Music at Play: Listening Habits in Tabletop Role-Playing Games

Abstract

Background music, soundscapes, and sound effects shape immersion, narrative experience, and player interaction in tabletop role-playing games (TTRPGs). While sound has been more extensively studied in video games, its use in analog role-playing has so far been addressed by only a few scholars: Andrew Borecky, Nicholas Johnson, and Emma Jensen. Drawing on ludological theories—including Cover’s narrative frames and van Elferen’s ALI model—this study examines how sonic elements co-construct the imaginative spaces of TTRPGs. The analysis is grounded in semi-structured interviews with eight players and gamemasters (GMs) who regularly use sonic elements in their sessions, spanning various systems and genres. Participants were recruited from interconnected gaming communities in the Netherlands and Romania. Their interviews were thematically coded using NVivo, and the audio materials discussed during these conversations were analyzed in relation to the participants’ own reflections. Three genre-focused chapters—Fantasy, Horror, and Science Fiction—each explore how sound contributes to immersion within their respective settings. For each genre, the analysis considers how sonic elements function across three core narrative scenes: social interaction, exploration, and combat. In addition, each chapter examines the use of audio for comedic effect, revealing how sonic choices can both support and subvert mood. Findings suggest that sound enhances immersion by guiding attention, triggering emotional responses, and supporting a sense of shared presence. This seems to be especially effective in horror settings. Players and GMs describe sound as both an atmospheric tool and a performative prop, blurring the lines between game mechanics and storytelling. While technical limitations (such as rule-heavy systems or faulty bots in online gameplay) can disrupt musical immersion, most participants emphasized sound’s power to pace and enrich collective play. This study contributes to the growing field of TTRPG studies by demonstrating how sonic elements actively shape gameplay in fantasy, horror and science fiction systems, through contributions from both players and GMs. It also extends theories of musical immersion into a new medium, highlighting the multisensory, collaborative nature of analog role-playing.