Your Music at the Table

[drawingfreak]

What music do you use to draw up certain emotions? Setting specific (like Star Wars) is optional.

Adventure Ho!: Pierce the Heavens with Your XXX! from Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann
Heroic Battle: anything by Dragonforce
Scary Boss Fight: Night on Bald Mountain

[Awnetu]

Taking a Trip? the blood of chu chulainn, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1TezgCpPuys

Moment of Longing? We will go home, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--1m-DPfsEc

Excitement? Pirates of the Caribbean, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LZcMv0H1bI

Miscellaneous? Anything from Ah nee mah's Spirit of the Canyon. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b1cKXpLyFmY is a decent example I guess...

[WeeFreeMen]

Spoiled for massive list size..

Fight!! v.I (Grandia II)
Chrono Trigger Boss 1 (Chrono Trigger)
Wind Waker Miniboss (Zelda: Wind Waker)
The Decisive Battle (Final Fantasy VI)
Final Fantasy IV Boss (Final Fantasy IV)
Fight!! v.III (Grandia II)
Chrono Trigger Boss 2 (Chrono Trigger)
Bombardment (Skies of Arcadia)
Ridley (Super Metroid)
Meta Ridley (Metroid Prime)
Showdown with Magus (Chrono Trigger)
Ultros (Final Fantasy VI)
Purification of Darkness (Grandia II)
The Dreadful Fight (Final Fantasy IV)
The Fierce Battle (Final Fantasy VI)
Molgera (Zelda: Wind Waker)
Battle on the Big Bridge (Final Fantasy V)
Fight!! v.IV (Grandia II)
Battle with Zeromus (Final Fantasy IV)
Kefka's Theme (Final Fantasy VI)
Dancing Mad (Final Fantasy VI)
Victory (Final Fantasy VI)


Dangerous Zone (Grandia II)
What I'm Made Of (Sonic Heroes)
Hive Totem (Metroid Prime)
Purification of Darkness (Grandia II)
Those Who Fight Further (The Black Mages - FF7)
Culex (Super Mario RPG)
Neo Ridley (Metroid Fusion) 1
X vs. Zero (Megaman X4... or was it X5? I can't recall.)
Metroid Prime (Metroid Prime)
Live and Learn (Sonic Adventure 2)
J-E-N-O-V-A (The Black Mages - FF7)
Open Your Heart (Sonic Adventure)
World Revolution (Chrono Trigger)
One Winged Angel (Orchestral Version - FF7)
The Decisive Battle (The Black Mages - FF6)
Fight Against Smithy, Who Likes Transforming (Super Mario RPG)
Dancing Mad (The Black Mages - FF6)


Audi Famam Illius (Super Smash Bros. Brawl)
Fight Against a Somewhat Stronger Enemy (Super Mario RPG)
Force Your Way (The Black Mages - FF8)
The Watchdog of Hell (SSH - Original?)
Purification of Darkness (Grandia II)
The True Mirror (Guitar Version) (Baten Kaitos)
Battle with the Four Fiends (The Black Mages - FF4)
King Dedede (Super Smash Bros. Brawl - Kirby)
King Bone (Super Mario Galaxy)
Pokey (Super Smash Bros. Brawl - EarthBound/Mother)
Fighting of the Spirit (SSH - Tales of X?)
Fight Against an Armed Boss (Super Mario RPG)
Kirby Boss Medley (Super Smash Bros. Brawl - Kirby)
Final Fantasy IV Boss (SSH - FF4)
Nemesis King Koopa (Super Mario Galaxy)
KURAYAMINOKUMO (The Black Mages - FF3)
Star Wolf (Super Smash Bros. Brawl - Star Fox)
Final Destination (Super Smash Bros. Brawl)



Those are for Fights with the more Epic songs leading into Boss battles.

As for adventuring.. You nailed it, TTGL and One Piece

[Drakevarg]

I just leave the Dead Space soundtrack on loop. :smalltongue:

[Lhurgyof]

Horror/creepy? Left 4 Dead music
Desert adventure (or Dark Sun)? To Tame a Land by Iron Maiden (or Dream Theater), Egypt (The Chains Are On) by Dio, Valley of Kings by Yngwie Malmsteen.
In a city? City/town music from zelda
In a shop? Shop music from zelda

[Gorgon_Heap]

My buddy brings his i-contraption and usually has a list playing that is either a)not at all fitting with anything - last week a number of Tiny Tim songs were rather distracting) or b) classical mixes that are very fitting and songs that fit the mood perfectly just happen to come up at just the right moment - this generally includes pieces from the Conan films.

