#SAXOPHONE MUSIC COMPETITION

[classicalguitartrends]

Klaudia Szymkowiak SAXOPHONE

Klaudia Szymkowiak was born in Kalisz city of Poland in 2000. She began learning to playsaxophone at the age of 13 at the Henryk Melcer Primary and Secondary State MusicSchool in Kalisz (Poland) under the supervision of mgr Robert Staśkowiak. She is agraduate of Construction of Grand Pianos and Pianos Technical School in Kalisz. Currentlyshe is learning the saxophone in the class of prof. Paweł…

[ihavetoomuchhomeworkforthis]

So we have Brittney Spears's "[Hit Me] Baby One More Time" in our show music this year, and during the pre-competition rehearsal today:

Someone: "Wait, where are we?"

Saxophone, angrily: "MY LONELINESS IS KILLING ME"

[yuurei20]

Jade and Floyd Info Compilation part 42: Instruments

During Harveston we learn that Jade knows how to play the flute, which he claims he learned how to do by using a bear whistle on walks through the mountains.

Epel is unconvinced, and Jade neither confirms nor denies that he is joking.

Floyd says that he, Jade and Azul had a trio in middle school with Azul on piano and Jade on bass, while he played the drums. He says, “When we got a groove going, Jade’d match my tempo, then Azul would join in, complaining all the while…good times.”

Azul says that Floyd was famous for his drumming back home as he could beat out rhythms that would have everyone dancing, “except then he’d go and join them, ruining the entire thing.”

Floyd mentions in a vignette that he is “kiiiind of a musical genius,” and we see this come into play during the Port Fest event where we learn he can “pretty much play any brass band instrument,” impressing Ruggie, Rook and a reluctant Jack with his flute playing.

He seems to prefer the saxophone, selecting it out of a variety of options at a music competition, which he wins. Floyd is then followed around the festival by a crowd of fans begging him to play for them, which he does (in an effort to make them go away), and impresses both Sebek and Malleus with his musical ability.

Jack says that he wishes he could steal Floyd's sense of rhythm for himself.

Floyd agrees to teach Jack how to play the flute when asked, but becomes bored almost immediately and gives up.

[the-sunshine-dims]

okay, round 2 of typing out my bound band au thoughts (music-bound,,,) hopefully this time my computer doesnt crash!

okay, okay, sylph? easy-peazy, i think they actually know a lot of different instruments, (namely saxophone and the trombone, and probably drums) but they mostly play the keyboard!!!!

Vast would be guitar in a band 100% but i think she would have a background in one of those instruments you would learn in like,, a strict private school, or with parents who want to show you off: so i propose they also know piano or violin! but because of how strict the environment was around it they can never really enjoy playing it again.

(also as a little avicane thought, maybe its a very competitive and incredibly shady music school (which maybe has a music producer offshoot) which vast's parents were the ones running, and theyd routinely buy and cheat competitions or sabotage competitors in Vast's or other students favor)

and i think, here me out, Rune as the singer, and Ava as their management (who is REALLY suspicious of Vast, because if they have done the things she suspects, then the criticism will fall onto the innocent band with Rune in it, potentially getting them all blacklisted if its found out)

THEN ONTO ANOTHER BAND!!

Marcel? drums, or bass, and for the chemistry (read: fanfic alone) Ash in the same band (maybe they were in the same band years before too, but that ended really badly for everyone involved) and them playing the electric guitar! (not the most sold on it but it has vibes!)

because its silly i do want Taliesin to also be in the band with them, so theremin! (but could also be a single artist!!)

And Pietro and Virgil would be their band's management, with Virgil a lot more focused on the actual music aspect and maybe wanting to join one, one day

as single artists? i think Gaverin would 100% be a piano or, hear me out HARP guy,

And cosie could have a pan flute! very soft fluting!

i sadly do not know what Erin would play :[ but my thoughts!!!!

[wwraithsart]

Finally finished the updated reference sheet for Gale's team (that I started back in... january). Click for better quality!

More about each team member below:

Monty:

Main gear: Tentaclinger Earring (not pictured), Urchins Jersey, Blue Slip-Ons

Favors mid-ranged slayer type weapons (sloshing machine, slosher, most blasters but especially range blaster) but is generally pretty flexible

There's a somewhat small independently published magazine in Splatsville about what's currently popular (fashion, weapons, splatfest speculation, etc). He writes articles for it, mostly noting what is currently popular, what that means for the direction of the meta, that kind of thing.

He's one of the founding members of Gale's current team. He likes to analyze how teams play and experiment with different team compositions and strategies. He tries his best to stay on top of what's new.

Outside of competitive stuff, he likes card games. He likes to collect stuff and is kind of a completionist.

Jessica:

Main gear: Retro BluFocals (not pictured), Patchwork Bomber, Mako Bucket Hi-Tops

Really enjoys backline, anchor type weapons. On her own she plays the Hydra, though she's skilled with most other splatlings. She also likes long range chargers (scoped E liter, splatterscope, snipewriter), and if you give her enough time to de-rust she's good with the jet squelcher.

