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Post by Neotelenta on Sept 21, 2023 21:46:06 GMT
Felix nods. "Yeah, I owe everything to my parents and relatives. And friends and coworkers and..." Felix pauses. "I'm constantly in a state of gratitude, but yeah. The best thing you can do for those who love you is to live life thoroughly and genuinely, even if they might be afraid of that at first."
"My favorite comfort food is spaghetti pie, easily. It's basically lasagna, but with spaghetti as the base instead of lasagna noodles. It's really good. I'd try to make it sometime, but I'm kind of afraid of making it anything less than how mom makes it." Felix chuckles. "That, and it takes a while to make."
"Any favorite animals?"
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Post by JoyTheBard (Slezak) on Sept 21, 2023 23:40:30 GMT
"It seems like you lead a very cooperative life, though you also have the privilege to do so," Lyric states, "You were brought up well by your family and colleagues, so you have what you want. Then you give the extra to others who don't. You seem like such a good person. Are you of this Earth?"
Lyric licks her lips at the mention of Felix's favorite comfort food. "Mmm, I don't care how good you think it'll be, we have to try making spaghetti pie sometime! It sounds sooooo good! Besides, if you never try making it because you're afraid it won't turn out as good as your mom's, then of course it'll never reach that quality! Ya gotta start somewhere!"
"Favorite animals . . . ," Lyric ponders, then suddenly looks around the area, "Um, I'm going to have to refrain from answering. I'm afraid the animals that don't get picked will be mad at me." They let out a low laugh. "Well I guess if I had to associate myself with an animal, it'd definitely be some kind of songbird. Obvious, I know, but that's a tough question considering how many types of animals there are."
She ponders her next question for a moment. "You do seem the type who likes to have fun. Are you into computer/video games? If so, what are some recent or all-time favorites of yours?"
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Post by Neotelenta on Sept 22, 2023 17:31:51 GMT
"It seems like you lead a very cooperative life, though you also have the privilege to do so," Lyric states, "You were brought up well by your family and colleagues, so you have what you want. Then you give the extra to others who don't. You seem like such a good person. Are you of this Earth?" Felix laughs, but it seems to die as soon as it starts. Lyric can note that Felix's demeanor seemed to dim heavily at being asked this question. "Ah, well...I live on it, I can say that much. But any answer to that question wouldn't be strange to me." Lyric licks her lips at the mention of Felix's favorite comfort food. "Mmm, I don't care how good you think it'll be, we have to try making spaghetti pie sometime! It sounds sooooo good! Besides, if you never try making it because you're afraid it won't turn out as good as your mom's, then of course it'll never reach that quality! Ya gotta start somewhere!" "Favorite animals . . . ," Lyric ponders, then suddenly looks around the area, "Um, I'm going to have to refrain from answering. I'm afraid the animals that don't get picked will be mad at me." They let out a low laugh. "Well I guess if I had to associate myself with an animal, it'd definitely be some kind of songbird. Obvious, I know, but that's a tough question considering how many types of animals there are." She ponders her next question for a moment. "You do seem the type who likes to have fun. Are you into computer/video games? If so, what are some recent or all-time favorites of yours?" "Ah, well...You're probably right, but I'm a bit sensitive to messing up new things, considering I'd rather mess up dinner for just myself and maybe one or two people rather than an entire group of people stuck in a morbid game. That said, considering I haven't messed up a meal yet, maybe we'll give it a go tonight or tomorrow night." Felix grins, recovering his mood. "Songbird? That's cool. I'm a bird and rodent person, personally. Owls, ducks, rats, and hamsters. But I wouldn't dare try to own one. I've already got enough responsibilities on my plate." "Games? Yeah, I really like RPGs, mainly. Uhhh..." Felix racks his brain. "I've played quite a few, but I really liked Chrono Trigger, Mario RPG, Earthbound, uh...the Paper Mario series has been really good, same with Pokemon. Most of my library seems to hover around Nintendo, and sometimes Square Enix or Capcom. The Megaman Battle Network series has been really fun, in particular. I could probably go on about a couple games, but how about you? What kind of epic gaming do you do?" Felix asks in the ripe year of our Lord and Savior: 2008.
