Some ideas...

[dlisapussy]

I ask that you don't quit out on me halfway through this thread, read the whole entire thing thoroughly, and explain your reasons why you do and/or don't like these ideas, please.

Anyway, I have some ideas and I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one.

1) Bass/Rhythm Guitar

- I know its been discussed a lot, just read it. I thought it would be cool to have the option to choose between bass and rhythm guitar for every song that has rhythm guitar. In previous threads, people have asked "Why would you want to play bass if its boring?'' Bass can be boring in some songs. What if the rhythm guitar is catchier? Then, people started saying, "well... I think Harmonix should just pick the better one for each song, like in GH and GHII." I thought to myself, but what if they are both really fun to play? I also thought that since HMX left out the bass career, they owe a little something to bass players. So here it goes...

If you are the bass player in the band with all your friends and you come across a song with a monotonous bass line, you would probably want to play rhythm. If you are a hardcore bass player in the band and you come across a monotonous bass line and still want to play bass, because your that hardcore, BUT rhythm is chosen for the song, YOU'RE SCREWED. What if you HAD to be the bass player in the band because your other friend is better than you at guitar, and you don't want anything to do with bass, then you would probably want to play rhythm. What if you sing and play bass in a band, and the bass line (or the rhythm riff) is too HARD. Wouldn't you rather play the easier one to keep up with your friends? If you could choose, then none of this would be a problem

The way I see it, it wouldn't be too much of a pain in the neck and it would add variety and more playable tracks. Plus, not every band has a singer, a guitarist, a bassist, and a drummer. Some have a singer, a lead, a rhythm, a bassist, and a drummer. Some bands might even have something like a lead guitarist, a singer/rhythm guitarist, a bassist/BACKUP SINGER (which will bring me to idea #2), and a drummer (or however the set up is).

2) Two Singers

-Some bands have two singers, almost every band has a backup singer, so I thought that it would be nice to have two different singers during one song. For example, Under Pressure by Queen and David Bowie. Some songs have overlapping lyrics, in which you would NEED two singers for it to be realistic. Not only is it a good idea (in my opinion anyway), but it wouldn't take up space. All you need to do is put two different sets of lines on the SAME TRACK with the other duo/backup lyrics running underneath the duo/lead lyrics. Two sets of lines, two sets of lyrics, one track.

3) No lyrics

There are some great songs without words, but people keep saying "Well don't put a song without words on Rock Band! ...duh." I don't expect to see a song without words on RB, but what about DLC? I assume theres going to be a song without words on a DLC album. If DLC comes in the form of albums, it's highly unlikely that there's not going to be an instrumental song. A lot of bands have instrumental songs on their albums, there's nothing we can do about it.

So, the idea here is simple. If theres a song without words it leaves some extra space, correct? If there's a song without words and it has a rhythm guitar, why not make one more track? Then, ONCE AGAIN, people started saying things like "4 tracks would be TOO cluttered". It would be cluttered, not too cluttered. I don't give a damn about clutter, especially if it allows one other person to rock out along with you. All you need to see is the color on the board anyway. The board could be only five inches long across the screen to be able to see it. I think the boards are too wide and long to begin with. They don't need to take up the majority of the screen.

4) A collaboration of ideas

No, this is not tiny ideas in one big paragraph. Its one big idea in a tiny paragraph. I said "If theres a song without words it leaves some extra space, correct?". And in the same paragraph, I said I don't care about clutter. To all of you who don't mind clutter, how does this sound? Lead guitar, Rhythm guitar, Bass, Drums, Lead singer, Backup/Duo singer, ALL for one song.

By now, I'm getting tired of people saying things about my ideas (as you can see, I must have said "but people said" about 6 times), but once again, they said "This game is made for a 4 man band". Yes, but a lead guitarist, a singer/rhythm guitarist, a bassist/duo singer, and a drummer, IS A 4 MAN BAND. It seems like they don't want MORE in the game. I'm not saying ANYTHING bad about the game or ANYTHING related to this game. I'm merely suggesting, but I think the suggestions should be looked at more. Why be a 4 man band that does the basics, when you can be a 4 man band that goes a little bit farther. When I came up with these ideas, I thought PEOPLE ARE GONNA LOVE THIS! But, so far, my idea has been looked at as ******ed or overdoing it. I think its an average idea that isn't too far-fetched at all.

