When it comes to music in D&D, picking the right tunes for a lighthearted skirmish at the tavern, political discussion at the local farm, or intense chase at a deadly prison can really set a campaign's pace while molding the atmosphere of a scene. Where do you find your D&D music for any situation?
Personally, I am a huge fan of Battle Bards but also like to pull tracks out of Kings Quest, Monkey Island, and other games! (I find that music point and click adventures work well as they are easily looped)
- Krintor
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(firehawk2324):
Moved from General Discussion
I borrow music from film scores (like Conan the Barbarian), video games (often RPGs like Final Fantasy, which I consider the primary catalyst for me getting into D&D in the first place), and find very nice things through searching for instrumental or atmospheric music on Youtube or Spotify (like an artist called Ambient Realms, which I learned about thanks to a helpful poster on this forum, though I can't remember who it was at the moment).
I find the key to making sure the music is an additive/improving influence on the game-play experience is to avoid tracks with lyrics, and set the volume so that the normal talking of playing the game makes it hard to hear the music which leaves it to only really be heard when it is filling in what would otherwise be silence.
He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And if you gaze long into an abyss, the abyss also gazes into you.
Tangerine Dream's Phaedra, Rubycon, and Zeit LPs were staples for atmospheric music for my games for years. Anubian Lights' first LP The Eternal Sky has a heavy Egyptian feel to it but music works really well overall. Hawkwind's The Chronicle of the Black Sword was in the rotation too. The Dracula and Hellraisier II soundtracks worked nicely as well. Anymore, I have a Pandora station seeded with Loreena McKennit/Enya/Clannad that is the general background sound and when the combats rev up switch to my "Viking Metal" station that is seeded with the typical "folk metal" acts like Tyr, Ensiferum, Finntroll, etc. When fighting orcs, I queue up Tengger Calvary as the Mongolian throat singing style works well for orcs.
As always with music, do not play it too loud as it becomes a distraction. The Tangerine Dream music works best with a little more volume as it works subliminally quite well, particularly Phaedra.
My DM uses a Spotify mix of stuff from the Witcher, Lord of the Rings, Dragon Age, and the like. They work well and have a variety of battle and normal music. Generally he just lets it play in the background as a mood setter (which only those of us physically here can hear, sadly), but if it is an intense moment he changes to something appropriate.
I guess our group is weird ... We play Blue Oyster Cult, Ronnie James Dio, Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath, Orchid, The Sword, Orange Goblin ...depends on our mood.
Along with Tabletop Audio and Pandora, I've started using Garageband on iOS to write little musical themes for certain characters and music cues for recurring events.
I normally pull from various fantasy RPG anime & video game soundtracks for music to use during my home games. Like a lot of other users in this thread, I also use Tabletop Audio and would highly recommend it to others as it provides good ambiance.
The original 1981 film score for The Thing and Musica Cthulhiana for when things need to be creepy. I also like some of the tracks from the Suspiria soundtrack by Goblin. I also like 70s and 80s hard rock/metal instrumentals. I never use any songs with lyrics, unless maybe some Gregorian chants or something like that.
I like a lot of game scores, but I don't use them because they are so recognizable. I don't want to give any impression of a video game at the table, even if I steal elements from one. I play music in the background, just loud enough to be heard so as not to be distracting, so it's almost like a white noise during the game.
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Welcome to the Grand Illusion, come on in and see what's happening, pay the price, get your ticket for the show....
I guess our group is weird ... We play Blue Oyster Cult, Ronnie James Dio, Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath, Orchid, The Sword, Orange Goblin ...depends on our mood.
The most epic of metals for the most epic of games! BOC, Iron Maiden, Sabbath, and Dio were staples of our games as a kid. I whole heartedly condone and endorse this tradition.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Welcome to the Grand Illusion, come on in and see what's happening, pay the price, get your ticket for the show....
I thought that using music would be cool, but I found that it was distracting and just another thing to keep track of. Maybe it would be easier if we didn't have 7-8 PCs per game.
