Lessons

Argon's room was small and littered with clothing. His taiko drum was in one corner, his bed in the other.

"Lighter. You're hitting with too much force, and the stick isn't bouncing back enough. You need to train your hands before you can train your ears."

Thunk!

Thunk!

Thunk!

"Stop speeding up! You're speeding up a lot. Get used to this tempo."

She tried again.

Thunk!

Thunk!

Thunk!

"Better... well, slightly. Now try alternating between the rim and center, keeping a steady pulse."

Thunk!

Thunk!

Crack!

Crack!

"That's good, but it isn't great. Keep practicing."

She began her lessons with Theory, only using the last 15 minutes to give him vocal training.

"What are the factors which determine the strength of a song's effects?"

"Rhythm, pitch, and tempo."

"What does increasing the tempo do?"

"It increases the strength of the effect, but it reduces the duration." Argon answered after a pause, thinking hard to recall the information.

"Is there a maximum amount of energy that can be generated by a song?"

"Yes. Each of the 49 movements has a different maximum amount of energy, which is generated when played with perfect pitch and rhythm at the Tempo of the Lord."

"And how does one find the Tempo of the Lord?"

"It is the tempo at which rain falls when the second movement of the third symphony is played."

"Close. It is the tempo at which rain falls when the second movement of the fourth symphony, the symphony of the sky, is played with perfect pitch and rhythm. What does changing the tempo of this piece do?"

"It increases area while decreasing duration."

"Good job. I'll give you a 4 and a half out of 5. Now let me hear your scales."