Rocksmith 2014 Review

Rocksmith 2014, available on all platforms (except next-gen consoles)

Dear all,

the reason I have not written that much lately is because I have been testing the latest and greatest guitar learning tool very thoroughly on all kinds of levels to find out if it is indeed a useful addition to your guitar lessons. I am talking about Rocksmith (2014 edition).

First off: what is Rocksmith?

It is a video designed to help anyone to learn to play the guitar (or bass) or improve on their existing skills. It was released in the end of October and I myself got a copy 3 months ago.

I wanted to find out myself how and if it works. So let us get to it!

How it works

What you need to know is:

- you need a guitar (duh)

- you need A) a current-gen console (Xbox 360 or PS3) or B) a computer

- If you already have a Rocksmith cable: you can just buy the game itself
  If you do not own a Rocksmith cable yet, you will need to buy the bundle/pack, since Rocksmith transfers your guitar sound through a regular guitar input jack that has a USB end.

Right, now that's sorted, let's get into the game itself.

I am not going into the specifics of how things work, but I am going into the game modes, there are 3 modes that will be interesting for any guitarist:

- play-along

- session mode (jam sessions)

- lessons

Rocksmith also includes some fun minigames, but you will be very likely to only play those once or twice.

So let's start off with what you're probably buying it for in the first place.

The play-along mode

After tuning your guitar to that of your choice (being lead or rhythm), you can start playing along with many, many rock, pop and metal songs that are available in-game. You play the notes based on a (not so handy) interface and as you are progressing in the song, more and more notes and chords will be visible so that eventually, you will be able to play along with your favorite song.

This is a great feature and a very realistic one too: it offers that real feeling of being on stage playing that song, while also teaching you to play it in the meantime.

However, there are some downsides to the game that can sometimes ruin the fun a bit. For example, if you go with the console version of the game, you might notice a lag between when you actually play the notes and they are registered by Rocksmith. And like I said a bit earlier, the interface can be quite confusing and unclear when playing Rocksmith the first few times.

Session mode

Undoubtedly one of the most exciting modes in Rocksmith, where you get to choose what instruments join your gig, the music genre, what scale you'll be playing in, the tempo etc. and the game will figure out all the rest. It will play slower and more quiet as you pause but as soon as you start playing again everything goes more up-tempo and adjusts itself to you and your guitar.

Just like the play-along mode, this is a great way of learning new stuff, so matter what level you're already on. Even very advanced guitar players will enjoy these two modes.

Lessons

The last section you will sometimes go to, is the lessons. These cover the basics of all guitar techniques and some lessons even go a bit more in-depth. However, if you are an advanced guitar player, you shouldn't learn anything new browsing through these lessons.

Conclusion

Rocksmith is an enjoyable tool to learn how to play the guitar and even to improve your existing skills. There are numerous videos on YouTube showing just how much you can progress playing this entertaining game in a short period of time. Also for the more advanced players, there are quite some cool features to explore, but as you are already more experienced you'll probably end up playing the play-along modes. 

That's what I did too, but that's not necessarily a bad thing: I have picked up more songs and cool passages and riffs in this short period of playing Rocksmith than ever before. And that's great, since I can now play along with entire songs people know, when they come over and visit.

And to be honest: if the Rocksmith games succeed in making their interface a bit more intuitive, they may have found a huge promotor of the game.

If I were to rate this game, I'd give it an 82/100

PROS

fun 

lots of modes 

minigames

entertainment for guests coming over

CONS

interface

latency in signal

As a last piece of advise, if you go out and buy Rocksmith 2014, make sure you buy it for your PC. It will be a much more enjoyable experience. 

Rock on.

Great Android Guitar Apps (some also on iOS)

Hey Guys, time for something a little different: let's have a look at the best apps to help you to improve as a guitarist or have nifty tricks up your sleeve on the go.

