![A close up of an intricate dragon head wall decor. Illustrates [alt text].](https://www.michaelghelfistudios.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/dragons-of-stormwreck-isle.webp "dragons-of-stormwreck-isle")
Lyre RPG Music has just released a brand new soundtrack specifically designed for the Dragons of Stormwreck Isle (DOSI) adventure module on Dungeons & Dragons (D&D). In order to understand the artistic process of these talented composers, we've contacted them to get an exclusive interview about their album's release.
In this article, you will get to know them and their methods thoroughly, greatly enhancing your listening experience. Check it out!
What was the initial spark that ignited the creation of this album?
"Around the same time that we finished our first project—the soundtrack for Lost Mine of Phandelver (LMOP)—the new Starter Set was released." Lyre is referring to Dragons of Stormwreck Isle (DOSI), the latest Starter Set1 released in 2022 that replaced LMOP which was published in 2014.
"As we didn’t live in the same town anymore and prefer playing in person, this shorter adventure came at the perfect time. Also, we had already planned a vacation with our old gaming group in a small cabin by a few abandoned fish ponds deep in the forest—the perfect place for immersive play." Lyre said it best, there aren't many places that would be a greater atmosphere for this campaign.
"In this very atmospheric setting, with no electricity or running water, we played through the adventure. This shared experience and the mood there were not just the starting point for working on the campaign, but also a source of musical inspiration." Here, Lyre showcases a pure experience that most of us from the TTRPG community desires: a good game in a good place with good company to have a great time!
Describe your creative process. Did you start with melodies, a concept?
![A close up photo of an antique piano. Illustrates [alt text].](https://www.michaelghelfistudios.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/piano-creative-process.webp "piano-creative-process")
First and foremost, where exactly do the Lyre composers start? "At the beginning of the creative process, we usually look at where we are in the adventure. What is the environment like? What people or monsters appear? Are there plotlines that can be musically connected?"
"For each track, we reminisce about what it was like playing the adventure, look at the location and action the PCs2 are in and talk about the mood we want to convey. Once we’ve conjured a mental image, we often already envision instruments or sounds." Undoubtedly, Lyre shows that imagination isn't just about a song or a painting, but also about genuine storytelling.
"Only after discussing it thoroughly do we begin the actual composition. Although a melody doesn't always come first, rhythm or ambient sounds are often the creative starting point." In other words, there's an entire process before the composition even begins.
Any creative blocks in the process? How did you overcome them?
![A photo of a man in a black background wearing a watch and facepalming in frustration. Illustrates [alt text].](https://www.michaelghelfistudios.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/man-frustration-watch.webp "man-frustration-watch")
Getting to know an artist goes beyond their creation, it also involves their struggles in creating. Here' is's what Isaac had to say about creative block: "I often experience a classic form of the 'blank page' block. The first notes are usually the hardest for me, or deciding on the initial rough direction." Isaac stated.
"For a while now, I found strategies to counter this: before I play the first notes, I gather a variety of instruments and sounds, much like a painter assembling their palette. I ask myself which sounds and instruments I associate with the given scene or character." Highlighting the intricate steps taken to ensure a smooth, immersive experience for every listener.
"Often, I also need new libraries and instruments I’ve never used before to gain fresh inspiration. Only then do I start improvising with my MIDI3 keyboard or real instruments. The excitement from the sounds sparks musical inspiration, and once I have a small melody or sequence I really like (no matter how small), additional ideas—like a crystal growing from a seed—seem to come to me naturally. If I get stuck at a later point, luckily there's Olav who always has a good idea on how to proceed."
Olav then gives his insight on the problem: "If I encountered a block during the process, I usually solved it by picking up my guitar and writing a track for our bard album. After finishing the bard track, I could then return to focusing on the darker campaign music."
Was there a particular song that was challenging to create?
![An original artwork by NathanParkArt showcasing a fantasy harpy. Illustrates [alt text].](https://www.michaelghelfistudios.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/output.webp "output")
Isaac's particular struggle: "The most difficult track for me was the last one, I guess: "The Harpy's Return. It involves so many different Instruments and elements. It was hard to finish, but I'm happy how it worked out in the end."
As for Olav's perspective: "For me, almost every song was somewhat 'painful.' It's like a very challenging route you climb or an really exhausting ascent up a mountain. The way is extremely tough, but once I reach the top, I enjoy the feeling immensely. That’s how it feels when I finish a new track."
What are your favorite instruments to use? Is it related to a mood/style?