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Post by JoyTheBard (Slezak) on Sept 22, 2023 18:59:53 GMT
Lyric does notice the quick demeanor change, and attempts to approach the subject delicately, "Did I uh, strike a nerve? It was a hyperbolic question, I know, but . . . I've just seen so much of everything in the opposite direction. People with crappy parents, growing up in an environment that holds them back, people who take much more than they give, those who won't lift a finger to help or will actively avoid responsibility . . . Or have just been beaten down so much throughout life that they don't even have the strength to climb back up. Or even those that start ahead, but never learn to reach down and pull others up, or even worse, blame the people below them. I dunno, I guess I just didn't expect to meet someone so virtuous, especially on a reality show."
After Felix's resolve to try out cooking the spaghetti pie sometime soon, Lyric grins. "And if you'd like a sous chef, I'm available! I did help around the kitchen back at the manor, after all."
Lyric simply nods to Felix's next statement. "That's sensible," she replies.
"Ah, so long-form games then. I've always been afraid I'd get bored of those easily unless the story gripped me right away. Meanwhile . . . ," Lyric looks a bit downcast as they recall memories that would shape their answer to the question, "I wasn't allowed video games growing up. Yeah, my parents bought into the fearmongering and whatnot about video games and violence . . . so I had to sneak gaming in at friends' houses or arcades. 'Twas only when I broke away from my parents that I started exploring games, and by then, it was the late N64-slash-PlayStation-slash-Saturn era. I've had to do a lot of catching up over the past decade, hmhm. I'm more into faster-paced stuff: platformers, racers, rhythm games . . . I could go on about some of my favorites, but I've been talking for a while."
She didn't ask another question yet so reality could kinda catch back up to itself.
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Post by Neotelenta on Sept 22, 2023 21:04:37 GMT
"No, you didn't strike a nerve. But...there is..." Felix pauses to think of how to word it. "There is a downside to growing up having all of the things everyone around you didn't have." he pauses again.
"Feeling alone and unrelatable is the biggest one. When you have friends, you rarely feel comfortable celebrating or sharing your joys and achievements when you know they are struggling so much just to even get a fraction of what was gifted to you by no control or effort of your own." Felix smirks sadly to himself.
"To be clear, I'm still able to celebrate everything with my family and relatives, and sometimes a friend or two, depending on what the occasion is. I'm not in dire need of being able to celebrate or anything like that. If anything, I'm almost the opposite at this point. But it would have been nice feeling like I could've...I dunno, been closer friends with some people, even if only on a relatability standpoint."
"But admittedly..." Felix chuckles. "If it wasn't for that, I wouldn't have spent so much time listening to people. Getting to actually understand them. Getting to know how other people feel and think. And through that, I think I understand myself more than I ever would have, had I just listened to my own voice."
"So I guess that was an accidental lie. I don't think that's a downside at the end of the day. But it still makes me sad to feel alienated. And no, you...you..." Felix begins, but stops. He turns to the lake for a second and then turns back to Lyric. "You can't alienate me, even if you tried. I haven't lived this long just to still be questioning my humanity. I'm not beyond anyone. I'm just beyond having to survive. I've been enabled to thrive, and I'll celebrate the day when I'm able to enable other people to do so, too." Felix concludes, a quickly fading sad but increasingly hopeful glint in his eyes.
"So...if your parents didn't let you play videogames, what did they let you do?"
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Post by JoyTheBard (Slezak) on Sept 23, 2023 1:25:02 GMT
Lyric once again listens and nods along as Felix explains the downsides of his privileged upbringing. When he gets to the part about being made to feel alienated, Lyric's eyes go wide and they put their hand up to their mouth. After Felix finishes, Lyric is quick to respond.
"I know you said I can't alienate you, but . . . I didn't know that's what I was implying! I've just seen so much entitlement among people with money that it almost seemed like a requirement at this point. I think I get what you're saying though. To summarize, most in your economic class are uncaring, and most in lower classes are resentful, and therefore unsympathetic to any plights you might be going through. But you care despite your status, and that makes you different, and different people are dangerous because they might change things. Well I say," Lyric stomps their foot and does some kind of warrior pose, ". . . maybe it's about time for a change!"
