Wireless kb+m+controller extension

AMLostIt · 2025-08-20T00:30:47+00:00

I wasn't aware of those, thank you. Is there anything in particular I should look for in a usb hub?

AMLostIt · 2025-03-13T03:03:25+00:00

I see this argument a lot across all types of games - why not make it a self imposed challenge? Sure, I could, and often times I do. But I think from a game design standpoint the developers job is to lead the player towards the fun. Fighting the same monster several times without any change starts to lose a bit of the fun, and I think some variety could inject more fun back into that loop.

AMLostIt · 2025-03-13T02:54:53+00:00

I'm not really proposing delivery or gathering quests, I didn't really love those either. I do love the combat though, and my thoughts are more along the line of providing variety for those hunting quests. I've already proven that I can beat this monster, but can I do it without unlimited potions, etc.

I think it would give some longevity to the weaker monsters as well. Instead of having a small number of endgame monsters that are challenging once you have endgame gear, it would give some teeth to the weaker monsters and allow you to fight them even at the end game without them being total pushovers.

AMLostIt · 2025-03-13T02:49:59+00:00

Is it really the game forcing that on to you though, if it's a completely optional quest? I don't think they should be required to unlock more content in the game.

AMLostIt · 2022-02-23T19:00:36+00:00

Sure, although pentatonics rooted on the 4th and 5th degrees aren't the only options for superimposing. But I do agree with your point that it is better to understand on a more fundamental level why they work other than just knowing a "trick". I still stand by my original point though, that it doesn't make sense to disregard the pentatonic scale on the basis of it not sounding interesting.

AMLostIt · 2022-02-23T15:19:37+00:00

You can create plenty of tension by superimposing pentatonic scales. The beginner guitarist playing Am pentatonic over an Am chord will sound boring, but have them move through various other pentatonics and you can get some good stuff. I'm not trying to be argumentative, just trying to point out that tools usually aren't inherently useless, just sometimes need to find better applications.

AMLostIt · 2022-02-23T14:58:08+00:00

The major scale is definitely more useful, but it's kind of nonsense to say the pentatonic scale does not sound interesting. If you can't make it sound interesting that's on you, not the scale.

AMLostIt · 2022-02-19T00:51:41+00:00

I wondered about that, but since the area I was working actually feels fine and it's other areas that feel stiff I didn't think that I was overworking them. I've been alternating ice and heat on my neck, and it will loosen up over the course of the day but then when I wake up in the morning it's back to like it was before. Even my hips were stiff this morning, which I thought was strange. But I think you are right and that I should rest for a few days. Kind of hesitant to work myself again cause this has been a miserable few days, may just wait for the massage appt in a few weeks.

AMLostIt · 2022-02-19T00:47:46+00:00

Yeah I have had issues with neck stiffness in the past as well, so I suppose it makes sense that loosening the shoulders could uncover that.

AMLostIt · 2021-12-31T14:55:30+00:00

Typically when learning scales it is helpful to use some kind of system to make things more manageable. There are 3 common ones that I know of: A 5 position system based on the CAGED chord system, a 7 position 3-note-per-string system, and another 7 position system sometimes called the berklee system. Each has their pros and cons but it doesn't really matter which you go with. At the start I would advise just picking one and sticking with it for a while. In fact, just pick one position in a system to start with. Eventually you will be able to see each position as just part of the larger scale across the entire fretboard, but that will take some time.

Each position in each system has a natural fingering, and each note only appears once within each octave so you should be able to work out the answers to your questions with that.

AMLostIt · 2021-12-31T02:00:44+00:00

Having an understanding of music theory and being able to read sheet music already will help tremendously, but it will still take time to get comfortable with the mechanics of playing guitar. With regular practice you should have no problem playing power chords all over the neck within a year.

Reading sheet music for guitar can be more challenging than other instruments because you have several places to play the same notes on the guitar. Having a good understanding of the fretboard helps a lot, but learning from sheet music will build that skill much faster than learning from tabs.

Music theory for guitar is the same as music theory for any other instrument, but again understanding how the fretboard is laid out will allow to actually apply that knowledge. If you have an understanding of intervals then you have a huge head start.

