I don't come from a musical background, nor can I play instruments or read sheet music or interpret musical patterns, but after listening to years of Zun's soundtracks, I was never able to put it into words why I really love certain things about Zun's music. Your videos explain it in a manner that I can finally vaguely understand, thank you so much.
ZUN is such a fun composer. His music, while technically and theoretically surprisingly sound, has a very very charming outsider aesthetic to it, what with the midi instrumentation and just a very unique feel overall.
I love that double melody thing Even more when he just presents the themes one by one and then slams them in your face like saying "YOU SEE? THEY WORK TOGHETHER, I TOLD YOU", like in Onigashima on the Fairyland or Lunatic Princess with that piano-trumpet combo, yet the piano is still a bit "simple".
I also love when you try to skip the music to the climax, you'll sometimes wonder how a relaxing or less tense 1 minute length changes quickly into an orgasmic climax. It's like ZUN music makes you listen to the whole piece.
I love when he uses a drum set to lead into a key change by itself. I recently bought some of his albums on iTunes and the album ver. of Necrofantasia and Frozen Capital of Eternity have my favorite instances of this! Also, No More Going Through Doors is probably one of his best compositions ever, it’s sad how under appreciated it is.
The counterpoint is easy to explain: Just imagine you have loudest, leading , which is the singer. The softer is song melody. Sometime the third one is the second singer following along, but mostly for chorus. Counterpoint is easy to build if you consider the above characters.
My favourite ZUN counterpoint is easily Touhou 17 Stage 4's counterpoint during the intense trumpet section, where the piano counterpoint basically carries the whole thing.
God I didn't even realize that Old Adam Bar and Frozen Capital of Eternity were using Theme of Eastern Story until you just pointed it out. Frozen Capital of Eternity's breakdown is probably my favourite singled out section of any Touhou song, and this only makes it better ! ! !
The thing I like most when I hear Touhou themes? I can write a full memo about new words that I learned simply by reading the title (and I'm not kidding, look at some of the titles and you will notice that some of them have a very unfamiliar word in them).
with exactly 0 musical knowledge i identified "the jump" in zuns music and that I really like it, and I've tried for YEARS to explain it, im so glad someone finally did!!!
Underrated video. My favourite counterpoint usage must be the one he uses in necro-fantasy, both melodies blend with each other so good and its at the last part of the song too, so its a great climax.
Have you noticed the familiar sequence that he used back in the PC-98 era, which he used agin later in the Secret God Matara at around 2:30? That is one of my favorite reoccurring jingle in his music.
6:24 Can I give a special shoutout to Decisive Magical Battle for having this segment as well which is perfect because both songs (Along with Casket of Star) play when Reimu and Marisa are fighting each other.
I think the reason that the ARPEGGIO is so fundamental to video game music, is because it originated in 1-track and 4-track sound hardware -- the only way to get a chord (and other things going on) was for the given musical note to be interleaved with other musical notes, which means: ARPEGGIO.
I think that I've saw the thing also in older (Vanishing Dream, Dream War, Sleeping Terror, Alice in Wonderland, Immortal Smoke?, I'm still searching other ones) or alternate themes (DiPP ESM and Reincarnation, Midi Complete Darkness)
The descending motif is actually a minor line cliche. It's actually decently common which is probably why it sounds pretty normal despite the dissonance.
Someone explain to me why pandemonic planet is so popular? Like yes it does all these great things that we love in Zun’s work, but it just sounds so amelodic. There’s nothing to follow along with, it comes off more like an ambiance than a song. Yes it does most of these techniques but it ends up sounding worse as a result. Like there are only a few Touhou songs I’d outright but say I dislike and pandemonic planet isn’t one of them (pure furies ~whereabouts of the heart and faint dream ~inanimate dream), but I’ll never understand how anyone could think of it as like, an outstanding song in the series
I love this, but I have a small nitpick and that's in Septette for a Dead Princess, specifically the phrase quoted at @2:33 is actually when ZUN is using Beethoven.
no ownder why Zun's music are beautiful. it because he create the game based on the music he create. i mean the first thing he make when creating touhou game is the music. not story/character/gameplay. and then later on that he create all the character/story/game based on the music.
Yo but what about those trumpets and harmonies with the trumpets with the progression of the trumpets as well as the descending order of the notes the trumpets also the bass in Yuuga ni Sakase, Sumizome no Sakura - Border of Life OH YEAH GUESS WHAT THAT SONG HAS TRUMPETS TOO WHAAAAAAT???? Did I mention the trumpets
I'd argue, the part that sounds like a beethoven song. The melody of the remilia theme does not contain any beethoven notes. It's just a chord progression (So accusing copied is wrong.)
I actually am incapable of perceiving hartmann's youkai girl as creepy due to listening to it over 700 times. Also unless there was a really creepy arrange of it it was never creepy even in the supposed 'creepy' part.
I'd argue, the part that sounds like a beethoven song. The melody of the remilia theme does not contain any beethoven notes. It's just a chord progression.
