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Rocksmith/Bandfuse...

#41
RustyAxe said:
Hmmm ... you sure are defensive! I'm sure you already know it all, so I defer to your vast experience ... like I said, I don't care what YOU do. If you think you're learning the bass, then have at it. Did you miss the part where I encouraged you to take REAL lessons? I though so.
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Look, it makes no sense to thread-crap. Everyone is well-aware that a $65 game can't do a great job teaching some things like physical technique or create custom lessons targeting your deficiencies, like a $65 per hour instructor can. Continuing to point this out is beating a very dead horse.

If you don't want to discuss these specific programs (Rocksmith and Bandfuse), feel free to create your own thread on the evils of computerized instruction.
 
#44
I fully understand these games are not for everyone but I think its silly to completely disregard them as a learning tool - one of many learning tools. Both games have extensive tutorials and lessons which are geared to assist a complete novice understand everything from the various parts of an instrument to simple techniques to scale work and more advanced techniques. Both games are also available with bundles which include a real guitar. So for an investment of slightly more than a hundred bucks, someone who knows absolutely nothing about playing a guitar, can come home with one and immediately start learning how to play.

Bandfuse has players like Slash, George Lynch and Bootsy Collins who have prepared multiple video lessons within the game to help players with things like how to warm up all the way to how to market your music with many interactive tutorials and backing tracks to play along with.

Rocksmith has a Session Mode which allows you to pick any key and just about any type of scale to play along with, allowing you to adjust tempo and the number and type of instruments which will jam in the background based on the dynamics of your playing.

Do these things take the place of actual instruction from a professional? Absolutely not and nobody has suggested otherwise. But do these games have value in terms of introducing the instrument to people and teaching them fundementals at their own pace without the pressure of walking into real lessons with zero knowledge? Absolutely. To simply dismiss them as a game and nothing more shows that one hasn't looked at the games at all and is simply basing an opinion on them based on the Guitar Hero type of games - which I fully admit contribute zero from a musicianship point of view. These games, however, are not Guitar Hero type games.

Lastly, as Gregmon pointed out, the games are also fun for those of us who already know how to play. People like me never got into Guitar Hero becasue just pushing buttons on a controller does nothing for me. But tweaking my bass tone and actually playing my bass is fun for me. I'm also starting to mess around with a guitar for the first time because of these games. So they are well worth the price.
 
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#45
I got RS 2014 for Christmas. It took me 6 days and I can play Losing my Religion on bass with about 92% accuracy on master mode (no note highway). I played my bass more the past week than the previous month that I owned it.

IF anything it forces you to become more familiar with the fretboard. I find the other songs I was learning prior to owning Rocksmith now seem a little easier.
 
#46
The funny thing, is that the only people who have bad things to say about it are the ones who haven't even tried it. Hell, I've seen people who laugh at it, but Guitar Hero got them interested in playing in the first place.

Bottom line, for a game I'd get it for my kids over call of duty any day.
 
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#49
RustyAxe said:
Yep ... 45+ years of bass guitar & double bass, 45+ of guitar, and 50+ years of piano ... more bands than I can remember, quite a few students over the years. I am clueless. You're right, of course. I'm just old and in the way. :rolleyes:
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Don't brag about 'more bands than you can remember' because judging from the attitude you've shown in this thread, you were probably kicked out of most of them. Old and in the way, yes. You are. Not meant as an insult, but the truth is that lessons have changed. If you have a tool that helps motivate you to practice, why not use it? Is it perfect? No, but does it make what you normally find boring and monotonous fun? Sure.

Practicing is not quite what it was before the days of the internet. We have so much crap that distracts us from it. I, personally have ADD because of all of the stimulants in the world around me. I'll spend more time on guitar/bass sites than I spend WITH my guitar/bass. That is stupid. But that is the reality. I'm 31, and just picking up bass. I need whatever I can do to help me. I found a teacher, in fact a member on this forum. Hopefully he can help me keep at it to be the best I can be.

So, stop being a 'rusty axe' and go get sharpened. Because you can't 'cut it' in this day and age if you aren't going to change with the times. I make use of every resource I can and not just the traditional ones.
 
#51
As a experienced musician who owns both I like rocksmith more it's far more polished the set list if you have the first one and some dlc has way more songs. Not to mention half the songs on bandfuse are on rocksmith. About tab I don't really like tab as it hindered my learning of theory back in the day so both game lack in the notation department. What I will give band fuse is how it actually counts timing.
 
