Rocksmith to Guitar Pro exporter (v0.9.9 released, now with Mac support and GUI!)

[cabalistic]

Alright, I got my new rhythm detection code working, and I'm quite happy with it. I think it's about as good as I can make it (with reasonable effort). Sure, solos may still produce very weird rhythmic notation with mixed triplets and even notes, but at least the measure is properly filled up (most of the time), and it sounds approximately right. There's also a bugfix for incorrect or incomplete chords, as reported by MadMaxx.

The release can be found here: https://github.com/fholger/RocksmithToTab/releases/tag/v0.8

 

Tomorrow, I'll do a little code cleanup and bugfixing (as much as I can find), and will probably do some of the usability improvements suggested.

[Azrael]

Thanks for the new version, even though it didn't solve any of my problems :-)

I checked another custom of mine which has variations in bpm and however this "4/4, 7/8, 2/4" - stuff is called, and it is handled pretty well.

The only problems are of the same kind as in "Life".

 

For usability I may suggest that the most important feature is the integration into the Custom Toolkit, with automated updates through the toolkit itself. This way you will reach out to a lot more people and will get more feedback.

And if you feel like your program is not yet ready for that, I guess you can just stick to the beta releases of the Toolkit :-)

[MadMaxx]

Tried the new version with a few of my customs and its again a big improvement from the previous version, sustains seem to be better and the chord problem seems to be fixed too, at least with the ones i tried. Ill convert a few more maybe i can find some bugs.

 

Thanks for your effort its definitely cool to convert the things buld with EOF back to GP and hear how much better it sounds in comparison to the original GP tab.

 

For usability I may suggest that the most important feature is the integration into the Custom Toolkit, with automated updates through the toolkit itself. This way you will reach out to a lot more people and will get more feedback.

And if you feel like your program is not yet ready for that, I guess you can just stick to the beta releases of the Toolkit :-)

 

It would certainly also be nice if Mods would put in the announcement box a notice about this tool, buried in this part of the forum only a few people will notice it.

[cabalistic]

Thanks guys. For the moment, while I'm still very actively developing the program, I feel that it is easier for me to have it as a separate program in a separate repository. However, at some point it will be "done", and then if you think it should go into the toolkit, I'm open to that. Provided, of course, the toolkit developers are interested.

 

Anyway, I have a new version for you: https://github.com/fholger/RocksmithToTab/releases/tag/v0.9

I fixed a few bugs, including some of the problems in your sample, @@Azrael. Those weird incorrect ties should be gone now, at the very least. I also changed the handling slightly, the -p parameter is gone, so you can just directly specify the psarc file. That also means you can drop a file onto the executable in the explorer, as you suggested, @@MadMaxx. And if you don't specify an output directory, it will automatically create one named after the archive filename. So I hope that's to your liking.

 

But more importantly, this release features export to .gp5! Thankfully, with raynebc's documentation and the TuxGuitar code it was quite manageable, now that the converter itself already existed. Even so, the tiniest mistake meant that Guitar Pro wouldn't open it, and debugging binary files is horrible if you don't even have a clue what's wrong (which Guitar Pro doesn't tell you)...

In any case, the gp5 export should be at about the same level as the gpx support, and it's currently the default. It's also much faster, which you'll notice if you convert the big songs.psarc.

Small caveat: "Knights of Cydonia" does not currently work in gp5 format, I have no idea why.

 

For now, gpx export is still in, mostly as fallback and for comparisons. However, I am going to drop it in future versions. Now that the gp5 export is in, I see no benefit in supporting the gpx format, and I don't like to leave stale code, it'll only require maintenance at some point :)

 

Hope you guys like it, I'm off to bed now.

[a.peter]

I've just taken my Eddi Cochran song and compared the original tab with the output of your tool: almost the same. I've found just one little difference.

 

I will love this tool, because i like to learn the more complicated parts of a song offline without RockSmith. Have you thought about a donating page for your tool?

 

One nice enhancement would be to add the RS sections into the generated tab.

[Azrael]

Uh yeah.. with version 0.9 even in TuxGuitar the Chordshapes are shown - this is even an improvement over the original file :-)

 

This version is nearly perfect, you fixed all the mistakes I mentioned!

There is only one tiny thing you might still want to look at:

 

While you fixed "94/97: The first note is a "prebend/release", and in the output it is just a normal bend",

there is another prebend that is not working:

In 93/90 the two 12 notes are prebend/release, but in your output they become just normal bends.

 

This is weird because both parts should be the same...

! nevermind ! I checked in EOF and actually I forgot to apply tech notes to the 12th :o

 

So now this program is officially suited for debugging your own charting!

