dragonfriend7738
Explorer
I'd say that the somatic component of bard magic could be explained as the performance of their instrument (or maybe a dance), just as the vocal/verbal component could be said to be some kind of song.For Sorcerers, I'd say that the uncontrolled manifestations of youth would fall under the general category of Prestidigitation, which has no Material Component.
During the process of learning to focus and control their magic they learn that arcane power that they see and discover the need for material, verbal and somatic components. It's part of the discipline needed to get beyond accidental cantrip level castings.
As for Bards, since *ALL* of their spells require a verbal component, and many talk about playing an instrument or using one as a focus that the scene gets ugly. it's hard to rationalize material or somatic components being usable while stroking a harp or strumming a lute. Both hands are occupied, which flies in the face of the idea that a caster must have at least one hand free if somatic components are required, or if material components need to be crushed, consumed, thrown on the ground or into the air etc.
But ultimately that's what it is, a rationalization. It's us trying to impose our vision of "how things work" on a game, a "world" that only exists on pieces of paper and pages of a book. Ultimately it works however those pages of the rule book say, and if they say you have to stand on your head while also walking in circles as you caw like a crow in total silence, then that's what they say. It's a game.
As a small note, just to muddy the waters, I tracked down the Bard only spells (thanks Find in PDF viewres!!!) and didn't see even one that required Material components. I might have missed something, of course, but from what I could see (while distracted by the mundane matter of working for a living), there aren't any.
So ask not advice of I.T. professionals, for we shall say both no and yes.
I do think that all casters need either a focus or material component for the spells that call for them, but it is possible (if poorly recommended) to build a sorcerer that only uses spells that do not require a material component.
