2009-05-20 Music at the Gaming Table

I posted this in a thread on EN World but decided it was worth to keep on my blog as well.

=> in a thread | EN World

What about the use of music at the gaming table? One of my DMs uses the Baldur's Gate soundtrack every time.

=> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baldur's_Gate

I tried it using the Vagrant Story soundtrack and writing down a few key elements of the various tracks. I knew the track that started with a bang and was useful for combat and I planned to switch to that as the dice fell for initiative.

=> Vagrant Story

It turned out too complex to juggle. I forgot to turn it off when combat ended until a player complained; I forgot to turn it on half the time; it took me critical seconds between combat announcement and die rolls to skip to the right track.

Lesson learnt. I no longer do this.

I do scream “DO DOO DOO DOOOOOM!!!!” at the table at opportune moments, however.

Or I’ll start with “Ok, so you’re walking down this corridor, when... [humming as I looking up stuff] dumdidumdidooo...” Players will shout “Watch out, random encounter incoming!!”

In a way I have maybe three or four such “musical” humming themes that I use at the table.

“Wheeeeeouuuuwheeeooouuuwheeeeee...” Flying monsters attack!!

I heartily recommend to use a variety of grunting, howling, cackling, drumming, whimpering, and crooning at the table to immitate cinematic soundtrack-like effects. You can’t sing all the time, you can’t produce the real sound-effects, but you can be entertaining!

​#RPG ​#thoughts

Comments

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A player for a group I played in did zit/DARRRR for every arrow that hit in combat. That was pretty fun.

– Harald Wagener 2009-05-20 10:01 UTC

=> Harald Wagener

Hahaha. Well, I make audio soundtracks, so as not to hurt my voice.

– Siskoid 2009-05-20 12:21 UTC

=> Siskoid