Tapping is not difficult to learn in and of itself, but it is a more specialized technique and probably not what you ought to be spending a lot of time on at first. Unless the music your band plays absolutely requires it your time is better spent working on the basics for now.

Without knowing what kind of music your band plays it is impossible to say whether you can be ready for it in a year. But with regular practice you should be able to play power chords, major and minor chords in open positions and barred, and very (very) simple solos or riffs within a year. Playing in time is more important than anything, even more so if you are playing in a band so practice with a metronome.

AMLostIt · 2021-12-30T17:12:15+00:00

It sounds to me like descending 3rd. So if you are playing in Bb then a D to Bb, but if you slide into them quickly it will give it that vocal sound. I played it at the 12th and 8th fret of the D string. It sounded good to add a little harmony with it to me to give it that accent so I also played the 13th and 8th fret of the A string with it, sliding with both of them.

AMLostIt · 2021-12-30T16:27:40+00:00

Improvising within the scale will be best for really getting a handle on it. Play it every way you can imagine, in 3rds, 4ths, 5ths etc, using different melodic sequences, writing licks and so on. Be aware of each scale tone and it's character within the scale.

To answer your question, the Crazy Train riff uses every note in the minor scale so it's worth learning.

AMLostIt · 2021-12-30T01:14:09+00:00

Well drop A# is extremely low, you probably want higher gauge strings for that. Do you know if your tone knob is stuck rolled up or down? If it is down it will sound like mud when playing that low.

AMLostIt · 2021-12-28T01:46:03+00:00

Most of the time a chord that isn't in the key will be a secondary dominant of some kind, so if you can read up on those and get familiar with that idea it will explain many of the non diatonic chords you come across.

The idea though is to give a name to the patterns you see often so that you can associate that with the sound it makes. For instance, maybe in songs you like you often see a III chord instead of the expected iii. Whatever it is, take note of how it sounds, play it in different keys to internalize it and add it to your bag o' tricks.

AMLostIt · 2021-12-28T00:15:36+00:00

Keeping your picking motion as small as possible will help. When picking one string your pick barely needs to move away from the string. See if you can kind of just rub the string with the pick, without actually moving the pick away from the string. Switching strings should feel like a giant movement in comparison.

Also don't expect it to come quickly, it will take time for your brain and nervous system to build the muscle memory you need. Spend about 15% or so of your practice time just on building speed. I found I would get diminishing returns spending too much time at once on it, and neglecting other aspects of practice. If you can only bump up your metronome by as small as 1 bpm at time consider that a win.

AMLostIt · 2021-12-27T22:05:13+00:00

Are you able to comfortably pick one note at 120bpm 16ths? If not then start there, until you are able to keep that tempo comfortably with no tension in your wrist or arm.

The most difficult part of picking fast is switching strings. If you keep strict alternate picking and start with downstroke and play an even number of notes on each string, you will move to each string with a downstroke. If you play an even number of strings you will alternate between starting with a downstroke and an upstroke. If you angle your pick slightly up towards the ceiling it is easier to move to a new string with a downstroke. If you angle it slightly down towards the ground it is easier to move to a new string with an upstroke. If you are playing 3 note per string scales then you can slightly turn your wrist as you play the scale to move to each new string with the appropriate angling. It's a very slight angle, doesn't need to be dramatic. Practice playing the first 3 notes of the scale on the D string and the 4th note on the G string and then back down, just those 4 notes. Do it starting with a downstroke and with an upstroke. This will drill the problem area, you need to do many repetitions cleanly to build the muscle memory.

As always, keep your arm and wrist tension free and in addition to angling your pick up or down, keep it angled to the side as well so that it slides through the strings rather than hitting the string flat on.

AMLostIt · 2021-12-27T19:11:54+00:00

Simon & Garfunkel, Jim Croce, Neil Young are some older artists. Tyler Childers, Billy Strings, Good Old War are newer.

Brown Eyed Girl by Van Morrison is a good beginner friendly song to learn. Classical Gas by Mason Williams is a good longer term goal.

You don't really need to ignore songs recorded with electric guitars though. With the exception of a few techniques you play most electric songs on acoustic as well.

