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"Lauder we get, the harder he pounds those keys"

On a hapsichord? What is that supposed to mean?! Hapsichord doesn't allow for a change of dynamics, as the mechanism puckes strings with the same strength no matter how you press the keys. Pound them too hard and all you do is damage the instrument:



Ability to change dynamics on a keyboard instrument didn't happen until invention of the Fortepiano around 1700s for which Mozart and Beethoven wrote, and from which modern piano has evolved from. 

 

Shameful display. Immersion breaking RPG 0/10. 

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I'm glad I'm not the only player who noticed this. 

 

I think it's pretty immersive. Have you ever seen a drunken fool play a piano with a whole tavern full of rowdy pirates egging him on?

A "piano" literally got its name because it had greater dynamic range than other keyed instruments.  Early versions were called "Fortepiano"-- "Forte" meaning "loud" and "piano" meaning "soft." 

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I'm glad I'm not the only player who noticed this. 

 

I think it's pretty immersive. Have you ever seen a drunken fool play a piano with a whole tavern full of rowdy pirates egging him on?

A "piano" literally got its name because it had greater dynamic range than other keyed instruments.  Early versions were called "Fortepiano"-- "Forte" meaning "loud" and "piano" meaning "soft." 

Consider this then. Maybe this thing he's pounding on is a fortepiano. Just roll with it. Also, he's drunk and an idiot. Where have we witnessed him playing the piano on any acceptable level? It's not like these pirates would know the difference.

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"Lauder we get, the harder he pounds those keys"

 

On a hapsichord? What is that supposed to mean?! Hapsichord doesn't allow for a change of dynamics, as the mechanism puckes strings with the same strength no matter how you press the keys. Pound them too hard and all you do is damage the instrument:

 

Ability to change dynamics on a keyboard instrument didn't happen until invention of the Fortepiano around 1700s for which Mozart and Beethoven wrote, and from which modern piano has evolved from. 

 

Shameful display. Immersion breaking RPG 0/10. 

 

I agree that this does represent an ignorance of harpsichords.  But I expect that most people would make the same mistake.

 

Regardless, IMO, it's only immersion breaking for musical instrument purists who would know this fact.  Those of us who don't know this fact wouldn't even notice.

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Consider this then. Maybe this thing he's pounding on is a fortepiano. Just roll with it. Also, he's drunk and an idiot. Where have we witnessed him playing the piano on any acceptable level? It's not like these pirates would know the difference.

Well, he seemed to be doing fine right before he blew up and it certainly sounded like a harpsichord. Reference to a saloon and a square piano trope is clear enough but as explained above harpsichord ain’t a piano. I am willing to overlook that harpsichord is an odd instrument to have in a tavern but it is not unimaginable for Principi to raid some noble’s ship and steal a sophisticated instrument like harpsichord. However, notion of “pounding the keys” on a harpsichord makes as much sense as swapping magazines in a blunderbuss. But now when you mention it, it doesn’t even look like a harpsichord - as those have the characteristic “rectangular” grand piano look.

vgefpbe.jpg

 

It could be a clavichord, which seems to be a “square piano” version of harpsichord but if that is a case, it is unlikely anyone could actually hear it in a busy tavern:

TpW1TXh.jpg

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"Lauder we get, the harder he pounds those keys"

On a hapsichord? What is that supposed to mean?! Hapsichord doesn't allow for a change of dynamics, as the mechanism puckes strings with the same strength no matter how you press the keys. Pound them too hard and all you do is damage the instrument:

Ability to change dynamics on a keyboard instrument didn't happen until invention of the Fortepiano around 1700s for which Mozart and Beethoven wrote, and from which modern piano has evolved from. 

 

Shameful display. Immersion breaking RPG 0/10. 

 

 

Sure, but Benweth is an idiotic pirate who probably looted that harpischord. It's a miracle the thing is even in tune. It doesn't actually say that hitting the keys harder makes the volume increase, just that when the background noise is louder, Benweth abuses the instrument.

 

If anything, Mirke is mocking Benweth's incompetent, brutish, ignorant playing.

