# Music of the D&D races



## Aus_Snow (Dec 19, 2008)

Have you come across any music that has struck you as being quintessentially Elven, Dwarven, Halfling-ish, Gnomish, Half-Orc-like. . . or hey, Dragonborn-ish, Tiefling-like, or whatever else? Like say, Drow-ish, Hobgoblin-esque. . .

List them here!

Oh, and if you would like to list some arts, crafts and types (or examples) of architecture for the D&D races, you can do that here.


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## Stormborn (Dec 19, 2008)

Aus_Snow said:


> Have you come across any music that has struck you as being quintessentially Elven, Dwarven, Halfling-ish, Gnomish, Half-Orc-like. . . or hey, Dragonborn-ish, Tiefling-like, or whatever else? Like say, Drow-ish, Hobgoblin-esque. . .
> 
> List them here!




I have thought that Ancient Chinese Drumming, like that featured in movies such as Hero (and there is a sound track), would be very apporpriate for a Dwarven culture.


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## justanobody (Dec 19, 2008)

I agree drums like the sound of hammers would fit Drwarves.

Tieflings maybe like a good bit of fiddle playing. I guess you didn't know they are fiddle players too!

Elves seem like Celtic music fits them.

Gnomes probably have an early form of techno, or clockwork music box type music.

Halflings...They probably like ballads sung by Spock.

Half-orcs would be tribal with a lot of grunting.

Dragonborn play basoons.

Satyrs play the Pan-flute.


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## Stormborn (Dec 19, 2008)

Actually it may just be that I am in a chinese kinda of place this morning, but I think the ethereal sounds of traditional chinese stringed instruments would work well for elves, especailly the Tolkien-esque High Elves/Eladrin.


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## Mathew_Freeman (Dec 19, 2008)

Dwarves like Rock, obviously!

Elves like Enya.

Drow are into Disco. 

Tieflings are into Emo.

Shadar-Kai are into punk.


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## Byronic (Dec 19, 2008)

I've always thought that Elves would have music with high voices, perhaps with a bit of eeriness. I suppose the LotR movies have given us enough examples. Although I suppose [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jCuzDVmH7lw"]this[/ame] might do in a pinch. 

After hearing [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znZxS0WqDk8"]this[/ame] I've come to the conclusion that Dragonborn would like drums. Even if she dances like an Eldarin concubine/ninja.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ftld7Ohojg"]This[/ame] should be good for Tieflings ^_^


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## Loonook (Dec 19, 2008)

Since I do Modern gaming almost exclusively, this comes up a lot in discussions.  

For the most I feel that many of the races would have more of a localized style than an actual enjoyment of any specific type of music; virtuoso players for the guitar get what, 30, 50 years tops to hone their skills before they start losing their edge?  Now imagine someone who will have three times that amount of time before they even hit middle age . . . and think of the possibilities which could be found.  

Dwarves seem to love ballads, telling stories of their past, their future, and the connections between their people and the land.  I could easily see a lot of dwarven music revolving around heavy tones and deep, meaningful lyrics with strong progression and heavy low-pitch tonal quality.  Lots of strong camaraderie and meaning in lyrics and they would be happy.

Elves . . . well, elves in most interpretations are pretty hippie-ish, but personally I see them more as a respectful group which lives within the moment and has a deep understanding of their past.  Whereas dwarves use lyrics for memory, elves would use the music itself.  I could see elves listening to John Barleycorn, hopping over to a baroque string ensemble, and then wrapping the night up at a club.

Halflings . . . well, they're a mix of country and wandering folk depending on your tradition, laid back and comfortable.  Halfling music would be one of those nights where there's just a guitar, a couple of good sweet voices, and a few bottles of wine somewhere round a campfire.  Halflings also seem a bit more 'up-beat' as a race in their bucolic splendor, so I could see them enjoying more bright, earthy music.

Half-Orcs . . . They're outsiders, but they strike their own path.  I think it depends on the culture they're raised in (more than for any other race, even), but I could see an enjoyment similar to dwarves.

Gnomes . . . Inquisitive, expansive, tricky.  I could see a gnome writing filthy ballads on the side while listening to trip hop or other sample-based music.  If it is full of interesting noise, you can bet they'd enjoy it.

Other races are a mixed bag... I think music would be a pretty personal thing, and each race would most likely have a few 'local' styles mixed in.

Slainte,

-Loonook.


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## Dannyalcatraz (Dec 20, 2008)

*Dwarves: * You might think they'd like drums...but to me, they'd prefer the clear chiming ring of metal on metal...the music of the forge.  So, somewhat incongruously, they might prefer things like xylophones, metallophones and bells.  Wind chimes- installed in a quiet space near a ventilation shaft- and triangles might be their choice for lighter moods.  Instead of war drums, they'd prefer gongs and big bells.

In addition, they might favor certain wind instruments whose action & movement is reminiscent of the Soulforge's bellows- bagpipes, accordions, concertinas, harmoniums and the like.

The organ, with its bellows, would also be an instrument that dwarves would find appealing.  A master musician might even use the fire-organ.

