TH-cam recommended this video. Since I make a living doing TTRPG audio, I was compelled to check it and I'm not disappointed. Really solid work. I half agree about "be a DJ, not a DM". I usually say the exact opposite as using audio should be easy and shouldn't require the DM to learn a new job, but I get your point regarding the narrative importance of it. I used to use Spotify myself to manage audio, but browsing through our 2000+ songs catalogue became a burden despite our carefully curated playlists (and you can't overlap music and ambiences, which really sucks). That's why we built our own tool with our buddies at dScryb. I'll follow your channel with great attention. I love the quality!
@@ZenFr0g I don't post often but I watch many content creators. I'm baffled by the knowledge and creativity of that community. Thanks for your kind words
Thanks so much for the kind words! People have been posting about various audio tools in the comments, it's awesome hearing about the different ways folks incorporate music into their games. Love the drama in your music, big fan of "Dance of The Fairies." The solo campaign that Daði DM's for me is strongly tied to the Feywild, so love seeing fairy/Celtic themed stuff! -AB
@@whipblade717 This is my first video of theirs. As someone with a daughter, I was confused how they looked like that and had a daughter who was in college lol.
My Dm setup consists of a dry erase page, a felt surface for rolling, a phone for music, a laptop for lore and sess prep and a tablet for character sheets when playing with new players or with the blind kids. It’s such a comfortable setup
Don't forget bands that don't have vocals. Dance with the Dead has a awesome 80s synth/metal vibe great for a stranger things inspired campaign. Beats Antique has a variety of middle eastern music. Dirtwire is a experimental band that has a cowboy like sound but all the unusual instruments make them feel very different from a lot of music. That's just a few of my favorites.
So I sometimes volunteer to DM at the local library and teach little kids how to play. It’s a lot of fun and I bring my speaker so they’re more immersed in the scenes. They gave me a medal at the end of the season that says “DJ DM” and it’s one of my most prized possessions.
Just looked at the site, it's fantastic. The tracks all combine music and ambient sound effects at the same time, I've never seen anyone do that before, in that quantity, for free. Mega thanks for telling everyone about it.
Don't forget Pocketbard too - I used to use Table Tone, but somehow it doesn't like my bluetooth connection to the speaker anymore. The king is dead, long live the king (Pocketbard ^^)!
My roommate ran a campaign that split up after a while (life things), but brought it back with a new group "twenty (or so) years later". They got to see how the previous group failed and their subsequent deaths, but this new group went around the same path collecting the McGuffins to defeat the BBEG. In the last session they went alone to face the BBEG and his armies. As they stood overlooking the battlefield, struck with the SCALE of what they were facing, a horn blows, then another, and another, and over the ridge comes everyone they had allied with: the dino riders, the dragons they had freed, the slaves on the fire continent, the last of the lizardfolk (led by my former character), EVERYONE. My roommate timed everything to the Avengers: Endgame portal scene music and HOLY COW I CRIED every time I heard him practice the script. I wasn't even playing in that campaign and it's one of my favorite D&D moments.
One of my greatest moments that I will _always_ remember is when I was able to make my table cry. Not only because of stellar Role Play, but because the music I chose fit perfectly for the moment. Often times I will _always_ build a scene or interaction _around_ the music itself. Even now, I'm prepping for a festival that my players are about to attend and the music I'm listening too not only helps me paint a picture of what this is supposed to look like, but how it all _Feels._ And when music hits. It hits _fucking hard.
In my current campaign, I usually play electric guitar for the main antagonist, and ONLY for her. There was a moment in a recent session where I was giving a lead up to a character reveal and I played a song with a sinister sounding electric guitar, they instantly knew it was her before I even narrated the reveal. It was such a satisfying moment for me to have successfully set up that pay off for my players. Pavlov's dogs, the lot of them.
3:19 I love how you're so serious and then whenever there is a meow you just light up in the cutest way - you'd be a great villain with his only wrakness - his little pet
You did a wonderful job of giving advice and resources needed for this topic. Too often others will just give contrite word salad. Well done with this. First video from you I've seen, and I subbed.
On point as always man! I love that you mentioned giving your players theme songs. I had a player role a Nat 20 and started playing their theme music as they swung away at their enemy. After asking him how he kills his enemy he describes a crazy kill and begins celebrating with the party until his music suddenly stops and the party is suddenly listening to the Behelit song as it’s revealed the nobody they killed was an avatar for the BBEG *chefs kiss*
I’m a minute in and I love it already. I tend to use video songs during my games because they often carry themes and motifs that can be applied in different situations. For instance, the Ori games have clear themes that are portrayed in various songs. “Kwolok’s Malaise” at the start at the fight, and “Restoring the Light, Facing the Dark” when victory is in sight I also use specific songs to lead into starting the session and specific songs for ending sessions
One player during my semi-regular online campaign told me, "I just mute whatever the DM plays, and play my own music". "Even when the DM is trying to set a mood or make a point?" I asked. "Yes," he replied. It was genuinely one of the most insulting attitudes, especially since I'm a composer and planning on writing my own soundtrack for one of my upcoming campaigns. Some people just can't respect the vibe.
I do this absolutely! 15 years on my campaign thus far ha ha The music and themes have such an impact on my players-- and on me! I listen to my playlists sometimes when brainstorming new ideas and it really helps me get excited
I've always wanted to utilise music during at-table games, but as all of my players are in different countries we're locked to using Discord. Unfortately several of them admitted to having my playlist bot muted last time I tried this. Maybe one day I'll have a good solution. Thanks for another great video, and congratulations on the well deserved 20k!
There is something called "virtual audio cables" or similar which allows you to route output channels from your computer directly to your microphone. Which means you can play the music via the channel they listen over to you. You have to test it though, not sure how Discord compresses and cuts audio.
You can start a spotify jam or if everyone is using premium and you share your spotify activity they can listen along (When playing spotify and sharing the activity, check on the left of your message box in a channel and you'll see you can invite players to listen along). It can be a couple seconds off, but it's near perfect since they can adjust volume as they like on their side. Note: Players need premium themselves for this to work. In the case of a jam you can even have someone you trust co-DJ so they play the right music in the right moments when you're too distracted with other parts of the game. As long as your players aren't meme-lords or tone-deaf it generally works out even better than listen along, and has everyone paying more attention to the music since they're a part of the process.