["The Thing" Intensifies]
lol why can I still see the video even when it's unlisted
Torikari i just made it public
“Paranoia Sign - Night of 180 Days”
Heian Alien ?
Goes skraaa
Every touhou song is a masterpiece, I like that no matter what, each one is different and unique from the others
Then again there's those underlying similarities
That I like
Then there's touhou 14's stage 6
@@guy_th18 thats like a crime to touhou fans
@@battleroyale123 ?
I don't come from a musical background, nor can I play instruments or read sheet music or interpret musical patterns, but after listening to years of Zun's soundtracks, I was never able to put it into words why I really love certain things about Zun's music.
Your videos explain it in a manner that I can finally vaguely understand, thank you so much.
I'd think ZUN's running notes are made using the arpeggiator function with his DAW, and then tweaked to his liking.
interesting
ZUN is such a fun composer. His music, while technically and theoretically surprisingly sound, has a very very charming outsider aesthetic to it, what with the midi instrumentation and just a very unique feel overall.
I love that double melody thing
Even more when he just presents the themes one by one and then slams them in your face like saying "YOU SEE? THEY WORK TOGHETHER, I TOLD YOU", like in Onigashima on the Fairyland or Lunatic Princess with that piano-trumpet combo, yet the piano is still a bit "simple".
That was everyone when some genius said, wait, and slapped Yukari and Okinas theme together.
They work together too well.
In case you're wondering, I do read that fast lol
WHERE DAT DELTARUNE X TOUHOU AT BOI
Thanks for this educational video abt ZUN's style. I'll keep those things on my mind to help me compose music even better
Finally someone can read as fast as me,
Feel at home
i read faster uwu
Faster
0:50
As a miko fanboy, i feel offended. The best caesura there is in zuns themes is in shoutoku legend (especially the hm version)
I also love when you try to skip the music to the climax, you'll sometimes wonder how a relaxing or less tense 1 minute length changes quickly into an orgasmic climax. It's like ZUN music makes you listen to the whole piece.
you like creepy music?, you are going to love th17 OST
In what world
Dude it's like, menacing not creepy. Hopeless sounding at closest to creepy.
I love when he uses a drum set to lead into a key change by itself. I recently bought some of his albums on iTunes and the album ver. of Necrofantasia and Frozen Capital of Eternity have my favorite instances of this! Also, No More Going Through Doors is probably one of his best compositions ever, it’s sad how under appreciated it is.
i like how zun tries to take his time to make the songs to feel intensifying
U.N. Owen was her has my most favorite pause.
2:55 this sounds like it could be Touhou theme itself
czcams.com/video/puiiwd2CGMA/video.html
The counterpoint is easy to explain:
Just imagine you have loudest, leading , which is the singer.
The softer is song melody.
Sometime the third one is the second singer following along, but mostly for chorus.
Counterpoint is easy to build if you consider the above characters.
ZUN makes some of the best piano runs in his music (e.g Voyage 1969, Plain Asia). And we all love them, don't we?
I feel like the beginning of Shanghai Alice of Meiji has some really neat running notes
My favourite ZUN counterpoint is easily Touhou 17 Stage 4's counterpoint during the intense trumpet section, where the piano counterpoint basically carries the whole thing.
God I didn't even realize that Old Adam Bar and Frozen Capital of Eternity were using Theme of Eastern Story until you just pointed it out. Frozen Capital of Eternity's breakdown is probably my favourite singled out section of any Touhou song, and this only makes it better ! ! !
**watching the video and having no idea what anything means but liking it because it's 2hu related**
The thing I like most when I hear Touhou themes? I can write a full memo about new words that I learned simply by reading the title (and I'm not kidding, look at some of the titles and you will notice that some of them have a very unfamiliar word in them).
For the last one, you find the perfect example in Th17 stage 6...
My favorite "the thing" Is okina's "the thing"
You have no idea how I love the piano chord in the part of The Frozen Capital you showcased in this video
with exactly 0 musical knowledge i identified "the jump" in zuns music and that I really like it, and I've tried for YEARS to explain it, im so glad someone finally did!!!
Underrated video. My favourite counterpoint usage must be the one he uses in necro-fantasy, both melodies blend with each other so good and its at the last part of the song too, so its a great climax.
Have you noticed the familiar sequence that he used back in the PC-98 era, which he used agin later in the Secret God Matara at around 2:30? That is one of my favorite reoccurring jingle in his music.
I have no knowledge whatsoever of the concepts of this video, but I still enjoyed it.
Please tell me I'm not alone.
Very helpful analysis for people to understand ZUN's music!
I love Pandemonic Planet and Un Owen and Hartman Youkai Girl
The theme with the best caesura and the most satisfying melody after the caesura in my opinion: emotional skyscraper
Two interesting things I find in Touhou music is that it vibrates and resonate. Each song is unique and gives off a unique idea.
6:24 Can I give a special shoutout to Decisive Magical Battle for having this segment as well which is perfect because both songs (Along with Casket of Star) play when Reimu and Marisa are fighting each other.
