Music while you play? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Music while you play? [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
Saxaholic
06-13-06, 11:51 PM I've been thinking of introducing music into my Eberron campaign, to give it more of a Pulp feel (the group has been doing a standard D&D campaign up until this point, and I want to hammer home the point that this isn't your standard D&D world) and keep my players on topic. Anyone have any experience with this, or suggestions on implimentation/song selection?
Khyberblade
06-14-06, 03:01 AM I guess the obvious reply is to use the Eberron soundtrack which comes with the Sharn source book :D
Groups Ive played in have also used movie sountracks such as troy or gladiator, anything with that epic feel to it works good. It helps to listen to the music before gaming and pick out certain songs to go with cetain encounters.
RedUncle
06-14-06, 07:15 AM I guess the obvious reply is to use the Eberron soundtrack which comes with the Sharn source book :D

haha yeah! that's the one I use
polt
06-14-06, 07:48 AM I always play with music, I like Clannad to set hte mood and Blind Guardian for some battle.
Just on the top of my head.
Renvale999
06-14-06, 08:22 AM the D&D soundtrack from Midnight Syndicate is also really good. I'm half tempted to buy another Sharn book so I can get the soundtrack again, mine got stolen while I was stationed in South Korea grrrrr...
polt
06-14-06, 08:34 AM damn koreans!
RedUncle
06-14-06, 10:20 AM I highly recommend the Neverwinter Nights ambient sound library (it's on the game CD) - you can, for example, loop atmospheric sound effects (wind, rain, cave, dungeon, city) that match the situation while you're playing ----- it's quite effective! and it doesn't distract you from the game itself, which can occur sometimes if you're playing really dramatic music
RedUncle
06-14-06, 10:22 AM the D&D soundtrack from Midnight Syndicate is also really good

wow! that sounds cool! what is it?
ekomega
06-14-06, 02:57 PM This topic comes up a lot. You can look back for it. There are plenty of movie soundtracks that are appropriate. Here are some ideas:

Indiana Jones movies
Lord of the Rings movies
National Treasure
Pirates of the Caribbean
Hook
Various video game soundtracks (Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest, Xenogears, Castlevania, etc.)
13th Warrior
Paycheck
Kingdom of Heaven
Bram Stoker's Dracula
Any instrumental Yngwie Malmsteen
Heavy metal bands like Blind Guardian, Nightwish, Sonata Arctica, Stratovarius... depending on whether you like lyrics or not
Master_of_Sinanju
06-14-06, 04:01 PM the D&D soundtrack from Midnight Syndicate is also really good. I'm half tempted to buy another Sharn book so I can get the soundtrack again, mine got stolen while I was stationed in South Korea grrrrr...
I use a lot of stuff by Midnight Syndicate. They make very good instrumental music with big epic movie like sound and the D&D specific CD is great.

I've used most of those like ekomega mentioned. Adding to that same genre of movie soundtracks some good mood setters are;

Batman Begins
The Matrix Reloaded
Hellraiser
The Last Samurai
The X-Men
Classical music should not be discounted either. Great music can be found in this genre that sets any mood from hauntingly melodic to powerful and dominating.
Alias (t.v. show)
24 (t.v. show)
Jade Empire (video game sound track)

Video game sound tracks are great to use because they are not easily associated to their games, whereas movie soundtracks like Indiana Jones or the Matrix have a definite mental image that you associate to them when they are heard. That can work for you and against you in setting the mood for your scene or campaign theme.

I also agree with ekomega about Yngwie Malmsteen and good heavy metal. I've used it for a long time and loved its use in Prince of Persia II. Some people may say that it doesn't fit the setting but I am a big fan of tapping that keg of power cords to elicit a certain mood in my players especially during battles.
Amaril
06-14-06, 04:08 PM http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=250845
Sereno
06-14-06, 05:18 PM I've been using music from Matti Palaanen's Celestial Aeon Project (http://www.mikseri.net/artists/?id=48147) ... it's very good, and free.

Also, Paul Houseman (http://www.mikseri.net/artists/paulhouseman.48876.php) has some excellent "sound track" music ... "Sail To The Battle" and "Buckling the Swash" are perfect combat tunes.

And, of course, the Eberron soundtrack that comes with the Sharn sourcebook.

And, anything by Midnight Syndicate (http://www.midnightsyndicate.com/)!
Saxaholic
06-14-06, 08:14 PM Thanks for the suggestions. :) I hate that I brought up something that I could have reffered back to, I had the stupid thought that I was being original.

I considered using some of the various movie scores, but they have two problems - one, they are instantly recognizable, and two, they have a very melodic feel to them.

