No, they weren't an infamously unruly bearded Birmingham band that partied hard and toured with Saxon back in the day.
Rocksmith, which was introduced in 2011, was (and is, for that matter) an interactive guitar-based game broke gaming ground by letting guitar players plug in and use their very own axes — Epiphones, Gibsons, Carvins, Deans, you name it — and start hammering away with their favorite rock bands.
[[ Check out the Rocksmith 2014 screen-shot photo gallery below! ]]
It was the first major guitar-based game that seriously listened to what its users were playing, allowing for a more interactive playing experience. For instance, you could transpose on the fly and play a chord anywhere on the neck — as long as it contained the correct notes.
And just as the game listened to the notes guitarists were playing, its creator, Ubisoft, listened to — and seriously took to heart — the feedback, including comments and suggestions, from its many users.
The result is Ubisoft's sophomore effort, Rocksmith 2014, which Ubisoft released today, October 22.
The new Rocksmith 2014 edition, which actually was rebuilt from the ground up, is bigger, better and faster than ever. Players will experience vastly improved features, a new look, more flexible and deeper practice tools, new techniques and tunings, more than 50 new songs and more (See a partial list below).
There are more than 85 lessons, from chord formations to bends and slides, included, plus a helpful finger position guide, one of the coolest 2014 features; it teaches new users how to form chords the most efficient way possible to easily move to other shapes.
With the new Session Mode, Rocksmith 2014 Edition takes guitar-learning to the next level by allowing you to play guitar with a virtual band that follows your every lead. Select from an assortment of backing instruments or styles, and Session Mode reacts to the notes you play.
Rocksmith 2014: Key Features
A proven method to learn guitar fast.
National research studies have found that Rocksmith is the fastest way to learn guitar*. More than 95 percent of players have improved their guitar skills with the game. Whether you’re a beginner touching a guitar for the first time or a seasoned player mastering your sound, Rocksmith gets you results, quickly.
A re-imagined experience.
Newly redesigned menus and in-game interfaces are now clear, smooth and blazing fast. It’s never been easier to play along and get feedback on your performance as you go.
Learn your favorite songs.
Select from more than 50 hit tracks, ranging from alternative rock, to heavy metal, to classic rock and more. You will learn to play your favorite songs, step-by-step and note-for-note, with tutorials along the way. Rocksmith 2014 Edition is also backward compatible with the songs you have from the original Rocksmith. New songs include:
Aerosmith – Walk This Way
Alice in Chains – Stone
Avenged Sevenfold – Bat Country
B'z - Ultra Soul
Bob Dylan – Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door
Iron Maiden – The Trooper
Jack White – Sixteen Saltines
Kiss – Rock And Roll All Nite
Mastodon – Blood and Thunder
Oasis – Don’t Look Back In Anger
Pantera – Cemetery Gates
R.E.M. – Losing My Religion
Radiohead – Paranoid Android
Red Fang – Wires
Slayer – War Ensemble
The Kinks – You Really Got Me
The Rolling Stones – Paint It, Black
Smashing Pumpkins – The Chimera
The Who – My Generation
Weezer – Say It Ain’t So
White Zombie – Thunder Kiss ‘65
[[ Check out the Rocksmith 2014 screen-shot photo gallery below! ]]
Designed for ease and speed
Features are now more accessible and flexible than ever. A new fully customizable Riff Repeater lets you select your section, difficulty and speed on the fly. Master Mode has been revamped to make learning by memory more approachable. Or jump into new and improved Guitarcade mini-games to hone your skills.
An authentic guitar playing experience.
Rocksmith 2014 Edition includes new tunings, techniques, effects, amps, pedals and tones for an unprecedented degree of accuracy and a deeper level of guitar learning than ever before.
Learn to jam with Session Mode.
Session Mode lets you experience playing alongside a virtual band. Choose your own combination of instruments to follow your lead. With on-screen prompts and objectives that motivate learning and improvement, you can enjoy the feeling of jamming whether you’re a beginner or advanced player.
Rocksmith 2014: Get Plugged In
Rocksmith 2014 Edition is compatible with the original Rocksmith Real Tone Cable that plugs any real guitar** directly into an Xbox 360, PS3, PC or Mac.
For more information about Rocksmith 2014, visit rocksmith.ubi.com — and check out the videos and photo gallery in this story!
*According to a national research study conducted by C&C Market Research. **Requires 1/4" output jack.
Damian is Editor-in-Chief of Guitar World magazine. In past lives, he was GW’s managing editor and online managing editor. He's written liner notes for major-label releases, including Stevie Ray Vaughan's 'The Complete Epic Recordings Collection' (Sony Legacy) and has interviewed everyone from Yngwie Malmsteen to Kevin Bacon (with a few memorable Eric Clapton chats thrown into the mix). Damian, a former member of Brooklyn's The Gas House Gorillas, was the sole guitarist in Mister Neutron, a trio that toured the U.S. and released three albums. He now plays in two NYC-area bands.
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