"Gachi" is Japanese slang roughly meaning "serious." This article deals with the concept of "gachi oshi", or "gachi hitting." Taken literally this means hitting each and every note seriously. This is more involved than simply not anmitsuing. Gachi theory is about hitting 16ths accurately up to 140 BPM.
Standard Reading
Consider the following chart from Blocks [A] (BPM 141).
In standard reading, you would divide each measure into each beat, keeping rhythm by focusing on easy to recognize notes (visually or aurally). In this case you would focus on the circled notes.
In other words, hit the circled notes slightly stronger than the others. If you do this then the timing for the roll will also line up naturally.
If you don't normally read like this, you should focus on mastering this technique first. On fast songs where you will not be able to gachi (say BPM higher than 160), it is better to read this way.
Gachi Reading
Next, when reading in order to gachi you would read as in the following picture.
In gachi hitting you will further divide into 16th units. Previously, we would read the chart as "kick on 1 + trill." However, now we will read the chart as "chord → single → single → single → chord → ..."
In other words, this is simply horizontal reading.
Two Tips for Gachi Hitting
First is, always imagine resetting your hands. For example, suppose you had a 1→2→3→4 16th stair pattern. Many people might hit this like a single flow, for example Ring→Middle→Thumb→Index for 2P players.
When applying gachi theory, imagine resetting your hands between each key. That is, instead hit the stair like Ring→RESET→Middle→RESET→Thumb→RESET→Index.
This is exactly how you would hit normally on charts that are mainly 8th chords (e.g. EDEN or CROSSROAD).
This is captured in the following excerpt from a blog post by TANMEN:
It’s simply thinking of 150 BPM 16th charts as if they were 300 BPM 8th charts and playing accordingly.
The second tip for gachi hitting is to understand all the keysounds. Have an idea of what each note will sound like and mentally associate a hit sound to each note.
In the first method of reading, in order to keep rhythm we only needed to give the kick (key 1) a hitsound, but for gachi hitting we will need to give each note a hitsound.
In our example of BLOCKS, for the first method you only needed to think about the kick every beat but in the second method you will need to give the other notes hitsounds, for example each snare at 16th intervals.
Practicing Gachi
Gachi theory is horizontally reading each note. A good way to practice is to play songs with BPM lower than 140 using S-RANDOM. Some songs that are particularly good are:
They say that hard work pays off, but if you put in the wrong kind of hard work you will get undesired payoffs. This is because there is practice which leads to improvement as well as practice which makes you worse.
For convenience, we will call the former positive practice and the latter negative practice
Examples of negative practice
One example is playing only for lamps and ignoring timing completely.
This is simultaneously a positive practice for clearing as well as negative practice for timing. The more you focus on clearing, you will tend to use techniques that are only suitable for clearing such as hitting early and anmitsu.
On the other hand, you could focus too much on timing and ignoring misscount. This is positive practice for timing as well as negative practice for clearing.
Positive or negative depends on goal
What is your goal for this game?
All-white? All-FC? Topranker? Different people have different goals.
If your goal is all-FC then playing for timing is not positive practice for you. Moreover, all you need to do is to keep focusing on decreasing misscount and there is no negative practice.
However, if your goal is to become a topranker any practice has potential to become negative practice.
Aside: In all rhythm games, the ultimate goal should be to achieve max score on every song. Of course, this is not realistic but along the way you will encounter all-hc and becoming a topranker. This way it is very easy to decide if what you are doing now constitutes positive or negative practice.
Decreasing negative practice
The ideal way to be a topranker is:
Maximizing positive practice for clearing and minimizing negative practice
Maximizing positive practice for scoring and minimizing negative practice
while doing the same simultaneously at maximum efficiency.
However, if you focus too much on one aspect you will introduce negative practice for the other and ultimately lead to inefficiency.
Thus the solution is to not think of clearing and scoring separately and keeping a balance.
Concretely:
Try not to decrease score even when playing for clear
Don't play differently when playing for score or clear
Focus on making small improvements every time
Always keep the above three points in mind.
1. Try not to decrease score even when playing for clear
If you focus too much on clearing you will increase negative practice for scoring. This is because you use more clear-oriented techniques such as hitting early and anmitsu, as well as not playing precisely.
Of course, in order to full combo top tier songs hitting early and anmitsu are unavoidable. However, just because you kept combo with a GOOD doesn't mean anything in terms of score.
If you just want to improve lamps as quickly as possible, it's faster to ignore score completely. However, there are charts where you can score on if you just put in a bit of effort to timing. If even for those charts you play with a clearing mindset you are effectively doing negative practice for timing.
By not ignoring score even when playing to clear, you can reduce negative practice.
