This document covers YARG 5-fret range shift markers, which are togglable visual indicators to tell Easy and Medium players when to move their hands up and down the fret board. This also covers a new modifier, No Range Shifts, which allows charts with range shift markers to predictably use a smaller set of colors. This feature does not require a feature flag and does not cause compatability issues with other games such as Clone Hero or Rock Band.
Range shift markers are placed as standard text events on any 5-fret track. The syntax for range shifts is as follows:
[ld_range_shift diff position size]
| Argument | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
diff |
int |
The difficulty, where 0 is Easy and 3 is Expert. Note that like existing mix events, diff is indexed with 0. |
position |
int |
The index finger position, where 1 is green and 3 is yellow. Note that position is indexed with 1, as 0 is assumed to be open note. |
size |
int? |
The size of the range (e.g., 3 for GRY and 4 for GRYB). If not provided, the size will be 3 if diff is 0, 4 if diff is 1, and 5 by default. |
The following include the most common cases. All YARG setlist songs start on GRY and GRYB, and about 75% of setlist songs utilize YBO and RYBO (with almost all of the remainder staying at GRY or GRYB).
| Difficulty | Frets | Long notation | Short notation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Easy | G R Y - - |
[ld_range_shift 0 1 3] |
[ld_range_shift 0 1] |
| Easy | - - Y B O |
[ld_range_shift 0 3 3] |
[ld_range_shift 0 3] |
| Medium | G R Y B - |
[ld_range_shift 1 1 4] |
[ld_range_shift 1 1] |
| Medium | - R Y B O |
[ld_range_shift 1 2 4] |
[ld_range_shift 1 2] |
Less than 2% of YARG setlist songs use this range. Shifts like these can help to maintain pitch accuracy in a song with only four pitches, but shifts up to YBO work better in many cases (and may be less confusing). They also work well for key changes where you want to suggest that the player continue to use their index, middle, and ring finger.
| Difficulty | Frets | Long notation | Short notation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Easy | - R Y B - |
[ld_range_shift 0 2 3] |
[ld_range_shift 0 2] |
YARG setlist songs don't use any of the following, but the below examples are technically chartable. Please note that the following list is not comprehensive.
| Difficulty | Frets | Notation |
|---|---|---|
| Medium | G R Y B O |
[ld_range_shift 1 1 5] |
| Hard | - - - B O |
[ld_range_shift 2 4 2] |
| Expert | - - - - O |
[ld_range_shift 3 5 1] |
When charting range shifts, chart GRY/GRYB sections and YBO/RYBO sections as usual. The text events exist purely to make the indicators appear and to "crush down" the chart if No Range Shifts is selected. Open notes don't move if this modifier is selected.
The time of the range shift marker in the chart marks the time when the shift is "finalized." As with pro keys, the number of arrows cannot be altered.
Please note that a range shift MUST be placed at the very start of your chart before any notes. This first text event isn't an actual range shift and simply defines the starting range, just like with pro keys. The game will default to a GRYBO range for all notes in the region before the first marker.
Below are the YARG charting team's usage recommendations. These are merely suggestions according to our own YARG charting team style; there exist exceptions, so feel free to use your own discretion.
GRY/GRYB if possible, as the player's index finger will already be on green fret after pressing the start song button.GRY/GRYB will be used.YBO section only has B and O in it).PART DRUMS (shift markers on this track will be ignored outright).PART KEYS, as Easy and Medium typically use all 5 colors on that track (shifts will still work, but we don't recommend them).GRY → RYBO).RYB, YBO, or RYBO just because it feels high in pitch.END OF DOCUMENT