![A photo of the Armenian instrument duduk on a white surface. Illustrates [alt text].](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Duduk-view.jpg "output")
Separatedly, Isaac gave his particular answer: "One of my favorite instruments will always be the duduk4, not that I can use it very often, but something in my soul deeply resonates with this melancholic, yearning and somehow otherworldly flute from Armenia. I used it prominently in the Fume Drakes track."
Then, they answered as a composer duo. "Generally, we love all real instruments. On this album, it was definitely the accordion that gave our music a certain dynamic we were looking for. Especially the breathing sounds of the bellows, which we repeatedly used (e.g., in Undead Sailors) to convey."
How did you maintain your creative momentum?
![A black and white photo of a music score. Illustrates [alt text].](https://www.michaelghelfistudios.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/parchment-music-notes-creativity.webp "parchment-music-notes-creativity")
"Short answer: Beer ;)"
"Long answer is that being in the creative flow means letting our critical superego fade into the background and forgetting everything around us while playfully and enthusiastically immersing ourselves in the music. This works best late in the evening or at night when there are fewer external stimuli and expectations. A bit of beer actually helps, but too much alcohol ultimately affects the quality of the work." Demonstrating a pragmatic approach to composition.
"To get into the flow, there should be no technical issues in the way, and the technical processes, like using the software, need to be second nature. Technical problems should be taken care of during the day. Otherwise, problem-solving puts you in a more rational mindset, which can throw you out of the creative state, or get you frustrated because things aren’t working. The flow can also be disrupted if using the software takes too long, causing you to lose the creative momentum." A straight-forward technique that ensures that creativity and songwriting are the focus.
Finally, they conclude: "When in creative flow I don't critically judge my doing, only jumping from one idea to the next until something I like materializes."
Is there anything you would have done differently on the album?
![A tilt-shift photography of a person in a brown jacket thinking by a pond. Illustrates [alt text].](https://www.michaelghelfistudios.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/person-thinking-pond.webp "person-thinking-pond")
"No, not really. There are always things you’re not happy with or that didn’t go perfectly. But that’s just part of it. These "mistakes" often serve as inspiration and motivation for the next project." Lyre's view perfectly illustrates the artistic goal; it is not about perfection, it is about art itself.
Tell us a bit about the overarching narrative that connect the songs.
![An early morning at Lake Bled with a brown wooden boat floating. Illustrates [alt text].](https://www.michaelghelfistudios.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/boat-island-medieval-narrative.webp "boat-island-medieval-narrative")
TTRPG means storytelling and the greatest of bardic songs always feature narratives. Here is Lyre's take on it: "We always aim to make music that is great by itself, but that also works well at the gaming table. When composing for an existing adventure, the overarching narrative, stories, people and places are all already there. Our work starts when we decide which location, scene or NPC gets a track and which ones of the tracks should be similar."
"Obviously, you’d want the 'town theme' for Dragon’s Rest to sound similar to Runara’s theme song. Our music should then connect the story and places within the campaign. That’s the basic idea. Whether it worked out or not will ultimately be decided by the listeners." An invitation for you to experience it firsthand if these experienced bards are able to truthfully convey the adventure!
What do you hope listeners will take away from the album?
![A photo of a a pair of red headphones sitting on top of a mirror. Illustrates [alt text].](https://www.michaelghelfistudios.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/red-headphones-art-mirro.webp "red-headphones-art-mirro")
"If our music contributes to good entertainment for players and gamemasters in the adventure, we are completely happy!" A simple and elegantly beautiful answer.
How does composing for roleplaying games differ from any other genre?
![A photo of a fantasy-dressed woman holding a torch. Illustrates [alt text].](https://www.michaelghelfistudios.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/fantasy-woman-torch.webp "fantasy-woman-torch")
"Composing fantasy music is, in our experience, fundamentally different than creating music in other genres. There is a certain emotional distance between the personal feelings of the composer and the emotional sphere of this music—in a very positive way." Lyre gives us an unexpected, but welcome twist to composition that is rarely ever talked about.
Lastly, to conclude their thoughts, they say: "It has very little to do with us personally and our current feelings. That allows us to really dive into other "fantastic" and imaginative worlds and experience a completely different set of emotions compared to our everyday life. We really appreciate this from time to time."
You can download the album as a FoundryVTT module here or as a regular album here.
Footnotes
- A Starter Set is an official bundle targeted at beginners. ↩︎
- PC means "playable character" or simply the player. It is a contrast to NPC or "non-playable character". ↩︎
- MIDI means Musical Instrument Digital Interface. Basically, an instrument for computers. ↩︎
- A duduk is double reed woodwind instrument made of apricot wood. ↩︎
