Electric guitar is awesome - but it really only tells half the story. Millions of guitarists choose to play acoustic guitar, whether it be for stylistic reasons, genre reasons, even "that's the guitar my family already owns" reasons. And hey, there's also a reason so many bands went "unplugged" in the 90s - there's no substitute for the unique feeling and sound of an acoustic guitar. It's an entirely different way to play.
That brings us to Rocksmith. Even though there are plenty of songs in the library that prominently feature acoustic guitars (R.E.M.'s "Losing My Religion," Bob Dylan's "Knockin' on Heaven's Door," Extreme's "More Than Words," Don McLean's "American Pie," Kenny Rogers' "The Gambler," and Eagle Eye Cherry's "Save Tonight" all come to mind), most players use electric guitars and basses when they play. If you have an acoustic with a pickup in it (sometimes called an "acoustic-electric" or "electroacoustic" guitar, or a guitar fitted with a removable pickup that temporarily slides into the soundhole), the Real Tone Cable works just fine - but anybody with a traditional acoustic guitar hasn't been able to join in the fun.
Well, that changes today. When you sign in to your platform's online network, a new free patch will download and add Microphone Mode to your copy of Rocksmith 2014 Edition Remastered. Now, you can plug a dedicated USB microphone into your hardware (console or PC), point it at your acoustic guitar, and play without a Real Tone Cable. The only difference you'll notice is that the Authentic Tones are disabled - so if you want to play Pantera on your acoustic, you won't get that great Dimebag Darrell distortion bleeding out of your speakers in Microphone Mode. But Rocksmith will still hear your playing, let you know which notes you got right, and adjust the difficulty to match your skill level, just like when you play with the Real Tone Cable connected.
It's worth noting that you might want to do some experimentation with this new mode. There are lots of different microphones out there, and lots of different shapes, sizes, and styles of acoustic guitars, too. You'll want to test microphone distance and positioning for best results, and it helps if you're in a relatively quiet room when you play. There are a lot more random and variable factors that can affect Microphone Mode instead of playing with the Real Tone Cable, but a few tests and tweaks on your end should get you good results. Feel free to visit our official forums to discuss your tips and tricks with other acoustic players.
That isn't the only addition to Rocksmith in today's patch. If you just want the visual cues while you practice but don't want the game to listen to your playing, fire up Disconnected Mode and run through your favorite songs judgment-free. You'll also find tweaks and improvements to Guitarcade, Score Attack, Song Lists, and calibration. It's all good stuff, and a lot of it comes directly from user feedback. Full details can be found in the recently updated Rocksmith Remastered FAQ.
Grab your acoustic and enjoy playing Rocksmith and learning guitar in a whole new way. Thanks for your continued support!
