Background Music

[JoeGKushner]

Last Samurai
Conan the Barbarian
LotR: All three CD's.

I'd kill for a copy of the Excaliber soundtrack.

 

[Arnwyn]

What I am really wondering though, is how people who use music in their games actually use it. Is music playing all the time? Do you only play songs at particular moments? Do you play the whole song, or just snippets? If someone could describe their use of music in a game session from beginning to end, then maybe I can see why it is so popular with some groups.

For us, it's never on all the time. Music is only played during important moments (thus, keeping it... uh... important).

We'll play the whole song, usually on repeat. The moments that deserve music aren't very long, thus we don't get sick of the music droning on in the background.

 

[John Morrow]

What I am really wondering though, is how people who use music in their games actually use it. Is music playing all the time? Do you only play songs at particular moments? Do you play the whole song, or just snippets? If someone could describe their use of music in a game session from beginning to end, then maybe I can see why it is so popular with some groups. I just never saw the need for it, except to give you something to listen to when you are not part of the action.

For my D&D game, I usually have music playing troughout the game. I've sorted a variety of soundtracks into thematic categories (background, combat, travel, etc.) that can run for quite a while. I'll start out with the "background" music playing and I'll switch to other collections if necessary. Sometimes I'll play a special song if the scene warrants someting in particular (e.g., the classic Star Trek combat music from Amok Time for one-on-one hand-to-hand battles, The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly theme for showdowns, etc.). In the past, before iPods and iTunes, we'd just let genre-appropriate soundtracks play on shuffle during the game.

As a GM, I use the music to help trigger ideas and set the tone. I just "go with the music" at times. We also get some good coincidental matches from time to time, where the music is absolutely appropriate for what's going on at the moment, and it's really cool when it happens. On the other hand, if something doesn't fit the scene and someone becomes aware of it, that's what the "next song" button is for. It also helps me filter out other background distractions. It's the same reason why I leave the TV on even when I'm reading or on the computer. It provides a consistent and non-distracting background noise that's less distracting to me than silence.

 

[Michael Morris]

I use a mixture of music from other sources but also write music. Occasionally I've dabbled on my keyboard while the players discussed something in character. I can't draw worth crap, but I do write themes to characters that last long enough in my games to be worth the trouble.

Many of those songs are now in the Downloads section under Electronic aids / Fantasy Music