Switching Instruments Macro

[efDisk]

I'm a relatively new BRD. I added macros to switch my instruments before each song. (For those who need it, it's /equip range "Cornette")

Other than the animation not playing until the end of a song when equipment is switched. I noticed my skills haven't been going up as much. Does that also mean the instrument is also not being used?

Is it wise to switch them at all? Or should I switch them in seperate macros and use one instrument most of the time? Are certain songs better with certain instruments? (Other than those that get specific bonuses because of the instrument.)

[Seance]

If you're using the macro that first switches your instrument then plays the song, then yes it's working although it doesn't play the animation till the song is over. I sometimes worry that my teammates think im just standing there after switching equipments with my macro, cause it looks i'm just standing there for about 4-5 seconds (how long it takes for the typical song to go off) :biggrin:

I use Cornette+1 for Valor's minuet I or II and Maple Harp for Army's Paeon after battles to hit all my target members. Range of different instruments and what you should use are covered thoroughly by the bard faqs above.

Enjoy.


-=Seance=-

[Lily]

I've been using separate macros for instrument changes. If I want to incorporate an equipment change into a song macro it wouldn't be too hard with the copy/paste thing. :)

I prefer it this way, because then I don't have to update 5 or more macros when I upgrade to a new instrument - or at least that's what I anticipated.

[SyNapSe]

If you throw in a short wait it will generally show the instrument animation. I think I use wait 1 and it almost always shows the instrument animation.

[Niland]

i dont bother with the wait

i've heard that dam song so many times a few less is blessed relief!

[efDisk]

Ok so from what I'm hearing, my skills aren't affected by the macro. I'm really not concerned with the animation. I just want to make sure those skills are going up up up :)

[PetriW]

What you most probably noticed is skills slow down somewhat around when you join PTs, I kinda felt the same thing but after 2 levels in a PT I can say they rise just fine and I switch instrument for all songs except Madrigal.

[abrias]

Only thing to make sure is that your /equip is the first macro^^

If you have it in second it doesn't effect that song.....

So you may have your army's paeon like this

/so "Army's Paeon III" <me>
/equip Range "Harp +1"

and then your minuet like this

/equip Range "Cornette +1"
/so "Valor Minuet III" <me>

No harp skill >.<

Just check that^^

[Siven]

I am almost 100% certain that this is not the case. As long as the instrument is equipped before the song animation (not the flourish) starts the boost and skillup will be in effect.

If I'm wrong then I must be crazy lucky, because I switch instrument AFTER the /so macro on almost every song, and my string/wind skills are always maxed.

This seems to be the logic the game operates under in other situations as well, i.e. if you have invisible on it does not go away as soon as you begin to play a song but only after it takes effect.

Originally posted by abrias
Only thing to make sure is that your /equip is the first macro^^

If you have it in second it doesn't effect that song.....

So you may have your army's paeon like this

/so "Army's Paeon III" <me>
/equip Range "Harp +1"

and then your minuet like this

/equip Range "Cornette +1"
/so "Valor Minuet III" <me>

No harp skill >.<

Just check that^^

[abrias]

I havn't hardcore tested it

I deduced this by


Start paeon with your cornette equiped and put your /equip AFTER /so

You will find that it has the range of cornette Therefore it seems to me it is based on what you have equiped in the beginning

Switch your macro around so it's
/equip
/so

and you get your range back^^

Maybe I'm wrong? If anybody knows for sure please send me a pm^^

[grunion]

the song range/power is based on what instrument you have equipped 6 seconds after yuo start playing

personally i have tried

/equip
/song
this is what works best and what i use now

/song
/equip
this makes you disappear during the song and can be confusing to people

/equip
/wait
/song
i don't like to have an added wait to my casting, so this was unacceptable

/song
/wait
/equip
this also makes you disappear during the song

[Siven]

For me if I don't do a wait between equip and song the animation does not play out correctly, and they still don't even if I did sometimes. So damn picky. Other casters don't have this problem. :mad:

[Crayon5]

You could use "Party Message":
/p Paeon - HP Regen

so that your party know what songs you play and they know that you playing something. some people that haven't party with BRD or seldom, wouldn't know what is paeon, or what is ballad.

I use /so equip "instuments" for every songs, because almost all different type of songs using different type of instuments.
ex: therenody = piccolo / piccolo +1, minuet = cornette +1
madrigal = tranversier, minne = harp, etc.
But it's up to you how want to manage with your macro.

[Raederle]

Originally posted by Lily
I've been using separate macros for instrument changes. If I want to incorporate an equipment change into a song macro it wouldn't be too hard with the copy/paste thing. :)

I prefer it this way, because then I don't have to update 5 or more macros when I upgrade to a new instrument - or at least that's what I anticipated. I just started Bard, and this was the method I decided to use. It works pretty well, and I don't get disoriented because I'm not disappearing during a song.

To make it even easier (if you're using a controller) my first macro for the top line is "Flute", which is the /equip range "Cornette" (or whatever wind instrument you have). All the buttons after that are songs I use that instrument on. The second line is for the string instrument, with all the songs I use that for. :)

[Aniga]

Originally posted by Crayon5
You could use "Party Message":
/p Paeon - HP Regen

so that your party know what songs you play and they know that you playing something. some people that haven't party with BRD or seldom, wouldn't know what is paeon, or what is ballad.

I use /so equip "instuments" for every songs, because almost all different type of songs using different type of instuments.
ex: therenody = piccolo / piccolo +1, minuet = cornette +1
madrigal = tranversier, minne = harp, etc.
But it's up to you how want to manage with your macro.

Hehe, my party would absolutely kill me if I added so much spam by putting a tag line on each of my songs. The only song I have a phrase with is Hunter's Prelude, which means it's time for them to Renkei because my Ranger's Sidewinder might actually hit now :P

Just do the good and tested macro:

/equip Range "Instrument"
/magic "Song" <me>

Works fine. You may not have the graphic of you blowing into a horn, but you do have the notes around you. Anyway, your party should be concentrating on what they're doing and not what you're doing. :P

[PetriW]

I'd never be able to handle multiple instrument macros and song macros, I do 3-4 instrument switches each fight and for me vanishing and not hearing the instrument ain't even an issue... Just a relief I hear those two melodies a lot less.

Sure, switching instrument then singing song works in the beginning but you'll get real tired of it after 20 levels.

Plus that you'd probably need an extra macro bar, I already have 30 macros (plus 20 whm ones on the row above songs) and I'd like the last 10 for new songs not new instruments. :sweat: