KMADS MusicPiano arrangement of "Noctilum" (N本ig本ht本L), the theme for the continent of the same name in Xenoblade Chronicles X on the Wii U (and soon the Definitive Edition on Nintendo Switch!). This arrangement is specifically the day version of the theme. Original theme by Hiroyuki Sawano. Piano arrangement and performance by KMADS Music.
Noctilum is one of the continents of Mira. It is a vast forest area with massive plants that glow at night. It reminds me a bit of Satorl Marsh from Xenoblade 1 and Uraya from Xenoblade 2 (though Xenoblade X came out between those two games). I really love exploring this area because of the twisting and lush forest, and I also loooove bioluminescent plants!
The actual track title is “N本ig本ht本L“ / "NOfCoTreIsLtUM", once again a fun Sawano-style title. There is also a version of this song used in the trailers called "z5m20i12r04a28", even MORE of a Sawano title hahaha. The Japanese name of this continent is "夜光の森" (Yakō no Mori, literally "Noctilucent Forest").
I actually never thought I'd arrange this song because I assumed it would be too difficult. Once I figured out how to take some artistic liberties, it became more approachable lol. I LOVE the energy of this song, especially when the vocals kick in at the section at 1:01 (another iconic Sawano beat drop). It was actually @XanderPlute's arrangement feat @ElementalityStudios that inspired me to finally try to tackle this thing! Check out their awesome collab here: youtube.com/watch?v=q4CRsrjjSq8
Noctilum - Xenoblade Chronicles X - Piano CoverKMADS Music2025-03-08 | Piano arrangement of "Noctilum" (N本ig本ht本L), the theme for the continent of the same name in Xenoblade Chronicles X on the Wii U (and soon the Definitive Edition on Nintendo Switch!). This arrangement is specifically the day version of the theme. Original theme by Hiroyuki Sawano. Piano arrangement and performance by KMADS Music.
Noctilum is one of the continents of Mira. It is a vast forest area with massive plants that glow at night. It reminds me a bit of Satorl Marsh from Xenoblade 1 and Uraya from Xenoblade 2 (though Xenoblade X came out between those two games). I really love exploring this area because of the twisting and lush forest, and I also loooove bioluminescent plants!
The actual track title is “N本ig本ht本L“ / "NOfCoTreIsLtUM", once again a fun Sawano-style title. There is also a version of this song used in the trailers called "z5m20i12r04a28", even MORE of a Sawano title hahaha. The Japanese name of this continent is "夜光の森" (Yakō no Mori, literally "Noctilucent Forest").
I actually never thought I'd arrange this song because I assumed it would be too difficult. Once I figured out how to take some artistic liberties, it became more approachable lol. I LOVE the energy of this song, especially when the vocals kick in at the section at 1:01 (another iconic Sawano beat drop). It was actually @XanderPlute's arrangement feat @ElementalityStudios that inspired me to finally try to tackle this thing! Check out their awesome collab here: youtube.com/watch?v=q4CRsrjjSq8
#XenobladeChroniclesX #XenobladeXAlfeto Valley (Night) - Xenoblade Chronicles 3 - Piano CoverKMADS Music2025-07-12 | Piano arrangement of "Alfeto Valley/Night" (アルフェト渓谷/夜) from Xenoblade Chronicles 3 on the Nintendo Switch. Original piece composed by Kenji Hiramatsu. Piano solo cover arranged and performed by KMADS Music.
This theme plays in the Aetia region. This is one of my favorite night themes in the entire game due to how calming and peaceful it is. I remember the first time I heard this theme, I was admiring the stars. I wanted to capture that in this video, but I was a little annoyed by how much it kept raining in the area while I was trying to get footage hahaha. I hope you like how it turned out!
#XenobladeChronicles3 #Xenoblade3Ma Meilleure Ennemie [Emotional Version] - Arcane S2 - Piano Cover arr. @mattiadambrosmusicKMADS Music2025-07-05 | This cover is a slightly altered version of @mattiadambrosmusic's arrangement, performed by me. You can watch his video with the score and download the sheet music here: youtube.com/watch?v=zvtenzBTSW4&list=PLDrFx2Ls75VuWvqO7pJv9oBYHH5017Kts&index=26
Check out Mattia's channel for many collections of unique and beautiful arrangements and scores.
This is a piano solo cover of "Ma Meilleure Ennemie" by Stromae & Pomme from the animated series Arcane: League of Legends. This song was featured in Season 2 Episode 7 “Pretend Like It’s the First Time”, specifically in the dance scene. Last week, I posted a version of this cover that more closely followed Mattia's arrangement. For this week, I wanted to do a more rubato and dramatic version of his arrangement while also including a video of myself playing. I don't usually record myself playing, so this was a really fun project to put together. For the video, I did a bit more of an AMV style video featuring the relationships between Ekko and Jinx/Powder. The video clips are all featured from the episode and the official music video.
Check out his channel for many more amazing arrangements. He makes so many unique arrangements of different genres of music, and he always shares the scores, which is a huge plus!
This is a piano solo cover of "Ma Meilleure Ennemie" by Stromae & Pomme from the animated series Arcane: League of Legends. This song was featured in Season 2 Episode 7 “Pretend Like It’s the First Time”, specifically the iconic dance scene. This was absolutely my favorite episode of the season, and listening to this song still makes me feel so bittersweet. It perfectly captures that longing feeling of what could have been. I have some more specific thoughts to share at the bottom of my description under a spoiler warning, but first, I want to tell you a bit more about this arrangement.
This is my first time working with Mattia D’Ambros, and WOW was it an amazing experience! I am a huge fan of Mattia’s unique arrangements and his ability to capture so many genres, so I was so excited to collaborate with him on this piece. I told him that this was a song that I really loved, but I had no idea how to translate it into a piano solo. His arrangement completely blew me away. It captures that longing feeling between the two characters so well, preserving the spirit of the original while taking on a different tone. I love this arrangement so much, and I had so much fun practicing and learning it!
**SPOILER WARNING FOR MORE DETAILS ABOUT THIS EPISODE** . . . I'm a huge sucker for alternate universe/timeline storylines and the exploration of the butterfly effect, so this episode really stuck with me. It was so bittersweet to see Ekko and Powder living happily in this timeline while Ekko and Jinx were suffering in the one we were familiar with. The lyrics for this song perfectly describe the combination of the parallel relationships as well. Even the title, "Ma Meilleure Ennemie", means "My Best Enemy". Anyway this episode made me cry a lot and I hope that Ekko and Jinx can find their own happiness.
#ArcaneMelia - Ancient Memories - Xenoblade Chronicles 3 - Piano CoverKMADS Music2025-06-21 | Piano arrangement of "Melia - Ancient Memories" from Xenoblade Chronicles 3 on the Nintendo Switch. Original piece composed by Manami Kiyota. Piano solo cover arranged and performed by KMADS Music.
**SPOILERS FOR XENOBLADE CHRONICLES 1, 2, and 3 IN DESCRIPTION** . . .
This is one of my favorites from the entire OST. I've wanted to cover it for a while, but I needed some time for it to sit before I was ready. This piece fills me with so much emotion and nostalgia, and I honestly teared up the first time I heard it in the game. I love how it references both "Eryth Sea" and "Alcamoth, Imperial Capital" from the first game. This song is just so perfectly Melia.