Plus, not every song will have the same amount of instruments/singers that I mentioned and even if there is the same amount, it doesn't mean you have to play it that way. So, for the people who don't mind clutter, don't you think my way would be a good idea? For people who do mind clutter, you can still have it your way, it just won't be as fun:D. I'm not even suggesting it for Rock Band I, because its too late, but RBII will come someday.


To sum it all up... we have the ideas of an extra instrument and an extra singer mixed with everything from Rock Band, which is not much at all.


Any one agree? Or is my idea really that ******ed?

[stinkdog2007]

1. Good Idea
2. Never going to happen/horrible idea
3. Never going to happen/horrible idea

Sorry if I seem harsh, but thats how I feel about those ideas.

[dlisapussy]

its cool, seems everyone feels that way

i just want to know why

[Akaymay]

Well, for Singers, the screen would be way too crowded. It's kinda crowded already with 4 players. Then a second singer would take up the entire screen. And it would be too crowded sound-wise too. There would be too much noise.

As for instrumentals. Sure. But not too many, then the singer would left out, somewhat ruining one of the aspects of Rock Band. It'd be like making a song without drums or a guitar. It'd just kinda ruin it for everyone.

[Akaymay]

Now, I have a good idea. Hear me out on this one. I dont feel like making my own thread, not too much to say.

A song where it's meant so you can sing and do something else at the same time. Like drums, guitar, or bass. Like, November rain by Guns N Roses is a perfect Example. It's really spread out, and goes in order. There isnt much guitar when you're singing, and not much singing when there's guitar. So you could easily do both at the same time. But there'd still be that element of challenge when they mix the guitar and singing. Hell, if I can do it live on real guitar, it'd be just as fun in Rock Band!

[dlisapussy]

All you need to do is put two different sets of lines on the same track with the other duo/backup lyrics running underneath the duo/lead lyrics.


Akaymay, you missed something
Same track, only difference is two sets of lines and two sets of lyrics.

[dlisapussy]

Now, I have a good idea. Hear me out on this one. I dont feel like making my own thread, not too much to say.

A song where it's meant so you can sing and do something else at the same time. Like drums, guitar, or bass. Like, November rain by Guns N Roses is a perfect Example. It's really spread out, and goes in order. There isnt much guitar when you're singing, and not much singing when there's guitar. So you could easily do both at the same time. But there'd still be that element of challenge when they mix the guitar and singing. Hell, if I can do it live on real guitar, it'd be just as fun in Rock Band!

I approve
Bad to the Bone would be a good one

[sushi111]

I have no porblem with instrumentals, you can have that person just freestyle or just take a break.

[dlisapussy]

Something like this, but with the words directly underneath the other words

http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h144/danielleydenowns/1242.jpg

and with better graphics...


and with 4 tracks, not 3

[Magnet]

1. There's very few cases where both the bass and rhythm are going to be really fun to play. And in such cases HMX will just pick the best of the two. I don't think anyone anywhere is going to be a hardcore bassist or rhythm guitarist like you're suggesting. It's just not practical to add in both tracks to one out of every 15 or 20 songs just for those instances. And this game is really being marketed as guitar, bass, drum, and singer. Most songs will be bass. Rhythm is just the rare alternative to songs with exceptionally boring bass or no bass where rhythm is also available.

2. I believe HMX has already acknowledged this part and is considering it for somewhere down the line. RB will just have the lead singer and that's it. There's not really much point in programming back-up vocals into the game. Most songs will not have them to begin with, and you can just have someone sing back-up vocals without a mic for fun anyway. It's not a necessity by any means.

3. I don't think there will be any instrumentals in the game or DLC at all. So the idea is kind of moot. But if you're suggesting to add in one more track right next to the three already there, no way should that happen. The tracks are small enough already and people have complained early on about how small your track is when you have to fit two others on. I've played two player on Guitar Hero and going from one track to two tracks is a pretty amazing change in size. Going from two to three for Rock Band will be plenty small enough. Four tracks is really, really pushing it. That just gives enough ammo for people criticizing the game's setup when you're missing notes during a solo because you can't seem them all well enough.

