Post by Skedrix on Jun 10, 2015 22:46:56 GMT
Your players have stormed Rimewatch Keep, the fortress overlooking the snow-dusted crags of Highmount, home of the frost giants. Braving bitter cold and blinding snow, blazing through axe-wielding sentries and winter wolf patrols, smashing through doors frozen shut, at last they reach the throne room of Forfrysning, current jarl of the frost giants. There may not have been enough warning to prepare a more watchful guard in the keep before the players started busting heads, but the sounds of battle gave ample warning for the jarl himself to prepare. Forfrysning's attendants are tightening the last straps of his steel blue plate mail as the party rushes in.
He hefts his greataxe, the head made entirely of ice. "Ja, I am one you seek," he booms in the tongue of giants, "whether you look for jarl or look for death."
Now, how much cooler (pun intended) would that scene have been if the following song was playing in the background at the moment the party bursts in the door?
I use background music in my campaigns. Let me start off by admitting that no, background music is not for every table. For some people it can be a distraction, and for others it may seem to be (or actually be) a gimmick. Honestly, I believe it depends on the table, the music presented, and how it is used. At my table my players enjoy it. I certainly enjoy it. It can enhance the mood of a scene if the right music is played.
I had done a bit of research on what music to present during a campaign session before deciding to add any at all. It seems that there are many views as to what kind of music to employ in a session. Some people prefer classical music or medieval-style music. Some prefer using only fast-paced rock music during combats. Some refuse to use anything that anyone at the table may have heard before. There are all sorts of opinions on what music to use.
In my experience, some of the best music I have found to use as background music for my campaigns are soundtracks to TV, movies, and video games. I've found many benefits to using these sources of music. First, there are fewer songs with lyrics. I've found that lyrics can be tremendously distracting at my table, especially to me. And as the DM, my focus should be on the table, not on the music. (Some of you may recognize that as a problem inherent in using music itself, but I will cover that in the "How I Use It" section.) Next, with background music, since it is supposed to remain in the background, there is not a wide dynamic range--typically it will remain within the mezzo piano to forte range. For those who are less musically inclined, that means that the volume stays typically within "medium-quiet" to "slightly loud." This is great because you don't have to adjust the volume when it gets too loud for you to hear anyone else or so quiet that you forget it's on, and it distracts you when it comes back. Last, and equally important, is that background music for TV/movies/video games/etc. is specifically designed to evoke a certain feel with each song. This leads to more cohesive playlists.
Playlists. Playlists, playlists, playlists. Playlists can be organized in any sort of way, but I like to use one or two words that evoke a certain feel, and then add a bunch of songs that are "close enough." I've found that if you try to make your list perfect, you end up with a really short list. Then songs end up repeating during a play session and people become distracted. ("Oh, hey, we heard this song earlier.") I've got playlists marked things like "Creepy," "Tension," "Stealth," "Sailing," "Tavern," "Dwarves," "Elves," and the like. If one song fits multiple playlists, then put that one song in multiple playlists. Again, you don't have to have each song match up perfectly with each other, just get them close enough. When the mood changes, just click to a different playlist. This helps to reduce the amount of distraction that having just the perfect song would be.
Also, put it on shuffle and repeat. Shuffle prevents the "I know what song's coming next" distraction.
He hefts his greataxe, the head made entirely of ice. "Ja, I am one you seek," he booms in the tongue of giants, "whether you look for jarl or look for death."
Now, how much cooler (pun intended) would that scene have been if the following song was playing in the background at the moment the party bursts in the door?
- Background
I use background music in my campaigns. Let me start off by admitting that no, background music is not for every table. For some people it can be a distraction, and for others it may seem to be (or actually be) a gimmick. Honestly, I believe it depends on the table, the music presented, and how it is used. At my table my players enjoy it. I certainly enjoy it. It can enhance the mood of a scene if the right music is played.
I had done a bit of research on what music to present during a campaign session before deciding to add any at all. It seems that there are many views as to what kind of music to employ in a session. Some people prefer classical music or medieval-style music. Some prefer using only fast-paced rock music during combats. Some refuse to use anything that anyone at the table may have heard before. There are all sorts of opinions on what music to use.
- What I Use
In my experience, some of the best music I have found to use as background music for my campaigns are soundtracks to TV, movies, and video games. I've found many benefits to using these sources of music. First, there are fewer songs with lyrics. I've found that lyrics can be tremendously distracting at my table, especially to me. And as the DM, my focus should be on the table, not on the music. (Some of you may recognize that as a problem inherent in using music itself, but I will cover that in the "How I Use It" section.) Next, with background music, since it is supposed to remain in the background, there is not a wide dynamic range--typically it will remain within the mezzo piano to forte range. For those who are less musically inclined, that means that the volume stays typically within "medium-quiet" to "slightly loud." This is great because you don't have to adjust the volume when it gets too loud for you to hear anyone else or so quiet that you forget it's on, and it distracts you when it comes back. Last, and equally important, is that background music for TV/movies/video games/etc. is specifically designed to evoke a certain feel with each song. This leads to more cohesive playlists.
- How I Use It
Playlists. Playlists, playlists, playlists. Playlists can be organized in any sort of way, but I like to use one or two words that evoke a certain feel, and then add a bunch of songs that are "close enough." I've found that if you try to make your list perfect, you end up with a really short list. Then songs end up repeating during a play session and people become distracted. ("Oh, hey, we heard this song earlier.") I've got playlists marked things like "Creepy," "Tension," "Stealth," "Sailing," "Tavern," "Dwarves," "Elves," and the like. If one song fits multiple playlists, then put that one song in multiple playlists. Again, you don't have to have each song match up perfectly with each other, just get them close enough. When the mood changes, just click to a different playlist. This helps to reduce the amount of distraction that having just the perfect song would be.
Also, put it on shuffle and repeat. Shuffle prevents the "I know what song's coming next" distraction.
