I've been running D&D for years. For some reason i never really thought about music. A while ago, I realised that it is a critical point to the game. On of my PCs likes to sneak around and be an assassin. usually it plays out normally. It's cool and fun blah blah blah. One day he decides to sneak to a fortress to obtain some documents. As he did so, I started playing a piano instrumental of "mission impossible" and it is one of the most memorable things he can remember in D&D.
Considering the production value of these videos, you deserve at least 100, 000 subscribers (perhaps even more)! Thank you so much for these videos, they're immensely helpful. :) In regards to the music, here are my interpretations: 1- Me and fellow adventurers are wading through shallow, murky waters as we approach a ruined keep during nightfall. Whispering between the cleric and sorcerer occur as our rogue raises her hand . "You hold back here, I'd like to get a better look at the entrance" she utters out, before slipping away into the darkness. 2- Within the mines of Mount Kvailen, as Dwarves begin erecting large siege machines, pounding steel against steel to form axes and hammers which shall fall the enemy army. 3- The party is sleuthing through a jungle, attempting to hunt a creature or some sort. 4- A general stands before an army just before attempting a final stand of sorts, trying to muster what little hope left there is to rally the troops. Perhaps they'll defend their homeland against the invaders, but after losing so much, it's highly unlikely.
And I would see it done! Then there would be a 100 000 people having fun, and perhaps a bit more fun as a result! Thank you for your kind words. Your interpretations are fantastic too. Mount Kvailen sounds like a great place, though the murky waters sound dangerous.. your rogue for one! Thank you for sharing your thoughts, and interpretations with us. We can only get better!
A lot of game soundtrack stuff has worked great for me so far. "Darkest Dungeon", "Outlast", various Elder Scrolls tracks, and even "Undertale" has a lot of really useful tracks. There's also a bunch of other tracks selected from various sources. The music is selected solely on how it fits the narrative that I am acting out. Creating contrasts is the most important thing, so even having pleasant music is important, though this can vary somewhat depending on the setting. A recent example in a D&D campaign, if you care: The party were lost in a great mountain range after a devastating encounter with a great beast which sent them far off their course. The area is completely uninhabited, and they spend almost a week with limited resources to take a large detour that will hopefully keep them safe from said beast. During this part, I'm simply playing some ambient outdoor music from Skyrim to give a feel for the geographical grandness. Such as this: www.infinitelooper.com/?v=LGtzUfJbwNo&p=n Eventually, they stumble upon an unexpected path, and even find a very simple fence, and eventually come upon a small hamlet near a large cliffside. No one expected to find this, but no one are familiar with this region either to begin with, so they mostly roll with it when they see how isolated the inhabitants seem in their life style. Immediately upon finding this hamlet, I start playing this: www.infinitelooper.com/?v=tLlNQtkDWLo&p=n#/0;1013 The inhabitants seem friendly and generally forthcoming, generally excited to see visitors, which is a rare occurrence. At least one player has creeping suspicions, but his character remains calm and tries to probe at them with seemingly innocuous questions. He does not make much progress, as the inhabitants seem poorly informed about the outside world in general. However, some lines I slip into their dialogue seem... *odd* when considering the lore of the setting, thus keeping lingering suspicions for some players going. The party seeks for aid in escaping the mountain and getting back to civilization, and are pointed to the local lord's house. Supposedly he and his wife rule the mountain range, and one of their homes is in the hamlet. It functions as a local gathering place and a place for whatever celebrations are to be had there, and it's architecture sharply stands out from the otherwise very humble buildings of the hamlet. They are told they will be given an audience by nightfall in the lord's basement library. While waiting, they eat and drink in the house's main floor together with the other inhabitants, with the basement door in clear sight. The same music is still looping, and I've already received several comments by the players about the atmosphere it's created by that point. One player starts asking some questions related to the suspicious lines I snuck in, and seems to get answers that don't quite match the contemporary world's situation. When pressed on this point, one villager starts stuttering and seems confused. I change the music again. www.infinitelooper.com/?v=qMX3aVbNdvo The party is now starting to get real suspicious, and are told that they can now go see the lord. However, when they go to the door, they are not met by what they expect. I show them a picture of what they are seeing, being a large, curving staircase of stone and decorated pillar supports that very clearly do not seem natural at all for this house, and are going far below underground. An NPC hireling outright demands answers for what is going on, and the players ask some final questions, but now finding themselves partially surrounded by the villagers in a half-circle around the basement door. The final questions seem to spark a reaction, with now *all* the villagers stuttering and being confused. One of them asks for his wife and says "it's... so cold..." I change the music. www.infinitelooper.com/?v=K-EHmQHUwB8&p=n#/0;991 The villagers, about two dozen, start to shift skin color, their features draining, hair going white, some of it falling out. They start turning transparent and looking corpse-like with sunken, whitening eyes, all the while their speech starts altering as they speak, seemingly "glitching" and growing hoarse and wailing, a confused babble as if they have no real awareness of what is happening. (naturally, I role played almost all of it to the full extent of my ability) I have the players throw constitution saving throws. Two fail. They regurgitate the food the villagers had given them, now crawling with writhing maggots and rot. The villager apparitions start closing ranks while mumbling their babble, and the party starts backing into the basement. At this point, all the players are clearly terrified and sweating, and I keep the music going as their rush causes them to trigger a trap that made most of them suffer from terrifying hallucinations. They were literally terrified of every little shadow I described in the corridors far underground.(I even had a reference picture that set their imagination really well) Lots of other fun, scary stuff happened afterwards, too, and the most consistent feedback I got was how greatly the music was used to set the tone and reinforce the scenery.
Dude! Sounds totally amazing. And horrific - and what an ordeal you put your players through! It sounds totally delicious. Thank you for sharing. I wonder if you shouldn't be doing these videos! Your group is really luck to have you as their GM. The idea that the village is a ghastly necromantic pit of doom was so well played. It just comes back to that old chestnut of "take away hope, then give it to them, then take it away." for maximum effect! Really cool :)
Oh yes, they eventually defeated the evil lurking underground(a Medusa trying to revive her husband as a mummy lord) and escaped the collapsing caverns while having to carry one petrified PC. When they reemerged above ground, they saw that the hamlet didn't exist anymore, with just the moss-covered foundations walls barely visible. Made sure to describe the mountain landscape as bleak and clouded, and played somber music all the while. They wanted to get away from the area as quickly as possible. At a later point in the campaign, several sessions later, the players had "vision dreams", and one of the players had a vision that put her into the feet of a child in the hamlet, hundreds of years ago, letting her witness what had happened to the villagers. (for extra effect, the PC saw the villager's faces as being those of the PC's own family members) The player had an instant *"NOOOO"* reaction as soon as I started playing that "hamlet theme" I used the first time.
Well in meddling with film scores and composers but yes I've worked on several soundtracks to local SA films and am happy to share! Thanks for the comment.
I love your content! I found your channel while just looking to learn about D&D but I’ve ended up learning so much more: The art of story telling, how to structure a narrative, social &group dynamics, and now about music and it’s history. Lots of extra value! Keep making videos like this. Thanks!
I have been contemplating this for some time. Still not sure. May give it a go as opposed to just generally having tunes on. I will see what folks think, worth a try. Great stuff. Thanks for sharing.
first one we are in a ruin... it's dark and you get the feeling of being watched. second, we are near a volcano with a Fort at the base. the battle is immiment and we know it will be difficult. Third, we are traveling across a rain forest jungle with what seems like the remnants of a once great civilization. it's a little scary in its overgrowth but we press on. Lastly, we just finished a great battle in an underground dungeon at an old magnificent temple. the feeling is that of great triumph and a bit of happiness that the quest is finally over after so long. These tracks are great and I hope you continue to do segments like this. THANK YOU😄
I use music every session, and its always given a fantastic element to the session. Your extra information, and delving into the why is definitely a push to the next level. Great video as always
Music can make your scene funnier or feel more epic. My brother is our main DM and he has his main playlist which is just Darkest Dungeon and Skyrim OST. I don't like having the exact same music all the time, but he plays it really well. When they're a more unique boss, or a unique location we get a different soundtrack. For example our first arc of our current campaign was in a big kingdom and it was all very generic fantasy until we made it to the capital which was introduced by the Orlais suite from dragon age and made the place feel authentic. In our last campaign we fought a huge army of Mind Flayers and Weavers (weavers are a homebrew lovecraftian abberation that in his lore are kind of the mind flayer soldiers). The music made the fight sound alien and the enormous gatekeeper that protected the portal was actually scary. After that we also fought an Efreeti Sultan in an arc that was kind of the "end" of our character's storyline. His fight was way harder requiring all the players of the campaign (we often played in groups of four but we had a large pool of players) we had 4lvl 10 players, 2 lvl 13players and 4 lvl 16 players. Even then the fight was really, really hard (before even getting there each group had their own mission the lvl 16's, who included me had to fight themselves through about 50 Azer and a fire giant.). The music made the entire fight feel unique, this wasn't a generic battle, this mattered, we had to win.
