Lots of people are confused about what kind of instrument Sylvando plays.
On a hunch, I tried looking for “Spanish reed instrument” and it is totally either a gralla or a dulzaina (I think one may qualify as a subset of the other, or they’re both just regional variations on an oboe in different parts of Spain).
Judging by a highly scientific google image search, it seems like a gralla tends to match the number of holes, while a dulzaina has an extra little finger hole near the end that’s out of alignment with the others. But I see more images of dulzainas having a little decorative ridge near the end, which is exaggerated on Sylvando’s instrument. So I feel like either one is plausible as being just slightly artistically simplified or embellished.
Here’s my best find of a relatively similar looking dulzaina:
Here’s a gralla:
Here’s a video with some grallas being played that I can’t stop listening to:
I find Sylvando’s choice of instrument interesting to think about because (heavier spoilers ahead):
Looking at the videos for these instruments, 99% of the comments I see and the descriptions are in Spanish or Catalan (as far as I can tell). I’ve never heard of them in the US until I went looking because of Sylvando. So my headcanon says that in game, this instrument is very specifically from Puerto Valor and nowhere else.
Sylvando is very secretive about his past. I’m uncertain whether his accent is sufficient to clearly indicate to people where he’s from. But he’s carrying around a Spanish / Puerto Valoran instrument. I imagine anyone from Puerto Valor may recognize it, and any scholar of world music would recognize it.
It raises questions like:
When did Sylvando learn to play it? Â Who taught him?
Does he openly acknowledge where he’s from? Or is this a risky telltale that he keeps against his better judgement?
Where did he get it? Was it something he took along when he ran away from home? Or did he find one in an exotic foreign imports market stall somewhere and purchase it in a fit of nostalgia?
When you hear him playing it for a hustle dance, he doesn’t get very fancy with the melody. It’s pretty much one note. Does this mean he isn’t super skilled at playing it? He keeps it because of the connection to his past, but he’s never had formal training?
Or is that single note just what he finds appropriate in the heat of battle? Serena can play a whole song on her harp, but she doesn’t play anything fancy during battle, either. So maybe he’s great at it and we just don’t get to see.
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