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Inside The Score – The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time – Learn New Song

A musical journey awaits

In Hyrule Field is where the clock begins ticking, both metaphorically and literally as Link steps into the outside world for the first time, kickstarting his transition into adulthood right after losing his father figure. He says goodbye to his best friend at the limits of the forest in a pensive scene full of silence, where only the nature sounds and the text chimes fill the void.

Kondo is at it again with his Mario Cadence—which is all over Ocarina of Time— a chime of success with the first appearance in game of the Ocarina, the actually playable instrument with magical properties, in a game in which music replaces selecting spells from a menu. The player can immediately start playing around and experimenting after receiving the ocarina. Naturally, the timbre of the ocarina is heard for the first time as part of the ensemble for this cue.

Not even the titular Ocarina of Time is accompanied by a special cue when acquired. Only the fairy ocarina passed by Saria has as a background the special cue that will be used each time the player learns a new melody.

Musical Analysis

Structure: Section 1

Time Signature: 3/4

Tempo: 90 (Ritardando to 75)

Melodic and Harmonic Profiles: A Ionian/Major; A Aeolian/Minor

Even though it is the same Mario cadence as in the Get Heart Piece cue, this one does not have neither the instrumentation nor the rhythms that characterizes a fanfare. The result is a more mellow and evocative piece that hugs you, happy for your success instead of screaming happily in your ears with excitement. The melody is just playing the chords F G A in first inversion.

There are not strange seventh or extended harmony chords, just straight arpeggios of the major chords ascending except for the last chord where the high strings descend against the harp arpeggio similar to those of the Game Over and Boss Clear tracks. Even the ocarina carrying the melody plays only chord notes. This shows that the ocarina can be played in-game but also heard as a disembodied instrument included as part of the orchestration of the score.

The cue goes away for the adult portion of the adventure, showing that only child Link has this sense of wonder at learning musical pieces. It is yet another success cue for a milestone achieved by the player.

Link recedes slowly and with hesitation from Saria first and then with full determination for what lies ahead. A new, more annoying but still wise mentor coming from the heavens steps in.

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