background music during tabletop - Downloaded from the Wizards Community, all coding removed by Solauren

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 crash0veron Jul 15, 2009 12:27:55	I was wondering if you guys ever play any background music to set the mood and what bands you guys play. I would also like to ask what the general reaction was from the players/DM and such. For epic fights I like to play Anamanaguchi (8bit video music on crack!!) for fantasy epicness I like to play this band called daycast....instrumental goodness that goes so well when you turn it down to a low roar.
#2 ViolenceJack Jul 15, 2009 12:38:17	I actually do prefer to have music going on. I use movie soundtracks when I can, preferably action movies. Surprisingly, I don't generally like the soundtracks from fantasy movies; at least, not while gaming. The Alien soundtrack is really good, and the exception to the "no fantasy soundtracks" rule is Conan. I had one friend who would design a whole soundtrack around the evening's adventure, carefully planning which track would go with each encounter. I didn't think it really added anything. I prefer the random congruences that the music sometimes brings. Often we would be reaching the climax of a battle as the music reached its highest point of tension too, so that all works out.
#3 squidyak Jul 15, 2009 12:43:43	When the Anvil of Crom starts up, my players know they need to grab their dice. It's a beautiful thing.
#4 KillerGM Jul 15, 2009 12:44:32	I put on the "Alternative" or "Classic Alternative" music stations on my tv for my games. I get tired of "mood music" and like to have background music on. We all tend to sing to whatever is going on in the background. It's a pretty laid-back group like that.
#5 crash0veron Jul 15, 2009 12:45:01	hmm I will have to check out those soundtracks then. check out those bands I mentioned and tell me what you think.
#6 zombie_babies Jul 15, 2009 12:51:32	Conan the Barbarian soundtrack FTW. It's worked for my group for about 19 years now. Good stuff.
#7 lord_byron1 Jul 15, 2009 14:00:47	Ive only experimented with background music a couple of times with my group, but one of the best things to capture the right mood for the game is a group called Dargaard. You should check them out on YouTube. Conan the Barbarian theme - can't argue with that.
#8 lord_byron1 Jul 15, 2009 14:05:48	As far as those two bands you mentioned in the original post, I couldn't find one and the other one (that sounded like video game music) for my games at least, would not be suitable. It doesn't convey the right mood. It makes me feel like i'm in an arcade in the eighties, when i should feel like I'm clamberring up icey mountains or creeping through dank, dripping dungeons. Although it did sound pretty cool though, don't get me wrong, but i would not buy any of their music.
#9 owls_and_more_owls Jul 15, 2009 15:56:28	I usually use either the Final Fantasy 12 soundtrack or the Final Fantasy Tactics soundtrack.
#10 marmalang Jul 15, 2009 16:07:04	I typically just put a whole genre on shuffle, usually instrumental, which is about 32 hours of stuff. It's lots of soundtracks like Legend and Fantastic Planet....Confessions of a Dangerous Mind....Unleashed....John Barry, etc. Other stuff by Barry Adamson, Angelo Badalamenti, Isotope 217, Henry Mancini, Dead Can Dance, Rabih Abou-Khalil, The Herbaliser, 9 Lazy 9, DJ Krush, Sagisu Shiro, Mychael Danna, etc. Obviously their instrumental tracks only. Inoffensive, not distracting, and at least sometimes tonally appropriate. One night when we had a big dungeon crawl planned I played all Rammstein, Dethklok, KMFDM, and Frontline Assembly. That felt epic in a totally different way, and a few folks loved it, but it wasn't something I'd do often. We play for about 8 hours at a time. Nobody says anything about the music unless something really recognizable comes up (which frankly doesn't happen often with instrumental, but something like Peter Gunn can do it). I have a massive and totally rad music collection, but there are some party members that can't stand electronic, 70's, 80's, jazz, rap, you name it, so if I play about anything else other than instrumental there is mockery. I think this kind of "DJing" is one of those things like cooking where if you do a good job, it's actually more likely that no one will say anything about it. But that's okay, because music shouldn't be the focus during D&D anyway. Sorry for the novel, it's a topic close to my heart.
