[trumaestro]

Originally Posted by springyboard

How about submitting very old songs (old enough to be in the public domain) that beginners are more likely to be familiar with? I am surprised that Happy Birthday is in Very Difficult.

We would require a performance that is also in the public domain or certain Creative Commons licensing or obtain explicit permission from the performer. Ever since pdmusic.org stopped having midis or performances on their website this has become somewhat difficult to source.

The most recent example of an easy file like what you're describing that I remember is Pictures at an Exhibition, but...

Originally Posted by flashflash account

edit: for me the important thing is songs I want to play
you see me struggling with GSC elite 4 because it's a fun song, nobody wants to play lame power

Originally Posted by TC_Halogen

Players who are newer to the game deserve really good songs too.

This. I didn't start playing FFR because I could play a song like Pictures at an Exhibition. I started because of Trip to the Moon and Mario 80s Remix. I see lots of easy files have been made with ambient music that doesn't go anywhere. Trying to clear these files for AAA count or whatever is desperately boring for me. Such a snoozefest. It's the exact opposite of the excitement rhythm games can provide.

So, I think making a good easy file is more song choice than it is actually stepping. There are different avenues for this. You can use a song from a harder file and reduce it (weak-ish idea imo but can work). You can use a song that would be somewhat repetitive to be stepped "normally" but through "representation theory" turns out much better as an easy file (better). Some sorts of novelty also work (like Mario 80s).

Slow ambient stuff is a logical choice, but it doesn't work well for arrowsmash.