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Music for Traveller

I got the original Heavy Metal Movie soundtrack.....:cool:
 
Jean Michel Jarre's "Oxygene", or numerous early (1970's or so) works by Tangerine Dream would work well with spaceflight or even jumpspace, I would think.
 
Well, since I'm a big fan, I'd be remiss not to mention the Lord Weird Slough Feg's concept album "Traveller" - which is inspired directly by Trav. It takes some liberties with the OTU (but who doesn't?) but is a solid heavy metal prog-rock album. Reminiscent of old Iron Maiden, et al.

But for the "floating around in space, exploring a star faring galaxy" I'd recommend the EvE Online soundtrack by Jon Hallur of CCP. Lots of ambient, synth harmonics. Very nicely done.
 
I started playing Traveller in mid-1983...

http://http://www.metrolyrics.com/come-to-the-moon-lyrics-jimmy-buffett.html
On album Riddles in the Sand (September 1984):
Full Earth tonight and Mars is big and bright
All our friends are flying in, it's such a lovely sight
Gravity never could hold me
That is what you always told me, you know me

So come to the moon, I hope to see you soon
Half a million miles isn't far to go
You know I need you so, I hope you still need me
So come to the moon, the starship's leaving soon
Until then I'm wishing on every star
That you will be here soon, come to the moon

.....
Click to expand...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jK-NcRmVcw
Europe - The Final Countdown (spring of 1986)
 
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I know it's an odd choice, but for some circumstances, Last of the Mohicans, theme song. A sense of grandeur, but the violin evokes ordinary folk carving out their future against that backdrop. Brings to mind the French and Indian wars, which - despite the low tech and all - captures many themes that I think of when I play Traveller.
 
High Passage/Low Passage by The Lord Weird Slough Feg from their cd Traveller! There is even a stunning Vargr on the cover!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiHpfugCboI

I am a space pirate, you know my name
Asteroid mining is a dangerous game
Imperial Navy can't keep up my pace
Chasing a rock into Zhodani space

You heard about me in the Frontier Wars
Psionic menace carrying alien spores
A living legend in the asteroid mines
Outvoting tarrifs and imperial fines
One-thousand credits is my humble price
Whether it's nickel, iron, stone or ice
Only the wayfaring patron would dare
A merchant cruiser, a skyway corsair

It's not a mineral that I seek here
High passage, low passage
Any way I'm outta here
I was born in colonies
On fringe worlds of the galaxy
Meanwhile in Zhodani space
Imperial flagships follow me
 
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I use no music in play. It makes it too hard for me to understand players.

Doing prep, Vivaldi's 4 seasons is my music of choice, followed closely by Strauss' Thus Spake Zarathustra and Blue Danube. Then, on to Aqua...
 
In terms of soundtracks, the little-known sci-fi game Otto Matic has an interesting, very sci-fi one. ;) Also, Brian Eno's Apollo soundtrack might be suitable for space scenes as well (I haven't listened to all of it).
 
GRNDL said:
Well, since I'm a big fan, I'd be remiss not to mention the Lord Weird Slough Feg's concept album "Traveller" - which is inspired directly by Trav. It takes some liberties with the OTU (but who doesn't?) but is a solid heavy metal prog-rock album. Reminiscent of old Iron Maiden, et al.
Click to expand...

Can that actually be purchased/downloaded somewhere? It sounds interesting. (And I've never heard of them.)

aramis said:
I use no music in play. It makes it too hard for me to understand players.
Click to expand...

I have a group that insists on not only music but environmental sounds - while we play over Skype. It makes it nigh unto impossible at times to hear everyone else, plus (since they send youTube links) it sucks all the bandwidth out of my connection. However, if it doesn't interfere, it adds a lot of ambience.

I will use a broad variety of music to set a scene. An old jazz standard or some Parisian cafe music for a quieter spaceport bar, or some light rock for a slightly livelier one. I have songs appropriate for a drop troop run (AC/DC's Highway To Hell is one of the better choices for that). I like Back In Black for a warship coming out of jump into hostile space. Something like Spyro Gyra for a merchie in jump.

Here's some suggestions for theme music (lots of prog rock works):
Anderson, Bruford, Wakeman, Howe
Edgar Winter (of course)
Heavy Metal Album (as was mentioned)
Kerry Livgren (One Of Several Possible Musiks) - yes, the guy from Kansas
Two Steps From Hell - these folks do music for trailers, so you can find almost anything you need for a situation on their albums
Vanessa Mae - violinist who turns classical into rock

For fantasy moods:
Ceredwen
Jeff Johnson & Brian Dunning
Mychael Danna & Jeff Danna

(btw, did y'all know that Brent Spiner put out one or more jazz/standard albums? Data in a fedora is ... odd.)
 
Music for Travellers

Spinward Scout said:
Anybody got any music that they use in their Traveller games or that reminds them of Traveller?

I found this one I'd forgotten about over the years. Rolling Stones in the 80's. The beginning lyrics more than the rest. If not Traveller, it definitely has a combat feel to it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqbmgsuHcYY&feature=share&list=PL0F29753B11131919

Let's hear what you've got!
Click to expand...
Hello

I love to play Traveller with music so much, that I have to give a longer answer.
If you want a short answer use the first and the last link.