Please more! You are an amazing GM, and the amount of thought and feeling you put into roleplaying is admirable. You are certainly under-noticed for such high quality Tips and explanations
1. The music evokes a feeling of ominous solitude, perhaps in some kind of dark underground setting or crumbling castle or equally a freshly ruined city with unstable piles of rubble. The water sounds conjured up thoughts of wet stone, water running down the side of a wall or perhaps in a more modern setting, devastation so fresh that water still flows through the pipes. It was also at this point in the music, for me, that it began to conjure impressions of being in a ravine or rocky gorge. All of these were with a question of being watched in the back of my head. 2. At first with the lingering thoughts of a ruined city already in my mind, the music gave the impression of coming upon a dwarven city. The expansion with voices introduced the scenario of encountering a grand view of a gathered hoard in the pit of this city. The feeling was much more of a despondent anger than the previous piece.
Excellent answers! What cool images you've created. Now imagine how powerful that becomes when the GM adds in more clues as to what you are seeing or hearing?! It becomes amazingly powerful.
My interpretations: 1 - I am deep within caves, travelling through dark passages of rock and stone beneath the ancient ruins of the lost kingdom Ara'thell. The caves are desolate and empty, as though they have been abandoned for a long time... but it is not a peaceful or happy silence. It is simply empty. *Too* empty. Something unnatural dwells in these caves... 2 - Welcome to the magnificent dwarven mines of Karathar. I stand on a wooden rope-bridge, suspended quite precariously within a massive mineshaft. Dwarves cling to the rock-face, suspended by ropes that descend from far above as they mine the dark-grey rock greedily for the precious metals and gemstones so fancied by their race. It is a magnificent and powerful place; true proof of the might of the dwarves. Compared to them, you are very... small. 3 - Turmoil within the spirit realm. Ghosts and spirits sing in regret even as a massive army of elven apparitions gather amidst the misty-blue fog that surrounds all. They are marching to war, marching in the defence of their home. They did not desire war. They did not want conflict. However, tendrils of evil reach for their realm, and so... they will defend what is theirs. They regret the course of action, but simply see no alternative. The dead are on the march. 4 - A hold under siege. Outmanned and outmaneuvered, the defenders prepare to make one last stand against the superior force that assails them. Will they survive? Who knows. The video ran out.
Hmmm. Here are my impressions on the music. 1: I'm walking with a comrade, its night, a crimson moon lights the sky. We are approaching a crumbling ruin. Something is evidently scuttling about, as you can clearly hear rocks slipping. There is a sense of danger, so caution is a top priority. As we get closer, we trudge through some ankle deep water, perhaps a shallow mire. The sense of danger increases, fear is starting to spike, adrenaline starts pumping... 2: I'm standing on the battlement of a castle wall, the wind is softly blowing into my face. The clinking of a blacksmith's hammer can be heard tapping rhythmically behind me. I'm staring in contemplation at an army approaching the castle wall. Stoically, I'm trying to plan and reason on how best to defend my home. I watch resolutely as siege engines are being dragged into place, anticipation the battle that is about to begin... 3: I find myself barefoot, spear in hand. I'm hunting, slipping lightly on my feet through a forest terrain. Nimbly I duck under branches and avoid hanging vegetation as I speedily pursue my elusive prey. I feel confident, I know my skills will not fail me. I am the master here, the top predator... 4: The near overwhelming opulence of my surroundings force me to feel humility. I slowly, but steadily advance through the intricately designed and decorated hallways until I reach a door nearly twice my size. As the door swings open, a page lightly taps his staff on the ground to announce my presence. I swell with pride when I look upon my ruler, my king... Excellently done as always. Music has always had a great impact in my life, and it is so refreshing to see you incorporate it into a setting such as this. I agree that this could very well be the difference between an amazing game, and a completely unforgettable one!
Amazing descriptions! And to a large degree what the composer had hoped for! I love how music can give us such impressions - such vivid impressions! Thanks for the compliment ;) More to come on music that I think will hopefully prove you right!
9:10 about turning off the sound. It may ruin a horror movie, but if you play dead island (or other 1st person zombie games) with no sound, it removes all the warnings that you're about to get attacked, which makes every room terrifying, every corner hides a chance of death. Much anxiety, very scare.
1) Dark Forest, possibly burnt, dead trees. Something is out there, but you're not quite sure where. 2) I think of a mine, or a dwarven/orcish stronghold. You're preparing for a battle, but it's not quite started yet. 3) If you took away the whispering, I'd give a more general setting, but in this case there are a few situations I could see this in. In all of them there is an NPC that is a women or multitude of women, and you are either A) Hiding from it/them hunting you and they're growing closer, B) fighting an ethereal group, or C) exploring haunted ruins. 4) Could be a speech, but I see the scene of troops preparing for the deciding battle of a war.
In the campaign intro, I'm using Song of the Ancients from NieR Gesalt. For the final session, I'm using Atonement from NieR Automata. It's the same song, but with a different instrumental.
I like that you tackle music, especially if you have knowledge in that field of work. I use exactly soundtracks like this in my game. I mix those soundtracks, usually from games and or movie/series with some ambient noises. The music you played had them already mixed in, the crumbling, waterflow to some extend the banging of the smiths. This way I have a little more freedom to use it in certain situations. Aside from this mood music I also tend to give important characters theme music and use special "fighting" music. The one thing that can really up your DMing is if you start to time what you say with the music although that takes a lot of preparation :/
Now you are talking. So Battlebards.com combined the music and sounds. Personally I prefer my music free of sound effects so I can determine the visuals. But these were the clips they gave me. As for prepping what you say with the music - that's my next session! Exactly that!
i take music as a dialogue or a speach saying something in it's language, if the music is less focused around giving what it feels and what it wants to create and focuses instead on what style of dialogue it wants more than anything else, i just can't listen to it an exemple is metal in general, the music i listen in metal/rock is more designed to give something comprehensible and artistically profound rather than focusing on doing metal/rock (exemple : master of pupets, les conquérants de l'univers, black sheep - metric, apply some pressure, weapon - matthew good etc etc), for me it's about the tone and idea that's being given out and how far that speech is given to deliver it's ideas and goal i listen to video game music too for they completelly give a situation, immersion and feeling like no other music can without context or pure genius (everything is in my youtube playlist music and psychedelism, there's some masterpieces, some genuinelly bad music and other videos that are just out there for some reasons) personnally i like the fact that every instruments and sound can give you every part for your immersion as you've shown, may it be water sound or steel being hammered and serious low vocals meaning weapons being drawn = fight happening against evil creature (most likely orcs etc) in a hot area (hammering a weapon mean immense heat is nearby), thanks for the video
1: Dark cave, a feeling of isolation and loneliness with the loud sound of water dripping in the distance. 2. The starting for war, as the camera pans and shows the forges, and transitions to the warriors filled. Making you feel like there is a well structured environment, of dominance and dogmatic structure. 3. Again with the feeling of isolation, someplace dark but this time in an open space as that has a quick pace where you want to run, and escape rather than hide. 4. Makes me feel like an adventure is going to happen, like a hero has just taken up the mantle to fight a great darkness then the end leaving you with an image of this great darkness and the trials that will be in front of you. Two scenes, one in a castle's court, or a underground fortress, then the next the planes with an army laying in wait.
1st is a cold damp cave with rocks being moved by the party 2nd two army's marching towards each other through light rain in an open field. Waving banners and blowing horns. 3rd a dark candle lit tomb with chanting hooded figures reviving a lich 4th a blood covered party standing a top the body of an ancient dragon after a long battle with the sun rising behind them
I would like to hear your opinion on vocals. When should a song definitely not be included? For example, a soloist singer performing in a Howard Shore piece. I also have a song where breathing becomes a percussive element, and I was wondering if that would catch my players too off guard. What about vocals that are jibberish or in a different language(like some witcher music) On the topic of distracting elements, what about contemporary/electronic percussion? I'm thinking when they come across something otherworldly, such as something from the far realm, I could bring in some instrumental techno music. Would that be too jarring?
That third one didn't even feel like the material plane... I think it was somewhere along the juncture between the plane of air and the plane of elemental chaos and whatever odd creatures live there.
I am going to be using music in my upcoming sci fi game to better help set my players into the world. I would love more information on music in my games.
If you are looking for ambience or music, I 10/10 recommend three people. For music, Vindsvept. The man's basically a bard, and his music has a certain feel to it that will enrapture your players. For ambiance and sound effects, use either Guild of Ambience or Michael Ghelfi. Both are unique in their own ways, and as such, both are used frequently in my campaign. All you DMs out there, these channels will become your new best friends if you are looking for reliable soundtracks.
