FFR Playing Style and Hand Position Guide

[Zageron]

Spell Checking would be appreciated.
Please help me with the last three styles. I am uninformed about those.

Please view this post from here.

Thread Version

• v.1 - Thread Created.
• v.1a - Basic Hand Positions Started.
• v.1b - Skimming the Surface started.
• v.2 - An In-Depth Look entered
• v.2a - Skimming the Surface completed.
• v.2b - References Started/Completed.
• v.2c - Table of Contents Created.
• v.3 - Pictures Added.
• v.4 - Entered 2 Handed and 1 Handed information
• v.5 - Finished general touch-ups, thanks to my spell checker skishmonkey72.
• v.5a - Concluded details of thread. More information is needed.
• v.6 - Added information to 2 Hands 3 Fingers.
• v.7 - Upgraded information in a few categories.
• v.7a - Did a few touchups and verifications in a few categories.
  

Before we begin

Reference
Please open The Official FFR Picture Dictionary as a reference! You will benefit greatly. Any terms that may be referenced will be Highlighted.

Key Remapping Software
I highly recommend MRichards's Key Remapping Software.
Re-Mapper
Information Thread

(Note) In Game keymapping is currently available, and works well. This software is rendered obsolete but still optional.

Disagreements
Please remember that some, if not quite a few, of the style features are debatable. If you have something to say... say it! I appreciate all input.

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• Basic Hand Positions
  • Spread
  • One Hand and Two Hand
• Skimming the Surface
  • Basic Spread
  • Basic One Hand
  • Basic Four Fingers
• An In-Depth Look
  • Two Handing
    • Spread
    • Index
    • Three Fingers
    • Four Fingers
  • One Handing
    • Two Fingers
    • Three Fingers
    • Four Fingers (Style 1)
    • Four Fingers (Style 2)

Basic Hand Positions

Spread



Upper Position

• Q: Left Middle Finger
• W: Left Index
• P: Right Index
• [: Right Middle

Regular Position

• A: Left Middle Finger
• S: Left Index
• L: Right Index
• ;: Right Middle

Middle Position

• F: Left Middle Finger
• G: Left Index
• H: Right Index
• J: Right Middle

Lower Position

• Z: Left Middle Finger
• X: Left Index
• .: Right Index
• /: Right Middle

One Hand


Four Fingers / One Hand (Style 1)

• Down: Right Thumb
• 4: Right Index
• 8: Right Middle
• 6: Right Ring

Three Fingers / One Hand

• Left: Right Index (Always)
• Up: Right Middle (Always)
• Down: Right Middle (Dependent on Situation*)
• Right: Right Ring

Four Fingers / One Hand (Style 2)

• 4: Right Index
• 8: Right Middle
• 2: Right Thumb
• 6: Right Ring

----
Four Fingers / Two Hands

• Left: Left Middle
• Down: Left Index (Right Index)
• Up: Right Index (Left Index)
• Right: Right Middle

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Skimming the Surface

Basic Spread
Spread uses four fingers. Probably the most noob friendly style, once they get their keys remapped.

Basic One Hand (< 3 Fingers)
The One Handed styles are always found on the arrow keys. Probably the most natural feeling style for most, noobs will attempt to play like this in the beginning.

Basic Four Fingers
The Four Fingered styles can consist of one or two hands. Probably the most awkward of the styles, people who use this style are dedicated. It doesn't take as much work as Two or Three fingers, but being all scrunched together can be irritating.

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An In-Depth Look

Two Handing

Spread


General
Spread is probably the most relaxed style available for play. You simply have to rest your hands on the keyboard in the position most comfortable to you. ANY combination of keys can be used for spread, making it exceedingly flexible to your needs.
Pros

• You're more liable to get a high PA faster.
• Your progress will be faster than if you used any other style.
• You fatigue much slower than in other styles.
• It's debatable, but this is the easiest style to AAA and PFC songs with. Remember that accuracy depends on the player, not just the style.
• Debatable but, Jumpstream is only masterable using spread for most players.
• High speed songs, such as Lawn Wake IV or any other high BPM songs with a small perfect range, are easier to Combo with a high PA using spread.
• Unfortunately, because of the masses of people playing with spread, the majority of files made today are made with spread in mind.

