Subject: Music
Alignment: Phlegm
Orientation: Journeyman
Position: Chorus
(coloured by Taejira)
Nehna is pretty, joyful and sweet. Very upbeat and happy in disposition, Nehna cares for the children's needs, and comforts them when they are sad, lonely or frightened. Nehna dislikes the sparring that goes on in the Arena, and prefers the arts. She herself is a talented singer and musician, able to play violin, piano and flute...though not all at once.
Nehna teaches the Bardic abilities, that is, to cast music through song, both singing and playing an instrument. Bardic casting is often used for casting Tribal Magic and Ritual Magic, though it can be used for Grimoire or even Circle Magic if the castor is talented enough.
Lesson One: Sound Waves & Effects
Info from Wikipedia
In music, a scale is an ordered list of notes used in music. Scales are typically ordered in pitch or pitch class, with their ordering providing a measure of musical distance. Scales differ from modes in that scales do not have a primary or "tonic" note. Thus a single scale can have many different modes, depending on which of its notes is chosen as primary.
The distance between two successive notes in a scale is called a "scale step." Composers often transform musical patterns by moving every note in the pattern by a constant number of scale steps: thus, in the C major scale, the pattern C-D-E ("doe, a deer") might be shifted up a single scale step to become D-E-F ("ray, a drop"). This process is called scalar transposition. Since the steps of a scale can have various sizes, this process introduces subtle melodic and harmonic variation into the music. This variation is what gives scalar music much of its complexity.
A musical scale is a set of pitches arranged in from low to high, or, alternatively and more rarely, from high to low. A scale is octave-repeating when every pitch in the scale appears in every possible octave. An octave-repeating scale can be represented as a circular arrangement of pitch classes, ordered by increasing (or decreasing) pitch class. For instance, the C major scale can be represented as the circular ordering C-D-E-F-G-A-B-[C], with the bracket indicating that the ordering returns to its starting point.
This single scale can be manifested at many different pitch levels. For example a C major scale can be stated at C4 (middle C; see scientific pitch notation) and ascending an octave to C5; or it could be stated at C6, ascending an octave to C7.
Scales may be described according to the intervals they contain:
for example: diatonic, chromatic, whole tone
or by the number of different pitch classes they contain:
very common: pentatonic, hexatonic, heptatonic have five, six, and seven tone scales, respectively.
used in prehistoric music: ditonic or two, tritonic or three, tetratonic or four
used in jazz and modern classical music: octatonic or eight.
Scales are usually abstracted from performance or composition, though they are also sometimes used precompositionally to guide or limit a composition. One or more scales may be used in a composition, such as in Claude Debussy's L'Isle Joyeuse. Below, the first scale is a whole tone scale, while the second and third scales are diatonic scales. All three are used in the opening pages of Debussy's piece.
As discussed above, musicians often utilize scales by shifting (transposing) a musical pattern by some constant number of scale steps. This process is known as scalar transposition.
The harmonies of traditional tonal music are constructed in this way. Western tonal chords are stacks of thirds, with or without accidentals, built above a particular scale degree, which is called the root of the harmony. Thus in a C diatonic scale: CDEFGAB, a three-note chord built on C will consist of the notes C-E-G. The same pattern, built on the note G, produces the chord G-B-D.
As the composition of musical notes becomes more complex, the areas of the brain which are affected by its vibrations increases, stimulated more of the brain's synapses. Because of this affect, music has been linked to affecting thinking efficiency, memory, emotions and learning ability.
Music therapy is the clinical and evidence-based use of music interventions to accomplish individualized goals within a therapeutic relationship by a qualified professional who has completed an approved music therapy program.
In other words, music therapy is the use of music by a trained professional to achieve therapeutic goals. Goal areas may include, but are not limited to, motor skills, social/interpersonal development, cognitive development, self-awareness, and spiritual enhancement.
Music therapists are found in nearly every area of the helping professions. Some commonly found practices include developmental work (communication, motor skills, etc.) with individuals with special needs, songwriting and listening in reminiscence/orientation work with the elderly, processing and relaxation work, and rhythmic entrainment for physical rehabilitation in stroke victims.
The idea of music as a healing modality dates back to the beginnings of history, and some of the earliest notable mentions in Western history are found in the writings of ancient Greek philosophers. Robert Burton wrote in the 16th century in his classic work, The Anatomy of Melancholy, that music and dance were critical in treating mental illness, especially melancholia.
Music Therapy is considered one of the expressive therapies.
Lesson Two: Instruments & Vocals
Vocals are the act of putting words to music. The most effective are lyrics that in meaning suit the tone or mood of the music to which they are set. In terms of use for an Empyrean, spells can be performed in song to combine the vibrational effects of the music with specific targeting through the words spoken. Singing can help tune the chakras, with specific oms, and can increase the flow of Essence through the body, which requires a high level of Channelin ability to control and direct. The clear annunciation of words and the inflection of tone learned in Literature are very important to giving life and soul to music.
Instruments can be used in place of or in addition to vocals. Instruments have the ability to hit pure and perfect notes when properly tunes, as well as some of the stringed instruments which can play a number of vibrations simultaneously sot hat you can create a harmony to magnify the effect of the music.
Efficient Instruments to the Empyreans cause:
~Wind instruments generate a sound when a column of air is made to vibrate inside them. The frequency of the wave generated is related to the length of the column of air and the shape of the instrument, while the tone quality of the sound generated is affected by the construction of the instrument and method of tone production. The group is typically subdivided into Brass, like the trumpet, and Woodwind instruments, such as the clarinet, bagpipes and flute.
~Lamellophones create a sound by the plucking of lamellas made from different materials (metal, raphia etc.). These Instruments are tunable, so they do not belong to the idiophones. An example is the Mbira.
