Uploaded April 2023 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
🎵 Sheet Music & Parts ➤ [Removed by Nintendo JP]
💗 MIDI / XML / Sibelius ➤ bit.ly/TandABundle
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🎮 More Arrangements ➤ jshaw.co.uk/TandA
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We've finally made it to the secret dungeon of Crossbone Isle... except I forgot to pickup the Cloak Ball D:
--------------------
➤ Analysis:
We begin with 3 voices; melody (panpipes), harmony (flute & clarinet), and bass (bass guitar), all supported by a drum rhythm. They outline a very simple F♯ minor tonality (F♯-A-C♯) which quickly shifts into A minor via a tertiary modulation (F♯ to A - a 3rd away - 0:06). From here, we descend to E minor (E-G-B) via a plagal cadence (chord IV to I; here A minor to E minor). This then shifts up another tertiary modulation into G minor (E to G; 0:12), followed quickly by another plagal cadence into D minor (G to D; 0:15)... and you get the picture!
Such a pattern of modulations creates a wonderfully mysterious tonality that is ever-changing and unpredictable, much like the nature of this dungeon with its 9 floors of differing puzzles to solve. For further development, I added a subtle string harmony that creeps in and out (0:15), alongside additional marimba and celesta doubling the melody (0:26).
As we progress into the next section (0:28), we land firmly into A minor (A-C-E). Here, a new countermelody of running semiquavers (16ths) is added, which I placed in the violins, but also doubled in dove-tailing woodwind instruments (to enhance the colour). A chord of open 5ths (A-E) is delivered by the low strings, followed by the brass. This creates a strong tonal anchor for the melodies above while giving it a slightly darker, heavier sound from their relatively low-pitched placement.
By 0:40, we return to the opening material, now with a new countermelody placed in the extreme registers of the marimba (a very rare range of the instrument!). But it is this very deep range that creates such a unique undulating colour to the otherwise unchanged opening ostinato. Pizzicato strings further enhance this, followed by tremolandi strings for a more shivering tone.
At 1:06, we get something very interesting: a 1-bar transition. This is remarkably rare in the OST outside of combat themes, but is used to great effect here to provide us with an unexpected shift into a new section. And since the material in this 1-bar phrase is heard earlier (0:28), Sakuraba is essentially pranking us with a false repetition, further adding to the surprise of the following section (1:07).
Here, an oboe takes on the melodic role, playing material similar to that of the 1-bar transition we just had, now modulated into F♯ minor via (you guessed it) a tertiary modulation. To complement this oboe melody, I wrote small countermelodies in the flute & violins (1:13), as well as a small definitive conclusion to the track (2:37).
--------------------
The score was created in Sibelius 7.5, and the audio was created in Cubase using sample libraries from EastWest, Sampleism and Vienna Symphonic.
★Game: Golden Sun
★Developer: Camelot Software Planning
★Publisher: Nintendo
★Composer(s): Motoi Sakuraba
★Software: Sibelius 7.5, Cubase Elements 7, Cubase 10, Adobe Premiere Elements 15, EastWest Sample Libraries, Sampleism, Vienna Symphonic Library
★Tags: Golden, Sun, Golden Sun, The Lost Age, Golden Sun: The Lost Age, Orchestra, Orchestral, Orchestration, Arrangement, Remix, Cover, Crossbone Isle
#GoldenSun
#Orchestra
#CrossboneIsle
🎵 Sheet Music & Parts ➤ [Removed by Nintendo JP]
💗 MIDI / XML / Sibelius ➤ bit.ly/TandABundle
🎹 Commissions ➤ jshaw.co.uk/commissions
🎮 More Arrangements ➤ jshaw.co.uk/TandA
👍 Facebook ➤ bit.ly/TandAFacebook
🐦 Twitter ➤ bit.ly/TandATwitter
🎵 Bandcamp ➤ bit.ly/TandABandcamp
🎵 Spotify ➤ bit.ly/TandASpotify
🎵 Deezer ➤ bit.ly/TandADeezer
🎵 YouTube Music ➤ bit.ly/TandAYouTube
🎵 Apple Music / iTunes ➤ bit.ly/TandAApple
We've finally made it to the secret dungeon of Crossbone Isle... except I forgot to pickup the Cloak Ball D:
--------------------
➤ Analysis:
We begin with 3 voices; melody (panpipes), harmony (flute & clarinet), and bass (bass guitar), all supported by a drum rhythm. They outline a very simple F♯ minor tonality (F♯-A-C♯) which quickly shifts into A minor via a tertiary modulation (F♯ to A - a 3rd away - 0:06). From here, we descend to E minor (E-G-B) via a plagal cadence (chord IV to I; here A minor to E minor). This then shifts up another tertiary modulation into G minor (E to G; 0:12), followed quickly by another plagal cadence into D minor (G to D; 0:15)... and you get the picture!
Such a pattern of modulations creates a wonderfully mysterious tonality that is ever-changing and unpredictable, much like the nature of this dungeon with its 9 floors of differing puzzles to solve. For further development, I added a subtle string harmony that creeps in and out (0:15), alongside additional marimba and celesta doubling the melody (0:26).
As we progress into the next section (0:28), we land firmly into A minor (A-C-E). Here, a new countermelody of running semiquavers (16ths) is added, which I placed in the violins, but also doubled in dove-tailing woodwind instruments (to enhance the colour). A chord of open 5ths (A-E) is delivered by the low strings, followed by the brass. This creates a strong tonal anchor for the melodies above while giving it a slightly darker, heavier sound from their relatively low-pitched placement.
By 0:40, we return to the opening material, now with a new countermelody placed in the extreme registers of the marimba (a very rare range of the instrument!). But it is this very deep range that creates such a unique undulating colour to the otherwise unchanged opening ostinato. Pizzicato strings further enhance this, followed by tremolandi strings for a more shivering tone.
At 1:06, we get something very interesting: a 1-bar transition. This is remarkably rare in the OST outside of combat themes, but is used to great effect here to provide us with an unexpected shift into a new section. And since the material in this 1-bar phrase is heard earlier (0:28), Sakuraba is essentially pranking us with a false repetition, further adding to the surprise of the following section (1:07).
Here, an oboe takes on the melodic role, playing material similar to that of the 1-bar transition we just had, now modulated into F♯ minor via (you guessed it) a tertiary modulation. To complement this oboe melody, I wrote small countermelodies in the flute & violins (1:13), as well as a small definitive conclusion to the track (2:37).
--------------------
The score was created in Sibelius 7.5, and the audio was created in Cubase using sample libraries from EastWest, Sampleism and Vienna Symphonic.
★Game: Golden Sun
★Developer: Camelot Software Planning
★Publisher: Nintendo
★Composer(s): Motoi Sakuraba
★Software: Sibelius 7.5, Cubase Elements 7, Cubase 10, Adobe Premiere Elements 15, EastWest Sample Libraries, Sampleism, Vienna Symphonic Library
★Tags: Golden, Sun, Golden Sun, The Lost Age, Golden Sun: The Lost Age, Orchestra, Orchestral, Orchestration, Arrangement, Remix, Cover, Crossbone Isle
#GoldenSun
#Orchestra
#CrossboneIsle