Here are my go to apps: (make sure to read the note at the end of this article :) )

gStrings (Play Store link here)

First off, you need a good tuning app. You will use it more often than you would think as long as the app is reliable, simple and clean. And that's exactly where gStrings steps up  (this Play Store link contains the free version with ads): you can customize it all you want so it matches your will, it works great when set on auto tune. However I would suggest going into the settings, select 'Optimize for' the guitar, of course. If you get prompted to install the 'new' Waves tuner app by the same developer, you can try, but if I were you, I'd stick with gStrings. It's cleaner and easier in its interface. And most importantly, it gets the job done nice and fast. 
If you feel like supporting the developer or want to get rid of the ads, consider going for the 3€ pro version.

Guitar Jam Tracks Scales Buddy (Play Store link)

Next, you will need an app that adjusts its scales, backing tracks, etc. all to your will. However, these apps are difficult to find and are either not complete or pricey. In this case, I'd recommend Guitar Jam Tracks Scales Buddy, which is on sale right now, so you should be able to get it for 3$ . This app is available on both platforms, but costs more on the App Store.

The app has an outdated interface, but is so powerful it is really worth the many MBs of storage. Hook it up with your practice amp (like I do with my Micro Cube) and you can have lots of hours of fun, while discovering new things. An absolute recommendation for any guitarist.

Guitar Amp Settings (Play Store link)

Guitar Amp Settings is an old and unknown app, but it might come in handy for a beginning artist, when you're not sure how to get that tone of one of your favourite songs. It gives you the amp settings for some of the most famous songs. Of course you need to keep in mind the neutral tone of your amp, but it steers you in the right direction. 

AnySong Chord Recognition (Play Store link)

AnySong Chord Recognition as the title says is made to recognize and display the chords played in a song stored on your device. The free app does it for the first 40 seconds, the full version does the same for entire songs. As always, try out the free versions before moving to the paid app, but it's a really nifty tool, so make sure to check it out!
It's an 'old' app, but then again, the tool is so useful and unique, I don't mind and my guess is: neither will you.

NOTE: This article will be updated regularly as I discover more great apps, and you suggest your favourites! Make sure to sure this article with your guitar playing friends and give feedback. Together we can make a great list of useful guitar apps!

Analogman Sunface BC-108 Fuzz Pedal Review

Alright, everyone, I know it has been a while (I had finals this month) but I am going to try and make up for it.
And I am going to do that by reviewing the very first pedal in order of my own pedal board. For those of you who aren't that experienced in the order of pedals in the pedal chain, I will upload the most common order soon, but you can always experiment a little bit and see what you like best.

Anyway, back to the pedal: The BC-108 Sunface is a fuzzface pedal made by Mike from Analogman.

Analogman is kind of similar to Keeley, it creates some pedals but is also well known for its modding of popular pedals. The BC-108 is one of their own pedals. They produce several types of fuzz pedals, using different circuits, transistors, etc. The silicon based BC-108 is a 70's style fuzz, which creates that typical David Gilmour and even Jimmi Hendix fuzz tone.

As soon as you turn it on, you can start experimenting and there is lots of experimenting to do: just like most high-end fuzz pedals, it is extremely versatile. Change the amount of fuzz, and you can anywhere from that dirty sound, infinite-sustain like fuzz to a slight drive. Change the amount of volume and you get even more tones, ranging from a fat, to a thinner fuzz.

Same goes when you touch your volume knobs on the guitar itself, it doesn't decrease the actual volume, but it does make your fuzz more or less fat, depending on in which direction you roll your volume knob.

I'd recommend this pedal for anyone who plays Led Zepplin, Pink Floyd, Jimmi Hendrix and all similar artists from that era. If you are going to order one from Analogman's shop, I do highly recommend not saving on the LED and power jack options. The rest is up to you.

One little tip however: if you do not own a tube amp, you might want to consider something else, because this thing really shines combined with (loud) tube amps. It creates the best and sweetest sound you'll ever hear combined with a tube driver, or a tube amp cracked all the way up.

Another thing worth noting, even if you have a tube amp, is its relatively hefty price tag. I will tell you however, that this pedal has been in my board a long, long time, and I have never regretted buying it, even though it's not the cheapest of pedals. Quality comes at a cost, so they say, and in this case you'll end up paying 215 USD (more or less 180 euros after taxes).