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Rock Smith

Discussion in 'Other games' started by Duplolas, Jan 21, 2014.

Mods: BlueLuigi
  1. Duplolas

    Duplolas So Sad

    Messages:
    917
    I am thinking about putting out the money to try to learn to play the guitar using Rock Smith. Anyone here played the game that can give me some of their own experience with Rock Smith? Like, is it worth the money? How fast can you learn? So on.
     
  2. Bint

    Bint Haxor

    Messages:
    536
    I'd assume having actual lessons would be better value for your money, but then again I can't remember shit from mine : p
     
    dnmr likes this.
  3. Duplolas

    Duplolas So Sad

    Messages:
    917
    Well the website says you can learn in 2 months. That, it is the fastest and easiest way to learn guitar.

    I have looked up lessons, and they are expensive as hell. 100 bucks a month essentially.
     
  4. Bint

    Bint Haxor

    Messages:
    536
    Yer, I suppose you're better off buying it, "2 months" is kinda subjective though but I guess you'd be able to teach yourself along with it.
     
  5. Hella

    Hella The Nightmare of Hair Global Moderator Donator Tester

    Messages:
    1,655
    Firstly, I'm assuming two months would mean two months solid, no sleep, no eats, no sneakily jacking off into the amp. From what I've heard, the rough amount of practice to truly master an instrument and not simply be just another pretentious dickweed wielding his acoustic to show that he's a totally radical dude at gatherings is 10,000 hours.

    On the other hand, it's always up to you if you want to be taught how to play the guitar through endless repetition of sequences with nothing but a cold, heartless machine grading you automatically. It may be cheaper, but it all depends on whether or not you want the human interaction who can guide you through the process with actual human emotion. If you go for the robot, then it'll be a longshot as to whether or not they'll be an attractive one. If you're lucky, your tutor could be real hot, with a great big bushy beard.

    A word of warning; I've heard from my sources that about 90% of the second hand guitars you buy have been hacked, and had their chips changed so they track your credit card details. Be wary, dude.
     
    Guitarman, UnnamedPlayer and dnmr like this.
  6. Duplolas

    Duplolas So Sad

    Messages:
    917
    Few things.

    1. My jacking off skills are extreme. You have no idea how good I am.

    2. "Pretentious dickweed" was what I was going for, but it seems that may be too much time.

    3. I prefer my men waxed.

    4. I'm super poor already, so it doesn't matter much. Plus, when you buy gas with a credit card, it is transferred to the central server/pc inside the main shop via WiFi. All that is needed to steal your credit card is some form of Man-in-the-middle and maybe decryption software.

    5. @Bitch_Pleasicus According to the reviews, 2 months is done by practicing atleast an hour each day, which doesn't seem that bad.
     
  7. Hella

    Hella The Nightmare of Hair Global Moderator Donator Tester

    Messages:
    1,655
    Jacking off into the amp isn't an option with Rocksmith anyway, and doing straight onto the tv is much messier and less visually appealing. See, this even cheats you of the smallest pleasures in life.
    Pretentious dickweed is pretty easy to achieve, you just need to know the chords for Smoke on the Water and the latest unnecessarily popular pop song, as well as worship a few highly niche indie bands, and have voice so nasal that it puts dogs on edge.
    Waxed men melt far to easy; it's better to take them chunky, like an apple pie.
    If you're super poor but you have 1337 h4x0r skills, why are you super poor?

    The 2 months you are talking about refers to the 60 day challenge that they organise; it's simply playing an hour a day, and it's supposed to have you knowing all the important techniques by the end of it, and allow you to "have the ability to play through a variety of song". Absolutely perfect for the average pretentious dickweed wannabe.
     
    Guitarman and Bint like this.
  8. Bint

    Bint Haxor

    Messages:
    536
    Yet.

    Anyway, as long as you get the basics down you can pretty much teach yourself from there, it's not like there's a shortage of tutorials online anyway.
     
  9. Geti

    Geti Please avoid PMing me (poke a mod instead) THD Team Administrator Global Moderator

    Messages:
    3,730
    Honestly just pick up a $40 3/4 nylon acoustic and play every day for an hour. Learn a few chords, then tab, learn a few songs each week (sing along! fuck the neighbours!) and do your thing from there. I've been playing since I was 12, it's nice to be able to play some music after a long day, and even more fun with friends.