Anyway, this is what I like to use (in no particular order)
Syrinscape, which has a decent bare bones soundboard too
Any of the OST from any of the Elder Scroll Games, any of the World of Warcraft expansions, Dragon Age, Baldur's Gate (1 and 2), Icewind Dale (1 and 2), Placescape Torment
OST from the Lord of the Rings Trilogy
The Led Zeppelin IV album, various Pink Floyd and Black Sabbath albums
Note, I can't recall the name at the moment, but there was an official D&D CD released, maybe 10 years ago. Don't waste your money, it's horrible! lol
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Be careful what you Wish for... your DM may just give it to you!
When it comes to music in D&D, picking the right tunes for a lighthearted skirmish at the tavern, political discussion at the local farm, or intense chase at a deadly prison can really set a campaign's pace while molding the atmosphere of a scene. Where do you find your D&D music for any situation?
Personally, I am a huge fan of Battle Bards but also like to pull tracks out of Kings Quest, Monkey Island, and other games! (I find that music point and click adventures work well as they are easily looped)
- Krintor
There are a couple of reliable go-to's for D&D music for my games:
My DM uses a Spotify mix of stuff from the Witcher, Lord of the Rings, Dragon Age, and the like. They work well and have a variety of battle and normal music. Generally he just lets it play in the background as a mood setter (which only those of us physically here can hear, sadly), but if it is an intense moment he changes to something appropriate.
I haven't graduated to the 'situation appropriate' music selection. Currently I'm doing the same thing: Fire up Spotify and play one of the following:
I have used it before, although its hard to get the combo of mood setting and not distracting. However, my players are soon entering Castle Ravenloft and will have moonlight sonata as the music Strahd is playing as he is being the entertaining host, because tradition demands it.
Not been able/allowed to play music during games yet, but I do find it inspiring during game creation, as well as generally enjoying fantasy music. Using YouTube, just search up "Epic fantasy mix" and you will find there are several to choose from, usually with runtimes of 2-6 hours especially for this purpose. Otherwise, the soundtracks to things like:
Oblivion (the movie) - a little techy/electronic, but also ethereal at times
Warcraft (the movie)
Dracula Untold
300
Game of Thrones (any/all seasons)
Robin of Sherwood (TV series from the 80s - album was "Legend" by Clannad)
The Last Samurai
and if you can find it, the Tangerine Dream score for the film "Legend". I grew up seeing that version of the movie, and having found out it wasn't the 'proper' release and seeing the other version since, I'd have to say the other score totally ruined the film! Jerry Goldsmith is usually an awesome composer, but his score totally changed the mood, from dark and brooding fantasy to gutless and childish fare.
Howdy!
When it comes to music in D&D, picking the right tunes for a lighthearted skirmish at the tavern, political discussion at the local farm, or intense chase at a deadly prison can really set a campaign's pace while molding the atmosphere of a scene. Where do you find your D&D music for any situation?
Personally, I am a huge fan of Battle Bards but also like to pull tracks out of Kings Quest, Monkey Island, and other games! (I find that music point and click adventures work well as they are easily looped)
- Krintor
I hate it and find it distracting if you want me to concentrate as ill start paying attention to the music.
It can help set the mood if done well. I'm just not sure about it though.
I borrow music from film scores (like Conan the Barbarian), video games (often RPGs like Final Fantasy, which I consider the primary catalyst for me getting into D&D in the first place), and find very nice things through searching for instrumental or atmospheric music on Youtube or Spotify (like an artist called Ambient Realms, which I learned about thanks to a helpful poster on this forum, though I can't remember who it was at the moment).
I find the key to making sure the music is an additive/improving influence on the game-play experience is to avoid tracks with lyrics, and set the volume so that the normal talking of playing the game makes it hard to hear the music which leaves it to only really be heard when it is filling in what would otherwise be silence.
I'll continue to post it every time I see a thread like this.
Dungeon Synth:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ne8fzMxX2Ps&t=18s
RPG Soundtracks like Baldur's Gate, Icewind Dale, Neverwinter Nights, Skyrim are very useful.
Besides these I sometime use movie scores, and Loreena McKennitt's works.
I also recommend this website;
http://tabletopaudio.com
He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And if you gaze long into an abyss, the abyss also gazes into you.
