Pikmin (game)

Music in Pikmin: Difference between revisions

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{{DISPLAYTITLE: Music in ''Pikmin''}}
{{page title| Music in ''Pikmin''}}
{{game icons|p=y}}
{{game icons|p=y}}
The '''music''' of {{p1}} accompanies every aspect of the game, from the gameplay to the [[cutscene]]s and [[menu]]s. Generally, the textural style of the music reflects the futuristic world of [[Hocotate]], the organic environment of [[PNF-404]], and/or the small scale and nature of the [[Pikmin family|Pikmin]] themselves, by varying instrumentation, register, and rigidity of rhythm. During gameplay, the music sets the mood of the area and dynamically adapts its intensity according to what is happening on-screen, albeit to a lesser degree than the following games in the [[Pikmin series|series]]. During cutscenes, the music is predetermined and functions more linearly and punctually. While all of the music in ''Pikmin'' is melodically driven, no established melodic gestures seem to become motifs; that is, none of the soundtrack's unique melodies (besides perhaps the main theme's melodic gesture) become more important to the game than the rest, unless the melody is heard over most of the 30 [[Day|days]].


The '''music''' of ''[[Pikmin (game)|Pikmin]]'' accompanies every aspect of the game, from the gameplay to the [[cutscene]]s and [[menu]]s. Generally, the textural style of the music reflects the futuristic world of [[Hocotate]], the organic environment of [[PNF-404]], and/or the small scale and nature of the [[Pikmin family|Pikmin]] themselves, by varying instrumentation, register, and rigidity of rhythm. During gameplay, the music sets the mood of the area and dynamically adapts its intensity according to what is happening on-screen, albeit to a lesser degree than the following games in the [[Pikmin series|series]]. During cutscenes, the music is predetermined and functions more linearly and punctually.
The soundtrack to ''Pikmin'' was composed by Hajime Wakai. All of the compositions in the game are either synthesized sounds or samples attempting to mimic real instruments. The majority of these are sampled from the [[Assets used in the Pikmin series#Kurzweil K2500|Kurzweil K2500]] and [[Assets used in the Pikmin series#Roland SC-88|Roland SC-88]] synthesizers.
While all of the music in ''Pikmin'' is melodically driven, no established melodic gestures seem to become motifs; that is, none of the soundtrack's unique melodies (besides perhaps the main theme's melodic gesture) become more important to the game than the rest, unless the melody is heard over most of the 30 [[Day|days]].


The soundtrack to ''Pikmin'' is called "[[Pikmin World]]". It was composed by Hajime Wakai. All of the compositions in the game are either synthesized sounds or samples attempting to mimic real instruments.
''Pikmin''{{'s}} soundtrack was also released on CD under the title ''[[Pikmin World]]''. This official release features some minor changes to the music, including differences in mixing, instrument attenuation, and sample quality. Instances of the soundtrack being used outside of the ''Pikmin'' series, such as the [[Super Smash Bros. Brawl#Music|''Super Smash Bros.'' series]], always use the enhanced music from ''Pikmin World''.


== Menus ==
== Menus ==
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{{infobox track
{{infobox track
|name   = Pikmin
|name = Main Theme
|link   = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IyWj9lC7-5s&index=1&list=PL13D58C62AD5DE7A2
|official = y
|jpname = ''{{j|ピクミン|Pikumin}}''
|internal=jungle.jam
|link = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNgU3gRC_WY&list=PL7OD1YcIxKb4X-oBCmYsZGKqRsQxTuox7&index=1
|header = y
|header = y
}}
}}
The main theme of ''Pikmin''. [[Menu#Title screen|This menu]] is not visited very often during a playthrough, so the percussion is soft-spoken and an instrument resembling a Native American bass flute is not extremely prominent. Eventually, the flute does play the five-note figure (D B♭ E♭ D B♭) that becomes the main theme, but this is only heard if the menu is left running. Without pressing start, the main theme will not finish before [[Cutscene#Attraction mode|attraction mode]] begins.
The main theme of ''Pikmin'', heard on the [[title screen]] and some menus accessed from it. This menu is not visited very often during a playthrough, so the percussion is soft-spoken and an instrument resembling a Native American bass flute is not extremely prominent. Eventually, the flute does play the five-note figure (D B♭ E♭ D B♭) that becomes the main motif of the series, but this is only heard if the menu is left running. Without pressing a button, the main theme will not finish before [[Cutscene#Attraction mode|attraction mode]] begins. The distinct whirling audio sample in the background is the sound of a cranked {{w|Lion's roar (instrument)|lion's roar}}.
 
In {{ssbb}}, this song is titled ''"Main Theme"''.


{{clear}}
{{clear}}


{{infobox track
{{infobox track
|name   = Level Select
|name = Level Select
|link   = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xKhDlLW6_E&list=PL13D58C62AD5DE7A2&index=3
|jpname = ''{{j|航海日誌を選ぶ|Kōkai nisshi o erabu}}''
|internal=select.jam
|link = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hGDEttj1IUs&list=PL7OD1YcIxKb4X-oBCmYsZGKqRsQxTuox7&index=3
|header = y
|header = y
}}
}}
Heard while [[Menu#Saved game selection|selecting a save file]]. This theme is heavily synthesized, to enhance the theme of recording and storing [[saved game]]s. Its simple melody is chosen from one diatonic scale and hidden under softened sound effects, such that it does not distract from the file select menu itself.
Heard while [[saved game selection menu|selecting a save file]]. This theme is heavily synthesized, to enhance the theme of recording and storing [[saved game]]s. Its simple melody is chosen from one diatonic scale and hidden under softened sound effects, such that it does not distract from the file select menu itself.


{{clear}}
{{clear}}
{{infobox track
{{infobox track
|name   = View
|name = View
|link   = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bBBBtzVjR0w&list=PL13D58C62AD5DE7A2&index=5
|jpname = ''{{j|全景|Zenkei}}''
|internal=map.jam
|link = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5_Wu6L-QhnM&list=PL7OD1YcIxKb4X-oBCmYsZGKqRsQxTuox7&index=5
|header = y
|header = y
}}
}}
Heard while [[Menu#Area selection|selecting an area]] at the beginning of a new [[day]]. This highly recognizable theme does not develop its natural-sounding melody before an [[area]] would presumably be chosen, leaving the normal time spent in this menu to be split between a synthesized pad at the beginning and trills in a flute and celeste later on. The melody comes much later in the track, yet is one of the strongest melodies in the game.
Heard while [[area selection menu|selecting an area]] at the beginning of a new [[day]]. This highly recognizable theme does not develop its natural-sounding melody before an [[area]] would presumably be chosen, leaving the normal time spent in this menu to be split between a synthesized pad at the beginning and trills in a flute and celeste later on. The melody comes much later in the track, yet is one of the strongest melodies in the game.


{{clear}}
{{clear}}


{{infobox track
{{infobox track
|name   = Challenge Mode
|name = Challenge Mode
|link   = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SrF7H1rMxyU&index=13&list=PL13D58C62AD5DE7A2
|jpname = ''{{j|レッツチャレンジ|Rettsu charenji}}''
|internal=char.jam
|link = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h06n4MYdwTQ&list=PL7OD1YcIxKb4X-oBCmYsZGKqRsQxTuox7&index=38
|header = y
|header = y
}}
}}
Heard in the [[Menu#Challenge Mode|Challenge Mode menu]]. This theme contains a more agile melody than the file select music, and it shines throughout the piece, even in a call-and-response pattern. The beat is more pronounced and the instruments all have more clout, to give [[Challenge Mode (Pikmin)|this mode]]'s menu more excitement than the main game's.
Heard in the [[Challenge Mode menu]]. This theme contains a more agile melody than the file select music, and it shines throughout the piece, even in a call-and-response pattern. The beat is more pronounced and the instruments all have more clout, to give [[Challenge Mode (Pikmin)|this mode]]'s menu more excitement than the main game's.


{{clear}}
{{clear}}
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{{infobox track
{{infobox track
|name = Results
|name = Results
|link = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7OuMJYXFnw
|jpname = ''{{j|チャレンジ結果発表|Charenji kekka happyō}}''
|internal=cresult.jam
|link = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mfr5rpJEOQ&list=PL7OD1YcIxKb4X-oBCmYsZGKqRsQxTuox7&index=39
|header = y
|header = y
}}
}}
{{todo|The YouTube link is dead. Find a new one.}}
Heard [[Challenge results menu|after a Challenge Mode challenge]]. This theme matches the excitement of the original menu, if not surpassing it by adding a rock drum kit to the mix. The track is still local to Challenge Mode however: the main melody is played on the same synthesizer that played the other menu's theme.
Heard [[Menu#Challenge over|after a Challenge Mode challenge]]. This theme matches the excitement of the original menu, if not surpassing it by adding a rock drum kit to the mix. The track is still local to Challenge Mode however: the main melody is played on the same synthesizer that played the other menu's theme.


{{clear}}
{{clear}}
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{{infobox track
{{infobox track
|name = Today's Results
|name = Today's Results
|link = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H53v114zLVs&index=25&list=PL13D58C62AD5DE7A2
|jpname = ''{{j|今日の記録|Kyō no kiroku}}''
|internal=d_end2.jam
|link = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7xvU0u3BB8&list=PL7OD1YcIxKb4X-oBCmYsZGKqRsQxTuox7&index=23
|header = y
|header = y
}}
}}
Heard [[Menu#Sunset|after the day is complete]] and the [[S.S. Dolphin]] has taken off. This theme was carried over to other games. All the instruments are intended to sound synthesized; at this point the game's referential environment has switched from the natural ground to the S.S. Dolphin in low orbit. Also, the beep-like tone that arpeggiates throughout the theme is a sound unique to [[Pikmin (game)|''Pikmin'']], which can be heard in other tracks, normally associated with the S.S. Dolphin.
Heard [[Day results menu|after the day is complete]] and the [[S.S. Dolphin]] has taken off. This theme was carried over to other games. All the instruments are intended to sound synthesized; at this point the game's referential environment has switched from the natural ground to the S.S. Dolphin in low orbit. Also, the beep-like tone that arpeggiates throughout the theme is a sound unique to {{p1}}, which can be heard in other tracks, normally associated with the S.S. Dolphin.