I am a game master who uses music very often and most of my players like it very much. Using a software called "Soundplant" I have several ambient loops and nice music right under my fingertips. I am a fan of synphonic minimal (Glass and Reich) and I am old enough to share the opinion, that Prog Rock and Traveller mixes very well. Here are my experiences:

At every meeting we start with Philip Glass:Kundun OST:Northern Tibet because I
used it in my invitation trailer for my trader campaign many years ago.
http://www.punch-martians.com/trailer/Trailer7.avi
This music tells every player to stop the prelude-chatting and to focus on the start of the game session ("Listen: They are playing our song, lets start gaming").

Depending on the game situation or mood I use recognisable background music.
Desert - heat - blinding bright side - Steve Reich - The Desert Music http://youtu.be/xLdKAFrqwp8
Airless moon - cold mood: Steve Reich - Proverb http://youtu.be/I5lgAUHVFC4
Trade marked - stock exchange: Steve Reich - Drumming http://youtu.be/RB-woRXwY-Q
Preparing for jump - busy computing: Steve Reich - Phase Patterns http://youtu.be/BelPNaePHiU
Rotating Starport - Labship: Philip Glass - Glassworks 3: Island:http://youtu.be/Wd_GbT37Fx4
Stormy Gasgiant - Philip Glass - Koyaanisqatsi OST - CloudScape: http://youtu.be/V-7I0Tsp-cg
I think you get the idea with these examples.

In addition I can adjust the speed and the mood of the music i.e.:

Steve Reich - Pulses - 100% http://youtu.be/TICsQzQ0cP0
Steve Reich - Pulses - (12.5%) http://youtu.be/ncICJPa5GPY
The last one is good for bottled jumpspace adventures.

I also use also transposed sounds from the field of radio astronomy/planetology.
NASA Official Saturn Audio Recording 2003 : http://youtu.be/LswSW60Zd4g
Saturn's rings - sounds from space : http://youtu.be/lhonQGHFG44
NASA Voyager Space Sounds - Jupiter : http://youtu.be/ImuLz1Oo9c8
These are good for jumpspace mysteries or J-Space Madness .

To brighten things up I also use lighter music.
Jump and Run - Ace rimmer theme - http://youtu.be/wim0Eym_mxY
Spacebattle - The Jack Sparrow Song (He's a Pirate) :http://youtu.be/i_QAM8TVJ7A

My Prog Rock advises are two folded:
Our gaming group enyoys early Prog Rock together with Traveller.
i.e.
Yes - Starship Trooper: http://youtu.be/GTEDxlOi2pU
ELO - Mr Blue Sky: http://youtu.be/DhFy4qZ0ah8
Jethro Tull, Van Der Graaf Generator, Pink Floyd...

But there are also modern Prog Rockers that fit very well:
This ones tells a "Twighlight Peak" Story
and is used as a riddle for a adventerous quest actually:
Porcupine tree - The Sky moves sideways: http://youtu.be/_akOQQuRSQs

Here one of my favourites. My players always smile when I play this.
Its feels like exploration and travel and everyone awaits a nice shootout:
http://vimeo.com/3551875#

My last link shows that even choral music works very well for scifi topics:
http://youtu.be/zBIQCm54dfY

If you want to use music in your game then you have to look for good loud speakers.
A notebook computer in a room full of gamers will not work well. The first moments are important, because the player have to learn to enjoy it. My experience showed me that number-crunchers or table-top-roleplayer are more annoyed by music (perhaps they feel distracted from their favourite work). Players that like to speak and act in their role really like to play with a sound track.
Sometimes my players bring music that fits to the adventure. Doing so they give their special contribution to the game.

Music makes our gameplay more colorfull. You should try it too.

Hold on tight, Travellers
MCutter
 
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A great bunch of stuff, MCutter. Though I laughed at ELO's Mr Blue Sky. That really is peppy compared to what most folks think of as "Traveller music". :) As I said in my post, I'm willing to use anything to set the mood, and my music collection runs from classical to folk to country to western to prog rock to soft rock to pop to metal to ... almost anything.

My only problem right now is that my main source of music downloads (no, I don't get these off peer-to-peer apps or file-sharing sites) has stopped allowing MasterCard to fund your account. I'm hoping it returns soon, as I don't have a Visa at the moment. (I use Amazon, too, but this site is much cheaper.)
 
I listen to the audio tracks from various movies and television shows while at work. The ones that evoke a visceral response are:

Things To Come (1936)
Good martial music with the ramblings of the Boss, Rudolf
Exciting music with the massive reconstruction by the United Airmen

Battle Beyond the Stars (1980)
Sure, it's 'The Magnificent Seven' in space, but the music goes well in the space battle scenes

Star Trek III: The Search for Spock (sorry, can't remember the date)
Whether watching or listening, the entire sequence where they steal the Enterprise from Spacedock gives me a thrill
 
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