Wonderland: Live Music in LOTR Online

Alice has a really interesting post regarding the ability to play instruments in Lord of the Rings Online.  Here’s an excerpt:

Aghghghg FINALLY! Lord of the Rings Online offers up performable music using in-world instruments (oh maybe other folks have done this, but it’s the first I’ve seen in a structured-narrative world: SWG, Tolkein, WoW, etc).

Also, here’s a few videos of players actually composing their own music in-game:

Interestingly, users who commented on Alice’s post mentioned two specific issues related to this:

• Playing copyrighted music in-game
• Whether it is technically viable to form bands

The copyright issue will be nearly impossible to enforce without removing the music playing system altogether.  On the other hand, the current system in LOTR Online isn’t sophisticated enough to really play the average song.

The issue about bands is one based upon server performance for the MMO.  Basically, server performance and client connection, topped with lag issues, could make it very difficult for bands to play harmoniously.  Instead, other players who are nearby may experience the songs differently.  For some, the lute player might be off, and for others, the harp player might be off.  In the end, getting each player to be completely synchronized is probably out of the game’s current ability.  It would be cool to see the role of groups/parties play a role in synchronized music playing.

UPDATE:

I just found the author to the videos.  His YouTube profile name is “migthefig” and he is from Canada.  He made a comment on about how he created and played the music you hear in the second video:

this was my First composition at the very launch of the game. didnt have the Music System like now. I played that all manualy. Rebinded keys and played it Live. For the keys its too long to translate. Just Use Chords. Its 1. 5. 8. and Play with 3 notes like that. YOull Figure it out. Ex: 1.5.8 — 2.5.7 —-1.4.6 — 3.6.8 And so on.. just play with those notes and youll figure it out.

Check out migthefig’s YouTube profile.