 

Awesome!

[cabalistic]

 

! nevermind ! I checked in EOF and actually I forgot to apply tech notes to the 12th :o

 

So now this program is officially suited for debugging your own charting!

 

Awesome!

Hah! And I never even thought of that. All I wanted to do is get some tabs to more easily learn Rocksmith songs, because I feel Guitar Pro is superior to the riff repeater. :)

Thanks. Yeah, I think your arrangement is probably as good as I can make it. There are occasionally a few oddities in rhythm, which you can already see at the very beginning, where the timing does not exactly match the expected note, so it divides them slightly differently. But if I were to increase the tolerance for such things, I'm pretty sure it would break elsewhere.

 

@a.peter: Thanks. I won't set up donations for the tool as it's probably not worth the trouble, given the relatively small target audience. If you just use the program and perhaps spread the word, that will be thanks enough :)

 

About sections, since they've been mentioned quite a few times: I thought about it, but there is a problem. In Guitar Pro, sections are, once again, a global property that is shared by all tracks, and also sections always start on the beginning of a bar. In Rocksmith, each arrangement has a separate section list that can be different (and sometimes is, as far as I can tell) and begins at an absolute time that could, theoretically, be anywhere within the bar. So if I do it this way, the sections in Guitar Pro would be defined by the first arrangement going in (which, by default, is bass, unless you change the order with the -a parameter), and might also be only approximately where they should be. I haven't paid attention to Rocksmith sections enough to decide whether this is a sensible approach, or not. What do you think?

 

Alternatively, Guitar Pro supports a text above any beat in any arrangement, which would offer more flexibility. However, they are also much less noticeable than the section headers...

[MadMaxx]

 

Anyway, I have a new version for you: https://github.com/fholger/RocksmithToTab/releases/tag/v0.9

 

Excellent.

 

Now that i was able to import it into GP5 i noticed a few things.

 

- section names are still missing even in GP5

- as you said earlier the open notes during empty spaces are now gone even in TuxGuitar.

- in GP5 for whatever reason i cant change the volume of the arrangements individually, bass works but Lead, Rhythm 1 and Rhythm 2 are grouped. If i change the volume of Lead it will also change Rhythm 1 and 2 to the same volume

- In GP5 the names of the arrangements are for example Lead Level 0, not sure if the Level 0 is needed but i think it would be better to just enumerate the arrangements. If more than one of the same arrangements exist enumerate it.

 

Example:

Bass

Lead

Rhythm 1

Rhythm 2

 

I think it looks that way more polished.

 

- The drag and drop of the .psarc to the exe works fine, makes things much easier.

- Naming is fine, it would be better without the folder per file but if it gets too tricky to name the gp file itself its fine how it is now

 

 

- I have converted a few tabs and in GP5 i get sometimes a small error message, maybe because of bends? not sure, it seems like to happen in measures where a bend is. The file that i send you earlier with the chord issues does also throw an error at bar 192, maybe its the lead arrangement causing the problem. I also noticed that the last note in measure 192 is a bend on fret 22, the bend is by 2 half steps but the converted gp5 file shows a bend of 3/4. Tuxguitar works fine, no error screens there. Its maybe something Guitar Pro specific.

 

Ill convert a few more maybe i can somehow see what is causing GP5 to throw that error message.

 

Again an excellent update, the look and feel of the tab in GP5 looks more professional now, chord fingering is nice. Thanks you.

[MadMaxx]

 

About sections, since they've been mentioned quite a few times: I thought about it, but there is a problem. In Guitar Pro, sections are, once again, a global property that is shared by all tracks, and also sections always start on the beginning of a bar. In Rocksmith, each arrangement has a separate section list that can be different (and sometimes is, as far as I can tell) and begins at an absolute time that could, theoretically, be anywhere within the bar. So if I do it this way, the sections in Guitar Pro would be defined by the first arrangement going in (which, by default, is bass, unless you change the order with the -a parameter), and might also be only approximately where they should be. I haven't paid attention to Rocksmith sections enough to decide whether this is a sensible approach, or not. What do you think?

 

Alternatively, Guitar Pro supports a text above any beat in any arrangement, which would offer more flexibility. However, they are also much less noticeable than the section headers...

 

 

read your comment too late.

 

The worst part is that section names can differ from arr to arr, they can be set to be exclusive only to one specific arrangement that would make it difficult to pick the one arrangement that would be the default one to give you the names.