This track makes me think of all of the suffering Melia went through, and how despite all of that, she continued to persist and stay strong for herself, her friends, her people, and her entire world. What a fantastic character. I love her so much, and I'm so glad she got such a good theme. This was the perfect background music for the Melia and Nia lore drop as well. My queens ❤️.
I wanted to use this video as a sort of representation of her dreaming about her memories, telling a bit of her journey over her lifetime. That's why I decided to include Syra, Hovering Reefs, Eryth Sea, Alcamoth, and Keves Castle. While "Syra, Hovering Reefs", which I posted last week, has more of a somber and empty atmosphere, I feel like this theme carries more history, hope, and strength in it.
#XenobladeChronicles3 #Xenoblade3Syra Hovering Reefs - Xenoblade Chronicles 3 - Piano CoverKMADS Music2025-06-14 | Piano arrangement of "Syra Hovering Reefs" (シウェラ浮遊岩礁地帯) from Xenoblade Chronicles 3 on the Nintendo Switch. Original piece composed by Manami Kiyota. Piano solo cover arranged and performed by KMADS Music.
This theme plays in the Keves Castle region. More specifically, this is the day version of the theme. I really enjoy the somber and empty feeling of this track and the area. It's where you finally reach Keves Castle and get close to learning what happened to the queen.
#XenobladeChronicles3 #Xenoblade3Elegy of the Dynast - Hunter x Hunter - Piano CoverKMADS Music2025-06-07 | Piano cover of "Elegy of the Dynast!" from the Hunter x Hunter 2011 anime. Originally composed by Yoshihisa Hirano. Piano solo arrangement and cover by KMADS Music.
I loved the relationship between the king and Komugi. It's part of what helped the Chimera Ant arc go way up in my rankings for the HxH arcs. They had such an interesting dynamic, and it was a lot of fun watching them play Gungi and get to know each other. This arc had a lot of great characters, and it's crazy how long it was compared to the others. It was almost like an entire anime within an anime. It has some of my favorite music themes as well!
#hunterxhunterKingdom of Predators - Hunter x Hunter - Piano CoverKMADS Music2025-05-31 | Piano cover of "Kingdom of Predators" from the Hunter x Hunter 2011 anime. Originally composed by Yoshihisa Hirano. Piano solo arrangement and cover by KMADS Music.
When the Chimera Ant arc first started, I didn't really know how to feel since it introduced so many new concepts and started off pretty slow; however, I fell in love with this arc as it developed. What an awesome set of characters and a fantastic OST. This track in particular is one of my favorites from all of HxH. I especially love the section starting at 1:26. It really underscores the menacing and dramatic atmosphere.
#hunterxhunterRequiem Aranea - Hunter x Hunter - Piano CoverKMADS Music2025-05-24 | Piano cover of "Requiem Aranea", the theme of the Phantom Troupe, from the Hunter x Hunter 2011 anime. Originally composed by Yoshihisa Hirano. Piano solo arrangement and cover by KMADS Music.
This is one of my all-time favorite themes from the HxH OST. It's so dramatic and sinister, and there are a few different versions of this melody that exude different moods depending on the scene. The Yorknew City arc was my favorite - I find the Spiders such an interesting group, and I think Chrollo is an interesting leader. I really like the classical and choral vibe of this piece, and the harmonies and countermelodies are so rich. I hope you all like this piano interpretation!
#hunterxhunterAll I Need Is MONEY! [Leorios Theme] - Hunter x Hunter - Piano CoverKMADS Music2025-05-17 | Piano cover of "All I Need Is MONEY!" (AKA Leorio's Theme) from the Hunter x Hunter 2011 anime. Originally composed by Yoshihisa Hirano. Piano solo arrangement and cover by KMADS Music.
This is the perfect theme for Leorio Paladiknight, the lovable goof of the crew and probably the most normal of the bunch. Despite his initial appearances, he has a heart of gold. I really love how jazzy and fun this theme is. It constantly gets stuck in my head and puts me into a good mood. I don’t usually do jazzy songs, so I think this arrangement turned out a little messy since I wanted to keep in as many parts as I could. I hope you like it despite all that!
#hunterxhunterSeverance Main Theme - KMADS MusicKMADS Music2025-05-10 | Piano cover of "Main Titles", the main opening theme for Severance, composed by Theodore Shapiro. Cover arranged and performed by KMADS Music.
I’ve been really into Severance lately and just finished Season 2. This opening theme is so perfectly unsettling, and the opening animations for both seasons are so weird and cool. I tried to emulate the dreaminess of this show with this video and all of the crazy particle effects, so I hope you like it. This theme has been stuck in my head for a long time, so I'm so happy to finally get this out!
The concept of this show with the severed workers at Lumon, innies and outies, is so interesting, and I've really enjoyed watching the stories of Mark S, Helly R, Dylan G, and Irving B unfold. Mr. Milchick is such a dynamic and fun character as well.
I am eagerly awaiting Season 3!
#severancetvshow #severancetvshowThe Line - Arcane S2 - Piano CoverKMADS Music2025-05-03 | Piano cover of "The Line" by Twenty One Pilots from the animated series Arcane: League of Legends (Season 2). Cover arranged and performed by KMADS Music.
Viktor is such an interesting character, and I think the lyrics and melody of this song suit him so well! This is yet another one of my favorites from Season 2, and I think it was used really well when it appeared in the show. Tyler Joseph's vocals are so great in this song, somehow capturing both a gentle and strong tone. His live performance at the 2024 Game Awards gave me chills!
#Arcane这样很好 (Ishas Song) - Arcane S2 - Piano CoverKMADS Music2025-04-26 | Piano cover of "这样很好 (Isha's Song)" by Eason Chan from the animated series Arcane: League of Legends (Season 2). Cover arranged and performed by KMADS Music.
I loved the relationship between Isha and Jinx this season! It was the perfect mix between parental and sisterly, and I think it really helped Jinx gain back a piece of herself.
This song is another one of my favorites. I love the emotional build-up throughout, and the deep harmonies are soooo beautiful. Eason Chan did an amazing job with this one!
#ArcaneWasteland - Arcane S2 - Piano CoverKMADS Music2025-04-19 | Piano cover of "Wasteland" by Royal & the Serpent from the animated series Arcane: League of Legends (Season 2). Cover arranged and performed by KMADS Music.
I am VERY LATE to Arcane Season 2! While it took a bit for me to vibe with the season, it really started to hit after a few episodes. Jinx is such an interesting and heart-rending character, and this theme in particular is one that really spoke to me. It instantly became one of my favorites.
I feel like some of the music usage in Arcane can be a bit gratuitous, but I thought this one was used really well throughout the season. ("Ma meilleure ennemie" was another one that worked so freaking well, OOF that one HURT with the perfect bittersweetness.) I have a few more covers planned for Season 2, so I hope you enjoy!
#ArcaneHiiro no Hitomi no Aika [Kurapikas Theme] - Hunter x Hunter - Piano CoverKMADS Music2025-04-12 | Piano cover of "Hiiro no Hitomi no Aika" ("The Scarlet Eye Lament"), AKA Kurapika's Theme, from the Hunter x Hunter 2011 anime. Originally composed by Yoshihisa Hirano. Piano solo arrangement and cover by KMADS Music.
