DOUBLES: From DIFFICULT to EXPERT

I can clear 10-footers on Single but I'm not so used playing in Doubles yet.

I can only finish songs in DIFFICULT but I want to finish some more EXPERT songs on Doubles. I finished HONEY PUNCH and other so-so EXPERTs but i still look awkward dancing them (I still sometimes step on the "metal" instead of the arrow button).

What are good EXPERT songs on doubles to practice on? Thanks.

I'd suggest starting on light so you can get the hang of it. Rushing yourself into Expert wouldn't give you enough time to adjust to shifting your momentum left and right.

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My main problem with getting to know doubles was the two middle arrows... on one pad, it's like checkers, in which panels that activate arrows and the metal are alternate. On two pads, you have to get used to the distance between R1 and U2/D2, and vice-versa. (L2 and U1/D1)

The beginning stream in Love Shine expert doubles is good to practice on for jumps and stream, if you don't mind failing the nightmare of the rest of the chart. For a song with more steady transitions (pad1 to pad2) that you may or may not fail on, try Matsuri Japan - it's mostly 8ths, a few easy gallops at the end. There is only one tough transition in the whole song, and you'll know it when you see it. If you need to practice tough transitions, open StepMania and shadow the end of Flowsers expert doubles, CSFILSM expert doubles, and the beginning of Himawari expert doubles. Try that and see what it does for you.

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Quote: Goldensunboy

My main problem with getting to know doubles was the two middle arrows... on one pad, it's like checkers, in which panels that activate arrows and the metal are alternate. On two pads, you have to get used to the distance between R1 and U2/D2, and vice-versa. (L2 and U1/D1) The beginning stream in Love Shine expert doubles is good to practice on for jumps and stream, if you don't mind failing the nightmare of the rest of the chart. For a song with more steady transitions (pad1 to pad2) that you may or may not fail on, try Matsuri Japan - it's mostly 8ths, a few easy gallops at the end. There is only one tough transition in the whole song, and you'll know it when you see it. If you need to practice tough transitions, open StepMania and shadow the end of Flowsers expert doubles, CSFILSM expert doubles, and the beginning of Himawari expert doubles. Try that and see what it does for you.

The two things I have I find hard in Doubles are the pad1-pad2 jumps and transitions. Practicing Love Shine really improved my jumps (although I struggle a bit towards the end of the song). I tried Matsuri-Japan, I think it has cool transitions.

It really helps to be good at crossovers when playing doubles, since there are so many more than in Singles. I started out with this guide for reference, and easy stuff like V Light. I also spent a lot of time with Stepmania Autoplay, feeling out the steps with my hands. It takes awhile to not trip when crossing over the center, and sometimes you'll have to read ahead further to know which foot to cross over.

Staying on the pads will come with practice, of course. After your round if nobody's stepping up to play (or if you're chatting with someone), practice walking across the pads without looking. Try moving in many different patterns, like L1D1R1 L2U2R2 D2L2R1U1L1. Glance down every once-in-a-while to see where you are on the pads.

If you are lucky enough to have access to a 4th/5th mix (and can read 1x), Make Your Move doubles maniac (Heavy) is an amazing chart for crossover practice. It's solid stream at 120 for the whole song.

Ordinary World and So Deep heavy are great stream practice too, though I'd suggest having some practice recognizing doubles stream before attempting them (even though So Deep is much easier than the singles steps, and about half the chart is stream with the other half being gallops).

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When it comes to doubles, I seem to debate myself what constitutes a "crossover", you know, since you can hit R1 with your left foot while standing on either pad... and what about when you hit L2 with your right foot, then turn and hit U2 with your left foot? It's kind of like a crossover, but it also has some elements of singles, since you're standing in a regular position on pad2 after moving your right foot towards the inevitable D2 or R2 that's sure to follow...

This blurring of the definition of crossovers (and how much easier a "would-be singles crossover" in doubles is easier to hit) has led me to pass Paranoia Respect and PSMO on doubles before I could do them on singles, which is kind of funny.

I think So Deep was the single song that most improved my "tough transitions", that is, one that moves from pad1 to pad2 or vice-versa with only one of the middle arrows. The stream wasn't that bad, and the repetitive sequence it puts you through trained me in it over and over. I do think the jump at the end is Uberly-retarded, though.

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Quote: TimeSpaceMage

It really helps to be good at crossovers when playing doubles, since there are so many more than in Singles. I started out with this guide for reference, and easy stuff like V Light. I also spent a lot of time with Stepmania Autoplay, feeling out the steps with my hands. It takes awhile to not trip when crossing over the center, and sometimes you'll have to read ahead further to know which foot to cross over. Staying on the pads will come with practice, of course. After your round if nobody's stepping up to play (or if you're chatting with someone), practice walking across the pads without looking. Try moving in many different patterns, like L1D1R1 L2U2R2 D2L2R1U1L1. Glance down every once-in-a-while to see where you are on the pads. If you are lucky enough to have access to a 4th/5th mix (and can read 1x), Make Your Move doubles maniac (Heavy) is an amazing chart for crossover practice. It's solid stream at 120 for the whole song. Ordinary World and So Deep heavy are great stream practice too, though I'd suggest having some practice recognizing doubles stream before attempting them (even though So Deep is much easier than the singles steps, and about half the chart is stream with the other half being gallops).

I practice on Stepmania using my hands as well and it helps me get familiar with the steps of a song. But that's about it. It doesn't really translate to my footwork.

There's no more 4th/5th mix machine here in our area (Manila), the oldest one is an Extreme2. The rest are SN1 & SN2.

I read the guide you linked me to, i'll try it next time. Thanks.

Quote: Goldensunboy
This blurring of the definition of crossovers (and how much easier a "would-be singles crossover" in doubles is easier to hit) has led me to pass Paranoia Respect and PSMO on doubles before I could do them on singles, which is kind of funny.

That is funny. Paranoia Respect Expert is very difficult in singles, I can't even imagine trying it in doubles.

janejana expert is youre all purpose learning chart.

its got a nice, slow tempo making all of the things it implements very easy to learn. its 100% crossoverable without spinning, and unlike on singles it never turns you away from the screen.

its got the jumps at the end just like singles, and they do cover both pads. like i said, its nice and slow so its easy to learn.

once you learn that, take those skills to faster songs that require the same things and then some. CSFILSM is a GREAT song to learn the more complex crossovers. if you have access to 3rd-5th, go for BB$KOG, its like CSFILSM.

do you remember me does neat crossover runs that make you go from one pad to the other hitting everything but the downs, which is harder than it sounds at that speed as it requires crossovers do do so. throw that in with some rhythms similar to singles and some 16ths and you have a pretty good chart to learn stuff on.

also, paranoia respect and PSMO dont require nearly as much crossing over on doubles, making them significanty easier to pass than the singles charts.

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