Using the HO/POs in Strumming Sections

[GHAddict]

I've been trying to improve my TTFAF score recently, but even with the incredible margin I have for error, I can't get my score up to where I want it to be. To correct these overstrums that I have all the time, I'm working on using all the HO/POs that are spread about the strumming bits: I used to play Lost Inside, Lost Within like this:


dudududududududududududududududududududududududududududududududu

Nothing special, just alt-strum it all. But (especially considering this is under SP), the one-or-two plinks that I have in there are butchering my score. I've seen some of the better players out there using the HO/POs in their videos, and I want to learn it. I want it to go like this (forgive any typos, you know what I'm getting at):


duhdhdhdhdhdhdhdhdudhdhdhdhdhdhdhdudhdhdhdhdhdhdhdudhdhdhdhdhdhd

The problem is, even on slowest, I can't mentally get this down. I strum the HO/PO and hammer-on the strummed note. I break combo, and I can't get it back. I know I'm physically capable of doing this, but it's just not working for me!

What are some easier sections that are sort of like this? How can I think of this differently to learn to do this? I'm sure it would benefit me, but I'm at a roadblock!


By the way, I didn't post this in the TTFAF thread because I'm not looking for help on just this one song, it just so happens to be my example. I'm looking for help on the technique in general, not on the song itself.
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[GHAddict]

I've been trying to improve my TTFAF score recently, but even with the incredible margin I have for error, I can't get my score up to where I want it to be. To correct these overstrums that I have all the time, I'm working on using all the HO/POs that are spread about the strumming bits: I used to play Lost Inside, Lost Within like this:


dudududududududududududududududududududududududududududududududu

Nothing special, just alt-strum it all. But (especially considering this is under SP), the one-or-two plinks that I have in there are butchering my score. I've seen some of the better players out there using the HO/POs in their videos, and I want to learn it. I want it to go like this (forgive any typos, you know what I'm getting at):


duhdhdhdhdhdhdhdhdudhdhdhdhdhdhdhdudhdhdhdhdhdhdhdudhdhdhdhdhdhd

The problem is, even on slowest, I can't mentally get this down. I strum the HO/PO and hammer-on the strummed note. I break combo, and I can't get it back. I know I'm physically capable of doing this, but it's just not working for me!

What are some easier sections that are sort of like this? How can I think of this differently to learn to do this? I'm sure it would benefit me, but I'm at a roadblock!


By the way, I didn't post this in the TTFAF thread because I'm not looking for help on just this one song, it just so happens to be my example. I'm looking for help on the technique in general, not on the song itself.
_________________

[Customs] - Click here if you like awesomeness

Goal: FC 75% of ALL on-disc Guitar Hero songs (Band Hero doesn't count) - (430 / 575)
Current: 368 / 575 - (64%)

[dieter]

I know exactly how you feel, I've been sort of trying to learn to use HOPOs in strumming sections aswell, with very little success. Only thing I can really contribute is some songs that can make you improve in this area:

Nothing for me here: Intro/solo1 whatever it is for example has that strummy part, which is a good place to start since it's pretty easy.

Holiday in Cambodia: Verses have that pattern that switches a little and has hammerons, and it's pretty slow so it's another good one to start with.

TTFAF: Post-insanity & grinding scales are obvious, and I don't think they're much easier than lost inside, lost within but that's some for you.

If you have rock band 2, I suggest playing Testify (the ondisc one), since it's filled with weird strumming that isn't too fast and has a ton of hammerons in it. Also Painkillers speedups before the solos on slower speeds might be good.

[dieter]

I know exactly how you feel, I've been sort of trying to learn to use HOPOs in strumming sections aswell, with very little success. Only thing I can really contribute is some songs that can make you improve in this area:

Nothing for me here: Intro/solo1 whatever it is for example has that strummy part, which is a good place to start since it's pretty easy.

Holiday in Cambodia: Verses have that pattern that switches a little and has hammerons, and it's pretty slow so it's another good one to start with.

TTFAF: Post-insanity & grinding scales are obvious, and I don't think they're much easier than lost inside, lost within but that's some for you.

If you have rock band 2, I suggest playing Testify (the ondisc one), since it's filled with weird strumming that isn't too fast and has a ton of hammerons in it. Also Painkillers speedups before the solos on slower speeds might be good.

