Play an instrument? Good at rhythm games?

[Captain Wrong]

Just curious. I've been a drummer for about 15 years. You'd think that'd give me an edge on games like PaRappa. Well, you'd be wrong.

I think the problem I have is I tend to play in a jazz style mostly, meaning slightly behind the beat. These games are all about being on the beat, and it gives me a fit everytime.

So, any other musicians good or bad with these games?

[WiseSalesman]

I've been a musician for 14 years, I play three instruments and sing, and I do believe that it gives me quite the edge when it comes to these games. One of my friends is the top trombone in the state, and he, like me, picked up rhythm games very quickly. On the other hand, I find that my non-musician friends have a terrible time with DDR.

PLEASE don't be insulted by this, but how much formal training have you had on drums? You can be a great instrumentalist without being a good technical player, but my theory is that the people who have been formally trained and have higher skills in the technical area will be the ones that get the advantage when it come to games like these. Plus, I think the ability to read music also helps (the arrows in DDR sort of translate in to quarter notes, etc.)

[bargora]

Eight years of violin training seems to have done nothing for my ability to crack, crack, crack the egg into the bowl. I'm still waiting in line for the toilet.

[NE146]

Coming from a musical family, my mom taught me how to play guitar when I was a a toddler, then I took classical guitar lessons from age 10 through High School. And not to mention I've played in countless bands (of numerous styles) pretty much all my life until now. How do I do? Well, I wouldn't say I "suck", but am merely ok at Guitar Freaks.

But then again I've probably played it less than 10 times :P

[Kairi]

I've played music - piano, flute and oboe since I was in 6th grade and I don't play DDR or anything but I play Space Channel 5 and I seem to have issues sometimes with the beat and junk. :/

[zmeston]

I forget which magazine it was in, but the editors had Metallica guitarist Kirk Hammett play Guitar Freaks, and he totally sucked at it. Also, I once brought my Drummania into the Working Designs offices, and Victor Ireland (a drummer in real life) totally sucked at it. Not that rock guitarists or game-company presidents are the most technically oriented musicians, but Kirk's and Victor's experiences mirror my own: skill (or lack thereof) at rhythm/music games has no relation to real-world musical ability.

To me, the appeal of R/M games (the non-DDR ones) is that they make you think you're a musical genius. Guitar Freaks, in particular, is wonderful at imparting this sensation. In real life, I've struggled to advance beyond basic guitar chords -- not that many rock and pop songs require you to play more than three -- but in GF, I'm an instant superstar.

-- Z.

[Kroogah]

Exception: Keyboardmania. Keyboardmania is so close to the real thing that if you memorize a KBM song, you can play it on a real piano (or keyboard). Piano training helps a lot with KBM, and to a certain extent with Beatmania.

[RubbarDucklin]

I was formally trained in bass guitar (a pretty rythmical instrument) and unformally trained in vocals. The bass helped me alot in DDR with listening to the music to get an edge on the beats. Expecially the unorthadox beats that dont follow a "fourths" type of beat.

[JasonMewes2001]

I suck at musical instruments, maybe I'm just good at sight reading...

[Captain Wrong]

PLEASE don't be insulted by this, but how much formal training have you had on drums? You can be a great instrumentalist without being a good technical player, but my theory is that the people who have been formally trained and have higher skills in the technical area will be the ones that get the advantage when it come to games like these. Plus, I think the ability to read music also helps (the arrows in DDR sort of translate in to quarter notes, etc.)

9 years of formal lessons plus 1 year being a music major in college.

I know what you're saying about reading music and all that, but it throws me off because they expect you to be right on top of the beat and being trained mostly in jazz, my natural inclination is slightly behind the beat. it was always embarassing to have the guitarist in my old band regularly whip my ass at Lammy.

[JasonMewes2001]

Oh, and one more thing, I do play the saxaphone. And I'm OK at it, but until they create a saxaphone styled game, I'm gonna keep on sight-reading.

[zmeston]

Exception: Keyboardmania. Keyboardmania is so close to the real thing that if you memorize a KBM song, you can play it on a real piano (or keyboard). Piano training helps a lot with KBM, and to a certain extent with Beatmania.

Agreed, and that's why I got rid of Keyboardmania; it's just a little too much for me to grasp. Same with Pop'n Music and Beatmania IIdx; they cross my personal fun/work line with their excess of buttons.

-- Z.

