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2 years ago ::
Jul 02, 2008 - 9:50AM
#1
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Chat about our new series of articlesabout including the Star Wars soundtracks to enhance your roleplaying games!
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2 years ago ::
Jul 02, 2008 - 10:34AM
#2
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I'm not a big user of specified music. Although I do like to keep something playing in the background, I almost never make it loud enough to affect the game in any way.
Still, for those times when you do want to use it, or if you plan on using it a lot I have two additional peices of advise. First, get a remote. It makes the whole thing less disruptive than sitting there and messing with the CD player, or worse, having to get up to do that. And second, make yourself a quick cheat sheet with tips on when to use a certain track. Most of the time the titles won't tell you things like "good for a chase" or "good for a scary feel."
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2 years ago ::
Jul 02, 2008 - 11:16AM
#3
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Nah - you don't need a remote.
You need a laptop. :o)
That way, you can rip the soundtracks to MP3 format. Then, create a couple folders: Chases, Battle, Starship, Downtime, etc. In each of those folders, create a link to all the appropriate tracks.
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2 years ago ::
Jul 02, 2008 - 11:58AM
#4
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I use a laptop, of course the gamers at the table just covered their eyes and shook their heads, as they heard the Fox fanfare start up before the Star Wars theme music...
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2 years ago ::
Jul 02, 2008 - 12:17PM
#5
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The only issue with the Star Wars music is that it's pretty easy to recognize. Having the Star Wars themes play is basically like having cameos from Luke or Darth Vader -- for better or for worse.
I'd recommend the Six-String Samurai, 28 Days Later, and some parts of the Grand Theft Auto IV soundtracks for Star Wars games. They cover lots of good ground in ways that parse to "Star Wars" pretty easily.
The Splinter Cell soundtracks aren't bad either.
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2 years ago ::
Jul 02, 2008 - 1:16PM
#6
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I think the Star Wars soundtrack is exactly what works at pivotal moments to bring players into the concept that they are playing Star Wars and not some cheesy knock-off.
I don't seem to have the link to the website, but there is one that has a ton of Star Wars music clips on it, even whole songs. I have all the best clips on my computer. All orchestral in the vein of Star Wars; not that faux rock crud, not industrial, and not rock. Absolutely perfect for a game in a way that doesn't remove you from the fact that this is Star Wars and which carries combat or roleplay moments well.
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2 years ago ::
Jul 02, 2008 - 1:50PM
#7
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Agreed 100%
Star wars is well STAR WARS. having Vader or Luke pop up is differnt because the focus is still kept on the PCs. I mean nothing puts a chill down a PCs theme like warping into a star system.. and the DM suddenly putting the Imperial March up
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2 years ago ::
Jul 02, 2008 - 9:16PM
#8
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Great article, very helpful.
I haven't used SW music yet, but Deadairis is right, there's a lot of good non-SW scores that thematically "match".
For my D&D campaign, I used LOTR scores, tracks from the Neverwinter Nights PC games, and would organize the tracks into folders: downtime/village, traveling, peril, combat...
Music is great, but I've played at people's houses where they were playing something in the background that totally yanked me out of the game. I've never understood the supposed correlation between fantasy RP and metal.
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2 years ago ::
Jul 02, 2008 - 11:56PM
#9
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Yeah, in the first campaign that I played in there were three or four tracks that ruined the flow of the game because the GM stopped to sing along with them.
Lyrics + RPGs = bad.
If you must have music, make it instrumental only.
(The new Doctor Who series has some great tracks)
It's morphin time! ...Oh wait, wrong universe. Now where did I put my lightsabre?
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2 years ago ::
Jul 03, 2008 - 6:52AM
#10
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I use music in all my games ... and with Star Wars, I've used the SW OSTs, but also use some music from other sources ... depending on the feel of the campaign of course. In the past, I've ran a game where the players were part of the Old Republic and worked on a larger patrol vessel. For that, I used a hefty amount of Star Trek (mainly from the movie and DS9) with a smattering of B5 thrown in for tension scenes. The current game I'm running is inspired a bit more by Firefly and Cowboy Bebop, so I use a bit more jazz and use some music from the SW OSTs, Last Starfighter and a good mix of modern action movies, sci-fi and a bit of other tracks that I have. I'm in the planning stages of my next 4 week arc of SW, and I'm looking at throwing some Morricone into the mix as they visit a backwater world. May even have to run a gun fight 
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2 years ago ::
Jul 03, 2008 - 7:00AM
#11
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Yeah, in the first campaign that I played in there were three or four tracks that ruined the flow of the game because the GM stopped to sing along with them.
Lyrics + RPGs = bad.
If you must have music, make it instrumental only.
(The new Doctor Who series has some great tracks)
I agree 100% ... and yes, the new Dr. Who stuff is awesome!  Especially Season 3!
