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.

[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.

[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.

[David Johnston2]

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.

That's kind of like an average IQ person who happens to be a capable mathematician. You don't give them ST or DX based math skills. You just buy up their skill. Which is cheaper anyway. Or in this case, they rely for their success on their abilities as a performer and songwriter even though objectively they are not great singers.

[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.

[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.

[JazzJedi]

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.

Min HT is an interesting idea! It's not really that fatiguing. You don't build a sweat from playing and its no harder than walking. Or at least it shouldn't be. I regularly practice 3 hours per day and then go and perform a major 3 hours concert. Afterwards I feel energized, not fatigued!

[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.

[Alden Loveshade]

Originally Posted by dataweaver

Frankly, Singing is no more of a physical activity than playing a tuba is....But then, I'm also of the opinion that Perception should be the base attribute for most skills that are primarily about aesthetics, whether it's visual (Artist, Makeup, or Photography)....

I've done makeup for theatre, and a lot of photography for newspapers, some for other publications, ceremonies, etc. I hadn't actually thought of it that way, but that makes sense to me. When I'm doing my own makeup, the entire universe is what's in the mirror; when setting up a photo, the entire universe is what's in my viewfinder.

There's the thought that photographers have the delusion "When I'm looking through a camera lens, nothing can hurt me;" I know I've done things looking through a camera lens that I would never do without a camera. I've lain on the ground next to a railroad track to get shots of a train, stood on a narrow railing in the middle of a busy freeway to get a shot of an overturned car, and once almost got caught in a forest fire trying to get the right camera angle. My reasoning mind seemed to largely shut down during those times; it was all about what I could see and record. So yeah, Per makes sense to me.