List the scenes you expect, give each one a mood, build each scene once, test the levels and group them by campaign. With a tool that saves scenes, prep stays quick and running the game is one tap per scene.
A 15-minute plan
- List your scenes (2 minutes). Three to six, in the order you expect them. Skip scenes you can improvise.
- Give each a mood (2 minutes). One word each: warm, tense, dread, chase, awe.
- Build the scenes (8 minutes). For each: one music track, one or two ambience loops, and two or three effects for beats you know.
- Test the levels (2 minutes). Play each for ten seconds at table volume. Ambience and music below voices.
- Group by campaign (1 minute). Keep each group’s scenes together so you can switch fast.
Prep less, not more
- Don’t build a scene for every possible room.
- Keep two or three generic scenes, such as “Wilderness” and “Tavern”, for the unexpected.
- Skip effects you won’t fire.
Reuse between sessions
Scenes you build once can be reused and tweaked. A tavern scene works for many campaigns. See scene recipes.
Skip the setup entirely
Start from a community-made campaign, such as Death House, and customize what you want. Downloading community campaigns needs a subscription.
How Summoning Stone helps
- Scenes save music, ambience levels, effects and reverb.
- Group scenes by campaign, and start any with one tap.
- Free tier: free sounds, music for all styles and up to five scenes. See what’s free.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to prep D&D audio?
About 15 minutes for a typical session if you build three to six scenes once.
How many scenes do I need per session?
Three to six, plus a few generic ones for surprises.
Do I have to prep everything in advance?
No. Prepare the scenes you expect and improvise the rest with a generic scene.
Can I reuse scenes between campaigns?
Yes. Scenes you build can be reused and adjusted.