She plays X rank in her free time, her peak power being in the 2600s, though she still has plenty to learn. A goal she sets for herself is to have more self discipline, since she occasionally feels herself get impatient and "one more set" or "one more match" when she probably shouldn't.

She and Monty are the founding members of Gale's current team. She'd known him from seeing him a lot in X rank, since they had similar powers at the time. They both share a similar philosophy regarding competitive play; not doing it for the glory of winning, but for self improvement and enjoyment.

Outside of competitive stuff, she likes to play video games. She's really into open world games. She also sometimes offers individual, one on one coaching for younger players.

Leela

Main gear: Cephalo Pods, Lime Ski Jacket, Gray Sea-Slug Hi-Tops

Likes weapons that skirmish a lot, and was a tetra dualies one-trick for a while. She doesn't mind playing support roles either, so she'll play the n-zap or splash o matic if the situation calls for it. She also likes the trislosher, but that's more for when she's playing soloqueue rather than on the team.

She's pretty new to competitive play. She met Jessica through X rank lobbies, where Jessica saw a lot of potential in her. Leela occasionally struggles with coordination-- she's very used to soloqueue, so she'll miss callouts and get caught off guard. As such, it's her main focus of improvement.

Outside of competitive stuff, she loves music. She almost always has earbuds in and is trying to discover new bands. She also plays the saxophone. She's optimistic, talkative, and can be stubborn to a fault.

Gale

Main gear: Knitted Hat (+ heart pin), Chili Octo Aloha, Violet Trainers

She's fairly flexible in what she can play, but she's strongest with shooters (her favorites being 52 gal and splattershot, sometimes splash o matic). If she can be aggressive with it, she'll play it.

She's the newest member on her team. She met Leela after regularly seeing her in anarchy lobbies, and Leela introduced her to the rest of the team. At first, Gale would fill in during scrims when one of the team members wasn't available, but when that team member had to leave, Gale took their place.

Gale hadn't played on a competitive team in a while, so they were a bit rusty. Monty recognized them from their previous team years ago, though he never mentioned it. He knew they had potential, though. They take their role on the team very seriously out of a desire to do better than last time.

Outside of competitive stuff, they like to cook. They're very social and dedicated to their work, but tends to hold themself to impossibly high standards.

[brian-in-finance]

Twitter

KIN and Lies We Tell lead Irish Film and Television Academy Award nominations

Charlie Cox and Clare Dunne in KIN

RTÉ crime drama KIN and psychological thriller Lies We Tell lead this year's IFTA nominations.

The Irish Film and Television Academy Awards will take place on Saturday 20 April with winners being announced across 28 different categories celebrating the best of Irish film and TV drama. The Awards will be hosted for the first time by Emmy-winning broadcaster Baz Ashmawy.

RTÉ's KIN, which follows the notorious Kinsella family, has received 11 drama nominations including Best Drama, as well as Lead Actor for Francis Magee and Sam Keeley, and Lead Actress for Clare Dunne.

Michael Smiley plays a father on the edge in Obituary

Magee and Keeley are up against some strong competition with Michael Smiley (Obituary), Éanna Hardwicke (The Sixth Commandment) Daryl McCormack (The Woman in the Wall) also nominated. While Dunne competes with Sharon Horgan (Best Interests), Niamh Algar (Malpractice), Elva Trill (Northern Lights), Siobhán Cullen (Obituary) and Caitríona Balfe (Outlander).

The Best Drama category showcases a wealth of homegrown talent with Blue Lights, Hidden Assets, Northern Lights, Obituary and The Woman in the Wall also vying for the coveted award.

Agnes O'Casey stars in Lies We Tell

Over in the film categories Lisa Mulcahy’s gothic Irish tale, Lies We Tell, has received a whopping 13 nominations including Best Film, Lead Actor for David Wilmot, Lead Actress for Agnes O’Casey and Best Director for Mulcahy.

It will be a hotly contested battle for the Lead Actor award with Cillian Murphy (Oppenheimer), Andrew Scott (All Of Us Strangers), Barry Keoghan (Saltburn), Barry Ward (That We May Face The Rising Sun) and Pierce Brosnan (The Last Rifleman) also in the running.

Jessie Buckey stars in the romantic drama movie Fingernails

The same goes for the Lead Actress category which sees O'Casey compete with Jessie Buckley (Fingernails), Eve Hewson (Flora and Son), Saoirse Ronan (Foe), Bríd Brennan (My Sailor, My Love) and Geraldine McAlinden (Verdigris).

Also nominated for Best Film are pharmaceutical horror-thriller Double Blind, John Carney's Flora and Son, quirky sci-fi fable LOLA, John McGahern's That They May Face The Rising Sun and Patricia Kelly's debut feature film, Verdigris.

Stephen Rea will be honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award at this year's ceremony. The award will be presented to the Oscar-nominated actor for his outstanding contribution to the Irish and international screen industry over a career that has spanned five decades.

Responding to the Lifetime Achievement Award announcement, Rea said: "So much of Irish culture has been recovered and reimagined. Music, language, literature, theatre.

