Since its release in 2018, Beat Saber has quickly become one of the most popular VR games around. Who doesn’t love the feeling of swinging motion controllers to slash through blocks with lightning-fast precision, all perfectly in sync to the beat of adrenaline-pumping music? It’s an immensely satisfying experience. However, behind the neon-colored fun lies a game with immense depth and challenge. Mastering Beat Saber requires fast reflexes and impeccable rhythm. This article is going to cover 18 Beat Saber tips and techniques that will help you improve your skills and have you challenging the pros.
Adjust Your Height Setting Properly
Before you play, make sure to set your height properly in the options menu. Face forward with your controllers at your sides in a neutral position. Then set your height while standing upright with good posture. Having the correct height set will ensure that your sabers line up accurately with the direction and angle blocks are coming from.
Setting it while slouching or leaning to one side will skew the perspective and make it harder to hit blocks cleanly. Take the time to get this right, and it will pay dividends with more accurate swings throughout your game.
Turn Off Debris and Walls When Starting Out
If you’re brand new to Beat Saber, turn off all obstacles like walls and exploding bombs in the options menu. Focus first on getting the basic saber motions down and accurately slicing blocks coming right at you.
Once you get more comfortable with the core mechanics, then start introducing those additional challenges. Bomb explosions and walls that force you to crouch or dodge can be distracting when you’re still trying to master the essential form and accuracy. Walk before you run by cutting out the obstacles at first.
To ease into it:
- Play 5-10 hours without debris/walls to build fundamentals
- Introduce one element at a time – either walls or bombs first
- Start with slower songs to learn how new obstacles affect flow
Start On Slower Song Difficulties
When beginning, avoid jumping straight into extremely fast songs on expert difficulty. Start with easier difficulty levels and slower track speeds to learn the proper form and motions. Get a feel for slicing blocks to the beat.
As you improve, gradually increase the speed and challenge. Starting too fast too soon will only ingrain bad habits and sloppy technique that will be harder to fix later. Build up your skills steadily on simpler songs before tackling the intense ones.
To find the right pace:
- Sort songs by difficulty rating and BPM to find manageable options
- Use Practice Mode to slow down faster songs to a workable speed
- Increase song speed in increments of 10-20% as skills develop
Prioritize Accuracy Over Speed
When starting out, focus first on making accurate, clean slices through the center of blocks. Speed and quick reaction times will come later as you improve. Sacrificing form and accuracy for flailing your sabers wildly in a desperate attempt to keep up with a song’s speed is counterproductive.
If you can’t stay accurate at a given speed, slow the song down with practice plugins until you can. Good fundamentals are far more important than trying to smash through blocks as quickly as possible. Keep your swings controlled.
To build accuracy skills:
- Enable saber angle huds in settings to learn proper angles
- Focus on cutting with the middle 12 inches of blades for clean hits
- Use Practice Mode slowed down to master tricky swing patterns
Pay Close Attention To Direction Arrows
Note the orientation and direction of the arrows on incoming blocks carefully. Don’t just rely on color. Really focus on the arrows before blocks reach the hit zone so you can be prepared to swing your saber accurately in that direction.
Develop a habit of glancing up quickly to process direction and orientation before shifting focus back to the area right in front of you. With practice, you’ll be able to recognize direction instantly.
To read blocks better:
- Stare at the center of the runway to spot arrows farther in advance
- Say or think “up”, “down”, “left”, “right” as you see arrow directions
- Visualize where your hands need to be before swinging
Maintain Proper Form
Many new Beat Saber players flail their arms around without purpose, throwing their bodies off balance and losing accuracy. Instead, keep your elbows tucked in close to your body when holding your controllers. Use your wrists to guide the motions for slicing blocks rather than relying on big sweeping arm movements.
Keeping a wider balanced stance with your feet about shoulder-width apart will help maintain equilibrium as well. Gripping the controllers properly is also key – hold them like you would a sword or knife handle, with your thumbs resting on the upward-facing buttons. Proper form will make your movements much more controlled, efficient, and accurate.