1: Dark dank cave with a monster or dragon living in it. Cliff face with still water near it. Dark. Foreboding. Makes me feel more alert, like I'm waiting for an unwanted confrontation. I kind of imagine walking through a enclosed area, like a cave or crevasse where you have little room to move and rocks are falling and you occasionally move through water and hear water being moved. 2: Preparing for battle. Marching for war. An Epic scene of some sort like PC's seeing a massive fortress or capital city for the first time and being in awe. Makes me feel strong, powerful, ready for a fight. Like I should be in awe of something colossal in size. A stronghold or camp preparing for war, the ringing of smith hammers, the marching drum beat, men saying cadence. 3: Dark scene, nervous energy, black magic. Feels like it would be in a mansion or a castle. The chanting makes me think of spells being said or some sort of ritual happening. It makes me alert and nervous. 4: A adventure montage, epicness is happening. Large mountines, huge fields, a lot of soldiers or people moving. Grand things moving in a grand way. I found you're videos yesterday, and I've gone through so many since then. XD Love your stuff, and will for sure keep watching!
1st track is definitely wading threw a sewer with only the light of a candle to guide the way. 2nd is the armies of some dark lord assembling to assault something. 3rd is a haunted forest with a werewolf on the prowl. 4th is the party arriving at the grand temple of the dwarves, with huge statues of the gods on all sides.
1. The Underdark. Walking along a pathway that has a cliff going downwards on one side and a river on the other. On the other side of the river is a large cliff going up with the occasional waterfall coming down it. The waterfalls causing the cliff to deteriorate and cause rocks to fall off into the water. 2. I think of there being large creatures in the water beside me ready to attack. 3. I feel scared and tense. 1. A stronghold. 2. A montage of knights donning armour, blacksmiths and tinkerers making weapons, people enchanting items and brewing potions in ready for an upcoming battle. 3. A sense of urgency and confidence.
My favourite gaming soundtrack for horror is from Hills have eyes (2006 music by tomandandy) which we used in Pathfinder Hook Mountain Massacre and it totally worked. After a while it was enough just to start tapping on the table and players were going nuts :D Also band Wardruna is amazing for atmospheric music and Giuld of Ambience and Atrium Carcei on youtube have a lot of amazing content. For epic fights I usually use some kickass instrumental industrial metal at least for boss intro (Doom soundtrack is cool for that). I tried to play even with sound effects, but I found it to be too disturbing and delaying a game too much so I use them only very sparely in a very important moment (for example dragon roar or earthquake or ghost scream). Music is best for setting a tone, but after a while is better to switch to ambient one no to disturb too much. Those sound mixers with a lot of repettive sound effects might get annoying so we prefer clear ambient music. Anyway, keep up excelent job, your channel helped me a ton. I prefer to use modules though because I think if you take the best from them and add same amount of your own work you end up better than just starting from a scratch.
Really liked the video. I've mostly used music as a background thing, occasionally changing what is playing as the tone of the scene shifts. I personally enjoy using music, as it just adds that nice extra bit that can give a scene some big impact. So, I am very interested in hearing what else you have to teach on the subject. I have, in recent times, run into a bit of a problem, though. My absolute favorite gaming group has been getting a bit split up as of late, mostly in the form of having to move places. We'd like to keep on going with our sessions over the internet, but I'm having trouble actually finding any service online which will let me play music in the more controlled fashion I had before while in-person, adjusting the volume and cutting pieces suddenly to add suspense. I was wondering if you happened to have anything you could suggest so I could still GM for my group while playing music like I could before.
roll20 directly interfaces with Soundcloud and Tabletop Audio. The only thing is that when searching for music you want, you're better off going to soundcloud.com, finding what you want, then pasting the url in the search box on roll20. You can also set each track to its own volume, make playlists, and have a track repeat. Each player also has a master volume control if they want to adjust it individually. Also, there's the other, main features of roll20 as a benefit too :)
Roll20 is awesome. And thanks to both of you A goddamn Dragon, and Hawkeye277 for responding. I'm glad you did. I've not ventured often into the realm of online play, and when I have done music wasn't my focus... internet connectivity was. I know roll20 is awesome for a lot of stuff, but daunting if you're a noobie!
Oh yes, just for display. It doesn't even have internal head straps etc. At the Icon convention this last weekend our medieval knights were there bashing one another with swords. It's awesome, but I prefer magic :)
Hello Serbia! Lighting can be a great help! I did a video on Tone and chatted about lighting a bit. If you can afford dimmers in your gaming space - low lighting is good but not too low - we do have to read character sheets, rules etc. But lower than normal is good. Brighter than normal is good too. Often times a candle or two can help a scene, but unless you can change it quickly I think it's more for general ambiance than practical use. Hope this helps?
first piece of music=Underdark and im thinking of drow/duergar/hooked horror ambush and rocks falling on me and i feel like i need to have teleport and invisibility at hand. 11:00 haunted orphanage/hospital that was abandoned 15+ years ago when all those people DIED IN THE FIRE!!! :O i wish someone in my group brought a big sack of rocksalt
I like to use music for my games, i've bought some bluetooth speakers for when i'm not gming at home! the WORST part of it is to buildup the soundtracks! my playlist is still really rough since i DO NOT listen to music very much. I've found that i had tons of soundtracks from videogames that were PERFECT. i've categorized them (atm only for fantasy) as following: Epic, Mystic, Stealth, Suspance, Tavern, Tranquil and Combat. So i can change the playlist while we are playing to set the tone. I couple it with a free online soundboard (do not want to advertise unless authorized) and it works for me. Having more time i could choose SPECIFIC tracks for my adventure but that means a LOT OF TIME for me since iìd have to listen to hours and hours of music and create a list for each session
Unfortunately, as you'll see in the next couple videos you need to know your music collection inside and out... which takes time. But fear not! It will happen. It sounds like you are off to a really great start already!
I'm a new DM using 5e, and I just want to start off expressing my extreme appreciation for your content; it is engaging, intriguing, and clearly well-thought-out. I'm trying to engage my players as much as possible, so I want to use music as best as possible. My question is this: when should I be playing music and when should I not? The answer feels more obvious in battle or if I'm doing some sort of descriptive monologue of a long-lasting area; however, with something like talking to NPCs in a town or shopkeepers, the answer seems less so. I'd appreciate any input. Thank you.
Welcome to the table if you've just joined us! And thank you for the words it really encourages me to make more! As for your question I am going to answer it in the next session so hold on to your hat! It's a coming!
It's so much harder to find music that fits the bill when you are a classically trained musician/composer. The Hollywood Trailer Music stuff is just too cheesy. Thinking about composing my own and making a UA-cam channel around it. Not sure what to start with. Any ideas/tips?
The first sound bite made me envision a party walking out of a forest under a dark moon. They walk alongside a fast moving creek towards a majestic castle lit from within. A beacon of light in a darkened world. The second sound bite makes me envision a half lit cavern that you walk through. On the walls you see gold flecks in the rock. You enter a main cavern to see many dwarves pounding steel into swords and armour, preparing for war. You can feel the grim determination alongside the heat of the forge. The third makes me envision tribal people living in a tree city like the Wookiee’s of kashyyk. Small burning lamps light the pathway as the light breeze rustles the leaves on a warm summer night.
For the last one I envision someone like sir snow from GOT I think standing in front of a massively army yelling about how they may take their lives but never their freedom.
It's funny, while I agree with the vast majority of this video, my issue with using music, and why I don't use it More often, is not that I don't see the value in the music. My issue is that I don't have the capacity to handle the music player on top of all of the other things that I'm doing while I am the DM. I had been hoping to See more of the technical aspects of a ranging music and sound tracks in such a way that they can be used without distracting from the game. Do you know of any such videos or resources for doing that?
make giant playlist for every occasion - battle music, creepy music , dramatic, cave etc... put either long ambient songs like for cave ambience, or short silly songs for occasion .. I have used viking music for battles, they are nice and atmospheric Have used heroes might and magic, diablo 2 music Recently used Snow white & 7 dwarfs ost music, cause my guys have literally visited them, yes I play with lots of silly references which everyone usually gets and can associate to
The first piece: Underground dark but peaceful and resting seems possible The second: A castle or other man made building. Not at all restful, something seems to be expected of me.