{{clear}}
{{clear}}
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{{infobox track
{{infobox track
|name = Journey Complete
|name = Journey Complete
|link = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7u641uTxsAo&index=31&list=PL13D58C62AD5DE7A2
|jpname = ''{{j|遭難の全記録|Sōnan no zen kiroku}}''
|internal=fresult.jam
|link = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-93lVgP9t-k&list=PL7OD1YcIxKb4X-oBCmYsZGKqRsQxTuox7&index=35
|header = y
|header = y
}}
}}
Heard after the [[Pikmin (game)#Endings|good ending]] cinema when the [[Menu#Final Analysis|final statistics]] appear. This theme represents success in its orchestral instrumentation, and its rhythm is rigidly defined by snare drum and timpani. This is the most harmonically driven theme in the game; no instrument's voice exists alone.
Heard after the [[Pikmin (game)#Endings|good ending]] cinema when the [[Final results menu|final statistics]] appear. This theme represents success in its orchestral instrumentation, and its rhythm is rigidly defined by snare drum and timpani. This is the most harmonically driven theme in the game; no instrument's voice exists alone.


{{clear}}
{{clear}}


== Cutscenes ==
== Cutscenes ==
{{todo|Find or record a better video of a Pikmin extinction, and of the Epilogue scene by itself.}}
Cutscenes are pre-timed, and player input does not change the cutscene (other than skipping it). As such, the music is a score, accenting and controlling the evolution of what in the cutscene the player should focus on.
Cutscenes are pre-timed, and player input does not change the cutscene (other than skipping it). As such, the music is a score, accenting and controlling the evolution of what in the cutscene the player should focus on.
 
Since the game runs at a slower [[frame]]rate in the European [[Region|version]], the music for numerous cutscenes has been modified and extended in order to better match the increased runtime. These differences will also be noted below each song, if any are present.


{{clear}}
{{clear}}
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{{infobox track
{{infobox track
|name = Carry, Fight, Increase and be Eaten
|name = Carry, Fight, Increase and be Eaten
|link = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=haMfg27wZrw&list=PL13D58C62AD5DE7A2&index=2
|jpname = ''{{j|運ぶ、戦う、増える、そして食べられる|Hakobu, tatakau, fueru, soshite taberareru}}''
|internal=cntA_S.h4m cntB_S.h4m cntC_S.h4m cntD_S.h4m
|link = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rPbLlAW5Mpw&list=PL7OD1YcIxKb4X-oBCmYsZGKqRsQxTuox7&index=2
|header = y
|header = y
}}
}}
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{{infobox track
{{infobox track
|name = Prologue
|name = Prologue
|link = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1b0vsAQZ8k&list=PL13D58C62AD5DE7A2&index=4
|jpname = ''{{j|プロローグ|Purorōgu}}''
|internal=opening.stx
|link = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sECcWOCGjF4&list=PL7OD1YcIxKb4X-oBCmYsZGKqRsQxTuox7&index=4
|linke = https://pikmintkb.com/w/images/8/81/Opening_%28EU_Mix%29.wav
|header = y
|header = y
}}
}}
Heard after beginning a new game, accompanying the [[Cutscene#Opening|prologue cutscene]]. This eclectic soundtrack begins in space, with synthesized drones and patterns gravitating around C to set the mood that the protagonist of the game is from an alien planet. [[Captain Olimar]]'s idling ship seems to produce a small hi-pass waltz in D♭, almost as though he is listening to a radio. This hint of D♭ resounds in a dramatic string section when a passing meteor approaches; the strings quiet down as the scene cuts back to the [[S.S. Dolphin]], but the drone of C gets more intense as hand percussion and an alarm sound effect join in. Finally as the meteor strikes the ship a cymbal roll and a leaping gesture on marimba and pizzicato strings warp the previous ethereal drone into chaos. The strings descend across stinging triads far from C as the ship plummets to [[PNF-404]]. Finally as the camera cuts to the sky and ground another cymbal roll changes the tempo and genre to an orchestral rock beat in D minor with another alarm sound overlay. The drums and orchestra simultaneously cut out to a residual ring when the ship crashes; as the entire cutscene has no sound effects on its own, this sudden {{w|tacet}} during the expected sound of a crash landing produces a wholly suspenseful effect, only to be resolved when the first [[Day|day]] begins.
Heard after beginning a new game, accompanying the [[Cutscene#Opening|prologue cutscene]]. This eclectic soundtrack begins in space, with synthesized drones and patterns gravitating around C to set the mood that the protagonist of the game is from an alien planet. [[Captain Olimar]]'s idling ship seems to produce a small hi-pass waltz in D♭, almost as though he is listening to a radio. This hint of D♭ resounds in a dramatic string section when a passing meteor approaches; the strings quiet down as the scene cuts back to the [[S.S. Dolphin]], but the drone of C gets more intense as hand percussion and an alarm sound effect join in. Finally as the meteor strikes the ship a cymbal roll and a leaping gesture on marimba and pizzicato strings warp the previous ethereal drone into chaos. The strings descend across stinging triads far from C as the ship plummets to [[PNF-404]]. Finally as the camera cuts to the sky and ground another cymbal roll changes the tempo and genre to an orchestral rock beat in D minor with another alarm sound overlay. The drums and orchestra simultaneously cut out to a residual ring when the ship crashes; as the entire cutscene has no sound effects on its own, this sudden {{w|tacet}} during the expected sound of a crash landing produces a wholly suspenseful effect, only to be resolved when the first [[day]] begins.
 
In the European version of the game, this song initially runs at a slower tempo, lengthening several synthesized sound effects in the process. The rock beat runs at its original speed, but the build up on strings becomes much more increasingly intense, as this portion of the song has to loop several more times before the cutscene's conclusion.


{{clear}}
{{clear}}
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{{infobox track
{{infobox track
|name = Discovery of Onion
|name = Discovery of Onion
|link = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxPE2k523nw&index=16&list=PL13D58C62AD5DE7A2
|jpname = ''{{j|オニヨン発見!|Oniyon hakken!}}''
|internal=onion.stx
|link = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a9iqRFcEDqU&list=PL7OD1YcIxKb4X-oBCmYsZGKqRsQxTuox7&index=16
|header = y
|header = y
}}
}}
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{{infobox track
{{infobox track
|name = Meet the Pikmin
|name = Meet the Pikmin
|link = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9kIj-D4neE&index=17&list=PL13D58C62AD5DE7A2
|jpname = ''{{j|出逢い|Deai}}''
|internal=demobgm.jam
|link = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jRHW_5TXzNY&list=PL7OD1YcIxKb4X-oBCmYsZGKqRsQxTuox7&index=17
|linke = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dxV1wnY9-2Y
|header = y
|header = y
}}
}}
Heard when Captain Olimar plucks a new type of Pikmin. This theme stresses curiosity, by way of a transposed melody. That is, the marimba establishes a key of G major, while the exotic synthesizer playing the melody is playing in A♭, making the theme not dissonant but odd. The perfect mood set for a player who did not expect a Pikmin to be plucked from the ground.
Heard when Captain Olimar plucks a new type of Pikmin. This theme stresses curiosity, by way of a transposed melody. That is, the marimba establishes a key of G major, while the exotic synthesizer playing the melody is playing in A♭, making the theme not dissonant but odd. The perfect mood set for a player who did not expect a Pikmin to be plucked from the ground.
In the European version of the game, this theme is extended with an extra segment of the synthesizer ascending onto C before the melody begins.


{{clear}}
{{clear}}
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{{infobox track
{{infobox track
|name = Finding of Parts
|name = Finding of Parts
|link = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydh9FVIvWAM&list=PL13D58C62AD5DE7A2&index=18
|jpname = ''{{j|宇宙船パーツ発見!|Uchūsen pātsu hakken!}}''
|internal=demobgm.jam
|link = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=awBfRDmw6EM&list=PL7OD1YcIxKb4X-oBCmYsZGKqRsQxTuox7&index=18
|linke = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EnnURqYHzTA
|header = y
|header = y
}}
}}
Heard when Captain Olimar discovers the [[Main Engine]]. Triumphantly ringing through flute, piccolo, high marimba, french horn, and two synthesized sounds used in the [[#Today's Results|Today's results]] theme, this short scalar melody aids both the understanding of how Pikmin can help and of how [[ship parts]] are important.
Heard when Captain Olimar discovers the [[Main Engine]]. Triumphantly ringing through flute, piccolo, vibraphone, french horn, and two synthesized sounds used in the [[#Today's Results|Today's results]] theme, this short scalar melody aids both the understanding of how Pikmin can help and of how [[ship parts]] are important.
 
In the European version of the game, the first note of the melody is held for a much longer period of time.


{{clear}}
{{clear}}
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{{infobox track
{{infobox track
|name = Spaceship Part Obtained
|name = Spaceship Part Obtained
|link = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZhpToJQbOE&index=20&list=PL13D58C62AD5DE7A2
|jpname = ''{{j|宇宙船パーツ回収成功!|Uchūsen pātsu kaishū seikō!}}''
|internal=demobgm.jam
|link = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8fx6RQ9D7w&list=PL7OD1YcIxKb4X-oBCmYsZGKqRsQxTuox7&index=19
|header = y
|header = y
}}
}}
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{{infobox track
{{infobox track
|name = Power-Up
|name = Power-Up!
|link = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0u6vusXOhA&index=21&list=PL13D58C62AD5DE7A2
|jpname = ''{{j|宇宙船パワーアップ!|Uchūsen pawāappu!}}''
|internal=demobgm.jam
|link = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TrSIMoFLYpQ&list=PL7OD1YcIxKb4X-oBCmYsZGKqRsQxTuox7&index=20
|header = y
|header = y
}}
}}
Heard when the S.S. Dolphin acquires enough parts to increase its capabilities and reach a new [[area]] of the game. This theme is a march with full strings and horns, along with high beep-like synthesized instruments filling up the top range of the melody. It partly accents the S.S. Dolphin fixing itself, and partly celebrates Captain Olimar's leadership in directing Pikmin. After the march is a much less intense loop that keeps the mood hopeful as [[Olimar's monologues in Pikmin#Recovered the engine|Captain Olimar monologues]] about his ship lifting off. This loop only occurs during the initial Dolphin upgrade after the Main Engine is recovered; otherwise the cutscene ends after the march.
Heard when the S.S. Dolphin acquires enough parts to increase its capabilities and reach a new [[area]] of the game. This theme is a march with full strings and horns, along with high beep-like synthesized instruments filling up the top range of the melody. It partly accents the S.S. Dolphin fixing itself, and partly celebrates Captain Olimar's leadership in directing Pikmin. After the march is a much less intense loop that keeps the mood hopeful as [[Olimar's monologs#Recovered the engine|Captain Olimar monologs]] about his ship lifting off. This loop only occurs during the initial Dolphin upgrade after the Main Engine is recovered; otherwise the cutscene ends after the march.