Stephen Rea will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award

"And cinema can be added to that list because of the special energy of John Boorman who produced Neil Jordan's first film Angel. And to my astonishment, my first film too. Neil thrust the script and a saxophone into my hands and suddenly I was in the movies. Well, one really original movie, which was at the beginning of a new confidence in Irish cinema.

"And now many films later, IFTA have, equally surprisingly, offered me a Lifetime Achievement Award. A lifetime of collaboration with the most generous and creative artists you could ever work with. And hang out with. Thanks to all of them. Thank you IFTA."

RTÉ 🎧 Radio News Cip and Full List of Nominations

Remember her 10th IFTA Nomination? ☘️

[hooked-on-elvis]

"I Met Her Today" (1961-1965)

Recorded on October 15, 1961 at RCA’s Studio B, Nashville · Release date: July 19, 1965 · Album: Elvis for Everyone! (compilation)

MUSICIANS Guitar: Jerry Kennedy, Scotty Moore. Bass: Bob Moore. Drums: Buddy Harman, D.J. Fontana. Piano & Organ: Floyd Cramer. Saxophone & Clarinet: Boots Randolph. Accordion: Gordon Stoker. Vocals: Millie Kirkham, The Jordanaires.

Illustrative pictures · (1) On Sunday afternoon, July 30, 1961, Elvis appeared at Weeki Wachee Springs Park in Florida, on the west coast where he was then filming "Follow That Dream"; (2) Elvis on movie set Frankie and Johnny June 10, 1965.

RECORDING SESSION · BACKSTORY Soundtrack Recordings for Mirisch Company’s "Follow That Dream" July 2, 1961: RCA’s Studio B, Nashville One thing seemed certain to the Colonel: It made sense to go into the studio for another singles-only session. The June 25 session proved that Elvis and his band could focus their attention better when they were all trying to cut a hit single; increasingly, too, scheduling was becoming a problem, and between the two Mirisch pictures there would only be time to arrange a short session. Once Freddy [Bienstock] understood the Colonel’s goal, he knew exactly where to turn for hit material — to his hot new team, Pomus and Shuman. Having gotten three cuts on the last session was more than enough motivation to propel the songwriters into action. Mort Shuman had a simple formula for writing hits — “Chorus, break, and gimmick” — and the two had noticed that Elvis was drawn to first-person songs; in no time, then, they came up with a stranger’s tale, a gimmick, and a Phil Spector – produced demo. The song, “Night Rider,” was just the kind of rocker Freddy was looking for, and he sent it off to Elvis along with two Tepper and Bennett compositions, “Just For Old Time Sake” and “For The Millionth And The Last Time,” as well as two others (“Ecstasy” and “You Never Talked to Me”) and the promise of “a couple of real strong songs in the next few days.”

RECORDING OF "I MET HER TODAY" Studio Sessions for RCA October 15, 1961: RCA’s Studio B, Nashville The “real strong songs” Freddy had mentioned in his note were two brand-new Don Robertson ballads. Elvis’s careful phrasing suggests that he’d done serious preparation on the first, “Anything That’s Part Of You,” but that didn’t stop him from working hard on it, running through six takes as Floyd Cramer worked to duplicate the slip-note fills Robertson had played on the demo. Years later Elvis would tell audiences that “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” was “probably the saddest song I’ve ever heard,” but he never portrayed abandonment more convincingly than on this cut. Among Elvis’s recorded ballads perhaps the only competition comes from some of the other Robertson songs recorded in 1961 and ’62. The second of his contributions, “I Met Her Today,” told a more hopeful story, but it proved harder to get right. After a promising first take Elvis paused to correct some problems with the song’s challenging octave-and-a half leaps, but as soon as he’d mastered that, band mistakes began to multiply. After twenty takes the group’s concentration had worn thin, and they agreed to stop, leaving take eighteen as the master. But the recording lay unused for four years until RCA resurrected it for Elvis For Everyone.

Excerpts: "Elvis Presley, A Life in Music: The Complete Recording Sessions" by Ernst Jorgensen. Foreword by Peter Guralnick (1998)

LYRICS Don Robertson/Hal Blair I told you that some day If you kept on being untrue Somebody else would come along And release me from you You'll be glad to know now Your fickle world Can have its own way For it finally happened I've met her today I used to think I just couldn't live A day without you In spite of the thousand doubts and tears That you put me through All at once I don't care as much for you I'm sorry to say For now there's another I met her today How I treasured each smile, each kiss You gave to me now and then Well, you needn't be kind to me now Oh no, not ever again Just when the last bit of pride in me was gone Someone heard me pray And sent me my angel I met her today I met her today

[scotianostra]

