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Press Start can wait: Charles Cornell uncovers Metroid's softer side

His piano breakdown finds a major-key turn hidden beyond the opening darkness of Hirokazu Tanaka's NES theme.

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Charles Cornell Story of October 24, 2026Trari Newsroom

Why this story? The channel's weekly summary: what went up this week, what is drawing views now, and where the channel stands among similar channels.

The Most BEAUTIFUL NES Theme Everyone MISSED

Things we can learn from the video

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0:38D natural minor gives the opening theme its dark atmosphere, demonstrated at the keyboard.
2:44Waiting through the title sequence reveals an unexpected shift into D major.
7:12A G minor chord adds a darker shade within the major-key passage.
9:21Inner melodies and counterpoint give repeated phrases new movement.
10:30Tanaka's arrangement works within the NES sound hardware's limited channels.
14:51The theme shifts from a straight four-beat framework into a triplet-based feel.

The reward for not touching the controller is a change of musical world. Charles Cornell's only upload this week, "The Most BEAUTIFUL NES Theme Everyone MISSED," follows Metroid's opening from ominous minor-key music into a surprisingly tender major-key passage, the part impatient players could skip entirely.

At the keyboard, Cornell makes that contrast audible before getting into its workings: a minor chord tucked into the major-key section, melodies moving inside the harmony, and a later shift into a rolling, triplet-based pulse. The technical constraints become part of the story, too. Hirokazu Tanaka had only a handful of NES sound channels available, not an orchestra waiting to fill out every chord.

The video reached roughly 56,000 views in its first ten hours and is the channel's busiest upload right now. Viewers are supplying their own listening histories: one remembers recording NES music with a cassette player beside the television; others recall waiting through the title screen. Several focus on the contrast between the theme's alien darkness and its gentler turn, while requests for Kraid's Lair and more Metroid analysis fit neatly with Cornell's closing preview of a soundtrack series.

Across the channel, daily viewing is below its usual level, and subscribers were unchanged over the week. Among nearby music-teaching channels, Mr. Tabs is enjoying above-usual daily viewing, while Andy Guitar is close to its normal rhythm.

Cornell's older breakdowns also have life in them: his Hans Zimmer major-chord analysis from The Lion King and his Ocarina of Time boss-theme video are the next most active uploads. Film-score emotion and improbable game harmonies remain close neighbors at this piano.

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What viewers say

Xennial here - I used to "record" some NES soundtracks using a cassette tape player placed near my TV. The few I remember recording are Metroid, Mega Man 2, Zelda II, and Faxanadu. All had amazing soundtracks.
@blakeulmer7024See it on YouTube
I love the transition of this theme, starts very dark and alien and ends up delicate and optimistic.
@humanbassSee it on YouTube
I was 10 when this came and I would absolutely sit and listen to the whole intro once before each playthrough. Calling it an "overture" is really the right term for it. The NES was great for these, but Metroid was def one of the best.
@jacksonkisling1684See it on YouTube

6 more comments

Hip Tanaka has so many amazing tracks and I’m glad you’re covering Metroid.
@RobertoVillegas-vincent404See it on YouTube
You could do a series on Metroid music. Every entry has INSANE artistry on display.
@AtomicimotA87See it on YouTube
Nah, I was always that player who waited patiently at the title screen, hoping for some cutscenes or anything.
@matthagen67See it on YouTube
I was there as a kid. This soundtrack has always been beautiful, and the gameplay itself was way ahead of its time. Thank you for breaking it down and appreciating it with us.
@dgraves242See it on YouTube
2:23 if the Metroid theme was written by Steely Dan. Honestly, that’s a vibe!
@skin_N_bones-h5fSee it on YouTube
You should check out the Kraid’s Lair music
@johnhoofman9431See it on YouTube