"Hiiro no Hitomi no Aika" (緋色の瞳の哀歌) translates into "The Scarlet Eye Lament", which is a fitting name for Kurapika's theme. Kurapika is another one of my favorite characters in the show, and I am so invested in his journey throughout this story. I tried to capture the deep sadness he has as well as the contrasting happy memories with his friends.
#hunterxhunterGinpatsu no Shonen [Killuas Theme] - Hunter x Hunter - Piano CoverKMADS Music2025-04-05 | Piano cover of "Ginpatsu no Lullaby" and "Ginpatsu no Shonen", two different iterations of Killua's Theme from the Hunter x Hunter 2011 anime. Originally composed by Yoshihisa Hirano. Piano solo arrangement and cover by KMADS Music.
After literal years of recommending Hunter x Hunter to me, my bestie sat me down and forced me to watch Season 1 during his most recent visit. I was hooked right away! I binged the rest of the show pretty quickly (yes, all 148 episodes). There are so many amazing tracks in this OST, many of which I hope to eventually cover. This theme is one of my favorites from the entire show. I just love how beautiful and emotional it sounds, and it really puts me at peace when I listen to it.
"Ginpatsu no Shonen/Shounen" (銀髪の少年) translates into "The boy with silver hair", which naturally means Killua. Killua Zoldyck is one of my favorite characters in the show, and I think this theme suits his personality and journey super well! Despite his background, he has always wanted to be a good person. While "Ginpatsu no Lullaby" sounds a bit lonelier, I like to think of "Ginpatsu no Shonen" as describing Killua once he has made his first friend, Gon. I tried to reflect that feeling in the video as well. Killua and Gon's friendship is legendary, and I love seeing those two build each other up and support each other! In the original track, "Ginpatsu no Shonen" is filled with several voices and countermelodies, sounding much fuller and happier than the piano solo "Ginpatsu no Lullaby".
Timestamps: 0:00 - Ginpatsu no Lullaby 2:11 - Ginpatsu no Shonen
#hunterxhunterNew Battle!!! - Xenoblade Chronicles 3: Future Redeemed - Piano CoverKMADS Music2025-03-29 | Piano arrangement of "New Battle!!!" by Kenji Hiramatsu from the Xenoblade Chronicles 3: Future Redeemed DLC on the Nintendo Switch. Cover arranged and performed by KMADS Music.
I thought nothing could live up to the high standard set by the Torna battle theme; however, they absolutely did it again with this one! I've been wanting to cover this track for a while, but I just needed to have the right inspiration to dive in since there's a lot going on here. I was back in my Future Redeemed feels after watching back a few cutscenes, and it seemed like the perfect time given that I've finished up my backlog of Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition covers.
I wanted to do something similar to what I did for my Battle!!/Torna video (youtube.com/watch?v=06GFH_0ASLA), and thus, this was born. I always find it so fun to edit together clips like this, but I usually don't have the time or ideas to make it happen. The Founders crew is so special to me, so I wanted to showcase their fighting skills alongside this epic theme. This video shows the team getting together, mostly focusing on Matthew and A. It also shows the start of Nikol's and Glimmer's participation before finally teasing a bit of Rex and Shulk. As much as I was tempted to add in some of the later battle scenes to show everyone in action, I figured that those moments were best left to experience in the game itself for anyone who hasn't played yet.
#XenobladeChronicles3 #xenoblade3 #futureredeemedUncontrollable - Xenoblade Chronicles X - Piano CoverKMADS Music2025-03-20 | HAPPY XENOBLADE CHRONICLES X: DEFINITIVE EDITION RELEASE DAY!!! To celebrate, here is a piano arrangement of "Uncontrollable" by Hiroyuki Sawano (feat. mpi and Mika Kobayashi on vocals) from Xenoblade Chronicles X on the Wii U and the Definitive Edition on Nintendo Switch. Piano arrangement and performance by KMADS Music.
This theme plays when you battle most Tyrants in the game (this game's version of Unique Monsters). Xenoblade games never fail to have awesome hype-up themes for these kinds of battles.
I am so excited that more people will finally have the chance to experience this game and explore Mira! For those of you who plan on playing, I hope you have a fantastic time! My playthrough will probably be pretty slow this time since I have a few different things going on at the moment, but I'm really looking forward to the new content.
#XenobladeChroniclesX #XenobladeXCauldros - Xenoblade Chronicles X - Piano CoverKMADS Music2025-03-15 | Piano arrangement of "Cauldros" (96-:rip), the theme for the continent of the same name in Xenoblade Chronicles X on the Wii U (and soon the Definitive Edition on Nintendo Switch!). This arrangement is specifically the day version of the theme. Original theme by Hiroyuki Sawano. Piano arrangement and performance by KMADS Music.
Cauldros is one of the continents of Mira. It is a massive volcanic wasteland full of ancient ruins and mining infrastructure. It is definitely the most difficult area in the game. I remember running to explore all of the continents when I first started this game, and I stealthed my way through Sylvalum and Cauldros out of curiosity. Wow, did I get destroyed here hahah. But it was fun to come back and stomp on all the pesky enemies once I got my Skell license :). I do wish the other Xenoblade games had lava areas - it feels so intense in Cauldros!
The actual track title is “96-:rip". I don't really know what Sawano meant with this one. I do appreciate that each of the continent themes have their own Sawano bass drop, this one included. I hope you all enjoy the piano version of this theme even though it lacks the bass boost and distortion of the original. For this video, I really had to dig into multiple trailers to get enough footage. I wish I had the game already so I could record my own stuff!
The Japanese name of this continent is "黒鋼の大陸" (Kurogane no Tairiku, literally "Land of Black Steel"). I think that is such a cool name, and it's very apt for this area.
#XenobladeChroniclesX #XenobladeXPrimordia - Xenoblade Chronicles X - Piano CoverKMADS Music2025-03-01 | Piano arrangement of "Primordia" (N周L辺A), the theme for the continent of the same name in Xenoblade Chronicles X on the Wii U (and soon the Definitive Edition on Nintendo Switch!). This arrangement is specifically the day version of the theme. Original theme by Hiroyuki Sawano. Piano arrangement and performance by KMADS Music.
Primordia is one of the continents of Mira, and it is the first continent players are introduced to since it's right outside the starting and hub area of New Los Angeles (NLA). It consists of grassy plains, lakes, and tons of huge rock structures. It's pretty reminiscent of Gaur Plain from the first game. This area is full of really awesome prehistoric looking monsters like the millesaurs (the brontosaurus-like creatures featured in this video). The Japanese name of this continent is "原初の荒野" (Gensho no Kōya, literally "Primordial Wilderness").
The actual track title is “N周L辺A“, and I read that the kanji can translate to "periphery" or "outskirts", making the title mean something like "the area surrounding NLA". I also read that in a North American special edition, this was titled “aNrLeAa”. Some sources also call this "Mira Field". Whew, Sawano's titling habits always cause some interesting interpretations.
