Learning how to play the guitar can be super intimidating so we always recommend trying to find an inspiration or fun way to make it easier!
Rocksmith is certainly a step ahead of other guitar video games and is fantastic for any beginner. The only downside is that setting up for your first at-home performance can be a bit challenging!
This is principally because of the Real Tone Cable requirement. Without the Real Tone Cable, you can’t play Rocksmith. Or can you?
Keep reading to find out how to play rocksmith without a real tone cable. We will also talk about why you should think about getting rid of your Real Tone Cable completely.
Top Guitar-to-USB Cables for Rocksmith
YESPURE USB Guitar Cable: A budget-friendly option that doesn’t skimp on quality.
Roland RCC-10-US14 Black Series: Known for its durability and consistent performance.
Behringer Guitar2USB Cable: Offers a balance of cost and reliability, suitable for beginners.
How To Play Rocksmith Without A Real Tone Cable
Fortunately, there are 5 different ways of playing Rocksmith without using the Real Tone Cable. Keep reading to find out how!
Real Tone Cable Alternative
The Real Tone Cable is just a regular cable with a USB end and a ¼ inch jack. That is it.
If you can find any other cable that has the same connectivity options then it will be compatible with Rocksmith and your guitar. Chances are it’ll be better, too!
This one is our favorite. It is cheaper than a Real Tone Cable but is made from better quality materials. This means that it connects better to your console or PC and the latency is markedly improved.
Audio Interface
To bypass the need for a cable altogether you can set up an audio interface on your PC. Those who record their guitar playing via direct-in will be well versed in audio interfaces.
We have found that the Rocksmith experience is a little more immersive with an audio interface.
This is because the connectivity is remarkably consistent and the responsiveness of Rocksmith to our guitar playing is incredible.
A good quality audio interface is a little bit on the pricey side. That said, it is a worthwhile investment if you are serious about learning to play the guitar with Rocksmith, or if you do a lot of recording using direct input.
We recommend the Focusrite Scarlett audio interface. It is easy to use and works excellently with Rocksmith.
To use an audio interface with Rocksmith, all you need to do is plug in your guitar, plug in your interface of choice, and then open up Rocksmith.
You will then need to navigate on Rocksmith’s menu to the input settings. Switch the input mode to ‘Microphone.’
Technically this mode is for connecting an acoustic guitar to Rocksmith but it will recognize signals from your chosen audio interface.
You will need to choose your interface from the options but then you are ready to go.
Recommended Audio Interfaces for Rocksmith
Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 (3rd Gen): Ideal for those seeking professional quality.
IK Multimedia iRig HD 2: A portable and affordable choice for casual players.
Acoustic Guitar
Setting up a microphone to use with Rocksmith and then playing with an acoustic guitar is another great alternative to using a Real Tone Cable.
As with using an audio interface, all you need to do is go into the settings tab and then switch on ‘Microphone Mode.’ Any microphone that you plug in should be immediately recognized and available to select.
Now you can begin playing with any acoustic guitar that you want – it really doesn’t matter!
If you are going to be using a microphone, we recommend investing in a good quality one.
A better-built microphone made to a higher standard will have no difficulty recognizing your guitar sounds so that the game will always recognize what you are doing.
You don’t want to be playing your best and then fail a Rocksmith level because it can’t recognize you!
We recommend the Blue Yeti Microphone. It is a great all-rounder so you aren’t limited to using it with Rocksmith.
It is also super simple to connect thanks to the USB cable – just plug it in and you are ready to go.
Selecting the Right Microphone for Acoustic Guitars
Blue Yeti USB Microphone: Versatile and user-friendly, excellent for capturing acoustic tones.
SHURE MV5: A compact option that delivers clear sound quality for serious players.
Rocksmith: Disconnected
If you are more relaxed about using Rocksmith, you are completely forgiven for not wanting to splash out on fancy equipment.
But even the most casual player will find the Real Tone Cable off-putting. So what can you do?
You could give ‘Disconnected Mode’ a go!
When playing in this mode, all note detection is disabled but the notes still appear on the screen for you to play along to.
Rocksmith will not recognize anything you play so you won’t be scoring a PB!
That said, it is a fantastic alternative for those who aren’t serious about playing with Rocksmith, or for those who want to get a bit of extra practice in.
Unfortunately, you won’t be able to play any of the side games on offer. These rely on you hitting the notes at the right time – if Rocksmith can’t recognize your notes you aren’t going to score any points!
But don’t just disregard Disconnected Mode. It is a lovely stress-free way to play Rocksmith – you know that you can’t fail, it won’t know if you play something wrong or miss some notes, and there is no pressure for you to hit a high score.
Literally, all you do is play your guitar quite happily with no Real Tone Cable in sight!
NoCable Patch
Feeling a bit technical? This is the last method that we have found that allows you to play Rocksmith without a Real Tone Cable. It is by far the most difficult to master!
Computer-minded fans in the Rocksmith community have put together a piece of software called the NoCable Patch that allows you to play without the Real Tone Cable.
