Discussion:
Songs for Classes and Races
(too old to reply)
Justisaur
2017-10-11 22:44:52 UTC
Permalink
From DF, thought I'd repost it here to add a little life to the party

[quote="kingeditor"]I was inspired to start this thread by a house rule
that I introduced (not my original idea, I heard about it online) of not
only having ambience music playing in the background of fights, but also
allowing each player to pick a "theme song" for their character, during
which they receive a +4 bonus to all D20 rolls.

What if you had to give every class and race–from any edition–a theme
song?[/quote]


Hmm. Off the top of my head:

Cleric - Spirit in the Sky (Norman Greenbaum) - or for more Zeppelin:
Stairway to Heaven

Druid - What did the fox say (Ylvis) - Hungry Like the Wolf (Duran) -
Time of the Season (Zombies) - still not quite getting this one.

Fighter - Eye of the Tiger (Survivor) - or Smack My Bitch Up (Prodigy) -
pretty much any march.

Paladin - Paladin's Chant (Serpent's Egg)

Ranger - Carry on My Wayward Son (Kansas) - or Illumination (Rollins)

Magic User - Magic Carpet Ride (Steppenwolf) - or It's Off to see the
Wizard! (Wizard of Oz) - Firestarter (Prodigy) - or for Zeplin: Cashmere

Illusionist - I am the Walrus (Beetles) - or White Rabbit (Jefferson
Airplane)

Thief - Mission Impossible Theme - or All Along the Watchtower (Hendrix)

Assassin - Live and Let Die (McCartney)

Monk - Clubbed to Death (Kurayamino Remix) - or Kung Fu Fighting (Carl
Douglas)

Bard - Cruel Sister (Pentangle)


Human - More Human than the Human (Rob zombie)

Dwarf - Heigh Ho (Snow White song)

Elf - Tiptoe through the Tulips

Halfling - Bilbo Baggins (Leonard Nemoy)

Half-Elf - Halfbreed (Cher)

Half-Orc - War Pigs (Cake)

- Justisaur
h***@gmail.com
2017-10-11 23:09:58 UTC
Permalink
Post by Justisaur
From DF, thought I'd repost it here to add a little life to the party
[quote="kingeditor"]I was inspired to start this thread by a house rule
that I introduced (not my original idea, I heard about it online) of not
only having ambience music playing in the background of fights, but also
allowing each player to pick a "theme song" for their character, during
which they receive a +4 bonus to all D20 rolls.
What if you had to give every class and race–from any edition–a theme
song?[/quote]
Checks prog rock albums for longest songs...
h***@gmail.com
2017-10-12 03:31:31 UTC
Permalink
Post by h***@gmail.com
Post by Justisaur
From DF, thought I'd repost it here to add a little life to the party
[quote="kingeditor"]I was inspired to start this thread by a house rule
that I introduced (not my original idea, I heard about it online) of not
only having ambience music playing in the background of fights, but also
allowing each player to pick a "theme song" for their character, during
which they receive a +4 bonus to all D20 rolls.
What if you had to give every class and race–from any edition–a theme
song?[/quote]
Checks prog rock albums for longest songs...
Actually I'm opting for "Organ²/ASLSP" as my character's theme song...
Gutless Umbrella Carrying Sissy
2017-10-12 02:48:20 UTC
Permalink
Post by Justisaur
From DF, thought I'd repost it here to add a little life to the party
[quote="kingeditor"]I was inspired to start this thread by a
house rule that I introduced (not my original idea, I heard
about it online) of not only having ambience music playing in
the background of fights, but also allowing each player to pick
a "theme song" for their character, during which they receive a
+4 bonus to all D20 rolls.
What if you had to give every class and race–from any
edition–a theme song?[/quote]
Cleric - Spirit in the Sky (Norman Greenbaum) - or for more
Zeppelin: Stairway to Heaven
Druid - What did the fox say (Ylvis) - Hungry Like the Wolf
(Duran) - Time of the Season (Zombies) - still not quite getting
this one.
Fighter - Eye of the Tiger (Survivor) - or Smack My Bitch Up
(Prodigy) - pretty much any march.
Paladin - Paladin's Chant (Serpent's Egg)
Ranger - Carry on My Wayward Son (Kansas) - or Illumination
(Rollins)
Magic User - Magic Carpet Ride (Steppenwolf) - or It's Off to
see the Wizard! (Wizard of Oz) - Firestarter (Prodigy) - or for
Zeplin: Cashmere
Illusionist - I am the Walrus (Beetles) - or White Rabbit
(Jefferson Airplane)
Thief - Mission Impossible Theme - or All Along the Watchtower
(Hendrix)
Assassin - Live and Let Die (McCartney)
Monk - Clubbed to Death (Kurayamino Remix) - or Kung Fu Fighting
(Carl Douglas)
Bard - Cruel Sister (Pentangle)
Human - More Human than the Human (Rob zombie)
Dwarf - Heigh Ho (Snow White song)
Elf - Tiptoe through the Tulips
Halfling - Bilbo Baggins (Leonard Nemoy)
Half-Elf - Halfbreed (Cher)
Half-Orc - War Pigs (Cake)
- Justisaur
Tha would be so fucking annoying.
--
Terry Austin

