Song of Time on 3DS: Y, L, R, Y, L, R
In The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D, the Song of Time is Y, L, R, Y, L, R. Zelda teaches it to young Link once he has the three Spiritual Stones and the Ocarina of Time. Play it at the altar in the Temple of Time to open the Door of Time, and near blue Time Blocks to make them appear, disappear or move. It doesn’t rewind time: that is the Song of Time in Majora’s Mask.
| Version | Buttons |
|---|---|
| 3DS | Y, L, R, Y, L, R |
| N64 | C-Right, A, C-Down, C-Right, A, C-Down |
| Notes | A, D, F, A, D, F |
To play it, tap the ocarina icon in the bottom-left corner of the Touch Screen, then press the six notes. While the ocarina is out, tap the music-sheet button in the bottom-right corner of the Touch Screen to see the songs you have learned. When the game recognises the song, the message reads “You played the Song of Time.”
To hear it and practise the notes, open the song pad with the Song of Time selected.
Why won’t the Song of Time work?
- You played Zelda’s Lullaby. Zelda’s Lullaby is X, A, Y, X, A, Y. The Song of Time is Y, L, R, Y, L, R. If you don’t see “You played the Song of Time.”, the game didn’t take it.
- You’re standing on the Time Block. The block under your feet won’t react, though other nearby blocks can. Step down and play it beside the block.
- You’re too far away. The block only reacts when you are within a few steps of it, so walk up close (but not onto it) and play again.
- The block moved instead of vanishing. Some blocks come in pairs. Playing the song swaps them, so one disappears and the other appears somewhere else in the room.
- The Door of Time won’t open. You need all three Spiritual Stones and the Ocarina of Time, and you have to play the song in front of the altar, not at the door. Once the door is open, the altar doesn’t react again.
- You haven’t learned it yet. Pressing the notes on the Fairy Ocarina does nothing; the game only recognises songs you have been taught.
Where Zelda teaches the Song of Time
You learn it as young Link, right after the third Spiritual Stone. When you have Kokiri’s Emerald, Goron’s Ruby and Zora’s Sapphire, Navi says “Let’s go back to Hyrule Castle!”
- Walk across Hyrule Field to the Castle Town drawbridge. Zelda and Impa gallop out on a white horse, Ganondorf rides after them, and Zelda throws the Ocarina of Time into the moat.
- Dive into the moat next to the drawbridge and pick up the ocarina: “You found the Ocarina of Time! This is the Royal Family’s hidden treasure that Zelda left behind.”
- Zelda appears in a vision (“Link...can you hear me? It’s me, Zelda...”), teaches you the Song of Time and tells you to “Play this melody in front of the altar in the Temple of Time.”
The Ocarina of Time replaces the Fairy Ocarina. You keep every song you already know.
What the Song of Time does
Open the Door of Time
The altar in the Temple of Time reads: “Ye who owns three Spiritual Stones / Stand with the Ocarina of Time / And play the Song of Time.” Stand in front of it and play the song. The stones go into the altar and the Door of Time opens onto the Master Sword.
The song only opens the door. Pulling the Master Sword is what sends Link seven years ahead; Rauru later explains that you were too young to be the Hero of Time, so your spirit was sealed away for seven years. Once you’ve cleared the Forest Temple and met Sheik back in the Temple of Time, you can travel back and forth by putting the sword back or pulling it again; you don’t play the Song of Time.
Move Time Blocks
Time Blocks are stone blocks marked with the same symbol as the Door of Time. Navi points this out: “Hey... Isn’t that the same design that’s on the Door of Time?” Play the Song of Time near one and a column of blue light surrounds it: a block that is there disappears, and a block that isn’t there appears. Some blocks are hidden at first; Navi turns green and flies to the spot where one can be summoned.
Three rules decide whether a block reacts:
- You must not stand on it, or within its outline where it will appear. For a pair of swapping blocks, keep clear of both spots.
- You must be close, within a few steps.
- It must be the Song of Time. Other songs do nothing to a Time Block.
A few blocks come in pairs. Playing the song makes the visible one vanish and its partner appear elsewhere, so it looks as if the block moved.
Zora’s River frogs
Stand on the log in Zora’s River as young Link and play the Song of Time to the frogs. The first time, a frog grows and you get a Purple Rupee (“That’s 50 Rupees!”); after that you get a Blue Rupee, until you’ve played them all six songs and they switch to their bug-jumping game. The two frog Pieces of Heart come from the Song of Storms and from the frogs’ own song game, not from this song.
Gossip Stones
Play the Song of Time next to a Gossip Stone and it releases a fairy that heals you. Zelda’s Lullaby, Epona’s Song, Saria’s Song and the Sun’s Song do the same; the Song of Storms gives a big fairy. A stone gives one fairy per visit; leave the area and come back for another.
