> One thing I forgot to mention. Since it takes less time to
> stop and restart a song than waiting for it to pulse, you
> could in theory heal your group faster if you were to stop and
> restart Restoration every time it pulsed, instead of just
> letting it play and waiting for the next pulse.

Incorrect actually. Restoration is not a healing song, but rather a song
that increases HP regen. It, like all other bard songs, lasts for 10 seconds
from it's start. It does not heal on the pulse, the pulse just happens to be
when HPs are updated. So starting and stopping Restoration does nothing to
increase it's effect.

What this does mean is twisting Restoration is a very viable option:

Let's consider low levels where Restoration without a stringed instrument
increases the HP regen rate of a standing character from 1 HP a pulse to 3
HPs a pulse. Greg the Warrior and Peter the Bard are in a group. Greg the
Warrior has 150 HPs total. He takes damage down to 110 HPs. Peter the Bard
twists as follows:

Restoration, Anthem, Elemental (who knows why these three). Let's imagine
Greg the Warrior is not taking any new damage during the combat.

Pulse 1 (with Restoration): Greg's HPs 113
Pulse 2 (with Anthem): Greg's HPs 116
Pulse 3 (with Elemental): Greg's HPs 119
Pulse 4 (back to Restoration): Greg's HPs 122
Pulse 5 (with Anthem): Greg's HPs 125
...

Greg the Warrior's HPs continue to go up without needing a "pulse" of
Restoration because Restoration is not a healing song, but a HPs regen rate
increase song.