Having this software installed will mean that you can connect your guitar up to your computer via a line-in port or your microphone and Rocksmith will read it as it would signal from a Real Tone Cable.
If you are comfortable with downloading and installing this software to your computer, go for it! However, keep in mind that it is unofficial third-party software so you absolutely don’t have to use it if you don’t feel comfortable.
Even if you don’t use NoCable Patch, there are so many other good alternatives to the Real Tone Cable that you don’t need to feel like you’re missing out.
What Is Rocksmith?
First of all: the basics. What exactly is Rocksmith?
Quite simply, Rocksmith is a music video game from Ubisoft that is designed to help people learn how to play the guitar.
The standout feature of this game that sets it apart from its competitors is that you do not need to purchase proprietary controllers to use it – you can plug in any electric guitar that you want.
You start at the beginning of your electric guitar-playing career and gradually level up as you gain experience and practice playing increasingly difficult songs.
The more Rocksmith points that you have, the more challenges and mini-games that you have access to.
Because Rocksmith starts off at a gentle pace, it is a fantastic learning tool for beginners. It has the added bonus of being super fun and packed full of incentives to get you playing – no more dreaded music practice for you!
Do You Need A Real Tone Cable For Rocksmith?
It is usually recommended that you purchase a Real Tone Cable with your Rocksmith set. This cable is advertised as being essential for a good playing experience – but is it?
You may not want to get the cable to begin with or maybe wondering what you should do if you lose it, or it gets broken. Do you need to buy a new one each time?
What about digital playing? You can download Rocksmith to play on your PC but the cable is not always part of the bundle.
Whatever your setup, it is always a hassle and time-consuming to try and get hold of just the single Real Tone Cable. So can you get around this requirement and play Rocksmith without a Real Tone Cable?
Thankfully, you can!
The Real Tone Cable from Rocksmith is just a bog-standard ¼ inch guitar jack. One end has a jack that connects to your computer or console, the other has a USB connection.
You can get this type of cable from a whole host of different places. Any of these alternatives will work fine the next time you fancy a Rocksmith jamming session.
There are also a number of different ways to connect to Rocksmith with your guitar. A lot of the equipment you need for this type of setup you probably already have to hand at home.
What Do I Need To Play Rocksmith?
Believe it or not, you only need a real guitar to play Rocksmith!
Many guitar music video games in the market will require you to use a gaming console or a toy guitar. For instance, the most renowned music video games, Rock Band and Guitar Hero, help you learn how to play instruments using consoles shaped like musical instruments.
On the other hand, Rocksmith requires you to use your guitar, mobile phone or PC. These are the only key items you need to get started.
If you are using your mobile, you only need to download the app, sync it to Rocksmith+, set your phone to inform you of your amp or acoustic guitar and start playing.
If you are using your PC, you will need a Real Tone Cable or a regular cable, as long as it offers the same connectivity options as a Real Tone Cable.
Do I Need A Real Tone Cable To Play Rocksmith?
If you have ever had a go with Rocksmith in the past, you will know that the only drawback from this fantastic game is the Real Tone Cable.
It isn’t very well designed so it does not connect brilliantly and it feels a bit cheap. It can be very frustrating!
So frustrating, in fact, that many people opt to play Rocksmith without a Real Tone Cable at all.
Why Should I Not Play With A Real Tone Cable?
As we have already mentioned, the Real Tone Cable is often the only thing that people mention is a drawback to the Rocksmith playing experience. This is for a multitude of reasons.
Price
The first reason is that the cable is super pricey for what it is. It is a basic cable with a ¼ inc jack on one end and a USB connection on the other. That’s it!
The official Real Tone Cable is typically sold for $30. This is an outrageous price at the best of times but – if we are being truly honest – the official Real Tone Cable is not high quality at all.
You can get a much better cable for the same function for an awful lot less.
If you are serious about Rocksmith, it may be worth your while spending in this sort of price range but with other brands.
For around $30 you can get a fantastic cable that is of much higher quality and will give you a much better playing experience.
Durability
The official Real Tone Cable is not high quality and so breaks very easily. It really does feel cheap whenever you handle it.
We have found it difficult to make a Real Tone Cable last for more than 2 months playing around 3 times a week. For $30 you would have thought it would last a bit longer!
So if you are a dedicated Rocksmith player you can expect to regularly replace your Real Tone Cable.
Connectivity
Unlike other USB cables, the Real Tone has some definite and noticeable connectivity issues.
Whenever we plugged the Real Tone Cable into our PC, we regularly experienced driver problems. This was usually because the USB port on our PC would not recognize the Real Tone Cable.
Even when we could get it going and connect everything up, it would randomly disconnect. Sure, you could try moving the Real Tone Cable around and try other USB ports but we quickly ran out!
Interestingly, Ubisoft does not have any online support for Rocksmith. There is no handy driver to download so connectivity is better.
This means that the only thing that you can do is plug in your cable and cross your fingers!
Long Latency
Finally, there is a significant latency when using the Real Tone Cable.
Latency is the name of the gap between you plucking a string on your guitar and Rocksmith recognizing or registering what you have played.
