this is for those of us who like to have a little mood music in our games. If you know of pages with genre appropriate music links post it here.

 

I'll start with this page of cop show tv theme songs:

 

http://www.geocities.com/gordon0084/pg9.html

Re: Mood Music

 

The soundtrack from The Usual Suspects is also great mood music. All instrumental, so there's no lyrics to distract players. Check it out!

Re: Mood Music

 

The Usual Suspects soundtrack is so eerily appropriate for Dark Champions games that I suspect it has magical powers. When I've used it to run, it always seems to hit just the right tone at the most dramatically appropriate moments.

Re: Mood Music

 

So far, here's what I have lined up:

 

The Big O soundtrack. Some of the pieces fit right into the mood of my campaign.

 

Rod Stewart: The Great American Songbook. Lots of great choices there.

 

Lena Horne. The opening shot for my campaign is a slideshow of San Francisco (done with Movie Maker) with "stormy Weather" playing in the background.

 

Dave Brubeck. Because I have to include "Take Five" somewhere.

 

Carmina Burana. For especially dark scenarios.

Re: Mood Music

 

I hate these threads they always make me spend money on new CD's.

 

I'm largely a classic rock fan but for action scenes I have to say that Rob Zombie and Godsmack do a nice job of setting the mood.

 

Classical generally works better for background music though so,

Mars (from the Planets)

Beethovens 9th (ode to joy)

Wagner (particularly ride of the Valkeries)

The Conan sound track

The Backdraft sound track

 

but I tend to think of those more with FH.

 

Joe Satrioni's surfing with the alien is good too, again kinda nice in the background and I don't associate it with FH so much (although Hill of the skull is a great final battle against all odds piece in any genre).

 

AC/DC usually can find its way in too, Jailbreak, You shook me all night long, Whats next to the moon etc

 

 

Sorry just had to add a few of those guys in

Re: Mood Music

 

We had a similar thread under Props for the game, in the Other Genres board a while back. I started talking about props in general, but Shelley and I started chatting about opera and medieval/renaissance music.

Re: Mood Music

 

Almost all movies today have soundtracks that can be purchased, but the secret is to find and buy the Movie SCORES. THis is th background m usic for most of the sccenes ina movie, and they are godsends to the GM who has a penchant for running games with music.

 

Some of the ones I've found that I really like for this genre are

 

Pelican Brief- Great suspense and investigation music

StarShip Troopers- Great for the Big Daddy G-men scenes with governmental involvement/entanglement

Batman/ Anything by Danny Elfman- Will cover it all from Dark Comedy to Dark Grandeur

Aliens/ And most anything by James Horner- Great stuff for both suspense and high energy chases and fights.

 

There are many more, but being at work, I can't recall them. Check out the soundtracks area in any big music store, and check for Scores over soundtracks. Game Hard!

Re: Mood Music

 

As far as musical scores go, of course there's Conan for fantasy and Star Wars for science fiction. But for Dark Champions? I guess that depends on your scenario. I haven't been too impressed with any musical scores lately. Most of the music I plan to include in my games are old songs. Maybe more modern music will be a better fit in your campaign.

Re: Mood Music

 

I tend to think, for action hero, things like the Chemical Brothers work well.

Re: Mood Music

 

Thanks for the advice. I'm gonna go out and buy myself the (magical) "Usual Suspects" Sountrack right away.

 

We also occasionally use music from Video and Computer Games, although except for Resident Evil 3 I can't remember any specific titles.

 

Any suggestions?

Re: Mood Music

 

Thanks for the advice. I'm gonna go out and buy myself the (magical) "Usual Suspects" Sountrack right away.

 

We also occasionally use music from Video and Computer Games, although except for Resident Evil 3 I can't remember any specific titles.

 

Any suggestions?

 

How about these:

 

Hitman Contracts

The Hitcher

Ghost in the Shell

Run Lola Run

Blade Runner

Re: Mood Music

 

The Ghost in the Shell PSX soundtrack is great for action

Re: Mood Music

 

For an excellent band that can run the gamut from ambient soundscapes to hardcore industrial look for Controlled Bleeding.

 

Most of their stuff is available in the US on the Cleopatra Label and in used stores a lot was released on the now defunct WaxTrax! label (I don't know if TVT picked up their releases and actually put them out when they purchased WaxTrax! some many years ago).

 

Other music Dark Champions style games could benefit from are:

 

Die Warzau (neat stuff, mostly industrial style)

Miles Davis and John Coltrane (hey! Jazz is good for all those rain filled scenes in the dark alleys right before it all explodes....)

 

and Iron Maiden, because they can fit in anywhere.

Re: Mood Music

 

I know how much I'm going to be derided for this, so I'm putting on my flame-proof gear. I prefer metal for Dark Champions. Some examples include:

 

Metallica (specifically The Black Album and "And Justice For All...")

System of a Down

Rage Against the Machine

 

...and my mind just went blank... I can't think of any others. I'll just blame it on the late hour.

Re: Mood Music

 

After looking through my collection of music, I'd say I use some metal as well ... usually the subtle stuff ... and combine it with some industrial and instrumental scores.

For example, a usual collection for the spy genre is:

- Propellerheads

- An appropriate Bond score

- A Metal Mix CD that I have

- The Matrix Soundtrack

- The Crystal Method (usually Vegas)

- Daredevil Score

 

For a Street-Level supers game:

- Spiderman Score

- Daredevil Score

- Crystal Method

- Daredevil Soundtrack

- Rammstien

- POD

 

For Monster Hunting:

- Hellboy Score

- Resident Evil Soundtrack

- Resident Evil 2 Score

- Marylin Manson

- Apollo 440

- Metal Mix

Re: Mood Music

 

Not entirely Dark Champions but ... for my Cyberpunk games i've used (CP can be dark.. usually is actually)

 

Reagan Youth

Black Flag

Dropkick Murphy's

New York Dolls

The Clash

Bad Religion

Ramones

 

basically punk, old punk usually, can be really good for street level stuff. Especially dirty street level stuff that isn't at all happy.

Re: Mood Music

 

For modern dark champions I like stuff like skinny puppy, industrial, non-dance trance.

 

I also like to go 70's funk style for that 70's street action feel from time to time.

Re: Mood Music

 

Also, the three Industrial Tributes to Metallica, while of mixed worth on their own merits, make great background music for this sort of thing.

 

Blackest Album I, II, and III