Check Out This Fascinating Musical Analysis of the Ganondorf Battle Theme, and Other Progressive Game Songs
Posted on February 20 2019 by Sean Gadus
Music is an integral part of the Legend of Zelda experience. From the classic Overworld theme from the 1986 original, to Breath of the Wild‘s extensive five hour soundtrack, music has always been a key part of establishing the tone and mood for different moments in Zelda games. In this fascinating video, 8-bit Music Theory analyzes odd time signatures in video game music, including Ocarina of Time‘s iconic “Ganondorf Battle” by Koji Kondo (starting at 9:15 in the video).8-bit Music Theory does an incredible job of explaining many intriguing musical idiosyncrasies that make these video game songs so memorable.
Along with feverish runs of sixteenth notes, “Ganondorf Battle” includes a melody that purposely clashes with the harmonies. This clash of harmony and melody give the song a discordant and frantic sound. The song also includes the bizarre, almost unheard-of 23/16 time signature, which makes the song completely off kilter and puts the player completely on edge as they battle the Great King of Evil. Overall, the analysis demonstrated some of the musical excellence and wizardry for which composer Koji Kondo is known.
What do you think of this video and the secrets of the Ganondorf Battle theme? Let us know in the comments below!
Sean Gadus is a Senior Editor at Zelda Dungeon. His first Zelda game was Ocarina of Time, and he loves all of the 3D Zelda games from 1998-2011. The final battle of Tears of the Kingdom is one of his favorite final battles in the entire series. He wants to help build a kinder, more compassionate world. You can check out his other written work at The-Artifice.com.
