Anyone played Bard with actual music?

[Doran]

I was looking up mechanics for a 4th edition Bard, and thought it would be perfect to play the Safety Dance for Song of Defense.

So my question is has anyone actual roleplayed their bardic music with actual songs, and if so, what did you for what, and how effective an aid was it to roleplaying?

[Shadowleaf]

I commented a thread like this not long ago.

Modern music has no place in a D&D game - not as background music, not as Bard tunes.

Use something medieval instead. Play The Bard's Song, Gregorian Chants, genuine medieval music, etc, instead.

[valadil]

I brought a guitar and tried doing background music once. It was way too distracting for all the other players. I wanted to provide ambience, but it put me in the spotlight instead.

[dsmiles]

I like to use this band, or these artists. I also have a habit of just looping their music when I'm just sitting around the house.

[Tyndmyr]

Nah, but I've seen musical instruments used in larping and the like. Awesome there.

I think it probably would be too distracting, though...the most music I like for Rping is a bit of ambient, low background music to set a mood.

[Katana_Geldar]

I usually tell people what my song is about and what it does. Such as "I play a rousing rollicking distracting song about us fighting the pirates so my allies can look for the thief", at the end of the song the DM had the bartender give me five gold as my song managed to distract the song to the extent that he could over charge them for drinks.

Thing is, if you try and do the song and you're bad...then it gets remembered.

Occasionally, I will do joking Elan-like songs with my bard.

[DementedFellow]

I was told once that I would get extra XP for singing a lively tune while inspiring courage. I was then told that I would get extra XP for not singing at all. anymore. ever again.

[dsmiles]

I was told once that I would get extra XP for singing a lively tune while inspiring courage. I was then told that I would get extra XP for not singing at all. anymore. ever again.

I approve of this tactic.

[Gnome Alone]

I would like to offer to the world-at-large an idea for a bard song: "Mo' Treasure, Mo' Problems."

[Doran]

*Files away helpful comments for future reference*

So at the most, background instrumental music, and the rest is description?

[Escheton]

playing a little cure when in a creepy forest or facing spiders always works.
Or the doors when fighting in a thunderstorm.
Songs that fit the situation usually work, if they are not too distinct to draw attention away from the game.

prefer this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZaiB...eature=related version of Safety Dance myself

[faceroll]

Modern music has no place in a D&D game - not as background music, not as Bard tunes.

Thanks for telling me how I'm supposed to have fun.

[Tvtyrant]

Modern music has no place in a D&D game - not as background music, not as Bard tunes.

Use something medieval instead.

....D&D isn't medieval. I'm fairly sure a Wizard could invent an electric guitar if they wanted to, and a lute could work as an approximation anyway.

In fact, I am now going to alter my Seeker of the Song so that each of his type of music is a different modern genre. I'm thinking Samba first

[dsmiles]

In fact, I am now going to alter my Seeker of the Song so that each of his type of music is a different modern genre. I'm thinking Samba first

This just made my day. A bard playing Samba.

[Iferus]

I play basic riffs as a Bard. They don't interfere with the roleplaying a lot. Sometimes other players have to make rolls for me, but that's okay. I do have to play with a mute in the soundhole.

For action scenes, I play power chords or an improvisation based on Eye of the Tiger or that pulp fiction theme.
For the rare out-of-combat inspire courage, I play the bourree from Bach.
For the fascinate/suggestion line, I play a Bossanova chord progression.
Inspire competence is a samba lick.


Funfact: I don't have to announce which bardic music ability I use.


I do have a very passive combat build, using marshall auras with my magic guitar (which is homebrew, of course). This is because my bardic music ends whenever I stop playing.

[Newt]

Thanks for telling me how I'm supposed to have fun.

You should be grateful, this is important knowledge. One day you will know enough to get an avatar too, then you will be a true Player.

[Rixx]

I got ninety nine problems but a lich aint one

[Duos Greanleef]

I once read Shel Silverstein lines when performing certain abilities.
Kind of fun really, but a little time consuming to go through all of my books to find just the right line or lines so I don't repeat myself all the time.
That lasted a session, but was fun.

[dsmiles]

I got ninety nine problems but a lich aint one

Pepsi...nose...not good!!!!!

[OrionFaarlane]

I would like to offer to the world-at-large an idea for a bard song: "Mo' Treasure, Mo' Problems."

