Do you use music to heighten the immersion at your sessions?

Thinking back to when I used to DM for my old junior high buddies, I remembered the first time I used one of the other five senses into my storytelling instead of the usual word-of-mouth and grabbing twigs/grass to signify a forest and using dice/change as placeholders for the in-game adventurers (But not playing music, I'll explain that later); It involved me tearing ass in the world-building type of way and is still one of my best/funniest memories DM'ing.

Do you use music in your games to complement the session's theme or what happens in the current scenario, if so what genre and band? Do you use any other cool effects or the five senses to enhance the game experience? I want to know! and take notes, but that's not important

Me and my buddies didn't have any portable music players, if I wanted to add music to the session I'd have to ask one of the better-off buddies I had to host the game at his parents place since his folks bought him a higher-end vinyl player and I had the money to buy killer fantasy vinyls but not a player, but playing anything other than a milktoast and "age-appropriate" game got us scolded even though we were upstairs and had the doors shut, so that was outta the question most sessions; as far as adding cool effects for my sessions went.

My go-to genres and bands

I usually go for instrumental power metal or dungeon synth for my sessions, sometimes 8-bit/orchestral/eurobeat/dark-synth covers of the metal if it's a killer one, My favorite dungeon synth band for my recent sessions has got to be Barak Torr and their album "March of the Triumphator" and Armsman Commander's "Obedience" is a close 2nd! As for powermetal Hammerfall, Falconer, Edguy, and Bloodbound make slick albums all-around!

For some different Power-metal, I look at NWOTHM's youtube library every so often.

For nautical/pirate campaigns I use everything from Blazon Stone; Alestorm's alright too.

For more light-hearted games I use Tales Under the Oak's "Frog Kingdom", Ziggurath's "Jungle Majesty", Eternal Kerberus's "Dreams of Oblivion" and Hole Dweller's "With Dreams of Hereafter".

In sci-fi games I use psychedelic rock/metal, Yuri Gagarin's "At the center of all Infinity", Spaceslug's "Lemanis", Truck Fighter's "Gravity-X" and Frozen Planet 1969....'s "Meltdown on The Horizon" along with Northern Light's "As Above" are my go-to's (And Chris Knight's cover of "Highway Junkie", but that's because it's from a kickass movie)

Cyberpunk settings are really stylized and urban comapared to my usual sci-fi sessions, I use everything from Perturbator and Carpenter Brut to reflect that in those sessions.

More detail on the ass-rippage used to world-build
I used that ass-tearing stunt to emphasize how terrible and disgusting the Goblin treasure pit smelt as they entered; since the goblins used the treasure chamber as a refuse pit as well to deterr against "light-hearted adventurers and elves" to put it lightly, it being the deepest and final area of the cave and the end of their first quest when they managed to escape the traps along the escape route (I had the path they came through collapse by way of hidden goblins) filled with traps and muck, I thought it'd be a memorable way to end the first session that week! As you enter the deepest part of the Goblin Den, it starts to reek in a horrible, unimaginably gutwrenching way, in fact it kinda smells like this "Like what?" "This is what, [pfbfbflt]" "You Jackass!"

Edit: Added Hole Dweller's "With Dreams of Hereafter" in the light-hearted list

I did a blog post which listed the kinds of gaming music I've played over the years. We also used props, food and drink, and rarely, costumes.

https://themichlinguide.wordpress.com/2022/02/03/music-hath-charms-as-it-was-played-old-school-gaming-atmosphere/

In recent years I used Roll20. I'd choose from whatever they had available for free there. I also bought Voicemod to do additional audio effects, but it was more hassle than it was worth. I also uploaded music snipped from soundtracks, classical, jazz or rock/pop.

Haven't used Roll20 in almost a year though. However I'm about to get started with an in-person group again. I don't expect to be using audio with them, but you never know.

Almost all the time, but it varies by mood, genre in accordance with the adventure and setting.  So it might be folk/Celtic or metal or dungeon synth or even classic soundtracks like Conan, LOTR, or The Hobbit soundtracks.  A few newer faves:

Wind Rose is fun "Dwarf Metal." Listen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFxKm8zxCeE

Visigoth also provides that great D&D feel with tracks like this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BemWY0XAQtM

Beast in Black gives you 80s cheese-style metal: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8qWbowzwZU

Seven Kingdoms for you GoT fans:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gpWZF5YBGvg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHcMr6ZCJX8

And you can find ambient soundscapes for all kinds of scenarios, including Hell: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYhtR7MiVb4&t=274s

Really this is a great time to be a DM/GM with all these handy songs at your fingertips.

