Song Selection FAQ | Forums

[PlainclothesMan]

What's the biggest factor in deciding how many songs to get from a band or artist? Like, where does the difference between a 3-pack and a 5-pack come from? Does it all have to do with how often an artist is requested, or is it more to do with how cooperative the rights holders are?

[JarredMcAdams]

What's the biggest factor in deciding how many songs to get from a band or artist? Like, where does the difference between a 3-pack and a 5-pack come from? Does it all have to do with how often an artist is requested, or is it more to do with how cooperative the rights holders are?

There are multiple factors, and the exact scenario can vary significantly from week to week. We nearly always request more songs than we can actually produce notetracks for, because we have no way of knowing which songs will clear, or how many will clear before we have to start working on them. It's not a simple matter of going up to the band and saying, "Hey, can we have 5 songs?" For each song we need a license for publishing and the recording, and each of those might be in different hands, and each of those might have multiple different owners - so you might have to track down permission from 10 or 15 different entities for just one song. There are no blanket deals.

So, if 5 songs have cleared when we start notetracking, we'll do 5. If only 3 have, we'll only do three. A few times it's been 4.

Obviously there are exceptions (like Hendrix). And sometimes a band will only have a handful of songs we want to request, so that's a factor too. And sometimes when things get crazy, our notetracking bandwidth means that we need to have a 3-song week in order to get everything out on time.

It's almost never a matter of whether or not a particular band band "deserves" a 5-pack or anything like that, though that often seems to be how it's interpreted by the community. It's just a matter of what the logistics of cranking this stuff out week after week will allow.

[The_Working_Man]

Interesting. Thanks for the insight, Jared.

[Captainoffun22]

It's funny how people known what song I was talking about from Rock The 80s
and that shows it is big and it was a master track, I will be waiting for the new wave pack

[daddy_felix]

And sometimes when things get crazy, our notetracking bandwidth means that we need to have a 3-song week in order to get everything out on time.

How long does it take to track one song?

[JarredMcAdams]

How long does it take to track one song?

It depends on the song's length and complexity and on which notetracker is assigned to it. Some songs are long and intricate - they take longer. Sometimes they'll have extra parts, like a harmony part during a solo or some interesting overdubs, and we'll make extra arrangements to cover that material. Some songs are short and have a lot of repetition - those go pretty fast.

Also, some notetrackers are better at some kinds of charts than others. Sometimes we have non-notetracking duties that take up significant chunks of our time and slow things down.

Bottom line, it generally falls between 1 and 2 weeks, but sometimes it goes faster than that, and occasionally it takes longer.

[Captainoffun22]

It depends on the song's length and complexity and on which notetracker is assigned to it. Some songs are long and intricate - they take longer. Sometimes they'll have extra parts, like a harmony part during a solo or some interesting overdubs, and we'll make extra arrangements to cover that material. Some songs are short and have a lot of repetition - those go pretty fast.

Also, some notetrackers are better at some kinds of charts than others. Sometimes we have non-notetracking duties that take up significant chunks of our time and slow things down.

Bottom line, it generally falls between 1 and 2 weeks, but sometimes it goes faster than that, and occasionally it takes longer.

Also you have to down chart the songs, and I know that takes along time.

[Cudafish1966]

hey all

I've been practicing the hammer ons and let offs lesson. I couldn't help but notice how twangy it is

we need some COUNTRY!

I mean, there are good songs for chords and rhythm playing,

and

Brad Paisley?!? anyone who likes "shredding" or picking fast, he'd be a good one to have for leads. I mean I've always appreciated his skills. I'm a professional musician myself, just not in guitar. But now, after working, and working on this lesson... my respect for him has gone up a 100 fold. It's funny, I can play the "practice track" at practically 100% accuracy... at like 80% speed

I just think some country tunes, both old and new - Brad Paisley, Dierks Bentley (his bluegrass album?!), Old Crow Medicine Show, Darius Rucker, Little Big Town, and the older greats:
George Strait
Garth Brooks
Brooks and Dunn
Clint Black
Johnny Cash
Hank Williams and JR
Merle Haggard
Jimmie Rodgers
Waylon Jennings?! - I mean seriously, who doesn't want to play "Dukes of Hazzard" ?
Dolly Parton
Loretta Lynn
Willie Neslon
Patsy Kline

The list can go on and on...

lots of opportunity I think there for DLC $$

I live out in the country. Seriously, we have 8 country stations around here.

I know plenty of guitarists that haven't bought Rocksmith... because it's "ROCK"
I convinced one that even songs like "Bat Country" can help with Country Music playing. I understand the diversity of the instrument though, I've been in a lot of country, blues, motown, jazz, rock and pop type setlists. I just was playing clarinet, trumpet, or piano doing them.

but seriously? we need some good Country tunes!

[TomKQT]

I wonder how do you make themed packs like the recent "Shamrock Song Pack"? What I mean is - it seems that licencing a song (and notetracking it) could take some time which probably isn't really predictable, so is it even possible to say "let's make an Irish pack the next month, let's go ask for some Irish songs"?
Or do you just keep some already licenced single songs for later use, even longer time (months)?

Also - how hard was to get Zombie? That's again after some time an extremely well-known song, I think we would have hard time finding somebody who doesn't know it. And AFAIK it was never in a music game before.

Thanks

[infocat1]

I wonder how do you make themed packs like the recent "Shamrock Song Pack"? What I mean is - it seems that licencing a song (and notetracking it) could take some time which probably isn't really predictable, so is it even possible to say "let's make an Irish pack the next month, let's go ask for some Irish songs"?
Or do you just keep some already licenced single songs for later use, even longer time (months)?

Also - how hard was to get Zombie? That's again after some time an extremely well-known song, I think we would have hard time finding somebody who doesn't know it. And AFAIK it was never in a music game before.

Thanks

I'd never heard any of these songs before (though I do own one Dropkick Murphys album).