Greetings from a Potential Bard

Hi!

My sister and I have been lurking about for the past few months, drooling over the photo galleries on the main site and are finally going to be making the trek up in either February or March. While we plan to NPC/monster the first time or two out to get the feel for the game, we have started talking about characters and I'm finding myself drawn to being a bard. I just want to make sure that I'm fully understanding how that profession is done in this setting.

From reading the rules, I understand that there are Riddles (which can be spoken), Lyrics and Nocturnes (can be sung/played softly) and Requiems and Fanfares (which must be loud and bold). Since the rules state the the bard chooses their own song, I would be able to pick any song that matches the nature of the spell and that meets the time duration requirement, so long as the song is appropriately "medieval" in style. So, I guess the one thing I haven't gotten is how other players know what bardic spell is being cast since ten different bards could have ten different songs for the same spell effect. Would the bard simply say "Casting Lyric of Protection" to the warrior before singing whichever song she's chosen for that spell?

Thanks for any and all answers! I'm really looking forward to coming up to play!

At the end of the performance you declare the effect.

For example:
If there naught to see nor hear
Of what use is the eye and ear?
Riddle if confusion.

Ahhh, okay. That makes sense. Thanks!

What up? Thats how I was a few weeks before my first event(the Week in the Life in June of 2011) and it was awesome.
Anyway look me up in game,Sylvan Elf, Caelvan Renaith, I love meeting new players, in and out of game.