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2 years ago ::
Jul 03, 2008 - 7:42AM
#12
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I have used instrumental and orchestral scores in my games for many years.
For Star Wars - the original John Williams themes paints the picture very well. I choose specific tracks to play with specific themes. For example, in DoD, the landing on Alderaan - I chose Leia's theme.
I've reserved a few tracks for specific things. The Emperor's theme will be used for the Inquisitor, and only for him.
I also borrow lesser known tracks from other John Williams movies, since they often share a style with SW. Raiders of the Lost Ark, for example - lots of good music in there (though the Raiders march itself is too evocative of Indy to use).
Other movie soundtracks offer good ambient sound. Se7en has a great oppressive 12 minute atmospheric track. Lots of good videogame music too - awesome for ambient sound.
Myst, Aliens vs Predator (the games), Quake (with music by Trent Reznor) - all awesome.
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2 years ago ::
Jul 03, 2008 - 11:03AM
#13
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You had me until Quake. I might have investigated 12 Monkeys (I haven't seen it in forever; I don't remember what kind of music it had), but with the mention of Trent, suddenly I don't want to even worry about 12 Monkeys.
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2 years ago ::
Jul 03, 2008 - 11:42AM
#14
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The Advent Rising soundtrack is an excellent match. An excellent game, too, though I hear the Xbox version had some bugs. It's a shame that Majesco lost its way and that I won't get any sequels.
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2 years ago ::
Jul 03, 2008 - 12:38PM
#15
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I've been doing this for my Star Wars games for years. I've got Windows Media Player set up with playlists for "Moody" (general background stuff), Alien Moody (for creepy background stuff), Imperial (For when the PCs are interacting with the villains), and Battles (all the good fight music).
It's creepy how often my storytelling just happens to synch up with the music. The imperial theme appears in little stanzas throughout a lot of the Moody music, and it meshes all too well at times with how I'm describing a scene...
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2 years ago ::
Jul 03, 2008 - 12:52PM
#16
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Yeah, I love it when things like that happen. There's a strong chance of syncing for four reasons: 1) the music is repetitive, 2) scene descriptions often have multiple points at which they have a chance to sync with the music, 3) when it doesn't precisely sync it doesn't precisely not sync, so its non-syncing moments tend to go unnoticed, further highlighting its syncing moments, and 4) musical rhythm and cadence has a strong effect on human rhythm and cadence so that we often fall in line with the music subconsciously.
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2 years ago ::
Jul 03, 2008 - 2:39PM
#17
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For some great Sith music ... take a listen at Deathnote ... great stuff there!
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2 years ago ::
Jul 03, 2008 - 6:54PM
#18
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I would suggest the KOTOR games soundtracks. Lots of Star Wars themes incorporated into new tracks that manage a distinct feel that differentiates it from the Saga. KOTOR1 CD is more of an awesome space romp (more in line with the movies), while KOTOR2 CD is more calm and has a feeling of hopelessness, really good for desperate worlds that your players may encounter and whatnot.
I'd also recommend some of the Halo tracks, as long as you don't use the more familiar ones. Metal Gear Solid also has a lot of great instrumental tracks to use.
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2 years ago ::
Jul 04, 2008 - 1:55PM
#19
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Yeah, in the first campaign that I played in there were three or four tracks that ruined the flow of the game because the GM stopped to sing along with them.
Lyrics + RPGs = bad.
If you must have music, make it instrumental only.
(The new Doctor Who series has some great tracks)
agreed, hell I've long said Lyrics in ANY soundtrack are, more often then not sucktastic, I mean it depends.. a choras thats in a forgien language or no offical language at all tends to work fine (case in point.. in duel of the fates) but I don't care how THEMATICLY approperate you might think it is, a siong with Lyrics is a no no
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2 years ago ::
Jul 04, 2008 - 9:36PM
#20
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I'd also recommend some of the Halo tracks, as long as you don't use the more familiar ones.
Halo is the only video game I know of with good music. (Never played KOTOR)
Star Wars music is fine for Star Wars miniatures. In fact, it can be refreshing to use music associated with a particular scene for a different but similar scene in your game. An excellent example: The audiobook Legacy of the Force: Betrayal uses Padme's Ruminations for the part where Jacen has a vision of the future Confederation-Galactic Alliance war. It was neat hearing that music affiliated with a specific scene in Ep. III for a similar but different scene.
Imagine the possibilities in Star Wars Miniatures. I can imagine playing Luke JM against Darth Caedus and listening to Battle of the Heroes. It would be perfect.
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2 years ago ::
Jul 04, 2008 - 10:15PM
#21
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I think the John Williams music is best used sparingly. I tried using it more often in the beginning, but it became too repetitive and annoying, and my players complained.
Usually, I use a lot of electronic music. Ambient for slower periods, higher BPM stuff for combat and chase scenes, specific flavors and genres for different planets.
