For a generation of gamers, Ocarina of Time resounds as the pinnacle of 3D adventures. While the industry had been experimenting and refining the types of games it could make in three dimensions, it was those first few steps out into Hyrule Field that caused gamer’s minds to explode with the sheer promise of what a 3D game could be. Through their use of beats and musical waves, Qumu creates their own audio remix of the “Hyrule Field” theme that captures the same feeling of exploding with wonder even as you’re still learning and exploring the possibilities.
After starting with the familiar melody that signifies morning in Hyrule, Qumu marks the start of something new with what I can only call a wave of digital sound. It’s a clearly synthetic sound that builds in pitch and intensity until it crests and falls back into a lower register. This same sound is heard multiple times throughout the piece, usually as a transition between melodies. It serves to build suspense and excitement for each new part of the song while recalling players’ excitement at each new step in Link’s adventure.
Another interesting element of this song is the use of beats during the first half of the remix and how it differs from the beats in the second half. In the first half, there is a repetition of four beats that stagger a bit in tempo. It reminds me of what each new trial for Young Link must have felt like. Each initial experience as he learned how to fire a slingshot, destroy a Stalfos, or wield the Kokiri Sword, came with an unsure feeling of trial and error as he, and the player, got better. After a short, more calming and traditional bridge in the music, the beat returns in a different tempo. Where the beat had a more staggering feel in the first half of the remix, it’s as steady as a clock in the second half. It reminds me of the more mature and confident Adult Link who, after having conquered three dungeons, seems a little more sure of his ability to conquer the horrors that await him.
The quicker, more steadfast beat also reminds me of the galloping hooves of Epona, Link’s faithful steed. While travel in the first half requires the slow, tenuous tread of footstep after footstep, moving between locations speeds up significantly once Link can saddle up and ride Epona. Where players may have traveled circuitous routes from destination to destination while avoiding Stalfos and other dangers as a child, they charge confidently towards their destination once on Epona, crushing the rebellious bones of any skeletal foes who dare rise against them.
Through the varying tempo of the beats in the song, Qumu tells a tale of unsure beginnings that turn into confident successes. Just as Nintendo, and the entire gaming industry, was just learning how to create masterful gaming experiences in three dimensions, Ocarina of Time came along with a level of polish and confidence that still holds up to this day. In the same way, players of the game went from a youth just learning new skills, to a seasoned and confident adventurer by the end. Through this remix, Qumu may remind us of the growth that comes with trials, errors, and dedication, but their work speaks clearly to their own mastery of remixing Zelda music.