To the question of what Lyric's parents did allow her to do, she answers, "Do homework, do chores, play outside while it was light out . . . I did get like, an hour of TV time a day, even on weekends. Didn't have a computer at home either, so computer time at school was always welcome.
"Oh! Speaking of school, what was your education like? Somethin' better than public education, I hope."
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Post by Neotelenta on Sept 23, 2023 19:27:56 GMT
"Well I...I should clarify. My family isn't super wealthy, either. My mom stays at home, and my dad makes around $80-90k a year. He could technically make more, but he spends time with his family instead. Which has been more valuable than anything else. Abstracted out, my point is that it gets lonely feeling like I'm one of the few people who had a healthy family life growing up, and it's probably because of that loneliness that helps me strive so hard to share that kind of benefit with other people."
"Ah, okay. Makes sense." Felix responds to the parental allowance response. "I hope you were able to have fun playing outside while you could. I was restricted less and less as I got older, but I did save up and buy my own SNES around the time when it came out. My dad was the one who introduced me to games, actually. Started out with an old Sega Genesis. I was really good at Paperboy." Felix chuckles.
"School? I went to college. I...had a really good GPA in public school and got a full ride. Got my bachelors degree in computer science and engineering with no student debt. Went into I.T. since I liked talking with people more than being cooped up in a cubicle all day. Took some psychology night classes while I was working and got a bachelor's degree in psychology a about 2 years later. Was able to transfer over a lot of credits. Spare for some of the teachers not being that good at teaching, my schooling was pretty good. Even if public school had some rough edges."
Felix lets the topic stew for a little.
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Post by JoyTheBard (Slezak) on Sept 23, 2023 23:54:02 GMT
"Ah, I see . . . I guess I'm used to hearing about families where the situation is only unfavorable or worse. Pretty much everything seems to have gone well for you and your family. Considering it seems like people tend to feel better about themselves when they hear about someone being worse-off, and envious of those in better situations, I can understand why others might put you on a pedestal at best, and mock, resent, or even outright attack you at worst. I guess nobody's 100% content after all, huh?" Lyric asks, giving Felix a sympathetic look.
"Two degrees in six years? How did you have the energy for all that? Still, those are two extremely lucrative fields from what I've heard. Computers will only ever become more prominent, and mental health will only continue to get worse!" They attempt to laugh in a way that would make the comment seem more lighthearted, but it probably isn't convincing.
"Does it . . . scare you at all knowing you're on a show where your life is on the line and you stand to lose everything you worked so hard to achieve at a moment's notice? If it does, you hide it pretty well, and I pray that resolve lasts. But . . . if either of us starts to crack, I think we can rely on each other. At least, I hope it stays that way."
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Post by Neotelenta on Sept 24, 2023 21:59:21 GMT
Felix smiles and nods. "I don't think humans were made with the intent of them finding a place of contentment and staying there. There are too many things we don't know in this world to sit around pretending to be 100% happy. But it's an enjoyable time seeing just how close we end up getting to being content. And then helping other people reach that same benchmark."
"I admittedly got about halfway through my first degree and found out I liked people more than computers, but knew I had to get through it or else it would be a wasted investment. I was fortunate enough to realize that error as soon as I did and still was able to work in a field that combined my knowledge with my passion." Felix chuckles at Lyric's comment.
Felix then becomes silent for a moment as he thinks. "...Yeah, but only when I actually stop to think about it. There are a lot of things that don't get better just because you think about them. I think most people here have realized that. That's why many of us are so calm, I'd like to think. They know that thinking about this situation won't improve it much, so they find ways to entertain and distract themselves. I think that's literally the best thing we can do right now, and I'm glad that people seem to be doing a great job of trying to make the best of this place." he turns to Lyric and smiles warmly.
"I'll let you know if I need help, but...The same goes for you, of course."
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Post by JoyTheBard (Slezak) on Sept 25, 2023 4:25:32 GMT
Spotting a particularly interesting tree to stare at while she ponders Felix's words, Lyric turns to face him again and says, "Yeah, that makes a lot of sense. I meant more like 'having 100% of your basic needs met' rather than thinking there's nowhere further you could go."
"It really sounds nice to know what you want to do with your life, or at least be able to figure it out," Lyric comments, "So many people are directionless by the time they leave high school, and that's where I usually come in. Maybe a psychology degree would make my work more effective, but I think I'm pretty good at drawing out of others what they want."