Happy Birthday Ian Anderson, born 10th August 1947 in Dunfermline. After attending primary school in Edinburgh, his family relocated to Blackpool in 1959. Following a traditional Grammar school education, he moved on to Art college to study fine art before deciding on an attempt at a musical career. He was influenced by his father’s big band and jazz records and the emergence of rock music, but was disenchanted with the “show biz” style of early American rock and roll stars like Elvis Presley. In 1963 with some school friends he formed his first band The Blades, a soul and blues outfit. In 1965 they regrouped into The John Evan Band with major lineup changes. They disband two years later when Anderson moved to Luton. In his new surroundings, Ian meets the drummer Clive Bunker and the guitarist Mick Abrahams and with Glenn Cornick, a bassist - of The John Evan Band-, Anderson creates the seed of the group that would become the legendary Jethro Tull. Still enjoying a lengthy if intermittent ongoing career, Jethro Tull has released 30 studio and live albums, selling more than 60 million copies since the band first performed at London’s famous Marquee club. After undertaking more than 3000 concerts in forty-something countries throughout four decades, Tull has played typically 100 concerts each year to longstanding, as well as new fans worldwide. Widely recognized as the man who introduced the flute to rock music, Ian Anderson remains the crowned exponent of the popular and rock genres of flute playing. So far, no pretender to the throne has stepped forward. Ian also plays ethnic flutes and whistles together with acoustic guitar and the mandolin bouzouki, balalaika, saxophone, harmonica, and a variety of whistles. I briefly met Ian on Skye in 1987 on my way back from Benbecula where he had an estate and ran a Fish farm, well 11 fish farms as my research has unearthed, he also employed over 400 people before selling it in the 90’s. Anderson recalled in an interview how he started as a flautist… “ once owned a 1960s Fender Stratocaster, which had previously belonged to Lemmy Kilminster before he found fame with Motorhead. But when it dawned on me I was never going to catch up with the growing band of hotshot British guitarists at that time – Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck and Eric Clapton – I traded it in for a Selma Goldfield student flute worth £30. I knew Jimmy Page and Eric Clapton didn’t play the flute, so I thought I would be in with a chance. A lot of people told me it was a ridiculous trade because the Strat was worth at least £150. But in fact it was a great buy because learning to play it was the start of Jethro Tull.” Anderson lives on a farm in the southwest of England where he has a recording studio and office. He has been married for 37 years to Shona who is also an active director of their music and other companies. They have two children. In 2006 and 2010, he was awarded Doctorates in Literature from Heriot Watt University in Edinburgh and the Abertay University of Dundee. He received the Ivor Award for International Achievement in Music. Ian admits he owns no fast car, never yet having taken a driving test, and has a wardrobe of singularly uninspiring and drab leisurewear varying from light grey to black in colour. He still keeps a couple of off-road competition motorcycles, and a saxophone which he promises never to play again.

Our birthday boy likes to play more intinate venues rather than grand halls, I noticed in the past he has played in religious buildings like cathedrals, he said in an interview ‘Playing in a cathedral gives you a sense of history, responsibility, and humility’ He seems a man after my own heart, while I am not a religious man I do get this same feeling when visiting these sites.. It's not about profits for Jethro Tull, again I have posted that he doesn't charge over the top prices for his tickets, and when he plays in historical places he gives back….The profits from the sales of tickets for my Christmas concert in Bristol Cathedral will go to the upkeep of these sacred buildings, and, perhaps, also in support of the musical liturgy of the church.

Ian admits that he is responsible for an enormous carbon footprint over the years —" I’m a climate sinner — but I’ve planted over 50,000 mixed deciduous trees on our farm. Its heavy clay isn’t not capable of producing arable crops. At best, it grows grass for grazing, but some margins aren’t suitable; so we’ve extended our ancient woodlands with many oak trees. They are an emblem of the Anderson-family clan, whose legend is “Stand sure”.

Jethro Tull are playing Bristol Cathedral on December 11th, tickets are £25-45 snd Salisbury Cathedral next day. These dates are sandwiched between a European tour.

The video features the song, Dun Ringill, from the group's 1979 album Stormwatch, it is an ode to the Iron Age-era fort of the same name. The fort, located on the coast of the Isle of Skye in Scotland, was occupied by the Clan Mackinnon for centuries.[1] The ruins of Castle Ringill, located near Loch Slapin, were located on Anderson's Scottish property, thus inspiring him to write the song. Anderson explained: " Dun Ringill" [is] about the ruins of an old hillside in the Isle of Skye, off the west coast of Scotland, where Nordic invaders would have landed to pillage and plunder and the local folk would have hidden the women and children and the sheep under fortifications.

It's a cool video, pity it was filmed at Dover rather than on Skye though!

[fanficsfreeideas]

AngelicRadio week - Day 1 Music Tastes/ Silent hour

The Dare Alastor yawned, a testament to the fatigue that had become his constant companion ever since the confrontation with Adam. Managing the hotel was always a demanding task, but with Lucifer's arrival, the chaos had intensified. The devil was a whirlwind of destruction, breaking things and leaving ducks everywhere. Alastor was exhausted.

Despite his weariness, a peculiar sound caught his attention—music, though not the type he was accustomed to. Intrigued, he followed the noise to its source. To his astonishment, he found Adam playing on the street, a crowd of sinners gathered around, entranced by the performance. Alastor's eyes widened in disbelief. Niffty had supposedly killed Adam, yet here he was, alive and playing his heart out.