#11 zombie_babies Jul 15, 2009 16:10:24	One night when we had a big dungeon crawl planned I played all Rammstein, Dethklok, KMFDM, and Frontline Assembly. That felt epic in a totally different way, and a few folks loved it, but it wasn't something I'd do often. We play for about 8 hours at a time. Minus the Rammstein (OVERPLAYEDTODEATHANDBAKANDDEATHAGAIN :P), that sounds like a friggin' awesome backing tracklist for a dungeonsmash. :D
#12 marmalang Jul 16, 2009 8:04:53	Minus the Rammstein (OVERPLAYEDTODEATHANDBAKANDDEATHAGAIN :P), that sounds like a friggin' awesome backing tracklist for a dungeonsmash. :D Overplayed?!? Do you live in Germany? Or Heaven or something?
#13 zombie_babies Jul 16, 2009 8:37:11	Overplayed?!? Do you live in Germany? Or Heaven or something? Nope. I just have friends that couldn't stop listening to that semi-passable stuff. :P Oh, and everywhere I go somebody has to tell me about how awesome they are. I guess I should have mentioned that, but where's the fun in being 100% clear? :D EDIT: Oh, it was also played - constantly - when I was still forced to listen to terrestrial radio and still gets played on the ol' tune box at a bar I go to occasionally. So yeah, I'm still a' hearin' it e'en though I don't wanna.
#14 1_ton_ghost Jul 16, 2009 11:07:40	I typically just put a whole genre on shuffle, usually instrumental, which is about 32 hours of stuff. It's lots of soundtracks... Some good/interesting pics you have there. Nj. Dead Can Dance works for gaming on a lot of thematic levels, Lisa Gerrards indy stuff too. I normally swear by my soundtracks (more theme-based per a whole movie, synch w/ a campaign easier than a typical LP). Easier to gauge w/ thematic flow rather than me guessing, "What was that 1 badass track on that Blur CD" as opposed to, "Further along in the film, and thusly, soundtrack, 'that 1 portion'..., etc." Typical gamer fare: Show 300, Legend, Dune (main theme is gold), Conan #1 ("Anvil of Crom" and "The Atlantean Sword"), Akira ("Kaneda" especially), Ghost in the Shell #1, Ravenous, Hellraiser I or II, Solaris ("1st Sleep" is profound"), Glenn Danzig's Black Aria, LotR (full OSTs are huge though), The Shining, The Crow (score not soundtrack), God of War game score, ResEvil 4 score, American McGee's Alice score, bla bla bla.
#15 Armisael Jul 16, 2009 11:23:35	Maybe it's because I have a hopelessly modern library, but I find that most kinds of metal and some traditional classic rock works surprisingly fine. For instance, an assassin gets a whole lot better when he battles the players to the tune of Megadeth's Killing Is My Business..., and traversing through a desert is not quite the same without Led Zep's Kashmir. I tend to shy away from classical music for the mood, since few pieces "stick" and are at the forefront as much as the action itself, which makes the moments less memorable than if I had used something that demanded a bit more attention.
#16 pigknight Jul 16, 2009 12:56:28	I just use what ever I can find on YouTube. :P
#17 zombie_babies Jul 16, 2009 13:02:33	I find that stuff with lyics can kind of take you out of the game. Especially if said wordy stuff is stuff you know well or associate with something other than gaming. I prefer quiet non-wordy stuff myself, but whatever works is ... uhh ... what works, I guess.
#18 Dark_Stryke Jul 16, 2009 18:46:17	I find that stuff with lyics can kind of take you out of the game. Especially if said wordy stuff is stuff you know well or associate with something other than gaming. I prefer quiet non-wordy stuff myself, but whatever works is ... uhh ... what works, I guess. I generally dislike using songs with a lot of lyrics as well. For battles, I use stuff like The Black Mages, the Heroes of Might and Magic III soundtrack, or random video game themes. I've also got a song called "Technical Difficulties" by Julien-K, which breaks the no-lyrics rule, but it's a cool song, and most of the vocals are so distorted it's hard to make them out unless you're paying attention. I'm working on getting more stuff to put in the background when the group is just adventuring, because I like having the backdrop. Again, the Heroes of Might and Magic III soundtrack really shines, and I also use "Last of the Wilds" by Nightwish and "Theatre of Pain" by Blind Guardian. A member of my old group had an hour long techno song that we would sometimes just loop for entire sessions. It's a good background for everything! Final note: I'm currently running a campaign for two of my room mates, and old friend, and his girlfriend, and everyone but my old friend is completely new to the game (and my friend's gf is new to the concept of RPGs in general!). They're fighting the first real "boss" monster of my campaign next session. I'm going to put Triumph or Agony on, mostly for the intro. I think it's a pretty good theme for a boss fight.