Quote from: Persimmon on May 23, 2023, 06:35:39 PM
Almost all the time, but it varies by mood, genre in accordance with the adventure and setting.  So it might be folk/Celtic or metal or dungeon synth or even classic soundtracks like Conan, LOTR, or The Hobbit soundtracks.  A few newer faves:

Wind Rose is fun "Dwarf Metal." Listen here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SFxKm8zxCeE

Visigoth also provides that great D&D feel with tracks like this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BemWY0XAQtM

Beast in Black gives you 80s cheese-style metal: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8qWbowzwZU

Seven Kingdoms for you GoT fans:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gpWZF5YBGvg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NHcMr6ZCJX8

And you can find ambient soundscapes for all kinds of scenarios, including Hell: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IYhtR7MiVb4&t=274s

Really this is a great time to be a DM/GM with all these handy songs at your fingertips.

Windrose and beast in black are great, good additions! I've gotta check out Visigoth though

Quote from: Baron on May 23, 2023, 05:37:07 PM
I did a blog post which listed the kinds of gaming music I've played over the years. We also used props, food and drink, and rarely, costumes.

https://themichlinguide.wordpress.com/2022/02/03/music-hath-charms-as-it-was-played-old-school-gaming-atmosphere/

In recent years I used Roll20. I'd choose from whatever they had available for free there. I also bought Voicemod to do additional audio effects, but it was more hassle than it was worth. I also uploaded music snipped from soundtracks, classical, jazz or rock/pop.

Haven't used Roll20 in almost a year though. However I'm about to get started with an in-person group again. I don't expect to be using audio with them, but you never know.

Man you've got over 50 songs in that mixtape of yours! Good stuff!
Voicemod's prepacked voices sucked I think, I just used Voicemeeter to heighten/lower my voice on VTT's; It's not a lot but I think it helps enough for voicing Dunadans and Goblins.

Quote from: GiantToenail on May 23, 2023, 07:50:53 PM
Man you've got over 50 songs in that mixtape of yours! Good stuff!
Voicemod's prepacked voices sucked I think, I just used Voicemeeter to heighten/lower my voice on VTT's; It's not a lot but I think it helps enough for voicing Dunadans and Goblins.

Thanks! I know Voicemod is for modulating your voice, but I also got it to do stings and even little snippets from songs. Like, "That's all folks!" and such, for giggles. It was just a hassle, on the technical side and on the "I'm spreading my attention too thin while trying to DM" side.

Taking the question more seriously, I've long since abandoned the idea of using any external audio during game sessions. In person it tends to waste a lot of time messing with playlists. On VTT, most players turn the external sound off so they can hear the voice chat.

However, I am a huge enthusiast for mood/inspiration music. I try and make a playlist of inspiration tracks for every campaign when I'm planning it, both to listen to while writing, and to give my players for when they're browsing the VTT and making their characters. Personally, I think music can often convey the intended setting and tone of a game better than words or even images. I tend to prefer modern music inspired by, or referencing, the past, rather than faithfully recreated historical music. The way I see it, RPGs are inherently anachronistic, a facsimile or pastiche of history, rather than a faithful recreation, so that approach fits better to me.

Heavy metal and RPGs are natural bedmates, given that they grew up around the same time and with the same influences. But I tune the genre to the campaign.

By way of example, here's the playlist I made for my late lamented Dragon Warriors campaign. Heavy on the power metal, but with a lot of folk rock and straight-ahead folk music. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLChESs_u7EVrEsIu9K2NTan-GhUrwAlk3

And here's one I made originally for Savage Worlds: Solomon Kane, and later for Helveczia: Again, a mix of metal and folk, but with more doom metal and sea shanties, to capture that combination of black powder and folk horror: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLChESs_u7EVqN-tz-KFUPBTMGk9dO31PU

And here's one for Deadlands: Still a lot of metal, but with an injection of southern rock and electric blues: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLChESs_u7EVpKwkicTHSPVsERsgtcF5ZT

These days I'm between campaigns, but I'm leaning towards more classic old-school D&D for my next thing, so I'm working on a playlist that's heavy on fantasy-inspired metal music from the 70s and 80s. If I ever decide to run a grimdark game, it'll probably be a mix of black metal and symphonic music.

Greetings!

I use music in my campaigns all the time. Preparing for game sessions, during the sessions, much of the time there is something playing. I use some metal, and some soundtracks, though most of my music used is epic soundtrack/Trailer music, Pagan Folk music, and divine Church and Templar music. I have extensive collections with Mongolian, Germanic, Norse, Slavic, Russian, Celtic, Turkish, Persian, Hindu-Indian, and belly-dancing music. Some of it is very historical, though most of it is historically-inspired.

