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+--- Thread: Role-playing someone that sings? (/showthread.php?tid=3404)
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Role-playing someone that sings? - Averis - 08-08-2013
So I'm thinking of going Bard (ignore my sig) and a part of my (new) character story might have that she enjoys singing. I know, so original.
Anyway, I have a few concerns with this idea. For one I really have no idea how to pull it off exactly. I could just do something like "/em hums a little tune.", but I'm not sure what else. Besides that, I can't rhyme or come up with lyrics, at least not on the spot, and I'm not the type to get in front of people and "perform", even in RP.
So this might not even be a good idea to pursue for me, but I thought I could pick the brains of my fellow role-players and see what they have seen or done that may be similar and it may also be helpful for others with similar quandaries.
RE: Role-playing someone that sings? - Seohyun - 08-08-2013
I think it could be interesting. Perhaps she could sing small poems about her RP experiences. Maybe she went on a trip and the adventurer she was following took down a large monster. Could easily sing a tale about that feat. I mean, bards were known for their entertainment and telling tales, singing songs about the grand things they've seen.
There's a lot of possibilities for this.Â
 Depending on how you go about. Just don't go copy and pasting Rhianna lyrics. Haha. Go for it, gurl!
RE: Role-playing someone that sings? - Felix Sideris - 08-08-2013
(08-08-2013, 06:42 PM)Averis Wrote: So I'm thinking of going Bard (ignore my sig) and a part of my (new) character story might have that she enjoys singing. I know, so original.I know how you feel. I would never be able to pull off writing a song that didn't sound corny or something.Â
Anyway, I have a few concerns with this idea. For one I really have no idea how to pull it off exactly. I could just do something like "/em hums a little tune.", but I'm not sure what else. Besides that, I can't rhyme or come up with lyrics, at least not on the spot, and I'm not the type to get in front of people and "perform", even in RP.
So this might not even be a good idea to pursue for me, but I thought I could pick the brains of my fellow role-players and see what they have seen or done that may be similar and it may also be helpful for others with similar quandaries.
My bard is going to play a pan-pipe, and I decided to use reference songs to explain what song he might be playing at the time. For examples, check out my wiki. At the bottom there is a few youtube links of songs he plays. Maybe that would help?Â
Maybe not, though it might help give ideas. It would be much harder to find a reference song that has lyrics, I tried to find one myself x.x
so i am definitely watching this thread to see people's ideas/input
RE: Role-playing someone that sings? - Magellan - 08-08-2013
Why not be someone that wants to sing, but doesn't know how? Therefore, as you struggle to come up with poems and lyrics OOCly, so will your character ICly. I've used things like this in the past to great effect. And, maybe practice poetry in real life. As you improve, so will your character.
It's quite fun to do!
RE: Role-playing someone that sings? - Ildur - 08-08-2013
Portraying music via text means is quite difficult. Prove of that is that in the real world we had to develop its own way to write it down.
Your best bet is, probably, to describe the music as a mix of character movement (Averis' hand build on speed, moving quickly across the lute) and of music movement: as if the music was an actual creature that is moving. (Averis' song builds on speed, quickly reaching a crescendo of voice and strings).
If you don't want to bother with writting actual lyrics/poems, you should use emotes to describe what they talk about. It depends really on how better you can convey the movement of music: if by emoting or by rhyming.
Or at least that's how I'd try it!
RE: Role-playing someone that sings? - Rhan'ir Azal - 08-08-2013
Some games allow you to type music notes in text like this ♪.
I haven't tried it in FFXIV yet, but in other games to show ones character is singing you would type
♪Falalalaaaa♪
RE: Role-playing someone that sings? - allgivenover - 08-08-2013
I would go with musical notes and short songs that rhyme, I feel like if they rhyme they'll seem more like a song in text form.
RE: Role-playing someone that sings? - Magellan - 08-08-2013
((An example of bardic RP))
Isielin puts her long fingers to the harp, coaxing soft, bittersweet tunes from the strings that evokes images of a grey-clouded sky swirling over the ocean spray of waves cascading over jagged rocks.
Or vast green fields, unbroken under the vibrant rays of a post-storm sun, as it scatters the clouds that had so violently unleashed their bitter tears moments before.
The tune haunts, yet inspires, then haunts again, as the inspiration is taken away.