#19 crash0veron Jul 16, 2009 19:36:32	As far as those two bands you mentioned in the original post, I couldn't find one and the other one (that sounded like video game music) for my games at least, would not be suitable. It doesn't convey the right mood. It makes me feel like i'm in an arcade in the eighties, when i should feel like I'm clamberring up icey mountains or creeping through dank, dripping dungeons. Yeah I know what ya mean about anamanaguchi.....I like the novelty of it..i don't think it's for every game...kind of a once in a long while thing here is the link for that other band daycast http://www.myspace.com/daycast pretty sweet stuff for I also think bands like explosion in the sky, this will destroy you, and sigur ros are amazing for back round music....these bands own so hard for background music trust me!!! SO FREAKING GOOD!!!
#20 t1p2 Jul 16, 2009 19:44:35	I usually play either Cradle of Filth or Iced Earth (the Something Wicked Saga) with the volume turned down to be only barely perceptible.
#21 Vilnias_Nastavnik Jul 17, 2009 0:13:45	LOTR soundtracks (been done, I know) Legend (both the Tangerine Dream version and the orchestra version) The Sharn:City of Towers CD (came free with the book) ALL of Midnight Syndicate CDs Creepshow soundtrack (when I do undead themes) Escape from New York (minus the dialog) And to set the fight mood, the one, the ONLY Dio!!!!!
#22 actionjackson5 Jul 18, 2009 18:11:59	Video game soundtracks tend to be my group's tuneage of choice. The favorites are: Earthbound for general RPing and interaction Metal Gear Solid 4 for epic storyline encounters and interactions Castle Crashers for battle and generally tense moments (I seriously recommend getting your hands on this one, EPIC gaming music). The Dark Knight soundtrack is also a favorite. Recently one of my player's (the bard) has stared to bring his character's "soundtrack" (the songs he's playing in game) which, considering the bard is supposed to be based on Dethklock is mostly the heaviest of metals: Kalmah, Iced Earth, Devildriver, Coal Chamber and, of course, Dethklock. It's been making for excellent battle music.
#23 sockmonkey66 Jul 18, 2009 20:05:33	Safety dance just for s***s and giggles.
#24 1_ton_ghost Jul 19, 2009 3:34:51	Experimental auditory terrors and choice easy listening time wasters for game: Skinny Puppy, "Choralone" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Grqw2khljsc 30 Days of Night - "Last Day of Sun" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9NW0v8A30o&feature=PlayList&p=A63C8DF6DB2A5777&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=14 God of War, "The Vengeful Spartan" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4azL6jpH5t4 Dark City - "Sleep Now" (Hughes Hall)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QaevU02zVn0 Alice (soundtrack) - "Flying on the Wings of Steam" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ioqSn3f88x8
#25 marmalang Jul 20, 2009 9:53:54	Castle Crashers for battle and generally tense moments (I seriously recommend getting your hands on this one, EPIC gaming music). Whoa! I didn't know you could get that! Thanks for the heads up, it's at the top of my to-buy list now.
#26 RedSiegfried Jul 21, 2009 14:55:23	I converted all my Neverwinter Nights and NWN2 music from the games and user made mods to mp3s and have shuffles of ambient and battle music. Baldur's Gate soundtrack FTW Metallica works really well for fights too, but only the instrumentals. Generally anything with lyrics, regardless of genre, tends to get distracting. I thought the Temple of Elemental Evil game had a remarkable soundtrack too, but not every track. I never thought music that sounds like it came out of a 70s style synthesizer would work for DnD, but it does. Takes me right back ...