1: A dark, dreadful, volcanic ash field. The sky tainted dark grey with the layers of ash rising from the volcanos 2: I feel fear, yet a hint of epicness. The introduction of the main villain sitting on his throne of skulls and bones, toying with the players as if they were mere incects. 3: A dark cave on an abandoned island that the players know is inhabited but by what? A native cultist tribe. Very errie. 4: The final battle was won, they stand over a field of golden, glistening grass, over the corpses of the many enemies they had to face
I regard music in my sessions as essential. To me, it separates a good GM from a great GM. The first time I played D&D, I had the best DM. He had music all prepared and it was fantastic. I only realized how important it was when I played without it. I find adding music makes the awkward silences when nobody knows what to say or do feel much shorter, and as long as something is playing, I think it engages the players more. The problem I have is that I use roll20 in a lot of my gaming, and it gives each player a master volume control for themselves. A lot of my players use this to completely mute everything I play. Any tips on how I can get more of my players into the music? I love watching these videos, they're always incredibly helpful (especially the one on accents) and insightful, and I'd LOVE to see more about music because as I said, I think it's essential to the game.
The challenge we have is one that I think I mention in the video: a lot of people don't understand (having not learned it) more classical music with it's complexities and so do mute it. I would imagine that finding more contemporary stuff from a composer like John Ottman who wrote the music for Xmen Apoc, Matrix etc. where he is less about the undertone and more about the impact as a way of bridging that understanding? Hans Zimmer in the 90's was fairly neutral too (The Rock, Conair etc.) whilst people like Williams and Goldsmith have been and always will be fairy complex in their writing style. Klaus Badeldt (sp) was a zimmer protoge so he is also fairly good to look at (Reign of Fire).
I can't really say what I feel emotionally wise. But, I can certainly picture each setting and whats going on around me. Quick summary. First bit: Slightly flooded Cave or Dungeon dimly lit, with occasional narrow paths you have to shimmy across, and when it gets loud towards the end you caught a glimpse of a monster that skulked around the corner. Second Bit: (a) A large blacksmith's building with several Blacksmiths pounding away making weapons with great passion. (b) A slaves being led by a slaver in a shackled line. Third Bit: You are looking over a summoning ritual by a rather large cult as they are preforming the ceremony. Forth Bit: I picture entering a Barbarian mountain village as some kind of festival of sorts is going on.
1: i look around. I'm in an ancient, abandoned castle in the middle of a dark, dead landscape covered by grey clouds. As i walk towards it, i keep hearing Horses running behind me but i can't seem to see anyone. I am... really, really scared. 2_ I approach the throne room. Anxiety and Adrenaline are going crazy inside me while i reach the giant door. i ready my sword. The way up to here has been pure hell. What will i find on the other side? Only one way to find out, i guess... 3: i'm in some sort of sewer system... or... an underground tunnel of some sort. I hear voices... i'm in full alert mode, looking around in case of sudden movements or ambushes. Suddenly two figures charge at me, and i start fighting back... in a oddly slow pace 4: i'm in a grandious temple. I've been brought there to... idk, probably get some sort of power granted by their god to defeat evil or something.
1st scene: Dark/Gothic cave with music that seems both unsettling, yet mysterious 2nd scene: it feels like, discovering something ominous, for whatever reason i picture some demon ritual taking place, but the trudging pacing feels like there is a force to be reckoned with if it is to be faced. 3rd scene: Perhaps the sinking feeling of being discovered by this then previously established, overpowering force. 4th scene: Sounds like an empowering feeling, victorious I feel your points of vocals are correct and that they can be distracting, though i would be a hypocrite to suggest i don't use them. Hence in the example i provided in the comments section of the 3rd video the wretched, i feel that in that particular case, vocals are used to reinforce the repulsive and confusing mess of the game. Typically most games though, yeah, you probably want to avoid using them.
Thanks man, i always like to think how a game makes me feel because even if someone doesn't play in character, you can really hit home with the music used
1- Entering some unknown lair. The air is covered with ashes, no sunlight gets through the thick brownish fog. There is a city at the center of wich lies a seemingly abandonned castle. Pikes and pieces of metal everywhere on the town's walls. There are bones on them. Half skulls hanging without jaw. The air itself stinks, and unholy things seems to float on the water that floods the place here and there. There is a feeling, as if every empty window had eyes watching us. An oppressive feeling of un-loneliness. We are not alone. 2- The same place, further in the town. We are upper now. No more water. And the walls seems to be better kept. A faint rumor can be heard, wich grows. There are things patroling the streets! Upon finding a place to hide, we see brutish creatures walking, clad in black armor, shouting orders to others. They are going to the castle. Answering a call.
1. I'm in Antarctica in an ice breaker ship. Cold and alone 2. I'm in ancient Mongolia on the war path. 3. Fighting against the amazons 4. Playing super smash bros with a priest of the eastern Orthodox church
I personally like to take a track of music from a film ro Videogame I think works well and edit it for the situation. But not all of you are insane so battle bards works too...
5 років тому+3
So, does this mean, I prefer classical music and soundtracks, because modern music is just to simple for me o_O ?
1. Warily a small group of survicors stalks the shattered ruins of Rach Anmar, a once beatufil city of sparkling glass skyscrapers and science the d-wave charges have reduced it to a pile of rubble in which scavengers and lone survivors try to make a living. 2. The mighty Gath'kari legions march through the badlands, thousands upon thousands of troops crushing every tiny bit of vegetation below their feet. Great machines of war, pulled by behemoths sewn of flesh split the ranks and the ground shakes as the Gath which gives them their names lumbers, each collosal foot leaving imprints several meters deep behind. 3. Dimly lit temple hallways leading to a sacrificial altar upon which the daughter of the seven suns is to spill her blood. 4. The united armies of men, elves, dwarves, dragons, giants, and fey stand in rank and file. Before them sits Orgrim Brighthammer atop Bahamut the platinum dragon. "Raise thine swords with me on this day, follow me through the gates of hell and on this day we shall slay Asmodeus and prove to beings of all planes: DARKNESS WILL NOT PREVAIL, WE WILL NOT FALTER, WE WILL NOT BACK DOWN AND N O O N E THAT ATTEMPTS TO DESTROY OUR HOME WILL GO UNPUNISHED"
If you want some good ass music for d&d i highly recommend Johannes Bornlöf he has a SoundCloud here's a link to some of his work. soundcloud.com/johannes-bornl-f/army-of-angels-1
I want the next video! I'm hip to the power of soundtrack scores for evoking mood. I need technical details on HOW to use the things. I tried hard in the once-upon-a-time to use music to good effect in my games, but failed in a miserable way. Of course, I have not had an opportunity to try since I've accumulated assorted iPods/iPhones and bluetooth speaker systems. Could be a substantial help over my old mix-cassette collections in my boombox.
I used to us a single CD player and have a stack of my old CDs next to me. I sold around maybe 500 CD's when I moved town, but still easily have 300 left. But mix-cassette... dear lord ;p I will get to the HOW in the next session or two ;)
1. I'm underground, it is dark, and moist. I hear other living or not beings outside of my "range" it make me nervous and somewhat cowardly. 2. I'm in orcish or some other barbarian/heroic fortes. I'm part of it and wee are going to some epic war/battle. 3. Witch sabat in some ruined cathedral.
I've been running D&D for years. For some reason i never really thought about music. A while ago, I realised that it is a critical point to the game.
On of my PCs likes to sneak around and be an assassin. usually it plays out normally. It's cool and fun blah blah blah. One day he decides to sneak to a fortress to obtain some documents. As he did so, I started playing a piano instrumental of "mission impossible" and it is one of the most memorable things he can remember in D&D.
3:30 We're definitely outside the gates of Moria.
Considering the production value of these videos, you deserve at least 100, 000 subscribers (perhaps even more)!
Thank you so much for these videos, they're immensely helpful. :)
In regards to the music, here are my interpretations:
1- Me and fellow adventurers are wading through shallow, murky waters as we approach a ruined keep during nightfall. Whispering between the cleric and sorcerer occur as our rogue raises her hand . "You hold back here, I'd like to get a better look at the entrance" she utters out, before slipping away into the darkness.
2- Within the mines of Mount Kvailen, as Dwarves begin erecting large siege machines, pounding steel against steel to form axes and hammers which shall fall the enemy army.
3- The party is sleuthing through a jungle, attempting to hunt a creature or some sort.
4- A general stands before an army just before attempting a final stand of sorts, trying to muster what little hope left there is to rally the troops. Perhaps they'll defend their homeland against the invaders, but after losing so much, it's highly unlikely.
And I would see it done! Then there would be a 100 000 people having fun, and perhaps a bit more fun as a result! Thank you for your kind words. Your interpretations are fantastic too. Mount Kvailen sounds like a great place, though the murky waters sound dangerous.. your rogue for one! Thank you for sharing your thoughts, and interpretations with us. We can only get better!
The second two are very similar to my descriptions.
I've made horror settings work well with music.
And what type of music do you use?
