Two songs control the clock in Majora’s Mask, and neither is taught to you properly. The Inverted Song of Time slows time down. The Song of Double Time skips it forward. Both are variations on the Song of Time you already know, and neither ever appears in your song list, which is why so many players finish the game without using either.
The Inverted Song of Time
Play the notes of the Song of Time in reverse order.
That slows the passage of time, and by a lot:
- On the Nintendo 64 version, time runs at a third of the normal rate.
- In Majora’s Mask 3D, it runs at half speed.
Either way this is the single most useful thing in the game. A three-day cycle stops being a sprint, and long dungeons become genuinely comfortable. There is no downside and no cost, which makes the habit of playing it at the start of every cycle worth building immediately.
A scarecrow in the Astral Observatory or the Trading Post hints at it, which is the closest the game comes to teaching it.
The Song of Double Time
Play each note of the first bar of the Song of Time twice.
This skips time forward rather than slowing it, and what it does depends on your version:
- On the Nintendo 64, playing it during the day jumps you to that night, and playing it at night jumps you to the following dawn.
- In Majora’s Mask 3D, you can move forward in increments as small as one hour.
The 3DS version is far more precise, which matters because so many events in this game happen in narrow windows.
Why Both Matter
This game is built on timed events. Romani needs you at 2am. Sakon robs the old lady at midnight. Shops open and close. Our guides on getting Epona back and how to get bombs both cover events that hinge on being somewhere at a specific hour.
Double Time gets you to the hour. Inverted Song of Time gives you room to act once you are there. Used together, the three-day limit stops being the thing that defines your playthrough.
They Are Not in Your Song List
Worth repeating, because it causes real confusion: neither song is stored in the Quest Status songs menu. You have to remember them.
The Inverted Song of Time is simply the Song of Time backwards, and Double Time is the first bar doubled. Once you know that, neither needs looking up again.
If you are about to commit to a long dungeon, our guide on how saving works covers what survives a cycle reset, and getting to Snowhead Temple covers one worth slowing the clock for.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you slow down time? Play the Song of Time notes in reverse order.
How much does it slow time? To a third on Nintendo 64, to half in the 3DS version.
How do you skip time forward? Play each note of the first bar of the Song of Time twice.
Why are these songs not in my song list? Neither is stored there. They are variations you have to remember.