    (alternative answer: fuck rocksmith they launched like 20 games the first day KAG was on steam and flooded the newest tab)
     
  10. Duplolas

    Duplolas So Sad

    Messages:
    917
    Thanks guy. I appreciate the feedback.

    @Geti

    I'm 17 and pretty well built, would a 3/4 sized guitar be ok for me? I see "First Act" and "Junior" guitars on sale all the time on craigslist, and they are much cheaper than anything else.

    The two deals I have been eyeing are:

    http://fredericksburg.craigslist.org/msg/4260020980.html

    Which is a "First Act" electric with an soft case. $35. He said its about 2/3 the size of a regular one.

    and,

    http://fredericksburg.craigslist.org/msg/4237697127.html

    Which is just a standard full sized electric guitar, nothing else. It is in really good condition, he sent me a pic, it is basically new. One of those guys who bought it for a new years resolution to learn how to play and then gave up. $50.

    Both are a good deal. Best ones on craigslist. Just don't know which would be best.
     
    Last edited: Jan 22, 2014
  11. Geti

    Geti Please avoid PMing me (poke a mod instead) THD Team Administrator Global Moderator

    Messages:
    3,730
    3/4 acoustics are just nice to carry around, much lighter. Means you can practice in the sun or on the deck.

    Get a full size electric after you can actually play something and can afford an amp, case and other paraphenalia. $50 for a squire is a good deal but you need a lot more stuff to actually get any sound out of it. You'll need at least an amp and a lead plus the guitar, and a stand or case for it would also be advised lest your new prized possession come crashing to the ground or take up space on the couch. Cheap shitty amp will cost you 50+ dollars and sound like sloppy farts, good middle of the road amp will set you back at least 150-300 dollars. Lead will be 10 bucks or so.

    With a cheap accoustic you can lean it in the corner of a room without feeling too bad, and you don't have to plug anything in or switch anything on (or more importantly afford those things) before playing.

    Learning on nylon strings is also more forgiving on pissweak fingers ;D

    Edit:

    A few craigslist things in your area

    http://fredericksburg.craigslist.org/msg/4276977134.html
    Steel string cheap accoustic. This will be rough as hell on your fingers, you might want to pick up some lighter guage strings or invest in some super glue (or just harden up I guess).

    http://fredericksburg.craigslist.org/msd/4271523460.html
    This guy seems to sell a lot of them, 60 bucks w/ tuner, case, strap and extra strings isn't a bad deal at all.

    http://fredericksburg.craigslist.org/msd/4248045601.html
    No price listed, will probably be a bit more pricey but you could swing by and have a look.
     
    Last edited: Jan 23, 2014
  12. Duplolas

    Duplolas So Sad

    Messages:
    917
    Thanks a lot for the advice Geti. I really appreciate it ::):
     
  13. rocker2

    rocker2 Ballista Bolt Thrower
    1. PumpkinStars - [Pk#] - Inactive

    Messages:
    256
    @Duplolas

    You really have to play a guitar and get a feel for it before buying one - I really wouldn't recommend buying off the internet 'cuz you never know what you're getting - Sometimes a guitar's action will be messed up, sometimes it will just sound like crap. My personal advice is - If you're really motivated and feel like guitar is actually something you are going to continue, head up to a guitar-oriented store like Guitar Center (in person) and try out a few guitars, get a feel for what you like.

    I'm personally a Gibson man - My family has had an SG and a Les Paul for as long as I remember, and I really like the way they play. And of course, if you're going to be playing a Gibson for rock music, there's no better amp than a Marshall- keep in mind that a tube amp (not a solid state, they sound bad) is actually going to cost you $500+ new (unless you get the class 5, but I'm not sure that they make those anymore), so you have to be sure that you're ready to make the investment if you get one.

    If you are a country music type of person or you don't want your neighbors calling the police, I'd recommend checking out Fender - the Tele and Strat are a very solid build and great for beginners. They are also relatively cheaper, as you can buy a brand new Strat for around $500. That said, you're not going to get a really distorted, heavy sound with a fender, mainly because it doesn't have hum buckers or even p90s (types of pickups).

    If you are looking for something a lot cheaper, try checking out Epiphone and Squire, which are basically the cheaper versions of Gibson and Fender. They're made in China and lack some of the detail and technology that go into the higher end brands, but they're fine for the most part, if you do not mind those kind of things.