And yes, for a D&D game.

[dgnslyr]

Spoiled for massive list size..

Fight!! v.I (Grandia II)
Chrono Trigger Boss 1 (Chrono Trigger)
Wind Waker Miniboss (Zelda: Wind Waker)
The Decisive Battle (Final Fantasy VI)
Final Fantasy IV Boss (Final Fantasy IV)
Fight!! v.III (Grandia II)
Chrono Trigger Boss 2 (Chrono Trigger)
Bombardment (Skies of Arcadia)
Ridley (Super Metroid)
Meta Ridley (Metroid Prime)
Showdown with Magus (Chrono Trigger)
Ultros (Final Fantasy VI)
Purification of Darkness (Grandia II)
The Dreadful Fight (Final Fantasy IV)
The Fierce Battle (Final Fantasy VI)
Molgera (Zelda: Wind Waker)
Battle on the Big Bridge (Final Fantasy V)
Fight!! v.IV (Grandia II)
Battle with Zeromus (Final Fantasy IV)
Kefka's Theme (Final Fantasy VI)
Dancing Mad (Final Fantasy VI)
Victory (Final Fantasy VI)


Dangerous Zone (Grandia II)
What I'm Made Of (Sonic Heroes)
Hive Totem (Metroid Prime)
Purification of Darkness (Grandia II)
Those Who Fight Further (The Black Mages - FF7)
Culex (Super Mario RPG)
Neo Ridley (Metroid Fusion) 1
X vs. Zero (Megaman X4... or was it X5? I can't recall.)
Metroid Prime (Metroid Prime)
Live and Learn (Sonic Adventure 2)
J-E-N-O-V-A (The Black Mages - FF7)
Open Your Heart (Sonic Adventure)
World Revolution (Chrono Trigger)
One Winged Angel (Orchestral Version - FF7)
The Decisive Battle (The Black Mages - FF6)
Fight Against Smithy, Who Likes Transforming (Super Mario RPG)
Dancing Mad (The Black Mages - FF6)


Audi Famam Illius (Super Smash Bros. Brawl)
Fight Against a Somewhat Stronger Enemy (Super Mario RPG)
Force Your Way (The Black Mages - FF8)
The Watchdog of Hell (SSH - Original?)
Purification of Darkness (Grandia II)
The True Mirror (Guitar Version) (Baten Kaitos)
Battle with the Four Fiends (The Black Mages - FF4)
King Dedede (Super Smash Bros. Brawl - Kirby)
King Bone (Super Mario Galaxy)
Pokey (Super Smash Bros. Brawl - EarthBound/Mother)
Fighting of the Spirit (SSH - Tales of X?)
Fight Against an Armed Boss (Super Mario RPG)
Kirby Boss Medley (Super Smash Bros. Brawl - Kirby)
Final Fantasy IV Boss (SSH - FF4)
Nemesis King Koopa (Super Mario Galaxy)
KURAYAMINOKUMO (The Black Mages - FF3)
Star Wolf (Super Smash Bros. Brawl - Star Fox)
Final Destination (Super Smash Bros. Brawl)



Those are for Fights with the more Epic songs leading into Boss battles.

As for adventuring.. You nailed it, TTGL and One Piece

You have a good ear for music. I should do that.

[drengnikrafe]

I sat down one day and made 5 or so themes that my game generally takes. I then threw in about 20 songs from various video games that seemed to fit each mood, and called it good. The only problem is how often my players get distracted and say "Hey, I recognize this song, it's from game X", which harms the suspension of disbelief.

[Balain]

When we use music for fantasy setting normally different tracks from Conan sound track.

When we played Vampire all sorts of different songs. My favorite was when we just finished a fight and the Storyteller started playing Here comes the sun.

[Drakevarg]

Alternatively, I play the Morrowind soundtrack on loop.

