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Music in Roshar?


Cel

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I know this probably sounds dumb, most people think music is a waste of time, but I wish there was more about the music of the culture in Brandon's writing, especially in Roshar. I think a main character who was a musician, or any details at all about it would be great. I mean, I know there's musicspren, but you never really see them. Is there a Calling for music? I;'m not sure, but I wish there was. It would make some characters more relatable, to me at least.

Edited by Kaladinwillumarryme?
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3 minutes ago, Kaladinwillumarryme? said:

I know this probably sounds dumb, most people think music is a waste of time, but I wish there was more about the music of the culture in Brandon's writing, especially in Roshar. I think a main character who was a musician, or any details at all about it would be great. I mean, I know there's musicspren, but you never really see them. Is there a Calling for music? I;'m not sure, but I wish there was. It would make some characters more relatable, to me at least.

Anyone who says music is a waste of time and doesn't say the same of all of the arts is a hypocrite, and anyone who thinks all of the arts are a waste of time is not someone I ever want to hold a conversation with.

I would definitely enjoy learning more about the music of Rosharan cultures. It may be lacking not because he hasn't imagined them, but perhaps to save space/not Brandon's skillset/lots of reasons. 

I'm sure there is a calling for art, and music would be contained in it if it doesn't have it's own. 

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Thanks, I definitely agree with you. I am normally to shy to speak up for things like that, and it always means a lot to see someone who agrees with me about the importance of the arts. They are a big determining factor in any culture. I just wish there would be a main character who was a musician.

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35 minutes ago, Kaladinwillumarryme? said:

I wish there was more about the music of the culture in Brandon's writing,

Given how important art is to the culture of Hallandren in Warbreaker, there might be some music related things in Nightblood. We're supposed to learn more about the Pahn Kahl culture in it, so if they've got music..

Anyway, for the purpose of SA, I wouldn't put it past him to make music something that Lift enjoys and find ways to feature it in her book. We just haven't had characters that enjoy music that much because of how their backstory is.

Actually, we know that the Parshendi had drums during the feast before Gavilar's assassination. Depending on how different Eshonai is in her book, we might see more of that, at least in some of her flashbacks.

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I would argue the Listeners are the ultimate musicians. Everything they say, they say to an appropriate rhythm. Sure they may not use notes but speaking to rhythm is still music. 

Hip hop, Parshendi-style.

Just a note about Nalthis. I believe art is magical because of the use of color and its unknown importance there. I don't believe music will be the same. But that's just speculation. 

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1 minute ago, Extesian said:

Just a note about Nalthis. I believe art is magical because of the use of color and its unknown importance there. I don't believe music will be the same. But that's just speculation. 

I wasn't saying that music would be magical, I merely meant that a society that values art to that extent is likely to have all of the "arts" in spades. Musician, painter, performer, etc.. at every street corner type thing

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Just now, The One Who Connects said:

I wasn't saying that music would be magical, I merely meant that a society that values art to that extent is likely to have all of the "arts" in spades. Musician, painter, performer, etc.. at every street corner type thing

 For sure, I ALWAYS think magically but you're quite right, a love of one form of art should give rise to others. 

And we also have an awesome musician in Hoid. If he gets that flute back...

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Listeners use drums.

For Vorinism, I noted the following references to music and musical instruments in WoK. I only have WoK as an ebook and the sample chapters of WoR to draw on though.

Flutes appear to be a common instrument. There was a group of flutists playing at the prologue feast before Dalinar has the Listeners bring forth their drummers. References to flutes is fairly common. Flutes also seem to be one of the arts that women compete in at the king's feasts. 

Pipes and zithers are also instruments; Shallan trained with them at some point in her childhood. Historical ballads also seem to be a common foundation for training high enough lighteye women. 

Music is a calling; one of the lighteyes Adolin was courting had it as her calling.  

They have stringed instruments which use bows. Shallan comments on how the bow Kabsal used in the cymatic demonstration was like the ones used in music for strings. 

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Also, based on Kaladin's conversation with Hoid on the Plains, "flutes" on Roshar aren't like the flutes of Western culture on Earth: Kaladin notes how Hoid "plays the flute strangely, held out to the side and blowing over the top" (paraphrased).

The Roshan flutes seem to be the dominant instrument in Alethka high society, with most (maybe all, I haven't checked) of the performances seen in book being flutes, and Amaram having a collection of them. This is probably the case because the tone of flutes suits the reserved facade the lighteyes seem to cultivate.

Rock notes that Horneaters sing a lot, even solving disputes with drinking/singing contests, and naming their children in verse. Even he, as a cook, seems very practiced at singing.

There seems to be music coming from every tavern mentioned, presumably upbeat and rowdy to match the tavern descriptions, so darkeyes music is quite unreserved (in contrast to that of the lighteyes). IIRC, it is revealed that Dunny used to sing in taverns, and the songs he knows seem to be based on legends/folktales.

Theres almost definitely other clues I haven't listed.  It is true that it isn't a focus for any of the characters, and there aren't any in-depth descriptions other than of Hoid's music played for Kaladin, and for the guards in the WoK epilogue (all of which is explicitly not Rosharan). However, there is enough there to get a feel for it, I think :-) 

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