2. Don't play differently when playing for score or clear
Players that can only time on easy charts usually play in a way that only works for easy charts. By focusing too much on timing, they tend to use too many large motions coming from the arms and the body, as opposed to smaller motions from fingertips.
It is true that larger motions are consistent, but if you try to play dense charts the same way you will get tired quickly.
As well, some players will play easy charts and diffuclt charts using drastically different form. These players may have difficulty playing difficult songs after playing easy songs, and conversely may not be able to time easy charts after trying hard charts.
For these players, easy songs are negative practice for hard songs and vice versa.
In order to fully utilize the accuracy for easy songs, you need to play easy and hard songs using similar form and techniques. That way you can reduce negative practice.
3. Focus on making small improvements every time
When you are
Tired
Feeling unwell
Lacking concentration
anything you do will become negative practice.
To get better is to keep improving from last time even by a tiny bit. Playing worse than before will not help you get better.
Sleep well
Be in good health
Take a break when losing concentration
Keep those in mind and always play at your best and you will reduce negative practice.
In order to move the fingers to your will, you need individual fingers to have independent nerves and some amount of muscle. However, the finger independence and strength needed for IIDX can be trained just by playing.
There is no need to train your fingers.
Stamina drain comes from lack of reading ability
While finger strength training may not be useless, it is unnecessary. From experience, lack of stamina or strength comes from lack of reading ability which introduces unnecessary tension.
The more tense you are the less smooth and swift your movements are.
For example, someone who plays DP may actually have more trouble with one-hand SP. This is because DP and one-hand SP have separate reading skills and your standing position and forms are different.
Lack of reading skill → unnecessary tension → stamina drain
Different form → cannot play the same way as DP → unnecessary tension → stamina drain
Training finger independence or strength will not solve these problems. First step is to improve reading and form.
Don't tap your fingers on your desk
Some people will tap their fingers on desks while watching videos because they don't own controllers or CS versions. Don't do this.
The reason is because keys have travel distance while your desk does not.
Moreover, during this travel period you also use the upward force from the switch and the spring to move to the next keystroke. Hitting the keys and tapping the desk uses totally different motions.
Some players may experience difficulty playing IIDX after playing touch panel games and this is one reason why.
Watching videos and tapping fingers can be practice for finger positions but it is detrimental to actually hitting the keys.
The human body is made to remember repetitive things. If you play the same charts over and over, your brain and body will subconsciously remember the chart. When this happens, your brain will start to slack off for parts you memorized.
This is not a problem if you have memorized perfectly, but if you memorized incorrectly this is very problematic.
Remembering by shape
Even for sightreads, the brain may still slack. This is especially true for charts whose shapes easily lead to vertical reading (e.g. stairs). On the other hand, if you divide the chart into finer horizontal slices then it can prevent remembering the chart as a shape.
Charts that have a very pretty shape, for example very clear staircases, are prone to vertical reading.
Once your brain remembers the chart as one shape it will slack off in reading.
How to fix mindblocks
If you have memorized the pattern, the only solution is to forget or to overwrite with a perfect memorization. For a chart that you have a mindblock on it is better to not play it at all for a while.
If you must play nonran, memorize perfectly.
If you have mindblocks on particular patterns (stairs, double stairs, etc) the only way is to start where you can, on easy charts, and practice execution for each pattern.
Players that do not use random at all will usually hit a wall at around 11s.
This is due to the fact that in addition to increased density, you will encounter more chords which are rare in non-random and mirror charts.
Random for getting used to chords
Consider the above chart from Line 4 Ruin which is an 11.
Even for the nonran chart you will very often see chords involving keys 2 and 3, as circled. These patterns are very rare for nonran charts in levels 10 and under.
Rare patterns mean you are not used to hitting them.
Not only are the note density increasing but you are encountering previously unseen patterns which is why 11s will appear to be difficult.
The solution is to use the random option to practice patterns which are rare in nonran/mirror.
Random for preventing mindblocks
There is another important reason for using random.
The more you play and improve, you may practice the same songs many times. However, the more you play the same nonran and mirror charts the more likely that the patterns stay in your memory. Once this happens you will tend to rely on memory to play the charts. Relying on memory means you aren't reading properly and therefore not hitting properly.
You cannot improve your reading this way and you will be prone to developing bad habits and mindblocks.
For 6th Dans: Focus on chords with three or more notes
Players who have mainly played nonran and mirror are likely to hit a wall at this level since they are not used to chords that are rarely seen in those charts. The solution is to practice chord-heavy charts using random to get exposed to more patterns. Try playing the following songs on random as a starting point:
Most people don't need to be too concerned with their form since the optimal hand position, height, and angle will vary from player to player.