This is one of the most rhythmically fun pieces I've ever played. I love how much is going on throughout the piece, especially as it builds up in intensity. This piece has a classic Sawano beat drop that I am obsessed with. I've been in love with the section from 1:34 - 2:09 since I first heard it. The harmonic minor is so good.
#XenobladeChroniclesX #XenobladeXAbracadabra - Lady Gaga - Piano CoverKMADS Music2025-02-22 | Piano arrangement of "Abracadabra", the new hit single by Lady Gaga.
This is a bit of a departure from my norm, but I'm a long-time Gaga fan, and I haven't been able to get this song out of my head for weeks. This music video is sooo good, and I love how it feels like a return to The Fame Monster vibes. I'm really loving her hair and makeup style in this era, and her costumes always hit. I'm so excited for the rest of Mayhem!
I found this one a bit hard to interpret for piano, so I hope you guys enjoy it!
After this, I’ll be posting weekly Xenoblade Chronicles X covers until the game is released. Stay tuned!
#ladygaga #abracadabraTris Theme - The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom - Piano CoverKMADS Music2025-02-15 | Piano arrangement of "Tri's Theme" from The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom on the Nintendo Switch. Cover arranged and performed by KMADS Music. Original music credited to Hajime Wakai, Kenji Nakajo, Masato Ohashi, Manaka Kataoka, Chisaki Hosaka, Reika Nakai, Yuri Goto, Ryotaro Yagi, and Azusa Kato.
I wasn't sure how to feel about this game when it was first announced, mostly because I wasn't convinced about the gameplay style. But my best friend and I played this one together real quick during the holidays, and it was super cute and fun! I liked thinking about the different ways to traverse the terrain and solve puzzles (even though I mostly spammed the bed and water blocks). It was fun to play as Zelda instead of Link this time. But I hated the menu, especially since you had to spend so much time in there 😭.
From the moment I first heard Tri's Theme, it became my favorite theme in the game. It sounds so mysterious and wistful, but also captures that feeling of wonder and kindness that Tri demonstrates. I also just love how Tri is a cute lil' guy with cute lil' sound effects. The OST overall was really sweet with a lot of great woodwinds! It gave the game a really nice storybook vibe.
The first two parts of this song are pretty faithful to the original theme. I mixed it up a bit for the 3rd part, and then I took aspects from "Tri's Departure" for the 4th. I hope you enjoy how this turned out!
#Zelda #TheLegendOfZelda #EchoesOfWisdomSo nah, so fern - Xenoblade Chronicles X - Piano CoverKMADS Music2025-02-01 | Piano arrangement of "So nah, so fern" by Hiroyuki Sawano from Xenoblade Chronicles X on the Wii U (and soon the Definitive Edition on Nintendo Switch!). Piano arrangement and performance by KMADS Music.
Oof, you know when this song plays, you're in for an emotional moment! This is yet another one of my favorites from the OST, and it has a few different remixes throughout (such as X-BT3 and REARR.X). Mika Kobayashi's vocals on this track are so longing, mournful, and emotional. This is such a great theme!
I wanted to go for a moody vibe for this video, so I included a screen cap of New Los Angeles (NLA) at night with BLADE tower in the back, and then Lao in the foreground. I hope you all enjoy!
#XenobladeChroniclesX #XenobladeXThe Key Weve Lost - Xenoblade Chronicles X - Piano CoverKMADS Music2025-01-18 | Piano arrangement of "The Key We've Lost" by Hiroyuki Sawano from Xenoblade Chronicles X on the Wii U (and soon the Definitive Edition on Nintendo Switch!). Piano arrangement and performance by KMADS Music.
I'm very excited to release a new cover after being away for so long! I love this song and still think of it as the trailer theme for Xenoblade X (alongside the Noctilum Day theme), so I couldn't help but edit my own little fan teaser trailer for the game based on how the story unfolds at the beginning of the game. This only uses clips from the first few cutscenes and the loading screens of the game. I was kind of tempted to hold this off until the Definitive Edition release on the Switch, but I couldn't stop myself from sharing this - I was too excited. Think of this as my love letter to this game. ❤️
This is one of my absolute favorite tracks from the entire Xenoblade franchise. While I think "THEMEX" and "MONOX" have more main theme status in this game, "The Key We've Lost" really encapsulates the feeling of being lost on Mira, an alien planet far from home. It holds the dread of being driven away from Earth, the unease of traveling through space, and the apprehension of exploring the new continents of Primordia, Noctilum, Oblivia, Sylvalum, and Cauldros. It's also the first theme I ever heard from this game waaay back when it had its first trailer (and it was still called "Wii U - New title developed by MONOLITH SOFTWARE INC." hahaha). I'll never forget that feeling of thinking that Xenoblade would never get a sequel, and then BAM they dropped this. (And now we have 2 and 3 as well?? SO SPOILED!!) Needless to say, I fell in love with this song instantly, and it still holds a very special place in my heart!
I can't wait to see my girl Elma again. March 20th can't come soon enough!
#XenobladeChroniclesX #XenobladeXOblivia (Day/Night) - Xenoblade Chronicles X - Piano CoverKMADS Music2024-11-09 | Piano arrangement of "Oblivia" (忘却の渓谷), the theme for the continent of the same name in Xenoblade Chronicles X on the Wii U (and soon the Definitive Edition on Nintendo Switch!). The actual track title is "亡KEI却KOKU心". This arrangement includes both the day and night versions of the theme. Original theme by Hiroyuki Sawano. Piano arrangement and performance by KMADS Music.
Oblivia is one of the continents of Mira. It is a vast desert region filled with colossal ruins from an ancient civilization. I love all of the regions of Mira, but something about Oblivia really exemplifies that feeling of running around and exploring these vast alien lands. There is mystery, intensity, and heroism throughout the theme as well. I remember flying around these massive structures and mountains with my Skell a lot, but the downside of that was losing this amazing field theme to "Don't Worry" lol.
I'm so excited that Xenoblade X is actually getting a Switch port!! I used to hope for this announcement every Nintendo Direct, but I started joking that this day would never come since it always felt like the forgotten game out of the series. I'm super excited that more people will be able to experience this game, and I love that the entire XC series will be on Switch now! I happened to already be in the middle of this cover before this announcement, so the news was all I needed to get that final push to finish this.
Not gonna lie, this track was kind of intimidating and a pain to figure out! There's a lot going on here, and some of those transition sections had all sorts of different rhythms. But it was so much fun to take it apart and put it back together again, and it made it even more rewarding to finally finish the piece! Originally I was only going to do the Day version of the theme, but I couldn't hold myself back from also getting into the groove of the Night version. I hope you all enjoy!
The Japanese name of this continent is "忘却の渓谷" (Bōkyaku no Keikoku, literally "Valley of Oblivion").
#XenobladeChroniclesX #XenobladeXGideons Theme - Gravity Falls - Piano and Percussion CoverKMADS Music2024-10-19 | Piano and percussion ensemble cover of "Gideon's Theme" from Gravity Falls composed by Brad Breeck. Cover arranged and performed by KMADS Music. This is an extended version of the original theme.
“Thumbs up, indeed, my friend.”
