For your RPG night: The music of Erang

YouTube is full of semi-secrets and little treasure troves that too few people know about. Scan through the comments in the Songs of Erang and you’ll find people openly asking why the French composer doesn’t generate hugely more video plays.

Fans can sample more music on the YouTube channel and over at Bandcamp. The latter gas a free download of music inspired by the Silmarillion. Alternatively, there’s always the Facebook page to keep tabs on too.

I asked Erang a few questions. Although the composer doesn’t speak English as a first language I was lucky enough to get some answers.

Your music is partly inspired by RPG games from your childhood. Which RPGs did you play?

About tabletop RPG, it was mostly my older brother who played them. So, when I had the chance to get “accepted” with him and his friends to play with it was really great memories and honor for a kid (I was 5 years younger). I played MERPG, Stormbringer and Hawkmoon.

However, even if I wasn’t a hardcore gamer, I always loved (and still love) the “feeling” of those games, the rulebooks, the drawings on the box, and I always felt very connected with players of RPG. It is a world that I understand very well.

Concerning video games; my first RPG was Dungeon Master on Atari and, later, I was totally a fan of Zelda III (a link to the past) and Secret of Mana. I played them a lot, it was great escapism!

Which roleplaying games do you think your music is a good match for?

Any medieval or heroic fantasy roleplaying games work well. I know for fact that some people use my music as background music when they play AD&D or Warhammer.

What three tips would you give someone looking to create some memorable fantasy music?

Well, I wish I knew tips to compose memorable tunes ;) Apart of, obviously, listening to fantasy music to get inspired and hear what you like in it, I’ll go with:

1. Less is more. Do not add a lot of things and layers if the foundation (the main melody) is not strong.
2. Do not spend too much time with technical questions or finding the “last new top” plugins or sample pack or whatever: compose music instead of thinking about it.
3. Most important: always stay true to your own feelings and passion. Do not ignore the outside world but do not get obsessed with it.