A lot of game soundtrack stuff has worked great for me so far. "Darkest Dungeon", "Outlast", various Elder Scrolls tracks, and even "Undertale" has a lot of really useful tracks. There's also a bunch of other tracks selected from various sources.
The music is selected solely on how it fits the narrative that I am acting out. Creating contrasts is the most important thing, so even having pleasant music is important, though this can vary somewhat depending on the setting.
A recent example in a D&D campaign, if you care: The party were lost in a great mountain range after a devastating encounter with a great beast which sent them far off their course.
The area is completely uninhabited, and they spend almost a week with limited resources to take a large detour that will hopefully keep them safe from said beast. During this part, I'm simply playing some ambient outdoor music from Skyrim to give a feel for the geographical grandness. Such as this:
www.infinitelooper.com/?v=LGtzUfJbwNo&p=n
Eventually, they stumble upon an unexpected path, and even find a very simple fence, and eventually come upon a small hamlet near a large cliffside.
No one expected to find this, but no one are familiar with this region either to begin with, so they mostly roll with it when they see how isolated the inhabitants seem in their life style.
Immediately upon finding this hamlet, I start playing this:
www.infinitelooper.com/?v=tLlNQtkDWLo&p=n#/0;1013
The inhabitants seem friendly and generally forthcoming, generally excited to see visitors, which is a rare occurrence.
At least one player has creeping suspicions, but his character remains calm and tries to probe at them with seemingly innocuous questions. He does not make much progress, as the inhabitants seem poorly informed
about the outside world in general.
However, some lines I slip into their dialogue seem... *odd* when considering the lore of the setting, thus keeping lingering suspicions for some players going.
The party seeks for aid in escaping the mountain and getting back to civilization, and are pointed to the local lord's house. Supposedly he and his wife rule the mountain range, and one of their homes is in the hamlet. It functions as a local gathering place and a place for whatever celebrations are to be had there, and it's architecture sharply stands out from the otherwise very humble buildings of the hamlet.
They are told they will be given an audience by nightfall in the lord's basement library. While waiting, they eat and drink in the house's main floor together with the other inhabitants, with the basement door in clear sight.
The same music is still looping, and I've already received several comments by the players about the atmosphere it's created by that point.
One player starts asking some questions related to the suspicious lines I snuck in, and seems to get answers that don't quite match the contemporary world's situation. When pressed on this point, one villager starts stuttering and seems confused.
I change the music again.
www.infinitelooper.com/?v=qMX3aVbNdvo
The party is now starting to get real suspicious, and are told that they can now go see the lord. However, when they go to the door, they are not met by what they expect.
I show them a picture of what they are seeing, being a large, curving staircase of stone and decorated pillar supports that very clearly do not seem natural at all for this house, and are going far below underground.
An NPC hireling outright demands answers for what is going on, and the players ask some final questions, but now finding themselves partially surrounded by the villagers in a half-circle around the basement door.
The final questions seem to spark a reaction, with now *all* the villagers stuttering and being confused.
One of them asks for his wife and says "it's... so cold..."
I change the music.
www.infinitelooper.com/?v=K-EHmQHUwB8&p=n#/0;991
The villagers, about two dozen, start to shift skin color, their features draining, hair going white, some of it falling out. They start turning transparent and looking corpse-like with sunken, whitening eyes, all the while their speech starts altering as they speak, seemingly "glitching" and growing hoarse and wailing, a confused babble as if they have no real awareness of what is happening. (naturally, I role played almost all of it to the full extent of my ability)
I have the players throw constitution saving throws. Two fail. They regurgitate the food the villagers had given them, now crawling with writhing maggots and rot.
The villager apparitions start closing ranks while mumbling their babble, and the party starts backing into the basement.
At this point, all the players are clearly terrified and sweating, and I keep the music going as their rush causes them to trigger a trap that made most of them suffer from terrifying hallucinations.
They were literally terrified of every little shadow I described in the corridors far underground.(I even had a reference picture that set their imagination really well)
Lots of other fun, scary stuff happened afterwards, too, and the most consistent feedback I got was how greatly the music was used to set the tone and reinforce the scenery.
Dude! Sounds totally amazing. And horrific - and what an ordeal you put your players through! It sounds totally delicious. Thank you for sharing. I wonder if you shouldn't be doing these videos! Your group is really luck to have you as their GM.
The idea that the village is a ghastly necromantic pit of doom was so well played. It just comes back to that old chestnut of "take away hope, then give it to them, then take it away." for maximum effect!
Really cool :)
Oh yes, they eventually defeated the evil lurking underground(a Medusa trying to revive her husband as a mummy lord) and escaped the collapsing caverns while having to carry one petrified PC. When they reemerged above ground, they saw that the hamlet didn't exist anymore, with just the moss-covered foundations walls barely visible. Made sure to describe the mountain landscape as bleak and clouded, and played somber music all the while.
They wanted to get away from the area as quickly as possible.
At a later point in the campaign, several sessions later, the players had "vision dreams", and one of the players had a vision that put her into the feet of a child in the hamlet, hundreds of years ago, letting her witness what had happened to the villagers. (for extra effect, the PC saw the villager's faces as being those of the PC's own family members)
The player had an instant *"NOOOO"* reaction as soon as I started playing that "hamlet theme" I used the first time.
SCORE! That's what you want. The players to get involved and to have those moments! Super awesome!
What were the names of the tracks used? Specifically the third one. That was amazing!
Great to hear you have a background in film scoring, can't wait to hear more!
Well in meddling with film scores and composers but yes I've worked on several soundtracks to local SA films and am happy to share! Thanks for the comment.
I love your content! I found your channel while just looking to learn about D&D but I’ve ended up learning so much more: The art of story telling, how to structure a narrative, social &group dynamics, and now about music and it’s history. Lots of extra value! Keep making videos like this. Thanks!
Music effects me heavily, gives me a lot of inspiration.
I have been contemplating this for some time. Still not sure. May give it a go as opposed to just generally having tunes on. I will see what folks think, worth a try.
Great stuff. Thanks for sharing.
first one we are in a ruin... it's dark and you get the feeling of being watched.
second, we are near a volcano with a Fort at the base. the battle is immiment and we know it will be difficult.
Third, we are traveling across a rain forest jungle with what seems like the remnants of a once great civilization. it's a little scary in its overgrowth but we press on.
Lastly, we just finished a great battle in an underground dungeon at an old magnificent temple. the feeling is that of great triumph and a bit of happiness that the quest is finally over after so long.
These tracks are great and I hope you continue to do segments like this. THANK YOU😄
you're awesome, very well thought out videos.
I use music every session, and its always given a fantastic element to the session. Your extra information, and delving into the why is definitely a push to the next level. Great video as always
Many thanks man! Glad to help take it up a notch. Understanding is power in my opinion!
I feel very monothematic, as the three songs made me think:
Dungeon
Desolated mines (but with a feeling of "we are fixing this)
Evil/abandoned temple
Music can make your scene funnier or feel more epic. My brother is our main DM and he has his main playlist which is just Darkest Dungeon and Skyrim OST. I don't like having the exact same music all the time, but he plays it really well. When they're a more unique boss, or a unique location we get a different soundtrack. For example our first arc of our current campaign was in a big kingdom and it was all very generic fantasy until we made it to the capital which was introduced by the Orlais suite from dragon age and made the place feel authentic. In our last campaign we fought a huge army of Mind Flayers and Weavers (weavers are a homebrew lovecraftian abberation that in his lore are kind of the mind flayer soldiers). The music made the fight sound alien and the enormous gatekeeper that protected the portal was actually scary. After that we also fought an Efreeti Sultan in an arc that was kind of the "end" of our character's storyline. His fight was way harder requiring all the players of the campaign (we often played in groups of four but we had a large pool of players) we had 4lvl 10 players, 2 lvl 13players and 4 lvl 16 players. Even then the fight was really, really hard (before even getting there each group had their own mission the lvl 16's, who included me had to fight themselves through about 50 Azer and a fire giant.). The music made the entire fight feel unique, this wasn't a generic battle, this mattered, we had to win.
first piece I get the feeling of a row boat slowly moving into a cave.
Thanks for this! Your videos are enormously helpful to me, and I feel like this series in particular will really give my campaign a boost.
Music is really powerful. So I hope it really does help you!
Please more! You are an amazing GM, and the amount of thought and feeling you put into roleplaying is admirable. You are certainly under-noticed for such high quality Tips and explanations
Many thanks Marc! I love this game, and hope it helps you improve your game a little?
I like where this is going, and I'm going to have to check out battlebards myself. This looks like an under-viewed start of a great video series.
Thanks for introducing me to Battle Bards!