[Kroogah]

Agreed, and that's why I got rid of Keyboardmania; it's just a little too much for me to grasp. Same with Pop'n Music and Beatmania IIdx; they cross my personal fun/work line with their excess of buttons.

-- Z.

Ooh, I can't get enough of the large quantity of buttons in IIDX and Pop'n. Sounds like I should try Keyboardmania. Anybody got $100 I can borrow? LOL

[davidbrit2]

You can always download Doremi Mania and pray to god that it'll actually run, and that it'll work with your MIDI keyboard. ;-)

[Postermen]

I am am band director, and I believe that the beats on DDR don't line up exactly. I have been a musician for over 20 years, and thought only I had a problem with this. however, Mad Maestro is awesome.



matt

[davidbrit2]

You are correct that some songs are not quite synced correctly. If you're playing the US version of DDR Max (and possibly the Japanese version, though I haven't confirmed it yet,) go into the sound options and change the timing to +1 or +2. That helps a ton. Max actually has an issue where the entire game has the arrows coming just a tiny bit early.

[Tempest]

I've played music - piano, flute and oboe since I was in 6th grade and I don't play DDR or anything but I play Space Channel 5 and I seem to have issues sometimes with the beat and junk.


Funny you should mention Space Channel 5. I've played Trombone for about 15 years (God I'm getting old...), and I guess it gives me somewhat of an edge in rhythm games. However for some reason I still can't do Space Channel 5. I swear the timing is off or something as I'm actually tapping my foot and counting the beats.

Tempest

[WiseSalesman]

Right on. I can do TENS in DDR, but Space Channel Five gives me fits. The only way I can do it? I have completely ignore the music, look AWAY from the screen (everyone dances out of sycnh), find the tempo when the aliens/announcer says it, begiin tapping my foot in rhythm, look back onto the screen to see which button to press (based on the aliens' position), and then look away again, foot still tapping, and repeat the rhythm. I literally beat the game that way....was the only way I could do it.


And, yes, mad maestro DOES rock. :D

[Tempest]

I was really into Mad Maestro when I got it and I beat the whole game and all the concerts, but I could never beat the grand finale mode (or whatever the mode where you played all the songs was called). It seems like the game got twice as hard as I got booed after only missing two or three notes.

Tempest

[Tempest]

I have completely ignore the music, look AWAY from the screen (everyone dances out of sycnh), find the tempo when the aliens/announcer says it, begiin tapping my foot in rhythm, look back onto the screen to see which button to press (based on the aliens' position), and then look away again, foot still tapping, and repeat the rhythm. I literally beat the game that way....was the only way I could do it.


That *might* work for me, but what would be the point of playing the game then? Boring!

Tempest

[Arqueologia_Digital]

I play the guitar and i´m not very good in this kind of games...

[Captain Wrong]

I've played music - piano, flute and oboe since I was in 6th grade and I don't play DDR or anything but I play Space Channel 5 and I seem to have issues sometimes with the beat and junk.


Funny you should mention Space Channel 5. I've played Trombone for about 15 years (God I'm getting old...), and I guess it gives me somewhat of an edge in rhythm games. However for some reason I still can't do Space Channel 5. I swear the timing is off or something as I'm actually tapping my foot and counting the beats.

Tempest

No, I think you're dead on about this. Like I said, I'm a drummer, and if I may brag a bit, I've been tested against a metronome for keeping steady time and was dead on it. However, I got so frustrated with Space Channel 5 I never finished it. SC5 is off ever so slightly. Considering I did get through all the Parappa games and all that, I'm convinced it's the game and not me.

[WiseSalesman]

I have completely ignore the music, look AWAY from the screen (everyone dances out of sycnh), find the tempo when the aliens/announcer says it, begiin tapping my foot in rhythm, look back onto the screen to see which button to press (based on the aliens' position), and then look away again, foot still tapping, and repeat the rhythm. I literally beat the game that way....was the only way I could do it.


That *might* work for me, but what would be the point of playing the game then? Boring!

Tempest

Well, see, I had bought it because I found it for a really good price (i think it was $2) and people had been raving about it. I figured, "Hey! I paid for it I might as well play through it." :D Besides, it only took me about 15 minutes or so to get through it, and now I know the "story" etc of the game.

And anyone who owns DDR MAX USA, I highly reccomend davidbrit's tip from above. I set the timing to +1 on my copy, and immediately passed exotic ethnic heavy for the first time and improved my score on rhythm and police heavy by a letter grade.