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( G | u | i | t | a | r ) ( H | e | r | o ) ( I | I )
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Table of Contents
-----------------
1.0 Introduction
2.0 Practice
2.1 Button Overview
2.2 Tutorials
2.3 Whammy Bar
2.4 Difficulty Breakdown
2.5 Song Practice
3.0 Career
3.1 Introduction
3.2 Getting Started
3.3 Songs
3.3.1 Opening Licks
3.3.2 Amp-Warmers
3.3.3 String Snappers
3.3.4 Thrash and Burn
3.3.5 Return of the Shred
3.3.6 Relentless Riffs
3.3.7 Furious Fretwork
3.3.8 Face-Melters
3.3.9 Bonus Tracks
3.3.10 Downloadable Songs
3.4 Post-Song Information
3.4.1 Money
3.5 The Store
3.5.1 Specifics
4.0 Multiplayer
5.0 Xbox Live
6.0 Tips
6.1 Terminology
7.0 Achievements
8.0 FAQ
9.0 Contact Info
10.0 Version History
11.0 Thanks and Usage
----------------
1.0 Introduction
----------------
Hello. I am creating this FAQ out of boredom, and because there's
only one other. I love Guitar Hero II and I figure this is my best
way to pay back, especially to other players that have given me
tips. This is my first FAQ, but not my first contribution. I hope it
helps you in some way. Feel free to contact me with questions or
contributions. My information is at the bottom, under [[6.0 Contact
Info]]
------------
2.0 Practice
------------
First off, I'd like to say that practice mode is generally unused
among players that I know. It does help, and it can add to your
playing experience.
2.1 Button Overview
------------
All of the information here is further explained in the tutorials.
This is just a quick overview of the buttons. I am only explaining in brief.
Please view the tutorials to see more, or read the section below.
- Fret buttons, located on neck of the guitar
Green (lowest note)
Red
Yellow
Blue
Orange (highest)
- Strum bar strums notes, navigates menus
- Start pauses the game
- Back goes back a menu, activates star power
- D pad navigates menus, up and down strums
- Guide button accesses the Xbox menu
- Whammy Bar distorts pitch
- Microphone slot for Xbox live headset
- Ethernet jack for add-on distortion pedals, ect.
2.2 Tutorials
-------------
At first, I had ignored the tutorials. I found playing was the best
way for me to learn. I soon realized I was missing out on
information such as hammer-ons/pull-offs.
- The first tutorial is on playing simple notes. After a little
introduction, and a short explanation, it becomes interactive. You
are asked to hold any fret button and strum a note. You must do this
3 times per note. After that, you will see the playing area. He
explains notes will move to you. Then you must hold the green one,
and strum it when it comes to you. After this, the same thing
happens again, with different color notes. It's not terribly
difficult. You then learn about long notes. It's just about the same
thing, only holding the fret button. He will then explain chords.
It's just as easy, just with two colors at once. Finally, he
explains the different meters, or interface, that is viewable during
play.
- The second lesson is on Star Power. It is explained fully in the
tutorial. The whammy bar is introduced, and I will explain a bit
more in section [[2.3 Whammy Bar]]. You learn to execute start power
by tilting the guitar. Simple enough, but practice this, because
when playing it can be difficult to accomplish at first while still
strumming notes. When using star power, you score multiplier on the
bottom left will double. If there is no multiplier, it will become
x2. If it is 2 it becomes x4, and so on. The highest is x8 because
x4 is the limit without star power.
- The third lesson is Advanced Techniques. You are told about a real
guitar. This first talking intro is very helpful. The basis that the
lowest note is played when not playing a chord requires you to move
your fingers less, which reduces fatigue. He follows this with a
lesson on hammer-ons. It is explained in the game. Please note
though, that hammer-on and pull-off notes appear with a white top,
which you may not notice. While all others requiring strum have a
little black ring on them, near the top. Pull-offs are the opposite.
It is explained fully in-game. Hammer-ons and pull-offs are very
helpful and require practice. Some songs will go 10 or 15 notes
without a strum. Note that you may strum a hammer-on/pull-off note,
or, if another follows, hammer-on/pull-off that next note. You
cannot hammer-on/pull-off a note if the note before it was not
played.
