Mashing and Improvement

[Hayzeusky]

This is just something that's been bugging me recently so I'm just gonna talk or type about it lol. This is more of rant rather than something to discuss, but you can add your opinion on the topic if you want.

I have read numerous forums and guides and etc in the past that say, "Play things that challenge you." Problem? The stuff that challenges me I have to mash on. But then I see, "If you have to mash, its too hard." So what, I continue playing stuff that I get a AA or a high A on. But wait, the only reason why I don't AA is because of a pattern I have to mash.

It gets kinda weird when judging improvement. Looking at scores seems like a good way of judging improvement, but I would prefer to see improvements in pattern recognition and actually hitting the pattern without panicking. Like my worst pattern by far is jacks. I know to improve at them I need to play them more, but I usually have to mash (And of course fail) to attempt to hit them. Is this really the way? Mashing until its not mashing? This rant was inspired by a plateau lul.

[Wayward Vagabond]

Re: Mashing and Improvement

Mashing jacks lol.

[Hayzeusky]

Re: Mashing and Improvement

let's say hypothetically
you play 18s on Etterna

don't take "challenge yourself" literally and play 30s
Play up to 20s maybe, you should be able to play those files well WITHOUT having to mash, or forcing yourself to mash.

Being a player with an 18 rating then suddenly deciding "I'M A BIG BOY" and doing pine nut on 1.1 is just not a good idea

>mashing
>improvement

You can only pick one of these man

That's exactly what I mean. The stuff I play well I don't mash on. Its not like I play stuff extremely over my level. Its just that stuff on my level isn't worth playing because I already do well at it. How is it improvement if i'm improving something i'm already good at? Also how'd you know I play 18s on etterna lol. Although my rating is 19.

[Hayzeusky]

Re: Mashing and Improvement

Mashing jacks lol.

Well not exactly mashing. More like hoping for the best while I slam my fingers on a single key multiple times off pattern lul.

[Rapta]

Re: Mashing and Improvement

Your rating is 19? Play ratings of 20 to 22 until your rating is at 22. Repeat?

[Dinglesberry]

Re: Mashing and Improvement

Identify what you need to do to improve, and work on that.

Do you mash because you lack the speed, or lack the reading? If you don't have the speed, play more, and if you don't have the reading, play more.

Play more.

[Shodzzy]

Re: Mashing and Improvement

Mashing jacks lol.

me lol

[Shodzzy]

Re: Mashing and Improvement

I've said this to someone before, and I feel like it really works: Play songs that are a few difficulties up to your usual. I have that same problem as well, though so I'm not sure what else to tell you, sorry dude. That's all I know D:

[SK8R43]

Re: Mashing and Improvement

mashing is bad and pointless... playing stuff that challenges you doesnt mean stuff that you have to mash to play. I force myself not to mash because it gets you nowhere. so what if you combo'd that part, it means nothing if you didnt hit it right.

[Shodzzy]

Re: Mashing and Improvement

mashing is bad and pointless... playing stuff that challenges you doesnt mean stuff that you have to mash to play. I force myself not to mash because it gets you nowhere. so what if you combo'd that part, it means nothing if you didnt hit it right.

Yeah exactly. If you mash, you end up getting twice more boos then anything lol.

[SK8R43]

Re: Mashing and Improvement

Thats one way to put it. Plus you dont actually learn the pattern so when it comes around again youre going to mash it haha

[Dynam0]

Re: Mashing and Improvement

Mashing should only come about when:

a) You're too strained and cannot keep up with patterns you can normally hit in smaller chunks

b) You cannot read an isolated pattern

The former is the most common and is remedied by continually playing things that tire you out but do not result in mashing (or at least not for a large majority of the file).

The latter should only come up in files with difficulty spikes and is remedied by playing the problem sections at slower speeds and gradually upping the tempo until you can play at the intended speed. This might result in having to manipulate the patterns because playing at intended speed is not physically reasonable. Most players (myself included oops) don't bother doing this and continue to commit errors on those sections, inducing poor muscle memory and leading to mindblocks.

[Rapta]

Re: Mashing and Improvement

In my opinion, mashing can be give you benefits if you do it right.

[MikeShinoda12345]

Re: Mashing and Improvement

The songs that are the most fun for you are generally also the songs that will drive improvement
There's no need to overthink things, improvement takes time and patience anyways

(If you have to mash it IS too hard for you. But mashing isn't very fun anyways and I don't think you'd spend an entire session mashing unless you were taking "play hard songs" too much to heart)