Help with Wavedashing

[Y-L]

I'm someone who only recently got into competitive smash and after master a lot of AT, I am just now working on wavedashing. I wavedash with L, as I have R set to attack for DACUS, plus L seems to be easier. However I am still having trouble wavedashing consistently. Often times I end up jumping instead of wavedashing. I've noticed you cannot input Y L analog stick at the same time for a wavedash to work, so I know there has to be some delay in between inputs. What order is best to do? I'm guessing Y analog L. Do most people wavedash with R? How can I not jump so often? Also, how do I waveland onto platforms from a full hop? I always go through it. Help would be appreciated. And please no "just practice more".

EDIT: I'm playing falco

 

[Xermo]

It's all dependent on the character. You have to learn their jump timings. If you're getting full-hops then you're inputting L too soon.

 

[guedes the brawler]

i reccomend holding down the analog stick at a lower diagonal. just short-hop and airdodge.

once you get the hang of it, try to do it without the tip just gave you

 

[Kink-Link5]

As long as you're still getting accustomed to muscle memory, you might want to invest in alternate control schemes that require less time between inputs.

A: Jump
Y: Attack
X: Shield
B: Special

is in almost every way better than the default scheme, but I can't get use to it after a decade of muscle memory.

For reference, under this scheme, wave shining is achieved by making a 23 motion while sliding one's thumb from B to X. Compare to Down B, slide over A before the jump window ends to diagonal X/Y, then hardpress R/L.

 

[SixSaw]

Or you could just claw and not have to relearn everything if you want to play Melee...

To answer the topic question:
Your character does not jump immediately after you pres the jump button. There are several frames of "jump squat" delay before your character actually goes airborn (amount varies by character, Falco goes airborne after 5 frames). Going into slow motion makes this easy to see. You can't perform the airdodge that causes a wavedash until you're actually airborn, so performing the input early will do nothing and just have you jump normally.

Here's the timing of a frame perfect wavedash as Falco, beat 1 being the jump input, beat 2 being the airdodge input:
http://advanced.bestmetronome.com/?dirId=120038X

 

[Y-L]

Or you could just claw and not have to relearn everything if you want to play Melee...

To answer the topic question:
Your character does not jump immediately after you pres the jump button. There are several frames of "jump squat" delay before your character actually goes airborn (amount varies by character, Falco goes airborne after 5 frames). Going into slow motion makes this easy to see. You can't perform the airdodge that causes a wavedash until you're actually airborn, so performing the input early will do nothing and just have you jump normally.

Here's the timing of a frame perfect wavedash as Falco, beat 1 being the jump input, beat 2 being the airdodge input:
http://advanced.bestmetronome.com/?dirId=120038X

Thanks SixSaw, that explanation helps a lot.

 

[burntfish44]

some characters are really freaking hard to wavedash as, and some are a lot easier

to get the hang of it try practicing with luigi... you have to put up with his annoying luigi-noises but he has the easiest/longest wavedash.

How i learned it:
1.do a full jump and air dodge to the side
2. do a short hop and air dodge to the side
3. aim ctrl stick down and to the side, do a shorthop and air dodge to the side, but slightly faster
4. aim ctrl stick down and to the side, get quicker and quicker at just grazing x with your thump and immediately pressing R(or L) after

hope it helps