1. The music evokes a feeling of ominous solitude, perhaps in some kind of dark underground setting or crumbling castle or equally a freshly ruined city with unstable piles of rubble. The water sounds conjured up thoughts of wet stone, water running down the side of a wall or perhaps in a more modern setting, devastation so fresh that water still flows through the pipes. It was also at this point in the music, for me, that it began to conjure impressions of being in a ravine or rocky gorge. All of these were with a question of being watched in the back of my head.
2. At first with the lingering thoughts of a ruined city already in my mind, the music gave the impression of coming upon a dwarven city. The expansion with voices introduced the scenario of encountering a grand view of a gathered hoard in the pit of this city. The feeling was much more of a despondent anger than the previous piece.
Excellent answers! What cool images you've created. Now imagine how powerful that becomes when the GM adds in more clues as to what you are seeing or hearing?! It becomes amazingly powerful.
My interpretations:
1 - I am deep within caves, travelling through dark passages of rock and stone beneath the ancient ruins of the lost kingdom Ara'thell. The caves are desolate and empty, as though they have been abandoned for a long time... but it is not a peaceful or happy silence. It is simply empty. *Too* empty. Something unnatural dwells in these caves...
2 - Welcome to the magnificent dwarven mines of Karathar. I stand on a wooden rope-bridge, suspended quite precariously within a massive mineshaft. Dwarves cling to the rock-face, suspended by ropes that descend from far above as they mine the dark-grey rock greedily for the precious metals and gemstones so fancied by their race. It is a magnificent and powerful place; true proof of the might of the dwarves. Compared to them, you are very... small.
3 - Turmoil within the spirit realm. Ghosts and spirits sing in regret even as a massive army of elven apparitions gather amidst the misty-blue fog that surrounds all. They are marching to war, marching in the defence of their home. They did not desire war. They did not want conflict. However, tendrils of evil reach for their realm, and so... they will defend what is theirs. They regret the course of action, but simply see no alternative. The dead are on the march.
4 - A hold under siege. Outmanned and outmaneuvered, the defenders prepare to make one last stand against the superior force that assails them. Will they survive? Who knows. The video ran out.
That's a great video who deserves more views.
Hmmm. Here are my impressions on the music. 1: I'm walking with a comrade, its night, a crimson moon lights the sky. We are approaching a crumbling ruin. Something is evidently scuttling about, as you can clearly hear rocks slipping. There is a sense of danger, so caution is a top priority. As we get closer, we trudge through some ankle deep water, perhaps a shallow mire. The sense of danger increases, fear is starting to spike, adrenaline starts pumping... 2: I'm standing on the battlement of a castle wall, the wind is softly blowing into my face. The clinking of a blacksmith's hammer can be heard tapping rhythmically behind me. I'm staring in contemplation at an army approaching the castle wall. Stoically, I'm trying to plan and reason on how best to defend my home. I watch resolutely as siege engines are being dragged into place, anticipation the battle that is about to begin... 3: I find myself barefoot, spear in hand. I'm hunting, slipping lightly on my feet through a forest terrain. Nimbly I duck under branches and avoid hanging vegetation as I speedily pursue my elusive prey. I feel confident, I know my skills will not fail me. I am the master here, the top predator... 4: The near overwhelming opulence of my surroundings force me to feel humility. I slowly, but steadily advance through the intricately designed and decorated hallways until I reach a door nearly twice my size. As the door swings open, a page lightly taps his staff on the ground to announce my presence. I swell with pride when I look upon my ruler, my king...
Excellently done as always. Music has always had a great impact in my life, and it is so refreshing to see you incorporate it into a setting such as this. I agree that this could very well be the difference between an amazing game, and a completely unforgettable one!
Amazing descriptions! And to a large degree what the composer had hoped for! I love how music can give us such impressions - such vivid impressions! Thanks for the compliment ;) More to come on music that I think will hopefully prove you right!
I need that inspirational music at the end. Just play it behind me for my entire life lol.
The first two have me goosebumps on my head... Don't think I've had that before
Now that's the power of music! Thanks for the feedback!
Thanks mate for these outstanding videos
I love this. I'm so glad you guys made it.
9:10 about turning off the sound. It may ruin a horror movie, but if you play dead island (or other 1st person zombie games) with no sound, it removes all the warnings that you're about to get attacked, which makes every room terrifying, every corner hides a chance of death. Much anxiety, very scare.
1) Dark Forest, possibly burnt, dead trees. Something is out there, but you're not quite sure where.
2) I think of a mine, or a dwarven/orcish stronghold. You're preparing for a battle, but it's not quite started yet.
3) If you took away the whispering, I'd give a more general setting, but in this case there are a few situations I could see this in. In all of them there is an NPC that is a women or multitude of women, and you are either A) Hiding from it/them hunting you and they're growing closer, B) fighting an ethereal group, or C) exploring haunted ruins.
4) Could be a speech, but I see the scene of troops preparing for the deciding battle of a war.
In the campaign intro, I'm using Song of the Ancients from NieR Gesalt.
For the final session, I'm using Atonement from NieR Automata. It's the same song, but with a different instrumental.
I like that you tackle music, especially if you have knowledge in that field of work.
I use exactly soundtracks like this in my game.
I mix those soundtracks, usually from games and or movie/series with some ambient noises. The music you played had them already mixed in, the crumbling, waterflow to some extend the banging of the smiths.
This way I have a little more freedom to use it in certain situations.
Aside from this mood music I also tend to give important characters theme music and use special "fighting" music.
The one thing that can really up your DMing is if you start to time what you say with the music although that takes a lot of preparation :/
Now you are talking. So Battlebards.com combined the music and sounds. Personally I prefer my music free of sound effects so I can determine the visuals. But these were the clips they gave me. As for prepping what you say with the music - that's my next session! Exactly that!
Listening with headphones on! Check
Wow, this channel is so great and helpfull... ^^ and has so much character
I am a GM so... I'm all about the characters :p
The second piece made me feel like we are being surrounded in an underground cavern.
i take music as a dialogue or a speach saying something in it's language, if the music is less focused around giving what it feels and what it wants to create and focuses instead on what style of dialogue it wants more than anything else, i just can't listen to it
an exemple is metal in general, the music i listen in metal/rock is more designed to give something comprehensible and artistically profound rather than focusing on doing metal/rock (exemple : master of pupets, les conquérants de l'univers, black sheep - metric, apply some pressure, weapon - matthew good etc etc), for me it's about the tone and idea that's being given out and how far that speech is given to deliver it's ideas and goal
i listen to video game music too for they completelly give a situation, immersion and feeling like no other music can without context or pure genius (everything is in my youtube playlist music and psychedelism, there's some masterpieces, some genuinelly bad music and other videos that are just out there for some reasons)
personnally i like the fact that every instruments and sound can give you every part for your immersion as you've shown, may it be water sound or steel being hammered and serious low vocals meaning weapons being drawn = fight happening against evil creature (most likely orcs etc) in a hot area (hammering a weapon mean immense heat is nearby), thanks for the video
1: Dark cave, a feeling of isolation and loneliness with the loud sound of water dripping in the distance.
2. The starting for war, as the camera pans and shows the forges, and transitions to the warriors filled. Making you feel like there is a well structured environment, of dominance and dogmatic structure.
3. Again with the feeling of isolation, someplace dark but this time in an open space as that has a quick pace where you want to run, and escape rather than hide.
4. Makes me feel like an adventure is going to happen, like a hero has just taken up the mantle to fight a great darkness then the end leaving you with an image of this great darkness and the trials that will be in front of you. Two scenes, one in a castle's court, or a underground fortress, then the next the planes with an army laying in wait.
I would love more of this series
We agree!
1st is a cold damp cave with rocks being moved by the party
2nd two army's marching towards each other through light rain in an open field. Waving banners and blowing horns.
3rd a dark candle lit tomb with chanting hooded figures reviving a lich
4th a blood covered party standing a top the body of an ancient dragon after a long battle with the sun rising behind them
I would like to hear your opinion on vocals. When should a song definitely not be included? For example, a soloist singer performing in a Howard Shore piece. I also have a song where breathing becomes a percussive element, and I was wondering if that would catch my players too off guard. What about vocals that are jibberish or in a different language(like some witcher music)
On the topic of distracting elements, what about contemporary/electronic percussion? I'm thinking when they come across something otherworldly, such as something from the far realm, I could bring in some instrumental techno music. Would that be too jarring?
That third one didn't even feel like the material plane... I think it was somewhere along the juncture between the plane of air and the plane of elemental chaos and whatever odd creatures live there.
I am going to be using music in my upcoming sci fi game to better help set my players into the world. I would love more information on music in my games.
Roger! Sci-fi music is tricky but good. will cover it as much as I can!
