Rocksmith Lite

[MVega]

After reading the responses to this thread: http://customsforge.com/topic/685-how-do-you-spend-your-time-in-rs/

 

it seems to me what would be great to have would be a program that's more of a Rocksmith Lite  -- something that could run on any platform, even (especially) tablets. Open-source, of course.

 

It wouldnt need all Rocksmith's extra crap -- basically, it could just be a (more versatile) Riff Repeater.  Since that's what most of us end up using anyway.

 

You'd load a song or a playlist of songs with a standard file management interface.

 

The default would be to play the entire song -- but you'd have the ability to set loop points anywhere you like within a song.

 

You'd have full control over the speed - slow down entire songs or even entire playlists of songs or just certain songs in a playlist.

 

You'd be able to pause and resume playback and you'd be able to scroll through the tab to look at the notes/chords/riffs you're not sure about.

 

I like Rocksmith's noteway, and even though the color choice of the strings could be improved on (this should be user-defined), the idea of using color to identify strings is a good one.

 

Ideally, preparing songs for playback should be an easy process - perhaps a companion program capable of isolating guitar parts and transcribing the tab for them, so that anyone can prepare and play any song they wish.

 

Since we already own the hardware -- the cable -- which seems to me to be the most difficult part of this, shouldn't this be possible?

 

I'm really wishing I'd studied programming, way back when...

[UKLooney]

LOL, check out Frets on Fire :)

[MVega]

I looked at a couple of videos of Frets on Fire. I'm not sure what I'm looking at though. Why are there only five strings?

[SmellyOrc]

It's guitar Hero for the PC.I don't know why Looney suggested that game, because it has absolutely nothing to do with what you want.

[Weezer]

You need quite much cpu power to run the mechanisms of note recognition while playing the song.

 

So tablets would not be able to manage that. Apart from that it would be nice to have a little program for testing while creating tones for customs for example.

 

So you could here the changes of a tone immediately without having to run Rocksmith all the time.

[MVega]

You need quite much cpu power to run the mechanisms of note recognition while playing the song.

Actually, I wasn't thinking of note recognition -- that's the "lite" part. So it's really just a scrolling tab - using a rocksmith-type noteway format, but with better looping/tempo capabilities.

 

This would be software for people who already know how to play and can hear well enough when they've made a mistake. 

 

Which, given Rocksmith's note recognition issues, we have to do now anyway. :???:

 

I could see where having an audio engine capable of generating a variety of guitar tones might be a problem.

[SmellyOrc]

Guitar Pro does most of this. The only thing it does not, is play an audio file. but if you have a good tab, it'll sound pretty good, and you'll certainly recognize the song.

[PhamNuwen]

That's not a bad idea MartyV. I would probably ditch Rocksmith for such an app, if it was available.

 

It would be best if it could play an Ogg Vorbis file + Rocksmith XML out of EOF, then we could use all the existing RS CDLCs. Maybe it could actually incorporate the CLDC unpacking code from the Toolkit to load .psarcs directly. Add to that a time-stretching library, a simple OpenGL-based 3D rendering of the note highway, and ASIO support, and it would be a killer app.

 

Also, without the need for tone recognition, you could use real gear and/or software amp sims like TH2 or GuitarRig for tones. I would personally much prefer to use my Zoom B3 for both tone and I/O.

 

It's too bad I don't really have time to code it up. I have experience with both OpenGL and ASIO, so if someone starts the project, I'm willing to lend a hand in those areas.

[MVega]

You're right, I was still thinking in terms of the Rocksmith cable, but it's not really necessary. Just run an amp simulator, use your POD, play through your own amp/pedals.. but have the benefits of Rocksmith's excellent noteway.

[Alternity]

There's Phase Shift, and EOF supports that game. The thing is that it needs a MIDI guitar, kind of like Rock Band 3, unless you can find a way to translate the sound input in MIDI...

[PhamNuwen]

As long as we're building castles in the air...

• App opens up, showing all .psarcs in a folder (can be set to RS DLC folder or a different one) in a sortable list, with album covers etc.
• Selecting a song starts playback like in learn a song mode, except without DDC (always 100% difficulty).
• App renders note highway using OpenGL, with the ability to adjust colors, and flip the neck vertically (tab compatible) and horizontally (lefties).
• Playback is via ASIO (ASIO4All exists for people without ASIO-capable soundcards).
• Optional sound input, mixed into the song being played. Not necessary if player wants to use direct monitoring.
• If input is used, app acts like a VST host, allowing one to load his or her favorite amp sim. App could save a VST preset for each song, or even switch presets based on tone changes.
• Riff repeater is activated by pressing space like in RS. Loop points snap to sections, phrases, and bars.
• Integrated time-stretching library allows playback at lower speeds, with optional automatic speed-up, and adjustable step (10%, 5%, 1%...)
• I almost forgot: support for extended range insturments (5+ string basses and 7+ string guitars)

 

This may sound like a pipe dream, but a lot of the code is already out there. In the past I modified the open source VST host to create a synth preset generator, and it wasn't that difficult. Ogg playback is a no brainer, time stretching is available, so the only part that would have to be coded from scratch is interpreting the RS XML into an RS-like note highway.

