You are entirely correct. This is a cool thread, and is by no means edition or system specific. I'll shuffle it to General...
Use of music in a game session
- Thread starter Mark1733
- Start date
You are entirely correct. This is a cool thread, and is by no means edition or system specific. I'll shuffle it to General...
Toben the Many
First Post
The advice here is so good, I don't have too much to add, so I'll just reflect a little bit and throw in some advice as it comes.
Back in the day, I used a lot of music on cassette tapes. I'd carry around a boom box and play stuff that I had set up on mix tapes or even just pop out a movie score on tape and then put in another one.
This was very challenging because alot of the music that I wanted to use would often be in the middle of a tape. So, at a very young age, I started to learn DJ skills. I got to a point where I could tell, just by how long my tape player had rewound or fast-forwarded if I was at the right song or not.
Back in those days, I learned something that I learned now which is this - beware of overkill in music. You only have to play a particular track once or twice to for everyone to get the idea.
When CDs came out, they were a godsend. I could skip to the right song that I wanted and I got so good with CDs, that I could switch them out and key it up to the right song without looking. I'd always have about 5 to 7 CDs out in front of me.
It was also great because before, if you bought a movie score on cassette, you really had to listen to the whole tape to see if anything was usable for your game. With CDs, it was easy to browse.
For long, long time, I kept using CDs as my main vehicle for music, because it was easier for me to pick out a CD, put it in, and key it up to the right song than it was to scroll through an iPod and get to the right track. Now, with playlists, I no longer have that problem.
With playlists, I have whole playlists of creepy music, battle music, suspense music, background music, etc. One thing I've found that is helpful, keep tracks from the same composer and from the same album together. It's jarring if you go from Conan combat music to the soundtrack to The Rock and then back to Conan.
My advice here would be to set it up on your iPod or laptop or whatever - to just play one time. Play the one song and after that - have your media player cut off. That way, you don't have to think about it.
I'll repeat - don't overkill it with the music. Play your tracks one or two times and then let it fade out into silence.
As far as the OP goes - having some good DJ skills does help if you want to punctuate your DMing with music. If you know a song really, really well, you can probably tell when the music is going to reach a climatic point. Wait for that moment in the song then really play up the moment you are describing - that will get your players really well.
Back in the day, I used a lot of music on cassette tapes. I'd carry around a boom box and play stuff that I had set up on mix tapes or even just pop out a movie score on tape and then put in another one.
This was very challenging because alot of the music that I wanted to use would often be in the middle of a tape. So, at a very young age, I started to learn DJ skills. I got to a point where I could tell, just by how long my tape player had rewound or fast-forwarded if I was at the right song or not.
Back in those days, I learned something that I learned now which is this - beware of overkill in music. You only have to play a particular track once or twice to for everyone to get the idea.
When CDs came out, they were a godsend. I could skip to the right song that I wanted and I got so good with CDs, that I could switch them out and key it up to the right song without looking. I'd always have about 5 to 7 CDs out in front of me.
It was also great because before, if you bought a movie score on cassette, you really had to listen to the whole tape to see if anything was usable for your game. With CDs, it was easy to browse.
For long, long time, I kept using CDs as my main vehicle for music, because it was easier for me to pick out a CD, put it in, and key it up to the right song than it was to scroll through an iPod and get to the right track. Now, with playlists, I no longer have that problem.
With playlists, I have whole playlists of creepy music, battle music, suspense music, background music, etc. One thing I've found that is helpful, keep tracks from the same composer and from the same album together. It's jarring if you go from Conan combat music to the soundtrack to The Rock and then back to Conan.
My advice here would be to set it up on your iPod or laptop or whatever - to just play one time. Play the one song and after that - have your media player cut off. That way, you don't have to think about it.
I'll repeat - don't overkill it with the music. Play your tracks one or two times and then let it fade out into silence.
As far as the OP goes - having some good DJ skills does help if you want to punctuate your DMing with music. If you know a song really, really well, you can probably tell when the music is going to reach a climatic point. Wait for that moment in the song then really play up the moment you are describing - that will get your players really well.
I always have music playing in the background during my D&D sessions, and it's never random or generic.
Over the years, I've built up (and continue to) a big library of looping instrumentals I have set up in an audio program. I use an old SONAR edition, but I suppose Audacity would do as a free alternative. Prior to a session, I choose between 10-20 songs that I think might be used. Afterwards, I simply select a song and start it, and it loops automatically where I set it up.
I actively try to use the same piece of music in the same situations. Iconic, named towns get their own themes (we're up to 4), as do iconic, recurring places (we're up to 7). Situations, like relaxing and tension, also get their own unique song. Half of my set-up songs are for battles against particular groups.
Since I need my songs to loop seamlessly in the background, 90% of them come from video games. A select few others are from movie soundtracks or other sources. Coincidentally (or not), I got most of the songs from RPGs. Oh, and most of the songs are unknow to my players (and often to me!) outside of the game. I once had a Final Fantasy maniac among my players, and he'd be able to name half of the campaign's soundtrack.
Some themes have really stuck with my players.
