What music does everyone like. Do you ever try playing music in the background during gaming sessions? It's like having a soundtrack for a movie.

One of my friends got us hooked on classical music by playing that in the background when he was DM. You don't want the lyrics to interfere with the gaming.

Although sometimes just the right song at the right moment works. My uncle was a huge KISS fan. He even had the KISS comics when they were superheores. I like to play that in the background.

My character's wife in the game is named Beth. When my player has to miss dinner to fight crime, we play Peter Chris' song "Beth, what can I do. do-do-do. Beth what can I do..." it's a classic.

Plus, playing music gives everyone something to do when they're waiting to roll their turn.

One of the game groups that meets at a coffehouse in my neighborhood lets players bring laptops and text during gaming. I think that's lame. The JSA don't text the Avengers in the middle of a battle, and neither should players!

Absolutely!  When we play Lord of the Rings RPG, I put on Lord of the Rings soundtracks; for Star Wars or Star Trek gaming, I put on CDs with the appropriate soundtracks as well.

For Supers, I put on any of the above, or other movie soundtracks.  Often I've just put in three discs and put it to shuffle (random).  It's amazing how often the timing of a particular song hits at just the right dramatic moment!

On a related note, the first RPG session I ever GMd was Top Secret.  I had a record (that really dates me, doesn't it?) with James Bond music (I'm pretty sure it was the soundtrack from For Your Eyes Only) playing in the background), and it was playing just the perfect music when we wrapped that first session, just as the player's table at a cafe was sinking down into an underground level.  I couldn't have possibly planned it as perfect!   

I have to agree about texting (and other like behaviors).  I've even recently realized that having the TV on in the background (even with just a sporting event) is not a good idea, as it is too distracting for the players.

Anotehr classic we've used is "We don't need another hero" by Tina Turner.

One of my friends likes the Superman song that goes "I can't stand to fly, I'm not that naive ... I'm more than a bird, more than a plane, more than some pretty face beside a train."

If it's distracting, definitely don't use music. It's got to enhance the mood, not mess with it.

Classical music is really good, though. I didn't get into classical music until we started playing it during games.

Another great soundtrack: Star Trek VI The Undiscovered Country.

And of course, the THOR song!!





If you really want some "just for the minute" themes I suggest Two Steps From Hell's collection - which alas is on the internet but NOT commercially available to the common folk...



I was SO going to use this for the Guardian's at GC 2009, but I chickened out.

Another good choice is Brian Tyler's soundtrack for Children of Dune - this part will sound VERY familiar...