Music, Wednesday

[suitably_heroic]

Why would a music class meet in the Danger Shop? Well, hopefully the creative and wide assortment of musical instruments sitting in one corner of the vast white void of the Danger Shop provided an answer.

There were tables and chairs, too, of course. And two teachers. The dark-haired one wore a t-shirt that read Sepultura if you put enough effort into figuring out what the stylized lettering meant, and was leaning against the desk - the last remaining puzzle piece of the space. “Hi,” Atton said. “Welcome to the only class I’ve ever given that I’m not planning to be a hard-ass about.” Whether he would succeed? Well, time would tell. “This semester, we’re going to try and give you guys a broad background on music in general, but I expect you to branch out when you leave us.”

He crossed his arms. “So. Music class. Is it about making music, or is it about other people’s music? We figured both would be a good idea. Because if I hear something great, I think about how I might be able to do that, and I figure there’s at least some of you who might feel the same. But that doesn’t mean there’s any shame if you decide you don’t want to. The instruments are optional.”

He took a moment to look into the classroom, mentally composing himself. It didn’t show. “At the end of the day, music is about emotion,” he said. “The one thing I want you to take out of this class is– something that makes you feel something. Maybe something new that you haven’t experienced before, or something old you didn’t realize anyone could put into sound. I don’t expect anything from you guys, besides that you step into this classroom with an open mind.” And an open heart, he didn’t say, because if he did the ground would open up and swallow him whole for the crime of being too damned earnest for Atton Rand’s standards.

Instead, he looked to his co-teacher.

Lana was wearing jeans and a plain grey tunic, because she hadn't found a band she liked well enough to wear a shirt for yet (when it wasn't a combination of "fitting in on Earth" and "Sith in-joke"). "We'll be working from mostly Earth music, so I'll be learning a lot of it as we go, too. And there is a lot of it. For such a small planet, there are an amazing number of cultures here, all of them with different musical traditions. We couldn't possibly get to them all, hence the name of the course."

She smiled at the students. "We'd also love to hear about what music you're familiar with, what you gravitate toward, and any instruments you can play." Well at least, she would. But she was absolutely going to speak for them both. If it wasn't true, Atton, it should be.

"So, why don't we start there? Since this week is traditionally for introductions, please introduce yourselves, tell us what kinds of music you enjoy, and let us know any instruments you play. I'm Lana Beniko, I enjoy symphonic music from back home and some opera, both from home and from here, and I'm learning I like progressive metal, too. I don't play any instruments currently, but I'm looking forward to picking up drums."

“And I’m Atton Rand, by the way,” Atton added, belatedly. “I enjoy most genres of metal, except nu metal, which was invented for preschoolers, I sing in a band, and sometimes I’m partial to belting out punk classics and better-than-they-should-be pop hits in karaoke establishments. And yes, I’ll be happy to do karaoke here, and trust me, I won’t embarrass myself doing it, and neither will you if you put your back into it.”

"So, how about you?" Lana nodded at the closest student.

Comments

Sign In!

[suitably_heroic]

Musically.

Re: Sign In!

[mess_and_i_are_friends]

Humphrey Goodman

Re: Sign In!

[deathsmajesty]

Liliana Vess

Listen to the Lecture

[suitably_heroic]

Or examine your classroom. Or chat.

Introductions

[suitably_heroic]

"Please introduce yourselves, tell us what kinds of music you enjoy, and let us know any instruments you play."

Re: Introductions

[deathsmajesty]

Liliana had spent much of the other introductions trying to think of a particular way to word her answer.

"My name is Liliana Vess, I like music that I can dance to best of all, and I haven't played the piano in a very long time, so I'm not sure if I would consider that an instrument I play."

Re: Introductions

[suitably_heroic]

Atton shrugged. "As far as I can tell, it's basically like riding a bicycle," he said, "You might fall off again once or twice but you'll get back to it faster than if you hadn't learned."

Re: Introductions

[unusual_sith]

Lana grinned and nodded to her. "I suspect your long-forgotten piano is still better than many people who would say they play it."

Re: Introductions

[wildgalegirl]

Charlie was there, guitar with her as usual. "Charlie Gale," she said, "And I like pretty much any type of music. Punk is good. Country, rock, classical - though I don't really play much of that. I'm big on folk, Celtic, trad. I sing and I currently play guitar, mandolin, and banjo, though I'm not as good on banjo yet."

Re: Introductions

[suitably_heroic]

"Oh, c'mon, you have to have a preference somehow," Atton said. "Like, what kind of punk?"