What better way to celebrate the spooky Halloween season than with Gravity Falls' resident creep Gideon Gleeful's theme? I love how creepy and unsettling this theme is - it's perfect for Li'l Gideon. I wasn't sure how best to cover it since it's so short, but I managed to extend it a bit by building up some instrumentation. I think this theme lends itself well to percussion ensemble, and I had a lot of fun working on this arrangement since it's been a while since I've done anything other than solo piano. I hope you enjoy!
All of the clips are from Season 1 Episode 4: The Hand That Rocks the Mabel. It was fun looping some of these animations as well.
All of these are virtual instruments from Logic Pro X and MainStage 3. Instruments: piano, vibraphone, marimba, glockenspiel, crotales, timpani, xylophone, chimes (tubular bells), bass drum, tambourine, shaker, bell tree, sleigh bells, wind chimes, triangle, china cymbal, suspended cymbal, tam-tam, Tibetan singing bowl.
#gravityfallsFiddleford Hadron McGucket - Gravity Falls - Piano CoverKMADS Music2024-10-05 | Piano cover of "Fiddleford Hadron McGucket" from Gravity Falls composed by Brad Breeck. Piano solo cover arranged and performed by KMADS Music.
YROO! XRKSVI! GIRZMTOV! 👁
This piece plays during Season 2 Episode 7: Society of the Blind Eye. The melody is really haunting, and I think it suits the story of Fiddleford well! It's a really fitting theme for him. Though I also do like his banjo theme haha.
I actually just happened to rewatch this episode the night before posting this, so it was fun to hear the theme in the show again after I worked on this arrangement. I feel like this tune fits the spooky mood of October and Halloween (or Summerween??) pretty nicely.
*SPOILERS BELOW* I feel bad for Fiddleford. I feel like of all the characters in Gravity Falls, he's probably the most tragic. It was pretty sad to see how he devolved into who the town knows as crazy Old Man McGucket. Regardless, he is a really fun character and he seems to take it all in stride!
#gravityfallsFinally I Have Them All - Gravity Falls - Piano CoverKMADS Music2024-09-22 | Piano cover of "Finally I Have Them All" from Gravity Falls composed by Brad Breeck. Piano solo cover arranged and performed by KMADS Music.
This is the piece that plays during the Season 1 finale of Gravity Falls (Gideon Rises), and it's one of my favorites in the entire OST. I remember this moment so vividly, and this theme helped make the ending of Season 1 feel really epic and exciting. I remember being so ready for Season 2 after this since I couldn't wait to see where the show went next. Things were just getting started!
I got this screenshot from Reddit user ThatGFFan, who uploaded a ton of great quality screenshots from the show. Many thanks to them for this mysterious nighttime shot of the Mystery Shack. It felt really fitting!
#gravityfallsGravity Falls Opening Theme (Extended) - Piano CoverKMADS Music2024-09-08 | Piano cover of the Opening Theme from Gravity Falls composed by Brad Breeck. Extended piano solo cover arranged and performed by KMADS Music.
Ever since "The Book of Bill" came out, Gravity Falls has made a resurgence on the internet. I've been seeing more and more of it on my timeline recently, and I've been feeling so nostalgic. I think I might rewatch it soon - it's one of my favorite shows, and I was one of those people who watched it as it was airing and decoded all the secret messages and made theories. It was always so exciting to get something right (Spoiler: olnh wkh QZKV wzlvw 😅).
I can't believe it's been almost 10 years since the show stopped airing! I actually recorded a few covers (including an initial version of this one) back in 2014 or so, so I'm excited to redo this one and finally release it on this channel.
I used a few different official versions of this theme to make this extended opening. Of course, I started off with the basic "Gravity Falls Opening". The middle section is inspired by "To Be Continued…". The last section is inspired by "Finally I Have Them All".
I have a few different Gravity Falls covers I'd like to revamp for this channel, including a full version of "Finally I Have Them All", so I hope to keep having the inspiration.
#gravityfallsWeird Fishes/Arpeggi (Wedding Processional Version) - Radiohead - Piano CoverKMADS Music2024-08-24 | This cover is very special to me because I arranged it for my own bridal processional at my wedding earlier this month! It was a surprise for my husband, and walking down the aisle to this felt so meaningful. 💜
This is a piano arrangement of a wedding processional version of "Weird Fishes/Arpeggi" by Radiohead from their In Rainbows album. This is different from what I usually post here (video game and anime covers), but my husband and I love Radiohead and wanted to find a way to incorporate their music into our wedding ceremony. My husband knew I was planning something, but he didn't know which song or how it would sound. He really loved it, and some of our guests recognized the song, too!
Sooo with that preamble out of the way, hey everyone! Long time no see! I've been away for almost a month due to wedding planning and related travel (everything went great), and then my car broke down (not great), and then I caught a cold (booooo!). So it's been a doozy of a month! I'm doing my best to catch up on everything I missed while I was gone, so I'm sorry if my replies and comments are slower than usual for a while.
I hope you all enjoy this personal project of mine. I kept the video pretty simple, but the visuals here are my bouquet and the In Rainbows album cover. Since this was just for me to walk down the aisle, I didn't cover the full song, so sorry that the second half is missing! 💜Agniratha, Mechonis Capital (Day) - Piano & Viola Cover ft. @willimakemusicKMADS Music2024-07-06 | Piano and viola cover of "Agniratha, Mechonis Capital" (also known as "帝都アグニラータ" or "Agni Ratha, Imperial Capital") from Xenoblade Chronicles on the Wii and Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition on the Nintendo Switch. Original song by ACE+. Cover arranged and performed by KMADS Music and @willimakemusic .
Check out Will's video here to see both of us playing this piece! youtu.be/7hv2wSS-cVc
This week, we have the day version of the Agniratha theme, which has been three months in the making! This is one of my favorite themes in the entire game, and I'm so happy @willimakemusic agreed to collaborate on this one with me. While the night version feels somber and empty, I've always found the day version somehow even more gut-wrenching. You can imagine the once bustling streets of the city that are now reduced to nothing but emptiness. Along with the feeling of reminiscence, there is a profound sense of loss. 2:24 is my favorite part in this piece, and it makes me picture the city's former inhabitants crying out in both anguish and anger. I get chills every time I hear it.
I have to gush about @willimakemusic for a minute here. First off, I've been wanting to cover this piece for a long time, but I didn't feel like a piano solo could do it justice. Strings are so crucial to the original, so naturally, I knew I had to ask Will. His viola parts completely transformed this cover into something far beyond what I imagined. There are so many beautiful layers to the strings throughout this piece, and Will's viola arrangement absolutely nailed it. He also brought such a unique feeling to the intro. THANK YOU, Will, for doing this collab with me. I couldn't have done it without you! This was an amazing experience as always, and I really enjoyed sending ideas back and forth for both the audio and videos. Thank you for being so open to trying out different ideas!
Speaking of videos, if you haven't watched Will's version yet, please check it out! You can watch both of us playing there, which is very rare for me. I am so impressed by Will's editing skills - I almost didn't make my own video because I knew it would pale in comparison 😂. Here's the link again: youtu.be/7hv2wSS-cVc
#Xenoblade #XC #XCDE #ゼノブレイド #XenobladeChroniclesDefinitiveEditionAgniratha, Mechonis Capital (Night) - Xenoblade Chronicles - Piano CoverKMADS Music2024-06-29 | Piano cover of "Agniratha, Mechonis Capital - Night" (also known as "帝都アグニラータ/夜" or "Agni Ratha, Imperial Capital / Night") from Xenoblade Chronicles on the Wii and Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition on the Nintendo Switch. Original song by ACE+. Cover arranged and performed by KMADS Music.
