Instrument skill

Instrument skill

a Sim with her guitar

For the similar skill, see Creativity (skill).

Instrument skills are four similar skills in The Sims 3 each dealing with a different instrument, guitar, bass, drums and piano. The guitar skill is available in the base game but the other three became available with The Sims 3: Late Night. The fifth skill, violin, is added from The Sims 3 Store.

These skills are augmented by the Artistic and Virtuoso traits.

Statistics

Compositions learned

Increases as the Sim learns more compositions from books.

Number of times compositions have been performed

Use the action "Perform compositions" to increase this statistic.

Each time a composition is performed the Sim will earn more money per tip! (To make 1000+ per tip you need the Guitar Star Celebrity challenge and must have simply performed (not job related or opportunity related - just the guitar playing option) around 333 or more times. Zoom out to perform faster to get this number up.

Money made

Tips earned playing the instrument (Using the action Play for tips)

Times watched

When each Sim watches the musician play, the statistic increases (One/Sim/day?)

Money making tips

Throwing a party at a public venue will guarantee a large audience. If you have The Sims 3: Late Night you can play the guitar (or one of the other instruments) in the subway for a higher rate of tips than normal.

Challenges

Instrument skill

Sim playing guitar

Master Guitarist/Drummer/Pianist/Bassist

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 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!

Tip: Challenge is completed by completing 10 Opportunities for venues (see opportunities below). Many people have reported this to be a bug but it is not, it is just highly unlikely for a sim who has many skills to complete this challenge with normal lifespan and aging. More player tips.

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

A Sim playing guitar in the park

Sims with an instrument skill level 5 or above can learn new songs by buying and reading sheet music from bookstore. Sheet music is used up when learned and must be bought again for another Sim to learn it. Songs can not be learned more than once. Two more songs are available from Master Guitarist challenge and Money Maker challenge.

Experienced Sims can play for tips at level 5. If the Sim plays in a public lot they will gain money and friends really fast. Playing for tips for extended periods of time will most likely lead to completing skill challenges from the charisma skill although it will not increase their actual skill level in charisma. If done for a very, very long time it may even lead to these challenges triggering for the Sim's spouse. Naturally, the Virtuoso perk is indispensable in the process.

Sims with level 5 instrument skill will create a positive moodlet of +15 to all those around. This moodlet increases by +5 with every additional skill point up to a maximum of +40. This effect does not stack with the moodlet caused by a stereo; whichever is strongest will give the moodlet.

Compositions

Level	Instrument	Composition	Note
5	Guitar	Yes Ma'am, I Do	Must be learned from a book.
5	Bass	In My Truck	Must be learned from a book.
5	Drums	Howdy! Means Hello	Must be learned from a book.
5	Piano	Summer Hayrides	Must be learned from a book.
6	Bass	Cha Cha Cha Ching	Must be learned from a book.
6	Drums	Dancing Duel	Must be learned from a book.
6	Guitar	A Love Since Forgotten
6	Guitar	If You Mean It
6	Guitar	Keep On Raining
6	Guitar	Flamenco Fever	Must be learned from a book.
6	Piano	Nicholas's Fresco Impromptu	Must be learned from a book.
7	Bass	Subway Glances	Must be learned from a book.
7	Drums	If Only I Had Known	Must be learned from a book.
7	Guitar	Pa Fights the Bear
7	Guitar	Rails for Miles
7	Guitar	My Porch, Anytime
7	Guitar	A Perfect Moment	Must be learned from a book.
7	Piano	Wilkinson's Bay Sonata	Must be learned from a book.
8	Bass	Feeling Cheated	Must be learned from a book.
8	Drums	Be Bop Blues	Must be learned from a book.
8	Guitar	I Won't, If You Will
8	Guitar	Two Steps at a Time
8	Guitar	One More Dance?
8	Guitar	Improvise Here and Now	Must be learned from a book.
8	Piano	Peanut Butter and Jelly Blues	Must be learned from a book.
9	Bass	Gobo Trance	Must be learned from a book.
9	Drums	The Awesome Song	Must be learned from a book.
9	Guitar	One Night on Powell
9	Guitar	Keep It Up
9	Guitar	Meet Me Downtown
9	Guitar	Dream Escape	Must be learned from a book.
9	Piano	Roland Forbearance	Must be learned from a book.
10	Guitar	If I Had Two Hearts
10	Guitar	The Southern Lady
10	Guitar	It Ends Now
10	Guitar	Master Track: Kaitlin's Song	Randomly from the Master Guitarist challenge, the Money Maker challenge or from reaching level 10 in the Guitar skill with Virtuoso trait.
10	Guitar	Master Track: So Epic It Hurts	Randomly from the Master Guitarist challenge, the Money Maker challenge or from reaching level 10 in the Guitar skill with Virtuoso trait.
10	Guitar	Master Track: Ballad of the Raider	Randomly from the Master Guitarist challenge, the Money Maker challenge or from reaching level 10 in the Guitar skill with Virtuoso trait.

Opportunities

Local Musician

Play in Contest at the Theatre before time runs out to earn the cash prize!

I Got Your Back...Up

Perform with Symphony before time runs out at the Theatre to earn some money!

The Social Event of the Season

Play the guitar at a Sim's party to earn some money, and to gain relationships with the local party starter!

In the End

Perform for Party at the Business Office before time runs out to earn some money!

Raise the Fun(d)!

Perform for Fundraiser at the restaurant before time runs out to earn some money and to learn a composition!

Guitar Up!

Improve your Guitar skill by one level to receive a new composition!

Tons of Tips

Earn some money in tips to improve your relationship with a sim, and to earn some even more money!

Jammin' on the Streets

[Same as Tons of Tips]

Sorting the Section

Help Organize Music at the Bookstore before time runs out to earn some money, and to learn a composition!

Some Hogan Rock

Attend Seminar at the Bookstore before time runs out to receive a little inspiration.

Guitar in the House

Play the guitar at a Sim's home during the party on a specific date to earn some money.

Music Assembly

Perform at the School to earn some money.

Violin

Description:

It is said that the violin is one of the hardest instruments to learn how to play, so (Sim Name) has his/her work cut out for him/her. However, as the old saying goes, "Practice makes perfect!"

As usual, violin skill has 10 levels. In levels 1,2,3 Sim can Play Traditional and Serenade another Sim. In level 4 Sim can Play for Tips and Play Medieval. In level 6 Sim can learn new compositions in each next level:

Level	Traditional Composition	Medieval Composition
6	Amber Rose	Armored Armour, The Tehth Ballad of Henry the Ninth
7	The Duck Ascending	-
8	Plumbob Bob	Jester's Last Dance
9	Stairway to Dragon Valley	-
10	Don't Wall Me In	-

Statistics:

Percent of Compositions Known

Tips Earned

Total Watchers

Total Played Compositions

Total Played Medieval Compositions