How to Play Zelda Music on the Violin

Using Sheet Music

• 1

  Decide from which Zelda game you wish to learn the music. Earlier games in the series feature more simplistic tunes that can easily be plucked out on your violin. Later games in the series such as Wind Waker and Twilight Princess feature orchestrated music.

• 2

  Visit a website dedicated to video game sheet music. These websites feature music written for several different instruments, including piano, violin and guitar. SquareSound is one website with a large selection of Zelda music.

• 3

  Download the music onto your computer. You may need Adobe Acrobat or Finale NotePad to read the music, though most sheet music can be found as a picture file requiring no extra software.

• 4

  Shift the octaves on any piano music you obtain to place it into an octave you are comfortable playing on your violin. If you are not familiar with different positions on the instrument, you will need to learn them to be able to play the full range presented in the notes.

Translating Ocarina of Time Songs

• 5

  Write down the Ocarina tune that you play in the game. These tunes are played using the buttons of the Nintendo 64 controller. For example, Zelda's Lullaby is C-Left, C-Up, C-Right, C-Left, C-Up, C-Right.

• 6

  Translate the input buttons into notes on the musical scale. C-Down is an "F," C-Right is an "A," C-Left is a "B," and C-Up is a "D." So playing Zelda's Lullaby is achieved by playing a B, D, A, B, D, A on your violin.

• 7

  Learn the complete scale translation of the Ocarina to a traditional scale (see Resources).

• 8

  Write the translated notes onto a scale. Listen to how the songs are performed in-game to determine the length of each note. Zelda's Lullaby can be played on your violin with a quarter note, then an eighth note and then a dotted quarter note.

• 9

  Place the notes on your scale one octave above or below how they appear on a traditional treble scale. Because you're playing on the violin, your range notes may not coincide with the notes as they appear in game. For example the F created by pressing C-Down should be written on the top line of your scale.