Entertainer Archive
Thread: Dancer Vs. Musician
Hey all,
I'm seriously consdering either getting a dancer or musician to master level to take a break from Artisan stuff. Anyway, I'm hoping someone who may be master at both to help me make a decision.
Which do you like better? I'm a male character and enjoy dancing in RL but I seldom see male dancers in SWG as many of the "dances" are deemed to feminine. Also, I hate dancing without music...how can you?
Seems that being a musician maybe be more fun. Only thing is, I've only heard starwars1 on a slitherhorn...do the songs actually start sounding good at some point? The slitherhorn sound on startwars1 is nasty.
What do you guys think? Fun-wise, dancer or musician?
Also, I'm thinking of going tailor to help craft my cool outfits.
Star Wars I can sound good with more than one instruements - and it can sound much better if there's some thought put into flourish order instead of just mashing them randomly.
Dancing by yourself - there should always be a band around that'll invite you.
Fun-wise, I go with musician. I'm just dancing up to dance 4 so I can get master entertainer.
As for harassment for being a male dancer, I've never encountered it and I've even danced on Tatooine. If you think the moves are too feminine, though, I've found that dressing up as a Tusken Raider lets you pretend that you're doing some sort of ritualistic dance. 
Star Wars 1 never sounds better on the slither, but it does get better when you get into a band that can play it with mixed instruments.
The songs do sound much better as you get new songs and instruments. When you hear starwars 1 with a variety of instruments, you will be amazed at the difference in the sound, especially when a nalargon is part of the ensemble. Granted, in your normal pickup cantina bands with everyone mashing flourishes, the music can sound horrible. If you get a chance to get a group of various instruments who either sync their flouirshes or just do some bandflourishes, the music truly becomes artistic and entertaining. I am enjoying being a musician, but would recommend that you give both fields a chance and decide for yourself.
Thanks for the speedy responses. I have another question. If I choose to focus on musician, why get master entertainer? can't you craft/play the specialized instrument at Master Entertainer in the post novice-musician tree?
What does master entertainer give ya that you can't get by completeing the whole musician tree?
Thanks.....
A Musician can craft a mandovial but only a Master Entertainer can play one. Not to mention that you also get Ceremonial.
You just have to decide if it's worth the extra effort.
No reason not to try both at first.
As a musician, you interact more with the music. When another musician is playing you actually try to sound good by flourishing when appropriate. It's a lot more involved keyboard wise than dancer (If you're not macroing it).
As a dancer, you interact more with the customers and get more tips. (Well, theoretically).
Song review...
StarWars1 - The slitherhorn portion is the worst song I've ever heard. Get used to it though. First, musicians have only 5 instrument sounds. Three of those you will not be concerned with. You pretty much have slitherhorn sound and kloo horn sound. Neither are particularly fun in SW1, but, since the musicians have to play the song the lowest level character knows, you're going to hear SW1 a lot. Once you get a drum/bass line, SW1 might not drive you to suicide.
Rock - After listening to SW1 for an hour or two, you may think ROck is the greatest song ever written. Of course, you would think that about any sing after SW1. It's a nice change of pace, and you'll discover the beauty of musicians and the brillance of the dev team here. Each musician sound actually plays a different tune that blends in with the other instruments. So when you mix slitherhorn and kloo horn you get something that sounds neat.
SW2 - This is the reason you picked up the slitherhorn to begin with. Head to Mos Eisley. Enter THE CANTINA. Flo 4/4/5/2/2 and enjoy. This is also a truly wonderful, and complicated work. I played this for hours with other musicians. It's a treat.
Folk - Yawn.
SW3 - A jazz version of the Imperial March. w00t! Good luck finding someone else who knows it.
Ballad - Sounds pretty nifty. Haven't found anyone else playing it. Big groups still stuck at SW1 and Rock. /sigh.
Don't know about the rest. of the songs yet.
Instrument wise. Don't be afraid to switch it up if everyone is playing the same sound.
For me Musician is the s***. I'm not resting until I master it.
Musicians are instrument dependent. No Instrument, no performance. If game mechanics are your focus a naked and unequipped dancer on a CR can heal mind wounds in a field camp, a musician couldn't in the same circumstance unless they danced.
If there are a few Dancers in a Cantina, each one is a soloist in their own way. They have their own dance, their own steps their own rhythm. Musicians are part of a band, the trick is to take the tools you've been given, five instrument sounds, a few tunes and a few flourishes and come together to make the magic happen.
I've done a fair bit of both (now finishing Dancing IV to flesh out Master Entertainer, already a few skills in Novice Musician complete). I've got to say I've never once had anyone crack wise at me for dancing, but it is the music I dig. A Novice Entertainer can do both, get a little taste of each and you'll know what you like.
~Gaunt Voodoo: Entertainer, Musician, Pistoleer in the Making.
Oh break the mold and dance. =) I've gotten exactly one snide remark about my dancing since release, and that person was too much of a weenie to hang around long. Once you get to novice dancer, neither the popular dance nor poplock are particularly "feminine." (And if somebody thinks they are, and wants to heckle you... Let's just say, small minds on parade.)
The mandoviol/ceremonial combo sends chills down my back, too, very much worthwhile to go master entertainer I think. =)