RIZ wrote:Gloves, I hear playing on random helps ease the transition fro 9s to 10s. How much validity is there to that/ how did you get so damn good??
Playing on random is definitely a good thing to do. It makes strange chords and uncomfortable patterns much more common, and when you start to plateau in skill, it ensures that you aren't just playing the exact same thing again and again while you bash your head into the wall.
That said, I don't play random as much as other people tell me to. I like the feel of original charts. I like my pitch relevancy, I like my bass hits on 1, and it feels more comfortable. Random can be a lot of fun though too, and many people prefere it. Plus, all the people I know who are better than me play more random than I do though, so take that how you will, haha.
Aside from playing random, a couple other things you can do to improve are:
- Play a wide variety of songs. If you have multiple mixes of iidx play them all. More variety =more experience = better player.
- Adjust your green number occasionally. I used to go 310, then I went 290, now I go 300. Even small adjustments can make a huuuge difference in how you read charts.
- Play things that are a little too hard for you as long as it isn't completely overwhelming (as in, you never get above 20% the whole song). If you're breaking into 10's try the 11's too. It's worth a shot, right? You might just surprise yourself
- Use hard mode! Hard mode + Random is a magical combination that can turn easy songs into new challenges. It'll force you to take each measure more seriously, and stop just "going through the motions" of easy parts you've played a bunch of times.
- Sometimes taking a little time off helps. Playing a few hours a day for a week is obviously helpful, but taking a few days off and clearing your mind can prove surprisingly beneficial when you come back things suddenly start clicking into place. It doesn't always happen, but it's magical when it does.
It can be discouraging to keep failing the same songs, but as long as you vary it up, you should be able to keep it fresh and interesting.
Finally, if you have two controllers, I can't recommend highly enough playing some 14key. Not only is it fantastically fun and different, but it does wonders for individual hand dexterity, and when you go back to 7key it's like putting on training wheels.
Good luck, and have fun!