God so they're called counterpoints? This is good to know.
i like how the counterpoints come together in harmony in the last few notes, its really nice
I think the reason that the ARPEGGIO is so fundamental to video game music, is because it originated in 1-track and 4-track sound hardware -- the only way to get a chord (and other things going on) was for the given musical note to be interleaved with other musical notes, which means: ARPEGGIO.
I think that I've saw the thing also in older (Vanishing Dream, Dream War, Sleeping Terror, Alice in Wonderland, Immortal Smoke?, I'm still searching other ones) or alternate themes (DiPP ESM and Reincarnation, Midi Complete Darkness)
2:56 Bro this is actually so much legit xD
A great countermelody example would be Magical’s Astronomy arrange of Demistify Feast and Suwa Foughten Field
omg i love that thing in the dark blowhole song too its the best thing ever
0:52 Also Casket of Stars from Touhou 4
Pegasus in th17 can be a good example to the creepy music
Running notes!!!
Running notes!!!
Running notes!!!
I don't really get your funny words, music man, but I think I agree
I really like how fast, loud and rhytmic the drums are in Marisa's IN theme
So cool ! I really love touhou music, but i have never been able to really tell what i like in it and this video really gives me tools to do so.
The descending motif is actually a minor line cliche. It's actually decently common which is probably why it sounds pretty normal despite the dissonance.
Huh so that's what a counterpoint is. Alstroemeria Records' Double Counterpoint album name makes more sense now. Thanks.
"Theme of Eastern of Story" is BEST part of it.
ICDD uses the same technique of their music as well.
that section of Pandemonic planet reminds me of Necrofantasia.
Someone explain to me why pandemonic planet is so popular? Like yes it does all these great things that we love in Zun’s work, but it just sounds so amelodic. There’s nothing to follow along with, it comes off more like an ambiance than a song. Yes it does most of these techniques but it ends up sounding worse as a result. Like there are only a few Touhou songs I’d outright but say I dislike and pandemonic planet isn’t one of them (pure furies ~whereabouts of the heart and faint dream ~inanimate dream), but I’ll never understand how anyone could think of it as like, an outstanding song in the series
I like your analysis of ZUNs music methods.
Nice video!
Points 4 and 8 are my favourites. They bring me physical pleasure
I love this, but I have a small nitpick and that's in Septette for a Dead Princess, specifically the phrase quoted at @2:33 is actually when ZUN is using Beethoven.
Zunpet is the word
Ah What I love bout Zun's music are the musical Pallindromes
Mmmm that was a really interesting analogy
thank you
Yay, I understand.
great video!
2:56 no, no, it works well
no ownder why Zun's music are beautiful. it because he create the game based on the music he create. i mean the first thing he make when creating touhou game is the music. not story/character/gameplay. and then later on that he create all the character/story/game based on the music.
the thing
Retitle video "How to make Touhou music"
The drum is guaranteed to have a seizure
Counterpoints isn't a word. Counterpoint is a word.
2:35
Yo but what about those trumpets and harmonies with the trumpets with the progression of the trumpets as well as the descending order of the notes the trumpets also the bass in Yuuga ni Sakase, Sumizome no Sakura - Border of Life OH YEAH GUESS WHAT THAT SONG HAS TRUMPETS TOO WHAAAAAAT????
Did I mention the trumpets
Also the trumpets that do the jumping thing you were talking about in some of Reimu's songs
Also it doesn't take effort to write counterpoint, but it does take effort to learn how to write counterpoint. Look into Alan Belkin's series for it.
at the last part you should of included the IN stage 4 theme
suspended. 4ths. everywhere.
3:02 No Nightmare Diary? :/
4:24 is it your sheets or you got them somewhere?(Heian Alien)Because i cant find those, the version on your vid
I made that few bars by myself just for this video
@@ElectroIl oh, thanks for the answer)
2:35 that part is copied from beetoven. Still works though
I'd argue, the part that sounds like a beethoven song. The melody of the remilia theme does not contain any beethoven notes. It's just a chord progression (So accusing copied is wrong.)
"Caesura"? Oh, so "selah"?
I actually am incapable of perceiving hartmann's youkai girl as creepy due to listening to it over 700 times. Also unless there was a really creepy arrange of it it was never creepy even in the supposed 'creepy' part.
Where d o i get that cursed image is the thumbnail
2:26
That melody is Beethoven's, not ZUN's.
Coincidence?
I'd argue, the part that sounds like a beethoven song. The melody of the remilia theme does not contain any beethoven notes. It's just a chord progression.
Wait.....the zunpets!??? Xd where are them xdd
The title said "The little things"
not the big/main things
Do not go in comment of Giorno theme...
Какой-то похоронный стиль у этого ролика... Минимум музыки, черный фон с поминальными записками...
why the letters look like they are moving
Is your name combination of Electone and troll?
Hyper Vanilo Elect and Troll actually
@Hyper Vanillo guess mine
Nice, but just one thing : it's "music" or "piece", not "song".
Send heck