Game tracks, on the other hand, can be good, but they too are often recognizable (though not nearly as much), and the ones that aren't tend to have a shallow feel to them. Still definately a batter choice, though. I'm considering using the diablo soundtracks, as they have a dark, forboding feel to them that I think suits Eberron nicely. When I think of Eberron, I tend to think of groups plotting against each other, layer upon layer, instead of the mystical medieval theme music that tends to focus on the good, the ambivalent, and the evil.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Saxaholic 06-13-06, 11:51 PM	I've been thinking of introducing music into my Eberron campaign, to give it more of a Pulp feel (the group has been doing a standard D&D campaign up until this point, and I want to hammer home the point that this isn't your standard D&D world) and keep my players on topic. Anyone have any experience with this, or suggestions on implimentation/song selection?
Khyberblade 06-14-06, 03:01 AM	I guess the obvious reply is to use the Eberron soundtrack which comes with the Sharn source book :D Groups Ive played in have also used movie sountracks such as troy or gladiator, anything with that epic feel to it works good. It helps to listen to the music before gaming and pick out certain songs to go with cetain encounters.
RedUncle 06-14-06, 07:15 AM	I guess the obvious reply is to use the Eberron soundtrack which comes with the Sharn source book :D haha yeah! that's the one I use
polt 06-14-06, 07:48 AM	I always play with music, I like Clannad to set hte mood and Blind Guardian for some battle. Just on the top of my head.
Renvale999 06-14-06, 08:22 AM	the D&D soundtrack from Midnight Syndicate is also really good. I'm half tempted to buy another Sharn book so I can get the soundtrack again, mine got stolen while I was stationed in South Korea grrrrr...
polt 06-14-06, 08:34 AM	damn koreans!
RedUncle 06-14-06, 10:20 AM	I highly recommend the Neverwinter Nights ambient sound library (it's on the game CD) - you can, for example, loop atmospheric sound effects (wind, rain, cave, dungeon, city) that match the situation while you're playing ----- it's quite effective! and it doesn't distract you from the game itself, which can occur sometimes if you're playing really dramatic music
RedUncle 06-14-06, 10:22 AM	the D&D soundtrack from Midnight Syndicate is also really good wow! that sounds cool! what is it?
ekomega 06-14-06, 02:57 PM	This topic comes up a lot. You can look back for it. There are plenty of movie soundtracks that are appropriate. Here are some ideas: Indiana Jones movies Lord of the Rings movies National Treasure Pirates of the Caribbean Hook Various video game soundtracks (Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest, Xenogears, Castlevania, etc.) 13th Warrior Paycheck Kingdom of Heaven Bram Stoker's Dracula Any instrumental Yngwie Malmsteen Heavy metal bands like Blind Guardian, Nightwish, Sonata Arctica, Stratovarius... depending on whether you like lyrics or not
Master_of_Sinanju 06-14-06, 04:01 PM	the D&D soundtrack from Midnight Syndicate is also really good. I'm half tempted to buy another Sharn book so I can get the soundtrack again, mine got stolen while I was stationed in South Korea grrrrr... I use a lot of stuff by Midnight Syndicate. They make very good instrumental music with big epic movie like sound and the D&D specific CD is great. I've used most of those like ekomega mentioned. Adding to that same genre of movie soundtracks some good mood setters are; Batman Begins The Matrix Reloaded Hellraiser The Last Samurai The X-Men Classical music should not be discounted either. Great music can be found in this genre that sets any mood from hauntingly melodic to powerful and dominating. Alias (t.v. show) 24 (t.v. show) Jade Empire (video game sound track) Video game sound tracks are great to use because they are not easily associated to their games, whereas movie soundtracks like Indiana Jones or the Matrix have a definite mental image that you associate to them when they are heard. That can work for you and against you in setting the mood for your scene or campaign theme. I also agree with ekomega about Yngwie Malmsteen and good heavy metal. I've used it for a long time and loved its use in Prince of Persia II. Some people may say that it doesn't fit the setting but I am a big fan of tapping that keg of power cords to elicit a certain mood in my players especially during battles.
Amaril 06-14-06, 04:08 PM	http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?t=250845
Sereno 06-14-06, 05:18 PM	I've been using music from Matti Palaanen's Celestial Aeon Project (http://www.mikseri.net/artists/?id=48147) ... it's very good, and free. Also, Paul Houseman (http://www.mikseri.net/artists/paulhouseman.48876.php) has some excellent "sound track" music ... "Sail To The Battle" and "Buckling the Swash" are perfect combat tunes. And, of course, the Eberron soundtrack that comes with the Sharn sourcebook. And, anything by Midnight Syndicate (http://www.midnightsyndicate.com/)!
Saxaholic 06-14-06, 08:14 PM	Thanks for the suggestions. :) I hate that I brought up something that I could have reffered back to, I had the stupid thought that I was being original. I considered using some of the various movie scores, but they have two problems - one, they are instantly recognizable, and two, they have a very melodic feel to them. Game tracks, on the other hand, can be good, but they too are often recognizable (though not nearly as much), and the ones that aren't tend to have a shallow feel to them. Still definately a batter choice, though. I'm considering using the diablo soundtracks, as they have a dark, forboding feel to them that I think suits Eberron nicely. When I think of Eberron, I tend to think of groups plotting against each other, layer upon layer, instead of the mystical medieval theme music that tends to focus on the good, the ambivalent, and the evil.