Instrument skill

Instrument skills are a variety skills dealing with different types of instruments in The Sims 3 and The Sims 4. They allow Sims to become more skilled in playing those instruments.

The Sims 3


In The Sims 3, there are six different instrument skills: 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 trait.

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.

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.

The Sims 4
In  The Sims 4, there are four different instrument skills: guitar, piano, violin and pipe organ. The guitar, piano and violin skills are in the base game, while pipe organ is added in Vampires. The inspired emotion is helpful to raising these skills, as it gives Sims a boost to instrument skill gain. These skills are also augmented by the creative trait, as those Sims tend to be more inspired than others. Sims with the music lover trait can also be better at raising instrument skills, as they become more inspired from listening to music and become happy from playing instruments. The Musical genius aspiration is heavily centered around raising instrument skills. Children can also learn the guitar, piano and violin after mastering their creativity skill.

Sims can start gaining tips from playing instruments out in the public; the higher their instrument skill, the more Simoleons they will gain. Lounges include guitars and violins, making them a great place for Sims to gain tips. City Living comes with a performance stand, that also allows Sims to gain tips. They are found in the neighborhoods of San Myshuno and Sims can also buy one of their own, which they can carry in their inventory to wherever they want.

Reaching level 10 of one instrument skill will unlock the corresponding skill achievement.

Violin
Level 1: Allows sim to practice music on the instrument.

Level 2: Sim can use the computer to research the violin, discuss violinists with other sims, and appreciate classical music on stereo.

Level 3: Play Traditional Songs

Level 4: Play a Concerto and play songs from the Rock genre.

Level 5: Play Country Songs

Level 6: Play Romantic songs and also Serenade other sims.

Pipe organ
The Sims 4: Vampires introduces the pipe organ skill. Sims can practice and learn the skill by playing the Napri Parlour Organ organ.

Compositions
Each instrument has various compositions, that Sims can write after reaching high enough levels. Once a song has been finished, Sims can submit it to a publisher to gain royalties.

Guitar
Outdoor Retreat introduces three new songs that can be played around a campfire. They require a minimum of level 3 Guitar skill, but will sound different with higher skill level. Jungle Adventure introduces six new compositions that can only be played by Sims with both level 7 Guitar skill and level 3 Selvadoradian Culture skill.

Trivia

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