Using two hands

[Boochypa]

Is there any kind of concrete strategy for using both hands to play stepmania other than "practice"?

I've tried it several times and found it thoroughly impossible.

[Brainmaster07]

Practice! Wait...

Bah, I played one handed for about the first month I played the game, until I had thouroughly concluded beating levels like revo was impossible one handed. So I switched over to two handed, at first it was really weird, but an hour later I could beat levels 4 times hard, I went from not being able to pass BTC to passing caprice /shrug. Just find whatever position works for you and, well... practice .

[Boochypa]

That's the whole point...a lot of songs ARE essentially impossible with only one hand. That's the only reason I'm considering using both.

I was thinking more along the lines of "Which fingers do I use for which keys?"

[SolitaryTurnip]

Index and middle (right) for up and right... middle and index (left) for left and down. That's what I do, anyway.

[Brainmaster07]

Index and middle (right) for up and right... middle and index (left) for left and down. That's what I do, anyway.

I do the same, except middle and ring on the right, my index's hit each other if I try it your way, messing up any type or run pretty much.

[Kilgamayan]

That's the whole point...a lot of songs ARE essentially impossible with only one hand.

Blur's the only one I can think of. I seem to recall Reach one-handing Payon once, and I can't think of anything else mainstream that's harder.

[Brainmaster07]

That's the whole point...a lot of songs ARE essentially impossible with only one hand.

Blur's the only one I can think of. I seem to recall Reach one-handing Payon once, and I can't think of anything else mainstream that's harder.

Even I can beat payon one handed :O, mashing of course, but I can.

[Kilgamayan]

I haven't figured out how to mash Payon yet.

[jimerax]

just practice..

It needed about 1 or 2 months for me to get accustomed completely to 2 hands.

[Moogy]

Reach AAd Payon 1 one handed and got a B or A (don't remember) on Payon 2. He also Bd Revo and Bd Ice Climber v2 oni one handed. The only song that is unbeatable with one hand is indeed Blur.

[Reach]

Heh, you can become insanely good with 1 hand. I've reached a level where i can beat every stepfile someone throws at me one hand...hell, I almost AAA'd freedom or fire first try 1 handed.

Mind you, it takes 10x more practise to become good with 1 hand. And you'll never be able to preform as good as a 2 hander on stages with comstant streams...ex. fotbb, caprice.

As for 2 hands...use your index fingers, or 4 fingers...whatever feels more comfortable. 2 index fingers...you just alternate, left and right. 4 fingers is much easier though. Practise things like max300 heavy untill you become more comfortable with SM timing and different patterns.

Eventually, you want to take on the hardest stepfiles you can find, and try and pass them. Playing hard stepfiles will improve your skill quickly. You'll never get really good only playing stuff at BMR's V level.

[Snapps]

just practice..

It needed about 1 or 2 months for me to get accustomed completely to 2 hands.

Tis took me two days sir.

[fusi0n]

when i first started i started on the standard two handed playing pos..felt the most natural
and i play on reverse scroll, which nobody else seems to use :\ i guess its cuz i played Amplitude on ps2 a lot

[Amfew]

You know, (on FFR) you can use the numpad too, so left hand on the arrow keys and right hand on the numpad(8 and 6), that way it's not so cramped and your fingers will never touch each other. If you want.

And it took me like two hours to get used to four finger, just keep at it and play the right stepfiles. Once max300 gets too easy, you might want to play stuff with lots of doubles as I remember one distinct hurdle when learning 2 hand was coordinating doubles. Cynic's At Least I Can Say I Tried has alot of doubles and isn't really crazy or intimidating like gravity or arrabbiata.

[altairian]

Take Reach's advice.
I've been playing bemani games for like, 6 months, and I'm already pretty darned good at SM if I do say so myself, thanks to Reach

The important thing is to go with what's comfortable for you. 1 hand is harder, but it's not impossible. If you get uber l33t like reach with 1 hand you'll have 1 forearm be like 2 inches bigger around than the other O_O