[dlisapussy]

First of all, like I said. You don't HAVE TO do it this way. I said, for the people who don't mind the clutter. Do you people really need a bigger fret board? So, your saying you would rather not see this in the game just because of the fret board size?

By the way, there is online. If you DO mind the clutter, you could still play with MORE friends or more instruments, whatever the set up is, without the clutter.

It's more instruments, which means more people, which means more fun. The more the merrier, thats how I see it.

[FreQstar]

Some of the stuff you said there sounds interesting and some of it, not so much. Really though as long as were not talking about any of that stuff being in career mode it’s all pretty much fine by me. If they want they could put in bonus songs or DLC of dueling banjos, the white stripes, death from above 1979, collective soul or any other number of bands that use a different set up then rock band when it comes to the number of instruments they use. I’m not saying I want to play a song with 2 singers, 3 guitarist, a bassist, 2 drummers, a keyboardist, a DJ and a sousaphone player, but I’m not opposed to them putting it in the game as optional stuff either.

Oh and by the way you swayed me towards your side a little just by mentioning duets of “under pressure”.

[parastroke7]

Some of my favorite songs are songs that have no lyrics, so I'm with you on that. Having them in DLC would be nice.

Two singers at the same time is not as bad of an idea as everyone makes it sound, so there's two.

I'm with you for the most part, but not all parts. Keep throwing ideas like this and one of them is bound to hit right.

[dlisapussy]

Too cluttered? I think not

http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h144/danielleydenowns/1242.jpg

http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h144/danielleydenowns/besttly.jpg

[sa_nick]

To have another singer would mean you need another mic. For how much you can get out of it, its just not worth purchasing another mic for back up singing/duets when only a small percentage of songs would need it.

I'm all for having a few instrumentals in there though :D

[KingColon]

I don't think anyone anywhere is going to be a hardcore bassist or rhythm guitarist like you're suggesting.

I am. I totally am.

[mobhit101]

I would definitely like to see some instrumentals in Rock Band but probably only in the form of DLC. You buy Rock Band for the purpose of 4 people being able to play together and so every song that ships with the game ought to have 4 parts to it. Now when the DLC starts to trickle in, you can add songs like Moby Dick (I would cry if they released this song) or SRV's version of "Little Wing." That way, there's a choice and if you don't like the drums, then you don't have to get Moby Dick and same with guitar and Little Wing. I think this would be awesome!

[dlisapussy]

To have another singer would mean you need another mic. For how much you can get out of it, its just not worth purchasing another mic for back up singing/duets when only a small percentage of songs would need it.

I'm all for having a few instrumentals in there though :D



I don't really think you would need two mics. One mic could detect two different voices

[ababypenguin]

I don't really think you would need two mics. One mic could detect two different voices

true unless you were playing online

[dlisapussy]

I am. I totally am.

Thank you

I would too

[Kang_Zircon]

If you can explain how scoring the songs would work in the band mode (if four players is standard), I'd be totally fine with the additional singing, rhythym, etc. I had the exact same thoughts about the back-up vocals thing.

On the instrumentals, I'd be fine with that too if it meant putting Classical Gas in the game, but what about songs that lack other parts? Like songs with no lead by Queen and the like when there's piano or keyboard instead. And folk rock songs that have lead/ryhthym/vocals, but no drums?

[sa_nick]

I don't really think you would need two mics. One mic could detect two different voices

I dunno about that, especially since it has to detect the pitch or whatever as well as the actual words. In some duel voal songs I'm sure there would be overlapping.

[dlisapussy]

Yea, maybe its complicated, but it can already detect someones pitch and words, it can probably detect another person's pitch and words at the same time. Sort of like two people singing into a real mic.

[chritopher]

i say ur frist idea is nice but no lyrics sounds stupid:cool:

[dlisapussy]

It might sound stupid, but if DLC comes is the form of ALBUMS, then that means there is a huge chance there are going to be several songs without words. By the way, I wasn't suggesting we put songs without words on the game, I was saying, if there IS a song without words, have 4 tracks instead of 3.

