Ghironda:

Also known as "the lyre of the pasture", the ghironda is a string instrument of Human origin that is shaped somewhat like a lute or viol, but whose strings are put in vibration not by a bow but by a rotating rosined wheel operated by a handle at the lower end of the body. It has two to four unfingered bass strings that are allowed to sound continuously, producing a drone harmony, and two melody strings running over the fingerboard, which are stopped by tangents connected with a keyboard.

The ghironda is often used as a street musician's instrument and has its origins in the Harvest Clan, where it was developed as a conscious alternative to instruments that had more martial origins.

Duduk:

The body of this wind instrument is slender and slightly longer than a handspan, and musicians agree that it should properly be carved from a hard wood such as apricot. The mouth features an unusually wide double-reed, and it requires great skill to master the specialized breathing technique that produces the instrument's distinctive sound -- which is often described as being as sweet and as powerful as the short lives of the Humans from whom it originated -- said to evoke feelings of wistful melancholy as easily as it does those of profound joy or sorrow. Older duduks are quite simple in design and were often left entirely undecorated save for the choice of stain (if any). More modern versions display decoration generally centered upon the upper portion of the mouth piece, which is often shaped into fanciful or metaphorically pleasing abstract forms such as tiered droplets, though intricate carving and inlay upon the body can at times be seen as well.

Originally created by Human soldiers as a simple way to pass the time while marching or resting on campaign during the Resistance War, the duduk has since evolved considerably. It quickly spread throughout the mainland, carried wherever a Human mercenary or soldier could be found, and, as the design and play styles matured, became a beacon of beauty even amongst the horrors of war. Today, the duduk is an instrument of comfort, inspiration and profound emotional weight in the hands of an experienced player.

Marimba:

This percussion instrument of Human design consists of a number of wooden plates of different size and thickness, underneath which are placed resonators made from gourds. It is played with felt-headed mallets, and creates a range of tonal effects that allows for a skilled musician to display significant variety in the resultant music.

Said to perhaps be one of the oldest of Human instruments, the marimba has its roots in the farthest history of the race, in its origins in the West and its migration to the East, along with the Olvi, long predating those of the Prydaen and Rakash. Stories tell of older, larger versions that were crafted for as many as five musicians playing in concert upon them with such grace and precision as to become a performance unto itself, wrought both of the body of the performer and the instrument. Examples of such have yet to be uncovered, however, nor, sadly, have they been reconstructed with any true success.


>look
[The Humanist, Artistic Accoutrements]
Vibrant and colorful, this room is decorated with wild streaks of paint in whorled patterns across the floor and ceiling, while each of the walls is done in a different color to match the shelves that line them. A stark white instruments display supported by three engraved pillars is centered upon a like-color rug, standing in sharp contrast to its surroundings.
Obvious exits: north


-Persida





This message was originally posted in The Races of DragonRealms, Humans - Human Nature. To discuss the above, follow the link below.

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