Music for Traveller

GabrielGABFonseca

Cosmic Mongoose
Something that I personally quite enjoy while Refereeing or playing Tabletop RPGs is background music to go with the different situations. I quite enjoy going through my library of songs and searching for tracks I feel would be adequate to different scenarios and situations, and I often make playlists that I can easily access while running a game.

So I wanted to start this thread for us to share what music, soundtracks and ambiances you feel go well with Traveller! To get the ball rolling, I'll start:

This is the soundtrack I've used when I ran High and Dry for my table: [Link to Spotify].
The reasoning behind it was simple: evoke the grandeur of the Third Imperium (achieved by the Foundation soundtrack), nautical age-of-sail vibes (Treasure Planet and The Sojourn), and finally but not least, that blue-collar down-to-Earth atmosphere (Firefly & Hardspace: Shipbreaker).
For calmer situations, like walking through the desert planes and patches of shrubland of Walston, I went with the Surviving Mars soundtrack, which was well received by my players.
And for good measure, a few synth-y pieces for higher tech places such as Flammarion, with Love on a Real Train by Tangerine Dream.

But what about you? Do you have any tracks that you associate heavily with Traveller*?

*(I personally cannot think 'Traveller' without the Foundation main theme blaring in my head - the show had many flaws, but the soundtrack was not one of them!)
 
Something that I personally quite enjoy while Refereeing or playing Tabletop RPGs is background music to go with the different situations. I quite enjoy going through my library of songs and searching for tracks I feel would be adequate to different scenarios and situations, and I often make playlists that I can easily access while running a game.

So I wanted to start this thread for us to share what music, soundtracks and ambiances you feel go well with Traveller! To get the ball rolling, I'll start:

This is the soundtrack I've used when I ran High and Dry for my table: [Link to Spotify].
The reasoning behind it was simple: evoke the grandeur of the Third Imperium (achieved by the Foundation soundtrack), nautical age-of-sail vibes (Treasure Planet and The Sojourn), and finally but not least, that blue-collar down-to-Earth atmosphere (Firefly & Hardspace: Shipbreaker).
For calmer situations, like walking through the desert planes and patches of shrubland of Walston, I went with the Surviving Mars soundtrack, which was well received by my players.
And for good measure, a few synth-y pieces for higher tech places such as Flammarion, with Love on a Real Train by Tangerine Dream.

But what about you? Do you have any tracks that you associate heavily with Traveller*?

*(I personally cannot think 'Traveller' without the Foundation main theme blaring in my head - the show had many flaws, but the soundtrack was not one of them!)
I tried to use the Dune soundtrack in our last Traveller session but I found that I could not talk over it - not because it was loud, but because it was too attention grabbing for me to concentrate. Which is curious, as soundtrack music is supposed to be subliminal.
What about Brian Zeno’s sublime Apollo album?
 
"Hanrahan's Bar" could take place in any starport on any world with a significant Solomani population. And "The Mates who Haul the Freight" is all about the Free Trader life.
 
 
Often played in star theatres is Jean-Michel Jarre, especially Oxygene IV from the album Oxygene. Since his work is all synthesizer instrumental it is suited as background music.

Themes from various science-fiction shows, e.g. Doctor Who.
 
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This, on the other hand, is perfect for a light hearted heist, where the Travellers are pulling a fast one on someone.
A really fast one.
 
I am a fan of Jean Michel Jarre. Also Ray Lynch...Deep Breakfast really sets the mood. Rammstein if you are in the Sword Worlds.

 
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You also have various game OST that can be used (Mass Effect, Deus Ex for exemple). I've also found a 'band' (sorry, no better name) called Epic Score. Some of the musics are usable (unfortunately they can't be looped)...
 
Antti Martikainen - The Last Chronicle, Enter Infinity, Synthesia, Origins, or, indeed, just about any of his albums. (Yes, these are all full-length albums, some of them extended length albums, Those four alone are somewhat more that five hours of very epic music.)

Holst's Planets symphony - oh, come on! This one was a gimme!

Erich Kunzel's Time Warp - if you're sure you can keep your players from trying to lynch you.

Dragonforce. Pretty much their entire discography.

Or, if you want to really throw your players off their stride, the Hu or Wardruna.
 
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