Chord Names + Note Names

[robosalt]

I use Rocksmith primarily for Bass and am trying think beyond tabs. When playing RS on Guitar it tells you the chord name along with the tabs. Is there a mod that will do the same for Bass notes?

 

For example, while the "e-string 5th fret" flies by in Red, can it also tell me that it is a A. I feel like this would be a helpful way to passively learn the notes across the neck. It could also help for creating alternate fingerings across the fretboard, as in playing the A on an open A string or 5th fret E-string.

(PS I'm new to Customsforge and the extra DLC has been amazing!!!)

[RdBass4]

I wish there was! I too am a bass player and have looked for that feature, but RS does not give you chords or chord charts for bass. The best you can do is search the internet for a chord chart for the song and keep that beside you as you play - just keep in mind that the arrangements might be slightly different.

 

IMO, the best way to learn the notes on the bass is not with RS. Just play all of the whole notes on the E string (you can get a note map by doing a quick internet search) and say the note out loud as you play it. Don't play any sharps or flats - just the whole notes. Do that every day for a week. Then switch to the A string and do the same thing. After a month, you will know all the notes on your bass - you will even know the sharps/flats because they are between the other notes. I know it's not as fun as playing your favorite song, but do both to keep the fun going, and it won't take long to learn the notes. I hope that helps.

[raynebc]

You could use one of the custom fretboard inlays that has the name of the note on each fret. Another option would be to define each note name as a lyric, but that would be plenty of work.

[robosalt]

Didn't know about the custome fretboard inlay. I'll look into that. Thanks!

[UKLooney]

@@raynebc
@@robosalt
@@RdBass4

This can be done, but it's a bit of a laborious task, even with XML tools, but could be probably automated.

Assuming that you have no chords in your arrangement, you can add 'Notes' to a bass arrangement by fudging 'chord shapes' as follows.

Open the XML file that was generated by EoF, replace the current 'chordTemplates' section, which should be
 

  <chordTemplates count="0"/>

with
 

  <chordTemplates count="12">
    <chordTemplate chordName="A" displayName="A" finger0="-1" finger1="-1" finger2="-1" finger3="-1" finger4="-1" finger5="-1" fret0="-1" fret1="-1" fret2="-1" fret3="-1" fret4="0" fret5="0"/>
    <chordTemplate chordName="Bb" displayName="Bb" finger0="-1" finger1="-1" finger2="-1" finger3="-1" finger4="-1" finger5="-1" fret0="-1" fret1="-1" fret2="-1" fret3="-1" fret4="0" fret5="0"/>
    <chordTemplate chordName="B" displayName="B" finger0="-1" finger1="-1" finger2="-1" finger3="-1" finger4="-1" finger5="-1" fret0="-1" fret1="-1" fret2="-1" fret3="-1" fret4="0" fret5="0"/>
    <chordTemplate chordName="C" displayName="C" finger0="-1" finger1="-1" finger2="-1" finger3="-1" finger4="-1" finger5="-1" fret0="-1" fret1="-1" fret2="-1" fret3="-1" fret4="0" fret5="0"/>
    <chordTemplate chordName="Db" displayName="Db" finger0="-1" finger1="-1" finger2="-1" finger3="-1" finger4="-1" finger5="-1" fret0="-1" fret1="-1" fret2="-1" fret3="-1" fret4="0" fret5="0"/>
    <chordTemplate chordName="D" displayName="D" finger0="-1" finger1="-1" finger2="-1" finger3="-1" finger4="-1" finger5="-1" fret0="-1" fret1="-1" fret2="-1" fret3="-1" fret4="0" fret5="0"/>
    <chordTemplate chordName="Eb" displayName="Eb" finger0="-1" finger1="-1" finger2="-1" finger3="-1" finger4="-1" finger5="-1" fret0="-1" fret1="-1" fret2="-1" fret3="-1" fret4="0" fret5="0"/>
    <chordTemplate chordName="E" displayName="E" finger0="-1" finger1="-1" finger2="-1" finger3="-1" finger4="-1" finger5="-1" fret0="-1" fret1="-1" fret2="-1" fret3="-1" fret4="0" fret5="0"/>
    <chordTemplate chordName="F" displayName="F" finger0="-1" finger1="-1" finger2="-1" finger3="-1" finger4="-1" finger5="-1" fret0="-1" fret1="-1" fret2="-1" fret3="-1" fret4="0" fret5="0"/>
    <chordTemplate chordName="Gb" displayName="Gb" finger0="-1" finger1="-1" finger2="-1" finger3="-1" finger4="-1" finger5="-1" fret0="-1" fret1="-1" fret2="-1" fret3="-1" fret4="0" fret5="0"/>
    <chordTemplate chordName="G" displayName="G" finger0="-1" finger1="-1" finger2="-1" finger3="-1" finger4="-1" finger5="-1" fret0="-1" fret1="-1" fret2="-1" fret3="-1" fret4="0" fret5="0"/>
    <chordTemplate chordName="Ab" displayName="Ab" finger0="-1" finger1="-1" finger2="-1" finger3="-1" finger4="-1" finger5="-1" fret0="-1" fret1="-1" fret2="-1" fret3="-1" fret4="0" fret5="0"/>
  </chordTemplates>