This is one of my favorite field themes in the game, and I love both the day and night versions. I think this night version captures the feeling of emptiness this once-bustling city now holds. It is really haunting. You can tell that something is horribly wrong here. The vocals in the Definitive Edition version really add to that sorrowful and lamenting feeling.
I am excited to announce that I have been working on a very special collab for the daytime version of this theme, and we will be posting it next week! Keep your eyes peeled for the next video. Let's just say that solo piano doesn't do the day version justice - it needs some strings ;).
#Xenoblade #XC #XCDE #ゼノブレイド #XenobladeChroniclesDefinitiveEditionMajesty - Xenoblade Chronicles - Piano CoverKMADS Music2024-06-22 | Piano cover of "Majesty" (also known as "雄大" or "Grandeur") from Xenoblade Chronicles on the Wii and Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition on the Nintendo Switch. Original song by ACE+. Cover arranged and performed by KMADS Music.
I really love this piece, and whenever I listen to it, it makes me think of the majesty and grandeur of the world of the Bionis and Mechonis. I really love the scope and lore of the world in this game, and something about this piece sounds so fittingly majestic and mysterious! I really love the harmonies throughout as they add to the sense of wonder. This sounds a bit different from the original version with strings, but I hoped to still capture that same feeling.
#Xenoblade #XC #XCDE #ゼノブレイド #XenobladeChroniclesDefinitiveEditionMain Theme - Dungeon Meshi (Delicious in Dungeon) - Piano CoverKMADS Music2024-06-09 | Piano cover of the Main Theme from Dungeon Meshi (Delicious in Dungeon) composed by Yasunori Mitsuda feat. Lauren McGlynn [ANÚNA]. (TVアニメ「ダンジョン飯」観る劇伴 | メインテーマ【光田康典】). Piano solo cover arranged and performed by KMADS Music.
So I binged Dungeon Meshi last weekend, and I'm absolutely loving it so far! I instantly became obsessed with this theme, especially since it played during many heroic battles in the anime. As I was watching, I was like, "Wow, this OST is so amazing! Who is this composer??" I looked it up and it is freaking Yasunori Mitsuda. AND Lauren McGlynn from ANÚNA is featured on vocals? How could my Xenoblade fangirl heart not cover this?
I really love the Celtic vibe of this theme, and the key signature was soooo nice (no black keys 🥲). I was also so happy to see that there was a clean version of this track uploaded on YouTube via the KADOKAWAanime channel because sometimes it can be such a pain if you have to use an episode and try to listen to the BGM over the voice lines. I had a lot of fun with this arrangement, and I'm super happy with how much I was able to fit onto the piano given the orchestral arrangement.
This is my first anime cover in a while, so I hope you all like it! I have some other anime songs I'd like to cover one day, but I'm still mostly focused on Xenoblade haha.
You can also check out my channel for other anime covers like Attack on Titan and JoJo's Bizarre Adventure.
I just came back here to say that the Season 1 finale was so great, and I can't believe Season 2 already was announced. I'm so hype!! I may need to read the manga during the waiting period... we will see :)
#DungeonMeshi #DeliciousInDungeon #ダンジョン飯The Scale Theme - Finding Paradise - Piano & Viola Cover ft. @willimakemusicKMADS Music2024-06-03 | Piano and viola cover of "The Scale Theme" from Finding Paradise, originally composed by Kan R. Gao. This is a cover of the "piano and cello" version of the piece in the soundtrack, but instead of cello, we have the wonderful @willimakemusic on the viola!
Finding Paradise is a sequel to To the Moon and A Bird Story, all developed and published by Freebird Games. These games are all very beautiful and heart-wrenching, and I can't recommend them enough. I found the gameplay and storytelling really unique and memorable.
I was so excited when @willimakemusic asked me if I would play the piano part for this. It was nostalgic to listen to this theme again, and I really enjoyed figuring out the piano part. The best part of any collab is hearing our different parts fit together, and WOW this piece absolutely came together as soon as Will's viola part joined the mix. I am always really impressed by his ability to put so much emotion into his playing. Thanks for inviting me to collab, Will! As always, it was a great time! I'm very excited about our next one as well :)
#FindingParadiseWelcome to the Forest - Rakuen - Piano CoverKMADS Music2024-05-25 | Piano cover of "The Keepers", the title theme from Rakuen. Original song by Laura Shigihara (@supershigi ). Cover arranged and performed by KMADS Music.
I love the groove and energy of this one! It's perfect for the community of adorable leebles. It sounds so fun and folksy, and I really enjoyed putting this together. My favorite part is 1:01, and I always imagine the lyrics "welcome to the forest" along with the melody line. I like to imagine all of the leebles singing and welcoming the boy into their forest town. I hope you enjoy this arrangement!
#RakuenMorizoras Cave - Rakuen - Piano CoverKMADS Music2024-05-18 | Piano cover of "Morizora's Cave" from Rakuen. Original song by Laura Shigihara (@supershigi). Cover arranged and performed by KMADS Music.
This track always makes me feel pensive and relaxed. I feel like I could listen to it on loop forever. I really like how it sounds chill and mysterious while still feeling comforting. I hope you enjoy this arrangement!
#RakuenThe Keepers (Title Theme) - Rakuen - Piano CoverKMADS Music2024-05-11 | Piano cover of "The Keepers", the title theme from Rakuen. Original song by Laura Shigihara. Cover arranged and performed by KMADS Music.
Laura Shigihara (@supershigi on here) was one of the first YouTube cover artists I watched years ago, back before I had a YouTube channel of my own, and I always really admired her covers and her original compositions. I bought Rakuen as soon as it came out since she developed it and wrote all the music. Playing this game was such a special and emotional experience, and I feel so nostalgic thinking about it. It's a beautiful and meaningful game, and I encourage you to check it out if you haven't played it yet!
I made my first version of this cover after playing the game in 2018, but of course I never posted it since I didn't have a channel back then. This is a revamped version of that arrangement. It requires 2 pianos since I didn't want to give up any of those beautiful layers in the original version. This is one of my favorite title themes of all time, so I really hope I did it justice!
I was inspired by @willimakemusic's cover of "Build a Little World with Me" a while back. Of course I procrastinated for almost a year, but I finally started working on my Rakuen covers! Check out his lovely version here: youtube.com/watch?v=UegKC9rkKEc
I hope you enjoy this arrangement! I have a few more Rakuen covers in the works as well as a few different Xenoblade projects in progress. I'm really excited to share this all with you :).
#RakuenBonds - The Last Story - Piano CoverKMADS Music2024-04-27 | Piano cover of "Bonds" from The Last Story on the Nintendo Wii. Original song by Nobuo Uematsu. Cover arranged and performed by KMADS Music.