I have many threads posted here on these boards that have videos and music of many selections that I use.
Presented below is a small list;

Semper Fidelis,

SHARK

Soundtrack—Song Playlist
The song playlist is organized here in the following, with some notations for various songs and music tracks. The list is in order as the music is keyed to the various potions detailed amongst the Enchanted Potions Table. The songs are noted below, which afterwards the Enchanted Potions Table is presented. The song playlist includes 51 songs.

The music is "The Siege of Gondor" by Howard Shore. (Sounds of Orcs Marching)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9B--yOQix1c

The belly dancing routine is named "Al Uzza," by the famous bellydancer, Sylvia Yssei, performing to the song, "Sorry" by Maximus & FAB.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9uxlSLUCH0

The strange music that constantly plays around the Character is "Hall of the Mountain King"; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOKoLiOkWWQ

The ancient music is the song known as "Kala." This song is renowned amongst the great barbarian tribes of the north.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwRDom8n5Rc

Music plays, featuring the belly dancer and fertility goddess, Sylvia Yssei Vaitiare, performing the Tribal Fusion-style bellydance to the exotic song, "Buddaham," by NextRo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHzmkLm_87s

Music plays when the potion is opened.
The song, "The Mystic's Dream" by Loreena McKennitt
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFAfWH_CKVw

Whenever the stopper is touched, or the potion is opened, the potion plays music. The song, "Dance of the Satyrs" by Daemonia Nymphe, is played.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-OSXOSD9YMM

Whenever the stopper is touched, or the potion is opened, the potion plays music. The song, "My Cold Sea" by Arcana, is played.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5X0uRn6Pp-E

Whenever the stopper is touched, or the potion is opened, the potion plays music. The song, "Bortanfor Sloret" by Runahild, is played.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4zhGIN6Unts

Whenever the stopper is touched, or the potion is opened, the potion plays music. The song, "Unda" by Faun, is played.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKF3ps4nH2o

Whenever the stopper is touched, or the potion is opened, the potion plays music. The song, "Vaaji-Vaaji" by Sivaji the Boss; (Hariharan, and Mudhushree. Shreya is the beautiful dancer.)—is played.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YECx5ERW6T0

Whenever the stopper is touched or the stopper is opened, the potion plays music. The song is "Jotunheim" by Danheim, is played.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bygOIaIhpmo

Upon touching the stopper of the potion, or opening it, the potion makes the sounds of rolling thunder and howling of wolves in the distance, and music plays.  The song is an ancient and lively song, known as "Devana" by Jan J. Mocnik and KsANa.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EvyTqEH-Y6w

Whenever touching the stopper or opening the potion, the potion plays music. The song "Berserker" by Danheim is played.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qj1RS9vHcsw

Whenever the stopper is touched or the potion is opened, the potion plays music. The song, "Dawning" by A Tergo Lupi. Instrumental Dark Folk (Tagelharpa and Ritual Drum).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nRdTLNnqkN4

Whenever the stopper is touched, or the potion is opened, the potion plays music. The song "To Glory (Invincible) " by Two Steps from Hell, is played.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=abjE9Qx0O60

Warlike, masculine chanting and growling. The sounds of a harsh, barbarian song is heard. Whenever the stopper is touched, or the potion is opened, the potion plays music. The song, "Battle" (Horde Theme), from the Battle For Azeroth Soundtrack, is played.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZuG5E7OvWA

Whenever touching the stopper, or opening the potion, the potion plays music. The song, "Anoana" by Heilung is played.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SVbc_Fwbt50

Whenever the stopper is touched, or the potion is opened, the potion plays music. The song, "Krigsgaldr" by Heilung is played.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRg_8NNPTD8

Whenever the stopper is touched, or the potion is opened, the potion plays music. The song, "All Souls Night" by Loreena McKennitt, is played.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RooTTuLCfNM

Whenever the stopper is touched, or the potion is opened, the potion plays music. Opening the potion brings the sounds of contemplative keening. The song, "Incantation" by Loreena McKennitt, is played.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jeJYv2ec5oc

Whenever touching the stopper, or opening the potion, the potion plays music. The song, "Santiago" by Loreena McKennitt, is played.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-7xQSlZLsj4

Whenever the stopper of the is touched, or the potion opened, the potion plays music. The song is "Dacw 'Nghariad" by 4 Yn Y Bar.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njusQs4thWk