Post/Author/DateTime

Post

crash0veron

Jul 15, 2009 12:27:55

I was wondering if you guys ever play any background music to set the mood and what bands you guys play. I would also like to ask what the general reaction was from the players/DM and such.

For epic fights I like to play Anamanaguchi (8bit video music on crack!!)

for fantasy epicness I like to play this band called daycast....instrumental goodness that goes so well when you turn it down to a low roar.

ViolenceJack

Jul 15, 2009 12:38:17

I actually do prefer to have music going on. I use movie soundtracks when I can, preferably action movies. Surprisingly, I don't generally like the soundtracks from fantasy movies; at least, not while gaming.

The Alien soundtrack is really good, and the exception to the "no fantasy soundtracks" rule is Conan.

I had one friend who would design a whole soundtrack around the evening's adventure, carefully planning which track would go with each encounter. I didn't think it really added anything. I prefer the random congruences that the music sometimes brings. Often we would be reaching the climax of a battle as the music reached its highest point of tension too, so that all works out.

squidyak

Jul 15, 2009 12:43:43

When the Anvil of Crom starts up, my players know they need to grab their dice. It's a beautiful thing.

KillerGM

Jul 15, 2009 12:44:32

I put on the "Alternative" or "Classic Alternative" music stations on my tv for my games.

I get tired of "mood music" and like to have background music on. We all tend to sing to whatever is going on in the background.

It's a pretty laid-back group like that.

crash0veron

Jul 15, 2009 12:45:01

hmm I will have to check out those soundtracks then. check out those bands I mentioned and tell me what you think.

zombie_babies

Jul 15, 2009 12:51:32

Conan the Barbarian soundtrack FTW. It's worked for my group for about 19 years now. Good stuff.

lord_byron1

Jul 15, 2009 14:00:47

Ive only experimented with background music a couple of times with my group, but one of the best things to capture the right mood for the game is a group called Dargaard.

You should check them out on YouTube.

Conan the Barbarian theme - can't argue with that.

lord_byron1

Jul 15, 2009 14:05:48

As far as those two bands you mentioned in the original post, I couldn't find one and the other one (that sounded like video game music) for my games at least, would not be suitable. It doesn't convey the right mood. It makes me feel like i'm in an arcade in the eighties, when i should feel like I'm clamberring up icey mountains or creeping through dank, dripping dungeons.

Although it did sound pretty cool though, don't get me wrong, but i would not buy any of their music.

owls_and_more_owls

Jul 15, 2009 15:56:28

I usually use either the Final Fantasy 12 soundtrack or the Final Fantasy Tactics soundtrack.

#10

marmalang

Jul 15, 2009 16:07:04

I typically just put a whole genre on shuffle, usually instrumental, which is about 32 hours of stuff. It's lots of soundtracks like Legend and Fantastic Planet....Confessions of a Dangerous Mind....Unleashed....John Barry, etc. Other stuff by Barry Adamson, Angelo Badalamenti, Isotope 217, Henry Mancini, Dead Can Dance, Rabih Abou-Khalil, The Herbaliser, 9 Lazy 9, DJ Krush, Sagisu Shiro, Mychael Danna, etc. Obviously their instrumental tracks only. Inoffensive, not distracting, and at least sometimes tonally appropriate.

One night when we had a big dungeon crawl planned I played all Rammstein, Dethklok, KMFDM, and Frontline Assembly. That felt epic in a totally different way, and a few folks loved it, but it wasn't something I'd do often. We play for about 8 hours at a time.

Nobody says anything about the music unless something really recognizable comes up (which frankly doesn't happen often with instrumental, but something like Peter Gunn can do it). I have a massive and totally rad music collection, but there are some party members that can't stand electronic, 70's, 80's, jazz, rap, you name it, so if I play about anything else other than instrumental there is mockery.

I think this kind of "DJing" is one of those things like cooking where if you do a good job, it's actually more likely that no one will say anything about it. But that's okay, because music shouldn't be the focus during D&D anyway.

Sorry for the novel, it's a topic close to my heart.