2.3 Whammy Bar
--------------
Ah, the whammy bar. I love it. But, what's the purpose? You know it gives
you star power by moving it in and out, but how fast should you move it?
Currently, I don't believe the speed which you move it changes the amount of
star power you get, as long as the whammy is consistent. But what if it isn't a
star note? What does it do? Well it distorts pitch. You can use it to make a
note sound cool. A whammy bar is used on a real guitar to tighten the strings
temporarily to distort pitch and is used by some musicians. The whammy bar has
no effect on your score.
2.4 Difficulty Breakdown
------------------------
Easy - Uses only the green, red, and yellow fret buttons. For
beginners, uses few chords and has fewer notes. Farthest chord is
two, i.e. green to yellow.
Medium - Uses green, red, yellow, and blue fret buttons. Has more
notes, and is generally for normal player who has played the game a
little while. Farthest chord is two, i.e. green to yellow.
Hard - Uses all the fret buttons. For the experienced player. Fret
commands move at the player faster. Has more notes, more chords, and
can have 3 fret chords. Farthest chord is 3, i.e. green to blue.
Expert - Uses all fret buttons. For the seasoned player; the best.
Fret commands move at the player faster. Has many notes, many
chords, and three fret stretches.
2.5 Song Practice
-----------------
Practice mode is a very useful mode. You can use it to work out the
kinks in your performance in a couple of ways.
- After you select a song you are asked to choose a part. This is
either guitar or bass, or it is lead and rhythm. Guitar and lead are
the same thing and they are what is played in songs in career and
quick play. Bass is a guitar with a lower pitch, and is normally easier.
Rhythm guitar is usually a background guitar that doesn't take part in
solos, but most notes are generally the same. I find that both
rhythm and bass help me to learn a song and find the beat to it. You
could always just play them for fun.
- After selecting your part, you are asked which difficulty. This
affects bass and rhythm as well.
- You are then asked where you wish to begin and end the song. You
can choose full song, or select a part you wish to practice. To
practice one part, select it twice.
- Finally, you must select the speed. This slows the entire song,
down to the beat, and words are removed. This can help you to find
the beat and learn the notes on a song you cannot pass.
----------
3.0 Career
----------
Career mode, where it all goes down. You make a band, you choose
your star, and you go and play, unlocking songs as you go.
3.1 Introduction
----------------
Career mode is the heart of the game. You name a band and you go out
and play. You play songs, completing however many it says you have
to, and then play the encore. You start out small, in a little club.
As you progress, you move up through the venues until you play at
places like Vans Warped Tour. The road to success is a long one
however, because there are many songs you must play. With every song
you complete, you get paid $150 for 3 stars, $200 for 4, and $450
for 5. You can take this money on to the store. Have fun and play to
be the biggest name out there.
3.2 Getting Started
-------------------
Starting a band in this game is so easy, if only it was this way in
real life. Just type in your name and you have your band. You must
pick a person to play as. This person will play the guitar and be
focused on as you play. Each character acts differently, plays
differently, and does different things. After you select your
character, don't forget to pick your guitar. I'm not positive it
matters which one, but pick your favorite. Now you're ready.
3.3 Songs
---------
The list of songs. Note that there are no encores in easy, nor is
there any under the Face-Melter category. Not all songs will be
included on easy.