Whenever the stopper is touched, or the potion is opened, the potion plays music. The song, "Blood-Soaked Earth" by KsANa, is played.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hoq3eVUDwHU

Whenever the stopper is touched, or the potion is opened, the potion plays music. The song played is "Strength of a Thousand Men" (Extended Version); by Two Steps from Hell.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2RK6OGNMCY

Each of the different kinds of healing potions have the same sound effect when their stoppers are touched, or opened. The ancient song plays, generating healing magic. The song is "The Dawning" by Hagalaz Runedance.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_iM63Rjr-w

When the stopper is touched or opened, the potion plays a very strange song, with music that is unusual, but also driving and hard. The song is "I Disappear" by Metallica.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nYSDC3cHoZs

Whenever the stopper is touched, or the potion is opened, the potion plays music. The song, "Dzikaje Palavannie" (Wild Hunt) by Dzivia, is played.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FbP0wsey89E
   
Whenever the stopper is touched, or the potion is opened, the potion plays music. The song, "Star of the Winds" (Khaukab al Hawwa), by Irfan, is played.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vaFfL1laboY

Whenever the stopper is touched, or the potion is opened, the potion plays music. The song, "Hear Me" (Tagelharpa & Ritual Drum) by A Tergo Lupi, is played.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8iyas9-YHbM

Whenever the stopper is touched, or the potion is opened, the potion plays music. The song, "Preliator" by Globus, is played.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oA4PnGGLkfU

Whenever the stopper is touched, or the potion is opened, the potion plays music. The song, "Seidhjallar" by Runahild is played.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMN3VmWrCms

Whenever the stopper is touched, or the potion is opened, the potion plays music. The song, "Hunted" (Tagelharpa and Ritual Drum), by A Tergo Lupi, is played.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-oe_BM00oY

Whenever the stopper is touched, or the potion is opened, the potion plays music. The song, "Hefna" by Danheim, is played.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MWKi7mVMbfQ

Whenever the stopper is touched, or the potion is opened, the potion plays music. The "Valhalla Prayer/Soundtrack" from the 13th Warrior Soundtrack is played.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EOJHEBCVIgU

Whenever the stopper is touched, or the potion is opened, the potion plays music. The "Hun Theme" from Total War: Attila Soundtrack, is played.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dh9HI4eudR8

Whenever the stopper is touched, or the potion is opened, the potion plays music. The song that plays is "3OB Beneca" by BE1ET (Foreign lettering, likely Russian).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cs-R23kFS5s

Whenever the stopper is touched, or the potion is opened, the potion plays music. The song played is "X" by BE1ET. (Foreign lettering, again, Russian.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXRUYXz3pos

Whenever the stopper is touched, or the potion is opened, the potion plays music. The song played is "X" by BE1ET. (Song is in foreign lettering, Russian.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=STfhhAzmuEU

Whenever the stopper is touched, or the potion is opened, the potion plays music. The song played is "Vikinger" by Danheim.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XSBzeh0aTgg

Whenever the stopper is touched, or the potion is opened, the potion plays music. The song played is "X" by BE1ET. (Song is in foreign lettering, likely Russian.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aq5mr3y699E

Whenever the stopper is touched, or the potion is opened, the potion plays music. The song played is "Gakar" by Niundi (Guest vocals by Lars Magnar Enoksen.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJfKxQYYg5w

Whenever the stopper is touched, or the potion is opened, the potion plays music. The song played is "Burana" by Irfan.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-auHUH9lEpY

Whenever the stopper is touched, or the potion is opened, the potion plays music. The song played is "Womb" by Runahild.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqPlmkEBA20

Whenever the stopper is touched, or the potion is opened, the potion plays music. The song played is "The Eagle" from The Sound of the Ninth Legion (Soundtrack.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7OpKgCtDd-s

Whenever the stopper is touched, or the potion is opened, the potion plays music. The song played is "Immortal" by Two Steps from Hell.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k23hs-fpEpQ

Whenever the stopper is touched, or the potion is opened, the potion plays music. The song played is "Aelles Fate" by Runfell.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZ0Tj3l7rTc

Whenever the stopper is touched, or the potion is opened, the potion plays music. The song played is "Sacral Energy" by Runahild.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dbpBiHsNlU

Whenever the stopper is touched, or the potion is opened, the potion plays music. The song played is "Slovanski Mars" by Jan J. Mocnik (Slavic Affairs.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=phZUa2T6Hk4

Whenever the stopper is touched, or the potion is opened, the potion plays music. The song played is "The Heathen" by Jan Janko Mocnik (Slavic Affairs.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXss13MYZxg

