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SafetyGoggles · **03-12-2017, 04:28 PM**

I know there is a French horn, harpsichord, cello and harp. Would it be such a big stretch to say there are acoustic guitars, violins, pianos, and traditional Japanese stringed instruments come over with the Au Ra invasion?

Kilieit · **03-12-2017, 04:49 PM**

Your guideline for Earth objects that may be in existence in Eorzea is did this exist by the 18th century? The race naming conventions based in Earth cultures make repeated reference to this time period, and while the technology and cultural development isn't a 1:1 analogy, it's a good frame of reference to go by.

So, in order:

â€¢ Guitar-like instruments have been around for a very long time, and instruments known as "[adjective] guitars" were recorded in the 11th century. They were known simply as "guitar" by the 14th.
â€¢ The violin was invented in the same time period as the cello (16th century), and we have cellos, so it's safe to assume we have violins (and violas) too.
â€¢ Harpsichord were the predecessors of the fortepiano (which in turn was the predecessor of the modern piano), and harpsichords exist in XIV (they're a housing item). The invention of the fortepiano was made at the beginning of the 18th century, which is the very tail end of time period XIV draws its inspiration from. If the fortepiano exists, it's probably considered by the people of Eorzea to be a very modern instrument - and things like upright pianos almost certainly haven't been invented yet.
â€¢ "Edo-era Japan" is the keyword for Doman culture in XIV, so look at when the specific instruments you're thinking of were invented. If it was during (or before) the Edo period, it probably exists. If it was after, it probably doesn't.

SafetyGoggles · **03-12-2017, 05:04 PM**

(03-12-2017, 04:49 PM)Kilieit Wrote: Your guideline for Earth objects that may be in existence in Eorzea is did this exist by the 18th century? The race naming conventions based in Earth cultures make repeated reference to this time period, and while the technology and cultural development isn't a 1:1 analogy, it's a good frame of reference to go by.

So, in order:

â€¢ Guitar-like instruments have been around for a very long time, and instruments known as "[adjective] guitars" were recorded in the 11th century. They were known simply as "guitar" by the 14th.
â€¢ The violin was invented in the same time period as the cello (16th century), and we have cellos, so it's safe to assume we have violins (and violas) too.
â€¢ Harpsichord were the predecessors of the fortepiano (which in turn was the predecessor of the modern piano), and harpsichords exist in XIV (they're a housing item). The invention of the fortepiano was made at the beginning of the 18th century, which is the very tail end of time period XIV draws its inspiration from. If the fortepiano exists, it's probably considered by the people of Eorzea to be a very modern instrument - and things like upright pianos almost certainly haven't been invented yet.
â€¢ "Edo-era Japan" is the keyword for Doman culture in XIV, so look at when the specific instruments you're thinking of were invented. If it was during (or before) the Edo period, it probably exists. If it was after, it probably doesn't.

Wow... That was super informative. You rock! Big Grin

LiadansWhisper · **03-12-2017, 05:41 PM**

If the music is any indication, Ishgard has organs.

Edda · **03-12-2017, 05:42 PM**

Ehhh... The guideline 'did it exist in the 18th century' isn't bad but considering the few examples we have in game it's kind of inaccurate. Then again the spread of instruments we do see is all over the place and just plain weird. For example, the manor 'harpsichord' that looks and sounds every bit the modern piano. Triggered.

The French horn you reference is in appearance much closer to a sousaphone, and given it's called 'manor marching horn,' it would be safe to assume that's what it is based off of. The sousaphone was first built at the very tail end of the 19th century. The timpani we have in game is clearly pedal tuned, which was not introduced until the late 19th century as well. With that in mind, it does stand to reason that even the upright piano, which came about in the early-mid 19th century, could very easily exist - it just might not take its modern day form.

Weirdly enough, the manor harp doesn't have any pedals, which were first introduced in the late 18th century and continuously improved upon after. So the harps don't have pedals (or maybe they do, just this one doesn't) but we have early sousaphones and pedal-tuned timpani. It's wild. Doesn't make any god damn sense.

So anyway, what I'm trying to say is... so long as it fits in with the setting, it's pretty reasonable for it to exist. Even saxophones and, dare I say it, banjos. Just no crazy, modern, electric, new age stuff and you should be fine.

SafetyGoggles · **03-12-2017, 05:45 PM**

@Edda; will certainly keep that in mind. As cool as it would be to have two turntables and a microphone, was definitely trying to respect lore in regards to what instruments my character would have available to them. I was leaning either piano or violin, and it sounds like they wouldn't cause too much fuss as 'is this lore accurate'

LiadansWhisper · **03-12-2017, 05:51 PM**

I would imagine that drums and other percussion instruments are pretty widely available, as well.

Recorders, too.

Momo · **03-13-2017, 03:36 PM**

You are welcome to use a Recorder, it may be the only case of public death from RP that I would be likely to see, inform me so I can grab my popcorn ICly.

Otherwise, here is a link to follow for some examples of what we can actually see:

http://en.ff14housing.com/itemlist.php?h=1

Click this and hit the "Musical Instrument" tag to get an idea. Otherwise it would have us assume that bards commonly use a lyre as seen in job animations. Almost any instrument can be created within reason I think. Using Allagan technology, Ishgardian precision, Garlean ingenuity, even turntables wouldn't be out of the question and maybe microphones to a certain extent. This would need careful planning and the right setting however, and probably wouldn't be something for everyday RP unless you commission ICly to craft such a thing with the proper tools and skills.

Kilieit · **03-13-2017, 03:59 PM**

(03-13-2017, 03:36 PM)Momo Wrote: You are welcome to use a Recorder, it may be the only case of public death from RP that I would be likely to see, inform me so I can grab my popcorn ICly.

SORRY I KNOW YOU WERE JOKING but recorders can sound lovely! It's really easy to overblow a descant, and so that's what most 5 year olds are going to do. But adults with better breath control turn it into a bright, sweet-sounding instrument. Especially if it's made of wood and not plastic, as it would be in XIV (plastic ones can sound quite sharp, which doesn't help with the shrill tone of an overblown descant). If an amateur like me can make their plastic descant sound good, I'm sure a character who was a professional bard would be able to work wonders with a wooden one.

In fact I believe, due to the similarity in sound from my recorder covers to the originals, large portions of the FF:CC soundtrack have the recorder as the leading instrument -

Code: (Select All)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Qt7NN1D3ls - sopranino (I  think),

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cdO7pty9Fh4 - descant,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-K_EzjaN-g - treble,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOhpHX3q7P8 - tenor (I think).

SafetyGoggles · **03-13-2017, 05:59 PM**

Thanks to everyone who gave input on this. I went with violin, as it seemed pretty safe.

What musical instruments exist in Eorzea?

RPC has moved! These pages have been kept for historical purposes