#11

zombie_babies

Jul 15, 2009 16:10:24

One night when we had a big dungeon crawl planned I played all Rammstein, Dethklok, KMFDM, and Frontline Assembly. That felt epic in a totally different way, and a few folks loved it, but it wasn't something I'd do often. We play for about 8 hours at a time.

Minus the Rammstein (OVERPLAYEDTODEATHANDBAKANDDEATHAGAIN :P), that sounds like a friggin' awesome backing tracklist for a dungeonsmash. :D

#12

marmalang

Jul 16, 2009 8:04:53

Minus the Rammstein (OVERPLAYEDTODEATHANDBAKANDDEATHAGAIN :P), that sounds like a friggin' awesome backing tracklist for a dungeonsmash. :D

Overplayed?!?

Do you live in Germany?

Or Heaven or something?

#13

zombie_babies

Jul 16, 2009 8:37:11

Overplayed?!?

Do you live in Germany?

Or Heaven or something?

Nope. I just have friends that couldn't stop listening to that semi-passable stuff. :P Oh, and everywhere I go somebody has to tell me about how awesome they are. I guess I should have mentioned that, but where's the fun in being 100% clear? :D

EDIT: Oh, it was also played - constantly - when I was still forced to listen to terrestrial radio and still gets played on the ol' tune box at a bar I go to occasionally. So yeah, I'm still a' hearin' it e'en though I don't wanna.

#14

1_ton_ghost

Jul 16, 2009 11:07:40

I typically just put a whole genre on shuffle, usually instrumental, which is about 32 hours of stuff. It's lots of soundtracks...

Some good/interesting pics you have there. Nj.
Dead Can Dance works for gaming on a lot of thematic levels, Lisa Gerrards indy stuff too. I normally swear by my soundtracks (more theme-based per a whole movie, synch w/ a campaign easier than a typical LP). Easier to gauge w/ thematic flow rather than me guessing, "What was that 1 badass track on that Blur CD" as opposed to, "Further along in the film, and thusly, soundtrack, 'that 1 portion'..., etc."

Typical gamer fare:

Show

300, Legend, Dune (main theme is gold), Conan #1 ("Anvil of Crom" and "The Atlantean Sword"), Akira ("Kaneda" especially), Ghost in the Shell #1, Ravenous, Hellraiser I or II, Solaris ("1st Sleep" is profound"), Glenn Danzig's Black Aria, LotR (full OSTs are huge though), The Shining, The Crow (score not soundtrack), God of War game score, ResEvil 4 score, American McGee's Alice score, bla bla bla.

#15

Armisael

Jul 16, 2009 11:23:35

Maybe it's because I have a hopelessly modern library, but I find that most kinds of metal and some traditional classic rock works surprisingly fine. For instance, an assassin gets a whole lot better when he battles the players to the tune of Megadeth's Killing Is My Business..., and traversing through a desert is not quite the same without Led Zep's Kashmir. I tend to shy away from classical music for the mood, since few pieces "stick" and are at the forefront as much as the action itself, which makes the moments less memorable than if I had used something that demanded a bit more attention.

#16

pigknight

Jul 16, 2009 12:56:28

I just use what ever I can find on YouTube. :P

#17

zombie_babies

Jul 16, 2009 13:02:33

I find that stuff with lyics can kind of take you out of the game. Especially if said wordy stuff is stuff you know well or associate with something other than gaming. I prefer quiet non-wordy stuff myself, but whatever works is ... uhh ... what works, I guess.

#18

Dark_Stryke

Jul 16, 2009 18:46:17

I find that stuff with lyics can kind of take you out of the game. Especially if said wordy stuff is stuff you know well or associate with something other than gaming. I prefer quiet non-wordy stuff myself, but whatever works is ... uhh ... what works, I guess.

I generally dislike using songs with a lot of lyrics as well. For battles, I use stuff like The Black Mages, the Heroes of Might and Magic III soundtrack, or random video game themes. I've also got a song called "Technical Difficulties" by Julien-K, which breaks the no-lyrics rule, but it's a cool song, and most of the vocals are so distorted it's hard to make them out unless you're paying attention.