3.3.1 Opening Licks
-------------------
Surrender - Cheap Trick
Possum Kingdom -Toadies
Heart-Shaped Box - Nirvana
Salvation - Rancid
Strutter - Kiss
Shout at the Devil - Motley Crue
3.3.2 Amp-Warmers
-----------------
Mother - Danzig
Life Wasted - Pearl Jam
Cherry Pie - Warrant
Woman - Wolfmother
You Really Got Me - Van Halen
Tonight I'm Gonna Rock You Tonight - Spinal Tap
3.3.3 String Snappers
---------------------
Carry On Wayward Son - Kansas
Search And Destroy - Iggy and the Stooges
Message In A Bottle - The Police
Billion Dollar Babies - Alice Cooper
Them Bones - Alice in Chains
War Pigs - Black Sabbath
3.3.4 Thrash and Burn
---------------------
Monkey Wrench - The Foo Fighters
Hush - Deep Purple
Girlfriend - Matthew Sweet
Who Was In My Room Last Night? - The Butthole Surfers
Can't You Hear Me Knockin' - The Rolling Stones
Sweet Child O' Mine - Guns 'N' Roses
3.3.5 Return Of The Shred
-------------------------
Rock And Roll Hoochie Koo - Rick Derringer
Tattooed Love Boys - The Pretenders
John the Fisherman - Primus
Jessica - The Allman Brothers Band
Bad Reputation - Thin Lizzy
Last Child - Aerosmith
3.3.6 Relentless Riffs
----------------------
Crazy on You - Heart
Trippin' on a Hole in a Paper Heart - The Stone Temple Pilots
Dead! - My Chemical Romance
Killing in the Name - Rage Against The Machine
Freya - The Sword
Stop - Janes Addiction
3.3.7 Furious Fretwork
----------------------
Madhouse - Anthrax
The Trooper - Iron Maiden
Rock This Town - The Stray Cats
Laid To Rest - Lamb of God
Psychobilly Freakout - The Reverand Horton Heat
YYZ - Rush
3.3.8 Face-Melters
------------------
Beast and The Harlot - Avenged Sevenfold
Carry Me Home - The Living End
Institutionalized -Suicidal Tendancies
Misirlou - Dick Dale
Hangar 18 - Megadeth
Freebird - Lynard Skynard
3.3.9 Bonus Tracks
------------------
Raw Dog - The Las Vegas
Arterial - Black Drist
Collide - Anarchy Club
Elephant Bones - That Handsome Devil
Fall of Pangea - Valient Thorr
FTK - VAGIANT
Gemini - Brian Kahanek
Push Push (Lady Lightning) - Bang Camaro
Laughtrack - The Acrobrats
Less Talk More Rokk Freezepop
Jordan - Buckethead
Mr. Fix-It - The Amazing Royal Crowns
The New Black - every Time I Die
One For the Road - Artillery
Parasite - The Neighborhoods
Count Zero - Radium Eyes
Megasus - Red Lottery
Six - All That Remains
Soy Bomb - Honest Bob and the Factory-to-Dealer Incentives
The Light That Blinds - Shadows Fall
Thunder Horse - DETHKLOK
Trogdor - Strong Bad
X-Stream - Voivod
Yes We Can - Made in Mexico
3.3.10 Downloadable Songs
------------------------
Songs found in the Xbox Live Marketplace for Microsoft Points.
Guitar Hero Track Pack 1
Bark at the Moon - Ozzy Osbourne
Hey You - The Exies
Ace Of Spades - Motorhead
Guitar Hero Track Pack 2
Killer Queen - Queen
Take It Off - The Donnas
Frankenstein - The Edgar Winter Group
Guitar Hero Track Pack 3
Higher Ground - Red Hot Chili Peppers
Infected - Bad Religion
Stellar - Incubus
3.4 Post-Song Information
-------------------------------
After you complete a song, you will see a page that looks like a newspaper. On
this page you will see your rating, 3 (lowest) to 5(highest) stars, your
percent of notes played correctly, a continue option, and a more info option.
By clicking more info, you see your number of notes versus the amount in the
song. For example, if there are 100 notes in a song, and you hit 90, it looks
like 90/100. It tells you the SP (star power) phases you completed. These only
count if you hit every star note in the combo from beginning to end. Then it
breaks down the different parts of the song into the percent of notes you hit
in that part. The highest percent is green. The lowest percent is in red.
3.4.1 Money
-----------
After you complete each song you earn an amount of money. This money is spent
in the in game store. You are paid based on your 3-5 star review. If you play
the song and get 3 stars, and then play again and get 5, every time after you
play that song, you won't get any money. This is because there is a cap on each
song. If you play a song on hard you never played on medium you get the
medium 5 star + the amount for the 3-5 stars you just got.
I hope this clears up some of the money issues I've been hearing about.
3.5 The Store
-------------
The store has all kinds of things, from guitars, to finishes, even
characters. Take the money you earn, and bring it here, and buy some
stuff.
3.5.1 Specifics
---------------
Guitars $500 - $8000 The instrument your character will play.
Finishes $250 - $50 Add and new look to your guitar.