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2 years ago ::
Jul 05, 2008 - 1:06AM
#22
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Music should be ambient. If you are using it as a major feature and also not providing enough variety, then it would certainly wear on the players. Volume and pitch are key. Crappy speakers whining on the high end could get nerve wracking as well.
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2 years ago ::
Jul 17, 2008 - 6:25AM
#23
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Part 2 is up. Love it! Have been using SW music to good effect in DoD, plan on using the articles' advice to tweak the tracks I use. Trying to slide in Advent Rising too.
RPG Sound Mixer will probably become a necessity for me. Messing with music software during a game session is becoming more trouble than it's worth.
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2 years ago ::
Jul 17, 2008 - 7:58PM
#24
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You should have a short list of clearly labeled music links prepared for the session ready on the screen, along with "the usual" links that you will always use for a session. So that all you have to do is click on what you need without hunting for anything.
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2 years ago ::
Jul 18, 2008 - 3:48AM
#25
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The problem is with the music players and possibyl the mp3 tracks I use. Still, I've been meaning to purchase RSM for a few years. Now's a good a time as any.
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2 years ago ::
Jul 20, 2008 - 10:13AM
#26
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As a soundtracker, it's hard to recommend non- Star Wars scores for game use, for every time I turn around, they keep going out of print. But I can't stress enough the need for Joel McNeely's Shadows of the Empire soundtrack. As Star Wars as it gets outside of the maestro's baton. Under the header "Cantina", I use world music, like J-pop, with lyrics no one can understand, yet feel alien (and 80s) enough to be in Star Wars.
You had me until Quake. I might have investigated 12 Monkeys (I haven't seen it in forever; I don't remember what kind of music it had), but with the mention of Trent, suddenly I don't want to even worry about 12 Monkeys.
You're too picky. 12 Monkeys doesn't involve any industrial metal riffs. Its main title uses an accordian in such an insidious way, it could be tracked for a sinister schemer's theme whose noggin is 12 parsecs short of a Kessel Run.
Although it does have Louis Armstrong's "What a Wonderful World". Might wanna skip that, game-wise.
Everyone in the world should roleplay. There would no longer be any real wars if everyone would just fake them with dice.
"Film students of the future, behold! Learn the lessons of what happens when you don't make some guy on the Internet happy!" -- MoxFulder, FilmScoreMonthly.com
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2 years ago ::
Jul 27, 2008 - 9:26AM
#27
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Perusing my music library, and I realized that Valve's Orange Box score has some good tracks for SW.
The Team Fortress 2 songs aren't themed well for SW, and as genius as it is, Jonathan Coulton's "I'm Still Alive" doesn't fit, but there are a bunch of ambient techno tracks of varying pace that can be worked into a game's background score.
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2 years ago ::
Jul 29, 2008 - 1:22AM
#28
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2 years ago ::
Jul 29, 2008 - 3:39AM
#29
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Hi guys,
Feel free to use any of my music: -
http://forums.gleemax.com/showthread.php?t=960724
I recommend it
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2 years ago ::
Jul 30, 2008 - 10:27PM
#30
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This just baffles me - why, when mentioning good classical examples, is there no mention at all of Gustav Holst, the single most recognizable classical influence on Williams' music?
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2 years ago ::
Jul 31, 2008 - 12:40AM
#31
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Good point Chris. Mars and Saturn are certainly noticeable influences for Star Wars and Raiders respectively.
Mars was used as the temp track for the opening sequence and certainly the influence can be heard on the music John Williams wrote.
Other music used as the original temp tracks for A New Hope include a piece from The Rite of Spring (The Sacrifice: Introduction) originally used for The Dune Sea on Tatooine (and these two pieces are almost identical).
I believe a piece by Dvorak was used as well (although I don't know which) and one of Walton's marches (possibly a Coronation march) was used for the Throne Room sequence.
Erich Wolfgang Korngold has always been considered a major influence on John Williams' Star Wars work. Check out the soundtrack to the 1942 film King's Row for a surprisingly familiar-sounding main theme.
Incidentally, Williams himself has got to be one of the most copied composers ever (including by me). I was watching The Golden Compass the other day and on the cue 'Riding Iorek' you can clearly hear that E.T. was used as the temp score.
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2 years ago ::
Jul 31, 2008 - 4:40AM
#32
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I am really glad the article gave a link to the Republic Commando soundtrack. Good stuff there, and would be great for any Mandalorian encounters. Also just good to listen to over all.
I was suprised that they did not mention the Shadows of the Empire sound track. I found that about a month ago. Not bad.
Thanks,
Duncan
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2 years ago ::
Jul 31, 2008 - 5:52AM
#33
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Holst = the article's mention of Wrath of Khan. That movie introduced me to Holst and The Planets. I still get shivers hearing Mars queue up...
