GDC Zelda Trailer Hides a Musical Secret to Everybody

[John Funk]

GDC Zelda Trailer Hides a Musical Secret to Everybody

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There's a secret hidden in the GDC 2011 trailer for The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword, and you're forgiven for not noticing it.

Back in early March, Nintendo released a fresh new trailer [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/108209-Zelda-Skyward-Sword-Trailer-Introduces-Enigmatic-Foe] for its upcoming Zelda: Skyward Sword, and it looked pretty nifty. Plenty of gamers around the world are looking forward to it with good reason.

Watch the original trailer, and pay close attention to the music there. Nothing out of the ordinary, right? It's appropriately bombastic for a trailer, and the dramatic crescendos and swells fit the Zelda series' grand adventure perfectly.

Now, play the trailer backwards - like you see here to the right. This is another story altogether, as about 14 seconds in, gamers who played the iconic Ocarina of Time should hear something very, very familiar. If you can't make it out, there's a rip of just the relevant music up for listening here [http://soundcloud.com/rawmeatcowboy/the-legend-of-zelda-skyward].

It's unmistakably "Zelda's Lullaby" from OoT, but what's less certain is just what this all means. So the main Skyward Sword theme is "Zelda's Lullaby" in reverse; does that mean there will be an in-game connection to it? Perhaps it will be a plot point, or perhaps there will be direct ties to OoT.

Now I'm wondering if perhaps the mystery improvements and additions [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/108453-Nintendo-Boss-Says-3DS-Ocarina-of-Time-Boasts-Mystery-Improvements] to Ocarina's 3DS port will have some tie-in to Skyward Sword, like how Valve changed Portal's ending to lead in to Portal 2.

Or, on the other hand, it could just be that the game's composer was feeling particularly lazy and uninspired the day he wrote the music. Either way, it's certainly interesting but I'm not sure if it will actually end up being relevant.

(Thanks, Alai!)

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[ZeroMachine]

Hey, if laziness can create a piece like that, I'm ok with it. I really liked the song in the trailer.

Can't wait for that game.

 

[Hithlain]

It's an interesting theory, but I feel like if they really wanted to rerecord the song and throw it in backwards, there must be a greater purpose to it. If only to throw in a little wink to the fans. Perhaps nothing to do with the plot.

 

[Gottesstrafe]

You heard Zelda's Lullaby? Weird. All I heard was "Turn me on, dead man ? turn me on, dead man ? turn me on, dead man?" and "Paul is a dead man, miss him, miss him, miss him".

 

[TheEvilCheese]

Ok Nintendo, OOT nostalgia is pretty much a free pass to awesome sales and you have invoked it in thousands.

Well played.


On a totally unrelated note, I'm so getting this game.

 

[Mordwyl]

Already done in Majora's Mask.

 

[EHKOS]

Like Z.O.E. huh? I'm ok with this.jpg

 

[Xander_VJ]

One thing, the song's title is NOT "Zelda's Lullaby", but "Zelda's Theme" (as in the character's leit motiv). The lullaby was just the version you played in the ocarina. An it appeared for the first time in "A Link to the Past", not in "Ocarina of Time". Although it got its popularity in the N64 game.

Already done in Majora's Mask.

Nope.

In MM was "Saria's Song", which was played in reversed for the "Song of Healing".


With "Zelda's Theme" (or rather, its chorus) was done before in "Twilight Princess". The chorus of "Midna's Theme" was the chorus of "Zelda's Theme" in reverse.

Here is played different, though. In MM and TP it was the actual notes of the score the ones that were played backwards. But here is the sound track itself.

In any case, let's see what we get out of this.

 

[sooperman]

"Or, on the other hand, it could just be that the game's composer was feeling particularly lazy and uninspired the day he wrote the music."

That is the reason. Even if it acts as a wink to the fans(which is what I was convinced video games were supposed to do), they just didn't want to move to far from what they already had on hand.

But it sounds to me like they only included the notes themselves, not the entire song. This should be good.

 

[starwarsgeek]

Hmm...neat easter egg

 

[hawk533]

With "Zelda's Theme" (or rather, its chorus) was done before in "Twilight Princess". The chorus of "Midna's Theme" was the chorus of "Zelda's Theme" in reverse.

Here is played different, though. In MM and TP it was the actual notes of the score the ones that were played backwards. But here is the sound track itself.

Are you saying that the music that was actually played was "Zelda's Theme" and then the track was reversed?

I'm not sure, but it did like they actually had the track playing backwards, not like he composed the music by reversing the notes. If that's the case then it definitely is supposed to be an easter egg. I'm curious what it means.

 

[Sniper Team 4]

Ooooh, direct connection of OoT would be awesome. I'm still bothered that Link is right handed now though...Just being picky.

 

[icyneesan]

Or it could just be a neat little thing the composer did for fans.

Regardless I made sounds no man should probably make around 14 seconds in :3

 

[ch1a]

Or, on the other hand, it could just be that the game's composer was feeling particularly lazy and uninspired the day he wrote the music.

The composer's not lazy, he's using established compositional technique.

This is called a 'retrograde permutation' and people have been doing it since the 1300s. It's one of the basic techniques that allow composers to create new melody that fits the style of another, established melody.

Ever heard of 'variations on a theme'? This would be one of those variations.

I bet that if you looked at any gaming franchise that has put an effort into its music over the years, you'd find the exact same thing.

 

[WolfEdge]

Ooooh, direct connection of OoT would be awesome. I'm still bothered that Link is right handed now though...Just being picky.

I wouldn't call it a direct connection. Zelda's Theme has at LEAST existed since A Link to the Past.

More of a nod to the game's lineage, I'd say, if not a straight up easter egg thrown in for kicks.

 

[VincentX3]

Just got a Nostalgic boner.
Seriously though that's awesome!

 

[Nate Corran]

Day= made

 

[Jacob Texeira]

Forget the lullaby, check out all the things Link is repairing with his sword!

 

[marc951]

It could just be a cool easter eg rather than being lazy.....
lol @ jacob texeira