{{clear}}
{{clear}}
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{{infobox track
{{infobox track
|name = Level Complete
|name = Level Complete
|link = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vB8Bfx9ERAA&list=PL13D58C62AD5DE7A2&index=22
|jpname = ''{{j|宇宙船完成!|Uchūsen kansei!}}''
|internal=demobgm.jam
|link = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_Cb-dELF90&list=PL7OD1YcIxKb4X-oBCmYsZGKqRsQxTuox7&index=28
|header = y
|header = y
}}
}}
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{{infobox track
{{infobox track
|name = Night Comes
|name = Night Comes
|link = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HF_uuPIXHzU&list=PL13D58C62AD5DE7A2&index=23
|jpname = ''{{j|夜が来る|Yorugakuru}}''
|internal=d_end1.stx
|link = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pb-FxCI8q78&list=PL7OD1YcIxKb4X-oBCmYsZGKqRsQxTuox7&index=22
|linke = https://pikmintkb.com/w/images/c/cb/D_end1_%28EU_Mix%29.wav
|header = y
|header = y
}}
}}
Heard when a [[day]] ends and Pikmin are returned to their Onions. The tone of this piece is very conclusive, yet also builds enough tension through augmented chords and strong melody that the player eagerly awaits the S.S. Dolphin's liftoff by the end. The reverb in this theme is more prominent and more polished than in other cutscenes, most likely since this theme is to be heard at the end of every day.
Heard when a [[day]] ends and Pikmin are returned to their Onions. The tone of this piece is very conclusive, yet also builds enough tension through augmented chords and strong melody that the player eagerly awaits the S.S. Dolphin's liftoff by the end. The reverb in this theme is more prominent and more polished than in other cutscenes, most likely since this theme is to be heard at the end of every day.
In the European version of the game, this song runs at a slower tempo, and gradually slows further right before the conclusion.


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{{infobox track
{{infobox track
|name = My Mistake
|name = My Mistake
|link = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAjhjpncLOw&index=24&list=PL13D58C62AD5DE7A2
|jpname = ''{{j|私のミスで…|Watashi no misu de…}}''
|internal=d_end3.stx
|link = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6sWrVZ8q5uU&list=PL7OD1YcIxKb4X-oBCmYsZGKqRsQxTuox7&index=25
|linke = https://pikmintkb.com/w/images/e/eb/D_end3_%28EU_Mix%29.wav
|header = y
|header = y
}}
}}
Heard either when Captain Olimar's [[spacesuit]] sustains too much damage, or when all Pikmin are lost. This sad chord progression sweeps through a full string section, with help from a gesture in horns and in vibraphone. Before this theme during a [[Pikmin extinction]], a low diminished chord in the strings lingers while Captain Olimar agonizes over the loss, as seen [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aAtJr2xAZCc here]. Out of context, such a sound would probably sound melodramatic, or even operatic. But in this situation, the chord suits the gravity of losing all one's Pikmin very well.
Heard when Captain Olimar is returning to the S.S. Dolphin at night, after having his [[spacesuit]] sustain too much damage, or when [[Pikmin extinction|all Pikmin are lost]]. This sad chord progression sweeps through a full string section, with help from a gesture in horns and in vibraphone. Before this theme plays during a Pikmin extinction, a [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWW_1w_f3S8&list=PL7OD1YcIxKb4X-oBCmYsZGKqRsQxTuox7&index=25 low diminished chord in the strings] lingers while Captain Olimar agonizes over the loss. Out of context, such a sound would probably sound melodramatic, or even operatic. But in this situation, the chord suits the gravity of losing all one's Pikmin very well.
 
In the European version of the game, there is an additional chord progression on strings that leads into F minor, before the melody begins.


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{{infobox track
{{infobox track
|name = End of Day
|name = End of Day
|link = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oevDcLvdRkM
|jpname = ''{{j|時間切れ、いちかばちか宇宙へ…|Jikangire, ichi kaba Chika uchū e…}}''
|internal=badend0.stx
|link = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXlDU2jpius&list=PL7OD1YcIxKb4X-oBCmYsZGKqRsQxTuox7&index=29
|linke = https://pikmintkb.com/w/images/a/a3/Badend0_%28EU_Mix%29.wav
|header = y
|header = y
}}
}}
Plays when the S.S. Dolphin departs after day 30 with all mandatory ship parts but without all 30 ship parts. Flute, strings, vibraphone, marimba, and glockenspiel reprise the theme of the Sunset cutscene, with a more conclusive air and a slower tempo, although this reprise does not play the final note. Instead, the scene cuts to three curious Pikmin watching the S.S. Dolphin depart, and the music changes to a progression of loosely connected major and minor chords that sum into a feeling that the events portrayed are not the end of the story. The following cutscene uses the Epilogue theme.
Plays when the S.S. Dolphin departs after day 30 with all mandatory ship parts but without all 30 ship parts. Flute, strings, vibraphone, marimba, and piano reprise the theme of the Sunset cutscene, with a more conclusive air and a slower tempo, although this reprise does not play the final note. Instead, the scene cuts to three curious Pikmin watching the S.S. Dolphin depart, and the music changes to a progression of loosely connected major and minor chords that sum into a feeling that the events portrayed are not the end of the story. The following cutscene uses the Epilogue theme.
 
In the European version of the game, there is an extra repetition of the D♭ major and C major chords.


{{clear}}
{{clear}}


{{infobox track
{{infobox track
|name = Escape and Fail
|name = Escape & Fail
|link = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBMK3xHwdKE&index=27&list=PL13D58C62AD5DE7A2
|jpname = ''{{j|脱出、そして墜落…|Dasshutsu, soshite tsuiraku…}}''
|internal=badend1.stx
|link = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S27dgk9KdHY&list=PL7OD1YcIxKb4X-oBCmYsZGKqRsQxTuox7&index=30
|linke = https://pikmintkb.com/w/images/b/b7/Badend1_%28EU_Mix%29.wav
|header = y
|header = y
}}
}}
Heard when the S.S. Dolphin departs after day 30 without all mandatory ship parts. The beginning of the cutscene is the same as the Epilogue theme, but this theme is heard when the S.S. Dolphin is shown trying to escape the atmosphere. The theme begins the same way as the successful theme, but synthesized chromatic noises, again resembling alarms, intervene as the S.S. Dolphin slows its ascent. Finally the apex of the Dolphin's flight is accented by a dissonant synthesized glissando, after which all music cuts out and the ship falls.
Heard when the S.S. Dolphin departs after day 30 without all mandatory ship parts. The beginning of the cutscene is the same as the Epilogue theme, but this theme is heard when the S.S. Dolphin is shown trying to escape the atmosphere. The theme begins the same way as the successful theme, but synthesized chromatic noises, again resembling alarms, intervene as the S.S. Dolphin slows its ascent. Finally the apex of the Dolphin's flight is accented by a dissonant synthesized glissando, after which all music cuts out and the ship falls.
In the European version of the game, this theme runs at a slower tempo.


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{{infobox track
{{infobox track
|name = Live as a Pikmin
|name = Live as a Pikmin
|link = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cQzUDprLh5M&index=28&list=PL13D58C62AD5DE7A2
|jpname = ''{{j|ピクミンとして生きる|Pikumin to shite ikiru}}''
|internal=badend2.stx
|link = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCltJXtzRFs&list=PL7OD1YcIxKb4X-oBCmYsZGKqRsQxTuox7&index=31
|linke = https://pikmintkb.com/w/images/8/86/Badend2_%28EU_Mix%29.wav
|header = y
|header = y
}}
}}
Heard after the final analysis of the [[Cutscene#Bad ending|bad ending]]. This bouncy theme sets a mood of failure and the request to try again more than it predicts the fate of Captain Olimar. A piano and some comical instruments play a frivolous tune, passively complemented with the motivic Native American bass flute from the game's main theme. Xylophone and marimba descend the chromatic scale as [[Olimar as Pikmin|Olimar as a Pikmin]] descends from the Onion. Then, the main motif of the game resurfaces in flute and trombone with a very jocular feel, before resolving and ending with Olimar planted in the ground. This theme's joyous mood helps indicate that this ending is roughly a joke, and not to be considered the serious, canon ending.
Heard after the final analysis of the [[Cutscene#Bad ending|bad ending]]. This bouncy theme sets a mood of failure and the request to try again more than it predicts the fate of Captain Olimar. A piano and some comical instruments play a frivolous tune, passively complemented with the motivic Native American bass flute from the game's main theme. Xylophone and marimba descend the chromatic scale as [[Olimar as Pikmin|Olimar as a Pikmin]] descends from the Onion. Then, the main motif of the game resurfaces in flute and trombone with a very jocular feel, before resolving and ending with Olimar planted in the ground. This theme's joyous mood helps indicate that this ending is roughly a joke, and not to be considered the serious, canon ending.
In the European version of the game, there is an additional snare roll before the chromatic descension. Strangely, the reverb is also missing.


