Instrument skill

Instrument skills are six similar skills in The Sims 3 each dealing with a different instrument, guitar, bass, drums, piano, laser rhythm-a-con, and violin. The Guitar skill is available in the base game, the Violin skill is added by buying the Fit as a Fiddle Violin from The Sims 3 Store, or by buying the Duke of Bows Renaissance Faire set; The Bass, Drums, and Piano skills are featured in The Sims 3: Late Night, and the Laser Rhythm-a-con skill is featured in The Sims 3: Into the Future. These skills are augmented by the Virtuoso traits.

The four instrument skills, i.e. Guitar, Bass, Drums, and Piano, are also known as Band skills. These instruments essentially have the same features, such as the ability to jam, perform for tips in the subway, learn compositions, and be used for a band. Laser Rhythm-a-con is also considered a Band skill, though it has some limitations, such as the lack of ability to jam and be used for a band. Violin skill, however, is a standalone skill that is not related to the other instrument skills. It cannot be used for a band either.

Instrument skills are also present in The Sims 4. There are three instruments in the game: guitar, piano and violin.

Statistics
Most statistics of each instrument are similar, but they have different titles.
 * Compositions Learned (Guitar, Bass, Drums, Piano, Laser Rhythm-a-con)
 * Percent of Compositions Known (Violin)
 * Number of times compositions have been performed (Guitar, Laser Rhythm-a-con)
 * Compositions Played (Bass, Drums, Piano)
 * Total Played Compositions (Violin)
 * Total Played Medieval Compositions (Violin)
 * Times Watched (Guitar, Bass, Drums, Piano)
 * Number of times Sims have watched you perform (Laser Rhythm-a-con)
 * Total Watchers (Violin)
 * Money Made (Guitar, Bass, Drums, Piano)
 * Money earned through playing the Laser Rhythm-a-con (Laser Rhythm-a-con)
 * Tips Earned (Violin)

Challenges
Most instruments have identical skill challenges. Violin doesn't have skill challenges, however.


 * Master Guitarist / Drummer / Bassist / Pianist / Laser Rhythm-a-con Artist
 * Master Guitarists learn to play every song awarded to them and available for purchase at the store. After learning so many songs, they receive a special Master Track!


 * Guitar / Drum / Bass / Piano / Laser Rhythm-a-con Star
 * Guitar Stars must play at 10 Parties and Venues in the town to earn their title. Afterward, they earn larger monetary rewards for tips and performances!


 * Money Maker
 * Earn §25,000 playing the instrument to earn a new Master Track to perform. Money can be earned through tips or by completing opportunities.

Abilities
Sims with level 5 or higher instrument skill can learn new compositions by buying and reading sheet music from bookstore. Compositions can only be learned once, and after Sims finish learning it, the sheet music will vanish. Some compositions are available to be learned from completing Master Guitarist / Bassist / Drummer / Pianist / Laser Rhythm-a-con Artist and Money Maker challenges.

Unlike the other instruments, Violin skill doesn't have sheet music in the bookstore. Sims will instantly learn violin compositions when they reach higher skill levels. Violin also has 2 types of compositions: normal and medieval composition.

Sims can play for tips at level 5. They can go to a community lot and play for tips to earn money from watching Sims. In addition, they can also play for tips in the subway, which is more efficient because they may earn tips without actual Sims watching them playing. If the Sim has a romantic interest, they can also serenade them with their instrument.

More skilled Sims will create an "Enjoying Music" moodlet when Sims are around. The moodlet effect will be higher if the Sim has higher skills. The moodlet will start appearing with skill level 5 with +15 effect, and the effect will increase by +5 for each skill level. Sims who master the skill will create the moodlet with +40 effect. The effect does not stack with other music sources however, like stereo.

Compositions
Each instrument, excluding violin, has special master track compositions. Guitar, Piano, Bass, and Drums have four master tracks, while Laser Rhythm-a-con has five. Three (four for Laser Rhythm-a-con) of the master tracks can be randomly learned by completing the Master Instrumentalist and Money Maker challenges, as well as maximizing the skill if the Sim has the Virtuoso trait. The last master track for Guitar can be learned by completing a certain opportunity.

Trivia

 * The laser rhythm-a-con instrument is based on the laser harp.