[SCA-AE] Re: bardic discussion continued

[Stephnie Retkofsky]

How about where one gets an Aethelmearc song book for new coming bards
to the kingdom?

On 1/24/07, L.J. Rodriguez <rufinasca at gmail.com> wrote:
>  i see a couple/few themes here.
> 1) bards don't know where and when they *can/should* sing/perform
> 2) people don't have a way of recognizing bards who want to perform
> 3) new (or old) (or some but not all) bards are shy about performing (which
> could have something to do with 1.
> 4) some people like to sing with other people, some would like to see group
> sings. (rufina jumps up and down waving arm yelling "me! me!!")
>
> possible solutions:
>
> 1) label the bards. be outright about it. loud and clear - pun intended. :)
> when i first joined the sca mumble-mumble years ago i met some fine young
> lads from Atlantia who had formed a society called the militant society of
> bards. this society wore baldrics of the most OBNOXIOUS motley you've ever
> seen. hurt the eyes. but you dang sure KNEW who the bards were and who to
> drag over to your corner for a song or whatever. we need not form a group
> here to do that, but maybe some sort of thing that bards could wear to be
> recognized? autocrats who want to foster bards could even offer them at
> troll as encouragement. AND if you are a bard who has a cold or something
> and doesn't feel like performing, you could *not* wear yours. would have to
> be something easy and cheap that anyone could make, like a sock pinned to
> your behind (not my recommendation, just an example)
> 2) declare some events to be bard friendly ahead of time. maybe give people
> who want to encourage bards some sort of tokens to give to bards who
> perform, or have people who want to hear bardic performance wear some sort
> of thingie - the whole sock thing again...
> 3) designate a spot for bardic gathering at an event. a place where people
> can sit and talk and perform - a corner of the hall with a circle of chairs
> maybe. altho i'm one of those who thinks a fire and lateness and dark
> contribute to the whole thing and it's hard to replicate that during the day
> ;)
> 4) declare ahead of time that there will be a sing at feast. pick ONE song
> and have someone (bard) lead it - maybe sing the chorus once or twice
> through - and try to get everyone to sing along. only one song. no need to
> annoy the people who hate bardic stuff. pass the words out on half sheets of
> paper to the hall right before the sing. yeah, it's contrived and annoying,
> but it might shake things up a bit. heck, we could pick ONE song per reign
> and do it at feasts all over the kingdom and by pennsic, by golly, everyone
> will know it! and not need WORDS for the opening ceremonies - and if
> EVERYBODY is singing, the song won't get lost along the line.  i suggest we
> start with scarlet! :)
>
> ALL of the 'solutions' i've mentioned are designed only as temporary things
> - things to change the tone and atmosphere. maybe we've not had a lot of
> bardic successes because everybody was scared to try. i think the whole
> shyness issue would take care of itself if the whole climate evolved into
> being more bard friendly. i might be more willing to try if i knew i wasn't
> going to be shot down or have someone look down their nose at me because i'm
> just not good enough.
>
> rufina
>
>
> "L.J. Rodriguez" <rufinasca at gmail.com> writes:
> > >bardic:
> > >in a nutshell, i've never felt that bardic stuff was very welcome in
> > >feasthalls in AEthelmearc. personally, i don't feel comfortable walking
> > >around to tables singing for people - i would feel like i was being a
> > pest
> > >and that people were only allowing me to sing to be nice to me.
> >
> > Maybe we can take a hint from the brazilian meat fest place... have
> > little tokens on the table that have a green side and red side.
> > At the restaurant, green up means keep the meat flowing.... red side
> > up means, I'm taking a pause from gorging right now.
> >
> > --
> > flip
> > Just on the border of your waking mind, There lies - Another time,
> > Where darkness & light - are one. And as you tread the halls of sanity,
> > You feel so glad to be, Unable to go beyond.  ELO - Twilight Prologue
> >
> >
> >
> > Sing, Valentin, sing!  That way I will have more cover for my debatable
> > efforts :-)
> >
> > Kazi
> >
> >
> > Kazi,
> >
> > I will sing for you anytime, but I'd RATHER sing WITH you!
> >
> > I love, more than anything else, singing with a group.  The bigger, the
> > better, even when not all the voices are "trained" or "good".  I like
> > different styles of voice.  I like clear ones, and fuzzy ones, rich ones
> > and soft ones...
> >
> > Anyone who would like some advice on breath control, supporting tone, or
> > some exercises to practice, please feel free to come right up to me at
> > any event and ask.  The things I teach are almost easier to teach
> > one-on-one in little 5-10 minute lessons.  Can be done right in the
> > middle of the hall, most of the time.
> >
> > I'd be happy to do classes again, but the last 3 I offered were not
> > attended at all.  It's hard to prepare a class, go to the event, and sit
> > alone in the room for an hour thinking "Was it something I said?"
> >
> > -Caryl
> >
> >
> >
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