I'd like to have some low volume ambient music playing in the background in my upcoming Warhammer session - any suggestions? I'd prefer something with no lyrics and nothing hectic like power-metal (which is otherwise alrite)
Ambient fantasy music
Although a bit retro, the Diablo II soundtrack is pretty good. If you own the game, you can probably get the MP3 data pretty easily. Actually, most PC games have great soundtracks (and they loop seamlessly! BONUS).
Also, there's a group called Midnight Syndicate who made a lot of ambient medieval themed music. I think that they even made an album especially for Wizards of the Coast.
Other than that, most of my friends just default to the Lord of the Rings and Conan soundtracks, as cliché as they are.
When in doubt, rolling stones!
The Conan soundtrack is awesome for combat scenes!
I'm actually using the music ripped off the Warhammer Online install
If you are looking for darker mood pieces, try some of the pieces by Glen Danzig - Really good stuff for exploring ruined monasteries and the like.
kaiserjez said:
The Conan soundtrack is awesome for combat scenes!
Yes! Though perhaps a more heroic in tone than I'd see most Warhammer combats. The WAR stuff can be downloaded from here , too. Some of the Chaos stuff is very atmospheric and creepy.
I've always associated Warhammer with its roots; the NWOBHM. Iron Maiden, Priest, weird old bands like Witchunter General, and the like. Also, in part due to discovering both around the same time, I strongly associate it with the American Thrash descendents of the NWOBHM bands; Slayer, Metallica, et al. Useful for writing campaigns and adventures, but (especially if the players aren't all metal fans) not the best for playing.
There's always the official DnD soundtrack from Midnight Syndicate, which I think is pretty good. I like all their music, actually.
midnightsyndicate.com
@morskittar: Thanks for that link! I especially like Eulogy for Hope.
I highly recommend the Dragon Age: Origins soundtrack (and the game, for that matter). There's also a pretty good soundtrack for Dungeons & Dragons Online that they released online, but I'm not sure if it's still up. It has some nice tavern type songs...
Thanks for recommendations! I'll definitely try out that Warhammer online soundtrack.
Also come to mind, I have Age of Conan soundtrack which should do the trick.
Umm, yeah, plenty of great background songs I think. I even occasionally use some odd stuff like some of the theme songs from the movie Alexander.
froo said:
Umm, yeah, plenty of great background songs I think. I even occasionally use some odd stuff like some of the theme songs from the movie Alexander.
I`ve been RickRoll`d
Normalyy bounce between a few soundtracks:
300
13th Warrior
Last of the Mohicans
Braveheart
I'll second the Dragon Age sound track, very broody for the most part, dark with the faintest tint of hope.
Soundtracks:
Pathfinder
God of War II
Conan
Pirates of the Caribbean
The Mask of Zorro
Classical Songs (for numerous moods - battle, resting, towns, revelations, etc.)
In the Hall of the Mountain King by Grieg
Night on Bald Mountain by Mussorgsky
Fortuna from Carmina Burana by Orff
Mars the Bringer of War by Holst
Finlandia by Sibelius
Ride of the Valkyries by Wagner
Requiem: Dies Irae by Mozart
The Hebrides Overture (Fingals Cave) by Mendelssohn
Peer Gynt's Homecoming by Grieg
The Marketplace in Ispahan by Grieg
Dance of the Prisoners by Grieg
Artists:
ES Posthumus
I am a huge fan of ambient music. It definately sets the tone, and I wont go without a mix. Here is my entire WHFRP mix from my Ipod. Some of it seems like it wont fit, like maybe too futuristic... but I want a good mix of different emotions...