Don't do this
However, there is one thing that some players do which should definitely be changed. This is when:
Your knuckles are very high compared to the wrist
Your wrist is touching the cab (It's not lifted)
This usually happens on the non-scratch side hand for static-style players, for example when the wrist is touching the acrylic panel or the wrist rest. Here are some reasons why you should instead lift your wrists.
Higher risk of injuries
Playing with your wrist touching the controller puts a lot of strain on your wrists and may lead to tendonitis and other injuries.
Harder to control rhythm
When you hit the keys, you use all of your shoulder, elbow, and wrist to balance the force on your fingertips to adjust the rhythm.
Larger joints make larger and slower motions, while smaller joints are more suited for smaller and faster motions. For low BPM one uses the elbows to the wrist while for higher BPM one uses mostly motions from the fingers.
If your wrist is touching the controller, it becomes harder to use the joints before your wrist such as the elbow and shoulder and thus it becomes harder to control the rhythm. These players will be weak to low BPM and jacks.
What is the ideal form?
If your wrist is lifted like this there shouldn't be any problems. You should imagine your joint positions as flowing from higher to lower position, like
Shoulder → Elbow → Wrist → Finger → Fingertips
Don't be extreme
Just as how height and finger length varies between players, the optimal form will be different from player to player. It is better to have your wrists at a high position but do not make it unnaturally high as in the following picture.
If the wrist is too high up this time you will put unnecessary tension on your shoulder and elbows.
There are many ways to operate seven keys and a turntable using ten fingers. Likewise, in IIDX there are many finger positions, commonly called playstyles. Even when watching high level players there is a variety of playstyles, some of them even named after the players.
Review of well-known playstyles
Symmetrical
Place four fingers from each hand on the keys in a symmetric manner, as in the picture above. Key 4 is shared between the two index fingers. Depending on player preference either the ring finger or the pinky may be used to hit keys 1 and 7.
1048 (Toshiya) style
1048 style is named after the player 1048 (Toshiya) who pioneered this hand position. Notice the particular position of the scratch-side hand. The scratch-side hand is very close to the turntable and this playstyle is also used for wrist scratching.
It will take time to get used to the scratch side hand position, but this is a playstyle worth mastering.
As in the symmetrical case, either the ring finger or the pinky can be used to hit key 7.
Some people are able to scratch the turntable without breaking the 1048 form. This is colloquially called "god pinky." While this is a technique which can come in handy, it is not necessary in order to play 1048 style. Regardless of which playstyle you use, you will need to break form to hit the turntable and buttons accurately.
3:5 semi-static
This is the standard form when you transition from a static playstyle in order to hit both keys and the turntable. For 1P players, key 3 is shared between the two thumbs while for 2P players key 5 is shared.
This is also a difficult playstyle to learn, but it is an essential skill so be sure to master it.
Becha (TAKA.S)
This is a playstyle that comes from the 3:5 semistatic form, usually called TAKA.S in the West after the player who is well-known for using it.
For TAKA.S style, one hits both keys 1 and 3 with the left thumb (for 2P, keys 5 and 7 with the right thumb) as well as sliding the thumb between those keys. You can also hit key 2 with your index finger while hitting 1 and 3 with the thumb (for 2P, hitting 6 with the index).
On other playstyles
There are other playstyles, for example DOLCE. style (unfortunate naming: this is not what DOLCE. does most of the time) and quasar style (commonly called claw in the West) but we will not talk about it here. The reason is, unless they were learnt naturally, these styles do not offer enough advantages to warrant learning them specifically.
For beginners, it's best to learn either 1048 or symmetrical.
The more playstyles you use the slower your clearing skill improves
You may have experienced this when you notice how quickly wrist scratch players improve. In general, freeform players who use different playstyles depending on the chart will improve clearing ability slower than someone who uses a static playstyle.
To hit a pattern two ways you need more than double the practice
Consider the following pattern:
A wrist scratching static player only needs to practice the following position to hit the above pattern:
However, someone who does not wrist scratch could hit it using the following positions:
Whatever position is the easiest to hit and best for timing will depend on the player. As well, many things such as adjacent patterns and chart density will affect which position is optimal.
For example, someone may find the top left position optimal for timing, but in a dense chart can only use TAKA.S and hit as in the top right position.
Since optimal position depends on many factors, even though you have two positions for the same pattern in reality you will need to practice more than double the amount as someone who wrist scratches.
You will need to optimize playstyles
From the above explanation, you may feel that wrist scratching is the best. However, here we do not endorse wrist scratching.
The reason is that wrist scratching is not optimal for all patterns and is especially weak for scratch-heavy charts.
This is fine if you can overcome those difficulties, but those players are very rare.