For hours, Alastor stood in the shadows, watching Adam perform. The Radio Demon was spellbound, though he would never admit it. Finally, Adam's eyes met his, and a mischievous grin spread across his face. He walked over and bent close to Alastor, whispering, "Hello, Bambi. Did you enjoy my show? I noticed you watching. If you take me back to your hotel, I can give you a private show."

Alastor frowned and pushed Adam away. "No thanks. I was only standing here because I can't believe anyone enjoys such distasteful music."

Adam laughed, a warm, melodious sound that made Alastor's heart skip a beat. "Sure, whatever you say."

"Jazz is better," Alastor growled, his pride wounded.

"Yes, honey, whatever you say. How about taking me to the hotel and enlightening me on how much better jazz is than rock—in your bedroom?" Adam's eyes twinkled with mischief.

Alastor's eye twitched with irritation. "In your dreams," he snarled.

Adam shrugged and returned to his guitar, but before he started playing again, he paused and looked back at Alastor. "How about a dare? If I win, you go out with me. If you win, I'll admit jazz is somewhat okay."

Alastor considered the challenge, the competitive spirit in him stirring. He extended his hand. "Deal."

The Challenge The terms of the dare were simple yet daunting. Adam would play a series of rock songs, and Alastor would have to match each one with a jazz piece of equal or greater impact. The crowd would be the judge, deciding which genre captivated them more.

Adam started with a blistering rendition of a classic rock anthem, his fingers dancing over the strings with a passion that set the air on fire. The sinners were spellbound, swaying and cheering to the rhythm.

When Adam finished, he handed the stage to Alastor with a flourish. Alastor stepped forward, his eyes gleaming with determination. He began with a soulful jazz standard, his voice smooth and intoxicating. The saxophone wailed, and the piano keys danced under his fingers. The crowd, initially skeptical, found themselves drawn into the intricate melodies and heartfelt emotion of Alastor's performance.

Back and forth they went, each trying to outdo the other. Adam's rock was raw and electrifying, while Alastor's jazz was smooth and captivating. The crowd was torn, their loyalties shifting with each new song. The street was alive with music, the air thick with anticipation and excitement.

Unbeknownst to Alastor, Adam had amassed a following in Hell. As Adam moved aside for Alastor to perform, a small group of fans quickly gathered. Alastor's music captivated the listeners, but when Adam took his turn, a few hundred more joined the crowd. Adam winked at Alastor before addressing his fans. "I have to leave now. I have a date."

The Aftermath Picking Alastor up, Adam prevented him from punching by saying, "None of that. I'm just taking us to a park to sing you sweet love songs until you fall in love with me."

Alastor began to suspect that the first man might have suffered brain damage after his fall. Nonetheless, a deal was a deal. He would endure Adam's music, albeit begrudgingly.

But deep down, Alastor found himself enjoying the fact that someone was singing to him. While he listened in silence, he thought maybe it wasn’t that bad, but jazz was still way better than Adam's music. Somewhere deep inside, Alastor felt he could start falling for Adam. He decided to take Adam back with him but ensure he had his own room. Perhaps with Adam there, he could get Lucifer to stop wreaking havoc in the hotel. It was a good plan.

Lost in his thoughts, Alastor didn’t notice Adam smiling as he played. Adam couldn’t believe how much he was enjoying himself. Falling to Hell had unexpectedly brought him peace. He got to play music and was even winning over this cutie. He had always wanted to touch those ears during their fight. Things were going great for him, and he might just win over Bambi. Then he felt it—a gentle weight on his lap. Looking down, he saw Alastor's head resting there, sound asleep. Adam grinned; this was one step to victory. He kept playing, a tiny smile never leaving his face while Alastor slept peacefully.

Adam didn't get to see Alastor's room that night, but seeing him sleep on his lap was just as good. He had all the time in the world to win his Bambi over. After all, who wouldn't want to be with him? He was the first man, and he had made a choice to be with someone who would want more than just sex. He smiled softly, realizing how content he felt with Alastor asleep on his lap.

A New Beginning Adam’s music filled the night, and for the first time in a long while, Alastor felt a sense of calm. The chaos of the hotel, the madness of Hell, all faded away as he rested. Adam's soft melody intertwined with the Radio Demon's dreams, promising a new harmony that neither had expected but both were beginning to cherish.

The next morning, Alastor woke up with a sense of warmth he hadn’t felt in ages. Adam was still there, strumming softly, watching over him. They didn’t need to say much; the music had spoken for them. They had found a connection, an understanding, and perhaps even the beginnings of love in the most unlikely of places.

As they headed back to the hotel, Alastor felt a new determination. With Adam by his side, he might just find a way to bring some semblance of order to the chaos that Lucifer had brought. And maybe, just maybe, he could find some peace for himself too.

[heightsofmadness]

"my antagonist is real real powerful but people keep dozing off when I talk about them, what's going on?"

"my character can do this this and this but I'm worried does that make them OP?"