( Fire Organs )

*Gnomes:* Their taste in music might be somewhat similar to *Dwarves*, but they might add more wind instruments.  However, I bet they'd gravitate more towards the whimsical and lighter wind instruments- panpipes, harmonicas, ocarinas, kazoos, whistles (esp. slide whistles), piccolos and the ever-popular bladder pipe (http://www.music.iastate.edu/antiqua/Bladderp.wav).

In addition, they would be one of only 3 races- besides *humans* and *Elves*- who would use bull-roarers (an instrument consisting of a piece of wood which is twirled on the end of a rope, producing an eerie whistle, throbbing hum, or howl (depending upon its shape and speed of rotation) or twirling tubes- (a simple hollow tube that varies its pitch dependent upon its cross-section, length, and speed of rotation).

In addition, if they're technologically minded, you'd find "one-man-bands" among them, along with calliopes and "player" versions of any number of instruments.

*Elves:* Celtic music is an obvious quality choice.  Less obvious but no less appropriate would be something like Japanese flute or even singing bowls (Singing bowl - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia) or crystallophones (like the Glass harmonica - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia).  Elves might also enjoy the simplicity of bull-roarers and twirling tubes.

*Goblinkind*: they might favor drums and the louder brass instruments.  The more intelligent goblinkind like *Hobgoblins* might favor complex drums and percussion, like the Tycho Drums of the group Kodo (check out their albums _Mondo Head_, _Live at the Acropolis_, or the soundtrack to _The Hunted_).  For extra points, throw in Tibetan Throat singing.
*
Halflings: *Bluegrass, Blues, C&W and Folk.  No question.  They, like the gnomes, would favor the lighter wind instruments (see above).

*Orcs:*  They invented opera.  The more tortured, the better- try Wagner.  Like goblinkind, they may also go for Tibetan Throat singing.  With drums.  And bagpipes.

*Humans:* You know they'll listen to _anything._


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## questing gm (Dec 20, 2008)

This is my hands down orc music. 

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JiCldbmWUTU]YouTube - Official-Into the Maelstrom by A Band of Orcs[/ame]


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## Olgar Shiverstone (Dec 21, 2008)

Tiefling:

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s_0GekZl7YA]YouTube - Night on Bald Mountain - Modest Mussorgsky[/ame]

Dwarf:

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzyi3C4gNnE]YouTube - In the Hall of the Mountain King[/ame]

Eladrin:

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQemvyyJ--g]YouTube - "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy" on the Glass Armonica[/ame]

Elves:

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5xUBcuzOSg]YouTube - Enya - Dan Y Dwr[/ame]

Halflings:

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DnPCkSurn8Q]YouTube - Lord of the Rings: Shirefolk[/ame]


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## Set (Dec 21, 2008)

I've always imagined dwarven music including a lot of banging things, usually drums, and shouted or chanted lyrics. The sort of stuff they play at the Highland Games in Scotland, with lots of drums and yelling to get the crowds fired up, echoing through the stony caverns and rebounding until it seems like the very earth is shaking as the listeners stomp their feet and smash their weapons and shields against each other.  Anyone that points out that Dwarven music and Orcish music sound pretty much identical (and that someone will probably be an elf) is in for a righteous arse-kicking.

Elves always seemed likely to use one of two options;

1) purely a capella music, but freeform, like improvisational jazz performances, with dozens of elves eventually finding their voice and joining in for total audience participation (the more skilled vocalists would adapt what they are doing to blend with the untrained, but enthusiastic, audience). Most common among wood / wild elves and high elves who aren't pretentious. The wild/wood elves would be likely to add in banging on tree trunks and other sorts of rthymn.

2) one artist with some honkin' impressive instrument (stationary floorharp, pipe organ, etc.). Most common among grey elves and the more pretentious 'city-fied' high elves. Everybody would sit quietly and there would be no applause afterwards, because it's considered gauche. (Everyone would thank the artist and compliment them on the performance afterwards, however, during the post-recital-soiree. The worst insult a performer can get is if everyone politely praises their outfit or the weather or their appearance or something, but not their performance, as it's a tacit admission that they couldn't find anything nice to say about the music...) Technical expertise and impossibly complicated works would receive a warmer reception than anything with any sort of emotional impact, any passion or power. Anything too 'raw' or 'primitive' makes the sophisticated grey elven audience uncomfortable.

Gnome and Halfling performances would be hyperkinetic. They wouldn't just sing, they'd also dance and twirl each other around. They might appear to be country folk-dancing, or they may be hopping around like AC/DC, but they'd never sit still.


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## Orius (Dec 22, 2008)

Olgar Shiverstone said:


> Dwarf:




"In the Hall of the Mountain King" is a pretty obvious choice for dwarves, heck, I've used it for dwarves.  I'd also have dwarves do stuff that sounds like Wagner or other similar composers.  I agree that drums and percussion instsruments like chimes, gongs, and glockenspiels (not xylophones, xylophones are made of wood) made from metal would be favored by dwarves. 



> Eladrin:




No.  Just no.  "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy" would probably be associated with the *wrong* type of elves.  This should need absolutely no explanation this time of year.  



> Elves:




Yeah, Enya, Celtic and so on I'd use for elves.



> Halflings:




"Concerning Hobbits" is a tad obvious for halflings, no?  I'd probably have halflings use various types of folksy music.

I'm thinking gnomes might favor complicated dissonant atonal music that every other race dislikes.  Poor gnomes, no one understands them.


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