Rocksmith 2014 Remastered Setup Guide for Modern PCs (2026)

Although Rocksmith 2014 Remastered is no longer sold on Steam, many players still own it and continue to use it as one of the best guitar-learning tools available.

Unfortunately, modern Windows systems and modern audio interfaces often require additional setup before everything works correctly.

This guide summarizes the setup I used to get Rocksmith 2014 Remastered running on a modern Windows PC with custom songs and an external audio interface.

What You’ll Need

  • Rocksmith 2014 Remastered (Steam version)
  • CDLC compatibility patch
  • RS ASIO
  • An audio interface or guitar processor (optional)
  • Custom songs (optional)

1. Locate the Game Directory

In Steam:

  1. Open your Library
  2. Right-click Rocksmith 2014 Remastered
  3. Select Manage
  4. Click Browse Local Files

You should see files similar to:

Rocksmith2014.exe
Rocksmith.ini
dlc/

This location will be referred to as the game root folder.

2. Install the CDLC Compatibility Patch

Rocksmith requires a compatibility patch before it can load custom songs (CDLC).

Install the latest CDLC compatibility patch before proceeding.

Without this patch, custom songs may not appear in-game or may cause startup issues.

3. Install RS ASIO

If you are using an audio interface or guitar processor instead of the original Real Tone Cable, RS ASIO is highly recommended.

Official Repository

https://github.com/mdias/rs_asio

Releases

https://github.com/mdias/rs_asio/releases

Installation

Download the latest release and extract it.

Copy the following files into the Rocksmith root folder:

avrt.dll
RS_ASIO.dll
RS_ASIO.ini

These files allow Rocksmith to communicate directly with ASIO-compatible audio devices.

4. Install D3DX9_42.dll

Some modern setups also require:

D3DX9_42.dll

Copy this file into the same folder as:

Rocksmith2014.exe

Why is this file needed?

Rocksmith 2014 was originally released in 2013, when consumer PCs typically had far fewer CPU cores than modern systems.

On some modern high-core-count CPUs (for example, CPUs with 32, 48, 64, or more logical cores), Rocksmith may experience issues such as:

  • Crashing when creating a new profile
  • Crashing when loading an existing profile
  • Getting stuck on a white screen
  • Freezing during startup

The root cause is that certain parts of the game were not designed with very high CPU core counts in mind. As a result, the game may behave unpredictably on modern processors.

The modified D3DX9_42.dll commonly used by the Rocksmith community includes a patch that limits or adjusts how the game detects and uses CPU cores. This helps prevent profile-loading crashes and white-screen issues on modern hardware.

If you encounter any of the problems listed above, installing this DLL should be one of the first troubleshooting steps to try.

After copying the file into the game root folder, launch Rocksmith again and verify that profile creation and loading work normally.

5. Configure RS ASIO

Launch Rocksmith once and then close it.

A log file should appear:

RS_ASIO-log.txt

Open the log file and verify that your audio device has been detected.

Example:

Focusrite USB ASIO
GX-10 USB Audio
MOOER USB Audio
ASIO4ALL

Then edit:

RS_ASIO.ini

and configure the driver names according to the devices detected in the log.

For the best experience:

  • Use a 48 kHz sample rate
  • Use ASIO drivers whenever possible
  • Keep latency buffers low
  • Avoid unnecessary audio processing in Windows

Rocksmith is very sensitive to latency and audio routing.

7. Using a Guitar Processor as an Audio Interface

This was the biggest issue I encountered.

My guitar signal was detected correctly, but I could not simultaneously:

  • Receive input from the processor
  • Hear audio through my PC speakers

The most reliable solution was:

  • Set the processor as the Windows input device
  • Set the processor as the Windows output device
  • Configure RS ASIO to use the processor
  • Connect headphones directly to the processor

Example signal path:

Guitar
  ↓
GX-10
  ↓ USB
PC / Rocksmith
  ↓
Headphones connected to GX-10

This significantly reduced latency and eliminated audio routing issues.

8. Installing Custom Songs (CDLC)

Once the compatibility patch is installed:

  1. Download CDLC songs from your preferred source.
  2. Copy the .psarc files into:
Rocksmith2014/dlc/
  1. Launch Rocksmith.

The songs should now appear in the song list.

9. Original Rocksmith Song Import

Some song packages depend on content imported from the original Rocksmith.

Depending on your ownership and installation method, you may need:

songs.psarc

Follow the instructions provided by the song package or import tool you are using.

10. Troubleshooting

RS ASIO Not Loading

Verify that these files exist in the game folder:

avrt.dll
RS_ASIO.dll
RS_ASIO.ini

Also check whether:

RS_ASIO-log.txt

is generated.

No Guitar Input

  • Verify the correct ASIO driver is selected
  • Verify the correct input channel is configured
  • Confirm the sample rate is 48 kHz
  • Confirm the guitar is connected to the expected input

No Sound Output

  • Verify Windows audio settings
  • Verify RS ASIO output configuration
  • Try monitoring through the audio interface directly

Crackling or Distorted Audio

  • Increase the ASIO buffer size
  • Close unnecessary background applications
  • Confirm the sample rate is 48 kHz

Final Thoughts

Even in 2026, Rocksmith 2014 Remastered remains one of the most effective and enjoyable ways to practice guitar.

With RS ASIO, custom songs, and a modern audio interface, it still works remarkably well on Windows 10 and Windows 11 and continues to be part of my regular guitar practice routine.