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{{infobox track
{{infobox track
|name = Chapter Complete
|name = Chapter Complete
|link = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UizCSix-aow&index=29&list=PL13D58C62AD5DE7A2
|jpname = ''{{j|宇宙船完成、いざ宇宙へ!|Uchūsen kansei, iza uchū e!}}''
|internal=compend0.stx
|link = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adxopIVoL0E&list=PL7OD1YcIxKb4X-oBCmYsZGKqRsQxTuox7&index=33
|linke = https://pikmintkb.com/w/images/9/9d/Compend0_%28EU_Mix%29.wav
|header = y
|header = y
}}
}}
Heard after the S.S. Dolphin is completely repaired. The Sunset theme is reprised, more closely in instrumentation than the neutral departure, but veers off-course and elongates as Captain Olimar addresses a goodbye to the confused Pikmin one last time. The augmented conclusion of the theme still occurs when Olimar enters the Dolphin, and the D♭ major 7 chord on which it ends is extended back to the Pikmin as they attack a [[Red Bulborb]]. As they latch on, the theme cleverly combines both the beginning of the Sunset theme and the melody and piano of The Final Trial theme, until the final pan upward to the sky.
Heard after the S.S. Dolphin is completely repaired. The Sunset theme is reprised, more closely in instrumentation than the neutral departure, but veers off-course and elongates as Captain Olimar addresses a goodbye to the confused Pikmin one last time. The augmented conclusion of the theme still occurs when Olimar enters the Dolphin, and the D♭ major 7 chord on which it ends is extended back to the Pikmin as they attack a [[Bulborb|Spotty Bulborb]]. As they latch on, the theme cleverly combines both the beginning of the Sunset theme and the melody and piano of The Final Trial theme, until the final pan upward to the sky.
 
In the European version of the game, this theme initially runs at a much slower tempo, but returns to its original pace as soon as The Final Trial's theme begins to play, since area themes in this version still play at their original speed. The gesture played by the piano during this segment still needs to repeat an additional two times, however.


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{{infobox track
{{infobox track
|name = Escape to Hocotate
|name = Escape to Hocotate
|link = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=geIe011iI9k#t=1m30s
|jpname = ''{{j|脱出、そしてホコタテ星へ|Dasshutsu, soshite hokotate hoshi e}}''
|internal=compend1.stx happyend1.stx
|link = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xaALVU-ypPc&list=PL7OD1YcIxKb4X-oBCmYsZGKqRsQxTuox7&index=35
|linke = https://pikmintkb.com/w/images/3/3a/Compend1_%28EU_Mix%29.wav
|header = y
|header = y
}}
}}
Heard after a happy or neutral departure; this particular example shows a happy departure. A full orchestra (the most instruments of any track) flourishes over this grandiose theme, which eventually contains the rhythmic motif of the game's main theme. The final iteration of this motif ends in a held A major chord and timpani roll, with a final hit and cymbal crash to see Captain Olimar off.
Heard after a happy or neutral departure. A full orchestra (the most instruments of any track) flourishes over this grandiose theme, which eventually contains the rhythmic motif of the game's main theme. The final iteration of this motif ends in a held A major chord and timpani roll, with a final hit and cymbal crash to see Captain Olimar off. If the player is successful in leaving the planet, but does not have all 30 ship parts, a [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5Ucl1L4hgc&list=PL7OD1YcIxKb4X-oBCmYsZGKqRsQxTuox7&index=33 shorter version] of this theme plays.
 
In the European version of the game, both the happy and shorter version run at a slower tempo.


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{{infobox track
{{infobox track
|name = Enemy Reel
|name = Enemy Reel
|link = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HRjH4w2-Sok
|jpname = ''{{j|生物の全記録|Seibutsu no zen kiroku}}''
|internal=srhp_S.h4m
|link = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XAjsFcNhDCE&list=PL7OD1YcIxKb4X-oBCmYsZGKqRsQxTuox7&index=37
|header = y
|header = y
}}
}}
Heard after the Epilogue, during the [[enemy reel]]. A marching band and strings play this playful and memorable theme, with a square-wave synthesizer mainly taking the melody. The marching band also contains a samba whistle, referencing the [[whistle]] in the game. This piece has one major tonal theme that repeats for most of its duration, although it has instances of variations:
Heard after the Epilogue, during the [[enemy reel]]. A marching band and strings play this playful and memorable theme, with a square-wave synthesizer mainly taking the melody. The marching band also contains a samba whistle, referencing the [[whistle]] in the game. This piece has one major tonal theme that repeats for most of its duration, although it has instances of variations:
*a bridge (heard at 1:07) in which the melodic instrument becomes melodic, and a minor turn of a melody is played by celeste and marimba playing {{w|tremolo}}.
*a bridge (heard at 1:07) in which the melodic instrument becomes melodic, and a minor turn of a melody is played by glockenspiel and marimba playing {{w|tremolo}}.
*a march (heard at 2:20) whose structure resembles a sea shanty; a Pikmin can be heard singing along to the synthesized melody. This Pikmin singer returns at the very end, carrying the melody alone, above marching percussion.
*a march (heard at 2:20) whose structure resembles a sea shanty; a Pikmin can be heard singing along to the synthesized melody. This Pikmin singer returns at the very end, carrying the melody alone, above marching percussion.
This is the longest piece in the soundtrack.
This is the longest piece in the soundtrack.
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{{infobox track
{{infobox track
|name = Credits
|name = Credits
|link = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTbokUUIjuk&index=32&list=PL13D58C62AD5DE7A2
|jpname = ''{{j|この旅を演出した者達|Kono tabi o enshutsu shita-sha-tachi}}''
|internal=sr_S.h4m
|link = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gkxBuhJ3PY&list=PL7OD1YcIxKb4X-oBCmYsZGKqRsQxTuox7&index=36
|header = y
|header = y
}}
}}
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{{infobox track
{{infobox track
|name = The Impact Site
|name = The Impact Site
|link = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRXDdwQEkyM&list=PL13D58C62AD5DE7A2&index=6
|jpname = ''{{j|遭難地点|Sōnan chiten}}''
|internal=tutorial.jam
|link=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBsG-Vn79Xw&list=PL7OD1YcIxKb4X-oBCmYsZGKqRsQxTuox7&index=6
|links=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6oYoFJ8hiA&list=PL7OD1YcIxKb4X-oBCmYsZGKqRsQxTuox7&index=7
}}
}}
A playful theme that immediately reassures the player that Captain Olimar is safe after he crash-lands at [[The Impact Site]]. The high-pitched melody carried on glockenspiel and pizzicato violin also accent the tiny stature of Pikmin as they are discovered.
A playful theme that immediately reassures the player that Captain Olimar is safe after he crash-lands at [[The Impact Site]]. The high-pitched melody carried on glockenspiel and pizzicato violin also accent the tiny stature of Pikmin as they are discovered.
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'''Instruments'''
'''Instruments'''
*'''Main version''': '''Oboe''', {{w|contrabassoon}}, '''glockenspiel''', '''violin''' (pizzicato and section), violas, and cellos.
*'''Main version''': '''Oboe''', {{w|contrabassoon}}, '''glockenspiel''', '''violin''' (pizzicato and section), violas, and cellos.
*'''Enemy mix''': French horns, tuba, timpani, snare drum, bass drum, crash cymbals, violins, violas, and cellos.
*'''Enemy mix''': Trombones, timpani, snare drum, bass drum, clash cymbals, violins, violas, and cellos.
*'''Sunset version''': '''Tenor recorder''' (or other {{w|fipple|fipple flute}}) and classical guitar.
*'''Sunset version''': '''Oboe''', '''tenor recorder''', and nylon guitar.


The strings in the regular version drop out when the enemy mix is added. Only during the sunset version of the theme is a tuba added in the enemy mix.
When the enemy mix is added, the strings from the main version are substituted with a slightly more severe version, and the glockenspiel is removed (strangely, the glockenspiel remains in ''Pikmin World''). In the sunset version of the theme, the gestures played on timpani are slightly different.


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===''The Forest of Hope''===
 
===''Forest of Hope''===
{{infobox track
{{infobox track
|name = The Forest of Hope
|name = Forest of Hope
|link = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jM2X2nT4fYo&list=PL13D58C62AD5DE7A2&index=7
|jpname = ''{{j|希望の森|Kibō no mori}}''
|official = y
|internal=play3.jam
|link=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YoY_s_iJ1uY&list=PL7OD1YcIxKb4X-oBCmYsZGKqRsQxTuox7&index=8
|links=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7G4vnr0ong&list=PL7OD1YcIxKb4X-oBCmYsZGKqRsQxTuox7&index=9
}}
}}
A calm theme that highlights the natural wholesomeness of the wilderness of [[The Forest of Hope]], while still remaining simple and steady enough to encourage the player getting used to commanding Pikmin.
A calm theme that highlights the natural wholesomeness of the wilderness of [[The Forest of Hope]], while still remaining simple and steady enough to encourage the player getting used to commanding Pikmin. This theme's distinct lead instrument is sampled from the [[Assets used in the Pikmin series#Kurzweil K2500|Kurzweil K2500]]'s "Malletoo" patch.


'''Instruments'''
'''Instruments'''
*'''Main version''': '''DX electric piano''', piano, violins, violas, and cellos.
*'''Main version''': '''Electric piano synthesizer''', piano, violins, violas, and cellos.
*'''Enemy mix''': Congas.
*'''Enemy mix''': Congas.
*'''Sunset version''': Marimba, '''music box''', violins, violas, and cellos.
*'''Sunset version''': Marimba, '''music box''', violins, violas, and cellos.


During [[Challenge Mode (Pikmin)| Challenge Mode]], the piano plays an octave above its part in the main game.
In ''Pikmin World'', the piano is an octave lower than normal. The ''Pikmin World'' version makes an appearance in the {{ssb}}, with the English title  ''"Forest of Hope"''.