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2 years ago ::
Jul 31, 2008 - 7:10AM
#34
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Thanks for the tip,
I'll check him out.
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2 years ago ::
Jul 31, 2008 - 8:29AM
#35
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Holst = the article's mention of Wrath of Khan. That movie introduced me to Holst and The Planets. I still get shivers hearing Mars queue up...
Hi there Glacialis, could you explain this a little more please? I don't see the connection between Holst and Wrath of Khan. Now, Prokofiev perhaps but Horner is constantly 'quoting' from that guy...
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2 years ago ::
Jul 31, 2008 - 8:57AM
#36
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This just baffles me - why, when mentioning good classical examples, is there no mention at all of Gustav Holst, the single most recognizable classical influence on Williams' music?
Simply put, I grouped it with the whole Romantic era of music mentioned in the article but did not mention it by name. I love Holst's music and cannot recommend it enough! In fact, the Jupiter movement from "The Planets" is going through my head as I write this. If I had a chance to go back and specifically state it, I most definitely would.
Nevertheless, there is a lot of classical compositions out there that I did not mention. Stravinsky's "Firebird Suite" and "Rite of Spring" and Mussorgsky's "Night on Bald Mountain" immediately come to mind. These pieces, along with Holst and others at the turn of the 20th-century, are recommended. I would even love to see if I could fit some Copeland in my soundtrack somewhere.
Patrick Stutzman, member of the Spelljammer High Council and freelance Star Wars RPG designer Star Wars: The Forgotten Tales http://www.swtft.com
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2 years ago ::
Jul 31, 2008 - 10:14AM
#37
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Patrick, just wanted to say what a great set of articles these have been. I love using music in my SW gaming and it's great to see how much other people use it.
regards
James
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2 years ago ::
Jul 31, 2008 - 11:11AM
#38
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Verdi's "Dies Irae" and Orff's "O Fortuna" are excellent choral duelling tracks.
Bach's "Air" symphony and "Flight Into Space" from John Barry's 007: Moonraker are good to go for exotic establishment (landscape) settings.
If you're in a WALL-E kind of mood, "The Office" from Michael Kamen's Brazil could serve as a heroic droid's theme (track 1, start 0:20 - end 1:39).
Everyone in the world should roleplay. There would no longer be any real wars if everyone would just fake them with dice.
"Film students of the future, behold! Learn the lessons of what happens when you don't make some guy on the Internet happy!" -- MoxFulder, FilmScoreMonthly.com
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2 years ago ::
Jul 31, 2008 - 7:35PM
#39
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Although the following will take a while on Amazon if you don't live in Hong Kong, Taiwan or Japan, I assure you the soundtracks that follow are well worth the effort in investing in. Star Wars has always melded the Eastern Warrior Spirit with Western Science Fiction, and it is therefore only appropriate that the following artists' evocative works be used to inspire the same Warrior Spirit in your games. Here We Go: Hong Kong Cinema
Once Upon A Time In China
Swordsman 2
Fong Sai Yuk -By James Wong
Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon
Hero - By Tan Dun
Fearless - By Umeyabashi Shigure
Japanese Anime
Noir (Original Soundtrack Volumes 1-3)
.hack//SIGN (Original Soundtrack Volumes 1-3)
My Hime (Original Soundtrack Volumes 1-2)
My Otome (Original Soundtrack Volumes 1-2) By Kajiura Yuki Here is a Music Video I made 2 years ago using the track entitled Mezame (Awakening) from the My Hime Original Soundtrack Volume 1 to help illustarte the point. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qf_m85aWN3U
Samurai X
Read Or Die OVA Original Soundtrack By Iwasaki Taku.
Dragonball Z Japanese Soundtrack By Kikuichi Shunsuke
Sakura Wars OVA Original Soundtrack By Tanaka Kouhei.
Video Games
Metal Gear Solid 2 Sons of Liberty
Metal Gear Solid 3 Snake Eater - By Harry Gregson Williams. Hope this helps.
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2 years ago ::
Aug 01, 2008 - 7:10AM
#40
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This just baffles me - why, when mentioning good classical examples, is there no mention at all of Gustav Holst, the single most recognizable classical influence on Williams' music?
Because, for us oldtimers, Holst is extremely evocative of the music from Star Trek - the original series, and that's a whole different nerdocracy.
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1 year ago ::
Aug 12, 2008 - 6:48PM
#41
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I have been using music in the Star Wars RPG since I first got it back in 1987.
Other good music to use is
Dark City (track 14 - You Have The Power) for lightsaber duels.
Krull
Total Recall
Glory
Willow
The Black Hole
Start Trek (any of the movie scores)
Gustav Holst
ect...
I have 150 scores
I also use sound fx from the movie (R2 bleeps, lightsabers, blasters, aliens) to add atmosphere.
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