 

In most cases i would go with the Rhythm 1 arrangement since its probably the one that overlaps best with the others. Lead is probably the worst since you have the solos divided into small peaces and having all those pieces in the tab is maybe not a good idea. In Rhythm 1 you usually have what is played behind the solo divided in bigger chunks making it more in line with tabs that you can download.

 

The next problem is in cases when the song starts with a bass intro and the Rhythm guitar enters later.

 

Anyway if things turn out to be too tricky i think using bass as what gives you the names is still better than nothing.

 

Just wandering why bass is first followed by Lead and than Rhythm. Do you sort them by the name? Rhythm, Lead, Bass would be probably better since thats the order that i have seen in most tabs. I think its usually Vocals, Rhythm, Lead, Bass, Drums

[cabalistic]

@MadMaxx:

• Oh, I think I might know why the volumes are linked. There was a part in the GP5 file format that I didn't fully understand and just stopped thinking about when it seemed to work. Now, with your report, I think I know how to fill that part correctly.
• Originally, I had intended to support several difficulty levels in one file. Although the exporter could technically handle that (I'm not sure if Guitar Pro has a limit on tracks, though), I never exposed an option to do this. I'm not sure how useful it would really be. But that's why I put the difficulty level in the name. Also, I had kind of hoped the names would already be enumerated if there are more than one arrangement of the same type, but unfortunately they are not. Anyway, your suggestion sounds fine, will look into that.
• Wait, are you telling me that GP5 actually tells you *where* it encounters an error?! GP6 just says it cannot load the file, which is extremely helpful... I'll look into your arrangement, but could you perhaps convert Rocksmith's main songs.psarc and try to open knights.gp5? If GP5 could give any hint as to where something is wrong with that file, that would be incredibly helpful. Thanks.

[MadMaxx]

 

@MadMaxx:

• Wait, are you telling me that GP5 actually tells you *where* it encounters an error?! GP6 just says it cannot load the file, which is extremely helpful... I'll look into your arrangement, but could you perhaps convert Rocksmith's main songs.psarc and try to open knights.gp5? If GP5 could give any hint as to where something is wrong with that file, that would be incredibly helpful. Thanks.

 

 

It does not tell you the exact position therefore its a little bit vague but it does throw an error in close range. Not sure if your problem is maybe heavier, thats why it does not load. Anyway ill give the file that you mentioned a look and write you back.

 

I did in the mean time a new convert and it had that error message in GP5 popping in endless loop and it was again a in a measure where a bend was. Had to kill the task hehe it reminded to to Win XP times hehe

 

btw. i did above your last post a double post if you already havent read it.

[MadMaxx]

 

@MadMaxx:

• but could you perhaps convert Rocksmith's main songs.psarc and try to open knights.gp5? If GP5 could give any hint as to where something is wrong with that file, that would be incredibly helpful. Thanks.

 

 

It load in GP5 and throws the same error msg as i have mentioned in my earlier posts. It happens in measure 14 but it could also be measure 13 or 15. It could be the bend in measure 15  in the Lead arrangement maybe.

 

Edit:

I remove the bend that i described in my earlier post from the psarc that i send you with the chord issues, after i removed the bend and converted it to a gp5 file there was no error msg anymore in that position in GP5.

 

Its definatly bends causing it and its probably a similar problem with knights.

[cabalistic]

Yeah, I saw your double post. Hm, if it's bends, I might have an idea. Quick question: In Guitar Pro 5, if you author a bend to a note, does GP always place a bend point at the very beginning and at the very end? Because at the moment, I do add a bend point at the beginning (if necessary), but not necessarily at the very end of a note. Perhaps that confuses GP5...

[MadMaxx]

Yeah, I saw your double post. Hm, if it's bends, I might have an idea. Quick question: In Guitar Pro 5, if you author a bend to a note, does GP always place a bend point at the very beginning and at the very end? Because at the moment, I do add a bend point at the beginning (if necessary), but not necessarily at the very end of a note. Perhaps that confuses GP5...

 

I dont know, i havent authored bends many times in GP i think @@raynebc will give you a better answer to this question.

 

What i see in the Bend editor in GP5 is that a default half step bend does have 3 points, start, bend up and at the end is also one point

 

looks similar to this

 

http://www.guitarforbeginners.com/matty22/bend.jpg

 

Edit: checked the other types of bends and they have at least 2 points, a beginning and end point

[cabalistic]

Thanks. I'll do another release later that hopefully fixes the problems with bends.

It's interesting, though, that Guitar Pro 5 can open the knights.gp5. Guitar Pro 6 cannot load it, and unfortunately I haven't the slightest idea why not. Everything else seems to be working.