"I made this guy blow up a whole bunch of stuff but I keep hearing feedback that nobody cares about him wtf?"

Power does not make a character interesting.

If I ask you to tell me why I should care about your antagonist, and you say "because if you don't then she'll burn your house down," then you don't have a character; you have a natural disaster with a face.

If I ask you about how the hero and villain interact and you tell me about what special moves they use, then your characters don't have a relationship; they have choreography.

Fundamentally, the thing that makes characters interesting is the choices they make. "But my character is choosing to do this so they can be more powerful" no no no that's not my point

When a character only has one realistic option, that's not a choice.

If you have an awesome sniper-wizard who can beat Godzilla by snapping his fingers, and someone says "win this fighting tournament or your planet will be destroyed," what is your sniper-wizard gonna do? Enter the tournament. And win, probably. It's not a choice.

But if that same character is told, "win this jazz music competition without using magic or your planet will be destroyed," what will they do? They don't play any instruments. It's not their area of expertise. Suddenly they have a bunch of options, and none of them seem like sure bets: do they try to learn saxophone? Do they try to make a replacement planet? Do they just let the planet explode, knowing they'll probably survive? Their answer to this choice will tell us about who they are, how they see the world, and what they value.

And here's where it gets crazy: sometimes the best thing you can do is make them do something that DOESN'T make sense. In response to being told to win a jazz tournament, our wizard buys a plane ticket to New Jersey.

"What the fuck?" you ask. "What does New Jersey have to do with anything?" And you're baffled, because you were pretty sure one of a handful of things were going to happen. But that means you're asking for an answer. If I can provide one, then I've got you. You're hooked. You're engaged.

The wizard is going to New Jersey because he knows a fairy who can give him musical talent.

"That's dumb. Why didn't they ask the fairy to do it earlier?"

Because the fairy wants a favor in return, and it's a price the wizard wasn't previously willing to pay.

"What's the price?" you ask. But your real question is, what did the wizard value above musical virtuosity, but DOES NOT value higher than the fate of the world?

And since you're thinking along those lines, I've got you by the goddamn brainstem, because you now think of this OP sniper-wizard OC as a person. If they fight, you'll care because a person you know is involved. If they burn down someone's house, you'll care because that's not something you expected your friend to do.

Remember this above all when designing characters: what they can do is not as significant as what they choose to do; what they choose to do is not as significant as why they chose to do it.

Or to put it a different way, if a character intentionally burns down someone's house, that's an action scene. If a character intentionally burns down their own house, that's an arc-defining moment.

[real-total-drama-takes]

Td23 concert band instrument headcanons with little to no explanation (even though most of them would never be in band):

Axel: Percussion (Very loud. Has broken several drumsticks and one snare. Doesn’t understand anything other than forte.)

Bowie: Flute (I don’t think any of the other instruments are iconic enough for him. First chair. Fantastic player.)

Caleb: Trumpet (Practices a lot. I don’t really know what could fit him.)

Chase: Trumpet (Last chair. Extremely bad. Does not practice. Can’t read music.)

Damien: Euphonium (I dunno, I just think it fits him. Practices a lot.)

Emma: Saxophone (Not sure why. Also learned trumpet, switches between sections depending on how she feels about Chase. Good at sax, terrible at trumpet.)

Julia: Flute (Her and Bowie are extremely competitive. She has a hatred for the instrument but doesn’t plan to quit. Also good.)

Millie: Clarinet (I just feel like it fits her. Never practices.)

MK: Bassoon (Extremely bad but very good at hiding it. Frequently steals the others’ instruments for fun.)

Nichelle: Flute (She can’t play it at all. She pretends to, and nobody really notices because of Julia and Bowie. Practices one summer and is much better than both of them.)

Priya: Oboe (I just think it’s a cool instrument. Wanted to play something else, but nobody else knew how to play Oboe. Tries to help Millie practice, and it does genuinely help her. She still doesn’t practice on her own.)

Raj: Trombone (With Wayne. Not very good.)

Ripper: Tuba (Fart jokes.)

Scary Girl: ??? (Changes instrument weekly. Strangely good.)

Wayne: Trombone (With Raj. Also not very good.)

Zee: Trumpet (Not totally sure so I chose the default. An okay player. Doesn’t care to practice but does fine anyways.)

Yeah!

-🪇

[naffeclipse]

All these unbuttoned-shirt whore posts really puts rereading SJ in a new perspective, especially for scenes like this one wjfkdkkdjdn:

He smoothly does the bottom button of your shirt. You swear his grin grows fiendish as you stare down. You can't look away, watching his large hands act deceptively nimble as he does each button, metallic knuckles brushing against your stomach, then over your sternum, climbing to your throat where he tugs on the collar.

What Eclipse says to vigilante: You’re mine to spoil myself with. *cue seductive saxophone music*

What I now can’t help but hear him saying instead: Look, there’s only enough room for ONE of us to be whores, and sorry not sorry, but I’m not about to lose that title to anyone >:(

Babe, you know the vigilante is going to have a field day with that very idea if it wasn't for Eclipse pffft! The vigilante would love to taunt about looking better, but be a bit skittish about Eclipse actually wanting them to put their money where their mouth is.