Songs $550 All the bonus tracks.
Characters $5000 - $7000 Get the three secret characters here.
Outfits $2000 - Dress up your character in an alternate attire.
Videos $1500 - Behind the scenes video
Downloads $ Real Money $ - Buy song packs from the Marketplace here.
---------------
4.0 Multiplayer
---------------
Multiplayer allows you to play with your friends. Here, you can select three
different types of games to play.
- First is Cooperative. This mode allows you to work together to play a song.
One player picks the lead while the other assumes the bass or rhythm guitar.
You both are then asked to select a difficulty, independent of one another.
This is good if you are not both at the same skill level.
You both choose a character to play as and an instrument and its time to start.
- Next is face-off. You face each other to see who gets the best score.
You pick a character and a guitar, a song, and then a difficulty that is
independent of one another. You play to be better than the other person.
A meter will move your way if you are playing better.
- Finally, in pro face-off, you play against each other, almost the same as
before, but the difficulty is not independent. You pick one set difficulty. You
then play, and it is the same as face off, only you both play the same notes
more than in regular face-off.
-------------
5.0 Xbox Live
-------------
Unfortunately, there is no online multiplayer mode. There is a leader board
though, where your high scores get posted as you compete for the top place.
It stays true to "the difficulty doesn't matter, just get the highest score
period," idea because all difficulties are placed together.
The only way you can get higher scores is to play more notes, so you have to
play expert to really get up there. So start working on that high score!
--------
6.0 Tips
--------
Here are some general tips for playing. I hope they help.
- Practice! Practice! Practice!
- If more than one note of the same color is coming, hold it down through both
notes
- If there are a series of green notes, then a yellow, and more green, hold the
green as you strum the yellow. Remember only the lowest note plays.
This doesn't work on chords.
- Hammer-ons/Pull-offs are very helpful.
- Star power makes your rock meter rise about 3x faster per note. Use
it if you are failing.
- Chords are worth two notes, 3 fret chords are worth 3 notes.
- Notes on hard/expert move at you faster, but the song speed does not increase
and the beat does not change.
- You can play lefty. There is a lefty flip option and achievement.
- You can strum up and down when things get fast. You can not strum up and
down really fast and expect to hit every note. Doing this to fast will cause
you to play nothing and lose your multiplier so be careful!
- If you feel the notes come to slow or there are too many coming, try the
hyperspeed cheat. This cheat increases note speed, but also the distance
between then. It is the equivalent of the 1.5x speed multiplier in DDR.
It just makes notes easier to read for some people.
6.1 Terminology
---------------
This is a list of terms I have seen that people have asked about. There
aren't many, but I will update as I find some.
FC - Full combo - hitting every note in a song, beginning to end, without
an extra strum (Double strum)
x* - (replace x with a number, 3-5) A rating, 3-5 stars, on a song.
SP - Star power
Double strum - Strumming empty space between notes. This will reset your
multiplier. You can get 100% but it will not be an FC (see above)
----------------
7.0 Achievements
----------------
A list of the 50 achievements and how to get them.