"Honestly? That's been my modus operandi my whole life: just don't think too hard about things that normally bother other people," Lyric admits, scratching the back of their head, "Only recently did I process an emotional event in a long time, and that felt pretty nice, though."
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Post by Neotelenta on Sept 25, 2023 12:26:25 GMT
"Ah, gotcha."
"It was very helpful, yeah. And even finding out about the things I didn't really care for was helpful. It helped round me out. Going into psychology might help your work, but if you already feel satisfied and effective at your job, it could be a waste of time and money." Felix nods.
"Mmm." Felix nods again.
"Alright, last question. It's a big one." Felix pauses for dramatic effect.
"What, uh...What was that emotional event you processed?"
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Post by JoyTheBard (Slezak) on Sept 25, 2023 16:36:44 GMT
"Oh, I'm already quite interested in psychology, so I doubt it'd be a waste of time and money to learn it . . . 'properly?'" Lyric replies, beginning to ponder something again, "I already have to skirt around using official titles for my kind of work, so if nothing else, earning a degree could allow me to become licensed, and therefore better-protected, easier to find, and taken more seriously. Plus, maybe the professors would appreciate my life experience and more insightful questions. It's like that . . . window thing; there's plenty of stuff I already know I don't know, as well as things I think I know but that I want to check against an expert's knowledge."
Note: Lyric's player just realized that the emotional event processing that Lyric mentioned probably hasn't happened yet by the time the scene that started this FTE took place. Probably best to just suspend my disbelief and roll with it as if this conversation happened on a later day.
Lyric had expected that Felix would ask for more specifics about the emotional event she'd processed. "Well it's, um . . . yeah, okay. I can tell you," Lyric stumbles through their words as she tries to organize her thoughts. "I sang a song about Ava the day after we first arrived here. It was an attempt at sympathy but I also knew I was calling her out. She reacted poorly, as I figured she might, and this was back when I was only starting to become conflicted about whether to continue my original purpose of stirring things up after it was revealed that this show was not just some game. She said my song was full of insults. It hurt a bit at the time but, as I said, I kind of expected it.
"So, like a day or two ago . . . well, you've seen how she's been changing demeanor-wise. Anyway, I found a moment to talk to her alone. She apologized for implying I was a bad singer and it was only then I realized how much the thing I mentioned had actually been affecting me. We had a heart-to-heart about how we both felt and cleared things up. Now that incident is well and truly behind us, and we're friends!" Lyric beams and clasps her hands together.
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Post by Neotelenta on Sept 25, 2023 17:20:08 GMT
Felix nods. "That makes sense. I agree. Having a piece of paper is helpful on multiple accounts."
Felix listens intently to Lyric's story about Ava. But by the end, he's beaming as he hears the conclusion. "That's actually really awesome! I'm glad you guys made up!"
"Well, that's really good to hear. It was enjoyable getting to know you, you know? This place feels less lonely. I'll keep you posted on if I need help with anything, or I find anything new. I should probably head back to the cabin and prepare for fishing or whatever the group ends up doing. See you later!"
In the interest in not stretching time out to the point of snapping, Felix's player decides it's probably a good time to end the FTE. Unless there's anything particularly pressing that still needs to be discussed.
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Post by JoyTheBard (Slezak) on Sept 25, 2023 17:39:07 GMT
Lyric's player agrees this is most likely the best possible note to end this scene on.
"Oh, no doubt! It was great getting to know you as well. Likewise, I'll come find you if I figure anything out, or if I can think of more stuff I'd like to talk about. See you 'round, and may you continue to have the power to turn your dreams into realities!" Lyric waves and starts walking off to explore some of the other buildings.
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Post by Doctor Nanjo M.D. on Oct 21, 2023 2:23:12 GMT
[Chapter 3 - Made permanent by Lyric]
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Post by JoyTheBard (Slezak) on Oct 22, 2023 4:07:58 GMT
As Lyric settles into this location, she finds herself visiting the piano bar more and more because of the acoustics and more intimate atmosphere it offers compared to the dance club's massive sound system setup. They enter the bar with Hannah in tow for their latest lonely jam session--unable to convince the others to spread their musical wings--when they notice someone is there this time.
