Unpack What Makes Tears of the Kingdom’s Music So Memorable With This Analysis Video
Posted on September 19 2023 by Alexis S. Anderson
Tears of the Kingdom is an enchanting entry in the Zelda series for a number of reasons, one of which is its soundtrack. Composer and visual artist Maxx Bradley (he/they), also known as Scruffy, produced an intriguing analysis of Tears of the Kingdom’s music wherein they identified unique uses of three instruments (piano, voice, and saxophone) that represent the game’s signature sound. Bradley refers to these as “musical main characters” and delves into how the distinctive use of each instrument thematically links various parts of the game.
As usual, this video is a delight to watch with top-notch, aesthetically pleasing visuals accompanying Bradley’s analysis to really drive the points home and demonstrate more complex musical concepts. They also distinguish Tears of the Kingdom’s music from Breath of the Wild’s, examining how the sequel’s sound reflects a developing Hyrule. If you like this video, you can also check out Bradley’s Breath of the Wild analysis or other videos discussing the music of Pikmin, Mario, Five Nights at Freddy’s, and more. You can also subscribe to their Patreon for early access to videos and the chance to vote on future musical arrangements.
What do you think of this “musical main characters” concept in Tears of the Kingdom? Are there any other sounds that you think contribute to the game’s unique character? Share your thoughts in the comments!
Source: Scruffy
Alexis S. Anderson is a Senior Editor at Zelda Dungeon who joined the writing team in November, 2014. She has a JD from the UCLA School of Law and is pursuing a career in Entertainment and Intellectual Property Law. She grew up in the New Jersey suburbs with her parents, twin brother, and family shih-tzu.