To improve form:
- Record video of yourself playing and compare to experts
- Consciously tuck elbows and relax shoulders
- Take breaks if your muscles feel strained – tension reduces accuracy
Slice Right Through The Vertical Center Of Blocks
Aim to slice directly through the very center of blocks from top to bottom, rather than grazing off the edges. The scoring system rewards you with more points for cutting closer to the dead center. To get in the habit, visualize blocks having a laser vertical center line and focus on lining up your swings to slice down that exact line. Clean central hits will feel and score better.
To boost central hits:
- Position your body directly in front of the blocks’ approach vector
- Swing straight through blocks in a precise vertical arc
- Use Practice Mode to isolate tricky off-center blocks requiring adjustment
Match The Angle Of Your Sabers To The Angle Of Your Hands
Many beginners have a habit of improperly aligning their virtual sabers compared to the actual angle of their hands. Make sure to tilt your saber so that it matches the way your hand is angled when making a cut. This may feel unnatural at first, but it results in much more natural feeling and accurate swings. Rather than having to adjust mid-swing, matching angles allows your brain and muscles to work together seamlessly.
To synchronize angles:
- Consciously rotate your wrists until the saber angles look right
- Imagine you’re holding actual sabers that directly extend your hands
- Enable saber angle huds and practice matching them perfectly
Set Up Your Playspace Properly For Success
Take some time to optimize your playspace and hardware setup. Make sure to use proper overhead lighting to improve tracking. Face luminous objects like TVs away from your playspace to avoid interference. Use controller wrist straps to avoid smashing screens or objects if you accidentally drop your controllers. Clear away any fragile items around the area. The better your setup, the more you can focus on the game rather than distractions.
To dial in your playspace:
- Cover or move reflective surfaces that could confuse tracking
- Adjust camera positions and angles to optimize visibility
- Check tracking bounds in the game – give yourself 2+ feet of buffer room
Use Practice Modes To Master Tricky Sequences
Rather than brute forcing your way through frustrating sections of songs over and over, make good use of the available practice modes. Slowing down the song speed lets you learn sequences at manageable speeds.
Disabling all blocks except those in a tricky pattern isolates the specific part you need to master. Looping just a few bars concentrates practice where you need it most. Practice tools transform productive focused training time from frustrating grinding.
To practice smarter:
- Identify problem patterns and use Practice Mode to isolate them
- Slow songs down to 70-80% speed to perfect form and timing
- Use loop points to repeat short segments until they become automatic
Stare Directly At The Incoming Blocks In The Hit Zone
Many new players understandably look down at their controllers and sabers as they try to get the motions right. But having proper form and swing path engrained will allow you to instead lock focus directly onto the incoming blocks as they reach the hittable range right in front of you. Staring at the block locations when they matter most will enable better reaction time and accuracy.
Don’t divide attention unnecessarily by checking sabers. Trust your instincts and keep your eyes forward. As for some Beat Saber Tips, it’s important to keep your eyes focused on the blocks rather than your sabers. Staring at the blocks as they reach you allows for better reaction time and accuracy. Once you have the motions engrained, trust your instincts and keep your eyes forward.
To keep focus forward:
- Pick a sightline on the horizon and stare there while playing
- Say “eyes up” to yourself to break the habit of looking down
- Imagine blocks are real objects you need to make contact with
Stay Centered Within Your Playspace
While playing, consciously work to keep your body centered within your defined playspace. Don’t drift too far forward, backward, left or right. Having the headset cameras lose sight of your controllers because you moved outside the trackable space will break your flow.
Find a grounded center stance that allows you to reach all angles comfortably without needing big movements. Stay balanced and neutral to avoid losing controller tracking.
To hold your position:
- Stand on a small rug or mat so you can feel when stepping off
- Set up physical markers at playspace boundaries as warnings
- Pause to re-center yourself if you drift – don’t push past limits
Follow Through Your Swings For A Split Second After Contact
Many new players chop their swings off abruptly the moment they make contact with a block. While a slice may register as a hit, stopping short increases tension and reduces accuracy. Instead, allow your arms to continue swinging downward for a split second after your saber passes through a block.
