Being A Musician.

[Aerabula 11]

Intro:

The one thing that I notice that's missing on LOTC is.... MUSICIANS!

In medieval times, and even today, music plays a big part in people's lives, helping them ease away their troubles, remember the past, or just for fun! I recently created a character that is a musician, and after even just one day, people seem to love it. I hope that this guide will encourage more musical characters, and open up the potential creativity for LOTC.

What's a musician anyway?

First a quick vocabulary lesson! A bard is a more professional musician, for example, a great pianist who plays only at concerts, with limited seats and expensive tickets. A jongleur, however, is in it more for the fun, constantly learning new songs by ear, rather than by sheet music, and are more susceptible  to living as a commoner.

In the medieval times, there were typically 3 different tiers of musicians. The first would be the upper class, these bards/jongleurs would play for nobles, kings, princes, councils, and so on and so forth. They would typically stay with one employer, who would pay them, house them, and over all just take care of them. These people play more of the classics, usually only interested in the theory of music and the pay....

The next tier, the mid tier, would be your bard/jongleur of a major town. They would usually stay in the local tavern or inn, their pay being their shelter and the occasional tip. They stay in the same city, often expanding their musical act to something else, perhaps something comedic or even a quick skit. It's often quite common for everyone in town to know this single musician, and they would probably play for events as well such as weddings, funerals, etc.

The lowest, and probably the most fun to RP, is the traveling bard/jongleur. These folk never stay in one place too long, constantly going from town to town. They don't have to be payed, and often only accept tips, and perhaps housing for one to a few nights. These musicians are usually in it for the fun, music is a lifestyle for them, they breathe, eat, live, drink, sleep, nothing but music.

Tell me about the music already!

In these times, music isn't so much as just nice sounding uh.. sounds, but more about story telling and recounting events. Every song is unique to whomever plays it, for example, a bard may play a song sadly and slowly, where as a different jongleur may play it fast paced and jolly-like! Songs fall under 2 broad categories, the classics and the folk songs. The classics don't have words, but are more instrumental, i.e. Fur Elise, Moonlight Sonata, etc. The folk songs however, are known to all, sung by all, and are loved by all.

Folk songs also have 2 more categories in them, the ones that truthfully recount an event, and ones that are just made up, usually performed for fun. They can be played sadly, or happily depending on what the musicians wants his audience to feel.

How do /I/ be a good Musician?

A /good/ musician will develop his or her own repertoire, songs that they know quite well. They will then play them over and over again, changing the style, the lyrics, the notes, whatever! Because of the nature of music in this time period, it doesn't even have to have a steady rhythm, songs should be more focused on rhyming and the actual /content/ in the song. Every musicians strives to be different from the others, so be creative! Know illusion magic? Make your own spotlights! Got a smart dog? Train it to be a part of your act! Make your own style and become the best musician in all of LOTC!

How to RP it!

Alrighty, you've got the basics down, now you need to know /how/ to RP it ingame! IT's very simple, so let's get started!

Stuff you need

Small amount of knowledge about the instrument you will play

an ingame item that represents the instrument (you can modreq for this, or buy it at the music shop at spawn!)

Some creativity

Directions/Instructions

​1. Once you acquire your new instrument, learn how to play it ingame! take lessons! read books! Playing an instrument is like being a mage, it takes training /and/ time.

2. After learning how to play, get yourself a 'songbook'. What I mean is you need a place to keep all the songs you know. You can do this with a book ingame, but it is not necessary. What I do is, I have an ingame book with a few /basic/ songs so that others can see it. But I keep /all/ of my songs in a text document. Typing the lyrics to songs can be tedious if you have to memorize them, and if you have the lyrics all in a separate document, copy and paste away!

3. Perform! Find an opportunity to perform for an audience, emote you taking out your instrument, playing it, /then/ sing the lyrics. There aren't too many people to sing, THEN play their instrument!

4. Sing! If your song has lyrics, type them like this "~Happy birthday to you~" this way people know you are singing! (side note: you can also do the "/status performing" command, which will put a note next to your name)

5. Finish! Emote putting your instrument away, bow to the audience, ask for tips, do detailed emotes, the possibilities are endless.

Tips

-Doing "/status performing" will put a note near your head, letting people know that you are performing

-maintain your instrument! Emote tuning, cleaning, inspecting, fixing, oiling, whatever your instrument needs, take care of it!

-go around doing public shows, when you're done playing amazingly, bow and let them know your name. You might become famous!

-get professional gigs! ask if someone needs a musician for a funeral, maybe a wedding, a birthday? All events need some sort of music!

-Enjoy the roleplay. Music brings a whole new level to roleplay that you should have fun with! Are you a bad musician? Emote singing badly! Are you a snobby musician? Be a total butthead! Are you that homeless guy with an open guitar case, playing on the streets? Emote that!

-Learn from other Musicians. Musicians are social creatures, sharing their music with other musicians.

-Make your own music! Make a song recounting the tales of that amazing orc vs. dwarves battle! Talk about the sadness of your heart at the death of a famous person! your songs are for you to create! Remember, rhyme and rhythm are key

 

 

Well, that's all that I can think of! Please leave some feedback down below on what you think of this guide!

[Crayfishchris 751]

Another little thing to add, if I may. Bad musicians are just as good to see around as good. It's hilarious when a person has no clue how to sing or play a lute, etc., etc. Everyone seems to be a master, but not that many are students/untalented.

[Aerabula 11]

Another little thing to add, if I may. Bad musicians are just as good to see around as good. It's hilarious when a person has no clue how to sing or play a lute, etc., etc. Everyone seems to be a master, but not that many are students/untalented.

Thank you for your addition!

[Parading 302]

Not a bad guide, and quite the coincidence that I just started a musician character also. However, you didn't really explain how to RP a musician, more just explained what musicians were in medival times. Maybe expand more on how to RP music. BTW If you ever happen to pass by the Cloud Temple, my new char owns a music store there.

[Aerabula 11]

Not a bad guide, and quite the coincidence that I just started a musician character also. However, you didn't really explain how to RP a musician, more just explained what musicians were in medival times. Maybe expand more on how to RP music. BTW If you ever happen to pass by the Cloud Temple, my new char owns a music store there.

Hm... I'll get started on an actual RP guide and add it to this basic one! and thank you for the feedback!

[Roguealicious 34]

http://www.lordofthecraft.net/topic/104597-mastering-the-musical-arts/ 

My character bought a violin the other day and is currently looking for a teacher. She's practised a few times and each time i've written out about 20-30 lines of emotes for it. She's managed to find how to play one note, through trial and error, but its mostly hideous screeching at the moment! Would be awesome to see more musicians :)

[Aedan The Bard 350]

Well, meet one of the few bards of Aegis, and probably one of the only - if not the only - experienced bard remaining in Lord of the Craft's realm.

 

Aedan bows gallantly

 

(My character's lute has life and mind of its own out of how great of a bard he is, sweet~)

 

But yes, you did a great job with this guide! Hopefully Aedan won't be the only one anymore!

[Finnadian 25]

Would It be asking too much to know two instruments?

[Aerabula 11]

Would It be asking too much to know two instruments?

Not at all! You can know as many as you want, but mastering them is another story.

[Crayfishchris 751]

Moved to the Great Library. It shall be sorted into appropriate category shortly.