What a fun and interesting video again. As a former DJ, using music during DM-ing was a no-brainer to me. Exactly for the reasons you have given. A few additional tips, that I haven't heard you explicitly state: avoid tracks with lyrics during game time, use those for pre- and post-game. Also, as a starting DM it can feel overwhelming to also keep the music in mind, but you can make the playlists - such as you suggested for exploration, downtime and combat - and put one player in charge of switching. So far my 2 cents again, keep up the great work. Too bad I missed the live stream.
You touched on a hugely important parallel here: planning music for DND is basically identical to planning music for a video game. There are some differences in terms of minutiae, of course, but the broad strokes are very similar thanks to the way players interact with both mediums. Studying the techniques used for one can educate you greatly in terms of the other, and there are some excellent resources online to learn the craft of video game composition. I highly recommend it!
Can confirm! Additionally, don't discount what it can do for you as the DM! I have a folder of playlists within Spotify specifically for D&D. Aside from general themed lists, I always make a new list for the session coming up while I'm getting myself amped to run it. Curating the list per session also helps put me in the mindset of what I'm throwing at the players ahead of time and makes it much easier to immediately get into the flow right away. Having any kind of open monologue to recap or set up scenes in media rez, I'll listen to the playlist or song on the ride home from work before the session to make the most of the audio impact.
Music defines my D&D games. I actually pick songs first, then design a campaign around them after. Imagine building up to a villain who was created based on a song, for that song to play for their final encounter? An insanely powerful feeling. Very inspired by Final Fantasy 14 and Undertale for that,
This very quickly became my favorite D&D channel i first dicovered the first video right around when the second video came out but god this is some of the best D&D content out there good job snd good luck
The starting song/opening theme is such a powerful tool. I use Down by Two Steps from Hell for my Strahd sessions. It terrifies people, its wonderful. The real trick though, is every now and again I change it. When Strahd attacked the party, I used a different piece and the opening monologue was about his perspective not the players. That was fun! The cries of... hey wait, what's happening were delicious 😅
Added to this is the use of soundboards. I once wanted some new players to come out of their shell a bit after playing several sessions. Although based in Middle Earth, I started the next session as an TV interview talk show. I played the energetic host and introduced each PC onto the stage and asked them questions about themselves and their adventure so far. I used a soundboard for applause, crowd "ooo's" and "ah's", laughter and cheesy intro music. "So, Lalaith, my producer is a huge fan of yours and wanted me to ask about the time you defeated Ragmac, the goblin chieftain. What happened?" The players were smiling ear to ear with the ridiculousness of the setting and it definitely broke the ice and got them role playing more.
For each campaign I pick a song/soundtrack as the first thing I play at the start of every session, regardless of if we quickly move into combat mixes. It kind of casts a spell, transports us, starts the illusion. I don't even need to say "hey guys and gals can we get started now?" I just start playing the track and everyone quiets down. It's Bard magic at it's finest!
My new favorite RPG-related channel talking about my absolute favourite part of DM-ing - music as part of narration and gameplay. I wholeheartedly agree with all you said. From my side, every several sessions, I will have a piece of narration that is paired with a piece of music - my players know it is a big deal when that sort of a scene comes up. It’s like an epic cutscene. Oh, and don’t shy away from singing for your players as well! It puts you in a place of vulnerability, but from my experience, players respect that. PS. Thank you for mentioning “Rose Creek Oppression” - it’s now on my list as well :) Thanks to you both for your great work, and congrats on the 20k subscribers ❤🎉
I love using my favorite hiphop tracks, especially MF Doom, in my own campaign. I give my major NPCs their own themes, and some of my best moments at the table have been highlighted by these tracks. Another fantastic video man.
Its so funny that you made this video for todays upload. I always get called out for not using an immersive playlist despite being a music major lol. I believe this is my wake up call to finally wow my players with music. Thanks again brother, you're always looking out!!!
Songs for opening and closing a session is a favourite trick of mine. However, i rarely use music during a session, and there is a long list of reasons why i don't. You are absolutely right that music is a powerful tool to generate emotions and setting a mood, but in my opinion there is too many issues and too much mental charge added. I'm gonna list rapidly the problems; Ambiance music, while being the most appropriate for the medium, are often mediocre. Movie ost are sometime incredible, but the duration often doesn't match the length of scenes. Also, them being recognisable can be detrimental to your world building. Creating, then using playlist at the table takes a lot of time of effort, time that could have been invested somewhere else (and i'll say it as i think it, most gm's should spend less time crafting accessories like maps, token and music, and spend more time working on their world, scenarii or even their delivery or improvisational skills). I have a dozen other minor reasons but i'm too lazy to write it. At the end of the day, all of these disadvantages have workaround, but being a gm usually require to do a lot within the limited time available to prep sessions. So i believe i need to focus on the most efficient ways to achieve my goals, and unfortunately, music always end up being too much effort for what it bring.
I'm with you. But I do like the idea of associating music with certain events/characters, and beginning and ending the session with music. Perhaps I'll try adding a bit into our sessions.
Congrats on the quick growth :) the production quality is great, the script is engaging, and the knowledge and tips you share are great for beginners and veterans alike. I feel like after years of playing I know so much of what you've been saying, but having it presented in such a clear way organises my thoughts, and gives me clearer goals and plans on how I want to run my games.
Delicious in dungeon has my absolute favourite soundtrack for my D&D game at the moment. Anime is a surprisingly good treasure trove for D&D tracks. Scrapped princess and Fullmetal alchemist are also perfect.
So happy and proud to say I consider myself an early subscriber because it’s just a matter of time before this channel explodes into the ethreal plane. Always great advice, always well explained.
I'm a huge fan of using music to convey meaning in-game and it breaks my heart when my long-distance players tell me they've have the music muted all session. How else are you supposed to recognize that the NPC you just met is giving off a powerful aura of regality when I've used the track "Lion King Caineghis" from Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance in association with powerful, noble figures all campaign long? How else are you supposed to know that while you are in no physical danger, you are about to receive exposition that may change everything you knew about this world? I was counting on Philip Ayers's "Only Human" to get you into that mindset.
on the first session dming a new dnd campaign this year I had a player bard really singing and playing Ain't no Sunshine with his guitar and right after it became entirely linked to the character and the world's culture, I always prepare playlists to each of the seasons so it was a surprise to see a player investing on setting the mood with music as well while staying completely in character, nice vid as always btw!
