Award-Winning Netflix Composer Vlogs About The Ways Zelda Music Hooks Your Attention

As fans, we each have our own set of tastes when it comes to gauging the quality of an experience. In terms of the Zelda series, that means there will be some games that we like and some we don’t. But I think the majority of fans are in agreement that there have been some good soundtracks across franchise’s past thirty-five years. Music has been an integral part of Zelda games, as it carries the tone for each locations and character. This tone assists the player in creating a mood, be it anticipation, sadness, excitement, dread, or triumph. If I had to pick my all-time favorite song from the series, it would be “Lake Hylia” from Twilight Princess. The gentle acoustic plucking over a softly ebbing base is just so calming. This music helps turn a rather stark and simple lake into a location that I would visit often for relaxation.

Among his many credits, composer Ryan Leach has scored music for Netflix and Disney. Ryan recently released a video within which he takes a close look at the composition of Skyward Sword‘s soundtrack. He discovered that the game’s composers used unexpected musical hooks to catch the player’s attention. Most Zelda songs use instrument changes, key shifts, and pacing changes within their first four measures. These subtle musical flares are different from their main melodies and serve to set up expectations in the brain where where the song will go next. These automatic assumptions are often subverted moments later when the actual melody begins. A recurring example of this concept can be found in the descending eight notes that play at the beginning of the House theme. This particular track has been featured in the majority of the Zelda games. By playing the series, I have been conditioned to think of safety and respite whenever I hear those introductory notes.

What do you think about this method of composition? Did you notice these openings in any of your favorite Zelda songs? Let us know in the comments below.

Source: Ryan Leach