Cons

• Users of spread will have difficulty mastering Runningmen and One Handed Trills.
• Users will find it complicated to do Rolls with a good PA

Index


General
You play index using your index fingers. Index is definitely the style for those who want to be average right now. You'll notice that you instantly have skill without much work. Indexers will find a roadblock very early, however, and the only way to get by it is by building up your arm, or wrist, stamina.
Pros

• Rolls and Staircases are easier to PA than in most other styles, though they are difficult to master completely.
• Faster streams aren't impossible.
• Bump in performance immediately.
• Less fatigue than using one hand, but exponential amounts more then when using spread.
• Very good PA right off the bat.
• Excellent with Jacks and Trills

Cons

• Only good with particular stream patterns.
• Much harder to learn Jumpstream

Two Hands / Three Fingers

General
This style is more for the fun, than for the skill. Roadblocks come, and are very hard to overcome. Your most likely to play this style because it feels natural to you, or the most comfortable.
Pros

• stream is extremely easy. (Alternating fingers is a breeze.)
• Trills are very easy.

Cons

• Fingers can get in the way of each other.
• It's hard to keep the timing on arrow correct.
• Jumps aren't hard, but a little awkward.
• Hitting Hands and Quads with good PA is very difficult.

Four Fingers


General
The four fingered style is almost identical to spread. Though this style uses a condensed format. By squishing your fingers together, instead of spreading them out. They style can be used on ether the arrow keys, number pad, or both.
Pros

• Same fatigue rating as spread.
• Just as accurate as spread. (Again dependent on the player)
• High PA, like spread.

Cons

• May had difficulty hitting jumps accurately.
• Rolls and Staircases may have low PA, due to inconsistent timing.
• Like spread, will have difficulty with One Handed Trills.
• Crowded and awkward at times.

One Handing

One Hand / Two Fingers


General
Playing with One Hand / Two Fingers is by far the most difficult style to play with. It mirrors the concept of DDR, using two feet, but it forgets that your legs are more flexible than your fingers. This style is recommended for those who have plenty of time on their hands.
Pros

• If you become exceedingly good at this style, you will gain much respect from a lot of people.
• The more you advance the less generalized your 'Cons' list will be.
• Given a large amount of time and effort you can become very good.

Cons

• Everything is more complicated. Your accuracy is the lowest possible, causing very unlikely PA.
• A very time consuming style.
• Hands and Quads are pretty much impossible to PA in fast succession.

One Hand / Three Fingers

General
Playing with One Hand / Three Fingers will come naturally to most. In fact most of the new people who come to FFR play like this, until they quickly learn to use a different style. This is an extremely difficult style to master though it is easier to master than One Hand / Two Fingers. Most users will come to a road block when they reach a certain point. Quite a few users believe this too literally and think they have come to their roadblock, when they actually haven't. Generally, most one handers will come to a roadblock after they successfully FC the FFR song Silence. Recommended for people with lots of time.
Pros

• If you become exceedingly good at this style, you will gain a ton of respect from many people.
• PAing this style comes late, but once you get there it's constant. Remember it depends on the person as well.
• Easy to FC with.
• Jacks and slow Jumpjacks are very easy to PFC.

Cons

• In the beginning everything is very complicated and slow.
• The second longest style to master, it can take up to a year to get to where Spread players will get in a month.
• Jumpstream is extremely hard learn, let alone master.

Other Information
Unlike the other styles, this one has a complicated Up/Down Trill method.
Shown here.
Though it is debatable, this is the best way to do an Up/Down Jump and/or Trill. If you do them any other way your PA may drop dramatically!

One Hand / Four Fingers (Style 1)

General

Pros

• Need Info!
• Need Info!
• Need Info!

Cons

• Need Info!
• Need Info!
• Need Info!

One Hand / Four Fingers (Style 2)

General

Pros

• Need Info!
• Need Info!
• Need Info!

Cons

• Need Info!
• Need Info!
• Need Info!

Credits
Creator: Zageron
Spell Checkers: skishmonkey72, ...
Stickier: Who's gonna be the lucky mod to get this spot?

There are no fish in this lake. What am I going to catch?
(Sticky fishing)

[skishmonkey72]

When this is done, this would make a very good sticky. Way too many newbies ask about playing styles/hand positions.

[chunky_cheese]

I play the same as 1 handed 3 fingers, but my left index does the up arrow for me, also, I've heard of someone doing the same lefty-style.

[Zageron]

Originally Posted by chunky_cheese

I play the same as 1 handed 3 fingers, but my left index does the up arrow for me, also, I've heard of someone doing the same lefty-style.

Noted: I will picture and add it after I'm done the basis.

Spell Checking would be appreciated.

