World magic based on music

Hmm, I believe we'll need a bit more details on how this magic system works. The origins look ok, the source of power(Where the magic comes from and how singers tap into it) is a bit vague and the effects(What it does) are nonexistent.

The idea itself is very cool, and I instantly thought of instrumental music. What about having a different magic effect based on what instrument/instruments are being played? That requires the magicians to learn how to play an instrument, how to tap into the source of magic, and when to play the magic tune properly. Singing is good too, but in my opinion, this tidbit I offered here already opens up a lot of possibilities and restrictions for your magic system. You will need these for sure.

 

My thoughts:
* Who is Eidolon, if this Aria is named after him/her? What is his/her relation to the two gods mentionend?

* From your description, this magic feels like the "original force of creation and destruction" in this universe. So, users of this magic might be able to do what the 'universe' has done ever since its beginning: create/grow things... and/or tear them down. They would not be able to do anything that the univers (nature) could not do (so no necromancy, as you said). But maybe by using this magic, they can speed up 'natural' processes? Grow trees faster or make stone crumble with erosion? The (mythical) hight of this mastery could be creating a new universe... with the two gods being the only beings capable of that level of mastery.

Some ideas of now this magic might look in practise:
I imagine it would be very mathematical-based type of music (think neal Stephenson's Anathem, read it if you haven't ), maybe requiring the musician to produce complex harmonies in quasi algorythmic structure. I imagine things like overtone singing etc.

Hope this helps a bit

 

I think in Greek mythology that Cerberus could be tamed with the music played with an enchanted lyre. Music has great power all the way back to ancient and medieval times.

But this is a cool idea. Have you heard of "The Unwanteds"? The magic in that world kind of uses this idea, among others.

 

i really like this idea

 

My favourite example of music as magic is Mike Carey's Fix Castor series.

It's a noir urban fantasy series about an exorcist, who banishes evil spirits (ghosts, vampires, demons, etc) with a tin whistle. For each enemy the tune he plays is different, it becomes a representation of their spirit, symbolically binding them to the tune - when the music stops, the spirit is banished.

Not sure if it fits, but another nugget for you to mull over ;-)

 

Nice idea, if you wanted to make it sound scientific look into resonance frequency. Sound can be used to change one's mood, but if you use the right tone or frequency you could also cause great damage.

 

If you want to get super complex you can tap into the idea that music is just simply, a vibration, like light. Perhaps your people or those who can channel magic, are simply people who understand specific vibrations, for example:

Those who can channel magic pertaining to earth have the ability to feel and channel the vibrations of trees and animals.

Perhaps magic cannot be used directly in influencing other humans as their "vibrations" are to distinct (or maybe there are a rare line that can channel the vibrations of other human beings and in turn want to create slaves of the human race? ) but instead can be used to indirectly come against or alongside them, for example:

I could not tap into the magic of another human and read their mind, or harm them using their power, or control them, or directly use my vibrations to harm them, but I could tap into the vibration of air and use that to create a whirlwind where I could harm another..

I may not even be making sense, haha.
woo woo!

 

How about this idea: The world is changing because it is under the affect of the arias comes from two gods, one is creating and one is destroying. The combine of two arias makes everything age and create new life. Since it is the combination of music of gods, it contains enormous information in the smallest syllable, including all vibration frequency, all rhythm and all timbre. It is impossible for human to copy even a whole phrase. Since the aria is unlimited long, it is possible that a random melody a person play is a small part of that aria theoretically. It takes hundreds of years to find out what a song can do, and even so, compared to the aria of gods, the music played by human is like a particle of a fiber in a thick thick cable.

 

Tolkien's universe had a similar origin, the Music of Ainur, so you're in good company. Following on Bangladeath's comment re resonance, I would look into vibration as the actual source of magic. String theory posits that one-dimensional objects called strings oscillate in different ways like a guitar string can. So what if a guitar string or other tuned vibration were able to tap into these fundamental oscillations of the universe and make them do work? This would also let you bring natural vibrations into play, such as earthquakes or waves, as potential wells of magic.

 

An interesting system to be sure, but a complicated one to express in writing, especially if you've never studied music theory. You have a pretty large hurdle to overcome from the get-go. Namely, the magic centers around music when the story is in a medium without sound. I know I personally skim through songs when they appear in the text because I have no basis of what the tune would be just from seeing lyrics. I would go with the others' suggestions of keeping the music at an instrumental based instead of singing based. But then the problem soon becomes 'How do I write this spell without just inserting sheet music in my book?'

I like the origin story but I'm a little confused about Deimos and Adrellach's 'neverending song of power.' Are they creating the song together? Are they harmonizing? Is it more of a musical battle? Does Deimos control over minor keys and Adrellach the major keys? (This is where a background in musical theory would probably help)

I would also suggest listening to the smart people with their science and smartness.