I’m an audio engineer and have a mixer and soundboard next to me when I DM. I also use a microphone with crazy effects for demonic voices and such. Sound is powerful
Great tips! I also use music outside sessions to help come up with creatieve ideas. The one album I always go back to is Time’s End II: Majora’s Mask (Remixes). Planning to use it during the next CoS campaign to. Give it a listen if you don’t know it yet. Also, big congrats on the 20k subs! Love your video’s, keep it up😄
When the song “mirrors (prince of nothing)” or “fiddlesticks the harbinger of doom” my players freeze and look at me with horrified expressions. Highly recommend for horror conditioning for your players!
Unironically, I have been using music as a background for my campaign with my online friends. Through this, I have managed to turn Darkest Dungeon's "The Final Combat" soundtrack into a queue for the final boss of the campaign. They hear it, and everyone knows what's coming
You might know this already, but if you have a playlist someone else made on spotify, and there's like one or two songs you wish weren't there (like you mention at 5:00), you can actually ctrl + A and then copy paste the entire playlist into one you own and remove them. Great video!
I have a player whose character has a reoccurring nightmare related to their old, peaceful life as a shepherd and I've trained them to know they're having a nightmare within the first 2 notes of the very simple, almost kiddy-piano song that I've used to evoke that feeling of an idyllic youth while I narrate that nightmare.
20k subscribers is insane man, but you deserve every single one of those twenty thousand people clicking that button - you have pushed me, personally, from occasionally watching @ZachtheBold on youtube to buying a dm screen, fair and unfair dice, the dungeon masters guide, a stylus for my iPad, and so much more, for a campaign I started three weeks ago. I am down ~$400 but now every town and building in that town, the surrounding land, caverns and caves, dungeons and crypts, each NPC and Monster and weapon they wield, it all has beautiful colorful visuals. I hope your success continues because I believe you really, genuinely deserve it Daði.
Okay wow I feel like you took the thoughts right out of my head. We literally just did session 0 and started the prologue today for a campaign I've been planning for months. The main theme for the prologue is Terra's Theme from FFVI and there are different covers of it throughout, including a "movie trailer version" for the dramatic opening bit setting the scene. Throughout is mostly songs from various games and some ambient electronic songs. The "credits roll" one is the only one with words but is evocative. I have Spotify playlists for exploration, tension, combat, emotional turning points, each character's [special mechanic] that you could equate to a magical girl transformation sequence, horror, dreamy, and sessions 0 and 1 so far. But I taught myself to do the basics on the free software Virtual DJ which fades between songs better than Spotify, and if I use the Loop Player app to cut out an intro and loop for songs I want to keep going a yet-to-be-determined amount of time. People kept referring me to roll20 and those websites made for TTRPGs that just play their own music but I wanted more control and for recurring motifs to have their own themes. Besides, my self-insert NPC was DJing the rave in the opening scene, so it just works out :) thank you for this video, it's validating that what I'm doing actually makes sense to more than just me haha
I couldn't agree more! This is the skill that has elevated my DMing to the next level. One key tip I'd add, is that specifically turn-based video game tracks are better since it will match the pacing of D&D hours long combat. However to any GM considering this, the hours that I've spent curating, customizing and mastering my setup may not feel worth it at first. But the outcome in the elevated quality of the session is amazing! Here's what I've landed on for anyone obsessive enough like me: - foobar2000, a local program with deep customization and many plugins to boot. I was tired of having to wait for playlists to load and missing important shortcuts. Baring syrinscape (which I've not tried but hear good things about it), there's no other tool which can match the breath of its features for the dedicated user. You can set global commands which activate regardless of which window you have open, queue up songs as first or last, shuffle and change playback speed on the fly. - local tracks, the downside of using this approach is that all the music needs to be downloaded on your laptop. That doesn't stop me from opening up other tools tho!
I wrote a simple "slideshow" tool in Unity back when I first started DMing in 2019. I'll gather up various music tracks for each location/character in my campaign, edit them to seamlessly loop, and pair them with artwork I find on the internet. If it's an online session, I stream the tool through Discord. Otherwise I put it up on my TV while playing in person. I cannot stress how much fun it is to gather different music tracks for potential moments and beats in your campaign. Playing a calm, comforting theme whenever the players interact with a beloved NPC, only to use an epic, fully orchestrated cover of that same track when said NPC jumps in to save the party on the battlefield is a feeling only music can achieve.
I know your channel wasn’t really created for this, but I would ABSOLUTELY LOVE to watch you dm. It would help a new dm, seeing you use the techniques you talk about in real time. Idk if your groups would feel comfortable being recorded, but it would be awesomeee.
Back in the 80s I used a Mac Plus, HyperCard, its easy software making kit, and MacRecorder, the first easy consumer device for digitizing sounds to the Mac, as part of running my D&D game. I made a HyperCard stack with pictures, maps with keys, treasure and encounter generators, NPC character DB, notes, etc and some music and environmental effects recorded with the MacRecorder and triggered by buttons in my stack. The best moment though, was when I had a player who had some intense catch phrases but was moving away record those catchphrases. His character Yakub Beg retired to run a tavern in the main town, that was the main hangout for the party between adventures. When a conversation among the PCs in the tavern came around to where Rhasp the dwarf was talking about his mine again, a running gag, I was ready and hit the button so they heard Beg the barkeep reply as he would have had the player been there "Shut up about your goddamn mine!" Everybody was first stunned and then laughed for so long....
You need a minimum of 3 lists: Generic background music, exploration music, combat music. With those three set and ready, you can start make further specialist lists as and when needed.
Echoing the value of video game tracks over movie scores. Not just because of the loopability, which is crucial, but I've also found that movie tracks tend to contain multiple moods rather than just the one that you were looking for. The music for an action scene, for instance, might also contain the slower bits from the resolution and aftermath of the fight, which really sticks out if it suddenly pops up in the middle of an encounter. I hadn't considered PC-specific themes before (though I am now), but I have given villains their own themes and motifs. When I ran Curse of Strahd, I used the Shadowlord theme from Nier, which has a rather slow and ominous beginning before breaking into a high-octane combat track. I spliced out the introduction and looped it myself, and used that for any scene with him interacting with the party. Then, when it came time for the final encounter, I dropped in the combat version. Same theme, completely different mood.