Cant find this sound track on battledards i like it so much its driving me crazy (10:20)
If you are looking for ambience or music, I 10/10 recommend three people. For music, Vindsvept. The man's basically a bard, and his music has a certain feel to it that will enrapture your players. For ambiance and sound effects, use either Guild of Ambience or Michael Ghelfi. Both are unique in their own ways, and as such, both are used frequently in my campaign. All you DMs out there, these channels will become your new best friends if you are looking for reliable soundtracks.
1: Dark dank cave with a monster or dragon living in it. Cliff face with still water near it. Dark. Foreboding. Makes me feel more alert, like I'm waiting for an unwanted confrontation. I kind of imagine walking through a enclosed area, like a cave or crevasse where you have little room to move and rocks are falling and you occasionally move through water and hear water being moved.
2: Preparing for battle. Marching for war. An Epic scene of some sort like PC's seeing a massive fortress or capital city for the first time and being in awe. Makes me feel strong, powerful, ready for a fight. Like I should be in awe of something colossal in size. A stronghold or camp preparing for war, the ringing of smith hammers, the marching drum beat, men saying cadence.
3: Dark scene, nervous energy, black magic. Feels like it would be in a mansion or a castle. The chanting makes me think of spells being said or some sort of ritual happening. It makes me alert and nervous.
4: A adventure montage, epicness is happening. Large mountines, huge fields, a lot of soldiers or people moving. Grand things moving in a grand way.
I found you're videos yesterday, and I've gone through so many since then. XD
Love your stuff, and will for sure keep watching!
1st track is definitely wading threw a sewer with only the light of a candle to guide the way.
2nd is the armies of some dark lord assembling to assault something.
3rd is a haunted forest with a werewolf on the prowl.
4th is the party arriving at the grand temple of the dwarves, with huge statues of the gods on all sides.
1. The Underdark. Walking along a pathway that has a cliff going downwards on one side and a river on the other. On the other side of the river is a large cliff going up with the occasional waterfall coming down it. The waterfalls causing the cliff to deteriorate and cause rocks to fall off into the water.
2. I think of there being large creatures in the water beside me ready to attack.
3. I feel scared and tense.
1. A stronghold.
2. A montage of knights donning armour, blacksmiths and tinkerers making weapons, people enchanting items and brewing potions in ready for an upcoming battle.
3. A sense of urgency and confidence.
My favourite gaming soundtrack for horror is from Hills have eyes (2006 music by tomandandy) which we used in Pathfinder Hook Mountain Massacre and it totally worked. After a while it was enough just to start tapping on the table and players were going nuts :D Also band Wardruna is amazing for atmospheric music and Giuld of Ambience and Atrium Carcei on youtube have a lot of amazing content. For epic fights I usually use some kickass instrumental industrial metal at least for boss intro (Doom soundtrack is cool for that). I tried to play even with sound effects, but I found it to be too disturbing and delaying a game too much so I use them only very sparely in a very important moment (for example dragon roar or earthquake or ghost scream). Music is best for setting a tone, but after a while is better to switch to ambient one no to disturb too much. Those sound mixers with a lot of repettive sound effects might get annoying so we prefer clear ambient music. Anyway, keep up excelent job, your channel helped me a ton. I prefer to use modules though because I think if you take the best from them and add same amount of your own work you end up better than just starting from a scratch.
Opera that screeches, sounds like either Wagner or Verdi
Really liked the video. I've mostly used music as a background thing, occasionally changing what is playing as the tone of the scene shifts. I personally enjoy using music, as it just adds that nice extra bit that can give a scene some big impact. So, I am very interested in hearing what else you have to teach on the subject.
I have, in recent times, run into a bit of a problem, though. My absolute favorite gaming group has been getting a bit split up as of late, mostly in the form of having to move places. We'd like to keep on going with our sessions over the internet, but I'm having trouble actually finding any service online which will let me play music in the more controlled fashion I had before while in-person, adjusting the volume and cutting pieces suddenly to add suspense. I was wondering if you happened to have anything you could suggest so I could still GM for my group while playing music like I could before.
I'll check it out, thank you!
roll20 directly interfaces with Soundcloud and Tabletop Audio. The only thing is that when searching for music you want, you're better off going to soundcloud.com, finding what you want, then pasting the url in the search box on roll20. You can also set each track to its own volume, make playlists, and have a track repeat. Each player also has a master volume control if they want to adjust it individually. Also, there's the other, main features of roll20 as a benefit too :)
Roll20 is awesome. And thanks to both of you A goddamn Dragon, and Hawkeye277 for responding. I'm glad you did. I've not ventured often into the realm of online play, and when I have done music wasn't my focus... internet connectivity was. I know roll20 is awesome for a lot of stuff, but daunting if you're a noobie!
nice sugarloaf helm in the background, have a similar one
And to think I found it in a shop that sells shower fittings, hair extensions, and medieval Armour... lol
is it just for show cause mine's suitable for armoured fighting (has a few nice dents in it from that)
Oh yes, just for display. It doesn't even have internal head straps etc. At the Icon convention this last weekend our medieval knights were there bashing one another with swords. It's awesome, but I prefer magic :)
What are your thoughts on the use of lighting to convey tone, and how practical it is. Your videos are a great help! Cheers from Serbia!
Hello Serbia! Lighting can be a great help! I did a video on Tone and chatted about lighting a bit. If you can afford dimmers in your gaming space - low lighting is good but not too low - we do have to read character sheets, rules etc. But lower than normal is good. Brighter than normal is good too. Often times a candle or two can help a scene, but unless you can change it quickly I think it's more for general ambiance than practical use. Hope this helps?
first piece of music=Underdark and im thinking of drow/duergar/hooked horror ambush and rocks falling on me and i feel like i need to have teleport and invisibility at hand. 11:00 haunted orphanage/hospital that was abandoned 15+ years ago when all those people DIED IN THE FIRE!!! :O i wish someone in my group brought a big sack of rocksalt
I like to use music for my games, i've bought some bluetooth speakers for when i'm not gming at home! the WORST part of it is to buildup the soundtracks! my playlist is still really rough since i DO NOT listen to music very much. I've found that i had tons of soundtracks from videogames that were PERFECT. i've categorized them (atm only for fantasy) as following: Epic, Mystic, Stealth, Suspance, Tavern, Tranquil and Combat. So i can change the playlist while we are playing to set the tone. I couple it with a free online soundboard (do not want to advertise unless authorized) and it works for me. Having more time i could choose SPECIFIC tracks for my adventure but that means a LOT OF TIME for me since iìd have to listen to hours and hours of music and create a list for each session
Unfortunately, as you'll see in the next couple videos you need to know your music collection inside and out... which takes time. But fear not! It will happen. It sounds like you are off to a really great start already!
I'm a new DM using 5e, and I just want to start off expressing my extreme appreciation for your content; it is engaging, intriguing, and clearly well-thought-out. I'm trying to engage my players as much as possible, so I want to use music as best as possible. My question is this: when should I be playing music and when should I not? The answer feels more obvious in battle or if I'm doing some sort of descriptive monologue of a long-lasting area; however, with something like talking to NPCs in a town or shopkeepers, the answer seems less so. I'd appreciate any input. Thank you.
Welcome to the table if you've just joined us! And thank you for the words it really encourages me to make more! As for your question I am going to answer it in the next session so hold on to your hat! It's a coming!
It's so much harder to find music that fits the bill when you are a classically trained musician/composer. The Hollywood Trailer Music stuff is just too cheesy. Thinking about composing my own and making a UA-cam channel around it. Not sure what to start with.
Any ideas/tips?
The first sound bite made me envision a party walking out of a forest under a dark moon. They walk alongside a fast moving creek towards a majestic castle lit from within. A beacon of light in a darkened world.
The second sound bite makes me envision a half lit cavern that you walk through. On the walls you see gold flecks in the rock. You enter a main cavern to see many dwarves pounding steel into swords and armour, preparing for war. You can feel the grim determination alongside the heat of the forge.
The third makes me envision tribal people living in a tree city like the Wookiee’s of kashyyk. Small burning lamps light the pathway as the light breeze rustles the leaves on a warm summer night.
For the last one I envision someone like sir snow from GOT I think standing in front of a massively army yelling about how they may take their lives but never their freedom.
music is not just sound loops, usually it tells a story through a melody, like sugar plum fairy by tchaikovsky
Now add in “Ze Nigmar” by Rotting Christ for the encounter with the big bad
What I recommend is making a shit ton of d&d playlists like one for boss fights one for cities this works well on SoundCloud
Jeremiah Jenkins Spotify is also lovely for this.
yes more please
You got it!
It's funny, while I agree with the vast majority of this video, my issue with using music, and why I don't use it More often, is not that I don't see the value in the music. My issue is that I don't have the capacity to handle the music player on top of all of the other things that I'm doing while I am the DM. I had been hoping to See more of the technical aspects of a ranging music and sound tracks in such a way that they can be used without distracting from the game. Do you know of any such videos or resources for doing that?
how can I get a recording of the second piece! I wanna use that. not something like it, but that
Great ! Thanks Guy :D
:) A happy Mr Parpaillon is a happy me!