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===''The Forest Navel''===
===''The Forest Navel''===
{{infobox track
{{infobox track
|name = The Forest Navel
|name = The Forest Navel
|link = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cznGPMgNFL4&index=8&list=PL13D58C62AD5DE7A2
|jpname = ''{{j|樹海のヘソ|Jukai no Heso}}''
|internal=cave.jam
|link=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gnjS_FsXyhs&list=PL7OD1YcIxKb4X-oBCmYsZGKqRsQxTuox7&index=10
|links=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jC4CJ6TrVvM&list=PL7OD1YcIxKb4X-oBCmYsZGKqRsQxTuox7&index=11
}}
}}
With a widening scope of exploration, a new visual landscape, and three types of Pikmin, [[The Forest Navel]]'s theme can afford to sound more exotic. The principal of this theme is a chordal instrument upon a droning C, unlike the previous two areas with a solid melody over C major. The faster tempo may also encourage the player using this area to discover more efficient ways to organize Pikmin.
With a widening scope of exploration, a new visual landscape, and three types of Pikmin, [[The Forest Navel]]'s theme can afford to sound more exotic. The principal of this theme is a chordal instrument upon a droning C, unlike the previous two areas with a solid melody over C major. The faster tempo may also encourage the player using this area to discover more efficient ways to organize Pikmin.


'''Instruments'''
'''Instruments'''
*'''Main version''': Synth harp or guitar, '''steel guitar''' (played with slide), {{w|talking drum}}, and tambourine.
*'''Main version''': Synth guitar, '''steel string guitar''' (played with slide and some audible squeaking), {{w|talking drum}}, and tambourine.
*'''Enemy mix''': Congas, bongos, gourd shaker, steel guitar, and oscillating sounds resembling a {{w|sizzle cymbal}}.
*'''Enemy mix''': Congas, bongos, gourd shaker, steel string guitar, and oscillating sounds resembling a {{w|sizzle cymbal}}.
*'''Sunset version''': Synth harp (used as both the drone and the main melodic instrument) and soft pad strings.
*'''Sunset version''': Synth guitar (used as both the drone and the main melodic instrument) and soft pad strings.
 
The guitar squeaks meant for the steel string guitar are present in the sunset version as well. It's unknown if this is erroneous, as this is removed in ''Pikmin World''. Also, the oscillating sound is much lower in pitch in ''Pikmin World''.


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{{infobox track
{{infobox track
|name = The Distant Spring
|name = The Distant Spring
|link = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zQtA4vh3LM&index=9&list=PL13D58C62AD5DE7A2
|jpname = ''{{j|大水源|Dai suigen}}''
|internal=yaku.jam
|link=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1M4vUeQtf0s&list=PL7OD1YcIxKb4X-oBCmYsZGKqRsQxTuox7&index=12
|links=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avCZFqzFbVY&list=PL7OD1YcIxKb4X-oBCmYsZGKqRsQxTuox7&index=13
}}
}}
[[The Distant Spring]]'s theme is the most ethereal in the game, having no easily definable rhythm until the enemy mix fades in. Its sounds are all soft and distant; the music is no longer trying to aid a rhythm of gameplay, but is instead resigning and forcing the player to explore the huge area and solve tasks on their own. It features a cymbal-like melodic instrument that will make a comeback in the following games of the series.
[[The Distant Spring]]'s theme is the most ethereal in the game, having no easily definable rhythm until the enemy mix fades in. Its sounds are all soft and distant; the music is no longer trying to aid a rhythm of gameplay, but is instead resigning and forcing the player to explore the huge area and solve tasks on their own. It features a distinct cymbal-like melodic instrument from the Kurzweil K2500, which will make a comeback in the following games of the series.


'''Instruments'''
'''Instruments'''
*'''Main version''': '''"Cymbalesque"''', echoing celeste, flanged bowed piano, {{w|mark tree}}, pad strings, and female choir.
*'''Main version''': [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BkVBGSWYNEY '''Pitched ride cymbal'''], echoing {{w|glass harp}}, piano-like synth pad (with flanger and slide), {{w|mark tree}}, pad strings, and female choir.
*'''Enemy mix''': Contrabassoon, timpani, snare drum, bass drum, crash cymbals, piano, violins, violas, cellos, and basses.
*'''Enemy mix''': Contrabassoon, timpani, snare drum, bass drum, clash cymbals, piano, violins, violas, cellos, and basses.
*'''Sunset version''': Tenor recorder, celeste (regular and echoed), mark tree, '''{{w|Cor anglais}}''', flanged bowed piano, and female choir.
*'''Sunset version''': Tenor recorder, celeste, echoing {{w|glass harp}}, mark tree, reed organ, piano-like synth pad (with flanger and slide), and female choir.


Many prominent sounds drop out when the enemy mix fades in, most notably, the pad in the main version, and the recorder and celeste in the sunset version. Additionally, it's only during sunset when the contrabassoon can actually be heard in the enemy mix, it replaces the basses.
Many prominent sounds drop out when the enemy mix fades in, most notably, the pad in the main version, and the recorder and celeste in the sunset version. Additionally, it's only during sunset when the contrabassoon can actually be heard in the enemy mix, as it replaces the basses.


{{clear}}
{{clear}}
===''The Final Trial''===
===''The Final Trial''===
{{infobox track
{{infobox track
|name = The Final Trial
|name = The Final Trial
|link = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unSIw-vxm8o&index=10&list=PL13D58C62AD5DE7A2
|jpname = ''{{j|最後の試練|Saigo no shiren}}''
|internal=flow.jam
|link=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YhakTB1Oo4&list=PL7OD1YcIxKb4X-oBCmYsZGKqRsQxTuox7&index=14
|links=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zv0z-cSQsBo&list=PL7OD1YcIxKb4X-oBCmYsZGKqRsQxTuox7&index=15
}}
}}
The gentle, calm, and predominantly major music of the game so far suddenly takes a sinister turn in [[The Final Trial]]. Although the melody and some accompaniment are a chipper skipping tune, the texture underneath it is a bass drone in F and a chromatic glockenspiel that does not fit in wherever the piece goes. And whenever combat ensues, the piece becomes even more suspenseful with low piano octaves that accent at weird times.
The gentle, calm, and predominantly major music of the game so far suddenly takes a sinister turn in [[The Final Trial]]. Although the melody and some accompaniment are a chipper skipping tune, the texture underneath it is a bass drone in F and a chromatic glockenspiel that does not fit in wherever the piece goes. And whenever combat ensues, the piece becomes even more suspenseful with low piano octaves that accent at weird times.


'''Instruments'''
'''Instruments'''
*'''Main version''': '''Flute''', french horn, pipe organ pedals, marimba, piano, glockenspiel, and violins (cellos briefly in the first few stabs).
*'''Main version''': '''Flute''', french horn, pipe organ pedals, marimba, piano, glockenspiel, and violins (basses briefly present in the first few stabs).
*'''Enemy mix''': Snare drum, crash cymbals, piano.
*'''Enemy mix''': Snare drum, clash cymbals, piano.
*'''Sunset version''': '''Flute''', french horn, harp, glockenspiel and violins.
*'''Sunset version''': '''Flute''', french horn, harp, glockenspiel and violins.


The drone played by the pipe organ fades out when the enemy mix fades in, so that the pipe organ and low piano do not conflict and become muddy-sounding.
The drone played by the pipe organ fades out when the enemy mix fades in, so that the pipe organ and low piano do not conflict and become muddy-sounding. In ''Pikmin World'', the drone is also an octave lower. This extra range would not be as audible within a gameplay scenario compared to personal listening; this is also likely why the piano underwent the same change in ''[[#Forest of Hope|Forest of Hope]]''.


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{{infobox track
{{infobox track
|name = Impending Doom
|name = Impending Doom
|link = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_z09VuE4Gi4&list=PL13D58C62AD5DE7A2&index=11
|jpname = ''{{j|巨大生物接近|Kyodai seibutsu sekkin}}''
|internal=boss2.jam
|link = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVvcMxk3R5s&list=PL7OD1YcIxKb4X-oBCmYsZGKqRsQxTuox7&index=26
|header = y
|header = y
}}
}}
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{{infobox track
{{infobox track
|name = Final Boss Battle
|name = Final Boss Battle
|link = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFFWBP2JYO4&list=PL13D58C62AD5DE7A2&index=12
|jpname = ''{{j|最後の巨大生物|Saigo no kyodai seibutsu}}''
|internal=boss3.jam
|link = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IepWO9wa0tk&list=PL7OD1YcIxKb4X-oBCmYsZGKqRsQxTuox7&index=27
|header = y
|header = y
}}
}}
This interesting piece is structured as an organ impromptu, almost reminiscent of the 1922 score to the silent horror film ''{{w|Nosferatu}}''. A rotary organ plays an atonal but rhythmically sound piece, accompanied by interspersed bits of hand percussion, and a few blasts of a large echoing cymbal. Even out of context, the piece is quite unnerving, and it certainly builds the necessary tension of this climactic boss battle.
This interesting piece is structured as an organ impromptu, almost reminiscent of the score to the 1922 silent horror film ''{{w|Nosferatu}}''. A rotary organ plays an atonal but rhythmically sound piece, accompanied by interspersed bits of hand percussion, and a few blasts of a large echoing cymbal. Even out of context, the piece is quite unnerving, and it certainly builds the necessary tension of this climactic boss battle.