[llama499]

what about me? lol i play 4 finger spread but i play < V 8 6

[Zageron]

Originally Posted by llama499

what about me? lol i play 4 finger spread but i play < V 8 6

I'm aware of that style. I just forgot to take a picture...

[awein999]

I play 4 finger spread and use the bottom left arrow keys with my left hand and the top right keys on the keypad with my right hand. It is my temporary solution until I can use that keymapping program.

I gotta say this is really well made. I couldn't have dreamt of a better in depth look at hand positions

[skishmonkey72]

Spellchecking it is. And a little bit of grammar and miscellaneous editing as well.

An In Depth Look

In-Depth (should be hyphenated)

The Official FFR Picture Dictionary
as a reference!
You will benifight greatly.

You will benefit greatly.

Your more liable to get a high PA, faster.

You're more liable

Fatigue is much less than the other styles.

Better written as: "You fatigue much slower than in other styles."

In fact most of the people who come new to FFR play like this, if until they quickly learn to use a different style.

Change to: "In fact most of the new people who come to FFR play like this, until they quickly learn to use a different style."

The average 'master' roadblock is a Silence FC.

Confusing, not sure what you mean. Could you reword it?

PAing this style comes late, but once you get there it's a constant.

Better written as: "PAing this style comes late, but once you get there it's constant." (take out "a")

Unlike the other styles this one has a complicated Up/Down Trill method.

"Unlike other styles, this one..." (add comma)

This is the proper way to do an Up/Down Jump and/or Trill. If you do them any other way your PA will drop dramatically!

Debatable. I've adapted so that it doesn't affect my PA, and I play in that style.

If you become exceedingly good at this style, people will worship you.

Less controversially worded as: "If you become exceedingly good at this style, you will gain much respect from certain people." Many people don't really give a crap about what style other people play in, as long as they get certain scores. Usually you'll only get recognition from your own playing style unless you're really good overall.

Hopefully I didn't edit that too hard... and I'll be happy to edit the rest when you're done.

Edit: I'm not a Linguistics major or anything, just a high school student with above average knowledge of grammar, so if anyone else has corrections please correct me (and Zageron, as the case may be). I'm not trying to be the all-knowing grammar god here.

[Zageron]

Fixed:

Generally, most one handers will come to a roadblock when they successfully FC the FFR song Silence.

Though it is debatable, this is the best way to do an Up/Down Jump and/or Trill. If you do them any other way your PA may drop dramatically!

Thanks.

[skishmonkey72]

Much better.

You're welcome.

[WitchoftheSand]

Wow, how nice of you to make this. I concur, should be stickied.

Also, I actually use the num pad with the generic four fingers, two hand style. But instead of index-middle on my right hand, I use middle-ring. It's not as awkward to fit on the num pad that way.
I'm sure there are some people who use four fingers and don't switch to "spread." They could be severely computer illiterate and don't bother with key remapping software.

[Zageron]

Bed Time. T-T I'm super ultra mega tired. I'll do MUCH more of this tomorrow.

Baibai

[Thugzluv200]

hmm i dont use my index on spread, i use ur ring finger or w/e it is and middle =/

[jellygod]

show the index players some love

[Coolboyrulez0]

This is gonna help the newer players alot.
Request sticky.

[gnr61]

Some of your "in-depth look" info is a bit misleading or vague.

Saying something like "spread is the easiest to PA or PFC with" doesn't work, since pa comes with the player, not the style. a lot of indexers have great accuracy.

also, rolls are MUCH MUCH easier on spread than with any other style.

you also should mention that a huge point of playing spread is
a. jumpstream is really only masterable with spread
b. true speed is only really masterable with spread
c. the vast majority of files are made for spread today

[customstuff]

INDEX!!!! I'll help you out.

Pros:

Rolls and Staircases are easier to do, by this I mean easier to learn but may not be as fast for experienced players
You can do streams very fast.
Easier to learn jumps
Starting out will bump up performance immediatley
Very good PA
Good with jacks
Easy with all types of trills

Cons:
Only good with special stream patterns
Usually isn't as fast as doing rolls as spread

[damanwithdaskillz]

Spread and Index are the two best ways to go, they're also the most popular, everything else is valid but hard to use, rather unneccessary, and no pros use those, spread is probably best for noobies

[Xandertrax]

Rolls and staircases are easier on index?

No way.

Only things that are easier with index are jacks, trills, and PA, IMO.

P.S. What about pettanko?

[ty77le77r77]

i play with both index fingers onlly