Music: Yay or Nay?

[MachineSoul]

I am asking out of curiosity, how much do people like to add music to their roleplaying experience or stories?

I usually like to link music and soundtrack, to add another layer of complexity to the reading and roleplaying experience. I tend to go for an atmospheric style of writing, mainly because I feel it helps with immersion. As such, if a certain scene or setting or action inspires or evokes a certain feeling, from straightforward to abstract, I like to enrich the experience with some music to fit the overall feeling. At the same time, I try not to use music as a crutch, or a tool to purvey the emotion since I feel the text will inadvertently lack substance due to laziness ("I mean, I got the song going, I don't need to write in that much detail what's going on in their mind, right?").

But tell me, what do you think? Is it a good idea, is it a bad one? Is it cringy when the soundtrack style doesn't match your own vision of the story? Does epiphany occur when poignant synths and bass send shivers down your back when you read a breath-taking paragraph? Or do you just delete your RPG account when a song you hate is linked in your favorite roleplay?

[Innue]

I used it a lot for writing - especially for short stories. I have an artist in particular whose lyrics just seem to literally develop the stories for me. But that is my secret.

Specifically with roleplays, I will occasionally use it, but I never share it for posts. I will for character bios if I feel it is critical to understand the character or to reinforce some element of it. But, also rare. Music tends to be very personal for me.

[Dervish]

I'll straight up admit if people link music in their posts, unless it's a GM move along post, I almost never click on the link. Either people just pick songs they like and aren't appropriate for the scene or character, or it's just distracting. I really am not a fan of when a character sheet requests a theme song; it's extremely vexing most of the time trying to find a song that works for a character that A) has meaning that is easy to compare to said character, and B) doesn't have conflicting lyrics/ genre to the setting/ character.

Like, say you have an RP set in 1920s England, you wouldn't make Southern Man by Neil Young your theme song. That's a bit of an obvious example, but it can also be a thing where you have a fantasy sword fight going on and linking (groan) Bodies by Drowning Pool, or a military commander with Lose Yourself by Eminem, or a death scene with Fireworks by Katy Perry.. you get my point. Most of the time theme songs feel extremely out of place and usually means having to pause my own music to listen to a song I may or may not like.

[KoL]

I do in fact use background music to provide atmosphere for posts when I think it's helpful. For example, tavern music if the characters are in a tavern, etc.

In fact, I like to embed the video on my posts, not only because it makes the posts as mobile friendly as possible (I use my phone to access the guild a lot, but hate it when the music stops when I switch tabs) but also to break apart any post that I feel like is getting a bit too big.

So, not only I use music to set the tone of my posts but also to make them more comfortable to read visually (just like how I use images for this same purpose).

[Gin]

I am a AYE guy.

[SleepingSilence]

Yes, and more recently I have been adding it into my roleplay posts. Adds a fun layer that a normal book doesn't have. Sorry, if you don't like it, but it does fit the scene/or tone of the posts I write. :P

[Lady Absinthia]

Um... I have a theme song for each character, require it on cs's in rps I gm, have play lists and published spotify playlists for rps, use it as headers and clues in my rps...

So not at all, can't stand them, lol

[TrippyNightmare]

Theme music should actually be a OST for a char, not your favourite rap or EDM song lol.

If you understand theme music then you'll know it's more ambience or OST (look at Acecombat OST).

If you use any music with lyrics/vocals, you've FAILED!