[dlisapussy]

1. There's very few cases where both the bass and rhythm are going to be really fun to play. And in such cases HMX will just pick the best of the two. I don't think anyone anywhere is going to be a hardcore bassist or rhythm guitarist like you're suggesting. It's just not practical to add in both tracks to one out of every 15 or 20 songs just for those instances. And this game is really being marketed as guitar, bass, drum, and singer. Most songs will be bass. Rhythm is just the rare alternative to songs with exceptionally boring bass or no bass where rhythm is also available.

2. I believe HMX has already acknowledged this part and is considering it for somewhere down the line. RB will just have the lead singer and that's it. There's not really much point in programming back-up vocals into the game. Most songs will not have them to begin with, and you can just have someone sing back-up vocals without a mic for fun anyway. It's not a necessity by any means.

3. I don't think there will be any instrumentals in the game or DLC at all. So the idea is kind of moot. But if you're suggesting to add in one more track right next to the three already there, no way should that happen. The tracks are small enough already and people have complained early on about how small your track is when you have to fit two others on. I've played two player on Guitar Hero and going from one track to two tracks is a pretty amazing change in size. Going from two to three for Rock Band will be plenty small enough. Four tracks is really, really pushing it. That just gives enough ammo for people criticizing the game's setup when you're missing notes during a solo because you can't seem them all well enough.


1) Very few... that means there are cases where both are fun, which is a bummer. I would like to play a fun rhythm riff every once in a while. I've already found one hardcore bassist, i would be a hardcore bassist. You say it just not practical to add rhythm guitar, but since not every song has rhythm, it would only be about 30 tracks, not that hard to make. Does it matter what the game is marketed as? Plus, I'm not really even suggesting this for RB, more like RBII. One other thing, I think Harmonix is very smart and will do this later for RBII, they WILL get great songs with great lead, rhythm, bass, and drums. Then it would be many cases where everything is fun to play; therefore, having rhythm/bass as an option for EVERY song. Maybe RBII will be 'marketed' as a 5 man band.

2)I know RB just has lead, like I said, more of a suggestion for RBII. Why program the duo singer and not the back up singer. It's not that complicated. And most songs will have backup singers. A lot of bands have back up singers dude. I'm not talking about necessity, I'm talking about fun. So, duo/backup should both be considered down the line.

3)Ok? There's never going to be an instrumental on a DLC album? If it's put onto DLC as ALBUMS, than there are definitely going to be some instrumentals, a lot of bands have instrumentals on their albums. It's not like instrumentals are rare. 4 tracks is something that will not happen in RB. Once again, these suggestions are for RBII. Why would people complain about small tracks. Seems a little selfish to me. Man up and get a little closer to the screen then. It's only tracks with 5 different colors on them anyway, all you need to see is the color. Is it really that hard to distinguish 5 different colors on a TV? Does the track need to be in detail? Plus, I thought the tracks took up too much space in GHII, multiplayer and especially single player. 4 tracks isn't a big deal. You guys make me think that I'm suggestion 11 instruments. Plus, on RB, you can with 1 track, 2 tracks, or 3 tracks. So, if 4 tracks were in RBII, you could play with 1, 2, or 3 track if you want. IF 4 TRACKS IS TOO MUCH, THEN YOU CAN STILL PLAY WITH 3. YOU DON'T HAVE TO PLAY WITH 4 TRACKS.

So, 4 tracks and 2 singers will a little bit more cluttered than 3 and 1, but its not unbearable. It seems to me that you guys are saying you would rather not see Rhythm Guitar and Backup Singers all because of the track sizes? Selfish. Move a little closer to your TV, then. OR just play with 3 tracks instead.

[karlkaza]

sure, those ideas are good but i agree with stinkdog2007
I like the 3rd one though and the first one

[Bakkster_Man]

I don't really think you would need two mics. One mic could detect two different voices

Have you ever done any digital signal processing? The only thing you can do is tell two pitches, but you wouldn't be able to split the two people's singing separately. Of course, this would be a problem if you wanted to know who was singing what, which means you need a second mic.