One-Man Orchestra?

[JungleBox90]

After looking at the SRD entry for Unseen Servant (for the 100th time), I remembered that scene in Sword in the Stone... for obvious reasons. Anyway, I got to thinking... Could a bard use this spell to conduct a symphony orchestra?

Any better spells one could use for this purpose?

Restriction: Can't be a spell that manifests sound only. It has to move or affect objects in a manner that would produce music... or something.

[teslas]

Fun concept.

From Unseen Servant:
It can only perform "...simple tasks at your command." And "...one activity..." "...repeats the same activity over and over again if told to do so..." Most importantly, they can't make skill checks for skills that can't be used untrained, like Perform.

The problem you'd have here, Perform limitations aside, is that playing an instrument involves a lot of moving pieces generally. Even mechanically "simple" instruments like a violin require arguably more mastery to make proper sound come out of them.


So it would see to me that you'd be limited to percussion type stuff. You know, drums, trash cans, the like. And even then, simple instructions. You'd be looking at a minimalistic approach, to say the least.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minimalism_music


Instead of Unseen Servants, there are a more things in the Illusion school that are probably better at doing what you're wanting done. You can simply create invisible illusions (or rather, illusions with no visible component) that still create sound. Or, you could pick up the Invisible Spell metamagic (+0 cost) an tack that on some other spell that makes the noise you want. Though, sticking a singular unseen servant on the bass drum for "DWUM DWUM DWUM" like a clock would definitely work.

[missmvicious]

That's how I've used it.

I performed my accordion (we counted it as keyboard instrument) while my Unseen Servant played a drum (something simple like a Bodhrán) and I used Ghost Sound to sing in Gnomish. I then played Tu M'as Promis by Ingrid off my laptop since it has a nice little accordion section, and is a cute song. :smallredface:

My DM gave me huge bonuses to my Perform check, and it caused a helpful NPC to notice my performance and got me a gig playing for a local Governor.

[jiriku]

Certain types of African tribal music involve a fairly large group of musicians, each with a percussion instrument, each playing one repetitive rhythm (different from every other player's) on their instrument. While the individual rhythms are very simple (read: no skill check), the combined effect of 5 or 10 different rhythms is very complex and musical. Best of all, it's traditional for the players to start up one at a time, beginning with one simple rhythm and gradually adding more parts. So you could start your performance with one unseen servant, then cast the spell again and again until you have all the parts. Then you could sing over your rhythm section. It would be pretty sweet.

Or, if you really want to get crazy, you could play a mad organist (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=11554625&postcount=16) with a clockwork orchestra, perhaps with an instrumental golem (http://www.giantitp.com/forums/showpost.php?p=11586066&postcount=17).

[JungleBox90]

I know it's not meant to be used this way, but could you use Animate Objects to make instruments play themselves? It'd probably require a DM houserule/permission. But it'd be so fun. :smallwink:

[missmvicious]

Based on what I read about Animated Object in the Monster Manual, I don't see why not. Because of their 1 CHA, I don't think they could perform any masterpieces unless you said "Please, please, please, please" to the DM a lot and maybe offered to bring cookies to next week's session.

Still... we're talking about a Perform check here, which is usually on the RP side of gaming. I think you would have to have a pretty mean DM to not at least allow it as fluff. However, I'd make you roll a Perform check with each instrument you animated (based on the -5 CHA penalty) to see if it could add to your performance.

Would that count as Aid Another? It's happened before, where me and another Bard performed a duet for extra Perform bennies, but I don't remember how that was ruled.

[Diefje]

Who needs uneen servant if you have Perform(everything at the same time)

http://fastestonemanband.com/images/fastest_one_man_band.jpg