Ravenloft Music for Ravenloft Dungeon Masters

[Jasper]

Anyone looking for a particular track by the way? Like, "I need something for a child's nursery?" or "I need something for a big entrance of a big bad guy?"

Well, since you're taking requests....

I need a good Van Richten theme. (I've been using "The penitent man" from the Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade soundtrack, but I'm not 100% happy with it.)

I've also been looking for:
An Azalin Theme
A Falkovnia theme ("Deutchland Uber Alles" seems in poor taste.)
Some "walking around town" music that isn't too cheerful or too spooky.
Sad NPC death music. (I've been using Evenstar from the LOTR soundtrack, and it's getting old.)

For Azalin I would use Night on Bald Mountain by Mussorgsky. Its creepy enough for ole big evil but still well known enough to be noticed.

For Falknovia I sujest the song Gandalf the Magician by Blind guardian. Its all instramental and fits the Falknovian feel quite well.

For Sad NPC I would use My Immortal by Evenescance (sp?). Its one of the saddest songs I've heard in a lnog time.

[Drinnik Shoehorn]

For Sad NPC I would use My Immortal by Evenescance (sp?). Its one of the saddest songs I've heard in a lnog time.

AFAIK, that song's about her relationship with God, isn't it?

[Jasper]

After reading the lyrics to the song it makes her kinda creepy...hotter then a saharan sidewalk but creepy none the less.

[Drinnik Shoehorn]

After reading the lyrics to the song it makes her kinda creepy...hotter then a saharan sidewalk but creepy none the less.

Aren't all the good-looking ones as mad as a hatter?

Just look at Dru...

[Rucht Lilavivat]

Anyone looking for a particular track by the way? Like, "I need something for a child's nursery?" or "I need something for a big entrance of a big bad guy?"

Well, since you're taking requests....

For Wandering Around Town
Nothing beats the friendship theme from the Conan soundtrack. It's track 6 on the soundtrack. It's great for sitting around the tavern or just a quiet scene where the characters are conversing. But that's not availabe on I-Tunes.

If you want immediate gratification: "Earth" or Track 4 from the Gladiator soundtrack on I-Tunes. It's slow and tragic, soft and subtle. Follow that up with "To Zuccubar" - Track 6 from the same score - and you're set.

Azalin
I personally would use the main theme of the "Riven" soundtrack. But you can't get it off of I-Tunes.

How about..."In the Beginning" - Track 2 from The 6th Day. Very sinister and anticipatory. The organ-effect makes it sound very Azalinish to me. The track makes it sound like something wicked it coming this way.

Also: "Her Eyes...So Beautiful" - Track 6 from The Crow soundtrack. That track is sinister, warped, and menacing. That's for when people are brought before Azalin and he's pouring them some wine.

Van Richten
"The Main Theme" - Track 1 from The Usual Suspects is perfect for this. It's the perfect detective's theme. This anticipatory theme makes it sound like you are about to embark on a mystery.

NPC Death
"Princess Pleads for Wallace's Life"- Track 16 from the Braveheart soundtrack. This lonely theme with it's solo flute is just so sad, so tragic, and so full of quiet heroism that it simply stirs the heart.

Falkovnia
"Prologue" - Track 1 from Reign of Fire. It starts out sinister and soft but soon grows into a brutal march. The metallic riffs make the piece sound like it was forged in an iron smith shop. Darkly militaristic, just like Falkovnia.

Any more requests?

[JhudoraDarkraven]

Howdy! This is my first time posting, so ummm... hi!

Some really good Ravenloft music I have found are things by Danny Elfman. Some scary music for an NPC could be just about anything he has put together. The Main Theme to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is a good one that is fairly recent. The theme to Nightbreed, the theme to Darkman, and music from Edward Scissorhands. I have also found music from Castlevania to be good. I have pulled some remixes of that music from www.vgmix.com. They're a little hard rock, but some are pretty good for battles.

I have been compiling a lot of music for a campaign I am about to run using the Carnival Dark Realm. Danny Elfman's Big Top Pee Wee theme is awesome for it. Also his "Face like a Frog" song. For my Vistani I am using music from a group called The Gypsy Kings. They have both soft and festive music that adds a good pace to game play.

~Jhudora

[Drinnik Shoehorn]

Howdy! This is my first time posting, so ummm... hi!

