Desert setting music?

[vault13dweller]

Hey everyone,
I'm preparing to run a Dark Sun campaign right now, and am in the process of assembling the game's soundtrack. I'm looking for music that inherently gives the "desert feel". Right now, I have the soundtracks of

• Prince of Persia: Sands of Time
• Dune
• Children of Dune
• Gladiator
• Conan the Barbarian
• Hidalgo

Any more ideas of movies, games, or orchestral musics that sound like they would fit in a desert setting?

 

[Jon_Dahl]

I have the following Youtube-playlist:
AFG Ahmadi - Afghanistan (Flute)
Islamic Call to Prayer - [Islam Calls You]
Very Beautiful Adhaan by Mishary Al-Afasy
Sufi Music (Sukun)
The Islamic Golden Age: Warriors
Meshary Alarada - Farshy AlTurab Islamic Nasheed + MP3 LINK
Medieval Total War Music - Arab Mobilize 1
Medieval Total War Music - Arab Battle 2
Medieval 2 Total War Music - Honour Of Sultan
Medieval 2 Total War Music - Persian Pyjama's
Medieval 2 Total War Music - Kebabka
Hunger is the Weapon - Hans Zimmer

I'm sorry not to link the playlist here, but I'd like to keep it and my channel private. Also, Arabic music, pseudo-Arabic music and Nasheeds are very pleasing to the ears I hope you enjoy this playlist as much I have!

 

[Yora]

• Prince of Persia: Sands of Time
• Dune
• Children of Dune
• Gladiator
• Conan the Barbarian
• Hidalgo

And I am almost out of ideas. ^^

Generally, I'd stay away from anything that is too obviously Arab Fairy Tale music. It works for that purpose, but I don't think it's good for others, especially Dark Sun.

Baldur's Gate 2 might work. It's set in a land bordering the local Fantasy Arabia country and I think there's a good amount of tracks that might work quite well. Especially those from the Throne of Bhall addon. Which is set in said Fantasy Arabia country, but the music isn't obvious about it.
Shouldn't be too hard to track down, as it was all made free for download year ago.

And speaking of Conan, the Age of Conan soundtrack also isn't bad. It's at least on youtube, so you most certainly can get it somewhere.

 

[Desdichado]

I think a lot of that would sound too Al-Qadim rather than Dark Sun.

Here's a few other good soundtracks that might be up your alley for exotic deserty sounds, though: The Mummy, The Mummy Returns, Stargate, and John Carter.

 

[billd91]

If you're looking for a more action sound, much of the soundtrack to Black Hawk Down by Hans Zimmer is quite good and atmospheric.

Passion by Peter Gabriel, the soundtrack to The Last Temptation of Christ is also an excellent choice.

 

[Dioltach]

Not desert-y, perhaps, but do you know The Turkish Somg of the Damned by The Pogues? It combines Arabian sounds with rock and nightmarish lyrics. It could work in Dark Sun.

 

[Karak]

Hey everyone,
I'm preparing to run a Dark Sun campaign right now, and am in the process of assembling the game's soundtrack. I'm looking for music that inherently gives the "desert feel". Right now, I have the soundtracks of

• Prince of Persia: Sands of Time
• Dune
• Children of Dune
• Gladiator
• Conan the Barbarian
• Hidalgo

Any more ideas of movies, games, or orchestral musics that sound like they would fit in a desert setting?

Those are all very good. The best being Children of Dune and the Dune movies for me. I never thought of Hidalgo. I will have to check it out.

 

[mattcolville]

Peter Gabriel's soundtrack for The Last Temptation of Christ is the canonical answer.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTAaKAVpOOM]Peter Gabriel 01 The Feeling Begins - YouTube[/ame]

Tinariwen is also an excellent choice.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h9uMx28dT7Y]TINARIWEN - walla illa - YouTube[/ame]

And, Huun-Huur Tur is AMAZING although Mongolian Steppe rather than desert. Their music sounds like riding on a horse across the plains, near river and hawk. But it also has this otherworldly harmonics which you'll notice, ah, right away.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i0djHJBAP3U]Huun-Huur-Tu - Live - YouTube[/ame]

I would eschew typical soundtrack work, as people hear movies rather than your game. Give 'em stuff they ain't never heard before.

 

[JiffyPopTart]

Marco Polo by Loreena McKennitt totally nails desert theme.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qG0cDEqpG_E]Loreena McKennitt - Marco Polo - YouTube[/ame]

DS

 

[Desdichado]

I would eschew typical soundtrack work, as people hear movies rather than your game. Give 'em stuff they ain't never heard before.

Unless they collect movie soundtracks (like me), my experience is that most players will hardly ever recognize what movie it's from, unless it's something like Star Wars, Indiana Jones or Lord of the Rings.