Here is the entire mix:
1) Battlestar Galactica Main Title Music 0:47 Bear McCreary Battlestar Galactica: Season 2 (Original Soundtrack from the TV Series) Soundtrack
2) Snow Whiskey 1:14 Ade Lun Sec Provenance
3) Riddle Of Steel/ Riders Of Doom 5:38 Orchestra & Chorus of Santa Cecilia & Radio Symphony of Rome Conan The Barbarian Soundtrack
4) Prologue/Anvil Of Crom 2:37 Orchestra & Chorus of Santa Cecilia & Radio Symphony of Rome Conan The Barbarian Soundtrack
5) The Gift Of Fury 3:51 Orchestra & Chorus of Santa Cecilia & Radio Symphony of Rome Conan The Barbarian Soundtrack
6) Column Of Sadness/ Wheel Of Pain 4:10 Orchestra & Chorus of Santa Cecilia & Radio Symphony of Rome Conan The Barbarian Soundtrack
7) Atlantean Sword 3:52 Orchestra & Chorus of Santa Cecilia & Radio Symphony of Rome Conan The Barbarian Soundtrack
8) Theology/ Civilisation 3:15 Orchestra & Chorus of Santa Cecilia & Radio Symphony of Rome Conan The Barbarian Soundtrack
9) Mountain Of Power Procession 3:23 Orchestra & Chorus of Santa Cecilia & Radio Symphony of Rome Conan The Barbarian Soundtrack
10) The Ory/ The Kitchen 6:32 Orchestra & Chorus of Santa Cecilia & Radio Symphony of Rome Conan The Barbarian Soundtrack
11) Battle Of The Mounds Pt.1 4:54 Orchestra & Chorus of Santa Cecilia & Radio Symphony of Rome Conan The Barbarian Soundtrack
12) Seraph Ascent.Cn 2:51 Ade Lun Sec Provenance
13) Agnus Dei 4:29 Elliot Goldenthal Alien 3 Soundtrack
14) Lento 5:49 Elliot Goldenthal Alien 3 Soundtrack
15) Taken 3:36 Hans Zimmer The Last Samurai Soundtrack
16) To Know My Enemy 4:49 Hans Zimmer The Last Samurai Soundtrack
17) The Prophecy 3:55 Howard Shore The Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring Soundtrack
18) The Shadow Of The Past 3:33 Howard Shore The Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring Soundtrack
19) The Treason Of Isengard 4:01 Howard Shore The Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring Soundtrack
20) A Knife In The Dark 3:34 Howard Shore The Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring Soundtrack
21) Many Meetings 3:05 Howard Shore The Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring Soundtrack
22) A Journey In The Dark 4:20 Howard Shore The Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring Soundtrack
23) Foundations Of Stone 3:51 Howard Shore Lord of The Rings: Two Towers Soundtrack
24) The Passage Of The Marshes 2:46 Howard Shore Lord of The Rings: Two Towers Soundtrack
25) The King Of The Golden Hall 3:49 Howard Shore Lord of The Rings: Two Towers Soundtrack
26) The White Rider 2:28 Howard Shore Lord of The Rings: Two Towers Soundtrack
27) Treebeard 2:44 Howard Shore Lord of The Rings: Two Towers Soundtrack
28) The Leave Taking 3:42 Howard Shore Lord of The Rings: Two Towers Soundtrack
29) A Storm Is Coming 2:52 Howard Shore The Return Of The King Soundtrack
30) Minas Tirith 3:37 Howard Shore The Return Of The King Soundtrack
31) The Steward Of Gondor 3:53 Howard Shore The Return Of The King Soundtrack
32) Cirith Ungol 1:44 Howard Shore The Return Of The King Soundtrack
33) Anduril 2:35 Howard Shore The Return Of The King Soundtrack
34) The Fields Of Pelennor 3:26 Howard Shore The Return Of The King Soundtrack
35) The Black Gate Opens 4:02 Howard Shore The Return Of The King Soundtrack
36) The Grey Havens 5:59 Howard Shore The Return Of The King Soundtrack
37) Helm's Deep 3:53 Howard Shore Lord of The Rings: Two Towers Soundtrack
38) Amen 3:20 Jeff Van Dyck Medieval II: Total War - The Soundtrack Soundtrack
39) bonus song 3:19 Last Samurai
40) Escape From The Swamp 1:43 Queen Flash Gordon
41) Night Fight 3:11 Tan Dun Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon Soundtrack
42) Opening 2:54 Tangerine Dream Legend
43) Cottage 3:22 Tangerine Dream Legend
44) Goblins 3:02 Tangerine Dream Legend
45) Blue Room 3:24 Tangerine Dream Legend
46) Darkness 3:05 Tangerine Dream Legend
47) All Other Lights.mp3 3:44 Turbine, Inc. The Lord of the Rings Online Original Soundtrack
48) Baltar’s Dream from "Valley of Darkness" 2:46 Bear McCreary Battlestar Galactica: Season 2
49) Before the Storm.mp3 4:15 Turbine, Inc. The Lord of the Rings Online Original Soundtrack
50) Prelude to War from “Pegasus” and “Resurrection Ship Pts. One and Two" 8:26 Bear McCreary Battlestar Galactica: Season 2
51) Bree-land Jig.mp3 1:59 Turbine, Inc. The Lord of the Rings Online Original Soundtrack
52) The Brigand’s Tale.mp3 2:17 Turbine, Inc. The Lord of the Rings Online Original Soundtrack
53) Courage of Men.mp3 2:09 Turbine, Inc. The Lord of the Rings Online Original Soundtrack
54) Escape from the Farm from "The Farm" 3:13 Bear McCreary Battlestar Galactica: Season 2
55) The Creeping Gloom.mp3 3:39 Turbine, Inc. The Lord of the Rings Online Original Soundtrack