{{clear}}
{{clear}}
== Minor jingles ==
== Minor jingles ==
These minor musical cues are more sound effects than musical tracks, but the fact that they are specifically instrumental helps make them more salient and musical.
These minor musical cues are more sound effects than musical tracks, but the fact that they are specifically instrumental helps make them more salient and musical.
Line 342: Line 449:
{{infobox track
{{infobox track
|name = New Record
|name = New Record
|link = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwddW0SpzZc&index=15&list=PL13D58C62AD5DE7A2
|jpname = ''{{j|新記録達成|Shinkirokutassei}}''
|internal=fanf5.stx
|link = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pjYKih0bzjM&list=PL7OD1YcIxKb4X-oBCmYsZGKqRsQxTuox7&index=40
|header = y
|header = y
}}
}}
Line 354: Line 463:
{{infobox track
{{infobox track
|name = Finding Lost Pieces
|name = Finding Lost Pieces
|link = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTj2ExqPfLg&list=PL13D58C62AD5DE7A2&index=19
|jpname = ''{{j|宇宙船パーツ出現!|Uchūsen pātsu shutsugen!}}''
|internal=demobgm.jam
|link = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqJqSdgO3fE&list=PL7OD1YcIxKb4X-oBCmYsZGKqRsQxTuox7&index=21
|header = y
|header = y
}}
}}
Line 363: Line 474:


{{clear}}
{{clear}}
;''<span id="Ship Part Discovered">Ship Part Discovered</span>'':
 
;''<span id="Ship part discovered">{{tt|Ship part discovered|This title is conjectural.}}</span>'':
Heard when Captain Olimar comes close enough to an undiscovered ship part. A brief dominant 7 flourish by a harp invokes a sense of mystery as the player awaits the name and description of this new part. If the player presses {{button|gc|a|wii|a}} while near the part after this discovery, an even briefer flourish of G D F G will match the briefer description that appears.
Heard when Captain Olimar comes close enough to an undiscovered ship part. A brief dominant 7 flourish by a harp invokes a sense of mystery as the player awaits the name and description of this new part. If the player presses {{button|gc|a|wii|a}} while near the part after this discovery, an even briefer flourish of G D F G will match the briefer description that appears.


{{clear}}
{{clear}}
;''<span id="Swarm">Swarm</span>'':
 
Heard when the player directs Pikmin using [[swarm]]. This is a small looping track played on solo oboe, in a bugle call structure reminiscent of the {{w|Assembly (bugle call)|assembly call}}. It commands the Pikmin's position like an army.
;''<span id="Swarm">{{tt|Swarm|This title is conjectural.}}</span>'':
Heard when the player directs Pikmin using [[swarm]]. This is a small looping track played on a horn, in a bugle call structure reminiscent of the {{w|Assembly (bugle call)|assembly call}}. It commands the Pikmin's position like an army.


{{clear}}
{{clear}}
;''<span id="Obstacle Removed">Obstacle Removed</span>'':
 
;''<span id="Obstacle removed">{{tt|Obstacle removed|This title is conjectural.}}</span>'':
Heard when a [[gate]] or [[bridge]] obstacle is overcome, independent of Captain Olimar's location. This very small synthesized jingle is a slight variation on the rhythm and arpeggiation of the {{w|Charge (fanfare)|charge fanfare}}.
Heard when a [[gate]] or [[bridge]] obstacle is overcome, independent of Captain Olimar's location. This very small synthesized jingle is a slight variation on the rhythm and arpeggiation of the {{w|Charge (fanfare)|charge fanfare}}.


{{clear}}
{{clear}}
;''<span id="Daytime Chimes">Daytime Chimes</span>'':
 
;''<span id="Daytime chimes">{{tt|Daytime chimes|This title is conjectural.}}</span>'':
Heard when the [[HUD#Sun Meter|Sun Meter]] passes a quarterly increment of the [[day]]. At one-fourth and three-fourths of the day, a small handbell is rung. At noon, the handbell is rung twice. Near [[Day#Sunset|sunset]], the HUD will display the message to gather stray Pikmin, accented by Olimar's whistle sound and a tubular bell playing a chime similar to the ''{{w|Westminster Quarters}}'' half-hour chime, which in Japanese schools represents the beginning or end of a period.
Heard when the [[HUD#Sun Meter|Sun Meter]] passes a quarterly increment of the [[day]]. At one-fourth and three-fourths of the day, a small handbell is rung. At noon, the handbell is rung twice. Near [[Day#Sunset|sunset]], the HUD will display the message to gather stray Pikmin, accented by Olimar's whistle sound and a tubular bell playing a chime similar to the ''{{w|Westminster Quarters}}'' half-hour chime, which in Japanese schools represents the beginning or end of a period.


{{clear}}
{{clear}}
== Trivia ==
== Trivia ==
*In the [[New Play Control! Pikmin|''New Play Control!'' version of ''Pikmin'']], the saved game selection menu has a slight change in its music. The sound effect that plays in the beginning is slower than in the [[GameCube]] version. The slower sound effect can be heard briefly at the beginning of [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NHxu-nacXg&list=PL67D9B2451819D268 this video].
*In the [[New Play Control! Pikmin|''New Play Control!'' version of ''Pikmin'']], the saved game selection menu has a slight change in its music. The sound effect that plays in the beginning is slower than in the [[GameCube]] version. The slower sound effect can be heard briefly at the beginning of [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NHxu-nacXg&list=PL67D9B2451819D268 this video].
*[[Pellet Posy|Pellet Posies]] (even younger buds), [[geysers]], and [[Candypop Buds]] are all considered enemies in the game; as such the enemy mix is added to the theme whenever Captain Olimar is interacting with them.
*[[Pellet Posy|Pellet Posies]] (even younger buds), [[geysers]], and [[Candypop family|Candypop Buds]] are all considered enemies in the game; as such the enemy mix is added to the theme whenever Captain Olimar is interacting with them.


== See also ==
== See also ==
*[[Music]]
*''[[Pikmin World]]''
*[[Music in Pikmin 2|Music in ''Pikmin 2'']]
*''[[Ai no Uta]]''
*[[Music in Pikmin 3|Music in ''Pikmin 3'']]
*[[Pikmin World]]


[[Category:Music]]
{{music}}

Latest revision as of 10:10, December 3, 2024

The music of Pikmin accompanies every aspect of the game, from the gameplay to the cutscenes and menus. Generally, the textural style of the music reflects the futuristic world of Hocotate, the organic environment of PNF-404, and/or the small scale and nature of the Pikmin themselves, by varying instrumentation, register, and rigidity of rhythm. During gameplay, the music sets the mood of the area and dynamically adapts its intensity according to what is happening on-screen, albeit to a lesser degree than the following games in the series. During cutscenes, the music is predetermined and functions more linearly and punctually. While all of the music in Pikmin is melodically driven, no established melodic gestures seem to become motifs; that is, none of the soundtrack's unique melodies (besides perhaps the main theme's melodic gesture) become more important to the game than the rest, unless the melody is heard over most of the 30 days.

The soundtrack to Pikmin was composed by Hajime Wakai. All of the compositions in the game are either synthesized sounds or samples attempting to mimic real instruments. The majority of these are sampled from the Kurzweil K2500 and Roland SC-88 synthesizers.

Pikmin's soundtrack was also released on CD under the title Pikmin World. This official release features some minor changes to the music, including differences in mixing, instrument attenuation, and sample quality. Instances of the soundtrack being used outside of the Pikmin series, such as the Super Smash Bros. series, always use the enhanced music from Pikmin World.

Menus[edit]

The menu themes of the game are generally shorter in length; whether or not the composition evolves complexly or remains a background piece depends on how often the menu will probably be visited during play.

Main Theme
Main Theme
Japanese ピクミン?
Internal name jungle.jam
External links

The main theme of Pikmin, heard on the title screen and some menus accessed from it. This menu is not visited very often during a playthrough, so the percussion is soft-spoken and an instrument resembling a Native American bass flute is not extremely prominent. Eventually, the flute does play the five-note figure (D B♭ E♭ D B♭) that becomes the main motif of the series, but this is only heard if the menu is left running. Without pressing a button, the main theme will not finish before attraction mode begins. The distinct whirling audio sample in the background is the sound of a cranked lion's roar.

In Super Smash Bros. Brawl, this song is titled "Main Theme".

Level Select
Level Select
Japanese 航海日誌を選ぶ?
Internal name select.jam
External links

Heard while selecting a save file. This theme is heavily synthesized, to enhance the theme of recording and storing saved games. Its simple melody is chosen from one diatonic scale and hidden under softened sound effects, such that it does not distract from the file select menu itself.

View
View
Japanese 全景?
Internal name map.jam
External links

Heard while selecting an area at the beginning of a new day. This highly recognizable theme does not develop its natural-sounding melody before an area would presumably be chosen, leaving the normal time spent in this menu to be split between a synthesized pad at the beginning and trills in a flute and celeste later on. The melody comes much later in the track, yet is one of the strongest melodies in the game.

Challenge Mode
Challenge Mode
Japanese レッツチャレンジ?
Internal name char.jam
External links

Heard in the Challenge Mode menu. This theme contains a more agile melody than the file select music, and it shines throughout the piece, even in a call-and-response pattern. The beat is more pronounced and the instruments all have more clout, to give this mode's menu more excitement than the main game's.

Results
Results
Japanese チャレンジ結果発表?
Internal name cresult.jam
External links

Heard after a Challenge Mode challenge. This theme matches the excitement of the original menu, if not surpassing it by adding a rock drum kit to the mix. The track is still local to Challenge Mode however: the main melody is played on the same synthesizer that played the other menu's theme.

Today's Results
Today's Results
Japanese 今日の記録?
Internal name d_end2.jam
External links

Heard after the day is complete and the S.S. Dolphin has taken off. This theme was carried over to other games. All the instruments are intended to sound synthesized; at this point the game's referential environment has switched from the natural ground to the S.S. Dolphin in low orbit. Also, the beep-like tone that arpeggiates throughout the theme is a sound unique to Pikmin, which can be heard in other tracks, normally associated with the S.S. Dolphin.

Journey Complete
Journey Complete
Japanese 遭難の全記録?
Internal name fresult.jam
External links

Heard after the good ending cinema when the final statistics appear. This theme represents success in its orchestral instrumentation, and its rhythm is rigidly defined by snare drum and timpani. This is the most harmonically driven theme in the game; no instrument's voice exists alone.

Cutscenes[edit]

Cutscenes are pre-timed, and player input does not change the cutscene (other than skipping it). As such, the music is a score, accenting and controlling the evolution of what in the cutscene the player should focus on.

Since the game runs at a slower framerate in the European version, the music for numerous cutscenes has been modified and extended in order to better match the increased runtime. These differences will also be noted below each song, if any are present.

