Dice

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Throwable objects used for repeatable randomization of more than 2 states.

For only 2 states use a coin toss.

If you don't want results to repeat, use shuffled cards.

On sides / illustration

The common dice is with numbers (often epresented as dots), but it's not the only option for side content. A product called Storycubes might be a useful item for improvisational music games. On every dice you can find images as ideas to interpret musically. The drawback for playing to it with instruments is that Storycubes are small, but bigger dice with images are sometimes to get as children's toys.

Of sides / notation

The common dice is 6-sided, but there is sometimes usage for 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 and 20-sided versions. Throwing two 10-sided dice conveniently generates a random number from 0-99.

Especially in RPG games you can have many combinations of dice. The needed formula is written down as an equation where "DX" means X-sided dice. For example "3D4" is the result of a throw with three 4-sided dice. You can, for example, have a monster strength defined as 40+D4*3 and you sometimes encounter even more detailed algorithms for calculating different values.
Notice the difference between "3D4" (sum of 3 results), and D4*3 (result multiplied by 3).

Perfect dice for music

For music games 12-sided dice has a special place because it's the number of steps in a Western standard equally-tempered tuning. Versions with tones on the sides are marketed commercially and there is a patent that expires in 2022. Nevertheless, it's hard to establish the protection range of the patent — there are already different producers of this type of dice with a bit different design.

Clean-sided regular dodecahedrons are also in sale, so you can make such a dice yourself. If you are good with glue and scissors, you can also print out scheme for dice with musical keys on a cardboard and make your own. (This one uses "continental" sound names, but it should be easy to edit for B instead of H).

Video example — Key Change Game

A simple musicianship activity is to play a tune of your choice and change it's key for an unforeseen one during playing.
You may use cards or dice or if there are more people, you can take rounds for calling the new key.

Other props:


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