Re: Introductions

[unusual_sith]

"What are Celtic and trad?" Lana asked.

Re: Introductions

[mustbeawitch]

"Good afternoon," Lydia said politely. "I am Miss Lydia Bennet, and I quite enjoy a nice waltz. I can play a bit on the piano, but I would not say I am particularly accomplished!" That would require she ever actually practice.

Re: Introductions

[suitably_heroic]

"Waltz, huh?" Atton said, lifting his chin. "What time are you from?"

Re: Introductions

[mess_and_i_are_friends]

"Humphrey Goodman" he said with a nod and somewhat awkward wave. "I've been fairly limited on the music scene sadly until a few years ago when I had some time in the Caribbean. I've always enjoyed good classic rock music, but I've also found that even the upbeat calypso and reggae type of music has a certain appeal. I decided to take this class really to broaden my exposure and see what other kinds of music are out there. Oh, ad I don't really play any kind of instrument." (He was far too uncoordinated and far too clumsy!)

Re: Introductions

[pun_king]

"Hi!" Graham said excitedly, waving his hand in kind as he got to his introduction. "My name's Graham! Graham Cra--"

Out of absolutely no where and seemingly of its own accord, a cymbal stand on a drum set in the corner seemed to have suddenly lost its balance and went clattering into the other drums, making a terrible clamour that made Graham wince before he could even finished, and, impulsively, he turned to see if he'd actually somehow managed to knock them over even though he was nowhere near them, and then chuckled a little sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Must be a draft in here, or something! Anyway, where was I? Oh, right, I was doing my introduction. I'm Graham, and I honestly like all kinds of music, although I'm not from here, so all the music here seems really new and interesting, and my friend Charlie," with a big grin and a nod her way, even a little lift of his hand again in a finger-waggling wave, "has been great about introducing me to some of the best stuff! I don't play any instruments, either, just my voice, and I'm an okay singer, there's definitely better out there, but I'd definitely like to learn some instruments some day, it could be a really useful skill! Although I'm way more of, say, a Fighter or a Paladin than I am a Bard! And that's okay, because it's important to have a good, well-rounded and diverse party!"

Re: Introductions

[onlyajones]

"I'm Josephine Jones, Jo," Jo said when it was her turn, "and I've never really played any instruments before, at least properly," she admitted, because when they had been learning instruments in music that had been during her whole 'be the bottom of the form it didn't matter' phase that her dad had encouraged. She paused, "and I like classical music," she added.

Re: Introductions

[gospel_of_oblivion]

"Illyana Rasputin. I prefer the louder the better," she admitted cheerfully. "I like going to house concerts, punk shows, raves, metal...I'm not super picky."

"I can play some guitar, or could. It's been awhile since I picked it up." She hadn't exactly felt the urge since Leah had left.

Instruments Corner

[suitably_heroic]

After introductions, there's plenty of time to poke around here. Instruments are moddable, within reason set up across a fair portion of the space. Feel free to pick some up, or grab the karaoke mike.

Re: Instruments Corner

[deathsmajesty]

Liliana would absolutely not be playing any songs on the piano today. Because she was a prideful bitch, that's why. But she was, at least, willing to play some scales and octaves and some barely-remembered warm-ups from over a century ago.

And if her eyes sometimes strayed to a different musical instrument, well, likely nobody noticed. And even if they did, it was nobody's business anyway.

Re: Instruments Corner

[unusual_sith]

Lana, as promised, went over to the drum kit. She had an idea of how to hold the sticks, and she had a decent sense of rhythm, but she had no idea what she was doing, so it was a lot of "what sound does this make".

Re: Instruments Corner

[pun_king]

After (very carefully, very gingerly) setting the cymbal that fell during his introduction back up on its feet again with a gentle little slightly ringing pat, Graham started to look over the instruments in earnest to see if any called out to him (both metaphorically or literally!) to maybe try.

He found himself leaning a little bit toward horns and flute-like instruments, with a particular interest maybe in those pan pipes...hmmm....

Talk to the Teachers

[suitably_heroic]

They're around.

Re: Talk to the Teachers

[suitably_heroic]

Atton was not going to admit to his one single impulse to say something stupidly earnest.

He was going to hang out by the desk and brood about it, though.

Re: Talk to the Teachers

[unusual_sith]

That's okay, Lana could be the earnest one. She was also here, and eyeing the drums.

OOC

[suitably_heroic]

New class, oooh.