~Percussion instruments create sound, with or without pitch, when struck. The shape and material of the part of the instrument to be struck and the shape of the resonating cavity, if any, determine the sound of the instrument. Examples: drums, bells and cymbals.
~String instruments generate a sound when the string is plucked, strummed, slapped, etc. The frequency of the wave generated (and therefore the note produced) usually depends on the length of the vibrating portion of the string, its linear density (mass per unit length of string), the tension of each string and the point at which the string is excited; the tone quality varies with the construction of the resonating cavity. Examples: guitars, violins and sitars. Electric string instruments generate sound by a pickup placed under strings. The electric guitar and the electric bass are the most famous examples, but there is a wide variety of new instruments, because the electro-magnetic amplification generates new possibilities. Other Examples: 3rd bridge overtone koto, electric baritone, electric cymbalom.
~Voice, that is, the human voice, is an instrument in its own right. A singer generates sounds when airflow from the lungs sets the vocal cords into oscillation. The fundamental frequency is controlled by the tension of the vocal cords and the tone quality by the formation of the vocal tract; a wide range of sounds can be created.
~Electronic instruments generate sound through electronic means. They often mimic other instruments in their design, particularly keyboards, drums and guitars. Examples: synthesizers and theremins.
~Keyboard instruments are any instruments that are played with a musical keyboard. Every key generates one or more sounds; most keyboard instruments have extra means (pedals for a piano, stops for an organ) to manipulate these sounds. They may produce sound by wind being fanned (organ) or pumped (accordion), vibrating strings either hammered (piano) or plucked (harpsichord), by electronic means (synthesizer) or in some other way. Sometimes, instruments that do not usually have a keyboard, such as the Glockenspiel, are fitted with one. Though they have no moving parts and are struck by mallets held in the player's hands, they possess the same physical arrangement of keys and produce soundwaves in a similar manner.
~Friction instruments are any instrument that use friction to create sound. For example the Glass harmonica or turntables.
((For a Full List of Instruments Empyreans have access to play, click one of the following two Links: Contemporary or Archaic.))
Lesson Three: Bardic Magic
Bardic Magic can be a powerful art. It utilizes the body and the voice instead of the hands. For those Empyreans who develope Tauran hands, or Aquatic Hands, Bardic Magic can become invaluable. It is not a regiment of spells, but an alternate way of casting them.
Musc is a powerful tool. Chord can pull on the heart strings, evocing emotions, subdoing a busy mind, and setting one off her guard. Music can irritate or enchant, cause one to have energy or lethargy. Combine these natural affects with the casting of Essence and the effects can be powerful and formidable indeed.
In this class we will learn to train your voices to direct magic, and how to place words or genstures into music so that the body can remain calm.
Harmony is the most important aspect of bardic Magic. You create a field of woven Essence with music, including chords, vibrations and meaning, and form power from this net which can be manipulated like a potent fabric.
In Bardic Magic, you practise a set of notes, words, chords, etc. while performing a Spell, so that the one becomes interchangeable with the other. Then, when you perform the Music 'programmed' in you mind as an entire Spell process, the Spell effects take place without need for repeated the entire spell preparation.
Up to three parts can be combined in the casting of a spell through Bardic means. The more parts you incorporate, the more complicated and difficult to perform the spell becomes, but the more bonuses you receive to the action you're attempting.
1 Note will have a fail percentage of 30%.
2 Note Chord will have a Fail percentage of 50%
3 Note Chord will have a fail percentage of 70%
However, unlike physical skills which need to reach a certain percentage or they are outright failures, you may always attempt the most complex form of Bardic composition, and roll 1d100 for all three portions (or Notes as they are called), if the number you roll on that 1 die bests 70% you have achieved the full composition. If, however, you only reach 52% you simply manage to perform 2 Notes, etc. It is important to always be clear in ordering your Notes as 1, 2, and 3 so that you know which portions (and therefore which bonuses) take affect.
Specific Notes give bonuses to specific things. They do not cause detriments if used out of context, but they are not as effective than if used for what they are most beneficial for.
A - Good for all strengthening, augmenting, defending and grounding magics.
B - Good for all elemental based magics, and all basic spell types not covered by the other notes.
C - Good for Targeting, containment, barriers and speed-related magics.
D - Good for communication, especially with familiars/monsters/animals etc; also used for Summoning.
E - Good for creation, improvisation, conjuring and enhancing existing qualities.
F - Good for tuning higher levels of consciousness, chakras, energy manipulation, and charging specific parts of the body for extra damage/healing specific wounds.
G - Good for healing in general, clairvoyance, calming magics, and sleep inducing magics.
Specific Instrument types are beneficial for specific types of magic casting as follows:
Wind instruments - Affects the breathing and the lungs, sedative and perfect for enhancing meditative states.
Brass instruments - Affects strength, stamina and body's resistance. Hightenes resilience to damage.
Lamellophones - Create a state of mind prone and ready for astral travel, fortune telling, prediction, prophecy and balance.
Percussion instruments - Affects heart rate and the body's vitality, affects movement and co-ordination.
String instruments - Affect the intellect, and instigate emotional healing, good for ether manipulation.
Voice - Good for creative endeavours, especially in creating new spells, used in intuitive attempts, such as channeling, and good for combining with instruments played with the hands.
Electronic instruments - Affects technoequips, and other electronics, with the capacity to either energize and repair, or damage and short-circuit.
Keyboard instruments - Perfect for training and splitting the consciousness of the mind, used in Geometries and Aspects of Astronomy.
Friction instruments - Affects the subconscious mind, especially used for hypnosis and implanting dreams or specific thoughts or emotions.
