Custom Song FAQ

**ImaCarrot** · Joined: 06 Mar 2006 Posts: 2687

Update: 6-12-07 Added the question about where to get Ghex at the top in nice big, red, letters. I'm not going to remove the questions pertaining to Ghex at this moment since it's still in use by those lucky enough to have it before it was removed. Also added a link to my .dtb editing guides thread.
Update: 5-07-07 We can now replace most text strings in the game, including the setlist names. I've updated that question to reflect. I also got rid of all 'Old Answers' I had sprinkled about as new tools/methods invalidated them, they aren't really needed anymore. Also did some spring cleaning... in the summer...time.
Update: 3-28-07 Answered what I thought was something obvious that didn't need to be stated.
Update: 3-26-07 Elaborated a bit on the "Length of songs to replace" question. Also added the "Apache makes a really small ISO" question.
Update: 3-14-07 Cleaned up some obsolete information thanks to the newest version of Ghex and the release of FeedBack.
Update: 2-8-07 Answered the Action Replay Max question, as well as the 'how to change names in the set list' question.
Update: 2-2-07 Answered HOPOs question, thanks Riz.
Update: 1-27-07 Added the how to convert to .mp3 question, answered.
Update: 1-23-07: Fixed the Ghex error question, added a link to the custom videos tutorial as well as what happens if you screw the community over by posting an .iso of a hacked version of the game while taking full credit for the creation of all the songs contained within.
Update: 12-31-06: Added links to all of the custom songs threads, If I missed one, let me know. Then took them down in the wake of the Custom Song Index.
Update: 12-15-06: Answered a couple more questions.

I've been following the custom song scene since the begining and have seen or encountered most, if not all, of the problems and questions that arise. This document will hopefully answer any questions people may have before they post a new thread.

Guitar Hero Explorer (Ghex) is available again, pick it up in the Ghex sticky.

Can I create my own songs to play in Guitar Hero and Guitar Hero 2?
Yes.

Awesome! Do I need a modded ps2 to play these custom songs?
Yes. There are numerous different ways to play a burned game on your ps2 and you need one of them. These forums aren't the place to discuss how to get a ps2 to play burned games, just do a Google search.

Can I use Action Replay Max or another cheat device to load custom songs onto a non-modded PS2?
No.

How many custom songs am I able to replace?
In Guitar Hero you can replace 47 different songs, Guitar Hero 2 can support 64 different songs. Imagine that...

How does Guitar Hero store the information for the notecharts and other things like lighting?
The game uses standard midi files to store everything from note placement and star power events, to the lighting and the names of the Practice mode sections. Read Riff's great Midi details guide here for all the information you could possibly want to know about the Guitar Hero midi.

Is this legal? Won't we get sued by RedOctane if we post our midi files on the net?
As long as the midi file you are posting on the net doesn't contain anything that you yourself did not create, then it should be fine that you post your own creation on the net. It would NOT be ok to post a converted Guitar Hero midi for use in Guitar Hero 2. It also is not ok to post links to copyrighted material, such as the songs used, unless the original author is the one hosting the download.

What programs do I need to have to create my own note charts?
FeedBack is likely to be the defacto standard in making custom note charts. It features a very simple interface, very similar to the Stepmania editor, and was made with Guitar Hero in mind. Best of all, it's free, really the only reason to not use FeedBack is if you want more control (at the expense of ease-of-use) in your midi editing.

Speaking of more control, a good midi sequencer is the way to go if you just don't want to use FeedBack for whatever reason.Anvil Studio is a very good, and free, midi sequencer. It seems that you need to pay for an upgrade if you want to be able to add your own events (which handles things like Practice mode section names and lighting effects), but those things aren't vital in creating a note chart, just recommended.

There is also the most expensive of the currently favored midi sequencers, Sonar 6. This package is a top-of-the-line suite of tools geared towards production quality music creation/editing, including midi editing. Definately a steep learning curve with this one, but it comes with everything you need to create custom Guitar Hero note charts.

Midi Maestro is another very good sequencer, and the one I prefer to use. The main drawback is it's high price tag, and the free demo version doesn't support a save feature. This sequencer can do anything you want and would need to do for Guitar Hero note charts.