Music has always been my achilles heel, I forget to prep it and forget to use it in sessions. Theme songs for characters sound like an excellent way to make npcs memorable and portray the vibe of npcs much better than simple descriptions.
I once Pavloved myself, because every time I went to MacDrive I would watch the same True Crime youtube channel while eating So after a while I watched one of his videos at home and instantly started to crave a burger
I traumatized two of my players by the Pavlovian Fear Response. I can play the introductory notes of an arrangement for Battle Against a True Hero to instantly spike their blood pressure. I had an awful, wicked, terrible no good L20 Assassin Rogue that acted as the BBEG’s number two that used the theme and they associated the theme song with getting beaten bloody in the early game. She terrorized them because I determined early she was the kind of psycho that just enjoyed prolonging the despair, so she’d beat them to death save territory, steal stuff at random and set them back by a few sessions every couple of months and eventually whenever they heard those notes the warlock would start cursing and the bard would suddenly lock in. That party beat Orcus. They consider his High Priest’s Right Hand Woman more memorable.
This was really helpful for me. Music is definitely one of my weaker areas, in one of my games it's delegated but in my others I often just forget. Thank you for the advice
Once a friend of mine said "Hey! I've watched TLotR recently and it felt so wrong when that song you always use for battle started playing! I was like 'This is not from this movie. This is our RPG song!'" XD
This is awesome advice - especially the character themes. Such a good way to get Player buy in for long form games. If you have someone that loves music / playing a Bard and need some help as a GM, asking them to DJ can provide another opportunity for fostering your Players' strengths.
This reminds me of a youtube video I watched about ace attorneys theme. Instead of making location based music themes, most of them instead are based on the mood.
I was using the soundtrack of Braveheart for one of my sessions, and at one point the players poked their heads into a room that was clearly an alchemist lab and the leader of the group stepped into the empty room and said " helloooo". at that very moment the soundtrack which included audio clips from the movie switched to the next track and William Wallace belted out "GO BACK TO ENGLAND, and tell them there, that the sons and daughters of Scotland are yours no more!!" unfortunately that basically ended the session cos after we collectively share ourselves we were laughing uncontrollably at the ridiculousness of it all. The odds of that happening at that precise moment is infintesimal.
I've used the Pocket Bard app for background music/sounds, and it definitely helps add to the experience. Your advice just makes me want to up the level I use music. Good stuff!
He hasn't made a video in awhile, but I HIGHLY suggest to look up the channel "Sideways" 💯 I've learned so much through his masterful videos, and it's elevated what music does during sessions tenfold 🔥
Love the idea of specific music cues for session's beginning and end, specific character themes, etc. Do you use sound effects at all? I use voicemod as a soundboard for music and FX but the music side is mostly just a playlist for combat and a playlist for non-combat. I do have a quick sound effect I use for the campaign start that is very helpful to get everyone's attention. I will definitely explore using music more actively and intentionally.
Daði has been experimenting lately with more ambient sounds, like adding rainfall while exploring or crowd noises when in a city/tavern. But nothing much more complicated than layering one kind of sound over the ongoing BGM. - AB
I have been lazy about music when I run on account of running in other people's homes and not getting to have control of the entire environment where I'm running, but I do like the idea of an opening theme. One of the games I'm pitching next time I'm up to run is an Acquisitions Incorporated game, and if that's what I end up running, the theme song from The "C" Team is 100% going to open every session.
I ran a Slender man themed one shot and just played the Revenge of the Sith video game menu music on repeat for a couple hours as the players wandered the woods uncovering dark secrets and they loved it.
Hæ Daði ég var nílega að fatta að þú værir Íslendingur, er sjálfur að plana að vera DM enn er aðallega spilari, væri frábært að tala við þig ef það væri hægt! Eða kannski hittast einhverntíman.
TH-cam recommended this video. Since I make a living doing TTRPG audio, I was compelled to check it and I'm not disappointed. Really solid work. I half agree about "be a DJ, not a DM". I usually say the exact opposite as using audio should be easy and shouldn't require the DM to learn a new job, but I get your point regarding the narrative importance of it. I used to use Spotify myself to manage audio, but browsing through our 2000+ songs catalogue became a burden despite our carefully curated playlists (and you can't overlap music and ambiences, which really sucks). That's why we built our own tool with our buddies at dScryb.
I'll follow your channel with great attention. I love the quality!
@@MichaelGhelfiStudios Shoutout to you Michael, I use your ambiences in every session I run - no exceptions.
Love your work and have for years! It's great to see you posting here
@@KazeinHD Thanks! I'm glad I can help. Have fun!
@@ZenFr0g I don't post often but I watch many content creators. I'm baffled by the knowledge and creativity of that community. Thanks for your kind words
Thanks so much for the kind words! People have been posting about various audio tools in the comments, it's awesome hearing about the different ways folks incorporate music into their games.
Love the drama in your music, big fan of "Dance of The Fairies." The solo campaign that Daði DM's for me is strongly tied to the Feywild, so love seeing fairy/Celtic themed stuff!
-AB
"This is the neighbour's cat" in the most serious way possible
The neighbors' cat is serious business!
Love that your girl is getting a little more interaction on the channel. You're both rock stars!
@@whipblade717 This is my first video of theirs. As someone with a daughter, I was confused how they looked like that and had a daughter who was in college lol.
Yes, I have affirmation to continue expanding my now 12 different DND playlists for different scenarios thanks DM
Yes! More playlists more better! - Daði
My Dm setup consists of a dry erase page, a felt surface for rolling, a phone for music, a laptop for lore and sess prep and a tablet for character sheets when playing with new players or with the blind kids. It’s such a comfortable setup
Don't forget bands that don't have vocals.
Dance with the Dead
has a awesome 80s synth/metal vibe great for a stranger things inspired campaign.
Beats Antique
has a variety of middle eastern music.
Dirtwire is a experimental band that has a cowboy like sound but all the unusual instruments make them feel very different from a lot of music.
That's just a few of my favorites.
I love DWTD! they have been getting so much mileage in my game.
Im a Beats Antique guy, but I wouldn't describe them like that.
I think I'd say they are Gypsy EDM... yeah... I guess.
More! Tell me more! Awesome revcommendations
So I sometimes volunteer to DM at the local library and teach little kids how to play. It’s a lot of fun and I bring my speaker so they’re more immersed in the scenes.