Wrist scratch players will improve clearing at a very fast rate and will have high scores for charts that are mostly keys, but they have similar weaknesses of succumbing to awkward patterns and being weak at scratch songs. Wrist scratching is definitely the shortest way to achieve all FC, but from a timing perspective we don't recommend it.
What should a beginner do?
Get used to 1048 and 3:5
Use 1048 for patterns without scratch and use 3:5 for patterns with scratch.
Once you become an advanced player it becomes more difficult to learn 1048 style so we recommend learning it at an early stage. If you do decide to wrist scratch you can do so, and symmetrical style can be learned without much difficulty.
When a beginner learns a static playstyle, try to play 1048 style when there are only keys, and focus on breaking form and transition to 3:5 when there are scratches.
Learn TAKA.S
Once you are comfortable with 1048 and 3:5, learn to use TAKA.S.
Improve clear lamps
Once you learn 1048, 3:5, and TAKA.S, you have all the basic necessary playstyles. At this point you should focus on improving your clearing ability. Use the three playstyles as a base and focus on updating your clear lamps and building your clearing skill.
Use different positions for score
One needs a good balance between clearing and timing skill, otherwise you will become an unbalanced player (eg. someone who is only good at easy songs, or can only FC and not time).
When you hit a wall or if you get bored of updating lamps, try playing for score while thinking about using different positions to optimize. As you improve your clearing skill, you increase the number of charts you can play comfortably. As you play those charts you can think about which positions are best for which patters in a scoring context. Try to play for score and timing as you improve your positioning repertoire.
At this time you should also practice symmetrical playstyle. This is not difficult and should come quickly.
By always thinking of the optimal playstyles and positionings for each pattern, you will ultimately arrive at what DOLCE. uses.
Here I will explain the concept of horizontal and vertical reading.
Vertical reading
Consider the following chart:
Many novices will see the above and think of the patterns as "1-3 roll + some other notes."
This is an example of vertical reading, where the chart is divided vertically into patterns. In this example, it has the advantage that you don't need to think too much about the 1-3 roll in the left side. On the other hand, since you are not paying attention you are much more likely to be mindblocked. That is, you are more likely to subconsciously develop a bad habit of hitting incorrectly.
Horizontal reading
Next consider the following picture, which is the same chart but subdivided differently.
Whereas before one saw the chart as "1-3 roll + others", we instead now subdivide the chart into horizontal slices. Now we see the chart as a sequence of chords: [1+7] → [3] → [1] → [3+7]. This is horizontal reading.
The advantage of horizontal reading is that all charts, including easily mindblocked patterns such as "roll + other notes", can be reduced to a sequence of single notes and chords. This makes it much easier to avoid mindblocking.
Gachi theory is also based on horizontal reading.
Changing the amount of horizontal reading by BPM
For low bpm songs, say below 140, with practice it is possible to read all 16th notes horizontally. For faster charts, there is a limit to the amount of notes that you can read horizontally. The solution is to decrease the frequency of horizontal reading to each 1/4 note or 1/8 note units.
For example, in the charts above concentrate on seeing the chords circled above to stay in time. For a slower bpm song we can afford to concentrate on seeing more chords as in the right chart, but for a faster chart we will concentrate on fewer chords as in the left.
Here I will explain the term reading which will be a recurring theme in these articles.
Strong reading ability = Less time needed to process fingering
IIDX is a game where you see the notes scroll down and hit the buttons. It has the following three steps:
Look at the notes
Think about which fingers to use and how to hit the buttons
Execute and hit the buttons
Having a strong reading ability means less time is needed at step 2.
Consider the following chart:
From the skilled player, these patterns are not hard at all.
The biggest difference between the skilled player and someone who thinks the above patterns are hard is their reading ability. The novice player has to think about how to hit it, and they must do this for each pattern. They will not be able to keep up in a chart with higher density.
On the other hand, the skilled player will look at the chart and instantly know how to hit the patterns, thus saving time creating a buffer between each pattern.
To improve reading ability is to save time thinking about the finger positions.
How to train reading?
To improve reading (= to reduce time thinking about fingering), one does the following:
Look at the notes
Think about which fingers to use
Execute
But wait! This is no different than playing normally! That's correct, there is no special training for reading practice
However to practice efficiently, it's useful to keep the following in mind:
You will not improve by playing only easy songs
It is better to play songs around your limit, songs where you are barely passing or borderline failing
When you play the same patterns repeatedly you will tend to start relying on memory. This will lead to mindblocks. see: On mindblocks, Using random
Set your green number where you can play comfortably. see: Don't make the green number too small
Don't play charts that will tire you out. You will lose concentration and will make your practice inefficient. (charts that have breaks are better than "marathon-type" charts for practice)
When you keep these points in mind you will improve efficiently.