That's pretty much amazing right there and I am going to apply that as my 4E bards theme music.

[Terumitsu]

I was told once that I would get extra XP for singing a lively tune while inspiring courage. I was then told that I would get extra XP for not singing at all. anymore. ever again.

This reminds me of one of my players who was astoundingly good at making up songs on the spot. He would sing in verse about things happening in combat when it came to his turn for bonuses to his Inspire Courage ability. The fact that it was both consistantly good and consistantly funny is what I thought was pure awesome.

[LibraryOgre]

I have a tendency to annoy people while I'm playing by bringing out an apropos song, to either table talk or the game. Since I play with my laptop open (when DMing, I keep my notes there; when playing, I tend to be on the Compendium, looking up wording to feats and powers and the like), it's easy to pull something out of my library.

As a DM, I use a fair amount of music... a lot of stuff from the Quest For Glory games, plus several soundtracks and a variety of classical music. Last week, I actually edited a horn call to play whenever the Malarites were getting close (the horn turned out to be a Horn of Panic, based on the Drums of Panic, which scattered the party a couple of times).

[Shadowleaf]

Thanks for telling me how I'm supposed to have fun.

Do I have to add "This is my own personal completely biased opinion" after each post?
I am just saying, that I do not feel there is a need for modern music, as it tends to break the atmosphere of the games I run / participate in.
Even though magic and science exists in most mainstream D&D settings, the feeling is still sword, taverns and dungeons for me - a setting I would not appreciate more by having Slipknot blasting in the background.

[Avaris]

Though not a bard, I use Ghost Sound to provide another character with theme tunes. Long story short, he thinks he's a god, and I'm his 'high priest' who is dedicated to making him think this. He therefore gets dramatic music, which I provide via a set of speakers for my ipod. This for example

Currently it is well received by the other players, though I'm running out of good tumes to stop it being dull. Given we have a necromancxer and someone with the dance skill, Thriller has been suggested...

[The Vorpal Tribble]

I played a darfellan bard whose tunes were wordless, but alike to idealized whale song.

BAAAAAHrmm rmmmm rmmm rmmmmmmmmmmmmm. AHH AHH OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH T'ya YA ya YA! HNNNNNNNNHEEEEEEEE m m m M!

[Gametime]

Do I have to add "This is my own personal completely biased opinion" after each post?
I am just saying, that I do not feel there is a need for modern music, as it tends to break the atmosphere of the games I run / participate in.
Even though magic and science exists in most mainstream D&D settings, the feeling is still sword, taverns and dungeons for me - a setting I would not appreciate more by having Slipknot blasting in the background.

Perhaps the presence of an imperative at the end of your post distracted from the fact that it was just your opinion.

Making a universal statement about how the game should be played, and following it up with a direct instruction on what to do to play the game appropriately, makes it sounds like you are, well, instructing people how to play the game. The phrasing was not conducive to communicating "This is my opinion."

On topic, no, but I've wanted to ever since I bought a cheap little Ocarina along with the sheet music to some of the songs from Ocarina of Time. The plan was to use a different song for each of my bardic musics - so maybe Epona's Song for suggestion, and Saria's Song for Inspire Competence. Something like that.

Unfortunately, my last character was a bard, so I probably won't get a chance to put this into action for quite a while.

[OMG PONIES]

I got ninety nine problems but a lich aint one

I played a darfellan bard whose tunes were wordless, but alike to idealized whale song.

BAAAAAHrmm rmmmm rmmm rmmmmmmmmmmmmm. AHH AHH OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH T'ya YA ya YA! HNNNNNNNNHEEEEEEEE m m m M!

Winners, winners, chicken dinners.

[Invelios]

Liches ain't sh** but hoes n tricks


For the Evocation specialist, worshiper of Ilmater: I'm just going to stand there and watch you burn..It's alright because I like the way it hurts.

Bardic version of Confusion or insanity (alternately for mindflayers): insane in the brain...going insane got no brain.....

Barbarian Rage: any Rage against the machine song, heck most metal :)

[arrowhen]

Unfortunately, the number of beers necessary for me to sing in front of anyone exceeds the number of beers I'm comfortable gaming under the influence of.

[dsmiles]

I still maintain that Pomplamoose is appropriate bard music.