The World of Layonara
The Layonara Community => Ask A Gamemaster => Topic started by: darkstorme on May 19, 2010, 10:58:47 AM
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Having recently been re-reading some music history texts, I got to wondering a few things about Layonara. So, in yet another installment of "Ask the Loremaster", some questions:
Mechanics
- Does Layonara have brass instruments? I realize we have the enchanted horns, but little mention is made of any other instrument with the peculiar brass "buzz for sound". Given the metalworking that is part of the CNR system, the metals that are worked with, and the fact that the earliest metal trumpets (on Earth) appeared more than twenty-five hundred years ago, I'd guess that the answer here is yes, but it'd be nice to have confirmation.
- Given a yes on the above, what's the level of sophistication in our brass instruments? Do we have slides (present in about 1450CE, historically)? Have the tinkers come up with a way of making valves (present since about 1800CE, historically)?
- Into the woodwind family - do we have single-reed instruments? (1600CE)
- Double-reed? (1250CE)
- Pads? (1750-1800CE, depending on the instrument)
- Bagpipes? (200CE)
- Are flutes (and flute-like instruments) made of metal, wood, or both? Somewhat related to the first question, in that the metalwork required for metal flutes is somewhat sophisticated.
- Are stringed instruments as they're seen in-game? That is, do we have the technology for grand harps, pianofortes, and modern-body violins/guitars?
- Speaking of the pianos in-game, has a Layonaran musical scholar come up with the idea of Equal Temperment (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equal_temperament)? (1600CE, approximately.)
- Do we have organs? (Almost every human civilization has had them, from about 1500 BCE onward, so my presumption is "yes", but of what level of sophistication?)
- Are there different tuning methods from different parts of the world (for example, do some regions use quarter-tones, as in traditional Chinese, Japanese, Indian, and similar music - and if so, which regions)?
Organization
- Does Layonara have a standardized notation for music? (about 1600CE) Does it have any notation for music? (about 500CE, or at least, what's survived)
- How large do ensembles get in Layo? Do we have orchestras (which would kind of require equal temperment, from above) or only smaller chamber groups?
- Which of the churches use music in their services, and what sorts? (I somehow don't picture Corath as being big on music, for instance.)
- What musical styles exist in Layo? Are we similar to the late Baroque? (Oratorios, early opera, fugues, motets, etc) Early/late classical? (Real symphonies, etudes, real ballet, concerti)?
More questions may follow, but those were the first ones that sprang to mind. :)
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Aaaah.. now that I love!
I would really like to know those myself!
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Dude! Go easy on the caffeine! ;)
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Hey, this is pre-caffeine. Post-caffeine, there will be more questions.
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The HORROR!!! :o
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There are definitely ensembles. Check out [lore]Ilsare: Sects[/lore] and the Transcendent Symphony.
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What about music in the Deep and its more notable denizens? (Dark Elves, Deep Dwarves, and Deep Gnomes) Do we have something similar to the bae'qeshel telphraezzar for the Dark Elves, or basically the Whisperers of the Dark Queen in the Forgotten Realms setting. Dark Elven music would probably consist of tunes ranging from dreary to intense, or is music considered as something inconsequential to their culture? The same question goes for Deep Dwarves and Deep Gnomes. What about their instruments? Do they use standard surface instruments?
Hehe, I just posted this for the sake of discussion, I'm in no hurry to get an answer. :)
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For some reason I'd picture the dark elves music more of as Klingon opera lol
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I lol'd.
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I can't say I ever gave any of the questions you posed any thought before!
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I can't say I ever gave any of the questions you posed any thought before!
Well, that's more or less why I wrote the questions! :)
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(I somehow don't picture Corath as being big on music, for instance.)
Ask and ye shall receive:
YouTube - Tibet with deep (overtone, throat) singing (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCkK1AqsIAI&feature=related)
Now picture a choir of dark robed individuals and you're on to a win.
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Ask and ye shall receive:
YouTube - Tibet with deep (overtone, throat) singing (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCkK1AqsIAI&feature=related)
Now picture a choir of dark robed individuals and you're on to a win.
Cool! That video sounded trippy! I can kinda picture that for Deep Dwarves along with all the more brooding races and religions.
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Of course I suspect evil temples to have their chants!
(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/__Ae7RSqFrvw/SbowDs1LYvI/AAAAAAAALTE/Aeq_ZDuHhZo/s400/tod_mola_ram.jpg)
YouTube - Indiana Jones and The Temple of Doom Soundtrack-07 The Temple of Doom (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2C2kN1152lY)
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The Tibetan stuff doesn't sound dark or evil to me at all. If I found out Corath's hymns were so mellow, I'd laugh really hard.
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Sung to the tune of Mary Had a Little Lamb:
Corath had a little lamb,
Little lamb, little lamb.
Corath had a little lamb,
Its fleece was white as snow.
And everywhere that Corath went,
Corath went, Corath went.
Everywhere that Corath went,
He sliced open the lamb with a sacrificial dagger, feasted upon its still-beating heart before life slipped from the lamb, bathed in its blood and wore its face as a helmet.
Second verse, same as the first! Everybody....
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LOL... Duuuuuuddddeeee. You know if you want to make another PC Dorg, we would welcome you with open arms. ;) It looks like you have the right stuff... Hehehe.