They gave me a medal at the end of the season that says “DJ DM” and it’s one of my most prized possessions.
Table top Audio is my go too. Amazing free source.
I'll go check them out! - Daði
Just looked at the site, it's fantastic. The tracks all combine music and ambient sound effects at the same time, I've never seen anyone do that before, in that quantity, for free. Mega thanks for telling everyone about it.
Don't forget Pocketbard too - I used to use Table Tone, but somehow it doesn't like my bluetooth connection to the speaker anymore. The king is dead, long live the king (Pocketbard ^^)!
My roommate ran a campaign that split up after a while (life things), but brought it back with a new group "twenty (or so) years later". They got to see how the previous group failed and their subsequent deaths, but this new group went around the same path collecting the McGuffins to defeat the BBEG. In the last session they went alone to face the BBEG and his armies. As they stood overlooking the battlefield, struck with the SCALE of what they were facing, a horn blows, then another, and another, and over the ridge comes everyone they had allied with: the dino riders, the dragons they had freed, the slaves on the fire continent, the last of the lizardfolk (led by my former character), EVERYONE. My roommate timed everything to the Avengers: Endgame portal scene music and HOLY COW I CRIED every time I heard him practice the script. I wasn't even playing in that campaign and it's one of my favorite D&D moments.
Music is my favorite part of setting scenes. The right music at the right time is incredibly powerful for storytelling.
One of my greatest moments that I will _always_ remember is when I was able to make my table cry. Not only because of stellar Role Play, but because the music I chose fit perfectly for the moment.
Often times I will _always_ build a scene or interaction _around_ the music itself. Even now, I'm prepping for a festival that my players are about to attend and the music I'm listening too not only helps me paint a picture of what this is supposed to look like, but how it all _Feels._
And when music hits. It hits _fucking hard.
In my current campaign, I usually play electric guitar for the main antagonist, and ONLY for her. There was a moment in a recent session where I was giving a lead up to a character reveal and I played a song with a sinister sounding electric guitar, they instantly knew it was her before I even narrated the reveal. It was such a satisfying moment for me to have successfully set up that pay off for my players. Pavlov's dogs, the lot of them.
That's honestly inspiring! And so awesome! Congratulations!! - Daði
The growth of this channel and the sheer quality is incredible. You are the man Daði!!!!
3:19 I love how you're so serious and then whenever there is a meow you just light up in the cutest way - you'd be a great villain with his only wrakness - his little pet
You did a wonderful job of giving advice and resources needed for this topic. Too often others will just give contrite word salad. Well done with this. First video from you I've seen, and I subbed.
On point as always man! I love that you mentioned giving your players theme songs. I had a player role a Nat 20 and started playing their theme music as they swung away at their enemy. After asking him how he kills his enemy he describes a crazy kill and begins celebrating with the party until his music suddenly stops and the party is suddenly listening to the Behelit song as it’s revealed the nobody they killed was an avatar for the BBEG *chefs kiss*
I’m a minute in and I love it already. I tend to use video songs during my games because they often carry themes and motifs that can be applied in different situations.
For instance, the Ori games have clear themes that are portrayed in various songs. “Kwolok’s Malaise” at the start at the fight, and “Restoring the Light, Facing the Dark” when victory is in sight
I also use specific songs to lead into starting the session and specific songs for ending sessions
One player during my semi-regular online campaign told me, "I just mute whatever the DM plays, and play my own music". "Even when the DM is trying to set a mood or make a point?" I asked. "Yes," he replied. It was genuinely one of the most insulting attitudes, especially since I'm a composer and planning on writing my own soundtrack for one of my upcoming campaigns. Some people just can't respect the vibe.
I do this absolutely! 15 years on my campaign thus far ha ha
The music and themes have such an impact on my players-- and on me! I listen to my playlists sometimes when brainstorming new ideas and it really helps me get excited
Here's wishing you a great live stream and Happy Happy New Year. Oh yeah, and if you're not living in the US, Don't move here. :) Cheers.
I've always wanted to utilise music during at-table games, but as all of my players are in different countries we're locked to using Discord. Unfortately several of them admitted to having my playlist bot muted last time I tried this. Maybe one day I'll have a good solution. Thanks for another great video, and congratulations on the well deserved 20k!
The solution is better players.
And possibly better sound mixing.
@@yurisei6732 I'm gonna go with the latter, because I like my players too much :D
There is something called "virtual audio cables" or similar which allows you to route output channels from your computer directly to your microphone. Which means you can play the music via the channel they listen over to you. You have to test it though, not sure how Discord compresses and cuts audio.
If you're playing on roll20, you can find or upload tracks there. You can even link them to maps and overlay multiple tracks, it's pretty cool.
You can start a spotify jam or if everyone is using premium and you share your spotify activity they can listen along (When playing spotify and sharing the activity, check on the left of your message box in a channel and you'll see you can invite players to listen along). It can be a couple seconds off, but it's near perfect since they can adjust volume as they like on their side. Note: Players need premium themselves for this to work.
In the case of a jam you can even have someone you trust co-DJ so they play the right music in the right moments when you're too distracted with other parts of the game. As long as your players aren't meme-lords or tone-deaf it generally works out even better than listen along, and has everyone paying more attention to the music since they're a part of the process.
What a fun and interesting video again. As a former DJ, using music during DM-ing was a no-brainer to me. Exactly for the reasons you have given. A few additional tips, that I haven't heard you explicitly state: avoid tracks with lyrics during game time, use those for pre- and post-game. Also, as a starting DM it can feel overwhelming to also keep the music in mind, but you can make the playlists - such as you suggested for exploration, downtime and combat - and put one player in charge of switching. So far my 2 cents again, keep up the great work. Too bad I missed the live stream.
You touched on a hugely important parallel here: planning music for DND is basically identical to planning music for a video game. There are some differences in terms of minutiae, of course, but the broad strokes are very similar thanks to the way players interact with both mediums. Studying the techniques used for one can educate you greatly in terms of the other, and there are some excellent resources online to learn the craft of video game composition. I highly recommend it!
Any videos o presentations on the matter, which stick out to you?
Great video as always! Some great points made by your guest star; neighbour's cat! ^_^ meow indeed
Can confirm! Additionally, don't discount what it can do for you as the DM!
