Rocksmith

[Annoying Twit]

I note that there are no threads on Rocksmith on this forum. (There are plenty on TalkBass).

So, does anyone have any opinions on it?

I've purchased it, but have only used the six string mode. I'm continuing with conventional, non-PS3, practice on bass.

Edited August 14, 2013 by Annoying Twit

[timmo]

I have used it. It is what started me trying to learn to play Bass properly. It seems a good tool to get you started. The tutorials are useful.

Edited August 14, 2013 by timmo

[Annoying Twit]

I'm certainly finding it useful on six-string so far. It's shocking when I find things that seem simple, but I can't do. E.g. I can't play rapid repeated notes with a pick. (I never really got used to using a pick, I prefer fingers). But I'm following the software's recommended exercises, and have noticed an improvement already.

However, I have some issues with the software. Fortunately, I know a reasonable amount of music theory and hence can defend myself. But the exercises teach you to play stuff, without (yet?) giving enough of a description of why you're doing what you're doing. I can recognise that a scale is being used or that something is a fill or a riff. Those who don't know guitar may not notice such. Also, I'm finding the software a bit too easily satisfied. It was very surprising just how badly I can play one of the technical challenges, but I still get a gold medal. The tuner seems a bit too easily satisfied too. My game-playing non-musician son was asking me why I was playing some of the challenges over and over when I had already obtained a gold medal on them. Perhaps gamers would tend to rush through a bit quickly. Also, I find the method of describing notes a bit odd, and it's taking me time to learn that.Sometimes it takes me a fair while to learn something because I can't read the real-time notes coming at me on the screen.

I'd be interested if you could discuss your experiences concerning these points.

But overall I think the software is very good, provided the user knows enough to avoid various traps. Even though I've used it for over an hour today, I really want to get off the internet and have another go right now.

[manopi]

I had asked about this on another social media site and a guitarist recommended getting it based on his experiences. He increased dramatically using Rocksmith. So, I purchased it for my PC.

I have NOT increased my skill using this. It does teach you to read tab a bit - as it's a modified visual fretboard version of tab. If you want to use tab with motion, I would suggest using Songsterr. I've sight-read much more on Songsterr than playing Rocksmith.

I've also found that the advancement in-game far exceeds what you actually do. If you keep practicing the piece it doesn't add complexity in increments - by the third run-through the game figures you're Victor Wooten and you can hop around the fretboard without a care in the world and you should be playing the big stadiums already. It's frustrating. Then, when you go to concert, you're expected to play at the highest level you've reached in practice, you fail in the concert and I haven't found a way to go back and practice once you've played the venue. If you JUST pass the venue, you can't play it again - well - I can't figure out how, and I've looked.

I'm book-trained (Hal Leonard - working on book 3) and haven't had a formal lesson but I'm going to find a way to get lessons this year to see where I am in regards to what I've learned, I don't recommend Rocksmith for beginners unless there's a lot of talent there to begin with. And I don't have that talent unfortunately. Maybe, once I have some more lessons and practice under my belt, I'll reinstall Rocksmith and see where I am then. In the meantime, I don't recommend buying it unless you want to gamify your practice a bit and you're more comfortable on the bass than I am.

[Annoying Twit]

I'm only using it for guitar, not for bass. I'm now more or less only using the riff repeater to learn things. It's very useful to be able to set mastery instantly to 100%, and then slowly increase the speed. songs that I already know reasonably well so that I'm at 100% complexity I play in rehearsal mode, but I've more or less left the game mode, and am using it as a practice tool. I feel this is helping me advance quite a bit. It's also a good source of songs to play. There are some real fun choices in there.

[Mr Lizard]

It's good fun, but not recommended as a learning tool.

[subrob]

I thought this game was going to be a revelation. But.. Have put it away and don't foresee getting it out again. I've got my hifi attached to my ps3 as the game suggests, but there still appeared to be an incurable discrepancy between the moving tab graphic and where my inner muso beat clock wanted to play. The upshot of this was a several week period where my confidence in my natural time shot through the floor, major yips. Not fun.

I appreciate that this may have been some peculiarity in the tv or hifi set up as others don't appear to get this problem, so YMMV.

[Annoying Twit]

[quote name='subrob' timestamp='1381704094' post='2242737']
I thought this game was going to be a revelation. But.. Have put it away and don't foresee getting it out again. I've got my hifi attached to my ps3 as the game suggests, but there still appeared to be an incurable discrepancy between the moving tab graphic and where my inner muso beat clock wanted to play. The upshot of this was a several week period where my confidence in my natural time shot through the floor, major yips. Not fun.

I appreciate that this may have been some peculiarity in the tv or hifi set up as others don't appear to get this problem, so YMMV.
[/quote]

I believe that you can adjust the delay in the settings.