Can I just download a midi of the song I want off the net and use that for my notechart?
Not without converting it to a format that Guitar Hero can understand. A good midi of the song can be useful as a starting place, but you are still going to have to move notes around and adjust timing.

I open up a Guitar Hero midi in a midi editor but I don't see anything that looks like a note chart, what am I doing wrong?
Midi editors often times have multiple views for editing different aspects of a midi, the view you want for editing a note chart is usually called something along the lines of "Piano Roll". In that view, you should be able to see a recognizable note chart.

I'm trying to edit the events track so I can tell my song when to end, but the events track is empty! What do I do here?
The events track is not empty, it just looks empty in Piano Roll view. Change the view to Events view and you should be able to see all of the events that get fired off throughout the song.

How do I tell the game that certain notes are HOPO'able in the midi?

**TheGlow** · Joined: 18 Feb 2006 Posts: 2748 Location: J Train Brooklyn!

Good play ole chap.

**Frostilicus** · Joined: 12 Nov 2006 Posts: 112 Location: Boston

The work done by you and a few other folks is going to unlock new worlds of enjoyment for this game! Now there's something to do instead of just chasing ridiclous scores.

"It's easier to lay down the notes in this editor than it is with a midi sequencer, but you are more limited. To achieve optimal results, you'll likely end up using both tools."

Yes, from my limited experience, I've been able to figure out how to create and manipulate the midi notes in the lead guitar track in Anvil...but this would seem a daunting task to do from scratch. So it seems that using the freetar editor, and then manipulating that result in Anvil for precision in note lengths and timing. I think what's what Carrot is talking about here, at least...

**Kecos** · Joined: 18 Sep 2006 Posts: 488 Location: North America

I've made my note chart, how do I make star power notes on my song?

**ImaCarrot** · Joined: 06 Mar 2006 Posts: 2687

**katamakel** · Joined: 16 Jun 2006 Posts: 1467 Location: Stockholm, Sweden

**HylianHero** · Joined: 22 Feb 2006 Posts: 4673 Location: Santa Cruz, CA

I have a question.

When I listen to the midi it sounds like really loud and obnoxious piano keys. I assumed that's what all midi files sound like, so I plugged it into the game anyways. Yet for some reason, the piano keys were still there. What can I do to convert the piano sounds to guitar sounds like they're supposed to be?
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**Falango** · Joined: 25 Sep 2006 Posts: 222

Ya the midi will sound like piano keys. If you are hearing piano keys in the game, then you have a problem with the VGS you have injected. The VGS is the song file. Sounds to me like you may have injected the MIDI as a VGS.

**DarkKnight720** · Joined: 10 Aug 2006 Posts: 1301 Location: Davison, MI

After you make a .sng into a .midi....how long will the process take of injecting a song into GH2? (Generalization)
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**ImaCarrot** · Joined: 06 Mar 2006 Posts: 2687

**Sephiroth87** · Joined: 18 Nov 2006 Posts: 88

**SGMan** · Joined: 01 Jan 2007 Posts: 6

i would love to make some songs on Guitar Hero 2 and i was wondering if it is possible to get a walkthrough on making a custom song or songs? thank you it will be much apprieciated

Thanks SGMan

**Kecos** · Joined: 18 Sep 2006 Posts: 488 Location: North America

This is the walkthrough to making a song. Then, you can check out the Idiot Proof guide to playing custom GH2 songs, also in this forum.

**SGMan** · Joined: 01 Jan 2007 Posts: 6

Oh sorry, like i said i'm new to the forum lol and to the game what should you suggest?

do the importing other peoples song first or the creating.

Cheers

SGMan

**whiskeyface** · Posted: Mon Jan 01, 2007 10:33 pm Post subject:

This guide, along with this one: http://www.scorehero.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4025

...will give you a basic, if note full, understanding on creating a custom song. All other necessary tutorials/help are linked in the first post of this thread.
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whiskeyface's Custom Songs | Idiot Proof Guide to MAKING Custom Guitar Hero Songs