Music in games

[Mad Dr Jeffe]

Do you use it?

Before, it was a bit of a chore, but now with MP3 Players, you can put together a whole soundtrack with enough music for 1 session or a campaign. On my Ipod for instance I can set a playlist for fight music and another for background music with the flick of a finger.

I have 3 big playlists right now, all for Savage Worlds Games oddly enough, Rippers, 50 Fathoms and Neccesary Evil.

[42]

I just play the occassional "Final Fantasy vicotry fan-fare", but that's about it. My group gets to easily distracted otherwise.

[The Jade Knight]

I'm somewhat with 42.  I've discovered with my group I need to keep to music that no one's heard of and without lyrics if they're going to stay on task.

However, I do like providing soundtracks.

[Mad Dr Jeffe]

Oh 90% of the stuff on those playlists is instrumental... well all except for the NE soundtrack.

I Guess Im asking, because prior to the last year I dont think I would have run a game w/ music, because it takes too much time to cue up.

But now.

[The Jade Knight]

I'd be interested in seeing some of the playlists you use.  And hearing abouy how you feel it affects your playing experience.

[The Holy Saint, Grand High Poobah, Master of Monkeys, Ehlers]

I've never really used it. I prefer the "hanging out" aspect, thus the beatles and whatever were the preferred background.

[Spriggan]

I don't like music in my games, it's distracting, the music rarely fits the mood (since it the players who always end up setting the mood and not the GM) and you either run through it once (and no encounter is ever 3-6 minutes long) or loop the same song for the whole time you're doing what ever.

I find the whole aspect of using music in RPGs to be quite silly and have a hard time even understanding why some GM would put his players through it.

[The Jade Knight]

I have a music library of some 4000 songs, a great many of which are instrumental.

There's no fear of "repeat music" here.

[Mad Dr Jeffe]

I find the whole aspect of using music in RPGs to be quite silly and have a hard time even understanding why some GM would put his players through it.

It seems to work pretty well for Game Parlor which has a loop tape of nice movie themes and other non-descript music that runs in the background.
A lot of people find that it gets their players pumped up or in the mood and keeps em focused. I can see how that would work well.
It doesnt seem silly, but I can see how if that isnt your cup of tea you might not really like it. Like I said it used to be harder to use in game, because of CD fumbling, cuing the wrong songs and so on.

How ever you can have lots of appropriate music for a game and never repeat in a session. Take 50 fathoms playlist for Savage worlds... its about 55 songs that I threw together (and that I could definitely add too.)

Shanty for the Arethusa 5:37 Her Majesty The Decembrists The Decemberists
Aquarium 2:41 Le Carnaval des animaux, etc. Camille Saint-Saëns
Malaguena 2:28 Washington Post Download Nicki Lehrer
Prelude Sueno 1:41 Washington Post Download Nicki Lehrer
The Highwayman 10:20 The Book Of Secrets Loreena McKennitt
Suite from the Reluctant Highwaym? 1:09 Jackson: Music for Trumpet & Organ Nicholas Jackson
Suite from the Reluctant Highwaym? 1:29 Jackson: Music for Trumpet & Organ Nicholas Jackson
Suite from the Reluctant Highwaym? 2:49 Jackson: Music for Trumpet & Organ Nicholas Jackson
Suite from the Reluctant Highwaym? 1:29 Jackson: Music for Trumpet & Organ Nicholas Jackson
Suite from the Reluctant Highwaym? 2:09 Jackson: Music for Trumpet & Organ Nicholas Jackson
Suite from the Reluctant Highwaym? 0:59 Jackson: Music for Trumpet & Organ Nicholas Jackson
Suite from the Reluctant Highwaym? 3:04 Jackson: Music for Trumpet & Organ Nicholas Jackson
The White Cockade/Devil's Dream 1:40 In High Cotton 2nd South Carolina String Band
The bonny bunch of roses 6:26 Wesweb John Wesley Harding
I Fought the Law 2:41 The Clash The Clash
Black Jack Davey 5:06 Black Jack Davey - Single The White Stripes
Surrender (Live) 4:22 Detroit Rock City Cheap Trick
Jailbreak 4:00 Detroit Rock City Thin Lizzy
Iron Man 5:54 Detroit Rock City Black Sabbath
I Believe in a Thing Called Love 3:36 Permission to Land The Darkness
The Boys Are Back In Town 4:05 Detroit Rock City Everclear
Knight On The Town 3:25 K Kula Shaker
Tonight, Tonight 4:15 Greatest Hits Smashing Pumpkins
The Queen Of Eyes 2:01 Underwater Moonlight The Soft Boys
Carmina Burana: O Fortuna 2:36 Carmina Burana Boston Symphony Orchestra & Seiji ?
Resurrection and End Titles 8:55 Dungeons & Dragons Justin Caine Burnett
Opening Theme (From "Treasure Isl? 1:02 Film Cuts The Chieftains
Loyals March (From "Treasure Island") 1:51 Film Cuts The Chieftains
Island Theme (From "Treasure Islan? 2:31 Film Cuts The Chieftains
Setting Sail (From "Treasure Island") 2:37 Film Cuts The Chieftains
French Leave (From "Treasure Island") 1:51 Film Cuts The Chieftains
Treasure Cave (From "Treasure Isla? 2:12 Film Cuts The Chieftains
The Hispanola / Silver and Loyals M? 3:06 Film Cuts The Chieftains
The Lowlands of Holland 3:46 Tears of Stone The Chieftains
Ariadne 1:54 Into The Labyrinth Dead Can Dance
Night Battle 5:40 First Knight Jerry Goldsmith
Fog Bound 2:16 Pirates of the Caribbean Klaus Badelt
The Medallion Calls 1:52 Pirates of the Caribbean Klaus Badelt
The Black Pearl 2:16 Pirates of the Caribbean Klaus Badelt
Will and Elizabeth 2:08 Pirates of the Caribbean Klaus Badelt
Swords Crossed 3:15 Pirates of the Caribbean Klaus Badelt
Walk the Plank 1:58 Pirates of the Caribbean Klaus Badelt
Barbossa Is Hungry 4:06 Pirates of the Caribbean Klaus Badelt
Blood Ritual 3:32 Pirates of the Caribbean Klaus Badelt
Moonlight Serenade 2:08 Pirates of the Caribbean Klaus Badelt
To the Pirates' Cave! 3:30 Pirates of the Caribbean Klaus Badelt
Skull and Crossbones 3:24 Pirates of the Caribbean Klaus Badelt
Bootstrap's Bootstraps 2:38 Pirates of the Caribbean Klaus Badelt
Underwater March 4:12 Pirates of the Caribbean Klaus Badelt
One Last Shot 4:46 Pirates of the Caribbean Klaus Badelt
He's a Pirate 1:30 Pirates of the Caribbean Klaus Badelt
O'Farrell's 4:47 Spirit Of America United States Old Guard Fife and Dr?
Battle 3:32 Pick Of The Litter Wolfstone
The Sea King 6:03 Year of the Dog Wolfstone
Over the Hills and Far Away 4:24 Brunel's Kingdom Isambarde

[The Jade Knight]

Man, I've only got like 4 of those songs + Pirates.

I haven't even heard of most of them.  I feel left out.

[Nicadymus]

As a GM I never used to use music in my games, but as the soundtracks for Star Wars are readily available, and that is what my group has been playing, I have added it in the background for fight scenes.  The guys seem to enjoy it, and there is nothing quite like the Darth Maul fight music when your group of Jedi squares off against a vile henchmen of the Sith.