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DJ Yung Crunk
2016-05-25, 01:42 AM
This is kind of a goofy topic but maybe you'll indulge me.

Other than tabletop games one of my big passions in life is pop music. I own over three thousand CDs and two thousand vinyl records. You can say I'm a bit obsessed. Any opportunity I can take to merge these two interests I leap on. The most obvious is my often baffling proclivity to tether a theme song to each of the characters I create. This habit has been met with mixed responses, namely "What a waste of bloody time" and "Cool! I should do that too!" Not really mixed at all if you think about it. Still I was hoping I could find out if anyone else does this. Seemed like I'd have a half decent shot here.

So, do you do it? Why do you do it? Which songs did you select for which characters? Tell me all about it. I live vicariously through you. Tell me for the sake of my self esteem. Come on, I'll even go first. What do you say?

Currently for my Paladin I have selected this ditty (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QgIr7E5LvpA). As the lyrics imply he's not the nicest bloke you'll encounter. The entire Paladin organisation in my setting has been warped and corrupted to protect corporate interests, collect on taxes, propagate censorship and stifle uprisings. He's fairly true to that M.O., but even worse for his willingness to bend the law to get what he wants. Add a dash of cultural elitism and you've got a gangster in plate mail, essentially.

Professor Gnoll
2016-05-25, 02:59 AM
I always thought of this (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G945MQ1datY) as the theme of a harlequin-themed assassin character I played once. I just love that piece so much.

Atypical_Necro
2016-05-25, 04:21 AM
I enjoy picking a theme song for my characters. I don't always find one that fits, but I like the idea of getting into my character's mindset. Would this be that song that really speaks to them? Why? Helps me feel more immersed.

The best fit of song to character I've ever had was for Doran Reinhardt, my aasimar crusader of Tymora. He was a rebellious, wild spirit and son of a wealthy, lawful priest of Pelor who expected him to join the sun god's clergy because every one of their ancestors had for the last like several centuries. Doran rebelled very strongly and was eventually disowned. This was fine for him, all he'd ever wanted to do was be free and worship his Lady Luck. As it is, I found that "Have a Nice Day" by Bon Jovi fit him like a glove.

Also, glad to know I'm not the only one who does this.

Madbox
2016-05-25, 04:56 AM
I haven't looked for a theme song for any of my characters, although the character I plan on playing next is based off of a song. "Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner," by Warren Zevon.

Also, gotta say, that's an impressive collection! Most of my music is in the form of mp3s, although I have about a dozen vinyl albums and a handful of CDs. I like being able to take my music with me. Currently, my phone has 6 gb of its built-in memory used up by music, plus 25 out of 32 gb on the micro SD card I put in.

Malak'ai
2016-05-25, 05:40 AM
I once had a gunbunny Merc in Shadowrun 3rd ed who, though not given by me, aquired the theme song of Starf$@kers, Inc by Nine Inch Nails.
I honestly can't remember the whole story but the major part that earn't her that song was seducing a security Decker for a low level Corp, being left alone with him in the security office, giving him a .45cal suppository while pleasuring him and then walking out of the office wiping her mouth on his clip on tie.

For other characters I've thought certain songs would suit them, but could never really be bothered actually finalizing whether or not it really did fit as a theme song.

DigoDragon
2016-05-25, 07:00 AM
Music can affect mood. So picking a tune that puts you in a certain mood for playing the character makes sense.

themaque
2016-05-25, 08:12 AM
I'm sporadic about it, but I try to do so when I can. I don't have one for my current character, but I've been trying to find something that fits for him in theme and tone.

As mentioned, listening to the song just before game starts can help get you in the proper frame of mind.

When I run a game I always have a theme song in my mind however. An old GM always played a specific song, like an opening theme song, any time he ran his campaign. And yes, different songs for different campaigns.

Faily
2016-05-25, 08:31 AM
Almost all characters I have played at some point have a theme song in my mind, usually what I listened to obsessively while creating them or one I just feel summarize them nicely for me. Long-running characters or truly memorable ones often get their own playlist.

Sometimes I have theme songs for a campaign, but that doesn't happen as often. I like to listen to them and imagine in my own mind's YouTube some sort of music video with scenes from the campaign. :smallbiggrin:

While I'm not a big collector like the OP here, I do love music, and enjoy many different genres.

Knaight
2016-05-25, 09:59 AM
I've GMed a game which had one player (who was a bit of a musical prodigy) on the piano before, composing theme music on the spot for various NPCs. It worked out surprisingly well.

CharonsHelper
2016-05-25, 10:04 AM
The theme song for tabletop players is probably Heath McNease's Nerd Out.

Socksy
2016-05-25, 08:15 PM
More often than not, it's the other way around when I make characters.
Either I'll find a song I like and a character starts forming in my mind, or I'll be heavily influenced by whatever album I'm listening to at the time of building a character.

No-Kill Cleric
2016-05-25, 10:32 PM
I don't always pick out a theme song, but it helps me think about them. I've found that I tend towards instrumental music for characters since high fantasy and pop music don't quite mix in my mind.

My first cleric had Tchaikovsky's "Waltz of the Flowers" as her theme. The DM was using a playlist of waltzes for a ball scene, the "Waltz of the Flowers" came up, and my cleric was like " OOOOO THIS IS MY JAM! WALTZ WE ME, RANDOM NPC!" It stuck ever since.