I have a folder of playlists within Spotify specifically for D&D. Aside from general themed lists, I always make a new list for the session coming up while I'm getting myself amped to run it. Curating the list per session also helps put me in the mindset of what I'm throwing at the players ahead of time and makes it much easier to immediately get into the flow right away. Having any kind of open monologue to recap or set up scenes in media rez, I'll listen to the playlist or song on the ride home from work before the session to make the most of the audio impact.
Music defines my D&D games. I actually pick songs first, then design a campaign around them after. Imagine building up to a villain who was created based on a song, for that song to play for their final encounter? An insanely powerful feeling. Very inspired by Final Fantasy 14 and Undertale for that,
This very quickly became my favorite D&D channel i first dicovered the first video right around when the second video came out but god this is some of the best D&D content out there good job snd good luck
The starting song/opening theme is such a powerful tool. I use Down by Two Steps from Hell for my Strahd sessions. It terrifies people, its wonderful.
The real trick though, is every now and again I change it. When Strahd attacked the party, I used a different piece and the opening monologue was about his perspective not the players. That was fun! The cries of... hey wait, what's happening were delicious 😅
Added to this is the use of soundboards.
I once wanted some new players to come out of their shell a bit after playing several sessions. Although based in Middle Earth, I started the next session as an TV interview talk show. I played the energetic host and introduced each PC onto the stage and asked them questions about themselves and their adventure so far. I used a soundboard for applause, crowd "ooo's" and "ah's", laughter and cheesy intro music. "So, Lalaith, my producer is a huge fan of yours and wanted me to ask about the time you defeated Ragmac, the goblin chieftain. What happened?"
The players were smiling ear to ear with the ridiculousness of the setting and it definitely broke the ice and got them role playing more.
+1 for "Paul Atreides' destiny as the Nissan Honda Jeep" 🤣 (love your videos, thank you!!)
For each campaign I pick a song/soundtrack as the first thing I play at the start of every session, regardless of if we quickly move into combat mixes. It kind of casts a spell, transports us, starts the illusion.
I don't even need to say "hey guys and gals can we get started now?" I just start playing the track and everyone quiets down. It's Bard magic at it's finest!
Yesss that kind of ritual gives D&D some very real magic!
My new favorite RPG-related channel talking about my absolute favourite part of DM-ing - music as part of narration and gameplay. I wholeheartedly agree with all you said. From my side, every several sessions, I will have a piece of narration that is paired with a piece of music - my players know it is a big deal when that sort of a scene comes up. It’s like an epic cutscene.
Oh, and don’t shy away from singing for your players as well! It puts you in a place of vulnerability, but from my experience, players respect that.
PS. Thank you for mentioning “Rose Creek Oppression” - it’s now on my list as well :)
Thanks to you both for your great work, and congrats on the 20k subscribers ❤🎉
these videos are the absolute best! I swear I learn so much every video, PLEASE keep it up its wonderful
I love using my favorite hiphop tracks, especially MF Doom, in my own campaign. I give my major NPCs their own themes, and some of my best moments at the table have been highlighted by these tracks. Another fantastic video man.
Ooh! I gotta find an excuse for something like that!! - Daði
Its so funny that you made this video for todays upload. I always get called out for not using an immersive playlist despite being a music major lol. I believe this is my wake up call to finally wow my players with music. Thanks again brother, you're always looking out!!!
Hah! Yeah, I relate with similar comments about my style despite being a writer / director! - Daði
Good time to experiment! I always try to experiment with new things at least once a month! - Daði
@@Mystic-Arts-DM Sounds like a great plan. I'll start to do that for sure!
Songs for opening and closing a session is a favourite trick of mine. However, i rarely use music during a session, and there is a long list of reasons why i don't. You are absolutely right that music is a powerful tool to generate emotions and setting a mood, but in my opinion there is too many issues and too much mental charge added. I'm gonna list rapidly the problems; Ambiance music, while being the most appropriate for the medium, are often mediocre. Movie ost are sometime incredible, but the duration often doesn't match the length of scenes. Also, them being recognisable can be detrimental to your world building. Creating, then using playlist at the table takes a lot of time of effort, time that could have been invested somewhere else (and i'll say it as i think it, most gm's should spend less time crafting accessories like maps, token and music, and spend more time working on their world, scenarii or even their delivery or improvisational skills).
I have a dozen other minor reasons but i'm too lazy to write it. At the end of the day, all of these disadvantages have workaround, but being a gm usually require to do a lot within the limited time available to prep sessions. So i believe i need to focus on the most efficient ways to achieve my goals, and unfortunately, music always end up being too much effort for what it bring.
I'm with you. But I do like the idea of associating music with certain events/characters, and beginning and ending the session with music. Perhaps I'll try adding a bit into our sessions.
@@lordkakabel76 You should absolutely try it and see if it works for you!
Congrats on the quick growth :) the production quality is great, the script is engaging, and the knowledge and tips you share are great for beginners and veterans alike. I feel like after years of playing I know so much of what you've been saying, but having it presented in such a clear way organises my thoughts, and gives me clearer goals and plans on how I want to run my games.
Delicious in dungeon has my absolute favourite soundtrack for my D&D game at the moment. Anime is a surprisingly good treasure trove for D&D tracks.
Scrapped princess and Fullmetal alchemist are also perfect.
So happy and proud to say I consider myself an early subscriber because it’s just a matter of time before this channel explodes into the ethreal plane.
Always great advice, always well explained.
My new favorite channel.
I'm a huge fan of using music to convey meaning in-game and it breaks my heart when my long-distance players tell me they've have the music muted all session.
How else are you supposed to recognize that the NPC you just met is giving off a powerful aura of regality when I've used the track "Lion King Caineghis" from Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance in association with powerful, noble figures all campaign long?
How else are you supposed to know that while you are in no physical danger, you are about to receive exposition that may change everything you knew about this world? I was counting on Philip Ayers's "Only Human" to get you into that mindset.
So glad for you two.
on the first session dming a new dnd campaign this year I had a player bard really singing and playing Ain't no Sunshine with his guitar and right after it became entirely linked to the character and the world's culture, I always prepare playlists to each of the seasons so it was a surprise to see a player investing on setting the mood with music as well while staying completely in character, nice vid as always btw!
I’m an audio engineer and have a mixer and soundboard next to me when I DM. I also use a microphone with crazy effects for demonic voices and such.