Vigilante!Y/N: Scared of a little competition? Mafia Boss!Eclipse: If you insist on having your shirt undone, it will only be for my eyes. Vigilante!Y/N: On second thought, I better not stun you too much. Truly, it would overwhelm your wires and I am so gracious and merciful to spare you. Mafia Boss!Eclipse: *wicked grin* I will be the judge of that when we're alone, sweetheart.

[jade-gemstone]

I'm a band kid in the thick of band camp and hyperfixated on DRDT so you all get my DRDT marching band headcannons let's go!!!

Ace

Either trumpet or battery

Threatens to quit every year but never does

Veronika

Clarinet

Scares rookies on purpose and befriends the ones that don't run away from her after the first week

Arei

Color Guard

Hates being on flag, prefers to be on weapons

Complains when other people get solos

"Accidentally" hits Arturo with her equipment on a regular basis

J

Battery, tenor drums

Doesn't believe in water breaks

Rose

Pit

Falls asleep under her keyboard during drill learning rehearsals

Xander

The 1 (one) nice trumpet player

Has attempted to mutiny the band director over lack of kept promises in regards to breaks.

Levi

(Bari) Saxophone

The only person who doesn't end up a disheveled mess by the end of band camp (actually uses sunscreen and deodorant and showers every day)

Teruko

She's that one clarinet who's just a bitch that gossips and never stops talking

They've stopped giving her dots on props because the props always break

Goes through at least one reed per week

Hu

Pit

Has snacks out on the sideline and keeps extra water bottles on her

Forces everyone to reapply sunscreen every two hours

Charles

Tuba

Complains about how much he hates the drill every year

Arturo

Baritone

I know a tall skinny baritone player who thinks being mean to people is regular/friendly behavior so

Eden

Mellophone

Gives pep talks before and after every competition

I'm an autistic lesbian who plays mellophone and so is Eden because we are the same person

Min

Flute

Always the first to memorize music and drill

Knows her exact coordinate for every dot

Whit

Saxophone

Decided to learn saxophone because he wanted to learn to play careless whisper

David

Drum Major that used to play mellophone

Gets hit by band camp burn out the fastest and the hardest

Nico

Clarinet

Always plays too quiet

Can't do a single pushup so when asked to do pushups they just lay on the ground trying their best

Extras!!

Whit forcibly befriended Charles their first year by sitting next to him on the bus to every contest

Eden, David, and Hu try to organize lunches with their friends every week of band camp. Only Whit, Xander, and Arei show up to them.

Whit organizes band wide dress up days. Arei makes fun of people who don't participate in them.

[minnowshell]

Band Kid Ramblings

because it is the end of the school year and thus so many bands things have happened in the past two months and also I am very tired and when I am tired I rambles

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We got first place in a competition! That was fun. Previously our band has never gotten gold/first place (at least out of recent memory).

Then we got to go visit multiple museums and that was amazing (And Dave & Busters, food bad, DDR is the best).

And then they put so many neurodivergent overstimulated kids on a cruise. Probably not their best idea to be fair. Got some great photos of the city-line at night tho!

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Also jazz band season ended which is sad. My jazz band was more like a jazz combo, as I quote, "We have one trumpet, his name is [Bob], and he plays clarinet."

Our pieces were really fun! I played melody the entire time during Girl From Ipanema (on flute), other than when our vibraphone player was playing. I hate the rhythm but once you hear the song in your head it is a okay.

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Marching band season is here again as well! More so we had our two days of preseason and then we start up again in August with a band camp that I'm arriving two days late for, jet-lagged and sounding vaguely Scottish.

The Matador themed show this year has amazing music. I love Spanish style marches and now being a brass playing in the marching band (I joined mello this year) heightens that with cool melody bits.

However, I am the only mello. (the only other mello got moved to baritone because the other two baritones are a - Drum Major 1, and b - a guy who has only played cello before) And with this I don't know if I'm going to be grouped with the altos or the trumpets. Not even my band directors or the people who wrote the music know. I've even written in my music when I'm a Trumpet or an Alto Saxophone.

"A mellophone is a trumpet with an identity crisis" - [Trumpet]

Ayyyy more abilities for chaos

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And now because I have nothing else to really say here's some band quotes: I'm pansexual for sour patch kids. - [Alto]

Don't punch the metal. Metal hurts. - [Trumpet, red-head version]

Until you C the D, no wait. - [FHorn]

*intense beatboxing*…. *intense beatboxing on horn*…. that doesnt really work... - [FHorn, same guy, he's graduated now :( ]

We fixed our issues, jazz issues. Personal issues we still have. - [Mr Jazz Director]

[slamamanderb]

As a euphonium player, I get excited every time I see a euphonium/baritone show up in pop culture. Someone finally recognizes us! Though I feel like it's always a coin flip between "hey we need some sort of obscure brass instrument" and "we actually want a euphonium". I'm looking forwards to see which one this turns out to be.