56) The Crownless.mp3 4:24 Turbine, Inc. The Lord of the Rings Online Original Soundtrack
57) Fell Deeds Awake.mp3 3:43 Turbine, Inc. The Lord of the Rings Online Original Soundtrack
58) Forsaken Paths.mp3 4:07 Turbine, Inc. The Lord of the Rings Online Original Soundtrack
59) Garth Agarwen.mp3 3:17 Turbine, Inc. The Lord of the Rings Online Original Soundtrack
60) Wreck and Slaughter.mp3 1:19 Turbine, Inc. The Lord of the Rings Online Original Soundtrack
61) Reuniting the Fleet from “Home Pts. One and Two" 2:50 Bear McCreary Battlestar Galactica: Season 2
62) Vaults of Stone.mp3 5:42 Turbine, Inc. The Lord of the Rings Online Original Soundtrack
63) Vale of Imladris.mp3 3:03 Turbine, Inc. The Lord of the Rings Online Original Soundtrack
64) Stars and Glory.mp3 4:33 Turbine, Inc. The Lord of the Rings Online Original Soundtrack
65) Skies of Grey.mp3 3:14 Turbine, Inc. The Lord of the Rings Online Original Soundtrack
66) Silent Hope.mp3 1:40 Turbine, Inc. The Lord of the Rings Online Original Soundtrack
67) Shadows on the Snow.mp3 4:53 Turbine, Inc. The Lord of the Rings Online Original Soundtrack
68) Ruins of Old.mp3 2:23 Turbine, Inc. The Lord of the Rings Online Original Soundtrack
69) The Road to War.mp3 2:02 Turbine, Inc. The Lord of the Rings Online Original Soundtrack
70) Ride of the Nazgûl.mp3 0:48 Turbine, Inc. The Lord of the Rings Online Original Soundtrack
71) Red Stones and Golden Leaves.mp3 1:44 Turbine, Inc. The Lord of the Rings Online Original Soundtrack
72) Mirkwood.mp3 1:26 Turbine, Inc. The Lord of the Rings Online Original Soundtrack
73) Tales of the Future 4:47 Vangelis Blade Runner Trilogy
74) Damask Rose 2:33 Vangelis Blade Runner Trilogy
75) Dracula - The Beginning 6:42 Wojciech Kilar Bram Stoker's Dracula: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Soundtrack
76) The Storm 5:05 Wojciech Kilar Bram Stoker's Dracula: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Soundtrack
77) The Hunters Prelude 1:29 Wojciech Kilar Bram Stoker's Dracula: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Soundtrack
78) Love Eternal 2:23 Wojciech Kilar Bram Stoker's Dracula: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Soundtrack
79) End Credits 6:44 Wojciech Kilar Bram Stoker's Dracula: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Soundtrack
This is a grand total of 4.5 hours of gaming... I use it to keep track of time, and by adding a few more songs eventually, making an even 5 hours and counting it as one session.
Try Erdenstern . It's a german music group, specialized in soundtracks (no lyrics) for roleplaying games. Some film soundtracks tend to play themself very much in the foreground, which can be annoying sometimes, but Erdenstern is perfect just for ambient in the background ^^
I like actual period music, so "Early Music Festival" is great...Naxos has lots of affordable renaissance music. Better than that gawd-awful metal music from Vikings
If you can stomach something non-ambient, I really love gaming gritty fantasy to some Black Metal turned relatively low.
Stuff like Mayhem's "De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas" for exploring Sylvania. Any Graveland album also does the trick for standard dark gloomy play.
The soundtrack to 28 Days Later is super creepy and intense.
I'll excuse myself first for the slight bit of enormous treadomancy here.
But I was looking into music for the sessions and reading this reminded me of something.
An excellent option would be the soundtrack that you get delivered with 'The Witcher - Enhanced Edition'
As it is also music written for somewhat darker fantasy, especially written for background music and legally free for anyone who owns the game
For a change of pace try "Always the first to die" on youtube. A hoot
Candacis said:
Try Erdenstern . It's a german music group, specialized in soundtracks (no lyrics) for roleplaying games. Some film soundtracks tend to play themself very much in the foreground, which can be annoying sometimes, but Erdenstern is perfect just for ambient in the background ^^
Just now catching on to this; thank you very much for the post. Wonderful stuff there!
A buddy of mine has been recording music under the monikers Magic Missile & Cave Dweller for a little while now. Both are heavily inspired by RPGs, D&D and S&S computer games:
http://soundcloud.com/cave-dweller
http://soundcloud.com/magic-missile
The Cave Dweller stuff is straight up old school fantasy, while the Magic Missile material is more laptop death metal...ala Warhammer 40k or Warhammer Fantasy PCs encountering a Chaos Daemon in the middle of the Reikwald late at night and having their souls and bodies torn to shreds....yeah, like that
:-)
Also, Pandora is good for creating a random ambient music mix. We used it when playing our Star Wars game recently.