[briefer]

 

• App opens up, showing all .psarcs in a folder (can be set to RS DLC folder or a different one) in a sortable list, with album covers etc.

 

Aditionaly, it shows all the CDLCs available in http://rscdlc.com/, and allow you download new songs, update or remove already downloaded, etc.

[Smeg]

If you don't plan on using the rocksmith cord then just d/l rocksmith vids from YouTube and play them with VLC player.

 

You can do almost everything you requested. Pause, loop, slow down ect.......

[MVega]

If you don't plan on using the rocksmith cord then just d/l rocksmith vids from YouTube and play them with VLC player.You can do almost everything you requested. Pause, loop, slow down ect.......

 

 

Ha, I didn't know about these features - I keep saying 'no' when VLC wants me to update... :eek:

 

It's definitely a step in the right direction, I'd be able to practice songs on my old computer which doesn't have internet and is too old for Rocksmith, but has a much better sound card and sound system. Now, to convince people to record their videos with their guitar volume turned off... or does that already exist too?

 

Anyway, I was just throwing the idea out there... just came to me the other morning ... before my first cup of coffee .... I like using Rocksmith, it's great for me. Just wish it had better looping/pausing functions, really.

[MaZtoR]

Now, to convince people to record their videos with their guitar volume turned off... or does that already exist too?

 

 

You can always do it yourself. Should not be that hard. And you don't even need to involve youtube in the process.

[MVega]

You can always do it yourself. Should not be that hard. And you don't even need to involve youtube in the process.

 

Sure, now that I know it's possible, I'll be doing just that.

[kdogg788]

Many programs will give you the straight on flowing guitar tab.  Rocksmith gives you feedback in terms of how well you're playing.  It's been useful for me to identify right where I go wrong with a certain passage.

 

@Maztor: You can run Bandicam (a free program) and record a video of the song going by, just don't play anything.

 

-k

[Reddog]

Thanks for the great ideas!   I actually use the youtube videos to dissect finger placement tips and review the notes in a solo.  riff repeater can be a pain when I pause it to see the notes and it restarts the phrase.  sometimes even a 1 speed is too fast!  but now i should do a 'clean' version to study the notes.  

[MVega]

Many programs will give you the straight on flowing guitar tab.  Rocksmith gives you feedback in terms of how well you're playing.  It's been useful for me to identify right where I go wrong with a certain passage.

 

@Maztor: You can run Bandicam (a free program) and record a video of the song going by, just don't play anything.

 

-k

 

I think you can turn the volume of your guitar down in the mixer so you won't hear it but Rocksmith will still register the notes -- that way the video won't be so full of "misses" .

 

What other programs give this kind of guitar tab? I'd like to check them out. But I like Rocksmith a lot too.

 

To be honest, I think Ubisoft should already be busy developing a tablet version of Rocksmith -- are there already apps like this for Android? Hell, I've been looking for an excuse to get a tablet -- this would do it.

 

Since Rocksmith is already ported for the Xbox, it shouldn't be that difficult to make it work with Metro (Windows 8)?

[PhamNuwen]

The only thing I really wish Rocksmith had is ASIO support. I have a Scarlett 2i2 and a Zoom B3, and both have pretty much zero latency with ASIO, yet don't work nearly as well with RS as my crappy built-in "HD audio" soundcard.

 

But of course, if RS fully supported ASIO, they would loose their "protection" in the form of the real tone cable.

 

Edit: although, they could still require it to be plugged in, and support input from other devices. I have plenty of free USB ports.

[raynebc]

It's not even a good protection against piracy, they just don't want to have to support a giant list of third party hardware.

[PhamNuwen]

I work for a major software company, so I know exactly what you're talking about. :)

[NullP]

I'd pay $100 for a version that supported ASIO.  I keep burning through their crappy cables.  I'm on my fourth one!

 

Just as a test, I managed to get RS to load up my Line6 usb interface (tricked it into thinking it was the RS cable) and it worked just fine.  I think it's 100% just an anti-piracy play but it's now costing me a fortune and I've legitimately bought the game 4 times (2 RS2012 and 2 RS2014).  Punishing their customers....

 

Sorry for the rant, it's just really frustrating to keep having to buy these cables.

[SmellyOrc]

Think there's a problem on your end then. I'm still on my first cable from RS1, and it's still working fine.

[firekorn]

@@NullP It's clearly a problem on your end, my cable hasn't encounter any problem, it's still the same as 3 years ago.