This is another one of my favorite tracks from this game. I feel like this is Dagran's theme, but also the theme of the mercenary group and what they've been through together as a whole. I really like how this song feels reflective on the past and hopeful for the future. It's a good theme for thinking about all the bonds you've made with others throughout the years, whether the bonds have ended or are still ongoing. It's a little bittersweet!
#TheLastStory #ラストストーリToberu Mono [Those Who Can Fly] - The Last Story - Piano CoverKMADS Music2024-04-14 | Piano cover of "Toberu Mono" (also known as "翔べるもの", or "Those Who Can Fly" or "The Flying One" in English) from The Last Story on the Nintendo Wii. Original song by Nobuo Uematsu. Cover arranged and performed by KMADS Music.
This is a piano solo arrangement of the instrumental version of this theme. I think of this as the main theme of the game, but it technically isn't. It is one of the title screen themes, and the vocal version plays during the credits. I think this is the most memorable piece from the soundtrack, and I just really love this emotional and hopeful melody! It suits the story of Calista and Zael very well.
I really like this OST, but I find a lot of the pieces intimidating to tackle for piano. I have at least one more cover from this game planned, but I might get to more in the future. (Also don't worry, I still have a lot of Xenoblade work in progress, so I will get back to posting more of that soon!)
#TheLastStory #ラストストーリMemories - Xenoblade Chronicles - Piano CoverKMADS Music2024-03-30 | Piano cover of "Memories" (also known as "思い出") from Xenoblade Chronicles on the Wii and Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition on the Nintendo Switch. Original song by Manami Kiyota. Cover arranged and performed by KMADS Music.
I chose to cover this song in honor of reaching 1000 subscribers and in reflection of my past three years active on YouTube. I have so many wonderful memories over the past few years on here, and I have met so many lovely people and made so many friends since my first post back in 2021. To all of you, thank you so much for making this time so special! I can't wait to continue arranging more pieces in the future, and I hope to make you all proud. :)
I think this song has a bittersweet mood, maybe since it was often used to remember happier times in times of despair. But it really makes me think of all of the good times and people that have touched our lives over the years. Even if they are no longer with us, we still have the memories.
When I listen to this song, I think of the night sky. So I chose to record some in-game videos of some of my favorite places to see the sky in Xenoblade. The locations are Colony 9, Gaur Plain, Makna Forest, Fallen Arm, and Eryth Sea. Fun trivia: for the Colony 9 shot, I took it from near the bench that Shulk and Fiora sit on during the sandwich scene from the beginning of the game. I think this song suits the two of them very well, too.
#Xenoblade #XC #XCDE #ゼノブレイド #XenobladeChroniclesDefinitiveEditionColgera Battle [FULL] - The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom - Piano CoverKMADS Music2024-03-16 | Piano arrangement of "Colgera Battle" from The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom on the Nintendo Switch. Cover arranged and performed by KMADS Music. Original music composed by Manaka Kataoka, Maasa Miyoshi, Masato Ohashi, and Tsukasa Usui.
This is the theme that plays during the boss battle against Colgera, the Scourge of the Wind Temple, which you fight alongside Tulin. This is the Phase 1 version of the song.
This boss battle absolutely blew me away when I first heard it in-game. It's one of my favorite boss battle themes in the entire Zelda series. The build-up throughout was so suspenseful, and the flute lead really got my blood pumping. I'm sure this has been said time and time again, but the 3rd section is absolutely nuts! The heroic flute had a bit of a Molgera vibe while the ensemble then came in with the epic reference to Dragon Roost Island / Rito Village. At that point, I knew I was unstoppable!
To be honest, I've had the 3rd part of this song (my favorite part) arranged and practiced for several months, but it took me a really long time to get the energy and inspiration to finish the other two parts. While I love the entire song, I found the 1st and 2nd parts much more difficult to arrange, especially those high flute runs and the wacky 10/4 section. I'm so happy I finally pushed myself to finish this arrangement, and I'm so excited to share it with you all just in time for the end of winter. I hope you like it!
Which part is your favorite?
Sections: 0:00 - First Attack 0:55 - Second Attack 2:35 - Third Attack
#Zelda #TheLegendOfZelda #tearsofthekingdom #totk #TLoZCaptocorn Peak - Xenoblade Chronicles 3 - Piano CoverKMADS Music2024-02-24 | Piano arrangement of "Captocorn Peak" (カプトコルヌ山嶺) from Xenoblade Chronicles 3 on the Nintendo Switch. Original piece composed by Manami Kiyota. Piano solo cover arranged and performed by KMADS Music.
This theme plays in the Upper Aetia Region, and it's the location of the Cloudkeep, Colony 0, and Colony Omega. More specifically, this is the night version of the theme. I like the haunting and mysterious sound of this melody, it really sounds frigid. This song also reminds me a bit of "Hidden Machina Village" from Xenoblade Chronicles 1 and "Auresco, the Tornan Capital" from Xenoblade Chronicles 2: Torna the Golden Country.
This is the final cover in my four-part series of snowy/wintry Xenoblade themes. I hope you've all enjoyed this series! It was a lot of fun to work on these songs.
#XenobladeChronicles3 #Xenoblade3Tantal [Day/Night] - Xenoblade Chronicles 2 - Piano CoverKMADS Music2024-02-17 | Piano cover of "Tantal" (aka "Kingdom of Tantal" and "ルクスリア王国") from Xenoblade Chronicles 2. This arrangement includes the day and night versions of the track. Song by ACE. Cover arranged and performed by KMADS Music.
This is the third cover in my four-part series of snowy/wintry Xenoblade themes - only one left after this!
It's finally here!!! This beast of a song has always intimidated me, but I decided to dive in and see it through for my winter Xenoblade project! I'm so glad I did because this was a LOT of fun to work on. I'm sure everyone remembers where they were when they first heard the beat drop at 1:31, and I really wanted to capture that intensity of the choir on piano. I feel like that energy is hard to match on piano, but I did my best!
I really love how this is a more epic take on a winter theme. There's a feeling of desperation. It captures the bitterness of fighting the cold, but the toughness of surviving it. Although I prefer the energetic and intense day theme, I really like the chill night version, too.
The Kingdom of Tantal, on the Titan Genbu, is the homeland of Zeke and Pandoria, which I find pretty fun due to how goofy they are versus how fierce this theme is. The two of them can be serious underneath all the chuunibyou-ness, and it makes sense once you know a bit more about theme. I love them both so much!
I hoped to post this cover last week, but I got a cold that messed up my hearing and gave me headaches when looking at a computer screen. Unfortunately I had to delay this project, but I wanted to make sure I could polish the video up to my usual standards. I hope the wait was worth it! @frog_phone, you asked about this cover earlier, so I hope you enjoy!
#XenobladeChronicles2 #Xenoblade #XC2 #ゼノブレイド2Valak Mountain (Night) - Xenoblade Chronicles - Piano CoverKMADS Music2024-02-03 | Piano cover of "Valak Mountain - Night" (also known as "ヴァラク雪山 - 夜" or "Snowy Mount Valac - Night") from Xenoblade Chronicles on the Wii and Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition on the Nintendo Switch. Original song by ACE+. Cover arranged and performed by KMADS Music.
This is the second cover in my four-part series of snowy/wintry Xenoblade themes!