 

Given that I can't map sections to Guitar Pro sections, I'll try it with text attributes, instead.

[cabalistic]

New release is out: https://github.com/fholger/RocksmithToTab/releases

 

I just realised that although I cannot name the individual output files after the input file, I can do much better than using the song identifier for the output filename. Let me know what you think of the new naming conventions.

 

The bend problem with GP5 should hopefully be corrected, I also "unlinked" the volume controls for different tracks. Section names are in, I added them as a text marker. Not perfect, perhaps, but I think it's the best I can do.

 

It's not quite there yet, but I think I'm getting closer to a full-featured v1.0 release :)

[Azrael]

Let me know what you think of the new naming conventions.

 

File name: Sweet

Section names: Works perfectly with my customs

 

Now I tried random songs in my dlc folder and stumpled upon a (probably) name-related problem:

http://customsforge.com/page/customsforge_rs_2014_cdlc.html/_/pc-enabled-rs-2014-cdlc/junge-r7255

http://customsforge.com/page/customsforge_rs_2014_cdlc.html/_/pc-enabled-rs-2014-cdlc/schrei-nach-liebe-r5672

 

Those two songs by the german band "Die Ärzte" do not work (the gp5-file cannot be opened by TuxGuitar) and my first guess is because of the "Ä" Umlaut.

Maybe you will be able to fix that :-)

[cabalistic]

Oh, that may be an encoding problem. I believe C# uses Utf8 as its default encoding, but Guitar Pro 5 is a couple years old, so I suspect they use something simpler in the .gp5 format. I also have a feeling that gpx output would probably work :) Unless it's a TuxGuitar problem entirely.

I'll look into it.

 

Edit: As expected, .gpx works. TuxGuitar can open that one, too. However, the gp5 version doesn't load with Guitar Pro, either, so it's not TuxGuitar's fault. I'll try and figure out how to get it working. Thanks for the report.

[MadMaxx]

Thanks for the new version.

 

Converted again knights and it runs now with the new version through without error msgs. Does it still not load in GP6?

 

The new naming is better and an improvement, the version number would make it perfect but if i remember correctly the version number is not stored inside the .psarc therefore you cant retrieve it besides from the input name.

 

The section names as comments are great, never the less i think that it would be also good to get them to show up in the window at the bottom even if you use only the ones from the bass arr. to show up as global Having the bottom window where the selectable bars are without section names makes it a little bit difficult to navigate through the tab.

 

Volume issue is fixed but i have a new problem, for whatever reason in one of my customs there are occasions where drum tones are played instead of the guitars. With the older version it wasnt like that, not sure what the problem is but ill send you the file. This file does also have a few more issues that i noticed.

[DrTutut]

WoW, i checked version 0.7 it was 5 days ago and improvements now are incredible, you're an awesome programmer cabalistic ! The missing link for me was the ability to figure out the fingering of a solo before speeding it up in Rocksmith, and i must say it's a perfect 100 % now ! Making me more demanding, would be to group some of the rythm link notes in something more human readable, but serioussly, im very happy with what i have now, thanks again !

[Alex360]

@@MadMaxx, now package version number stored inside toolkit.version (with author and toolkit version) so you can parse that file and get it (author by default is and version is 1)

I get this one to work with my NET 4.0. Tool works great, nice conversion ratio, annoying sustains catched sometimes for chords(after you import back to EOF) but that looks great in GP/tuxguitar. Thank you :)

[cabalistic]

@DrTutut: Thanks! If only I were half as good with the guitar...  I know the rhythm can get very weird, but I'm probably not touching that again, except to fix the remaining bugs. The problem is that any further improvement to get the rhythm to be more readable involves additional guesswork, and that may result in wrong results at other places. So right now it's probably as good as I can make it (at least with reasonable effort).

There's probably not going to be another update today, but I'll try to get as many of the reported bugs fixed over the weekend.

[firekorn]

Your tool is amazingly good, and you put it up in no time, i'm really glad that you made this!

[raynebc]

If you ever consider adding command line parameters to specify the input file being an XML instead of a song package, I might be able to give EOF the ability to link to this program so that it can have it build Guitar Pro files on demand or perhaps during each save if that is enabled by the user. I think it may just have to have a parameter to specify XML and then the ability to pass multiple XML files at once in order for a multi-track Guitar Pro file to be doable.

[cabalistic]

@firekorn: Thanks!

@raynebc: Sure, why not. I'm concentrating on fixing some bugs right now, but I've added an issue (https://github.com/fholger/RocksmithToTab/issues/8) to remind me. It shouldn't be difficult :)