Instrument learning
Non-bards can learn thirteen steps of the twenty--more than half the steps--and they can learn seven of the ten messages for any given instrument. They can gain the rank of a bardic apprentice on their instruments--the in-game equivalent of being a gifted amateur.
A bard with 4 Ranks in an instrument class can tune instruments of that class.
Every odd rank is a new tune.
Novice is 1-5, Apprentice 6-13, Journeyman 14-19, Adept 20.
Being Adept and a rank 19 Journeyman is undiscernable except when an Adept plays a Master quality instrument. They are able to evoke the Adept tune out of it. Other less tangible differences are the bonuses to 1001, 1020, and 1030.
Each step is when you get the "You feel a sense of accomplishment" message.
- Novice 1-5 - Apprentice 6 -13 - Journeyman 14-19 - Adept 20
I takes as long to learn the last 5 steps as it did to learn the previous 15, literally. So, don't get discouraged when it seems like its taking forever to learn the last few steps.
I doesn't hurt you to learn more than one instrument, but as a bard you may want to try to master one family first. This is because some songs recieve a bonus if you are playing when you sing the song. (1001, 1020, and 1030)
I don't think there is a limit of how much you can learn in one level but there is a possibility that you may learn a bit quicker as you age. I was fully mastered in the original 5 instrument families around the same time I reached 20th train (title). Most of that was done in the last few trains.
Total time played appears to be the basis of advancing from one step to another, which I will explain as best as I am able below.
First a few facts of my learning.
1. I have mastered all six instrument family (Adept in all that is) 2. It took me 7 or 8 months of practicing an average of 3 to 4 hours a day. 3. Most of this was done with few or no other people in the area at the time. 4. I played "complete" songs most of that time (until they ended on their own). 5. I cycled through the different styles so that I ultimately played each one about the same amount of time.
Oh yes, don't forget to TUNE your instrument from time to time. This may affect your learning rate and will definitely affect which messages you get / songs you can play with an instrument. The quality of the instrument doesn't seem to matter.
Each complete song lasts between 5 and 5 1/2 minutes. Bear in mind I kept VERY good track of how many songs I completed and I did not count unfinished songs. Given this, you should expect to see advancement at approximately the following amounts of time played.
1st - Immediate, 2nd - 16min, 3rd - 1.1hrs, 4th - 2.2hrs, 5th - 3.8hrs, 6th - 5hrs, 7th - 7.7hrs, 8th - 9.6hrs, 9th - 13.7hrs, 10th - 18.2hrs, 11th - 22.8hrs, 12th - 28.5hrs, 13th - 34.4hrs, 14th - 41.2hrs, 15th - 50hrs, 16th - 58.9hrs, 17th - 70.6hrs, 18th - 83.6hrs, 19th - 96.7hrs, 20th - 115.3hrs
The difference between my quickest and slowest mastery was about 15hrs.
I seriously doubt anyone else has kept track of this learning as I have done, but it looks like there are definite steps involved. There is some variation but it does not seem at all random to me.
We can also control which message we play with an instrument now. Bards should be able to do this at any skill level. Non-bards can do so once they have advanced to their maximum skill level. You can use PLAY to get a quick description of the various options and syntax.
play
Usage:
PLAY {<instrument> | STOP | HELP} [<Style>] [<Message#>]
Valid Styles: Joyful, Mournful, Soft, Fast, Slow, Intense,
Jaunty, Flamboyant, Aimless, Somber, Inspiring.
To check your skill, try PLAY SKILL.
For example, you can play lute fast 8. I played with it a little bit and it seems that you have to start playing the lute in any style (even just play lute) before you can attempt to play a particular message. Trying to play a specific message first or not being able to play that particular message will just initiate playing or give you the highest one that you can play in that style. (I can't really test the last part since I'm already fully mastered.)
I hope this helps. :)
Icewhite