In Focus: Music & Performance Arts in Allanak & Beyond

[Cayuga]

Recently, our lovely Xalle edited and combined some older, inaccessible documents from the old Armageddon site into this information. I'm slicing the helpfile for MUSIC THEORY AND HISTORY down - if you want to read it in full, it's located here: http://armageddon.org/help/view/Music%20Theory%20and%20History

Onto the tidbits I find worth focusing upon:

Long after the dragon left the known world, many tribes began to settle the comparatively fertile region of Gol Krathu. The proximity of so many disparate cultures led to further homogeny of musical form. This did not stagnate musical style, however. It inspired it.

The tribal populations have struck largely to their roots, with percussive and rhythmic musical form alongside dance and group singing. Each tribe may have their own characteristic style of performing, but in essence they are all very similar.

With the rise of the city-state of Allanak and the wealthy elite, music began to emerge as a form of art as well as a form of mere entertainment. The average citizen of Allanak, largely a slave population or free laborers so oppressed to resemble slaves, often enjoy a rowdy, simplistic form of song with little political or social ties. The songs are often made up of a solo instrument or small ensembles typically containing a corded instrument and percussion made of insectoid shells. Lyrically these songs often tell simple tales of sex, drinking and violent acts committed on the less desirables of the population (elves, breeds and magickers mostly, nobles and templars in seedier parts of the city.) Chords are generally simple, built out of octaves, and more emphasis is placed on the entertainment value of the story being sung.

The upper classes of Allanak are an entirely different matter. Never to be outdone, the nobility of Allanak have reached an appreciation of music so difficult to understand, so outstretched, that many would suspect that the nobles themselves only claim to like it in a vain effort to tout their intellectual superiority over their peers. The music complicated without bounds, with the scale of notation reaching up to 16 different notes. Harmonies are dissonant and lack most, if not all rhythmic structure, as percussion driven music is too often associated with the barbaric tribes of the sands and the common dregs of the city, whereas literate, educated and civilized tastes are seen to be far more "sophisticated". Instruments are often used for the sake of their value, with ornately decorated violins, harps and flutes which are often more pleasing to the eye, than the ear. Music in the upper class is often used as a backdrop to theatrical entertainment instead of dance or song, with heavy themes of political power and presentations of Allanaki history being common.

Let's focus even further upon Allanak, Luir's, and tribals by breaking it down for the TL;DR folks:

Allanak & Music & Performance
Commoners in Allanak like rowdy songs about sex, violence, and drinking. But if a performer wants to climb the social ladder, then they go to House Fale. Why? House Fale is the premiere House in Allanak when it comes to holding events and parties: it is literally, the reason they exist.

The upper classes of Allanak prefer their events or get togethers to be backdropped with intricately performed pieces that are usually from string instruments because drums are base and tribally boring (unless, of course, the event is of a tribal theme). Beyond the chaotic octaves most Allanaki nobles prefer played in their presence, they enjoy sung or spoken-word pieces about themselves, their families, or the almighty power of Tektolnes.

Allanak has an historical culture of performance art, even if it is rarely reflected in the PC population. There are various NPCs in game, there is an instrument shop, and courses in the Atrium focused specifically upon learning how to play an instrument, sing, or otherwise entertain.

TL;DR further:
Gaj: Fucking, fighting, drinking. We need a soundtrack in the background while we brawl!
Red's: Something a touch more refined than the former.
Silver Ginka: Patriotic songs for the off-duty soldiers.
Noble Party: Whatever they want, though if they're not specific about subject matter, fluffing their family name, their personal prestige, or the Highlord's omnipotence are always good bets.

Luir's & Music & Performance
Luir's is the epicenter of tribal amalgamation when it comes to vast tribal cultures coming together as one - if only temporarily as visitors to the Outpost. It is one of the few places in game where you might find virtual representation of tribal, Tuluki, or Allanaki performance arts all in one.

Luir's usually has a hostess, employed by House Kurac, and oftentimes this person's work is influenced by whatever tribals might be visiting the Outpost that week.

Tribals & Music & Performance
Focusing more upon tribal music, we must note that everything comes from an origin of beats: Drums and banging fists and clapping hands are the natural, original source of music of primitive cultures. While, of course, tribals also have access to a variety of instruments, a lot of them will be well versed in the adept patter of a beat.

Many tribal cultures in Allanak have a focus upon the above, chanting, storytelling, and upon dancing: they had to evolve from the simple forms of music of the first two elements, drumming and chanting, to remain competitive in a musically evolving world.

Most tribes perform together, oftentimes as celebration, or as a way to unwind from the day's labour.