Sound is powerful
Great tips! I also use music outside sessions to help come up with creatieve ideas. The one album I always go back to is Time’s End II: Majora’s Mask (Remixes). Planning to use it during the next CoS campaign to. Give it a listen if you don’t know it yet.
Also, big congrats on the 20k subs! Love your video’s, keep it up😄
I was wondering how to approach finding music for my games. Thanks for the ideas!
When the song “mirrors (prince of nothing)” or “fiddlesticks the harbinger of doom” my players freeze and look at me with horrified expressions. Highly recommend for horror conditioning for your players!
Unironically, I have been using music as a background for my campaign with my online friends. Through this, I have managed to turn Darkest Dungeon's "The Final Combat" soundtrack into a queue for the final boss of the campaign. They hear it, and everyone knows what's coming
You said greatest trilogy of all time and my mind went "Back to the Future"!
You might know this already, but if you have a playlist someone else made on spotify, and there's like one or two songs you wish weren't there (like you mention at 5:00), you can actually ctrl + A and then copy paste the entire playlist into one you own and remove them. Great video!
I actually just learned this from another commentor! Changed my life. I will no longer be bothered by that one song!
I have a player whose character has a reoccurring nightmare related to their old, peaceful life as a shepherd and I've trained them to know they're having a nightmare within the first 2 notes of the very simple, almost kiddy-piano song that I've used to evoke that feeling of an idyllic youth while I narrate that nightmare.
20k subscribers is insane man, but you deserve every single one of those twenty thousand people clicking that button - you have pushed me, personally, from occasionally watching @ZachtheBold on youtube to buying a dm screen, fair and unfair dice, the dungeon masters guide, a stylus for my iPad, and so much more, for a campaign I started three weeks ago. I am down ~$400 but now every town and building in that town, the surrounding land, caverns and caves, dungeons and crypts, each NPC and Monster and weapon they wield, it all has beautiful colorful visuals. I hope your success continues because I believe you really, genuinely deserve it Daði.
That f---kn rules! Good on ya! You can do it! - Daði
literally just checked the channel for any new uploads only for a new one to pop up on my home page seconds later. Thankyou!
Okay wow I feel like you took the thoughts right out of my head. We literally just did session 0 and started the prologue today for a campaign I've been planning for months. The main theme for the prologue is Terra's Theme from FFVI and there are different covers of it throughout, including a "movie trailer version" for the dramatic opening bit setting the scene. Throughout is mostly songs from various games and some ambient electronic songs. The "credits roll" one is the only one with words but is evocative.
I have Spotify playlists for exploration, tension, combat, emotional turning points, each character's [special mechanic] that you could equate to a magical girl transformation sequence, horror, dreamy, and sessions 0 and 1 so far. But I taught myself to do the basics on the free software Virtual DJ which fades between songs better than Spotify, and if I use the Loop Player app to cut out an intro and loop for songs I want to keep going a yet-to-be-determined amount of time.
People kept referring me to roll20 and those websites made for TTRPGs that just play their own music but I wanted more control and for recurring motifs to have their own themes. Besides, my self-insert NPC was DJing the rave in the opening scene, so it just works out :) thank you for this video, it's validating that what I'm doing actually makes sense to more than just me haha
I couldn't agree more! This is the skill that has elevated my DMing to the next level.
One key tip I'd add, is that specifically turn-based video game tracks are better since it will match the pacing of D&D hours long combat.
However to any GM considering this, the hours that I've spent curating, customizing and mastering my setup may not feel worth it at first. But the outcome in the elevated quality of the session is amazing!
Here's what I've landed on for anyone obsessive enough like me:
- foobar2000, a local program with deep customization and many plugins to boot. I was tired of having to wait for playlists to load and missing important shortcuts. Baring syrinscape (which I've not tried but hear good things about it), there's no other tool which can match the breath of its features for the dedicated user. You can set global commands which activate regardless of which window you have open, queue up songs as first or last, shuffle and change playback speed on the fly.
- local tracks, the downside of using this approach is that all the music needs to be downloaded on your laptop. That doesn't stop me from opening up other tools tho!
Another great video!
One of my players controls the music and sometimes it's not the right mood (so he changes it quickly), but sometimes... it's so surpassing perfect.
Happens to me all the time too, like that example with that trailer theme I keep bumping into. I think it's worth the trade-off.
I wrote a simple "slideshow" tool in Unity back when I first started DMing in 2019. I'll gather up various music tracks for each location/character in my campaign, edit them to seamlessly loop, and pair them with artwork I find on the internet. If it's an online session, I stream the tool through Discord. Otherwise I put it up on my TV while playing in person. I cannot stress how much fun it is to gather different music tracks for potential moments and beats in your campaign. Playing a calm, comforting theme whenever the players interact with a beloved NPC, only to use an epic, fully orchestrated cover of that same track when said NPC jumps in to save the party on the battlefield is a feeling only music can achieve.
That sounds awesome!
Any chance you could drop the track names? I love character motifs!
I know your channel wasn’t really created for this, but I would ABSOLUTELY LOVE to watch you dm. It would help a new dm, seeing you use the techniques you talk about in real time. Idk if your groups would feel comfortable being recorded, but it would be awesomeee.
Back in the 80s I used a Mac Plus, HyperCard, its easy software making kit, and MacRecorder, the first easy consumer device for digitizing sounds to the Mac, as part of running my D&D game. I made a HyperCard stack with pictures, maps with keys, treasure and encounter generators, NPC character DB, notes, etc and some music and environmental effects recorded with the MacRecorder and triggered by buttons in my stack. The best moment though, was when I had a player who had some intense catch phrases but was moving away record those catchphrases. His character Yakub Beg retired to run a tavern in the main town, that was the main hangout for the party between adventures. When a conversation among the PCs in the tavern came around to where Rhasp the dwarf was talking about his mine again, a running gag, I was ready and hit the button so they heard Beg the barkeep reply as he would have had the player been there "Shut up about your goddamn mine!" Everybody was first stunned and then laughed for so long....
You need a minimum of 3 lists: Generic background music, exploration music, combat music. With those three set and ready, you can start make further specialist lists as and when needed.
Echoing the value of video game tracks over movie scores. Not just because of the loopability, which is crucial, but I've also found that movie tracks tend to contain multiple moods rather than just the one that you were looking for. The music for an action scene, for instance, might also contain the slower bits from the resolution and aftermath of the fight, which really sticks out if it suddenly pops up in the middle of an encounter.