[TheTrueSatanist]

If you're doing fast doublets, it fucks me over if I try to anchor. If you don't anchor, you switch at the right time and Strum at the right time. I figured this out on GTF when I overstrummed all the time strumming through it
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[TheTrueSatanist]

If you're doing fast doublets, it fucks me over if I try to anchor. If you don't anchor, you switch at the right time and Strum at the right time. I figured this out on GTF when I overstrummed all the time strumming through it
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[g0dly]

i have always found those hammerons nearly impossible aswell. i personally strum through sections like this but i make sure that i do it EXACTLY at the right time. i mean you can play post insanity and strum at so many random speeds and still combo it, but if you strum it exactly right you will fc it every time. the only real advice i can give you for using the hammerons is to get to the point where it feels like you are actually playing a note when you hammeron or pull off. like if it goes strum red to hammeron blue, you have to think of it like strum blue strum and somehow get into your brain that when you touch blue it counts as hitting the note. its so god damn hard to do because your brain sees 2 yellows then 2 reds and then 2 blues when you need it to think yellow red, red blue, and so on so that the strums will be on the right notes. its because you have to strum on the off beats. it would be like if you were alt strumming, all of the strum notes would be your upstrums and all of the hammerons would be where you would be downstrumming.

you might want to try starting the first burst on an upstrum so the strum notes will fall more naturally with your downstrums. that way you can downstrum the notes more rhythemicly. you could also try to upstrum the strum notes because that is where they would naturally fall if you started the section on a downstrum.

the way you have your strumming written out says that you try to downstrum first on all of the bursts where upstrumming would be your natural strum but if you start by going up, you will make it so downstrums would naturally start all of the bursts.

[g0dly]

i have always found those hammerons nearly impossible aswell. i personally strum through sections like this but i make sure that i do it EXACTLY at the right time. i mean you can play post insanity and strum at so many random speeds and still combo it, but if you strum it exactly right you will fc it every time. the only real advice i can give you for using the hammerons is to get to the point where it feels like you are actually playing a note when you hammeron or pull off. like if it goes strum red to hammeron blue, you have to think of it like strum blue strum and somehow get into your brain that when you touch blue it counts as hitting the note. its so god damn hard to do because your brain sees 2 yellows then 2 reds and then 2 blues when you need it to think yellow red, red blue, and so on so that the strums will be on the right notes. its because you have to strum on the off beats. it would be like if you were alt strumming, all of the strum notes would be your upstrums and all of the hammerons would be where you would be downstrumming.

you might want to try starting the first burst on an upstrum so the strum notes will fall more naturally with your downstrums. that way you can downstrum the notes more rhythemicly. you could also try to upstrum the strum notes because that is where they would naturally fall if you started the section on a downstrum.

the way you have your strumming written out says that you try to downstrum first on all of the bursts where upstrumming would be your natural strum but if you start by going up, you will make it so downstrums would naturally start all of the bursts.

[eddyf]

Practice on Go That Far, then try TTFAF Grinding Scales, then Post Insanity, and then Lost Inside. I'd say that's a good progression on difficulty. Note that I personally don't use the HOPOs in Post Insanity or Lost Inside... I've tried but I concluded that it's really not easier than just concentrating really hard on strumming everything at precisely the right time. I do use them in Grinding Scales though, because it's slow enough and you're not constantly switching from strumming to HOPOing.
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[eddyf]

Practice on Go That Far, then try TTFAF Grinding Scales, then Post Insanity, and then Lost Inside. I'd say that's a good progression on difficulty. Note that I personally don't use the HOPOs in Post Insanity or Lost Inside... I've tried but I concluded that it's really not easier than just concentrating really hard on strumming everything at precisely the right time. I do use them in Grinding Scales though, because it's slow enough and you're not constantly switching from strumming to HOPOing.
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[HoorayItsMike]

Not sure what other people said already, but one thing I can tell you is that it's nearly impossible to get your combo back if you mess up when just strumming the strum notes. You'll have to start strumming every note again to get your combo back. So if you mess up and can't get it back, don't get discouraged, you're not alone.

Other than that, I've found that the part you talked about in your post is very easy to slow down in on accident. Keep a very consistent fast beat, and I'd advise to not anchor. I usually go too slow just before each gallop strum. When the frets change back and forth on the higher frets, that's when I usually go too slow. So just be sure to keep up with the beat and maybe go faster than what you are realizing.
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[HoorayItsMike]

Not sure what other people said already, but one thing I can tell you is that it's nearly impossible to get your combo back if you mess up when just strumming the strum notes. You'll have to start strumming every note again to get your combo back. So if you mess up and can't get it back, don't get discouraged, you're not alone.

Other than that, I've found that the part you talked about in your post is very easy to slow down in on accident. Keep a very consistent fast beat, and I'd advise to not anchor. I usually go too slow just before each gallop strum. When the frets change back and forth on the higher frets, that's when I usually go too slow. So just be sure to keep up with the beat and maybe go faster than what you are realizing.
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