Pump Up the Jam: Music & Roleplaying games
I discuss the importance of music in tabletop role-playing games and finding a good soundtrack for your table.
2/12/20263 min read
Look ahead, the crowd is jumpin',
- Technotronic
Music has always been a part of my life. Growing up, I enjoyed listening to both classical music and classic rock, and I have a deep appreciation of both. I played piano through high school, and even dipped my toe into performing jazz for a few years. I wasn’t very good at it, but it was still fun. My dad’s professional choir, the Fort Bend Boys Choir, is now entering its forty-fourth year and is the culmination of a lifetime of his true passion for music, hard work, and love for the art.
Though I had no such goals for music myself, my love of it influenced how I run role-playing games. Music adds an extra layer of immersion to any role-playing game session, and it can really bring you into the moment and help you get into the mindset of your character. Whether you’re fighting trolls on a frozen mountain, dueling bandits at high noon, or battling aliens on a distant planet, the right soundtrack can make a big difference. In fact, I’ve developed somewhat of a reputation as the table DJ whenever we’re playing Pathfinder.
There are many different sources for finding a good soundtrack for your game. YouTube is always a great place to start. I’ve found that ambient music tends to work the best, as lyrics can be distracting to players, but even music with lyrics can work if the volume is kept relatively low.
To misquote John Cusack’s character in High Fidelity, the making of a good mix for a role-playing table is a very subtle art. Well, maybe not. But take a moment to consider the impact that music has. Think about your favorite song. How does it make you feel when you listen to it?
To think further about the impact of music on a story, let’s use popular movies as an example. A good soundtrack can draw you into the story of a movie, much in the same way that a soundtrack for your game brings your players closer to the action. Would Jaws be the same movie without that tense, two-note theme? Would Star Wars be the same without that sweeping, epic theme played over the opening crawl narration? What would Christopher Reeves’ Superman movie be without that epic brass opening?
I know, I just referenced three movies scored by John Williams, but there’s a point here: music heightens emotion and brings you into a story, and having a good soundtrack for your game can make memorable moments at your table. Sometimes this is as easy as finding a good ambient mix to have on a loop, but when you really want to punctuate a scene, a few well-chosen tracks can go a long way.
When I play Deadlands, I’ve used old western movie soundtracks frequently, including the theme from a Clint Eastwood classic (you know the one) during duels, or the soundtrack from the video game Red Dead Redemption. If you don’t have the time to go through and pick individual tracks, just spending a few minutes searching on YouTube for the genre of the game you’re running can be valuable! You’d be surprised what’s out there.
Another fantastic resource for music during your games is Tabletop Audio. If you haven’t used it before, do it. The website offers an excellent selection of ambient music that works well with almost any game, and it’s all free. It is an incredibly versatile resource, and one I use all the time.
Music can be a part of any game, and with just a little bit of research, you can find some tracks that work perfectly for the game you're running. So, pump up the jams, let the music play, and turn up the radio!
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PS: Editing on my sci-fi/horror adventure for Savage Worlds, The Last Voyage of the Charon, is going well! I hope to have some artwork to share very soon. Still working on some freebie products, but editing the book is the priority.