Vacation photos from Iceland:
https://plus.google.com/u/0/collection/QaXQkB

"Terry Austin: like the polio vaccine, only with more asshole."
-- David Bilek

Jesus forgives sinners, not criminals.
JimP.
2017-10-12 03:04:25 UTC
Permalink
Post by Justisaur
From DF, thought I'd repost it here to add a little life to the party
[quote="kingeditor"]I was inspired to start this thread by a house rule
that I introduced (not my original idea, I heard about it online) of not
only having ambience music playing in the background of fights, but also
allowing each player to pick a "theme song" for their character, during
which they receive a +4 bonus to all D20 rolls.
What if you had to give every class and race–from any edition–a theme
song?[/quote]
I played 'mood music' for gaming for about 15 minutes. We couldn't
hear each other, even though it was low about a 3 on the volume out of
10. I turned it off and we never did it again.

Incredibly annoying.
--
Jim
Spalls Hurgenson
2017-10-12 13:10:25 UTC
Permalink
Post by JimP.
I played 'mood music' for gaming for about 15 minutes. We couldn't
hear each other, even though it was low about a 3 on the volume out of
10. I turned it off and we never did it again.
I've used music, but sparingly. I've even used an sound-board app that
lets me trigger sound-effects (after the initial neato factor, I gave
it to one of the players and let them trigger the effects, either when
they thought it appropriate or when I asked for a specific one). Both
can be very useful in setting the mood but - as noted - can also be
very distracting.

I'd recommend only using orchestral music; nothing with lyrics. Our
brains key on to voices and even background music can trigger that.
Simpler tunes are better, but at the same time nothing with too catchy
a beat (except, perhaps, when you want to simulate a distracting
environment, like in the tavern). If possible, don't use anything too
familiar to the players either; I ransack video- and movie-soundtracks
to find the appropriate tunes. You also don't have to - or generally
want to - keep the music going the whole time; basically use it for
background for when you are speaking and then turn it off (I call it
"boxed text" music).

As importantly, don't let the act of turning on/off the music be
distracting; nothing is worse than the DM stopping, rummaging around
for the ipad, finding the appropriate track, pressing play, fiddling
with the volume, then talking, and then waiting for him to turn the
music back off. Streamline your process; I used an ipad app called
soundslate that let me trigger the right music and raise and lower the
volume with one hand and got to the point where I could do it all
almost without looking at the thing. DMing is as much performance as
it is adjudication, and you want the music to be a seamless addition
to your theatrics, not a clumsy interruption.

The biggest problem with using music was the preparation; you really
want to customize your music selections to the situation and
adventure. More, you will probably need to prepare the tunes
themselves. I didn't just pick a song; I found a tune and then edited
it down to JUST the part I thought appropriate. Nothing too
complicated; just cutting out the bits that weren't useful (usually
the intro and end, maybe looping that section a few times) but it's
some extra work. I picked specific tunes for expected situations:
entering the creepy mines, crossing the cemetery, meeting the helpless
damsel, combat, etc. Each bit was fairly short - maybe thirty seconds
- and often were one-use soundtracks; they weren't something I kept
playing all the time. It's the main reason I don't use music in some
adventures; I just don't have the time to put in that extra effort.

Music's utility is also very dependent on the sort of game you are
playing. If your group skews more towards the "gaming" part of RPGs,
then you will probably find that music doesn't enhance the experience
that much; you just want to roll dem bones and see how well you can
hack'n'slash through the monsters. It's definitely more a tool for the
role-playing cadre. The type of adventure matters too; I mostly use it
for "spooky" adventures where setting the mood is very important.