Some really good Ravenloft music I have found are things by Danny Elfman. Some scary music for an NPC could be just about anything he has put together. The Main Theme to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is a good one that is fairly recent. The theme to Nightbreed, the theme to Darkman, and music from Edward Scissorhands. I have also found music from Castlevania to be good. I have pulled some remixes of that music from www.vgmix.com. They're a little hard rock, but some are pretty good for battles.

I have been compiling a lot of music for a campaign I am about to run using the Carnival Dark Realm. Danny Elfman's Big Top Pee Wee theme is awesome for it. Also his "Face like a Frog" song. For my Vistani I am using music from a group called The Gypsy Kings. They have both soft and festive music that adds a good pace to game play.

~Jhudora

I agree, Elfman rocks.

I didn't realise his band (Oingo Biongo) did the song to Weird Science!

[Ail]

Once I can convince my PC that there is a MIDI port available, I'll be looking at creating music for my Ravenloft sessions. This could include work such as mood or themes.

I'd like to know if anyone has an advice on how to convert the music to MP3 directly from the phones port of a digital piano. I've never connected mine to the computer, but Midi would sound too poor compared to an MP3 if that were possible. Any ideas if it is? Thanks.

Ail

[Vorpal Dragon]

What I will be doing to record the sound is connecting the left main output (on the synthesizer) to the sound card input. This will mean that a jack plug converter will be required (to convert a 1/4" plug to 1/8" or vice versa.) Perhaps you could do the same.

The MIDI is used to record my playing. Once I have finished all the tracks in the score I will then play that through my synthesizer and record the output (of the synthesizer) back at the computer. A little bit of a around-a-bout method I know, however with the lack of more sophisticated equipment I have few options.

I would recommend recording straight to wave format first. You can then convert that to MP3. You may have to do this a few times (maybe using different settings) to get the best results. If you record to MP3 straight from the digital piano and don't like the results, then you will have to play it all over again (though a sequencer could help here.)

A word of caution here: if you use the headphones output remember that the volume level is different, as is the level of the bass.

I hope that will be of a least some help to you.

[BlackBoxGamer]

Some of the music I have used for my Ravenloft games that have worked particularly well...

-Twisted Nerve (Bernard Hermann): I used this for several short vignette dream sequences where things started out nice, but quickly turned into a nightmare.

-Carnivale Soundtrack (Jeff Beale): Again, great for those short dream sequences, but also great for building a mood of mystery.

-The Thin Red Line (Hans Zimmer): Several of the songs are very joyous and uplifting, but others are sadder and more introspective. I've used a couple of the tracks to great effect when I wanted the players to fully realize what they had at stake or what they had done.

-Twin Peaks "The Voice of Love": One of the saddest but more beautiful pieces out there, this is the song played in Fire Walk With Me when Laura finally sees the Angel.

-Vision of Escaflowne "Sad, Strange Cello": Another sad song, this one seems more mysterious and longing than The Voice of Love. Great for non-malevolent mystery.

Some movie scores that work well in Ravenloft include....

-2001: a space odyssey (various)
-Atlantis: The Lost Empire (James Howard): Carefull, this is a dynamic score!
-Bram Stoker's Dracula (Can't remember off the top of my head)
-Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (Tan Dun)
-The Crow Score (Graeme Revell): Not the soundtrack (which is also good).
-Dracula (John Williams): If you can find it (good luck!) the theme for the count is classic and timeless.
-Gladiator (Hans Zimmer & Lisa Gerrard)
-Glory (James Horner)
-Hellbound (Christopher Young)
-Last of the Mohicans (Trevor Jones)
-Legend (Tangerine Dream)
-Lord of the Rings (James Howard???)
-The Mission (Can't remember off the top of my head)
-One Hour Photo (Reinholf Heil)
-Queen of the Damned (Can't remember off the top of my head): The violin pieces in this really made my Vistani.
-Ravenous (Can't remember off the top of my head)
-Sleepy Hollow (Danny Elfman)
-The Village (James Horner)

Other CD's that work for Ravenloft...

-The Book of Secrets (Loreena McKennitt)
-Stuff by Midnight Syndicate
-Stuff by Nox Arcana
-Canon (Pachelbel): Great for fancy dinner parties or traveling in more civilized lands.
-Brandenburg Concerto (Bach)
-The Planets (Gustav Holst): Be careful with this one, as some of the pieces are quite dynamic.
-Inu Yasha (????): Some of the pieces for Naraku are quite gothic, especially when they use the harpsicord.
-Riven (Robyn Miller)