"Ah, Felix! Hey there," she calls out, hoping the opening of the door had been enough to warn Felix of her presence before she spoke. As she approaches his position, she continues. "I bet this place is more your speed, isn't it? Being almost entirely indoors and more close-quartered to everyone. Good thing none of us suffer from vertigo." She casts a temporary pensive look before returning to a neutral, if not slightly more cheerful expression.
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Post by Neotelenta on Oct 22, 2023 18:35:00 GMT
"Ah, hey!" Felix smiles and waves from his chair as Lyric approaches. "Yeah, I liked the outdoors, but having a more, uh...Sophisticated living environment has a lot of perks. I've never lived in a place this nice before, honestly." Felix says, looking around.
He rests his look at Lyric, though. "So what's up? You holding up okay?"
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Post by JoyTheBard (Slezak) on Oct 23, 2023 0:58:24 GMT
"Yeah, I'm doing alright, I think. I'm just confused, is all," Lyric replies, taking a seat in a chair near Felix, "How we could've missed this giant building right next to us for nearly seven weeks is beyond me. I'm trying to let it go though, as it's just a drop in the ocean that is this unfathomable situation, I guess." She also looks around the room, then outstretches their free arm and sweeps it around, stopping it as it points to the centerpiece of the room: the piano. "This is probably obvious to everyone, but save for the cat café, this room is my favorite." She brings her arm back down to her side.
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Post by Neotelenta on Oct 23, 2023 19:41:02 GMT
Felix shakes his head and shrugs. "I guess the tree line was just that good at concealing it? Or we didn't think to look up very much. Oh well." he turns to the piano and smiles.
"Yeah, this is a beautiful room. I like it a lot. Almost as beautiful as the people who visit it." Felix gives a cheeky grin.
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Post by JoyTheBard (Slezak) on Oct 24, 2023 4:29:59 GMT
"Aww, hmhm. Felix the Flatterer strikes again," Lyric comments, giving Felix a weak smile. "Though I haven't seen many people here at the same time I am. Not that I don't occasionally mind a public space that I can practice in by myself."
She stands up and strides over to the piano, pondering the string bed under the open lid. "Man, I long to hear someone proficient take a crack on those keys. I wonder if any of us is a closet pianist." They turn their attention back to Felix, adding, "You mentioned before that you were taught but 'weren't very good at it.' I'd challenge you on that but frankly, you don't strike me as the type who downplays his skills. If you've got a foundational-level understanding, I think I could figure out a way to help you improve. You know, if you decide you'd like to reinvigorate your musical prowess at all."
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Post by Neotelenta on Oct 24, 2023 14:40:52 GMT
Felix nods. "Yeah, I can play most one-handed pieces rather well and read music decently enough. I just have very little experience with playing a bass line as well as the treble line. I don't exactly have better things to do, outside of inventing ways to help the group, so playing the piano would actually be pretty refreshing. Can you teach me?" Felix asks eagerly.
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Post by JoyTheBard (Slezak) on Oct 24, 2023 16:11:26 GMT
Lyric's expression falls a bit when Felix asks if she can teach him.
"I . . . don't actually know that much myself," Lyric admits. Their demeanor recovers in an instant though, as they add, "But I can certainly try! We can figure this out together!" She walks around to the keyboard side of the piano and plays a Dm13add6#9. In other words, she hits a group of white keys at random. It's a rather spicy sound, but not horrible.
While Lyric's plenty familiar with music theory and notation, they've mostly learned to play songs by ear up to this point. Still, she believes she has some ideas for how this can work.
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Post by Neotelenta on Oct 25, 2023 12:45:29 GMT
Felix nods. "I'll be honest, I think the biggest hurdle was simply not having anything else better to do. I feel like we'll pick it up fairly quickly. Do you know Heart and Soul?" Felix asks as he takes a seat at the piano, leaving room for Lyric to sit as well.
