Rock Band - Impressions...

JackB1 · Post by **JackB1** » Mon Dec 01, 2008 9:54 pm

Sport73 wrote:I picked up the "Universal Rock Band Drum Silencers" from Best Buy, and I recommend them if you're getting the original RB1 drum kit. While nowhere near silent, they do greatly reduce the 'THWAP' noise heard on naked kits, and improve stick bounce-back enough to make playing more pleasurable.

Worth the $20.

for about the same $$ you can get real drum silencer practice pads at a local music store. Just cut them into the correctly sized circles and use some double sided carpet tape. Works great! I bought a huge piece and cut 4 circles out of it.

JackB1 · Post by **JackB1** » Mon Dec 01, 2008 9:55 pm

how bad do I want this baby?

http://www.amazon.com/Xbox-360-Drum-Roc ... roduct_top

I could imagine the look on my wife's face

dbdynsty25 · Post by **dbdynsty25** » Mon Dec 01, 2008 11:08 pm

With these Rock Band track packs that come out...can you rip those to the PS3/360?

I noticed Track Pack 2 just came out...and I'm wondering if you can just rent it...unlock the songs and then return it, while still being able to play the songs. Or do you have to keep the game to use em?

JackB1 · Post by **JackB1** » Tue Dec 02, 2008 1:10 am

dbdynsty25 wrote:With these Rock Band track packs that come out...can you rip those to the PS3/360?

I noticed Track Pack 2 just came out...and I'm wondering if you can just rent it...unlock the songs and then return it, while still being able to play the songs. Or do you have to keep the game to use em?

I would think you could copy them to your hard drive and send back the disc, like people have been doing with the AC/DC pack. I might try this too.
Get a copy from gamefly and rip em.

Gonna need a new hd for my 360 soon

btmmayor · Post by **btmmayor** » Tue Dec 02, 2008 12:00 pm

JackB1 wrote:
I would think you could copy them to your hard drive and send back the disc, like people have been doing with the AC/DC pack.

I thought that the AC/DC pack came with a one time use code to transfer the songs.

Leebo33 · Post by **Leebo33** » Tue Dec 02, 2008 1:12 pm

btmmayor wrote:I thought that the AC/DC pack came with a one time use code to transfer the songs.

It does. Anyone in possession of the disk after the code is used would have to play them off the disk.

I thought your idea to "silence" the RB1 drums was brilliant. I tried it and it makes a big difference, but I won't get to try it out in game until tonight.

dbdynsty25 · Post by **dbdynsty25** » Tue Dec 02, 2008 1:23 pm

So it's probably pretty safe to assume that if you buy the "Track Pack Volume 2" you can transfer the songs, but if you rent it, you can only play it when the disc is in your possession. That sucks. You should at least be able to pay the 5 bucks for a new "transfer" code like you could do with RB1 to RB2.

btmmayor · Post by **btmmayor** » Tue Dec 02, 2008 3:10 pm

Leebo33 wrote:I thought your idea to "silence" the RB1 drums was brilliant. I tried it and it makes a big difference, but I won't get to try it out in game until tonight.

Yeah, its great. My brother-in-law actually came up with the idea when he was playing and told me just to wrap some foam around the sticks with a rubberband. We then both hit my garage and started digging until we came across the weatherstrip roll. The foam didn't work because of sensitivity issues but the weatherstip is 100% perfect.

I enjoy playing the drums so much more now after applying it. I wrap the strip around the stick a couple of times until I create a nice foam ball on the end, then just loop a small rubber-band around the base where it meets the stick and a small, cut down strip of tape around the middle of the foam. I always thought that a very small rubber-band ball around the stick tips might also work but I've never tried that.

The best thing is that it does not affect the sensitivity of the pad at all while still silencing it and providing a nice bounce. I've tried quite a few different mods but none are as silent as the weatherstrip.

Teal · Post by **Teal** » Thu Dec 04, 2008 4:51 pm

For all you guys who keep breaking kick pedals...

http://www.xbox360fanboy.com/2008/12/04 ... ps-kickin/

sportdan30 · Post by **sportdan30** » Thu Dec 04, 2008 5:50 pm

Per a rumored blog:

If Country Music Television can be believed Rock Band is about to add a little bit country to its rock and roll.

