Do you play with the music on or off?

At first, I always played with the music on. It just seemed right. Then, however, I tried turning off the music and it brought a whole new sense of immersion to the game world.

I recently tried turning on music again, and now it just seems like a distraction.

Don't get me wrong. The music in this game is great. I'm just so used to being part of the world that the music brings me right out of it.

Ive never tried that before. Maybe I'll give it a go next time I play.

Always on. Off never even registered in my mind.

I haven't tried turning the music off either. The music can be beneficial sometimes, like warning you when there is a dragon nearby that you haven't seen. I'll try it though.

Very much this.^^

I always play with the music off because it helps with performance and immersion. I can hear all the sounds of the environment and it feels more realistic and immersive.

Maybe that would be a good thing, no warning.

When I want to play the game as realistic as possible, I have music off.
Most of my characters I have music on.
I always put music on in

Always turn the music off, I hear more of the game and it's more immersive. I do enjoy the sound track at first, they are quite epic, and I have the CD's of the soundtrack that I play in my car, but in game, I prefer the sounds of the land and those living in it.

Plus, I don't want the game to tell me I should be in battle mode or not by the music.

Pretty much this.

Bears and saber cats are really dangerous this way because you can't hear them coming. Well, bears you can, you hear their heavy paws and panting racing toward you. I'm like OH F--K! and start running, especially at night. Saber cats, though. You just hear their roar and your health bar starts to deplete.

Same with dragons. You see a big shadow with the screen-shaking "woosh" sound, but nothing else.

I don't need the game to tell me with battle music that the skeever I ran past a few hills back is still chasing me, either.

Plus, you can hear conversations much easier.

Funnily enough I was going to post the exact same question myself.

I love the music, however decided to turn it off last night for immersion purposes, and so far i'm loving it without. You can really connect with the world more, hear the wind, birdsong, insects buzzing etc

Havent had any real encounters yet but think the fact that I wont hear the combat music kick in will be much better when I do, the first i'll know of an attack will be when it actually happens rather than 10 seconds beforehand.

Cant see me turning music back on tbh, which is a shame because the music is good, maybe i'll grab it for my ipod

Welcome, fellow convert! Hehe.

I liken it to turning off the compass, or removing the hud (on consoles). It really puts you in the world.

Excellent point right here. Which is exactly why I'm going to try it next time I play.

Been playing no hud or compass since day one, wish i'd switched the music off then as well now.

Off - for the RP. I mean if that was really us would you not be wondering where that orchestra is and why they were following you around?

On - if I'm trying a new character concept (usually another argonian) until its ready. Then delete and restart without. Now if only Bethseda would adopt the Alternate Start mod as DLC for the XBox for afew more options. My current (and former) PC can't run Skyrim otherwise I would have gotten th PC version instead. Still my #1 game though followed by Forza Horizon and Mass Effect 3.

Off permanently its not that the music is bad but it gives away too many secrets and for realism i prefer real life silence or birds singing to a background music score that just sounds like i am at the cinema

I turned the music off on 11-11-11 and never turned it back on. There are no iPods in Skyrim. I want the enemies to have the same sneak chance as I do. I don't want to be notified that I am in combat. If a saber cat is tearing my face off, then so be it. My character should have been more aware of their surroundings. That stupid warning ruins the experience.

In May of 2012 I built my rig and downloaded Sounds of Skyrim. It was then I started a "must have" list.

MUSIC= OFF

I enjoy the music a lot. Besides, the sound is horribly unbalanced as the ambient sound is muffled to the point where you hardly hear anything, then I turn up the volume so I can hear some waterfalls or even footsteps then you suddenly jump into combat and it's way too loud compared to the ambient sound. The combat sounds are really annoying. From the "hyaa!" of the PC to swords clashing with fur, animals or flesh and sounding like it's hitting metal to bears and Belethor (it's the loudest of all NPCs).

Turning the music off really works better when you have headphones where you can hear every little detail, but using a surround sound system it's not that good. Silent until combat.

Little bit of both, gotta be honest.

Right now I'm playing music off, might switch it back on later, we'll see. When I do turn it on though I leave it pretty low.

Then you need a new surround system. There is not a set of headphones made that can compare to the overall experience with a quality speaker system and acoustical placement. It's just not possible.

I can tell you right now, even with my 5.1, the room size speakers set at your head elevation and turned into the player and locating the sub woofer in the center of the room.. I can hear the damn butterflies breathing and when a Dragon lands, it rattles the windows from the sills., Couple that with a rumble pack and literally puts you in the game.

Headphones can't do that.

I can't do it. I tried it once, I think with Oblivion. I had to turn the music right back on. The music is just too good, and contrary to a lot of people's opinions, I feel the music helps immerse me in the world even more so. The music enhances my experience.

The only reason I would turn it off is for the combat music, for the reasons people have stated. But then again, just because you don't see something doesn't mean you don't know it's coming. We have other senses as well, so combat music doesn't really bother me.

The pros of having the music on WAY outweigh the single con.

Oooo! I must get me some surround sound. The way you describe it makes it sounds like an incredible experience. I use headphones.

In addition to my no music I turned off the hud completely. I want to be as immersed in Skyrim as possible and I don't walk around with a compass at forehead level in RL. My screen as I look around Skyrim is completely clear like I am really looking out. With no music, it is as immersive as it could get without actually being there.

Yeah, same here

This is my experience as well. I mean I use the iHUD mod. I only get the stats and cross hair pop up as needed. And the descriptions of the items still pop up. I tried it with no HUD in the vanilla game, but soon realized I need the crosshair to pick up small items and know where the door led.