 

EDIT: This also justifies his murder. You're not just doing it for the armor. You have to save the harpsichord.

Edited by Dr. Hieronymous Alloy
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Why are we to even trust that Mirke knows her instruments (I mean, she's constantly swaying from being drunk...)? She could be calling it a harpsichord when in fact it's closer to a pianoforte. (Correct me if I'm wrong, but early piano-like instruments also sounded a bit like harpsichords...)

Edited by thelee
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Why are we to even trust that Mirke knows her instruments (I mean, she's constantly swaying from being drunk...)? She could be calling it a harpsichord when in fact it's closer to a pianoforte. (Correct me if I'm wrong, but early piano-like instruments also sounded a bit like harpsichords...)

 

 

Perhaps it's a clavichord! Or even a rare, early pianoforte, looted by Benweth from the ship of a Vailian inventor. . . .

 

https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/cris/hd_cris.htm

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EDIT: This also justifies his murder. You're not just doing it for the armor. You have to save the harpsichord.

Well, unless you plant a bomb in the instrument... 

 

 

Perhaps it's a clavichord! Or even a rare, early pianoforte, looted by Benweth from the ship of a Vailian inventor. . . .

 

https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/cris/hd_cris.htm

Could be! Early pianos did have a shorter sound.

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I think there is only one conclusion: we need an expansion which would explore instrumentation of Eora and it’s past and current advancement. What are th majors schools of music? What is the relationship between sacred and secular music? Is music education available to public (looking at the amount of “harpsichords” in low level taverns it seems so). Is music purely vocal (medieval and renesaince style) or is there a focus on an advanced instrumental works. Do major organised ensembles exist?

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I think there is only one conclusion: we need an expansion which would explore instrumentation of Eora and it’s past and current advancement. What are th majors schools of music? What is the relationship between sacred and secular music? Is music education available to public (looking at the amount of “harpsichords” in low level taverns it seems so). Is music purely vocal (medieval and renesaince style) or is there a focus on an advanced instrumental works. Do major organised ensembles exist?

 

I mean, does anybody doubt that Sawyer would add this kind of detail to the TTRPG rules if Feargus would let him? 

 

...

 

PLAYER:  OK, I've leveled up my Woodwind proficiency enough that I think I'm ready to challenge the First Chair for his soulbound Chalumeau.

 

GM:  Sure.  You inform the Director, and he schedules a blind audition in two days.  You'll have to select an exhibition piece to perform. 

 

PLAYER:  Ooh, is one of those hornpipes that we found in the Xaurip camp of an appropriate difficulty?  Director Viretti is such a sucker for Wilder exoticism.

 

GM:  Hmm.  You think so, but you'll have to transpose the notation and make copies for the panel beforehand.  Give me rolls against your Melodic Theory and Culture: Ixamitl Xaurip skills.

 

[etc.]

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A "piano" literally got its name because it had greater dynamic range than other keyed instruments.  Early versions were called "Fortepiano"-- "Forte" meaning "loud" and "piano" meaning "soft."

It's still called fortepian in Polish. The table-like instrument at any rate.

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A "piano" literally got its name because it had greater dynamic range than other keyed instruments.  Early versions were called "Fortepiano"-- "Forte" meaning "loud" and "piano" meaning "soft."

It's still called fortepian in Polish. The table-like instrument at any rate.
It does those in English it’s simply called piano, or Grand Piano (to distinguish from compact square piano).

 

As it is usually the case history of the instrument is long and complicated and I am not versed well enough in it to provide any meaningful information. I just remember during my education in Poland term “pianoforte” was used to describe an older type of piano, while in US I usually heard “fortepiano”. Whenever it was conscious reference to specific models, or different general term used to describe the same thing I do know know. All I do know, is that piano we have today is a fairly late invention and a big chunk of music traditionally performed on a grand piano wasn’t written with characteristics of that instrument in mind. There are some really interesting things coming out, in terms of phrasing and colour of the sound, when such piece is performed on an instrument which more faithfully conveys the original intent.

 

This look about right, though I do not have knowledge necessary to review the information:

0nBE3oo.jpg

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