Tuluk
I suppose we don't really need to go into this, because Tuluk isn't playable. But there's more than enough information above to read if you want to play a Tuluki based bard.

Examples:

Dissonant Harmonies (Witty commentary supplied by Xalle)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3M7YAfc1-BU
(The guy second from the right isn't a big emoter.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iGPO1kcTTIc

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFrOAJMpryQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCYVW3BsMNY
Skip to 1.40 if you want to miss the birdsong intro.

Something 'Nakki Nobles & Tribals Might Love
https://youtu.be/1oSeTtUt2xw?t=111

Something 'Nakki Nobles Might Love
https://youtu.be/r8L7dNKllyo?t=71

Something Tribals & Luir's Denizens Might Love
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h2Rm8oFIMmk

(Also, Abraham Adzenyah is the shit. Watch all of his YouTube videos. He used to have a talking drum video that I wrote a whole dance for in game years and years ago.)


Of course, as always, there is leeway allowed in the type of music one might know or be able to perform. Not many people do in Zalanthas: it takes time, and skill, and frankly money that many common people do not have the luxury of wasting upon instruments, costumes, or the voice lessons or practice it requires to become adept enough to earn a living with. That is *not* to say that an average 'Nakki commoner or Luir's denizen wouldn't know a few songs or dances: they simply wouldn't be adept enough to make a living off of them.

Do you have any questions? Do you need anything clarified? Better yet, do you have any videos of performances that make you think of one of the playable areas/cultures in game?! Post below!

[Drayab]

I don't have any questions right now, but I just wanted to say thanks for the work that went into this. I'll definitely be looking at this for guidance/inspiration in my more musically inclined characters!

[Riev]

Most instruments (should be all by now?) have a "play" echo when being held.

Is this sometimes significant enough to allow one to use that emote, while singing or dancing or what have you?

I ask, because I often struggle with explaining -how- I'm playing the instrument, other than "fast, slow, dirge-like, or upbeat". I'm not a musician, but I love the music in Zalanthas.

[Miradus]

emote plays a mournful dirge on a simple wooden flute.
emote plays the flute, the notes echoing through the forest.
emote plays the lyre, the melancholy sound of the vibrating strings a counterpoint to the casual chatter and noise of the tavern.

I change ldesc to sort of represent what I'm doing too.

I don't like to "sing" with a minstrel. It sort of dominates the room and doesn't let other people roleplay. It's one thing if I'm on the stage and everyone should be paying attention to me, otherwise I find that sing is too spammy and I don't want to make up lyrics or a tune anyway. And the Zalanthas version of "Free Bird" isn't going to make anyone happy. So just some flavor emotes and ldesc to show the room that there's background music going on is enough for me.

Not that I mean to stifle anyone else's style. If you want to make up lyrics or whatever then you should feel free to do so. Or if you want to sing Free Bird that's fine too.

[Delirium]

^^ that.

[boog]

If I see an adaptation of Lynyrd Skynyrd in game I might scream in delight and revulsion simultaneously.

Also, songs don't have to take up a lot of space! Every line doesn't have to be broken up and often in my songs, I try to do couplets sung together without line breaks, just for that reason: less real estate.

[Miradus]

I don't know much about music either so I went and watched some videos and then just tried to emote what I was seeing people do.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZCruJd0MrE

[Riev]

If I see an adaptation of Lynyrd Skynyrd in game I might scream in delight and revulsion simultaneously.

Once had a musician who branched dwarf-speak, and decided that singing in Mirukkim and playing instruments like death metal was the best idea in the world.

Protip: It was.

[Miradus]

Heh.

When I'm rolling around as a stump, I have to put on some Sabaton.

[ghanima]

I don't have any questions or anything but just wanted to say it's nice to see some updated documentation rolled out. I really like the parts it says about Allanak and the styles of music there. It's good to have a foundation to start with and I'll definitely put it to use next time I play a musician type.

[650Booger]

I love the concept of instrumental music, but it seem really tricky to figure out how to make it work in a text game.  The attempts I've seen have been cool though.

[Reiloth]

Instrumental music > lyrical music, unless you have some really good shit. For reasons mentioned before, it just dominates everything going on around it, and unless it's prepared, it takes forever to get through. I always feel like i'm held hostage when someone is singing. Playing in the background is great, and good emotes in that vein can really set the mood.

[TheWanderer]

I'm personally indifferent to whether it's lyrical or instrumental. Especially when the only atmosphere you're trying to preserve is a dull bout of conversation over someone thinking sand is a little too coarse for their liking.



Consider the situation and adjust.

[boog]

I love the concept of instrumental music, but it seem really tricky to figure out how to make it work in a text game.  The attempts I've seen have been cool though.