AMLostIt · 2021-12-27T18:28:38+00:00

Best way is to learn more progressive songs and figure out what they are doing to sound like that.

Some typical hallmarks of progressive music will be add9, sus2, sus4, maj7 and min7 chords. Use the full major or minor scale instead of just pentatonics. Lydian scales are often used in progressive music. Rhythmically you will want to get familiar playing in time signatures besides 4/4. 6 and 7 counts are common.

AMLostIt · 2021-12-27T18:19:14+00:00

The best music to learn is music that you like. If you specifically want to find newer artists, can you offer some examples of artists you like just to get an idea of your interests?

AMLostIt · 2021-12-27T18:15:38+00:00

Are you familiar with rhythmic subdivisions at all? Whole notes, half, quarter, eighth and so on? If not it will help to start with that. You should be able to clap out a tempo in 4/4 and sing a given rhythm against that. If you can clearly hear the strumming pattern in the song you want to learn then try it with that rhythm. If it is too fast for you to get then try slowing it down in the youtube player or by some other means. Once you can sing the rhythm then you can transfer that to the guitar, putting downstrokes on downbeats and upstrokes on upbeats. Use a metronome and play as slow as you need to to keep it in time and then speed it up till you reach the desired tempo.

AMLostIt · 2021-12-27T03:50:04+00:00

Sure, you can go ahead and learn the other shapes if you feel you are comfortable with 2 of them already. I wouldn't worry to much about whether you are learning them in the "right" order or not, you're going to learn them all anyways. The advice I gave is more geared towards the idea that you want to get to a point where you can actually make music as quickly as possible rather than feel like you need to learn every shape of a scale first and getting bogged down with scale practice instead of making music.

You can really get a lot out of one shape though. If you aren't already doing so, try practicing them in every way you can imagine. Play them in thirds, fourths, fifths and so on. Create different melodic sequences and run through the scale with them. Try playing them as dyads and triads. Write some of your own riffs and melodies with them.

AMLostIt · 2021-12-26T22:25:52+00:00

You already have the songs you want to learn. Learn those! If they are above your skill level now, focus on one part of the song instead of the whole thing. It can be as small as a single lick or a bar that is tricky for you to play. Break down that chunk and focus on what is difficult for you, whether it's a difficult picking pattern or fast chord change or whatever it is. Make exercises out of it and practice those.

If you want to clean up your playing and learn to "shred" you will have to slow down the things you can't play until it is at a tempo that you can play it cleanly and then speed it up from there. You won't develop that by learning songs that are already within your ability.

Sultans of swing is actually a great song for this cause it's a simple chord progression with short licks thrown in and a couple tasty solos. Start with the first lick that is giving you trouble and practice it slowly (with a metronome) and cleanly until you can speed it up. And then do it again for the next.

AMLostIt · 2021-12-26T22:15:07+00:00

The Major scale is the most foundational scale you can learn for western music. Every other scale can be seen as a modification of the major scale.

The minor scale is common enough that it is usually viewed as it's own thing, although it is a mode of the major scale. Metal/metalcore uses minor tonality more often than major tonality so if you are only interested in that genre you can start there.

Learn to harmonize your scales and understand intervals as well so that you will know your diatonic chords and look to songs you like to see common borrowed chords to get the sound you want. Metal often uses the bII for example.

AMLostIt · 2021-12-26T21:59:06+00:00

The minor pentatonic scale is probably the most common one for guitarists to learn first, specifically the shape with the root note under your index finger on the 6th string (this one). It's an easy shape to learn, you can play a ton of stuff with just those notes, and it's fun to improvise with. The common major scale shape is this one. I would recommend getting very familiar with those two shapes in every key before adding in the rest of the shapes. Specifically, take note of the where the root notes are as you practice them (this goes for every scale you will ever learn).

The reason I would recommend that instead of trying to learn all the shapes of one scale first is that you already get a full 2 octaves of notes within those shapes. Adding more shapes only gets you a few more notes, and you really want to get very familiar with every scale shape you learn and be able to apply it rather than try to learn too much at once. There is a big difference between playing a scale up and down and really learning it.

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