Carry, Fight, Increase and be Eaten
Carry, Fight, Increase and be Eaten
Japanese 運ぶ、戦う、増える、そして食べられる?
Internal name cntA_S.h4m cntB_S.h4m cntC_S.h4m cntD_S.h4m
External links

Heard during the attraction mode when the title screen is left idle long enough. This quaint waltz accompanies the demonstrations of how to play Pikmin. Its simple but stimulating string section drive the piece; the melody on glockenspiel and organ uses mainly small intervals, to address both the small scale of the game and the simplicity of the short pre-rendered cutscenes.

Prologue
Prologue
Japanese プロローグ?
Internal name opening.stx
External links

Heard after beginning a new game, accompanying the prologue cutscene. This eclectic soundtrack begins in space, with synthesized drones and patterns gravitating around C to set the mood that the protagonist of the game is from an alien planet. Captain Olimar's idling ship seems to produce a small hi-pass waltz in D♭, almost as though he is listening to a radio. This hint of D♭ resounds in a dramatic string section when a passing meteor approaches; the strings quiet down as the scene cuts back to the S.S. Dolphin, but the drone of C gets more intense as hand percussion and an alarm sound effect join in. Finally as the meteor strikes the ship a cymbal roll and a leaping gesture on marimba and pizzicato strings warp the previous ethereal drone into chaos. The strings descend across stinging triads far from C as the ship plummets to PNF-404. Finally as the camera cuts to the sky and ground another cymbal roll changes the tempo and genre to an orchestral rock beat in D minor with another alarm sound overlay. The drums and orchestra simultaneously cut out to a residual ring when the ship crashes; as the entire cutscene has no sound effects on its own, this sudden tacet during the expected sound of a crash landing produces a wholly suspenseful effect, only to be resolved when the first day begins.

In the European version of the game, this song initially runs at a slower tempo, lengthening several synthesized sound effects in the process. The rock beat runs at its original speed, but the build up on strings becomes much more increasingly intense, as this portion of the song has to loop several more times before the cutscene's conclusion.

Discovery of Onion
Discovery of Onion
Japanese オニヨン発見!?
Internal name onion.stx
External links

Heard when Captain Olimar discovers a new type of Onion. This very playful theme on piano, oboe and marimba compliments the playful look and behavior of the Onion as it rises out of the ground to produce a Pikmin seed.

Meet the Pikmin
Meet the Pikmin
Japanese 出逢い?
Internal name demobgm.jam
External links

Heard when Captain Olimar plucks a new type of Pikmin. This theme stresses curiosity, by way of a transposed melody. That is, the marimba establishes a key of G major, while the exotic synthesizer playing the melody is playing in A♭, making the theme not dissonant but odd. The perfect mood set for a player who did not expect a Pikmin to be plucked from the ground.

In the European version of the game, this theme is extended with an extra segment of the synthesizer ascending onto C before the melody begins.

Finding of Parts
Finding of Parts
Japanese 宇宙船パーツ発見!?
Internal name demobgm.jam
External links

Heard when Captain Olimar discovers the Main Engine. Triumphantly ringing through flute, piccolo, vibraphone, french horn, and two synthesized sounds used in the Today's results theme, this short scalar melody aids both the understanding of how Pikmin can help and of how ship parts are important.

In the European version of the game, the first note of the melody is held for a much longer period of time.

Spaceship Part Obtained
Spaceship Part Obtained
Japanese 宇宙船パーツ回収成功!?
Internal name demobgm.jam
External links

Heard when any ship part is returned to the S.S. Dolphin. The main focus of this jingle is the mechanical look of the S.S. Dolphin, achieved through a very rigid and simple rhythm and mechanical sounding percussion. All the while, the theme is undeniably major and celebrates the recovery of the part.

Power-Up!
Power-Up!
Japanese 宇宙船パワーアップ!?
Internal name demobgm.jam
External links

Heard when the S.S. Dolphin acquires enough parts to increase its capabilities and reach a new area of the game. This theme is a march with full strings and horns, along with high beep-like synthesized instruments filling up the top range of the melody. It partly accents the S.S. Dolphin fixing itself, and partly celebrates Captain Olimar's leadership in directing Pikmin. After the march is a much less intense loop that keeps the mood hopeful as Captain Olimar monologs about his ship lifting off. This loop only occurs during the initial Dolphin upgrade after the Main Engine is recovered; otherwise the cutscene ends after the march.

Level Complete
Level Complete
Japanese 宇宙船完成!?
Internal name demobgm.jam
External links

Heard when the Secret Safe is returned to the S.S. Dolphin, meaning all 30 parts have been recovered. This theme begins in C major like the usual Dolphin upgrade march, but immediately turns much more triumphant, with every instrument in the orchestra and synthesizers contributing to the rhythm. Much like the end of a finale in a classical symphony, the entire orchestra ends on uplifting hits of its original key, calling and responding between C major and F major/C while a piccolo trills on top. The very end has cellos, basses, and an impossibly low bass extension of a marimba play C, G, C, G, C while slowing down; this is very reminiscent of the timpani gesture in Richard Strauss's Also Sprach Zarathustra, most widely associated with the film 2001: A Space Odyssey. The very beginning of the Prologue cutscene, with a background of deep space and a drone in C, may also be a reference to this piece and film.

Night Comes
Night Comes
Japanese 夜が来る?
Internal name d_end1.stx
External links

Heard when a day ends and Pikmin are returned to their Onions. The tone of this piece is very conclusive, yet also builds enough tension through augmented chords and strong melody that the player eagerly awaits the S.S. Dolphin's liftoff by the end. The reverb in this theme is more prominent and more polished than in other cutscenes, most likely since this theme is to be heard at the end of every day.

In the European version of the game, this song runs at a slower tempo, and gradually slows further right before the conclusion.

My Mistake
My Mistake
Japanese 私のミスで…?
Internal name d_end3.stx
External links

Heard when Captain Olimar is returning to the S.S. Dolphin at night, after having his spacesuit sustain too much damage, or when all Pikmin are lost. This sad chord progression sweeps through a full string section, with help from a gesture in horns and in vibraphone. Before this theme plays during a Pikmin extinction, a low diminished chord in the strings lingers while Captain Olimar agonizes over the loss. Out of context, such a sound would probably sound melodramatic, or even operatic. But in this situation, the chord suits the gravity of losing all one's Pikmin very well.

In the European version of the game, there is an additional chord progression on strings that leads into F minor, before the melody begins.

End of Day
End of Day
Japanese 時間切れ、いちかばちか宇宙へ…?
Internal name badend0.stx
External links

Plays when the S.S. Dolphin departs after day 30 with all mandatory ship parts but without all 30 ship parts. Flute, strings, vibraphone, marimba, and piano reprise the theme of the Sunset cutscene, with a more conclusive air and a slower tempo, although this reprise does not play the final note. Instead, the scene cuts to three curious Pikmin watching the S.S. Dolphin depart, and the music changes to a progression of loosely connected major and minor chords that sum into a feeling that the events portrayed are not the end of the story. The following cutscene uses the Epilogue theme.

In the European version of the game, there is an extra repetition of the D♭ major and C major chords.

Escape & Fail
Escape & Fail
Japanese 脱出、そして墜落…?
Internal name badend1.stx
External links

Heard when the S.S. Dolphin departs after day 30 without all mandatory ship parts. The beginning of the cutscene is the same as the Epilogue theme, but this theme is heard when the S.S. Dolphin is shown trying to escape the atmosphere. The theme begins the same way as the successful theme, but synthesized chromatic noises, again resembling alarms, intervene as the S.S. Dolphin slows its ascent. Finally the apex of the Dolphin's flight is accented by a dissonant synthesized glissando, after which all music cuts out and the ship falls.

In the European version of the game, this theme runs at a slower tempo.

Live as a Pikmin
Live as a Pikmin
Japanese ピクミンとして生きる?
Internal name badend2.stx
External links

Heard after the final analysis of the bad ending. This bouncy theme sets a mood of failure and the request to try again more than it predicts the fate of Captain Olimar. A piano and some comical instruments play a frivolous tune, passively complemented with the motivic Native American bass flute from the game's main theme. Xylophone and marimba descend the chromatic scale as Olimar as a Pikmin descends from the Onion. Then, the main motif of the game resurfaces in flute and trombone with a very jocular feel, before resolving and ending with Olimar planted in the ground. This theme's joyous mood helps indicate that this ending is roughly a joke, and not to be considered the serious, canon ending.

In the European version of the game, there is an additional snare roll before the chromatic descension. Strangely, the reverb is also missing.

Chapter Complete
Chapter Complete
Japanese 宇宙船完成、いざ宇宙へ!?
Internal name compend0.stx
External links

Heard after the S.S. Dolphin is completely repaired. The Sunset theme is reprised, more closely in instrumentation than the neutral departure, but veers off-course and elongates as Captain Olimar addresses a goodbye to the confused Pikmin one last time. The augmented conclusion of the theme still occurs when Olimar enters the Dolphin, and the D♭ major 7 chord on which it ends is extended back to the Pikmin as they attack a Spotty Bulborb. As they latch on, the theme cleverly combines both the beginning of the Sunset theme and the melody and piano of The Final Trial theme, until the final pan upward to the sky.

In the European version of the game, this theme initially runs at a much slower tempo, but returns to its original pace as soon as The Final Trial's theme begins to play, since area themes in this version still play at their original speed. The gesture played by the piano during this segment still needs to repeat an additional two times, however.

Escape to Hocotate
Escape to Hocotate
Japanese 脱出、そしてホコタテ星へ?
Internal name compend1.stx happyend1.stx
External links

Heard after a happy or neutral departure. A full orchestra (the most instruments of any track) flourishes over this grandiose theme, which eventually contains the rhythmic motif of the game's main theme. The final iteration of this motif ends in a held A major chord and timpani roll, with a final hit and cymbal crash to see Captain Olimar off. If the player is successful in leaving the planet, but does not have all 30 ship parts, a shorter version of this theme plays.

In the European version of the game, both the happy and shorter version run at a slower tempo.