the flat names can be changed to sharps here if that is your preference.

Once done, replace the current 'chordTemplates' section, which should be
 

      <chords count="0"/>

with manually stitched together data for additional chord info. This example only shows four notes. An A, B, C and an Ab.
The chord count should be changed to match your note count (see further up your XML file). The 'chord times' should be changed to match each of your note times (see further up the XML file). The ChordId should match the chord from the above templates and the note being played, starting with A at id 0, and ending with Ab at id 11.
You will have to add one chord for each note that you have in your arrangement (this example only shows four).
 

      <chords count="4">
        <chord time="44.212" linkNext="0" accent="0" chordId="0" fretHandMute="0" highDensity="0" ignore="1" palmMute="0" hopo="0" strum="down"></chord>
        <chord time="45.589" linkNext="0" accent="0" chordId="2" fretHandMute="0" highDensity="0" ignore="1" palmMute="0" hopo="0" strum="down"></chord>
        <chord time="45.864" linkNext="0" accent="0" chordId="3" fretHandMute="0" highDensity="0" ignore="1" palmMute="0" hopo="0" strum="down"></chord>
        <chord time="47.242" linkNext="0" accent="0" chordId="11" fretHandMute="0" highDensity="0" ignore="1" palmMute="0" hopo="0" strum="down"></chord>
      </chords>

Finally, replace the current 'handShapes' section, which should be
 

      <handShapes count="0"/>

with similar data for handshapes. Again, this example has the same four.
Again, the handshapes count should be changed to match your note count and the 'startTime', 'endTime' should be changed to match each of your note times. The ChordId should be changed to match the note being played.
(It would probably suffice if the startTime value is used for both startTime and endTime)
 

      <handShapes count="4">
        <handShape chordId="0" endTime="45.038" startTime="44.212"/>
        <handShape chordId="2" endTime="45.645" startTime="45.589"/>
        <handShape chordId="3" endTime="46.690" startTime="45.864"/>
        <handShape chordId="11" endTime="47.298" startTime="47.242"/>
      </handShapes>

Then just package up the chart using the edited XML file.

 

Another, 'quicker' way, but harder to automate, is to use a copy of the EoF project and change all notes to unique double stops. Then Cut/Paste/Edit chord data from new XML to original one. Then edit the XML chord names, etc. to match the actual notes.

Check out the BONUS bass arrangement out on this chart. Took me around 30mins using the second method.

 

http://customsforge.com/page/customsforge_rs_2014_cdlc.html/_/pc-enabled-rs-2014-cdlc/feeling-good-r10568
 

[UKLooney]

Here is an example.

 

[RdBass4]

@@raynebc

@@robosalt

@@RdBass4

 

This can be done, but it's a bit of a laborious task, even with XML tools, but could be probably automated...

 

Wow. A very thorough answer with excellent examples. Thank-you for all that work. Just to recap for the original question, customs creators CAN ADD note names with a lot of extra work (right now without automation) but there is no feature to turn this on for already-existing CDLC or DLC.

 

That said, we do have other educational CDLC with finger exercises. Maybe we could add the note names to those files to help learn the note names.

 

Again, thanks for the detailed answer.

[UKLooney]

Wow. A very thorough answer with excellent examples. Thank-you for all that work. Just to recap for the original question, customs creators CAN ADD note names with a lot of extra work (right now without automation) but there is no feature to turn this on for already-existing CDLC or DLC.

Yes, that is correct. It might be something that can be added to the custom toolkit or dynamic difficulty creator if there is much interest, and an accommodating toolkit developer.

Also, It wouldn't be too difficult for someone with some XML know how to convert existing DLC/CDLC via the toolkit import function.

[raynebc]

Something like this could be added to EOF, but it would be kind of a hacky thing to implement as I'd have to have EOF be able to treat single notes as if they were chords. If none of the toolkit devs are interested in adding this, let me know and I can look into it some more.

[Bodhammer]

I'm very interested in this feature as well.