CMT blogger Alison Bonaguro writes that on December 16 Rock Band will be adding five country songs to its 400-plus repertoire of mostly rock. The songs will only be added via the online store, so none of them make it to the PS2.

The set will include songs by Bentley, Brad Paisley, Brooks & Dunn, Miranda Lambert and the Dixie Chicks. Apparently the news comes straight from Bentley, a fan of the game, who will be talking about it during Friday's episode of Top 20 Countdown with Lance Smith this Friday.

webdanzer · Post by **webdanzer** » Thu Dec 11, 2008 9:22 pm

AC/DC track pack dropping to $30 on a Walmart sale starting this Sunday. (Ps2 version going to $20)

http://rockband.scorehero.com/forum/vie ... sc&start=0

That puts it much closer to DLC 'albums' in per song price. Good chance I'll grab this now. A lot of songs look fun to play, but I wasn't going to help allow them to set a precedent of over 2$ a song.

Some folks on the linked thread have said they have already found it at their local Walmarts for the sale price.

I hope they didn't move many at $40.

MizzouRah · Post by **MizzouRah** » Thu Dec 11, 2008 10:26 pm

Nice find web!!!

I wasn't paying $40 either..

webdanzer · Post by **webdanzer** » Tue Dec 16, 2008 11:05 am

I did pick up the AC/DC pack. Looks to be quite a fun time on guitar, unsurprisingly.

WTF is with that Expert guitar solo intro to Highway to Hell, though?! Failed that thing at 9% four times in row last night!

Harmonix starting to deliver on top tier difficulty songs that aren't metal...

...with country!

Check out this guitar chart:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tDl4_oDu44M

Brando70 · Post by **Brando70** » Tue Dec 16, 2008 11:11 am

webdanzer wrote:I did pick up the AC/DC pack. Looks to be quite a fun time on guitar, unsurprisingly.

WTF is with that Expert guitar solo intro to Highway to Hell, though?! Failed that thing at 9% four times in row last night!

Harmonix starting to deliver on top tier difficulty songs that aren't metal...

...with country!

Check out this guitar chart:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tDl4_oDu44M

They need to release the Lurleen Lumkin track pack so I can play "Bagged Me a Homer."

btmmayor · Post by **btmmayor** » Tue Dec 16, 2008 11:33 am

Brando70 wrote:They need to release the Lurleen Lumkin track pack so I can play "Bagged Me a Homer."

Better still, they could release an entire track pack and also include "Your Wife Don't Understand You" (my personal favorite) and "Bunk With me Tonight". Sadly enough I would buy that instantly.

Brando70 · Post by **Brando70** » Tue Dec 16, 2008 12:54 pm

BTW, I found The Killers "Mr. Brightside" surprisingly difficult on guitar. The chords are all arpeggiated, which I didn't expect. I figured it would be a chord strum walk in the park like "When You Were Young" but failed it the first couple times I tried.

I think the mrs. got me RB2 so I can finally upgrade. I'm looking forward to doing a bass career, something I always wanted to do in the original (and an instrument more suited to my limited skill set).

Naples39 · Post by **Naples39** » Tue Dec 16, 2008 1:24 pm

Brando70 wrote:BTW, I found The Killers "Mr. Brightside" surprisingly difficult on guitar. The chords are all arpeggiated, which I didn't expect. I figured it would be a chord strum walk in the park like "When You Were Young" but failed it the first couple times I tried.

I think the mrs. got me RB2 so I can finally upgrade. I'm looking forward to doing a bass career, something I always wanted to do in the original (and an instrument more suited to my limited skill set).

I was obligated to download that song as the wife loves it, and it was UGLY when I tried to play it on expert. I didn't fail, but I was in the 70% range.

Spooky · Post by **Spooky** » Tue Dec 16, 2008 1:29 pm

Adding this from the GH:WT thread since it is availible for RB as well...