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Post by JoyTheBard (Slezak) on Oct 25, 2023 21:36:30 GMT
"Oh yeah, sure!" Lyric responds, taking a seat next to Felix. They begin plonking out the melody, getting a feel for how to use their whole right hand to easily hit the correct keys. As she finishes, she asks, "So, you want to learn to play left- and right-hand parts at the same time?" They suggest as they bring their left hand up to the keyboard an octave away from their right hand, "Maybe get both hands working on the same thing so you're at least practicing using them at the same time, and slowly give them different things to do." She demonstrates by beginning to play the melody with both hands, struggling a bit when she has to move them. Lyric concludes by saying, "I'm just feeling things out for myself, of course. Why don't we start with what you already know?" They gesture toward Felix.
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Post by Neotelenta on Oct 26, 2023 13:19:31 GMT
"Yeah, that's basically the goal. I feel like once I get used to using both hands at the same time, that'll get me over a huge hurdle. Um...Gosh, it's been a while. Surely there's some sheet music around here we can sight-read off of...? Hey, could you stand up for a minute? Maybe it's in the piano bench.
Felix, in an another daring moment of god-modding, makes it so there actually are some music books in the piano bench. "Aha, here we go." Felix says, taking out one of them.
"The Entertainer was the one that I stopped playing on. I got the right hand part mostly down if I played it at half tempo, but...Couldn't quite do the left hand part. We can start there." Felix says as he puts the music book on the stand, opened to the sheet music for The Entertainer.
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Post by JoyTheBard (Slezak) on Oct 26, 2023 14:53:38 GMT
Lyric narrowly avoids being flung off the bench by performing an epic swivel-and-stand maneuver just as Felix is about to lift up the piano bench lid, surely winning over the hearts of a few more viewers. She now stands facing Felix as he looks for a piece of music in the book.
"'The Entertainer', huh? Ah, Scott Joplin. Ragtime. Kind of a bold beginner's choice if you ask me, but yeah, a really good piece for practicing left- and right-hand independence. Ah! Do have a problem with regular ticking noises? If not, a metronome would be helpful for setting pace." They open the piano bench to search for a metronome while awaiting Felix's answer.
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Post by Neotelenta on Oct 26, 2023 15:10:29 GMT
"Hardly! I find them rather calming, actually." Felix smiles. "I've listened to the song so many times I have it audibly memorized. I just need to know where to put my fingers, is all."
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Post by JoyTheBard (Slezak) on Oct 26, 2023 16:17:54 GMT
Lyric nods and utters, "Ah, I see!" as they find and procure the item for which they're searching and close the seat of the bench. "Yeah, that's fair," she states, "You have a good baseline for how it's eventually supposed to sound, but it'll be a while before you get there. Trust me; I've spent hours just figuring out how to land each note properly in a way that feels natural. That's kinda what we need to do here." They neglect to mention that one reason it took them hours was how they'd stray off-task because of how bored and distracted they kept getting.
"In fact, yeah, we're not going to worry about timing at all right now. Let's get each note and chord sounding good first, phrase-by-phrase, okay?" She thinks for a moment and then adds, "Actually, why don't we start with you? Show me what you can do right now and I'll see if I have any insight I can offer."
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Post by Neotelenta on Oct 26, 2023 23:10:51 GMT
Felix nods. "Right. Well...Let's see." Felix says as he turns on the metronome. He sets it to half the BPM of the song as he plays the Entertainer at half speed. Lyric watches as Felix does a half-decent job of reading the melody of the right-hand part, but occasionally hits an off note. He completely ignores the left-hand part. Lyric also notices that Felix's hand positioning is okay? But it's definitely stiff and clunky.
"Agh...Yeah, wow. So I may need some work. I'll be real, practice may be the primary diagnosis here, but any tips you have to offer?"
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Post by JoyTheBard (Slezak) on Oct 27, 2023 2:12:45 GMT
Lyric's half-happy expression doesn't change as they let Felix finish and make his comments.
"Okay! Not bad for going in completely cold, I think," Lyric begins, glancing at the still-ticking metronome before returning her attention to Felix, "But you did look tight, like a wound-up spring. Warming up a bit might help you, but for right now I think even half-speed is still too fast, and there's no shame in that. Let me also ask: Have you attempted the left-hand part of this piece at all? You didn't even try to play it just now.
"One last thing: Do you have any issues with hand or wrist pain? If not, there's a hand warm-up exercise I'd like you to try. It doesn't involve the piano. Would you like to hear about it?"
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