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Nocturne of Shadow

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"Nocturne of Shadow"
Nocturne of Shadow.png
Link and Sheik playing the "Nocturne of Shadow"
Other Media Hyrule Warriors
Instrument(s) Ocarina of Time
OoT C Left Ocarina Icon.png OoT C Right Ocarina Icon.png OoT C Right Ocarina Icon.png OoT A Ocarina Icon.png OoT C Left Ocarina Icon.png OoT C Right Ocarina Icon.png OoT C Down Ocarina Icon.png 
Triforce piece.png

MM3D X Button Icon.png MM3D Y Button Icon.png MM3D Y Button Icon.png MM3D L Button Icon.png MM3D X Button Icon.png MM3D Y Button Icon.png MM3D R Button Icon.png 
Triforce piece.png
Power(s) Warping behind the Kakariko Village Graveyard
Learned in Kakariko Village

The "Nocturne of Shadow" is a warping song in Ocarina of Time.

Learning Location and Uses

Ocarina of Time

OoT3D Nocturne of Shadow Icon.png

The Nocturne of Shadow is one of the Warping songs Link learns as an adult. It is taught to him by Sheik in Kakariko Village after completing the Water Temple. Sheik teaches him the song so that he can find the source of evil that invaded the village. The melody allows Link to warp to the upper part of the Kakariko Village Graveyard and is the only way to access the Shadow Temple. The "Nocturne of Shadow" is the only song actually required by adult Link to reach a temple.

Majora's Mask

In Majora's Mask, the notes for the "Nocturne of Shadow" can sometimes appear on a wall in the northern part of Termina Field, where Link can play a song for Rupees.

Other Appearances

Hyrule Warriors

In Hyrule Warriors, Sheik can play the "Nocturne of Shadow" with her Harp Weapon to create an area of dark energy that sucks in and damages enemies.

Music Theory

The "Nocturne of Shadow" is 7 bars long in 4/4 time and, like the name suggests, hints at emotions relating to night and death. There is no true harmonic progression in the first 4 bars. The melody does not suggest any strong tonic center, and the harmony consists only of fourths moving in chromatic parallel motion. The last three bars do contain functional harmony, with an unusual progression of (bVI/VII - bVII/VII - bVI - bVII - I). The ending harmony is unusual for a nocturne as it ends on a major I cadence. Generally, a nocturne will end on a minor i, or a half cadence.[1]

The "Nocturne of Shadow" is actually a prelude, as it begins on low, sad notes and builds up to a triumphant note.


A nocturne, derived from the French word "nocturnal," is usually a musical composition that is inspired by, or evocative of, the night, which fits with the dark theme of the "Nocturne of Shadow."

TMC Forest Minish Artwork.png Names in Other Regions TMC Jabber Nut Sprite.png
Language Name Meaning
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland EnglishUK Nocturne of Shadow
Japan Japanese 闇のノクターン (Yami no Nokutān) Nocturne of Darkness
Canada FrenchCA Nocturne de l'ombre (OoT3D) Nocturne of shadow
French Republic FrenchEU Nocturne de l'Ombre Nocturne of Shadow
Federal Republic of Germany German Nocturne des Schattens Nocturne of Shadow
Italian Republic Italian Notturno delle ombre
Kingdom of Spain SpanishEU Nocturno de Sombras Nocturne of Shadows
Community of Latin American and Caribbean States SpanishLA Nocturno de la Sombra (OoT)
Nocturno de la sombra (OoT3D)
Nocturne of the Shadow
Nocturne of the shadow



  1. Dan Bruno, Ocarina songs in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time,, published January 20, 2014.
Major SongsWarping SongsOther SongsInstrumentsOcarina SongsHarp SongsWind Waker SongsSpirit Flute Songs