I remember the first time it became night in this area. For me, the blizzard was still blowing, but then it cleared up and everything just glowed. I got to see this snowy landscape in a whole different light. I really like how atmospheric this song is. I think it echoes to fill the empty cold landscape really nicely.
Originally, this was just going to be a piano solo, but I couldn't help but cover the percussion part as well on the repeat!
#Xenoblade #XC #XCDE #ゼノブレイド #XenobladeChroniclesDefinitiveEditionValak Mountain (Day) - Xenoblade Chronicles - Piano CoverKMADS Music2024-01-27 | Piano cover of "Valak Mountain" (also known as "ヴァラク雪山" or "Snowy Mount Valac") from Xenoblade Chronicles on the Wii and Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition on the Nintendo Switch. Original song by ACE+. Cover arranged and performed by KMADS Music.
The recent snowy (and occasionally even blizzardy) weather has inspired me to tackle a collection of winter/snow-themed Xenoblade songs! This is my first in the series, though I have actually already covered Black Mountains from Xenoblade Chronicles 3: Future Redeemed, so that can be an honorary member of this group. I plan to cover the three remaining winter themes from 1, 2, and 3!
A few folks like @soultakersys asked for this, so I'm really glad to finally have an arrangement!
This song took a while to grow on me while I was playing because I found it sort of weird and unsettling at first. But I really grew to love it. It sounds like a mysterious, dreamy, and sort of creepy waltz. It's perfect for the frozen and snowy landscape! I find it hypnotizing now, and I really love listening to and playing it.
I like how Valak Mountain is one of the locations in the game that has a different day and night theme. I will be uploading the night version of the music next time!
#Xenoblade #XC #XCDE #ゼノブレイド #XenobladeChroniclesDefinitiveEditionHopes and Dreams / SAVE the World - UNDERTALE - Piano CoverKMADS Music2024-01-14 | Piano cover of "Hopes and Dreams" and "SAVE the World" from UNDERTALE. Original songs by Toby Fox. Cover arranged and performed by KMADS Music.
This is the theme for the final boss battle of the Pacifist Route against Asriel. Asriel's story is really tragic, and I feel like this hopeful theme fits the battle against him very well. I really love how "Hopes and Dreams" transitions into "SAVE the World" when the tide of the battle turns!
This is another rearrangement of an older Undertale arrangement I made 7 years ago, but I fixed up the harmonies and accompaniment quite a bit.I really love the different layers in this piece and how certain parts call back to Flowey's Theme. It's a really energetic and uplifting piece, and I thought it'd be fun to (belatedly) ring in the New Year! Happy 2024, everyone :).
The animation was simple, but fun to make! I just made Asriel hover up and down a bit, and then I found his star attack sprites and had them emanate in a circle around him. I tried to use a noise generator to make the colorful background move around a bit, but I don't think that animation is particularly visible. I'm happy with the colors though!
Tracks: 0:00 - Hopes and Dreams 3:02 - SAVE the World
#UndertaleAsgore - UNDERTALE - Piano CoverKMADS Music2023-12-31 | Piano cover of "Bergentrückung" and "Asgore" from UNDERTALE. Original song by Toby Fox. Cover arranged and performed by KMADS Music.
This is the theme for the boss battle against Asgore Dreemurr (as well as the intro before the battle). Asgore is the king of the Underground, where monsters live and where this game is set.
Whew, dealing with piano covers when the original song is halfway between keys is rough, but I also think that trait gives the original song a fitting sense of uncertainty. My version is 1/2 of a semitone higher than the original due to the nature of the piano. I also played this at a bit of a slower tempo.
This is another rearrangement of an older Undertale arrangement I made 7 years ago, but I fixed up the harmonies and some of the melody line a lot. You'll notice that some of the accompaniment in the left hand is faithful to the original, but some of it is a little different to garner a bit of a different mood that I thought worked a bit better on piano.
I LOVE this theme's incorporation of Toriel's theme ("Heartache", which I posted a cover of last week) as well as "Determination". From start to finish, I think this captures Asgore's personality and drive very well. He is both gentle and fierce, and he is fighting for what he thinks is right, even if he feels ambivalent about it. This song feels epic, powerful, wistful, and tragic. It's one of my favorites on the entire OST, and it was a lot of fun to revisit it with this arrangement! It always makes me emotional.
This is my last upload for 2023! I hope you all have a lovely New Year, and I'll see you again in 2024 :).
#UndertaleHeartache - UNDERTALE - Piano CoverKMADS Music2023-12-24 | Piano cover of "Heartache" from UNDERTALE. Original song by Toby Fox. Cover arranged and performed by KMADS Music.
This is the theme for the boss battle against Toriel, an emotional and unforgettable fight given her role as a kind motherly figure for the protagonist. (Thankfully I was set on being a pacifist on my first playthrough, so I didn't have too much heartache myself!)
My version of this song is slower than the original, and I was hoping that the slower pace would make it sound a little more emotional and ambivalent compared to the intense and desperate feel of the original. I really love the pulse and catchiness of the original, so I hope you still enjoy this slower version!
This is another rearrangement of an older arrangement I made for this song 7 years ago, but I made a LOT of changes to the harmonies and accompaniment. I know I haven't posted my older versions, but when I listen to the old and new back-to-back, it's like night and day.
I had a lot of fun animating the flames for this video, even though it was kind of a pain. I've really been enjoying making these animations to try to capture the feel of the battles, and it kind of feels like making a little AMV for each character!
Happy Holidays!! I hope to get one more Undertale cover posted before the end of the year, but we'll see :).
#UndertaleUndertale - UNDERTALE - Piano/Viola/Flute Cover Ft. @willimakemusicKMADS Music2023-12-17 | Piano, viola, and flute cover of "Undertale" from UNDERTALE. Original song by Toby Fox.
This is the main (and titular) theme of Undertale. While making this video, I revisited the part of the game it plays in, which I find to be one of the most powerful moments of Undertale. It reminds you of the journey you've had so far, takes you through reflections of the past, and prepares you for the future. This piece makes me feel nostalgic, hopeful, reflective, and a little sad. I find it very emotional in many ways, and I think it's the perfect piece for returning Home.
@willimakemusic asked me to collab with him on this piece, and of course I jumped at the opportunity! I'm a huge fan of his covers, and it's always a pleasure to work with him. We poured our hearts and souls into this arrangement, and it was so much fun to put together. Also, this cover marks a huge milestone for him - he just reached 1000 subscribers! PLEASE GO TO HIS CHANNEL AND SHOW HIM SOME LOVE!!!
Will put together this entire arrangement, which made my job very easy - I just tweaked the piano part a bit while recording, and I added in the percussion/drums section. Will's friend, Matt, joined us on the flute, and he did such a lovely job - I got chills listening to him perform that melody!
This was my first time recording a video of myself playing (you'll have to check out Will's video linked above for that), and it was a new and challenging experience for me since I've gotten so used to playing off-screen. I love how Will integrated this recording into his video - I think it turned out so nicely!
* Viola, piano, and flute arrangement: @willimakemusic * Percussion arrangement and piano edits: @kmadsmusic * Viola performances: @willimakemusic * Piano and percussion performances: @kmadsmusic * Flute performance: Matt