Yes please, I want all you can give me on using music during my sessions. So far I've had just loosely fitting background music
Awesome! Will then do so!
make giant playlist for every occasion - battle music, creepy music , dramatic, cave etc... put either long ambient songs like for cave ambience, or short silly songs for occasion ..
I have used viking music for battles, they are nice and atmospheric
Have used heroes might and magic, diablo 2 music
Recently used Snow white & 7 dwarfs ost music, cause my guys have literally visited them, yes I play with lots of silly references which everyone usually gets and can associate to
More please!
1:20 Number 4: You're playing 'Tales from the Floating Vagabond', and one of the players has the 'Rodgers and Hammerstein Effect' shtick....
The first piece:
Underground dark but peaceful and resting seems possible
The second:
A castle or other man made building. Not at all restful, something seems to be expected of me.
1: A dark, dreadful, volcanic ash field. The sky tainted dark grey with the layers of ash rising from the volcanos
2: I feel fear, yet a hint of epicness. The introduction of the main villain sitting on his throne of skulls and bones, toying with the players as if they were mere incects.
3: A dark cave on an abandoned island that the players know is inhabited but by what? A native cultist tribe. Very errie.
4: The final battle was won, they stand over a field of golden, glistening grass, over the corpses of the many enemies they had to face
I regard music in my sessions as essential. To me, it separates a good GM from a great GM. The first time I played D&D, I had the best DM. He had music all prepared and it was fantastic. I only realized how important it was when I played without it. I find adding music makes the awkward silences when nobody knows what to say or do feel much shorter, and as long as something is playing, I think it engages the players more. The problem I have is that I use roll20 in a lot of my gaming, and it gives each player a master volume control for themselves. A lot of my players use this to completely mute everything I play. Any tips on how I can get more of my players into the music?
I love watching these videos, they're always incredibly helpful (especially the one on accents) and insightful, and I'd LOVE to see more about music because as I said, I think it's essential to the game.
The challenge we have is one that I think I mention in the video: a lot of people don't understand (having not learned it) more classical music with it's complexities and so do mute it. I would imagine that finding more contemporary stuff from a composer like John Ottman who wrote the music for Xmen Apoc, Matrix etc. where he is less about the undertone and more about the impact as a way of bridging that understanding? Hans Zimmer in the 90's was fairly neutral too (The Rock, Conair etc.) whilst people like Williams and Goldsmith have been and always will be fairy complex in their writing style. Klaus Badeldt (sp) was a zimmer protoge so he is also fairly good to look at (Reign of Fire).
I can't really say what I feel emotionally wise. But, I can certainly picture each setting and whats going on around me. Quick summary. First bit: Slightly flooded Cave or Dungeon dimly lit, with occasional narrow paths you have to shimmy across, and when it gets loud towards the end you caught a glimpse of a monster that skulked around the corner. Second Bit: (a) A large blacksmith's building with several Blacksmiths pounding away making weapons with great passion. (b) A slaves being led by a slaver in a shackled line.
Third Bit: You are looking over a summoning ritual by a rather large cult as they are preforming the ceremony. Forth Bit: I picture entering a Barbarian mountain village as some kind of festival of sorts is going on.
Really cool images there. Isn't music amazing?
1: i look around. I'm in an ancient, abandoned castle in the middle of a dark, dead landscape covered by grey clouds. As i walk towards it, i keep hearing Horses running behind me but i can't seem to see anyone. I am... really, really scared.
2_ I approach the throne room. Anxiety and Adrenaline are going crazy inside me while i reach the giant door. i ready my sword. The way up to here has been pure hell. What will i find on the other side? Only one way to find out, i guess...
3: i'm in some sort of sewer system... or... an underground tunnel of some sort. I hear voices... i'm in full alert mode, looking around in case of sudden movements or ambushes. Suddenly two figures charge at me, and i start fighting back... in a oddly slow pace
4: i'm in a grandious temple. I've been brought there to... idk, probably get some sort of power granted by their god to defeat evil or something.
I NEED THOSE MUSICS!!!!
1st scene: Dark/Gothic cave with music that seems both unsettling, yet mysterious
2nd scene: it feels like, discovering something ominous, for whatever reason i picture some demon ritual taking place, but the trudging pacing feels like there is a force to be reckoned with if it is to be faced.
3rd scene: Perhaps the sinking feeling of being discovered by this then previously established, overpowering force.
4th scene: Sounds like an empowering feeling, victorious
I feel your points of vocals are correct and that they can be distracting, though i would be a hypocrite to suggest i don't use them. Hence in the example i provided in the comments section of the 3rd video the wretched, i feel that in that particular case, vocals are used to reinforce the repulsive and confusing mess of the game.
Typically most games though, yeah, you probably want to avoid using them.
I like your descriptors - not scenes but emotions! Really cool way of working it.
Thanks man, i always like to think how a game makes me feel because even if someone doesn't play in character, you can really hit home with the music used
this is good stuff
Many thanks!
1- Entering some unknown lair. The air is covered with ashes, no sunlight gets through the thick brownish fog. There is a city at the center of wich lies a seemingly abandonned castle.
Pikes and pieces of metal everywhere on the town's walls. There are bones on them. Half skulls hanging without jaw. The air itself stinks, and unholy things seems to float on the water that floods the place here and there. There is a feeling, as if every empty window had eyes watching us. An oppressive feeling of un-loneliness. We are not alone.
2- The same place, further in the town. We are upper now. No more water. And the walls seems to be better kept. A faint rumor can be heard, wich grows. There are things patroling the streets!
Upon finding a place to hide, we see brutish creatures walking, clad in black armor, shouting orders to others. They are going to the castle. Answering a call.
First. Safish underdark. Second much less dangerous caves full of surface type death maybe big boss battle
Third. Dark haunting halls with a low sanity meter
1. I'm in Antarctica in an ice breaker ship. Cold and alone
2. I'm in ancient Mongolia on the war path.
3. Fighting against the amazons
4. Playing super smash bros with a priest of the eastern Orthodox church
I personally like to take a track of music from a film ro Videogame I think works well and edit it for the situation. But not all of you are insane so battle bards works too...
So, does this mean, I prefer classical music and soundtracks, because modern music is just to simple for me o_O ?
1. Warily a small group of survicors stalks the shattered ruins of Rach Anmar, a once beatufil city of sparkling glass skyscrapers and science the d-wave charges have reduced it to a pile of rubble in which scavengers and lone survivors try to make a living.
2. The mighty Gath'kari legions march through the badlands, thousands upon thousands of troops crushing every tiny bit of vegetation below their feet. Great machines of war, pulled by behemoths sewn of flesh split the ranks and the ground shakes as the Gath which gives them their names lumbers, each collosal foot leaving imprints several meters deep behind.
3. Dimly lit temple hallways leading to a sacrificial altar upon which the daughter of the seven suns is to spill her blood.
4. The united armies of men, elves, dwarves, dragons, giants, and fey stand in rank and file. Before them sits Orgrim Brighthammer atop Bahamut the platinum dragon. "Raise thine swords with me on this day, follow me through the gates of hell and on this day we shall slay Asmodeus and prove to beings of all planes: DARKNESS WILL NOT PREVAIL, WE WILL NOT FALTER, WE WILL NOT BACK DOWN AND N O O N E THAT ATTEMPTS TO DESTROY OUR HOME WILL GO UNPUNISHED"
If you want some good ass music for d&d i highly recommend Johannes Bornlöf he has a SoundCloud here's a link to some of his work. soundcloud.com/johannes-bornl-f/army-of-angels-1
5th element opera scene battle. ^^!!!
I want the next video! I'm hip to the power of soundtrack scores for evoking mood. I need technical details on HOW to use the things. I tried hard in the once-upon-a-time to use music to good effect in my games, but failed in a miserable way. Of course, I have not had an opportunity to try since I've accumulated assorted iPods/iPhones and bluetooth speaker systems. Could be a substantial help over my old mix-cassette collections in my boombox.
I used to us a single CD player and have a stack of my old CDs next to me. I sold around maybe 500 CD's when I moved town, but still easily have 300 left. But mix-cassette... dear lord ;p I will get to the HOW in the next session or two ;)
Please do continue.
Your wish is our command!
1. I'm underground, it is dark, and moist. I hear other living or not beings outside of my "range" it make me nervous and somewhat cowardly.
2. I'm in orcish or some other barbarian/heroic fortes. I'm part of it and wee are going to some epic war/battle.
3. Witch sabat in some ruined cathedral.