How to play ABC

[Achazia]

HOW TO PLAY ABC - A note for anyone new to playing:

STEP 1.) Create a folder called MUSIC in your LOTRO root folder (i.e. the one you find in C:\Documents and Settings\<yourname>\My Documents\the lord of the rings online). All of your music files should be saved into this folder so that you can play them in-game.

NOTE: Don’t create this music folder in the Lord of the Rings Online folder under Program Files – this is a different location and your game won’t locate the music files if they’re in there.

Step 2.) Get an instrument (that you can play) and create a Notepad file of the of the tune “Gently How She Goes” below. Save it as an ABC file (i.e. put the file extension .abc on the end of your filename – e.g. gently.abc) in your music folder.

X:1
T:Gently_how_she_goes
C:Beowulf Soundtrack
N:Flute
Q:1/4=110
V:1
M:4/4
L:1/8
K:E
z8 |z8 |z8 |z8 |z8 |F4 EF G2 |AG F2 E4 |D3 B, C4 |D3 B, C4 |F4 EF G2 |AG F2 E4 |E3 C D3 B, |C8 |F4 EF G2 |AG F2 E4 |D3 B, C4 |D3 B, C4 |F4 EF G2 |AG F2 E4 |E3 C D3 B, |C6 z2 |[C4F4] [B,4E]F G2 |[AA,4] G F2 [G,4E4] | [F,3D3] B, C4 |[F,3D3] B, [G,4C4] |[C4F4] [EB,4] F G2 |[A,A]G F2 [G,4E4] |[E,3E3] C [D3F,4] B, |[G,4C4] z4 |]

NOTE: When saving the file, save as file type ALL FILES (NOT as TEXT ONLY or it won't play)

STEP 3.) Go ingame, equip your instrument and type /music to start up the music playing mode of your character. Then type ‘/play gently (you don't even need to type the ‘.abc’ part). After a short pause, your character should begin playing the tune.

Playing as a Group

Ok, so now you’ve mastered how to play music solo and want to move onto playing in a group. For two or more people to play separate melodies of the same tune, you need to:

a.) be in a fellowship with the other musicians
b.) all have copies of the relevant abc file
c.) each type the correct command to play a specific harmony within the file; and
d.) add the ‘sync’ at the end of the play command (this indicates you wish to synchronise your playing with that of your fellows).

STEP 1.) Copy the file "Gently how she goes" below. This one is split into 2 sections – one for harp and one for flute (you can see which is which by the text) and save it to your music folder:

X:1
T:Gently_how_she_goes [Harp]
C:Beowulf Soundtrack
N:Harp
Q:1/4=110
V:1
M:4/4
L:1/8
K:E
z8 |[F4f4c4] [E4B4e]f g2 |[aA=D]g f2 [e4C4G4] |[B,3d3F3] B [F,4c4C4] |[F3d3B,3] B [F4G4c4C4] |[c4F4f4] [B4eE4] f g2 |[=DA4a]g f2 [C4G4e4] |[B,3F3d3] B [F,4C4c4] |[B,3F3d3] B [C4F4G4c4] |[F4c4f4] [eE4B4] f g2 | [=DAa]g f2 [C4G4e4] |[A,3E3e3] c [d3B,4F4] B |[C4G4c4] E4 |[F4c4f4] [eE4B4] f g2 |[=DaA4] g f2 [C4G4e4] |[B,3F3d3] B [F,4C4c4] |[B,3F3d3] B [C4F4G4c4] |[F4c4f4] [E4B4e]f g2 |[=DAa]g f2 [C4G4e4] |[A,3E3e3] c [d3B,4F4] B | [C4G4c4] E4 |[F4c4f4] [eE4B4] f g2 |[=DaA4] g f2 [C4G4e4] |[B,3F3d3] B [F,4C4c4] |[B,3F3d3] B [C4F4G4c4] |[F4c4f4] [eE4B4] f g2 |[=DAa]g f2 [C4G4e4] |[A,3E3e3] c [d3B,4F4] B |[C4G4c4] z4 |]

X:2
T:Gently_how_she_goes [Flute]
C:Beowulf Soundtrack
N:Flute
Q:1/4=110
V:2
M:4/4
L:1/8
K:E
z8 |z8 |z8 |z8 |z8 |F4 EF G2 |AG F2 E4 |D3 B, C4 |D3 B, C4 |F4 EF G2 |AG F2 E4 |E3 C D3 B, |C8 |F4 EF G2 |AG F2 E4 |D3 B, C4 |D3 B, C4 |F4 EF G2 |AG F2 E4 |E3 C D3 B, |C6 z2 |[C4F4] [B,4E]F G2 |[AA,4] G F2 [G,4E4] | [F,3D3] B, C4 |[F,3D3] B, [G,4C4] |[C4F4] [EB,4] F G2 |[A,A]G F2 [G,4E4] |[E,3E3] C [D3F,4] B, |[G,4C4] z4 |]

NOTE: Notice how the harp melody has the values X:1 and V:1 and how the flute melody has X:2 and V:2? These values identify the different melodies to the system. We’ve added in the words [Flute] and [Harp] to help you identify them more easily.

STEP 2: Get into your fellowship, decide who is playing which instrument and equip those instruments as appropriate. Then type /music

The harp player should type /play gently 1 sync, while the flute player should type /play gently 2 sync. Once they see the messages in the chatlog that indicate they are both ready to play, one of them types /playstart and the tune plays after a short pause. There should be a noticeable different between the tunes the two musicians are playing but they should compliment each other nicely.

NOTE: If you miss out the number of the melody from your /play command you will automatically start playing the first melody in the file. If you miss out the sync command your character will just start playing without waiting for your fellow musicians. If you’re both sitting there and not playing, make sure that someone has typed /playstart.

The process for playing in groups or 3, 4, 5, etc is exactly the same as this. You just need to establish who is playing which instrument and make sure everyone plays the appropriate melody.

Have fun!