100K Club (10)
100,000 points in a song
200K Club (10)
200,000 points in a song
300K Club (30)
300,000 points in a song
400K Club (30)
400,000 points in a song
Champagne Room V.I.P. (30)
500,000 points in a song
Roadie (10)
Unlock Rat Cellar
New Kid (10)
Unlock Blackout Bar
Young Gun (10)
Unlock RedOctane Club
Axe Grinder (10)
Unlock Rock City Theater
Shredder (10)
Unlock Vans Warped Tour
Rock Star (10)
Unlock Harmonix Arena
Guitar Hero (10)
Unlock Stonehenge
Dimebag Darrell Award (10)
100 note streak
Eddie Van Halen Award (30)
500 note streak
Yngwie Malmsteen Award (30)
1000 note streak
Easy Tour Champ (10)
Beat the Easy tour
Medium Tour Champ (30)
Beat the Medium tour
Hard Tour Champ (30)
Beat the Hard tour
Expert Tour Champ (30)
Beat the Expert tour
Sandbox Hero Award (30)
Earn five stars on all songs in the Easy tour
Most Likely to Succeed Award (30)
Earn five stars on all songs in the Medium tour
Guitarmaggedon Award (30)
Earn five stars on all songs in the Hard tour
Start a Real Band Already Award (30)
Earn five stars on all songs in the Expert tour
Rock School Grad (10)
Complete all tutorials
Scoremonger Award (10)
Get an 8x multiplier
Perfectionist Award (30)
Get 100% notes on a song
Rock Snob Award (10)
Refuse to play an encore
Long Road Ahead Award (10)
Fail a song on Easy
Hendrix Award (10)
Beat a song with lefty flip on
Teacher's Pet Award (10)
Practice three different songs
Saturday Morning Award (10)
Beat Trogdor and Thunder Horse
Kick the Bucket Award (30)
Beat Jordan on Expert
Gear Head Award (30)
Buy all guitars
Fanatical Completionist Award (30)
Buy all guitar finishes
Record Collector Award (10)
Buy all songs
Life of the Party Award (10)
Buy all characters
Fashion Plate Award (10)
Buy all outfits
Extra Credit Award (10)
View the credits
Big Spender Award (10)
Spend $10,000 at the store
Scenester Award (10)
Beat all the unlock songs
Joan & Lita Award (30)
100 note streak in Cooperative
Joe & Steven Award (30)
500 note streak in Cooperative
Keef & Mick Award (30)
1000 note streak in Cooperative
Lennon & McCartney Award (10)
8x streak in Cooperative
Page & Plant Award (30)
Get 100% notes hit on a song in Cooperative
200K Pair (30)
200,000 points on a song in Cooperative
400K Pair (30)
400,000 points on a song in Cooperative
600K Pair (30)
600,000 points on a song in Cooperative
800K Pair (30)
800,000 points on a song in Cooperative
Millionaire Pair (30)
1,000,000 points on a song in Cooperative
--------
8.0 FAQ
--------
Here is a list of common questions I have seen or received.
Q. Does the whammy bar increase your score?
A. No, it does not. It appears to, but you do not really gain extra points.
Q. Why don't cheats work? Should they be entered fast?
A. You must enter cheats fairly quickly. I have had times when I entered them
too fast and they did not work.
Q. How should I hold my fingers when playing hard mode? (I assume expert
players already know)
A. Do what is comfortable to you. I experimented and found that putting my
index finger on red, and middle on yellow, and so on was best for me. When
hitting green I tend to slide my index finger up or reach. Again, it's
personal preference.
Q. What is the Hyperspeed cheat? Does it affect achievements?
A. Hyperspeed is a cheat that causes notes to move at you faster, but they
are spaced out more. It makes some songs easier to read. You do still gain
achievements when using it.
Q. How do I beat x song?
A. There is no way I can tell how to beat a song more than to just practice it
and try to get it down.
----------------
9.0 Contact Info
----------------
If you have any questions, comments, suggestions, or additions,
feel free to let me know.
Entitle the email Guitar Hero II FAQ or something like that.
Emails are appreciated.
Email: [email protected]
-------------------
10.0 Version History
-------------------
Version 1.0 5/20/07 - General Skeleton guide, first draft.
Version 1.1 5/23/07 - Added Xbox Live section and tips.
Version 1.2 5/23/07 - Added another tip, rearranged some text.
Version 1.3 5/25/07 - Added Thanks and usage info, added a tip, added post
song information page.
Version 1.4 5/25/07 - Added ASCII Art, added button overview
Version 1.51 5/30/07 - Added a tip, added money issues, testing terminology
section.
Version 1.52 6/4/07 - Minor changes
Version 1.6 6/12/07 - Major update. Added FAQ, added a tip, fixed most
spelling/grammatical errors, added whammy info, added misc. things, and added
two terms
--------------------
11.0 Thanks and Usage
---------------------
This FAQ is (c) (2007) Alex Mitchell (Darkness922)
Websites allowed to host this FAQ
GameFAQs.com
Gamespot.com
Supercheats.com
Please do not use the FAQ anywhere else without my permission.
Please inform me if you see this FAQ anywhere other than the websites listed.
Thanks to Activision, Harmonix, and RedOctane for Guitar Hero II!
Thanks to www.360-gamer.com for the achievement list.
Thanks Ian Smith for Whammy Bar info.
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