Avatar characters as sections in a preformace arts (like a high school band, orchestra, chorus, theater, etc.):
Let’s just compile the nations between sections in band. For example: Air Nomads - woodwinds, Water Tribes - Stringed instruments, Earth Kingdom - percussion, and Fire Nation - brass. Let’s say that each nation specializes in these sections and the avatar can learn them all types. There are also sub-elements which I will go over later. I’m not taking the war into account in this headcanon.
Aang: as the avatar, he has mastery over all the instruments, however, he played the flute first, a woodwind instrument. As an air Nomad, they’re encouraged to play woodwinds and to branch out to learn as many as they could please. After learning the flute, he learned the clarinet and sax while living among the Air Nomads. Next, he learned stringed instruments such as the violin and cello. Next, percussion. Although percussion and woodwinds aren’t opposites necessarily, Aang still has trouble working to hit everything precisely to function as the avatar having trouble with their most opposite element. Next, he learns the brass instruments of the trumpet and trombone. So when Aang becomes a fully realized avatar, he must learn the different styles to have full control over the instruments. His past lives are like songs that he can recall from previous lives when he’s nervous. During marching band he’s the drum major.
Katara: Violin. Her violin was passed down from her mom and there are no violin players where she lives. So until Aang was looking for masters and friends she was entirely self taught and was in need of a master.
Sokka: Composer and sings. What ever tune he’s humming is recorded. He finds a teacher for more advanced music theory on his journey with everyone. He can’t play an instrument, but if he Hums a tune he can instantly recognize the note and write it down.
Zuko: not really much of a band kid. He’s a drama kid. He sings when he needs to. Good talent but chooses to keep it to a minimum. However, works hard as a trumpet player and was starting to learn the trombone from his uncle.
Toph: Everything she can get her hands on in the back but mostly bass and snare drums. She loves hitting things. She doesn’t need to see to read the music, so she feels the best and heart of the music.
Azula: Trumpet. A show off and loves the solos. A prodigy.
Iroh: trombone. Some would say he’s a dragon with his skills. He’s very knowledgeable of music theory and taught a few classes on it. A teacher everyone loves. He also taught Lu Ten everything he knows.
Mai: She makes the props for theater. She’s part of the crew.
Ty lee: color guard. Loves to dance and throw her flags and rifle. Running around and having fun. Lots of dancing and a display of her flexibility.
Being honest here, it doesn’t make a lot of sense. All of this possesses music theory and techniques that don’t and wouldn’t exactly sling to one nation. Anyway, in this AU, a bender is able to pick up an instrument depending on their nation. However, just like bending, they are able to develop the ability to learn to manipulate sub elements.
For woodwinds/Air Nomads, they have more breath control and develop the sub element of pan flutes, harmonica, and contra, alto, tenor, bass, and soprano instruments. All sections and nations can possess this.
However, depending on the section it depends how many options there are. There still logic despite my crazy antics. One can’t cross sections necessarily.
Water tribes/strings: options are open to guitar, harp, banjo, etc.
Fire Nation/brass: flugelhorn, sousaphone
Earth Kingdom/Percussion: piano, accordion
Non-benders/chorus/theater: Kazoo!
Yep. It’s like only certain people can play these instruments. Like when most people pick up another instrument it’s usually one in the same family. Unless it was a piano and then they switch to let’s say a violin. Or the other way around. Anyway, that’s my small idea of the four nations and their musical properties.
And yes, of course people in different people in nations can pick these up. It’s like being an earthbender in the Fire Nation. You can still play your percussion instruments. You just can’t play brass because that’s how bending works unless you’re the avatar. Does that make sense? I kinda want someone to make a fic about this and send it to me. I’d love to see it written out. If I don’t already start it myself.
Like I mentioned earlier, there’s different types of certain bending and it shows through a genre of music. Like you can learn all types of waterbending and adapt to earth bending techniques. So in this case, you can learn your violin but use it to play rock, an Earth Kingdom originated genre.