Honestly, I flip on YouTube to something I find sufficiently Zalanthan-y and I listen. I really, really listen. I wait until there is utter silence in my house, when everyone's asleep, and I listen to how the notes roll and rise and descend and sound and I scribble out emotes about them when I play a bard. I think of how they make me feel and how I can try to describe how the music might sound against the rabbling of a vNPC crowd.

I love lyrical songs in game, too, though. I don't have a problem with the scroll. But again, we can stop the scroll by singing out couplets (or even full verses, I suppose!) in an entire sentence rather than using the \ or | breaks that cause line breaks if that's an issue. So, instead of...

Code Select Expand

Soandso sings:
"Amos was a kank
He liked to kank
and kank
and kank."

A performer could do...

Code Select Expand

So and so sings, "Amos was a kank! He liked to kank... and kank... and kank!"

Thoughts? Is this better for people as a consensus? I know there will always be people who don't like performances in game at all, but as someone who's played their fair share of bards over the years, I like to know.

(To be honest, my favorite bard's favorite song that I've written which is up on the submissions page is actually formatted in the second way. Heh.)

[Reiloth]

As a Tuluki Diehard, I too enjoy lyrical songs if they are well thought out and put together. I actually enjoy the | / stuff more than on a single line, it reads more like a sonnet or poem to me. Which I find more enjoyable than having to pick through a normal sentence for the meter and rhyme.

I just think esp. in Allanak, instrumental shines. But i've seen rowdy raucous songs done very well, too. Just takes the right person!

[WithSprinkles]

I kinda think that there are so many things that we have to worry about in game. Be they bowing or nodding or living up to this or that expectation. I think that if no one is booing you, beating your ass or asking you to shut up, then you're probably doing alright if you're trying to bring color and energy to the room.

People can talk during a bardic performance, I think. No one should get irritated because of that. And if the song sucks, heckle that motherfucker making noise and interrupting your beer. Have fun with it. Just like the person who is up there trying to entertain is doing, I'd think.

It's like that line in the opening theme song to Mystery Science Theater 3000:

"If you wonder how he eats and breathes and other science facts,
Repeat to yourself it's just a show,
I should really just relax."

Sing couplets, sing paragraphs, chant, recite, intone, play in the background, go crazy and most of all, have fun.

[boog]

As a Tuluki Diehard, I too enjoy lyrical songs if they are well thought out and put together. I actually enjoy the | / stuff more than on a single line, it reads more like a sonnet or poem to me. Which I find more enjoyable than having to pick through a normal sentence for the meter and rhyme.

I just think esp. in Allanak, instrumental shines. But i've seen rowdy raucous songs done very well, too. Just takes the right person!

i'm always the best person, bb

Uh. Anyway. Back on topic!

[Reiloth]

Beyond that, I have little to add. These are lovely documents, and much more verbose than what we had before. The examples are also really helpful for non-traditional 'Western' instruments, of which there are many in Zalanthas.

[boog]

I agree. Brava, Xalle-a.

[boog]

Does anyone have more examples of what they think dissonant Allanaki music sounds like? I admit, when I think of Zalanthan music, my mind immediately goes to the tribal. Does anyone have anything like what Xalle commented on above? The Georgian singers? I think that's absolute beauty as an example, even if it would be hard to play out in game.

[bardlyone]

I actually enjoy the | / stuff more than on a single line, it reads more like a sonnet or poem to me. Which I find more enjoyable than having to pick through a normal sentence for the meter and rhyme.

I just think esp. in Allanak, instrumental shines.

Pared down to reflect my feelings on the matter.

[Marauder Moe]

So Allanaki music is.... dubstep hip-hop?

[Miradus]

A rat-faced, ginger-haired man sings, in sirihish:

"Never going to give up you, never gonna let you down, never gonna run around and desert you!"

[nauta]

These in focus threads are awesome.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHixChYgGRI

I will add to some of the discussion above for would-be bards:

1. Timing is everything.  Give people time to react to your performance.  Tossing a bard into the mix with a conversation can overwhelm pretty quick -- there's nothing wrong with going a minute or two between stanzas.

2. Be reactive.  Adjust your output to be courteous to conversational spam, and to react to audience input.

3. Often, short emotes give more of a feel than long emotes.  Or, as Bertrand Russel put it: "Never use a long word if a short word will do."

4. Practice makes perfect.  It's definitely a good idea to write out the emotes and lyrics beforehand.

5. No fear.  Occasionally the gdb will erupt into bard hate.  Ignore it.  I love each and every one of you.

[Reiloth]

I personally recommend Paul Brady and other Irish revivalists from the 1970's for good 'folk song fodder', both the sad stuff and the happy.