This extra follow-through engages more muscles for stability and control while reducing torque on your joints. It also helps naturally flow into the next upcoming swing.
To improve follow-through:
- Swing 20% farther than required to slice blocks
- Consciously relax muscles after making contact to continue the motion
- Think of follow-through as the recovery portion of each saber swing
Challenge Yourself With Harder Songs And Difficulties
Don’t just repeatedly grind easy songs on normal difficulty levels. You won’t improve proficiency levels that way. Intentionally choose songs with faster BPMs and more complex patterns to challenge yourself. Seek out tracks labeled as difficult or look for ranked expert+ difficulty levels. Playing tougher, faster songs will push you to new levels. The skills developed will make intermediate levels feel easy by comparison later.
As for some Beat Saber tips, playing songs outside of your comfort zone helps expand your skillset. Focusing on faster songs with complicated patterns forces you to improve. Seeking more difficult-ranked songs pushes you to the next level.
To push your limits:
- Sort custom songs by difficulty rating to find challenging maps
- Focus sessions on developing skills needed for harder songs
- Gradually increase difficulty – don’t jump straight to expert+
Use Modifiers And Practice Mode To Help You Improve
The Modifier menu lets you change some features to make it easier for you to master tracks you are struggling with. You can remove walls and other obstacles, slow the song down, and turn on no-fail mode. Practice Mode lets you slow down songs, loop sections repeatedly, and start each song from a custom location to help practice parts you are struggling with.
One of my best Beat Saber tips is to slow each song down if you are struggling with it. Try to complete the track flawlessly, and then incrementally increase the speed until you can do it at 100% speed with ease.
To utilize mods effectively:
- Start slowed at 70-80% BPM and increase the speed with mastery
- Isolate complex sections and learn them thoroughly with mods
- Remove walls and other obstacles to focus on the song and blocks, to master your timing and swing pattern
Study Videos Of High-Level Players
Beyond raw practice, one of the best Beat Saber tips is to watch gameplay videos of top-ranked players to learn useful skills and strategies. Observe the stance, form, footwork, and technique of experts as they handle complex patterns. How do they position their bodies for wide swings?
When do they twist versus use lateral steps? How do they minimize travel distance? Their nuanced approaches can inform your own. Aim to incorporate elements that could improve your game.
To learn from the pros:
- Search ranked leaderboards to find videos of top scorers
- Compare their form side-by-side to your own gameplay
- Test applying their techniques during practice sessions
Take Regular Breaks
As with any demanding activity requiring intense focus and quick reflexes, be sure to take regular breaks, especially during longer practice sessions. Step away for a few minutes to recharge mentally and give your body a rest.
Fatigue leads to sloppy form, slower reaction times, muscle tension, and poor technique. The positive effects of training diminish past a certain point of exhaustion. Schedule in breathers to maximize results over the long run.
To make the most of breaks:
- Take a 5-10 minute break after 45-60 minutes of play
- Do hand stretches and massages to ease muscle fatigue
- Hydrate and refuel – mental focus requires energy!
Have Patience And Celebrate Small Daily Improvements
Mastering a game like Beat Saber takes significant patience and persistence. Don’t expect overnight results or else you’ll get overly frustrated. Break mastery down into smaller daily achievements, like better form on a tricky pattern.
String enough small wins together over time and you’ll start seeing big differences in your abilities. Trust the process and follow the Beat Saber tips I have shared to steadily progress. Record yourself to verify progress. And take a moment to celebrate each small victory along the way.
To maintain motivation:
- Set manageable goals like sightreading a new song or nailing a sequence
- Compare gameplay video week-over-week to see concrete improvement
- Reward progress with a fun new song or accessory
With these 18 Beat Saber tips, you now have a detailed roadmap to guide your path from flailing novice to expert Beat Saber champion step-by-step. Remember to focus on accuracy over speed, building skills incrementally by challenging yourself with tougher songs.
Proper setup, form, practice techniques, mods, and patience are key. Stick with it, implement these Beat Saber tips, and you’ll be slicing your way up the leaderboards in no time. Now grab those sabers and show those blocks who’s boss!