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LUDwM79ZXr4"]Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance - The Enemy Draws Near[/ame]
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOnc3n9l4wI"]Dirge of Cerberus - Messenger of the Dark[/ame]
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TcP0Fq9Hjlk"]Record of Lodoss War - Road of Dragons[/ame]
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBSNskL7lzQ"]Final Fantasy XI - Black Coffin[/ame]
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UeaeAp4Q3I4"]Final Fantasy XII - The Barheim Passage[/ame]
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDSRYS1vjHo"]Final Fantasy XI - Battalia Downs[/ame]
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNqamxkWkCk"]Final Fantasy XII - A Land of Memories[/ame]
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoiwkFzqmF0"]World of Warcraft - Dun Morogh[/ame]
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-bQwgkvthE"]Final Fantasy XII - The Tomb of Raithwall[/ame]
And finally...
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSLuB7RM1aY&fmt=18"]Final Fantasy Advent Children - Battle in the Forgotten City[/ame]
Now I had known that one for awhile, and I knew exactly where it would fit. When I listen to it, it feels thunder-y and electrical, and also ominous. At some point in the campaign, the critical-to-the-plot city was to be spontaneously invaded by an overwhelming number of air elementals, making any attempt to get out of a secure building extremely hazardous.
Well my players got pumped for battle as soon as they heard it, and they soon started tapping the beat until it was their turn. They looked forward to encounters with elementals for the length of the whole invasion and were saddened by the song's subsequent departure.
Unfortunately, I have not found a way to realiably and seamlessly switch to another song just for a quick jingle, so when I put a song on, it usually stays for a few minutes. However, the few times I have been able to make timely switches have been memorable.
The only thing I regret is not having a more dedicated audio program. All I want is a list of songs I can play from the start with a click or two and have them loop seamlessly at the exact times I choose. The closest program I found is Mixere, but it makes looped songs play from the beginning of the loop.
Over the years, I've built up (and continue to) a big library of looping instrumentals I have set up in an audio program. I use an old SONAR edition, but I suppose Audacity would do as a free alternative. Prior to a session, I choose between 10-20 songs that I think might be used. Afterwards, I simply select a song and start it, and it loops automatically where I set it up.
I actively try to use the same piece of music in the same situations. Iconic, named towns get their own themes (we're up to 4), as do iconic, recurring places (we're up to 7). Situations, like relaxing and tension, also get their own unique song. Half of my set-up songs are for battles against particular groups.
Since I need my songs to loop seamlessly in the background, 90% of them come from video games. A select few others are from movie soundtracks or other sources. Coincidentally (or not), I got most of the songs from RPGs. Oh, and most of the songs are unknow to my players (and often to me!) outside of the game. I once had a Final Fantasy maniac among my players, and he'd be able to name half of the campaign's soundtrack.
Some themes have really stuck with my players.
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LUDwM79ZXr4"]Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance - The Enemy Draws Near[/ame]
Used for encounters mainly composed of enemy rank-and-file soldiers.
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOnc3n9l4wI"]Dirge of Cerberus - Messenger of the Dark[/ame]
Battles where the center of attention is an enemy mage.
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TcP0Fq9Hjlk"]Record of Lodoss War - Road of Dragons[/ame]
I intended to use this song as a prelude to battles against skeletons, but I messed up and let it play through a whole battle. It stuck, and I used it for the battles themselves afterwards.
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBSNskL7lzQ"]Final Fantasy XI - Black Coffin[/ame]
When a prolonged tense situation occurs, this song loops in the background.
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UeaeAp4Q3I4"]Final Fantasy XII - The Barheim Passage[/ame]
A few times over the campaign, the players had sneaky mountain night missions, and I used this theme.
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDSRYS1vjHo"]Final Fantasy XI - Battalia Downs[/ame]
Any hideout, especially after an action-packed day.
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNqamxkWkCk"]Final Fantasy XII - A Land of Memories[/ame]
Good town songs are really hard to come by (unlike battle songs!), and this one had just the right amount of nostalgia for a city critical to the plot.
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoiwkFzqmF0"]World of Warcraft - Dun Morogh[/ame]
Generic travelling. Frequently used right after a battle, so it's almost become an end-of-battle tune.
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-bQwgkvthE"]Final Fantasy XII - The Tomb of Raithwall[/ame]
Catacombs.
And finally...
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSLuB7RM1aY&fmt=18"]Final Fantasy Advent Children - Battle in the Forgotten City[/ame]
Now I had known that one for awhile, and I knew exactly where it would fit. When I listen to it, it feels thunder-y and electrical, and also ominous. At some point in the campaign, the critical-to-the-plot city was to be spontaneously invaded by an overwhelming number of air elementals, making any attempt to get out of a secure building extremely hazardous.
Well my players got pumped for battle as soon as they heard it, and they soon started tapping the beat until it was their turn. They looked forward to encounters with elementals for the length of the whole invasion and were saddened by the song's subsequent departure.
Unfortunately, I have not found a way to realiably and seamlessly switch to another song just for a quick jingle, so when I put a song on, it usually stays for a few minutes. However, the few times I have been able to make timely switches have been memorable.
The only thing I regret is not having a more dedicated audio program. All I want is a list of songs I can play from the start with a click or two and have them loop seamlessly at the exact times I choose. The closest program I found is Mixere, but it makes looped songs play from the beginning of the loop.
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