Her voice carries, on the wings of the harp's lament, and offers the following words;
"All the brave warriors will dance in the rain
all the brave warriors shall never feel pain.
Bow to the earth who beckons your soul
grieve for the wars that swallow you whole.
Kiss for your father, he'll never come home
all the brave warriors will end up alone."
all the brave warriors shall never feel pain.
Bow to the earth who beckons your soul
grieve for the wars that swallow you whole.
Kiss for your father, he'll never come home
all the brave warriors will end up alone."
She pauses, her fingers grow still, and her gaze falls to the ground.
((So basically something like that should do the trick. However, instead of lyrics, if that's what's tripping you up, you can simply describe what she/he is singing about.))
RE: Role-playing someone that sings? - Pells - 08-08-2013
You don't have to come up with these on the spot, either. Most places I've seen people singing or performing in RP, the song and/or act were prepared beforehand--either in a macro, or a separate text document. Pacing between each line is learned through just trying it out. Same with how much spam you're willing to put out at a time.
And to differentiate between song and speech, I'd use some sort of marker for it. I don't know how to (or if you can) get musical notes, but really anything that isn't used already, such as quotes or parenthesis, should work as long as you're consistent about them.
RE: Role-playing someone that sings? - Nnejo - 08-08-2013
I typically do something like:
Her eyes drifted around the crowd, a smile evident on her lips as they open to sing her tune. The song itself was a merry tune, one of adventure that sparked the interest of those nearby.
I rarely ever type out words or anything just something to get the message across.
RE: Role-playing someone that sings? - Demon Fox - 08-08-2013
A singing character is severely difficult to pull off and i have the upmost respect for anybody that can pull it off convincingly. the variations in voice, the pitches, the ranges these are things that are all extremely difficult to pull off through text alone.
if you plan on having your bard sing in taverns etc.. one idea i would put forward is to look on youtube for some instrumentals that could go with what you write so that the people know what rhythm you are taking.
RE: Role-playing someone that sings? - Flamel Eldgamel - 08-08-2013
I had an idea for an alt that was a roegadyn opera singer. But without being able to actually sing, it's kind of difficult, especially with a type of singing so trained. But enough about me...
Poetry wise, I would advise getting a rhyming dictionary (they're honestly very nice to have). It helps when you're in a pinch and feel like you can't find anything that works with a particular line. I write poetry (among other things) constantly, and one thing I can say is: Don't get discouraged. To me, poetry is just art with words. You can be as ridiculous and sporadic as Picasso, or as precise and coherent as Michelangelo. You can use sentences, or sentence fragments. The more you try, the easier it will get. I often catch myself rhyming to words people say to me. There is plenty of inspiration within the game. Some of the views are amazing! Not to mention the tales of epic battle you can portray. No one is going to expect your work to be perfect (I feel like mine never is!). I hope this has helped you in some way. (I realize it was more towards the poetry aspect of being a 'bard,' but like others have said, it is difficult to portray vocal changes and the like through text.)
Once again, I hope I helped!
RE: Role-playing someone that sings? - Averis - 08-08-2013
Wow! Thank you guys! These are some great tips!
I think describing the mood etc is a good way to start. If I got ambitious I could try to think up some verses beforehand.
I may even toy around with the idea that she's shy or lacks confidence etc. Maybe she was known for singing in her small town, but that's it. Maybe she will continue to only sing for friends.
Thank you again, and if anyone has something else to add, please do.
RE: Role-playing someone that sings? - Siuane Raih'li - 08-08-2013
I was planning on playing as a bard and it helps also to have creative names for your songs. Unless you're a court bard many songs will be things about pretty maids with husbands that don't like other men's intentions. lol
RE: Role-playing someone that sings? - FreelanceWizard - 08-08-2013
Pretty much everyone else has hit on what I'd suggest.
L'yhta's a singer, albeit as a hobby, and the way I typically RP it is by describing the actions, the themes, and the tone of the music; I usually don't try to come up with lyrics on the fly. For instance, I might go with something like, "L'yhta begins to sing, the first verses a gentle flow of soft words about a quiet dreamer in the style of an elezen lullaby. Then, suddenly, she bursts into a loud, syncopated rhythm as the song turns from the dreamer's dream to his nightmare."