One of the telltale signs that someone is familiar with euphs is that 95% of us fit into a personality type that I think of as "go with the flow". We don't 'choose' to play euph, but rather pick it up as the path of least resistance. Maybe all of the other instruments were already taken (like Kumiko from Sound! Euphonium), or it fills a hole in the ensemble's instrumentation (this was me), or there is less competition during auditions (maybe a third of fellow euphs/tones from my school years). Usually our laid-back nature extends beyond music as well - the only time you'll find a euph as an instigator is when it involves dancing to the music or planning where to go to lunch. There's a reason why we all show up to Tuba Christmas but don't care that our instrument isn't in the name of the event :P

I have no idea if they talked about it on the stream, but I'm hoping to find that Bassline is the chillest of the Leithanian ops. Like Noir Corne levels of chill. Or Elysium in beach mode.

I hope that lore for how their callsign was chosen is included too. I can already imagine the conversation;

"It's a Euphonium, I use it to channel my arts... Maybe you've heard it called a Baritone? They're pretty similar... No, I don't sing. Though if you were singing I guess it would be in the Tenor range... Well, a saxophone is a woodwind, this is more like a trombone... Yeah, it does look like a small tuba... *exasperated sigh* Yes, I do know how to play Seven Nation Army... sure, 'Bassline' sounds fine."

[creepycrawliesanonymous]

While you knew that it was pretty much impossible for you to hate Andrew Neiman, he really did know how to get on your nerves.

When you first saw him enter the dreaded Fletcher’s band room, you were struck by his resemblance to a puppy left out in the rain. Wide eyed, a little nervous, and young; not much younger than you, but certainly compared to everyone else in the room. You even felt bad for him the first time he was really truly laid into, stowed away in the saxophone section while listening to the abuse Fletcher hurled at him. You had approached him after rehearsal, maybe to try to be his friend, maybe to just offer some reassurance that he would not find with his teacher. Whatever the reason, it didn’t matter, because the minute you put a hand on his shoulder he was shrugging you off, stalking away with a “go fuck yourself.” You had made sure to call after him a “fuck you, too, asshole.”

And with that, your rivalry was born.

Up until that awful night of the jazz competition, you two had never even had a full conversation. Sure, you would trade dirty looks from across the band room, sometimes spiced up with a swift middle finger when you were absolutely sure Fletcher wasn’t looking. You would be walking through the halls until Neiman, sitting on a bench hunched over some sheet music, would call out, “Sounded like you had trouble keeping up today. Maybe studio band is too advanced for you.”

“You’re an ant beneath my boot, Neiman.”

Both of your words would always hold spite, but they never seemed to reach the level of malice that was more appropriate for a rivalry. It didn’t help that your face would burn just a bit after each encounter, not out of anger, which would have been fine, even welcome at this point, but something else, something that got on your nerves even more than that infuriating drummer. (Neiman would hide his face in his music after you would pass him, scared of anyone calling out his bright red cheeks while you were still within earshot.)

Which is why you were not the least bit worried, no sir, not at all, when Neiman came in late to the jazz competition, sans drumsticks, yelling about his position as core drummer. And you definitely didn’t want to stop him as he ran out again, in search of his missing drumsticks.

But there was no way you could deny how anxious you were seeing him get on stage late, covered in blood. Him tackling Fletcher was only icing on the cake.

The wind that night was calm, pleasant even. Fall was fully in swing, leaves were changing on the trees outside the theatre. And Neiman, looking more and more like a small boy, a child, was sitting hunched over on the curb, staring into his bloodied hands. You couldn’t not walk over him, to ignore him would be cruel.

“You doing okay?” A stupid question, and you realized that immediately. Neiman sniffed and shook his head, not looking up at you. You squatted down, sitting next to him on the curb.

“I’m such a fucking fuck-up.”

You didn’t say anything, electing to softly place your hand on his shoulder instead. You saw that he was crying before you came outside, but was trying his best not to in front of you.

“I’m so fucking stupid.”

“Do you need help with your hands?” Anything to steer this conversation away from territory you were woefully unequipped to deal with. He sniffed again, tentatively moving his hands towards you, while you dug around in your tote bag for some bandaids. You made sure to bandage him up with as gentle a touch as possible, the look in his eyes letting you know that his desire to not cry in front of you was not going to hold for much longer. You couldn’t stand to let go when you were finished, cradling his hand more than holding it.

“I though you hated me.”

“I don’t hate you.” You lightly rubbed the meat of his palm with your thumb. “You piss me off all the damn time, but I don’t hate you.”

Neiman pushed his face into your shoulder, sniffing once more, before finally silently weeping. You used your free hand to pull him in closer.

“What do I do?”

You rested you cheek on his hair, and took a slow breath in.

“I don’t know, Neiman.” You didn’t. You refused to lie to him. He deserved better than empty words.

He took another shuddering breath in, curling in on himself in your hold.

Another sniff.

“What the fuck do I do?”

—————

Part 2 to maybe lesson the blow