I'm working on getting more stuff to put in the background when the group is just adventuring, because I like having the backdrop. Again, the Heroes of Might and Magic III soundtrack really shines, and I also use "Last of the Wilds" by Nightwish and "Theatre of Pain" by Blind Guardian. A member of my old group had an hour long techno song that we would sometimes just loop for entire sessions. It's a good background for everything!

Final note: I'm currently running a campaign for two of my room mates, and old friend, and his girlfriend, and everyone but my old friend is completely new to the game (and my friend's gf is new to the concept of RPGs in general!). They're fighting the first real "boss" monster of my campaign next session. I'm going to put Triumph or Agony on, mostly for the intro. I think it's a pretty good theme for a boss fight.

#19

crash0veron

Jul 16, 2009 19:36:32

As far as those two bands you mentioned in the original post, I couldn't find one and the other one (that sounded like video game music) for my games at least, would not be suitable. It doesn't convey the right mood. It makes me feel like i'm in an arcade in the eighties, when i should feel like I'm clamberring up icey mountains or creeping through dank, dripping dungeons.

Yeah I know what ya mean about anamanaguchi.....I like the novelty of it..i don't think it's for every game...kind of a once in a long while thing

here is the link for that other band daycast http://www.myspace.com/daycast

pretty sweet stuff for

I also think bands like explosion in the sky, this will destroy you, and sigur ros are amazing for back round music....these bands own so hard for background music trust me!!! SO FREAKING GOOD!!!

#20

t1p2

Jul 16, 2009 19:44:35

I usually play either Cradle of Filth or Iced Earth (the Something Wicked Saga) with the volume turned down to be only barely perceptible.

#21

Vilnias_Nastavnik

Jul 17, 2009 0:13:45

LOTR soundtracks (been done, I know)
Legend (both the Tangerine Dream version and the orchestra version)
The Sharn:City of Towers CD (came free with the book)
ALL of Midnight Syndicate CDs
Creepshow soundtrack (when I do undead themes)
Escape from New York (minus the dialog)

And to set the fight mood, the one, the ONLY Dio!!!!!

#22

actionjackson5

Jul 18, 2009 18:11:59

Video game soundtracks tend to be my group's tuneage of choice. The favorites are:

Earthbound for general RPing and interaction
Metal Gear Solid 4 for epic storyline encounters and interactions
Castle Crashers for battle and generally tense moments (I seriously recommend getting your hands on this one, EPIC gaming music).

The Dark Knight soundtrack is also a favorite.

Recently one of my player's (the bard) has stared to bring his character's "soundtrack" (the songs he's playing in game) which, considering the bard is supposed to be based on Dethklock is mostly the heaviest of metals: Kalmah, Iced Earth, Devildriver, Coal Chamber and, of course, Dethklock. It's been making for excellent battle music.

#23

sockmonkey66

Jul 18, 2009 20:05:33

Safety dance just for s***s and giggles.

#24

1_ton_ghost

Jul 19, 2009 3:34:51

Experimental auditory terrors and choice easy listening time wasters for game:

Skinny Puppy, "Choralone" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Grqw2khljsc

30 Days of Night - "Last Day of Sun" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9NW0v8A30o&feature=PlayList&p=A63C8DF6DB2A5777&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=14

God of War, "The Vengeful Spartan" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4azL6jpH5t4

Dark City - "Sleep Now" (Hughes Hall)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QaevU02zVn0

Alice (soundtrack) - "Flying on the Wings of Steam" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ioqSn3f88x8

#25

marmalang

Jul 20, 2009 9:53:54

Castle Crashers for battle and generally tense moments (I seriously recommend getting your hands on this one, EPIC gaming music).

Whoa! I didn't know you could get that!

Thanks for the heads up, it's at the top of my to-buy list now.

#26

RedSiegfried

Jul 21, 2009 14:55:23

I converted all my Neverwinter Nights and NWN2 music from the games and user made mods to mp3s and have shuffles of ambient and battle music.

Baldur's Gate soundtrack FTW

Metallica works really well for fights too, but only the instrumentals. Generally anything with lyrics, regardless of genre, tends to get distracting.

I thought the Temple of Elemental Evil game had a remarkable soundtrack too, but not every track. I never thought music that sounds like it came out of a 70s style synthesizer would work for DnD, but it does. Takes me right back ...