Whenever the stopper is touched, or the potion is opened, the potion plays music. The song played is "X" by BE1ET. (Song lettering is in Russian.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4NGEvMBzLyk

I stream ambient and battle music to my players. In my ongoing Planescape campaign, the soundtrack consists mostly of the following:

• Avalon
• Babylon 5
• Conan the Barbarian
• Heroes of Might and Magic I, II, III
• Lexx
• Torment: Tides of Numenera
• Planescape: Torment
• Dark Souls + Demon Souls
• Titan Quest

Last week the party was exploring a destroyed githyanki astral fortress, and I decided to assemble a special playlist for such occasion:

• Ash Ra Tempel
• Klaus Schulze
• Popol Vuh
• Tangerine Dream

Rush, Metallica, some classical (Vivaldi etc) and some atmospheric stuff like the sountrack to the old Dune and Outpost computer games.

Well,i play a different type of game - wargames - and you can skip this post if it's no interest. But I've been designing a Cold War themed mecha combat, like robot Jox, in an alternate 1985-1989.  I put together a Cold War playlist, which is meant to be mood music for the game.

SONGS AROUND BEFORE THE 1980s
Blitzkrieg Bop - Ramones (1976)
Che - Suicide (1977)
Cherry Bomb - The Runaways (1976)
Rockit U.S.A. - Suicide (1975)
Weeping Wall - David Bowie (1977)

SONGS OF 1980
Breathing - Kate Bush (1980)
Cold War - Devo (1980)
Cold War Love - Aerial (1980)
Games Without Frontiers - Peter Gabriel (1980)
SNGA - Xex (1980)

SONGS OF 1981
Ronnie Talk to Russia - Prince (1981)
Russians Are Coming, The - English Boys (1981)
Visitors, The - Abba (1981)

SONGS OF 1982
Cold War - Andie Oppenheimer (1982)
Dancing on the Berlin Wall - Rational Youth (1982)
Der Kommissar - Falco (1982)
New Years' Day - U2 (1982)
Nothing to Fear (But Fear Itself) - Oingo Boingo (1982)
Red Skies - The Fixx (1982)
Waitresses - Redland (1982)
You Dropped a Bomb on Me - Gap Band (1982)

SONGS OF 1983
99 Red Balloons - Nena (1983)
Robespierre's Re.Marx - Meccano (1983)
Rock the Casbah - Clash (1983)
Shiny Shiny - Haysi Fantaysee (1983)
Two Minute Warning - Depeche Mode (1983)
Way of Life, The - Puppets (1983)

SONGS OF 1984
Dancing with Tears in My Eyes - Ultravox (1984)
Forever Young - Alphaville (1984)
No Guarantees - The Nobodys (1984)
World Destruction - Time Zone with Johnny Rotten (1984)

SONGS OF 1985
American Soviets - C.C.C.P. (1986)
Don't Leave Me This Way - Communards (1985)
Everybody Wants to Rule the World - Tears For Fears (1985)
Nuclear Blues - Perfect Jewish Couple (1985)
Russians - Sting (1985)
Spies Like Us (Theme) - Paul McCartney (1985)
Two Tribes - Frankie Goes to Hollywood (1985)

SONGS OF 1986
Christmas At Ground Zero - "Weird Al" Yankovic (1986)
Emotional War Games - Tonio K (1986)
Future's So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades, The - Timbuk 3 (1986)
Ready or Not - Bananarama (1986)
Rock It, Miss U.S.A. (Death Wish IV) - Sigue Sigue Sputnik (1986)
U.S.S.R. - Eddy Huntington (1986)

SONGS OF 1988
Discussing Missile Size - Dada (1988)
M*A*D (Mutual Assured Destruction) - Sigue Sigue Sputnik (1988)
Surfin' U.S.S.R. - Ray Stevens (1988)

SONGS OF 1989
Ultra-Violence - Sigue Sigue Sputnik (1989)

in the old days, when hair was long, coats were of the trench variety, and jeans required holes to be holy so the vampire goth girls would suck just right, there was always musical background ambience for tabletop. Players were chugging mountain dew and moonshine, running for their characters lives through the halls of hilather the mad with beholders and undead hot on their heels, desperately trying to find an exit while "frayed ends of sanity" hammered away in the background. followed by grand funk railroad "i'm your captain".

But that was a more civilized era. before the dark times. before the weebs. Now there are no musical swells to ride unto glory, only drums, drums in the deep. weeb of a Took, throw yourself in next time and be done with it!