The Legend of Zelda series has some of the most recognizable and beloved music in video games, which means we get plenty of awesome fan-made covers like this one. The Legend of Zelda and Super Mario Bros. are probably tied for the top position in the number of different covers done of their music. The original games had simple yet beautiful tunes which have been ingrained in our minds. The later games in the series, particularly the Zelda ones, used more complex musical scores, but still just as beautiful. There are traveling symphonies who perform scores from the games and countless YouTube videos where musicians try their own hands at the songs. This video features a group of fans who perform the main Legend of Zelda theme on a marimba, a type of xylophone.
While the marimba is the focus of the video, the musicians also make use of a snare drum, cymbal, bells, triangle, and timpani for the full effect. They claim to not use sheet music at all, instead playing the tune by ear. For sanity’s sake, they performed this song over a series of videos which have been stitched together into one final product, ensuring that the improvisational musicians didn’t necessarily have to perform it all in one ‘take’. That final product is remarkable nonetheless, the instruments all working together to give us the theme song we know and love, all with the distinct and different flavor that a marimba brings.
If that somehow weren’t enough, these guys have also done a few more videos, which you can see on their YouTube page. If you’d like to hear their marimba versions of Gerudo Valley, Song of Time, and Song of Storms, they’re all there waiting for you. If the marimba just isn’t for you (or if you’ve already devoured these videos multiple times) check out some other covers such as the ‘Song of Healing’ with Wine Glasses. For something completely different, how about 17 Imperial March Remakes?