    In terms of amps, a tube amp is by far the best, but is going to cost you a lot and requires some maintenance. However, a solid state amp will not deliver the same tone or "belch." I am really not an acoustic player, so I don't know anything about acoustic amps.

    For extra equipment, you will probably need a stand for the guitar and a case - Both are relatively cheep, I recommend buying them used online, but just remember to check that the case will fit your guitar first. You'll also need cords and strings, which can be bought very cheap at Guitar Center.

    Assuming that you live in Fredricksburg, VA, you will probably want to check Chuck Levins and Guitar Center (I live around where you live [DC], so I've actually been to these places) in Rockville and Fairfax (I think that Rockville is better).

    If you've read through all of this, good luck - I've never played Rocksmith, but I've heard that it's good.

    E: Credentials - Been taking lessons since I was 6, summer job at guitar store, experience playing in groups, etc.
     
    Last edited: Jan 28, 2014
  14. Geti

    Geti Please avoid PMing me (poke a mod instead) THD Team Administrator Global Moderator

    Messages:
    3,730
    (really fantastically referenced post above)

    I'd still recommend going acoustic while learning and apparently pretty frugal - the cost of entry is the main thing on my mind, since you keep mentioning sub-$100 amounts. Keen to hear about the outcome of all of this chatter either way.
     
    rocker2 likes this.
  15. Duplolas

    Duplolas So Sad

    Messages:
    917
    So I ended up buying that fender squire, and oh boy, I nearly shit my pants trying to buy it.

    [​IMG]

    There it is.

    The story behind it is that a step-son was selling it without his mom knowing for drug money. He rolled up in this beat up ricer car, spoiler, lowered, the usual, blasting dubstep. He rolls down the window and out pours a wave of marijuana smell. So I check it out, pretend like I know what I am talking about, at this point I'm just hoping he and his 21 year old Mexican friend smoking a blunt in broad daylight don't just keep the guitar and take my cash. I take it after 30 seconds of "checking it out", paid my $50 bucks, and got the fuck out of there.

    I then drove 50 minutes home without looking at the condition, opened up the bag, and then out popped this beauty. Theres a small dent on the bottom left side and a small scratch on the upper left side, both are not noticeable unless you are looking for them specifically.

    And that is how I got my guitar.

    I am ordering the Rock smith cord today and i'll keep you guys posted. Thanks for all the advice guys ::D:
     
    Guitarman, rocker2, Geti and 2 others like this.
  16. Geti

    Geti Please avoid PMing me (poke a mod instead) THD Team Administrator Global Moderator

    Messages:
    3,730
    Hope you enjoy it :^)

    Craigslist deals can always be dodgy as hell, haha.
     
  17. Humblar_Tabulu

    Humblar_Tabulu TURTLE Turtle turtle... Donator

    Messages:
    186
    So guitar. Much wow
     
  18. 8x

    8x Elimination Et Choix Traduisant la Realité Forum Moderator Staff Alumni Tester
    1. The Young Blood Collective - [YB]

    Messages:
    1,325
    After 2 months you will be able of playing a few things, but after 6 months you will see you know nothing ::P:

    I'd suggest you to play raw, with no effects at all, and going for lessons. I'm sure you will learn more with a good teacher than with any software.
     
  19. Duplolas

    Duplolas So Sad

    Messages:
    917
    If I don't learn anything from using rocksmith, I probably will take a few lessons.
    --- Double Post Merged, Feb 10, 2014, Original Post Date: Feb 3, 2014 ---
    Just an update on the game.

    Its been 10 days since I started. This video shows how well I can play after doing a hour to two hours a day, each day, in 10 days.



    How well do you think I am doing @Geti and @rocker2? Am I learning really fast or slow? How well is Rocksmith teaching me?

    From what I see, I think I am learning pretty quick.
     
    8x likes this.
  20. Geti

    Geti Please avoid PMing me (poke a mod instead) THD Team Administrator Global Moderator

    Messages:
    3,730
    Not bad, riffy rock songs are a good staple, haha.

    As 8x says, the way you're learning will be great for learning songs, but isn't likely to give you a particularly well rounded education. If you just want to be able to play specific songs then that's fine, but it would probably be a good idea to pick up some scales and chords for general knowledge, composition and improvisation's sake.

    Seems ok so far though, for 10 days it's probably a good thing for you to be getting some fun out of it.

    Stick at it.
     
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