Tangerine Dream's Phaedra, Rubycon, and Zeit LPs were staples for atmospheric music for my games for years. Anubian Lights' first LP The Eternal Sky has a heavy Egyptian feel to it but music works really well overall. Hawkwind's The Chronicle of the Black Sword was in the rotation too. The Dracula and Hellraisier II soundtracks worked nicely as well. Anymore, I have a Pandora station seeded with Loreena McKennit/Enya/Clannad that is the general background sound and when the combats rev up switch to my "Viking Metal" station that is seeded with the typical "folk metal" acts like Tyr, Ensiferum, Finntroll, etc. When fighting orcs, I queue up Tengger Calvary as the Mongolian throat singing style works well for orcs.
As always with music, do not play it too loud as it becomes a distraction. The Tangerine Dream music works best with a little more volume as it works subliminally quite well, particularly Phaedra.
We all leave footprints in the sands of time.
My DM uses a Spotify mix of stuff from the Witcher, Lord of the Rings, Dragon Age, and the like. They work well and have a variety of battle and normal music. Generally he just lets it play in the background as a mood setter (which only those of us physically here can hear, sadly), but if it is an intense moment he changes to something appropriate.
I guess our group is weird ... We play Blue Oyster Cult, Ronnie James Dio, Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath, Orchid, The Sword, Orange Goblin ...depends on our mood.
I literally can't concentrate on anything without music playing, a lot of times, so I basically have to do this to DM effectively. My favorites:
By system/setting
Star Wars: Epic Film scores. Often we just go with the Star Wars scores.
Eberron: Jazz of various kinds, Cowboy Bebop soundtrack, and the music of DDO!
Other fantasy: random Epic Music Vollume Whatever Who Cares playlists on youtube. like this nonsense!
We do bones, motherf***ker!
Along with Tabletop Audio and Pandora, I've started using Garageband on iOS to write little musical themes for certain characters and music cues for recurring events.
I normally pull from various fantasy RPG anime & video game soundtracks for music to use during my home games. Like a lot of other users in this thread, I also use Tabletop Audio and would highly recommend it to others as it provides good ambiance.
The original 1981 film score for The Thing and Musica Cthulhiana for when things need to be creepy. I also like some of the tracks from the Suspiria soundtrack by Goblin. I also like 70s and 80s hard rock/metal instrumentals. I never use any songs with lyrics, unless maybe some Gregorian chants or something like that.
I like a lot of game scores, but I don't use them because they are so recognizable. I don't want to give any impression of a video game at the table, even if I steal elements from one. I play music in the background, just loud enough to be heard so as not to be distracting, so it's almost like a white noise during the game.
Welcome to the Grand Illusion, come on in and see what's happening, pay the price, get your ticket for the show....
Welcome to the Grand Illusion, come on in and see what's happening, pay the price, get your ticket for the show....
I thought that using music would be cool, but I found that it was distracting and just another thing to keep track of. Maybe it would be easier if we didn't have 7-8 PCs per game.
Anyway, this is what I like to use (in no particular order)
Note, I can't recall the name at the moment, but there was an official D&D CD released, maybe 10 years ago. Don't waste your money, it's horrible! lol
Be careful what you Wish for... your DM may just give it to you!
Forever Dungeon Master & Storyteller
I have used TabletopAudio, but also Nox Arcana do some great stuff as well. Their Blood of the Dragon album has gone down well with my players.
I have the speakers situation near the players, with the volume loud enough to be heard in the background but not too loud.
My players seem to like it - or, at least, that's what they tell me. ;-)
I wear pants, short pants.
I also ask a lot of questions; insatiably curious
I have used it before, although its hard to get the combo of mood setting and not distracting. However, my players are soon entering Castle Ravenloft and will have moonlight sonata as the music Strahd is playing as he is being the entertaining host, because tradition demands it.
Not been able/allowed to play music during games yet, but I do find it inspiring during game creation, as well as generally enjoying fantasy music. Using YouTube, just search up "Epic fantasy mix" and you will find there are several to choose from, usually with runtimes of 2-6 hours especially for this purpose. Otherwise, the soundtracks to things like:
and if you can find it, the Tangerine Dream score for the film "Legend". I grew up seeing that version of the movie, and having found out it wasn't the 'proper' release and seeing the other version since, I'd have to say the other score totally ruined the film! Jerry Goldsmith is usually an awesome composer, but his score totally changed the mood, from dark and brooding fantasy to gutless and childish fare.
Shadow Council Sourcerist
Two Steps from Hell is great if you want create a really "epic" encounter.