[Loren]

for exciting/exotic moments, Haale (ex http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PtqhbX-msMo there are some better songs, but you gotta take what utube gives)

James Horner has some nice suspenceful stuff (like from apocalypto http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ln8OgmWoyCY )

Hans Zimmer (Pirates of the caribbean and gladiator) can fill most other niches well

[Kaervaslol]

For most part we listen to smooth jazz or dub, something that can be listened in the background and doesn't interfere with the game.

If the session is specially fighty or actiony, we listen to Rush :smallcool:.

This is the best combat music ever: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5nmOMo4OPi4

[Erom]

90% of the time, we don't use any music at all, but when we do anything that doesn't have lyrics is allowed.

[DaMullet]

Usually we have Nightwish, Korpiklaani, or anything from Final Fantasy playing on loop during battles, but right before we fought the boss in the last campaign, through sheer bad luck using Stumbleupon, I ended up turning on Henry Belafonte's Day-O (The Banana Boat Song). Complete loss of composure from everyone at the table. Definitely a warning to those who leave their speakers on at inopportune times.

[Snake-Aes]

Correct, Lyrics get in the way.

Exploration through decrepit places (think abandoned houses, gloomy lairs and such) usually go well with "Go DADA". "Space Lion" goes for backwater villages and tribes in the wild.

[mobdrazhar]

Usually anything by Hammerfall (except My Sharona) or Godsmack...

[AslanCross]

As much as I like metal, I avoid music with lyrics.

Here's a list of some of the music I've used. (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=7139406&postcount=163)

I ended up using this song (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pfI3KWr8XPU) for the final battle with Azarr Kul instead of the song listed above.

[Ashes]

I'm the resident DJ for our group, due to having the most music, and a knack for creating playlists. I usually have a chat with the DM before the game, to find out what mood he is going for, and then create a list that captures that mood.

I have used pretty much everything. I don't care if it has lyrics or not, we play it just to set the mood, not to listen to what's being sung.

This night, for the first session of our 1850's Werewolf: the Forsaken game, the session entitled "The Cannibal", I used mostly Nick Cave, Les Discrets, Johnny Cash's Americans, and classical music by Schuman.

For a vampire game we played, I used Neuroticfish, VNV Nation, Katatonia, The 69 Eyes, Illuminate, Wolfsheim , Mortiis, Combichrist and a few more.

For an Eberron game, I went for something that had both an industrial and medieval vibe to it, with some Agalloch, Funeral, Primordial, Vàli and Ulver in it.

A modern Werewolf game we had a year or so ago, I created two different playlists for. One urban, and one rural. The rural one included Sludge, such as EYEHATEGOD, Acid Bath, Agents of Oblivion, and neofolk such as Hagalaz' Runedance, Dornenreich, Dead Can Dance, along with more Agalloch and Ulver.
The Urban one included electronic-era Ulver, Justice, Deftones, Apoptygma Berzerk, VNV Nation, the Prodigy, and Burial, alongside Amesoeurs, Alcest, Aborym and Katatonia. And a single Infrected Mushroom track.

For traditional high fantasy, like Forgotten Realms, which we haven't played in ages, I used power metal and folk, both regular and metallic, and more along those lines.

For Call of Cthulhu, I usually use Dark Ambient like Halo Manash and Drone, like Sunn O))) and Boris. Just because it's creepy as hell. (By the way, that's a HUUUGE recommendation for Halo Manash (http://www.helixes.org/halomanash/))

Oh, and I once constructed a setting and a game out of a playlist I had made that included Clutch, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Kyuss and ZZ Top.
Awesome modern setting in Rednecksville, Arizona.


So in short, I use what's appropriate for the game.

[Dirty n Evil]

For almost any fight scene, it's never a bad idea to put in Basil Poledouris' soundtrack to Conan the Barbarian and just hit play. :smallbiggrin:

For general moodiness and possibly creepy scenes, I recommend any of the following soundtracks - Sleepy Hollow, Underworld, Aliens, Interview With a Vampire. During outdoor settings, any of the soundtracks to the Lord of the Rings movies. Mind you, LotR and Interview all share the "dear lord let me stop it before the final track plays and ruins the feel for things" problem.

The soundtracks to the Battlestar Galactica television show aren't too bad, either. For a good neutral ambient sound, I would also recommend the soundtrack to the movie Stay. (This is the movie that starred Ewan MacGregor.)