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Am I..........getting it? Or am I just fooling myself?


AtGame7

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Purchasing Rocksmith 2014 over a year ago I had zero ability to play a guitar and being almost 50 I figured it would be a long hard road to learn to play the simplest stuff.  I was pretty much right.  I couldn't do anything in the game.  It was too difficult to look at the screen, find the fret and string on the guitar and play the note before 20 or so had passed me by.

 

I never really gave up on it, but ran into some health issues (we all do) and hadn't picked up the game/guitar for a few months.  A couple weeks ago I decided I was going to give it an hour a day no matter what.  I did and I probably should be embarrassed to admit that the arcade is where I spend most of my time.

 

Something as easy as String Skip Saloon was too hard for me before but I did play it for an hour each day no matter how poorly I performed.  After the first 3 days I was actually getting pretty good at it.  I moved on to the next game and the next game and lo and behold I can find my way to the correct string and the correct fret.  I even play a mean F5, A5 and E5 at this point.  I'm probably not joining a Nirvana cover band anytime soon, but the chords sound right and aren't too hard for me to find on command.

 

 

Now, I don't know if others who started with no skill are using the arcade games to learn basic skills, but I really feel as though I am.  Am I fooling myself that these "skills" will translate into actually playing anytime soon?

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String skip saloon will almost certainly help you find the right fingering for plucking dexterity and manoeuvring, ninja slide I found pretty good for learning shifting on the fret board at speed and scale warriors for accurate finger placement. They will all translate in some form or another once you move on to learning a song. Personally I haven't tried many other of the arcade games apart from harmonic heist and the duck shooting one as they're quite fun for warming up. Glad you've picked up your guitar again though :) hope you're on the mend too :) join us in the weekly competition when you're ready, it's a nice crowd and good motivation !

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 Mortalo, on 11 Feb 2015 - 11:36 AM, said:

Ok, because of poor results and overall lack of skill @NoonyDeloony gets downgraded to Advanced. She would be forever remembered as shameful person... and then she'll make another charming video and we'll forget about that.

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/user/NoonyDeloony/videos

Twitching bass unskillfully, here: https://www.twitch.tv/noonydeloony

 

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Yes, those are games are really good. I remember when I couldn't make that F5 chord, my fingers didn't streched so far, now it's no problem. Early on with Rocksmith (just like you, I had no guitar experience before) I got bored with pretending to play songs on few % of Dynamic Difficulty, so I started to play Ducks Redux. And I had a blast. Next month it will be year since I play and now I'm around TOP50 in Ducks. It helps with shifting hand around the fretboard.

I'm still crap guitarist, but those games helped me quite a bit.

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Master of Rocksmith Championship
For Whom the Leaderboard Tolls
...And Song Selection List For All
Seek and Championship Class Lists

The Exercise That Never Comes

@@Mortalo don't worry, you're a nice douche :)

T-Rex Interactive | Box Kid Adventures

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Hate the games in the 2014 version; get it wrong and 'game over'! much prefer the timed games in RS. However, I've found the 'lessons' in both very useful for warm up and improving general skill. although I do need to practice alot more outside of the game.

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Just DO IT! ™ I was in your exact position right when I started, though half your age with some of my own health issues. I would have never thought of even trying to play guitar without Rocksmith until I looked into it. At the beginning, all I would do is stare down at the fretboard to play, then glance up and repeat over and over. When I first tried the A5 chord, the only way I could get it to register was to bring my hand over the top of fretboard and play it upside down so to speak. I never thought the arcade would help at all, but one day I decided to give it a shot and decided to mess around with the duck fret game. I ended up getting addicted to it and playing nothing else for like five hours straight. It was one of first games I scored over 10 million on for the achievement. I ended up trying the other games and sometimes use them as warmup and practice.

 

There are these things I like to call blocks. Some technique or skill you come across that you just cannot for the life of you, ever get down right even with consistent practice. Two big blocks for me were basic power chords and alternate picking. I practiced and practiced everyday, but it just never came out right. I got so discouraged, I just stopped playing regularly. I didn't have someone nearby who knew guitar to show me and ask questions. I did Skype with my friend and he told me the best advice that helped me personally. Just keep playing and you'll get it. And it worked. One day, it just clicked and I could do both fluidly.

In my opinion, the best thing you can do is just play everyday for as long as you're comfortable or have time for. Doesn't matter where it is, lessons, songs, jam sessions, or guitarcade. Even if you have like 10 minutes, just do it. Also, you can use YouTube for supplemental learning. Theres tons of free tutorials and lessons out there. Good luck!

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It is also good practice to try playing some easy chord songs. Or before that, just practice changing from one chord to another without any time limits. And learn the scales. They are also good practice. Before you notice, you'll be playing the easier songs without any problems. And then you'll start moving towards more difficult songs to have again new challenges..and there you go. When I started, I plaeyd only chord changes and scales for the first few months. Then I bought RS2014 and went through the lessons and the mini games. Then I started with easy songs like Ramones, Green Day, Nirvana, etc. with only few power chords. Now after a year I'm practicing sweep picking and tapping licks which seemed impossible when I first started. When you put effort and motivation to your playing, you will progress.

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Actually you are fooling yourself saying "anytime soon" specially the ""soon"" word. Playing guitar takes a while, not just a "anytime soon" again. But in the positive side if you begin to get it and you like it and you can spend the rest of your life playing then you have a pretty nice art to live with. Maybe you aren't going to replace Kurt Cobain even if the band don't exist anymore,lol but believe me playing an instrument it's a pleasure of their own.

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I totally have to disagree; as someone who walked into RS as a complete neophyte (I played decades ago, but not to the extent I do now) the exercises that are included with the game are phenominal. They're not as "boring" as just playing random scales and actually give the player a sense of accomplishment while providing randomized goals to hit.

 

It taps into a gamer's innate sense of competition against the self way more than a tutor rolling his eyes could possibly provide. Then again, your mileage may vary, as I prefer playing bass where chords aren't as integral as, say, speed and accuracy. They're still important, though, and I find that the games help get my fingers to the point where playing isn't painful.

In short, yes, they can definately translate and help you in the longr-run. Note. "Long run." It's not going to happen within a few months or even years.

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