Ok. So which would be a better magical change-the-world, make-you-king musical instrument: a horn, a la Boromir, or a violin? Which would you rather see the hero carry into battle and melt the bad guy's face off with?
This is more a matter of tone and image of battle than a simple musical preference. While I love violins, they do suffer one major disadvantage against the horn: violins are two-handed. A horn allows the hero to be in the thick of battle, hitting those that come too close with his sword, shield, or axe. The violin, on the other hand, not only must be used two-handed, but the stance used in order to play is quite closed. A person running and playing a violin looks... well... silly.
If this universe is magic saturated, though, the violin can have some interesting possibilities. Each note can slice and parry; phantasmal blades knocking back would be attacks and cutting their wielders to pieces. This image, this specificity and grace, cannot be replicated with a horn. A horn is like a cannon.
Okay. What I would prefer is to see a violin, but a violin is a lot more work. The traditional images of masculine heroics are more easily replicated with a horn. Such images abound thanks to Gabriel and his trumpet, but a violin, if done well,
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Now if the bow had a nice sharp spike at the end.... or was made of metal... It could double as a rapier of sorts. :P Then again horns can deliver a nice clonk on the head. How versatile is a horn versus a violin? I think violins have more range and subtlety so are able to play a much more varied slew of tunes. From happy to sad to frightful depending on the situation. A one handed horn seems more limited to me... like using a blunt instrument rather then a sharp one. So for me it would be a question of versatility. I vote violin. Or viola... deeper... more masculine. :D
"Now if the bow had a nice sharp spike at the end.... or was made of metal... It could double as a rapier of sorts. :P "
I wondered the same thing, but once you start adding to the bow, even by changing the material or adding a point, the instrument becomes less convincing as a violin. If the bow appears strong enough to deflect a sword, or we see it do so, then it suddenly seems to massive to play the violin. The physics of the situation start to feel ludicrous. Basically, altering the bow to allow it to function separately as a weapon causes us to fall into "Anime Syndrome": oversized weapons cause an inconsistency in danger. How can I believe that a bullet or knife is dangerous when the lithe protagonist can wield a hundred-pound sword one-handed or if they can punch through a wall?
On the other hand, WildMoliere is an artist, so maybe she can pull it off.
I also endorse the violin, because it is more of a challenge to pull off and, therefore, cooler.
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If this universe is magic saturated, though, the violin can have some interesting possibilities. Each note can slice and parry; phantasmal blades knocking back would be attacks and cutting their wielders to pieces. This image, this specificity and grace, cannot be replicated with a horn. A horn is like a cannon.
Okay. What I would prefer is to see a violin, but a violin is a lot more work. The traditional images of masculine heroics are more easily replicated with a horn. Such images abound thanks to Gabriel and his trumpet, but a violin, if done well, ( ... )
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or was made of metal...
It could double as a rapier of sorts. :P
Then again horns can deliver a nice clonk on the head.
How versatile is a horn versus a violin?
I think violins have more range and subtlety so are able to play a much more varied slew of tunes. From happy to sad to frightful depending on the situation. A one handed horn seems more limited to me... like using a blunt instrument rather then a sharp one.
So for me it would be a question of versatility.
I vote violin.
Or viola... deeper... more masculine. :D
Reply
or was made of metal...
It could double as a rapier of sorts. :P "
I wondered the same thing, but once you start adding to the bow, even by changing the material or adding a point, the instrument becomes less convincing as a violin. If the bow appears strong enough to deflect a sword, or we see it do so, then it suddenly seems to massive to play the violin. The physics of the situation start to feel ludicrous. Basically, altering the bow to allow it to function separately as a weapon causes us to fall into "Anime Syndrome": oversized weapons cause an inconsistency in danger. How can I believe that a bullet or knife is dangerous when the lithe protagonist can wield a hundred-pound sword one-handed or if they can punch through a wall?
On the other hand, WildMoliere is an artist, so maybe she can pull it off.
I also endorse the violin, because it is more of a challenge to pull off and, therefore, cooler.
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