Every Time Block location
These are the Time Blocks in the normal game. “Blocks the way” means the block is there and has to go; “Summon” means you play the song to make it appear.
| Place | Type | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Dampé’s grave, adult | Blocks the way | Two stacked blocks close the passage at the end of the race. Clear them to reach the Kakariko windmill and its Piece of Heart. |
| Forest Temple | Blocks the way | Blocks a door to the north-west courtyard, on the way to the Dungeon Map and a Small Key. |
| Fire Temple | Pair, two places | One block sits half sunk on a ledge; moving it uncovers the switch that frees the last Goron and leaves a step to climb. In the bridge room, the song brings up a block in front of the north door so you can climb to a Gold Skulltula. |
| Water Temple | Blocks the way | In the Longshot room, it covers the hole that drops you into the river room. |
| Goron City | Summon (2) | Two blocks over the lava pit lead to a grotto with three Deku Scrubs. |
| Ice Cavern | Summon (3) | In the sliding-block Silver Rupee room, summon one large and two small blocks near the Blue Fire alcove to reach three floating Red Rupees. See the sliding-block room. |
| Shadow Temple | Summon | After the ferry ride, a block takes you up to a ledge with a Recovery Heart. A second hidden block is in the room with the Like Like and two chests. |
| Spirit Temple | Pair, and summon | In the boulder room the pair blocks two alcoves, one with a Gold Skulltula and one with a Silver Rupee; the song swaps which one is open. In the room with three Anubis and a Beamos, a summoned block helps you lure the Anubis into the fire. |
| Gerudo Training Ground | Summon (2), and 4 more | Two blocks in the lava room reach the Small Key. Four more stand in the room with the Shell Blades and the Hookshot targets. See the Training Ground keys. |
| Ganon’s Castle | Summon | One optional block in the Forest Trial fan room makes the Silver Rupees easier, and three hidden blocks are in the Shadow Trial. Not tested in-game. |
The Forest Temple’s Time Block is also the subject of the Sheikah Stone hint video “Blue Block Blues”; see the Forest Temple hint list.
Master Quest
Master Quest uses the Song of Time far more. It adds Time Blocks to dungeons that have none in the normal game, and the 3DS version also mirrors every map left to right. There are no Sheikah Stones in Master Quest.
| Dungeon | Time Blocks |
|---|---|
| Inside the Deku Tree | 10 |
| Dodongo’s Cavern | 15 |
| Inside Jabu-Jabu’s Belly | 10 |
| Forest Temple | 7 |
| Fire Temple | 2, plus one pair |
| Water Temple | 1, plus one pair |
| Shadow Temple | 5 |
| Spirit Temple | 2, plus four pairs |
| Ice Cavern | 3 |
| Gerudo Training Ground | 1 |
| Ganon’s Castle | One pair |
Majora’s Mask and the Switch 2 remake
In Majora’s Mask the Song of Time sends you back to the dawn of the first day, and it has inverted and double-time versions. None of that exists in Ocarina of Time 3D. Here it is a key: it opens the Door of Time and moves Time Blocks.
The Switch 2 version of Ocarina of Time, due on 5 November 2026, is a separate game with its own controls. The buttons on this page are for the 3DS game.
For every other song and its 3DS buttons, see all Ocarina of Time 3D songs. Saria’s Song also works on the frogs and the Gossip Stones; see Saria’s Song in Ocarina of Time 3D. For the three Spiritual Stones and the Ocarina of Time, see the item list.
Song of Time FAQ
What are the Song of Time notes on 3DS?
Y, L, R, Y, L, R. On the N64 the same song was C-Right, A, C-Down, C-Right, A, C-Down. The melody is the same; only the buttons changed.
Where do you learn the Song of Time?
As young Link, after you have all three Spiritual Stones. Go to the Castle Town drawbridge in Hyrule Field: Zelda flees on horseback and throws the Ocarina of Time into the moat. Dive in and pick it up, and Zelda teaches you the song in a vision.
How do you open the Door of Time?
Go into the Temple of Time with the three Spiritual Stones and the Ocarina of Time, stand in front of the altar and play the Song of Time. The stones go into the altar and the Door of Time opens.
Why won’t the Song of Time move the Time Block?
Check that the message says “You played the Song of Time.” and that you didn’t play Zelda’s Lullaby (X, A, Y, X, A, Y). Then step off the block: the block under your feet won’t react, though other nearby blocks can. Stand next to it, a few steps away and clear of its outline, and play it again.
Does the Song of Time rewind time in Ocarina of Time?
No. Rewinding to the first day is the Song of Time in Majora’s Mask. In Ocarina of Time it opens the Door of Time and moves Time Blocks. You travel through time with the Master Sword, not with the song.
What do the Zora’s River frogs give you for the Song of Time?
A Purple Rupee (50 Rupees) the first time you play it to them as young Link, and a Blue Rupee on repeat plays while they still take single songs. Once you’ve played them all six songs, they switch to the bug-jumping game. The frog Pieces of Heart come from the Song of Storms and the frogs’ own song game.
Can you play the Song of Time before Zelda teaches it?
No. You can press Y, L, R, Y, L, R on the Fairy Ocarina, but the game only recognises songs you have learned, so nothing happens.