Enemy Reel
Enemy Reel
Japanese 生物の全記録?
Internal name srhp_S.h4m
External links

Heard after the Epilogue, during the enemy reel. A marching band and strings play this playful and memorable theme, with a square-wave synthesizer mainly taking the melody. The marching band also contains a samba whistle, referencing the whistle in the game. This piece has one major tonal theme that repeats for most of its duration, although it has instances of variations:

  • a bridge (heard at 1:07) in which the melodic instrument becomes melodic, and a minor turn of a melody is played by glockenspiel and marimba playing tremolo.
  • a march (heard at 2:20) whose structure resembles a sea shanty; a Pikmin can be heard singing along to the synthesized melody. This Pikmin singer returns at the very end, carrying the melody alone, above marching percussion.

This is the longest piece in the soundtrack.

Credits
Credits
Japanese この旅を演出した者達?
Internal name sr_S.h4m
External links

Heard after the completion of the main game. The credits theme sounds rather different from any other track in the soundtrack; it is more meant to present the development team than to reference the story, since the story is complete. The ballad-esque waltz is founded on a simple rhythmic figure, repeated in piano and elaborated by strings and woodwinds. Eventually an electronic beat joins in, and carries the rhythm until a ritardando late in the piece that signals a repetition of the beginning and then the smooth end.

Areas[edit]

The areas in Pikmin all have memorable dynamic themes that set the mood for daily exploration. The themes are generally calm and meant to be background to the gameplay, but they will add extra instruments to heighten the intensity of the music whenever Captain Olimar is near an enemy. All area themes also have versions that play when the day is close to ending, normally using softer sounds and less intense instruments. The battle mix can still be added to these versions, however. Each area has a unique instrumentation for its theme and variations.

In Challenge Mode, all area themes undergo around a 20% increase in tempo to stress the added urgency of having one day to cultivate Pikmin.

The emboldened instruments in this section's tables are the instruments that predominantly carry a melody.

The Impact Site[edit]

The Impact Site
Japanese 遭難地点?
Internal name tutorial.jam
External links

A playful theme that immediately reassures the player that Captain Olimar is safe after he crash-lands at The Impact Site. The high-pitched melody carried on glockenspiel and pizzicato violin also accent the tiny stature of Pikmin as they are discovered.

Instruments

  • Main version: Oboe, contrabassoon, glockenspiel, violin (pizzicato and section), violas, and cellos.
  • Enemy mix: Trombones, timpani, snare drum, bass drum, clash cymbals, violins, violas, and cellos.
  • Sunset version: Oboe, tenor recorder, and nylon guitar.

When the enemy mix is added, the strings from the main version are substituted with a slightly more severe version, and the glockenspiel is removed (strangely, the glockenspiel remains in Pikmin World). In the sunset version of the theme, the gestures played on timpani are slightly different.

Forest of Hope[edit]

Forest of Hope
Japanese 希望の森?
Internal name play3.jam
External links

A calm theme that highlights the natural wholesomeness of the wilderness of The Forest of Hope, while still remaining simple and steady enough to encourage the player getting used to commanding Pikmin. This theme's distinct lead instrument is sampled from the Kurzweil K2500's "Malletoo" patch.

Instruments

  • Main version: Electric piano synthesizer, piano, violins, violas, and cellos.
  • Enemy mix: Congas.
  • Sunset version: Marimba, music box, violins, violas, and cellos.

In Pikmin World, the piano is an octave lower than normal. The Pikmin World version makes an appearance in the Super Smash Bros. series, with the English title "Forest of Hope".

The Forest Navel[edit]

The Forest Navel
Japanese 樹海のヘソ?
Internal name cave.jam
External links

With a widening scope of exploration, a new visual landscape, and three types of Pikmin, The Forest Navel's theme can afford to sound more exotic. The principal of this theme is a chordal instrument upon a droning C, unlike the previous two areas with a solid melody over C major. The faster tempo may also encourage the player using this area to discover more efficient ways to organize Pikmin.

Instruments

  • Main version: Synth guitar, steel string guitar (played with slide and some audible squeaking), talking drum, and tambourine.
  • Enemy mix: Congas, bongos, gourd shaker, steel string guitar, and oscillating sounds resembling a sizzle cymbal.
  • Sunset version: Synth guitar (used as both the drone and the main melodic instrument) and soft pad strings.

The guitar squeaks meant for the steel string guitar are present in the sunset version as well. It's unknown if this is erroneous, as this is removed in Pikmin World. Also, the oscillating sound is much lower in pitch in Pikmin World.

The Distant Spring[edit]

The Distant Spring
Japanese 大水源?
Internal name yaku.jam
External links

The Distant Spring's theme is the most ethereal in the game, having no easily definable rhythm until the enemy mix fades in. Its sounds are all soft and distant; the music is no longer trying to aid a rhythm of gameplay, but is instead resigning and forcing the player to explore the huge area and solve tasks on their own. It features a distinct cymbal-like melodic instrument from the Kurzweil K2500, which will make a comeback in the following games of the series.

Instruments

  • Main version: Pitched ride cymbal, echoing glass harp, piano-like synth pad (with flanger and slide), mark tree, pad strings, and female choir.
  • Enemy mix: Contrabassoon, timpani, snare drum, bass drum, clash cymbals, piano, violins, violas, cellos, and basses.
  • Sunset version: Tenor recorder, celeste, echoing glass harp, mark tree, reed organ, piano-like synth pad (with flanger and slide), and female choir.

Many prominent sounds drop out when the enemy mix fades in, most notably, the pad in the main version, and the recorder and celeste in the sunset version. Additionally, it's only during sunset when the contrabassoon can actually be heard in the enemy mix, as it replaces the basses.

The Final Trial[edit]

The Final Trial
Japanese 最後の試練?
Internal name flow.jam
External links

The gentle, calm, and predominantly major music of the game so far suddenly takes a sinister turn in The Final Trial. Although the melody and some accompaniment are a chipper skipping tune, the texture underneath it is a bass drone in F and a chromatic glockenspiel that does not fit in wherever the piece goes. And whenever combat ensues, the piece becomes even more suspenseful with low piano octaves that accent at weird times.

Instruments

  • Main version: Flute, french horn, pipe organ pedals, marimba, piano, glockenspiel, and violins (basses briefly present in the first few stabs).
  • Enemy mix: Snare drum, clash cymbals, piano.
  • Sunset version: Flute, french horn, harp, glockenspiel and violins.

The drone played by the pipe organ fades out when the enemy mix fades in, so that the pipe organ and low piano do not conflict and become muddy-sounding. In Pikmin World, the drone is also an octave lower. This extra range would not be as audible within a gameplay scenario compared to personal listening; this is also likely why the piano underwent the same change in Forest of Hope.

Bosses[edit]

The two boss themes of the game play when two of the bosses, the Beady Long Legs and the Emperor Bulblax, enter their arenas. The themes will only play if Captain Olimar is inside the arena. Unlike the area themes, these boss themes do not dynamically change based on the conditions of the boss battle, and they do not have ending tags to conclude the battle. Instead, the ship part jingle is heard, and the music returns to the normal area theme.

Impending Doom
Impending Doom
Japanese 巨大生物接近?
Internal name boss2.jam
External links

This piece is very effective at conveying danger. The movie-score like strings and brass section play a bellicose march dissonantly orbiting around D minor, while a vibraphone hammers out an intense series of chords in eighth note triplets.

Final Boss Battle
Final Boss Battle
Japanese 最後の巨大生物?
Internal name boss3.jam
External links

This interesting piece is structured as an organ impromptu, almost reminiscent of the score to the 1922 silent horror film Nosferatu. A rotary organ plays an atonal but rhythmically sound piece, accompanied by interspersed bits of hand percussion, and a few blasts of a large echoing cymbal. Even out of context, the piece is quite unnerving, and it certainly builds the necessary tension of this climactic boss battle.

Minor jingles[edit]

These minor musical cues are more sound effects than musical tracks, but the fact that they are specifically instrumental helps make them more salient and musical.

New Record
New Record
Japanese 新記録達成?
Internal name fanf5.stx
External links

Heard when a new record is obtained in Challenge Mode. This is a simple dominant-tonic resolution in B♭ containing an ascending scalar line in celeste that ends up directing the ear and the eye to the top of the records board.

Finding Lost Pieces
Finding Lost Pieces
Japanese 宇宙船パーツ出現!?
Internal name demobgm.jam
External links

Heard when a ship part is recovered from an enemy or boss. This small jingle is played exclusively by the synthesized instruments that associate with the S.S. Dolphin, directing the player's attention to the part.

Ship part discovered

Heard when Captain Olimar comes close enough to an undiscovered ship part. A brief dominant 7 flourish by a harp invokes a sense of mystery as the player awaits the name and description of this new part. If the player presses the A Button on the GameCube controller / the A Button on the Wii Remote while near the part after this discovery, an even briefer flourish of G D F G will match the briefer description that appears.

Swarm

Heard when the player directs Pikmin using swarm. This is a small looping track played on a horn, in a bugle call structure reminiscent of the assembly call. It commands the Pikmin's position like an army.

Obstacle removed

Heard when a gate or bridge obstacle is overcome, independent of Captain Olimar's location. This very small synthesized jingle is a slight variation on the rhythm and arpeggiation of the charge fanfare.

Daytime chimes

Heard when the Sun Meter passes a quarterly increment of the day. At one-fourth and three-fourths of the day, a small handbell is rung. At noon, the handbell is rung twice. Near sunset, the HUD will display the message to gather stray Pikmin, accented by Olimar's whistle sound and a tubular bell playing a chime similar to the Westminster Quarters half-hour chime, which in Japanese schools represents the beginning or end of a period.

Trivia[edit]

  • In the New Play Control! version of Pikmin, the saved game selection menu has a slight change in its music. The sound effect that plays in the beginning is slower than in the GameCube version. The slower sound effect can be heard briefly at the beginning of this video.
  • Pellet Posies (even younger buds), geysers, and Candypop Buds are all considered enemies in the game; as such the enemy mix is added to the theme whenever Captain Olimar is interacting with them.

See also[edit]