#53
I don't get all the hate from RustyAxe.

Why is playing Rocksmith not learning the bass? There are many lessons on basic technique and also games built in that get you more familiar with where you are on the fretboard. How is that not learning the bass? What do you call it?

I'm taking lessons AND playing Rocksmith and have made significant progress in 2 weeks.
 
#54
MarshallNole said:
I don't get all the hate from RustyAxe.

Why is playing Rocksmith not learning the bass? There are many lessons on basic technique and also games built in that get you more familiar with where you are on the fretboard. How is that not learning the bass? What do you call it?

I'm taking lessons AND playing Rocksmith and have made significant progress in 2 weeks.
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Like most old-timers, Rusty is deathly afraid of change. He will forever think the way he did it was the only way to accomplish it properly.
 
#55
I find it funny how people always have to complain about how technology makes things more easy.. Even if the the games are not perfect nor is a teacher or a method book. Why not take the best of all learning tools to help you learn. I myself use the Ed Friedland method books, take lessons, jam with friends and band and use these game aswell and they do help.
 
#56
Let's not allow him to derail the discussion any further. Let's get back to the subject.

Are there downloadable songs available for Bandfuse? And do the songs that have been released for the original Rocksmith also work on RS2014?

I always wondered, given the popularity of these programs, why there weren't more songs available. The vast majority of recordings should be relatively easy to split into reasonable parts. I guess re-creating the effects and building the tabs takes some time, but these companies have tons of resources to do that work. And it seems like it would be an easy way for the music publishers to make more money legitimately, as compared to, say, YouTube streaming. I'd gladly pay a few dollars for a song I've always wanted to practice just for the fun factor, rather than looping it on my computer.

I'm guessing most of the hold-ups are on the licensing aspects rather than technical difficulties.
 
#58
Troph said:
Let's not allow him to derail the discussion any further. Let's get back to the subject.
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+1 - I felt the need to defend the games a bit but I feel like I've made my case in as respectful a manner as I could. Time to move on.

Troph said:
Are there downloadable songs available for Bandfuse? And do the songs that have been released for the original Rocksmith also work on RS2014?
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Bandfuse will have downloadable content beginning at the end of this month with the following songs:

Jimi Hendrix - "Fire" and "Love Or Confusion"
Pantera - "Cowboys From Hell"
The Offspring - "All I want"
Incubus- "Pardon Me"
Lynyrd Skynyrd - "Simple Man"
Boston- "Foreplay / Long Time"
Yes - "Roundabout"
Blues Traveler - "Runaround"
Filter - "Hey Man Nice Shot"

I know this isn't a huge list but its a start. There's no doubt Rocksmith has more songs available right now. But I find that I like the majority of the BF songs whereas there's a lot of stuff on RS I don't care for. However, one of the reasons I own both games is to get as much content as I can. I'm not sure about using the songs from RS1 on RS2014 but I think there's a way. Perhaps some of the longtime RS users can chime in on this point.

Troph said:
I'm guessing most of the hold-ups are on the licensing aspects rather than technical difficulties.
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I think thats it exactly. I know the BF guys are working as hard as they can to add more content but its no secret that they don;t have the resources Ubisoft has so content will be slower coming. But again, thats why I think both games are worth having.
 
#59
Very well put strohman. Those were all the points I was thinking to the T.

I do hope they come out with dlc rather quickly fit bandfuse. It would be nice. I'm not willing to fork out the $80 or whatever for rocksmith at this time. Even though I spend money on pedals when it's readily available. I guess it's different with games, cause they're games. But I do enjoy bandfuse. IMO it's a great way to practice. I'm trying to get better with a pick as I am a finger player and bandfuse is a perfect tool for the job. Speaking of tool, I hope they get some tool songs on BF. I know licensing is a B but there were some on guitar hero, I think it was, so I'm anxious to see what the future holds for BF.
 
#60
If you own the original RS, you can import its songs for another $10 import fee. In theory this gives you re-mastered versions, but I hated the fee anyway.

But it is more of the same- mostly metal songs from groups I don't like. I did it anyway, as there are several I do like, and it was cheaper than the $3 DLC prices.

Looking at my mp3 playlists, I see 200+ 80's rock and 250+ recent country songs they are missing...
 

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