds of errors. My suggestion is to withdraw it and maybe revise and repost. 1) The key is not F. Not even kind of. A is clearly "home" here. 2) You ignored the fact that the B-flats in the "chant" borrow from the Phrygian mode, which lends itself to atmosphere the music is attempting to create. So you can make a solid argument that the key is A minor with some borrowing from Phrygian mode. 3) Yeah, the B-naturals sound against the F's, but only in passing. The tritones are there, but they aren't the main source of the tension. 4) What is more a source of tension is this mixing of modes - B-naturals in the A-minor melodies vs. B-flats in the chants. And that blending of the modes gives the music some of the effect the composer was going for. 5) Tritones aren't hard for choirs to sing, especially in lines like these where the B is in the midst of a melody and the Fs are part of chord notes. Tritones pop up all the time music, including in dominant 7 chords, for example. 6) Calling this chanting Gregorian is a bit of Western bias, don't you think? There are other cultures that would chant open fifths with this kind of Phrygian thing going on. 7) The "strings" don't play a "harmony" to the flute. They play the same tune in unison or octaves. 8) There IS a harmony part underneath one of the melodies, but it's the same instrument, and you didn't even mention that. 9) The melody is notated wrong. Those high E's are not simultaneous with the notes shown. 10) Are 10:30, you bar between the two staves while talking about two instruments playing simultaneously. You use that bar to show simultaneous notes. 11) You miss the registration (octave) changes, especially the woodwind, which are part of the charm of this piece of music. 12) The comparison of the instruments to the characters' instruments is completely forced and artificial. That's not a brass instrument in this piece: it's a reed. And that's not a guitar. It's perhaps some other kind of stringed instrument. 13) You ignored the eerie underlay sound we hear, including the really low pitches in there. That part is actually pretty important because it's the first thing you hear and it's still present even in some of the more stripped down repetitions.

[@vgfan100]

This is a REALLY good analysis of Stone Tower's music. I would definitely consider the points made here and revise the video to accurately reflect these points. For point 12, I think the string instrument is a dulcimer.

[@dennisdesormier6886]

@@vgfan100 Thank you very much. I appreciate that. I hope the original poster enjoys the analysis.

[@kiomori]

Love this series and can't wait to see more! The musical theory is amazing to see, as well as the Zelda theories and origin speculations.

[@fraeh3398]

Are we gonna ignore the fact, that he called the Stone Tower Temple's boss "Twinrova"?

[@SaveDataTeam]

Oh trust me, MANY people have corrected me on that one 😅 I’m embarrassed I said it twice

[@guerrero975]

I’m at Twinrova on my first play through of OoT, getting ready for MM next, and honestly I’m just thrilled to hear it’s NOT another twinrova fight lmao AMAZING video, thank u!

[@hylianchampion8867]

@@guerrero975 Hey, congrats! how many medallions do you have? the spirit temple has to be my favorite just because of the music. how are you liking OoT?

[@guerrero975]

@@hylianchampion8867 I’ve enjoyed it more than I expected given the whole 25ish years old thing!! I’m now at the final ganondorf battle, he destroyed me in his final form because I did NOT know how to get to his weak point-tail but next time..? Hyrule will be SAFE

[@hylianchampion8867]

@@guerrero975 Sounds good, I'll be cheering for you!😁👍 And OoT will always be awesome, even when it is 100 years old.

[@a_whitlow21]

I love your breakdowns of Zelda’s music. I never miss any of them.

[@dekuman89]

For the last 20 years or so of my life, this has been one of my favorite tracks in all of gaming.

[@joshlopez6367]

This was great ! Never would have thought about all of links forms instruments plus links instrument making up the this theme ! Awesome !