I hadn't considered PC-specific themes before (though I am now), but I have given villains their own themes and motifs. When I ran Curse of Strahd, I used the Shadowlord theme from Nier, which has a rather slow and ominous beginning before breaking into a high-octane combat track. I spliced out the introduction and looped it myself, and used that for any scene with him interacting with the party. Then, when it came time for the final encounter, I dropped in the combat version. Same theme, completely different mood.
Obsessed with Yoko Taro game soundtracks. So much emotion in them! - AB
Music has always been my achilles heel, I forget to prep it and forget to use it in sessions. Theme songs for characters sound like an excellent way to make npcs memorable and portray the vibe of npcs much better than simple descriptions.
Brian Davis got the best playlists!
I once Pavloved myself, because every time I went to MacDrive I would watch the same True Crime youtube channel while eating
So after a while I watched one of his videos at home and instantly started to crave a burger
Fleetwood Mac is my favorite band, for over 20 years. You gave me goosebumps, brother!
I love the idea of working with players to create themes for them! I do it for villains but doing it for heroes is such a good idea!
I traumatized two of my players by the Pavlovian Fear Response. I can play the introductory notes of an arrangement for Battle Against a True Hero to instantly spike their blood pressure.
I had an awful, wicked, terrible no good L20 Assassin Rogue that acted as the BBEG’s number two that used the theme and they associated the theme song with getting beaten bloody in the early game. She terrorized them because I determined early she was the kind of psycho that just enjoyed prolonging the despair, so she’d beat them to death save territory, steal stuff at random and set them back by a few sessions every couple of months and eventually whenever they heard those notes the warlock would start cursing and the bard would suddenly lock in. That party beat Orcus. They consider his High Priest’s Right Hand Woman more memorable.
This was really helpful for me. Music is definitely one of my weaker areas, in one of my games it's delegated but in my others I often just forget. Thank you for the advice
Same, thanks Dadi
CAT!
You know you have a great voice for radio, right? So have at it.
I've used music before, but not an "intro" or "credit" theme. That is awesome.
Try it out, you just might love it!
Yalls channel growth has been crazy, but very much deserved! Keep up the great work!
Once a friend of mine said "Hey! I've watched TLotR recently and it felt so wrong when that song you always use for battle started playing! I was like 'This is not from this movie. This is our RPG song!'" XD
This is awesome advice - especially the character themes. Such a good way to get Player buy in for long form games.
If you have someone that loves music / playing a Bard and need some help as a GM, asking them to DJ can provide another opportunity for fostering your Players' strengths.
Really weird for this to hit my feed the day I'm starting a D&D music patreon.
This reminds me of a youtube video I watched about ace attorneys theme. Instead of making location based music themes, most of them instead are based on the mood.
I’ve been trying music on discord but sometimes it’s a hit or miss.
Congratulations on 20k!!
Thanks! :D
The best sound solution is softrope. In my eyes nothing is better.
You just got another subscriber.
I take my time to google and assemble a good playlist for each mood on my table, but I often forget to use it
I was using the soundtrack of Braveheart for one of my sessions, and at one point the players poked their heads into a room that was clearly an alchemist lab and the leader of the group stepped into the empty room and said " helloooo". at that very moment the soundtrack which included audio clips from the movie switched to the next track and William Wallace belted out
"GO BACK TO ENGLAND, and tell them there, that the sons and daughters of Scotland are yours no more!!" unfortunately that basically ended the session cos after we collectively share ourselves we were laughing uncontrollably at the ridiculousness of it all. The odds of that happening at that precise moment is infintesimal.
0:55 Not the Nissan Honda Jeep lmao, that broke me
Thank you, I'm hilarious -AB
🐈 ❤
Congrats on 20k! Well deserved.
Ok. Colby from D4 and Dadi in a duo for an untimate D&D asmr.
Fuck yeah keep em coming. I'll try to make it to the Livestream!
I've used the Pocket Bard app for background music/sounds, and it definitely helps add to the experience. Your advice just makes me want to up the level I use music. Good stuff!
4:30 or Firefox an Unlock origin.
There are browser plug-ins that rhyme with "stat block", that let you use TH-cam without... uh... stats.
Oh gosh! I wouldn't know about those! - Daði
Solid and inspiring work. May you reach 100k before spring!
He hasn't made a video in awhile, but I HIGHLY suggest to look up the channel "Sideways" 💯 I've learned so much through his masterful videos, and it's elevated what music does during sessions tenfold 🔥
Love the idea of specific music cues for session's beginning and end, specific character themes, etc. Do you use sound effects at all? I use voicemod as a soundboard for music and FX but the music side is mostly just a playlist for combat and a playlist for non-combat. I do have a quick sound effect I use for the campaign start that is very helpful to get everyone's attention. I will definitely explore using music more actively and intentionally.
Daði has been experimenting lately with more ambient sounds, like adding rainfall while exploring or crowd noises when in a city/tavern. But nothing much more complicated than layering one kind of sound over the ongoing BGM. - AB
I have been lazy about music when I run on account of running in other people's homes and not getting to have control of the entire environment where I'm running, but I do like the idea of an opening theme. One of the games I'm pitching next time I'm up to run is an Acquisitions Incorporated game, and if that's what I end up running, the theme song from The "C" Team is 100% going to open every session.
I've played Nier; I'm very well aware of the importance of music. It's approximately 90% of storytelling.
Someone else mentioned the Nier soundtrack as well. Loooooooove all the Nier music, it's so evocative - AB
For an extra pavlovian response from your players I recommend the Tristram theme from Diablo for pre-game mood music.
Music is the end all be all of my ability to get into a scene and act my heart out.
Completely agree! - Daði
Syrinscape is a life saver for online play. Pocketbard for at the table
We used Conan The Barbarian movie LP it worked pretty good back in the day as atmospheric music. 😎🤘🍻
I ran a Slender man themed one shot and just played the Revenge of the Sith video game menu music on repeat for a couple hours as the players wandered the woods uncovering dark secrets and they loved it.
Hæ Daði ég var nílega að fatta að þú værir Íslendingur, er sjálfur að plana að vera DM enn er aðallega spilari, væri frábært að tala við þig ef það væri hægt! Eða kannski hittast einhverntíman.