Perk: Singing based on IQ

[Alden Loveshade]

Originally Posted by a humble lich

I think that IQ based singing makes a lot of sense for some characters. I would say it represents a singer who might not have the best sounding voice, but who is a skilled performer. Think singers like Rex Harrison, Bob Dylan, Johnny Rotton, or Tom Waits. They might not have a purest voice for opera, but that hasn't stopped them for selling many albums. That style of singing is really more like Performance, which is IQ based.

If I recall correctly, I think whswhs (Bill Stoddard) recommended musical performers roll on both their musical skill and Performance for a concert. I know I've seen some traditionally-trained singers who stood stiffly with arms at their sides; I found I liked their singing better if I closed my eyes.

[dataweaver]

Originally Posted by Alden Loveshade

I've heard that mathematicians are often good at music and visa versa. If you ignore the (admittedly huge) ascetic side of it, music is largely mathematical with ranges, rhythms, and frequencies/ratios/overtones. A musical staff is essentially a version of a mathematical graph. I also remember a university musical group that consisted of physics professors.

I have no problem with Musical Composition bring IQ-based. And I could see IQ-based rolls against Singing or Musical Instrument to read music

[Rupert]

Originally Posted by JazzJedi

But for added realism, I also think that low HT does affect Singing and Wind Instruments especially. Having high HT isn't much of a bonus in my experience, but I've seen older musicians whose health degrades suddenly struggle to play or sing. So maybe the base musical attribute is equal to the lower of 10 or HT. That would cover that.

Charge lots of fatigue when playing and people with poor health and low fitness will struggle pretty quickly. Your suggestion is a bit like weapons' Min ST stat, and if you were really into detail you could have a different Min HT stat for each instrument, something like a xylophone might have a fairly low Min HT, and a heavy brass or wind instrument that requires a lot of wind and has to be carried could have a relatively high Min HT.

[dcarson]

IQ might also apply in on the fly lyrics. A bard praising or slagging someone for something that just happened or a rap battle.

[evileeyore]

Originally Posted by JazzJedi

So maybe the base musical attribute is equal to the lower of 10 or HT.

Go with the lower of IQ or HT. Means dumb as a brick athletics and super smart asthmatics both struggle with music.

[Daigoro]

Originally Posted by Rupert

Your suggestion is a bit like weapons' Min ST stat, and if you were really into detail you could have a different Min HT stat for each instrument, something like a xylophone might have a fairly low Min HT, and a heavy brass or wind instrument that requires a lot of wind and has to be carried could have a relatively high Min HT.

Originally Posted by evileeyore

Go with the lower of IQ or HT.

My suggestion was going to be to cap Singing at something like HT+5 or HT+10.

[Donny Brook]

Originally Posted by a humble lich

I think that IQ based singing makes a lot of sense for some characters. I would say it represents a singer who might not have the best sounding voice, but who is a skilled performer. Think singers like Rex Harrison, Bob Dylan, Johnny Rotton, or Tom Waits. They might not have a purest voice for opera, but that hasn't stopped them for selling many albums. That style of singing is really more like Performance, which is IQ based.

I think this is on the right track. Supposedly what made Frank Sinatra a successful singer was his ability to tell a story with a song.

But maybe that just means these type of singer are using a different skill.

[dataweaver]

Poetry, maybe.

[ericthered]

Originally Posted by Rupert

Charge lots of fatigue when playing and people with poor health and low fitness will struggle pretty quickly. Your suggestion is a bit like weapons' Min ST stat, and if you were really into detail you could have a different Min HT stat for each instrument, something like a xylophone might have a fairly low Min HT, and a heavy brass or wind instrument that requires a lot of wind and has to be carried could have a relatively high Min HT.

I think that a weapon's min stat is a good analogy. Specific songs or styles could have higher or lower stats. Compare what an experienced but older choir sings with the songs of a rising star known for the raw power in their voice.

[Kilmore]

I would think that an IQ based singer is very highly trained and studied from a "book learning" perspective. Perception based singers would be rare. One could say they are very responsive to their audience, but that would more likely be reflected in their Perform skill.