Musing on Ranger Harper/Bards

For discussion of Dunedain culture, what it might have looked like and how it worked.

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Manveruon
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Re: Musing on Ranger Harper/Bards

Post by Manveruon »

Greg wrote:Saw that poster in the background. Hysterical.

As for my way-of-life counselor/therapist cousin...we don't invite her to Christmas often. She tends to take my trad-musical tendencies as a "Gateway drug", if you will, into the slippery slope of Minstrelcy, and tries repeatedly to make negative associations between my pipes and things like pain, starvation, and occasionally lawn gnomes full of E...
Hahahaha... I might have known. Some people's kids, I tell ya'.
Maerondir Perianseron, also called “Mickel,” Halfling Friend - Ranger of the Misty Mountains
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Eledhwen
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Re: Musing on Ranger Harper/Bards

Post by Eledhwen »

I am also sorting out a lyre kit I have from Musicmakers; a sort of conglomeration of Old World styles. Reminds me most of a Greek lyre, really.

I also have plans for historic lyres that have been found in various places like Sutton Hoo, Wales, Ireland, and Germany. Sixth century most of them, but very nice. They can be strummed, much like a guitar or lute, they can be plucked with a quill, or played like a harp. One Michael J King sent me a CD with several sets of plans for these lyres. :) Woot!

I may not be an actual luthier, but I seem to be drifting in that direction. Who would have thunk it? ;)

A lyre is generally smaller than a harp, with fewer strings, but is lighter as well. Also rather more fragile than an 'A' box style harp. Less bulky.

So a Númenorean lyre may certainly be showing up soon, alongside the Amrothian harp. Designs for them are pretty much obvious, as far as decoration goes.

Of course, I have other instruments, such as hammered dulcimers, shawms, recorders, flutes, penny whistles, various drums, tambourines, guitars (6 & 12 string), a santour (Persian dulcimer), zills (finger cymbals), a didgeridoo, percussion sticks, shaker, and somewhere in storage is an upright piano. I cannot play the piano, well, I can manage chopsticks, and I have the fingers for it (my mother was a virtuoso level pianist and music teacher), but I can play the others to varying levels of skill. I used to have a banjo, but that disappeared when I went homeless for a bit years ago.

I have lots of Bard tools, I guess. I never really thought about it before. Hmmm.

Good path for me I suppose. That said, I prefer the instruments where one can speak while playing...makes storytelling that much easier. Storytelling is what I like best. Seanchai work (dunno the Welsh term for storyteller, aside from Bardd or Barddes is my case).

Definitely diving into this role deeply. I think I found my niche, yep. ;)

Eledhwen
Nandalad!
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