A long latency can be very frustrating and make playing well impossible.
Long latency pauses are certainly not ideal if you want to work on your rhythm!
If you are finding it impossible to use Rocksmith with the Real Tone Cable due to the latency issues, don’t panic!
We recommend trying a different way of using Rocksmith, such as using an audio interface system or a microphone.
Is Rocksmith Still Available?
Unfortunately, you are unable to purchase or download Rocksmith as of October 2021. So, if you would like to have a go at this excellent game, you will need to source a hard copy for your console.
Ubisoft is continuing to support all Rocksmith games on all consoles, PCs, and Macs. Nothing has been taken away or discontinued for Rocksmith fans!
You can still access the great content on old systems as well as newer models.
Optimizing Your PC for Rocksmith
To ensure a seamless Rocksmith experience, optimizing your PC is key. Upgrades like a dedicated sound card can improve audio processing, while enhancing RAM or switching to an SSD can speed up your system’s response time. Tweaking your PC’s power settings for high performance can also minimize delays, ensuring that your notes are registered in real-time.
Comprehensive Troubleshooting for Common Rocksmith Issues
When you encounter issues with Rocksmith, a systematic troubleshooting approach can help. Start by verifying game files if you’re on a platform like Steam. If there’s crackling in the audio, try reducing the audio engine settings within the game. Ensure all cables are firmly connected and free of damage, and that input levels are properly set. For software issues, reinstalling Rocksmith or updating its patches can resolve many common glitches.
Enhancing Your Rocksmith Experience with Mods
The Rocksmith community has developed mods that can enhance your gameplay, from custom song additions to interface improvements. Before installing mods, it’s crucial to understand how they might affect your game’s performance and to ensure they are sourced from reputable community forums to avoid any compatibility issues.
Community and Support for Rocksmith Players
Engaging with the Rocksmith community can provide valuable support and insights. Join forums or social media groups where you can share experiences, get tips, and find answers to complex issues. Additionally, consider reaching out to the official Rocksmith support for guidance on technical problems.
Future Updates and What They Mean for Cable-Free Players
Keep abreast of upcoming updates to Rocksmith and what they might entail for players using alternative methods to the Real Tone Cable. Updates could affect compatibility, offer new features, or require different configurations, so staying informed is critical for a hassle-free Rocksmith experience.
Final Thoughts
Rocksmith is an excellent game that will allow you to master playing the guitar whilst having fun!
The only downside to this game is the official Real Tone Cable. It has patchy connectivity, is not made from high-quality materials, and breaks easily.
The Rocksmith community has come up with a list of alternatives to the Real Tone Cable. Using one of these alternatives will allow you to carry on playing the Rocksmith that you love, without the frustrations of the cable.
Try experimenting with the above alternatives to discover what works best for you and your playing style. You are bound to find your groove with this guide!
Happy playing
FAQs About Playing Rocksmith Without a Real Tone Cable
Can I Use Any USB Guitar Cable with Rocksmith?
Not all USB guitar cables are created equal, especially when it comes to playing Rocksmith. The game requires cables that can translate guitar signals into a language it understands, which means the cable needs to support specific drivers and have minimal latency. Cables from brands like YESPURE and Behringer have been successfully used by the Rocksmith community. It’s crucial to research and confirm the compatibility of the cable before purchase.
Is Playing Rocksmith with an Acoustic Guitar Feasible?
Playing Rocksmith with an acoustic guitar is definitely doable but requires a bit more setup. The game is primarily designed for electric guitars, but with the use of a high-quality microphone, acoustic players can join in. Position your microphone close to where your guitar produces the most balanced sound, typically near the sound hole, to ensure the game accurately picks up your playing
Can you Play Rocksmith With a Bass Guitar Without a Real Tone Cable?
Bass players can indeed enjoy Rocksmith without the proprietary Real Tone Cable. You’ll need a USB-to-guitar cable that can accurately pick up the low-end frequencies produced by a bass. Make sure to configure the game settings to recognize the bass guitar input, and consider using an audio interface to enhance sound quality and reduce latency.
H3: What Are the Workarounds for Common Latency Issues?
Latency can detract from the Rocksmith experience, but there are workarounds. First, direct connections via an audio interface can significantly reduce latency. Additionally, tweaking the game’s audio settings, like the buffer size, can help. Ensure your computer’s sound drivers are updated, and consider using ASIO drivers if your interface supports them, as they are optimized for low latency. Lastly, close any unnecessary background applications that might hog your system’s resources.
My name is Howard Matthews and I have been playing the guitar since I was knee-high. My parents like to joke that I was pulling the strings even before I was born. In fact, one of my earliest memories is sitting on the couch with my dad’s guitar, wreaking havoc on the chords.
Now, 40 years later, I can attest that I play them much better than I did back then. I have followed in the footsteps of both my parents – much to their delight – and have been the main guitarist in my band for the best part of three decades.
Music has always been my passion, and until recently my life has been so consumed with it that I haven’t had a moment to have a breath (and I wouldn’t have it any other way)!
