Rock Band Tips

August 26, 2:27 PMGames ExaminerDaniel Nations

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The beauty of Rock Band is that it is amazingly simple to pick up and start playing, but also subtlely complex when trying to master it. Playing guitar or drums on the hard and expert settings can even challenge musicians who already know how to play those instruments. So, for someone who has never played an instrument, it is easy to get lost trying to master the game.

And for those who have upgrade to Rock Band 2, don't worry.  These Rock Band tips are about how you can better play the instruments, so they will easily upgrade along with you.

Here are a few basic Rock Band tips to help kickstart your ability to rock:

Rock Band Tips - Basic

• Calibrate your system. Some systems have a little bit of lag between the sound and the graphics. You can go into options and calibrate the system manually or just choose your type of television. Sometimes, this can do the trick for those struggling to get into rhythm with the game.
• Saving band members with overdrive. You can save band members by going into overdrive even if you have already saved them twice before. This is accomplished by going into overdrive right before they would normally be kicked out. When one band member is in overdrive, everyone gets a boost for each successful note played, so a member that is close to being booted can get back up to full relatively easy.
• Use a headset to play and sing. You don't need to invest in a mic stand if you have a headset. Just make sure to put the controller somewhere that the wires won't get in the way -- or get a wireless headset!
• Look ahead when you lose the beat. You might be tempted to try and beat it out when you lose the beat hoping to regain the rhythm, but it is easier to pick a spot in the song that is coming up to restart the beat.

Rock Band Tips - Guitar

• Remember that you can keep multiple notes held down even when playing just a single note. When playing a single note on the guitar, only the highest note being held down will count. So, if you have a series of alternating notes between red and yellow, you can keep your finger on the red note at all times and simply press down on the yellow note when needed.
• When moving up to the hard setting, practice sliding from the position with your index finger on the 1st (green) button up to the position with your index finger on the 2nd (red) button. Many players make the mistake of trying to reach their pinky over to play that high 5th (orange) note, but sliding from the first to the second position will make playing the difficult songs much easier in the long run. (And it is the same technique used on a real guitar when moving up to play higher notes.)
• Buy a guitar pick. If you find that your fingers get tired or start hurting after you play for a bit, you can invest in a guitar pick. Any music shop will have a variety of picks that come in different shapes and sizes. And they are cheap enough that you can buy a handful and experiment to find your favorite.

Rock Band Tips - Drums

• Hold the sticks loosely. Many people make the mistake of gripping the drum sticks and banging furiously on the drums. But it is much easier to keep a loose grip and let the sticks bounce off the drums. You should also swing the sticks with your wrists, not your arms.
• Keep your foot all the way down on the pedal. One easy way to play the drum pedal is to keep the pedal pressed down and lift your leg up and then down to play a foot pedal note. This can make some of the songs on the harder difficulties easier.  This is one of the best Rock Band tips for quickly boosting your ability to play the harder songs.
• Put a book under the heal part of the pedal. If you find the position of your foot to be uncomfortable, you might find it more comfortable to play with a book under the heal section of the foot pedal. This will raise it up and keep you from having to stretch your foot into as much of a V shape while playing. It's also much cheaper than buying a kit to mod the pedal.