So, I went for it and bought this kick pedal:

http://omegapedal.com/

HOLY SH*T!!!!! This thing rules and has COMPLETELY changed my opinion on the Guitar Hero drum kit now.

This addition to the kit makes it such a joy to play. Yes, it's expensive, but if you play the drums A LOT then it's worth every penny. It's tension is perfect (and adjustable) and better yet, it does not slide around what-so-ever.

My only gripe so far is that it is perhaps a tad too sensitive. I think there are times when it is registering an extra hit when I am not as deliberate with my strikes. this is not that frequent though and can probably be remedied with some adjustments tot he tension/positioning.

So far I highly recommend it. It also comes with a true splitter so you can plug in the old pedal and do double bass if you want.

Post by **ScoopBrady** » Tue Dec 16, 2008 1:35 pm

Brando70 wrote:I think the mrs. got me RB2 so I can finally upgrade. I'm looking forward to doing a bass career, something I always wanted to do in the original (and an instrument more suited to my limited skill set).

Are you trying to imply that playing bass is easier than playing the guitar?

Brando70 · Post by **Brando70** » Tue Dec 16, 2008 3:18 pm

ScoopBrady wrote:
Brando70 wrote:I think the mrs. got me RB2 so I can finally upgrade. I'm looking forward to doing a bass career, something I always wanted to do in the original (and an instrument more suited to my limited skill set).
Are you trying to imply that playing bass is easier than playing the guitar?

No, but it's definitely easier than playing guitar in RB! Outside of the occasional Geddy Lee/John Entwistle/Steve Harris forays, that is.

dbdynsty25 · Post by **dbdynsty25** » Tue Dec 16, 2008 3:28 pm

Well I picked up GHWT to use with my RB2 instruments...is it just me or is medium on GH way harder than medium in RB2? Some of the songs are just insane in GH...and they are a bit easier on RB2. Could it be the instruments not being quite as "compatible" with the "other guys" game?

Wilk5280 · Post by **Wilk5280** » Tue Dec 16, 2008 10:43 pm

GH's difficultly has always been harder IMO. Although I've found Hard on GH:WT to be much easier than hard on GH3.

RB while not as difficult feels more genuine if that makes sense. I've been playing both (guitar only) on hard only. Getting ready to move up I think, but probably can't finish a career on expert by any means.

to whoever asked about Bass being harder than guitar. I grew up playing bass in a band and will freely admit that guitar is much harder to play than bass. anyone who doesn't agree is in denial.

Post by **ScoopBrady** » Wed Dec 17, 2008 11:08 am

PRBoom wrote:to whoever asked about Bass being harder than guitar. I grew up playing bass in a band and will freely admit that guitar is much harder to play than bass. anyone who doesn't agree is in denial.

I grew up playing both in bands and will freely admit that bass is much easier to pick up and play but I believe it is harder to play well. If you just stick with the main guitar rhythm bass isn't hard at all. Obviously playing lead is much tougher than playing bass but I think it's harder playing rhythm on bass if that makes sense.

As for the difficulty of the two games I think Rock Band nails it and Guitar Hero makes it way more difficult than it would be to actually learn the song on guitar.

GH:WT is definitely easier on Hard than GH3 though. And that's a good thing. GH3 was brutal on Hard in that last set. I was getting so frustrated because I couldn't pass Reign In Blood for the life of me yet I could play the song on guitar. Don't even get me started on the lame boss fight either. That's the only thing that kept me from beating the career on Hard. I like the way they handled it in GH:WT much, much better.

Nozzleman_216 · Post by **Nozzleman_216** » Wed Dec 17, 2008 7:14 pm

Just FYI about the AC/DC pack. The FAN PACK is also 29.99. My wife just bought it for me for an anniversary gift

It came with a t-shirt (big deal) but also came with a live DVD! Pretty good deal!! It says 42 on the box but the guy told her 29 and it rang up that way!!

grtwhtsk · Post by **grtwhtsk** » Wed Dec 17, 2008 8:08 pm

Just found out I'm getting RB2 for Christmas....YES!!