Used well, music can really enhance the atmosphere but it takes
effort. You can't just have a CD playing in the background and expect
the same results.
Sea Wasp (Ryk E. Spoor)
2017-10-13 11:04:31 UTC
Permalink
Post by Spalls Hurgenson
Post by JimP.
I played 'mood music' for gaming for about 15 minutes. We couldn't
hear each other, even though it was low about a 3 on the volume out of
10. I turned it off and we never did it again.
I've used music, but sparingly.
We have music constantly for all our games, and I also often select
specific pieces of music for particular events or characters.
--
Sea Wasp
/^\
;;;
Website: http://www.grandcentralarena.com Blog:
http://seawasp.dreamwidth.org
Justisaur
2017-10-19 23:55:06 UTC
Permalink
Post by Spalls Hurgenson
Post by JimP.
I played 'mood music' for gaming for about 15 minutes. We couldn't
hear each other, even though it was low about a 3 on the volume out of
10. I turned it off and we never did it again.
I've used music, but sparingly. I've even used an sound-board app that
lets me trigger sound-effects (after the initial neato factor, I gave
it to one of the players and let them trigger the effects, either when
they thought it appropriate or when I asked for a specific one). Both
can be very useful in setting the mood but - as noted - can also be
very distracting.
I'd recommend only using orchestral music; nothing with lyrics. Our
brains key on to voices and even background music can trigger that.
Simpler tunes are better, but at the same time nothing with too catchy
a beat (except, perhaps, when you want to simulate a distracting
environment, like in the tavern). If possible, don't use anything too
familiar to the players either; I ransack video- and movie-soundtracks
to find the appropriate tunes. You also don't have to - or generally
want to - keep the music going the whole time; basically use it for
background for when you are speaking and then turn it off (I call it
"boxed text" music).
As importantly, don't let the act of turning on/off the music be
distracting; nothing is worse than the DM stopping, rummaging around
for the ipad, finding the appropriate track, pressing play, fiddling
with the volume, then talking, and then waiting for him to turn the
music back off. Streamline your process; I used an ipad app called
soundslate that let me trigger the right music and raise and lower the
volume with one hand and got to the point where I could do it all
almost without looking at the thing. DMing is as much performance as
it is adjudication, and you want the music to be a seamless addition
to your theatrics, not a clumsy interruption.
I just thought it was fun to think of a theme song for each class, not
so much the +4 part or actually playing them at the game.

I had tried mood music as a DM and agree it's a bit too much work at the
game.

On the other hand I did play music off my phone pretty much my entire
1-20 run as a 3.5e bard. Nothing with voice though. I'd play Diablo's
Tristan music when we were in town and Mandolin Impossible when we were
in combat - also as a reminder as to what type of bonuses I was applying.

- Justisaur

Ingo Siekmann
2017-10-13 11:27:46 UTC
Permalink
Am 12.10.2017 um 05:04 schrieb JimP.:

-snip
Post by JimP.
I played 'mood music' for gaming for about 15 minutes. We couldn't
hear each other, even though it was low about a 3 on the volume out of
10. I turned it off and we never did it again.
Dito. It is either distracting or annoying.
Post by JimP.

Bye
Ingo
h***@gmail.com
2017-10-13 11:56:27 UTC
Permalink
Post by Ingo Siekmann
-snip
Post by JimP.
I played 'mood music' for gaming for about 15 minutes. We couldn't
hear each other, even though it was low about a 3 on the volume out of
10. I turned it off and we never did it again.
Dito. It is either distracting or annoying.
I've got a fair amount of hearing loss so it'd make things even more awkward
Sea Wasp (Ryk E. Spoor)
2017-10-12 11:10:48 UTC
Permalink
Post by Justisaur
From DF, thought I'd repost it here to add a little life to the party
[quote="kingeditor"]I was inspired to start this thread by a house rule
that I introduced (not my original idea, I heard about it online) of not
only having ambience music playing in the background of fights, but also
allowing each player to pick a "theme song" for their character, during
which they receive a +4 bonus to all D20 rolls.
What if you had to give every class and race–from any edition–a theme
song?[/quote]
None with words. If your song has words, I'm going to hear them instead
of what people around me are saying. Soundtrack cuts, that I not only
would do, but have done for both my games AND my writing.
--
Sea Wasp
/^\
;;;
Website: http://www.grandcentralarena.com Blog:
http://seawasp.dreamwidth.org
Loading...