The Greatest of RPG music

[Desdichado]

I hate --no, really, I mean [smallcaps]hate[/smallcaps] the idea of playing any type of metal, rap, or any other type of "pop" music whatsoever during D&D. Seriously. I hate it enough that I would seriously think twice before coming back and gaming with a group that uses it.

Anyway, I buy a lot of orchestral movie music soundtracks and rip them into mp3s. Another guy in my group uses his iPod to keep them all in one place, and we plug in some portable speakers and go. I probably couldn't even tell you all the movie soundtracks that I've done this to--dozens. I'll try and hit some of them, at least:

Lord of the Rings (all three)
Signs
Van Helsing
The Mummy
Raiders of the Lost Ark
Bram Stoker's Dracula
Troy
The Last Samurai
Last of the Mohicans
Harry Potter (all four)
Conan the Barbarian
Hunt for the Red October
Minority Report
Black Hawk Down
Gladiator
King Arthur
Pirates of the Caribbean (both of them)
Patriot Games (especially the songs by Clannad)
Master and Commander
Terminator 2 (the first one has too much cheesy synth)
Aliens

and plenty of others that I'm sure I can't think of at the moment.

The other guy with the iPod also has all the Midnight Sindicate stuff, and we've got the Eberron soundtrack.

 

[diaglo]

Whats your thoughts on the best roleplaying music ??

dice hit the table. it is music to my ears.

 

[Henrix]

Corvus Corax is a stomping good modern take on medieval music. There are some samples to chack out on their site.

 

[Garnfellow]

When we wrapped my last campaign, I made a mix of some popular or iconic songs that we had either rocked out to or laughed at over the years (11+). I made a little album cover and burnt CDs for everyone.

My first cut was about 3 hours long, and I pared it down to one CD. Many of these you really shouldn't play in front of Eric's Grandma, but here was the final song list:

I.
“Il Buono Il Brutto Il Cattivo (titoli),” Ennio Morricone,
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly soundtrack.

II.
“Tribute,”
Tenacious D, Tenacious D.

III.
“What’s the Difference?”
Dr. Dre, 2001.

IV.
“My Name Is,”
Eminem, The Slim Shady LP.

V.
“Dungeons and Dragons,”
The Dead Alewives Society.

VI.
“The Wizard,”
Black Sabbath, Black Sabbath.

VII.
“Papa’s Got a Brand New Bag,”
James Brown.

VIII.
“Damn It Feels Good to be a Gangsta,”
GetoBoys, Office Space Soundtrack.

IX.
“The Immigrant Song,”
Led Zepplin, Led Zepplin III.

X.
“King DM,”
A Half-Orc Named Sioux.

XI.
“Sasquatch,”
Tenacious D,
Live at Higher Ground (09-28-2001).

XII.
“The Imperial March,”
The Empire Strikes Back soundtrack.

XIII.
“Luke’s Wall/War Pigs”
Black Sabbath, Paranoid.

XIV.
“Seven Nation Army,”
The White Stripes, Elephant.

XV.
“The Real Slim Shady,”
Eminem, The Marshall Mathers LP.

XVI.
“Dragon,”
Strong Bad, Strong Bad Email #58.

XVII.
“Sugar Mountain,”
Neil Young, Decade.

XVIII.
“The Battle of Evermore,”
Led Zepplin, [untitled fourth album].

XIX.
“Wonderboy,”
Tenacious D, Tenacious D.

XX.
“Clint Eastwood,”
Gorillaz, Gorillaz.

 

[fusangite]

The best out of the box album to use if you don't have a custom soundtrack made is Peter Gabriel's Passion, the soundtrack from Last Temptation of Christ. If you have the time, I'd recommend the following songs:

Tom Waits
Black Wings

Cranes
Shining Road
Beautiful Friend

Leonard Cohen
Avalanche

Loreena McKennit
Stolen Child
Lullaby
Mystic's Dream
Samhain Night
Moon Cradle
Huron Belltane Fire Dance
Prospero's Speech
Annachie Gordon
Ancient Pines
Prologue
Mummer's Dance
Night Ride Across the Caucasus
Skellig
Marco Polo
Dante's Prayer
Full Circle
Ce He Mise le Ulaingt

Moby
God Moving Over the Face of the Waters
Novio
Signs of Love

Thomas Newman
Any Other Name

Bird York
In the Deep

Michael Danna
Sweet Hereafter
Procession
Bus
Why I Lied
A Different Town
A Huge Wave
Pied Piper

Angelo Badalamenti
Twin Peaks Theme
Laura Palmer's Theme
The Nightingale

Suzanne Vega
Queen and the Soldier

 

[Wombat]

Corvus Corax is a stomping good modern take on medieval music. There are some samples to chack out on their site.

Ooo, a man after my own heart! I love C.C.

Along the same like, I like playing Mediaeval Baebes music -- the only group that can make Latin sound truly sexy.

And I have a soft spot in my heart for Cocteau Twins -- since almost no one knows exactly what Elizabeth Fraser is actually singing, the sound becomes background.

 

[Thomas Percy]

I know it's very exotic, but it's my favourite music, from which I start my every game session.
Composer: Grzegorz Ciechowski a.k.a. Obywatel G.C.
Theme: Wiedzmin Main Theme or Wiedźmin (with Polish letted "dź").

This composer is dead now, very sorry.
The music is from Polish fantasy film "Wiedźmin". A movie was TERRIBLE, but a music is wonderful.

 

[trilobite]

Anvil of Crom from the Conan Soundtrack

and

Carmina Burana's O Fortuna from the Excalibur Soundtrack


are the two essential gaming songs! Period!

 

[Kurashu]

I've never played to music, doubt I ever will. But if I did, it'd have to be something epic.

Power metal in general (Kamelot, Dragonforce, Symphony X), Amon Amarth, some orchesta, metroid metal if it filled the niche.

Maybe Manowar if I'm feeling a bit silly (come on guys loudest metal band and you sing about winged unicorns?).

I doubt any thing else would get in (maybe some black/death metal if it as atmospheric) though.

 

[Lanefan]

Depending on mood, both of players and of story:

- Various soundtracks, already mentioned by others - for general background;

- David Arkenstone, Patrick O'Hearn, and any number of other "new age" keyboardists - for moments of mystery, exploration, and so on;

- Enya, Loreena McKennitt, etc. - for when things are in a lighter mood;

- Metal of various types: Thor, Omen, Rainbow/Dio, etc. - for combat, duh!

Lanefan