How to perform music as a bard in Final Fantasy XIV

Final Fantasy XIV is a juggernaut of content, with four expansions and hundreds of hours of gameplay in the main story alone. While there are 20 DPS classes to choose from in total, there are only three physical ranged classes. If you’d like to do something besides magic, but stay away from the boss in a safe(r) zone, you’ve got the choice of dancer, machinist, or bard. Each one has its own skills, weapons, and strategies for playing, but one of these classes is unique compared to the others.

Only one of these classes offers utility while not actively in combat. Bard is the only class in the game that allows you to play music when you’re not fighting. Want to serenade people at an aetheryte? Well, then you’ve gotta go pick up archer. Here’s how being a bard in Final Fantasy XIV works.

The path to becoming a bard

If you didn’t start as a bard, fret not, for you can travel to Gridania to unlock the class. Get archer up to level 30 and, like all other classes in the game, you’ll get the chance to unlock a job. At the archer’s guild in Gridania, you’ll be able to become a bard and unlock your job’s soulstone, immediately giving you access to the real gem of the class: music time.

The Performance System

Available to bards only, the Performance System lets you use your keyboard or controller to play a range of notes on different instruments. Harps, pianos, lutes, saxophones, cellos, bass drums, clarinets, and more are available for you to experiment with, with 28 instruments to choose from.

To access these instruments, open the Actions & Traits window in your menu, then click on the Performance tab on the left side. When you want to play an instrument, drag and drop it to your hotbar. Selecting the instrument will bring up a universal piano UI for you to select notes with, as well as a metronome to help you keep time.

While you’re free to create any music you want, Square Enix has certain restrictions. When sharing your performances with others online, the development team has asked that players avoid doing this with music from third parties. In general, any music licensed by Square Enix, such as official Final Fantasy XIV soundtrack music, is fair game. You can also search for sheet music online for songs you’d like to play, and find plenty of annotated versions from other players.