Well heres the deal guys and gals...
Harmonix, the makers of Guitar Hero, sold the rights to Guitar Hero and made Rock Band. Rock Band and GH have been going head to head with each other for a few iterations (GH:3 vs. Rock Band, GH World Tour (full band) vs. Rock Band 2).
In the meantime:
Many players have converted their plastic axes into crude electronic guitars and started "real" bands.
Even more players of these games have realised that learning the GH way would be great if it were a real instrument.
Some small software developers have even tried to get the input from a real guitar into a GH like game and seemed to be doing really well (I've been watching a few projects like the OP posted).
Now the final battle has commenced (not really, but probably lol) Rock Band 3 vs. Guitar Hero: Warriors of Rock.
Now Guitar Hero has gone back to hard rock instead of the easy pop stuff that was far too mainstream and alienated the fanbase somewhat. Other than the setlist, this seems to be the main trick up the GH sleeve.
Harmonix however has been busying themselves innovating the genre even further...
In Rock Band 3 we will be able to have the 3 part vocal hamonies present in "the Beatles Rock Band".
In Rock Band 3 we will be able to rock out on a Keyboard, which is essentially a real instrument!
In Rock Band 3 they've added Pro Mode to the guitar and drums! Pro mode guitar is a REAL guitar!
You won't be able to do pinch harmonics in the game, but the controller is basically a real guitar with 6 strings. It has a midi output, and can be plugged directly into an amplifier. The press video also says each song on Pro Mode will have its own training mode. Watching the demo guy playing the hardest song on expert pro mode is ridiculous. Theres no way you could play that song by reading the fret numbers and chords flying down the screen, but you could learn those songs using the training modes then use the game to get up to speed. When playing it you'd basically be playing from memory. Some songs will be excellent flat picking exercises.
I'm so excited! Release date is only October :D
Forget your small software houses...Harmonix has done it again with Rock Band 3.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rock_Band_3#Pro_Mode
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D5De9eCH1EU
I'm personally not really a fan of the new Rock Band, although I've followed Guitar Hero quite closely. The reason I'm not very excited is for one: the price. Not only will the game cost about 60-70 dollars, the controllers will be very expensive. The guitar will at least 150$, depending of which model you get. You'll also pay 130 (?) for the keyboard + the game. Either way you're paying a lot for a single game.
I'm also afraid the squier will be of quite bad quality for its price, so not worth the purchase as a real guitar (if you already have one, or more). I'd probably love it if it was cheaper, but at the moment it's mainly the price tag which makes it rather inconvenient. I have the money, but I'd rather spend it on real guitars. I can see it as a good way (even better, actually) for people to get an introduction, but putting in work and the money will probably deter many. I'll be watching this.
I've got all the kit from GH3 and rockband 1, but i soldered the guitar after it went funny with the detachable neck. The guitar controller worked flawlessly and that means a lot. The pro guitar and keyboard is what id have to purchase, so hopefully that'd be separate, but its basically another real guitar that i can use for whatever, and who doesnt like a new guitar? The keyboard will rock too no doubt, and the line between game and real playing and practice is blurred even more :D
I'm a fan of video games although I haven't played much in the past couple years and for entertainment they are great but I really don't see how a game is going to improve or replace the real thing.
It's like playing Madden football and thinking somehow you'll be good enough to make the NFL.
"It's all about stickin it to the man!"
It's a long way to the top if you want to rock n roll!
Really surprised theres not more interest in this. Lets say you need to practice picking and string skipping. No doubt there'll be a song on the disc that is excellent for that purpose. Now who doesnt want their practice routine to be scored so precisely?
No doubt fans will release content like scales, which will allow you to learn the scales and practice and varying speeds, with a score.
Now the problem is the tone and how sloppy this is played. No doubt all the GH/Rockband players will want high scores on the hardest level, and that will mean they aren't practicing correctly, but a real player can utilise this game as a way of keeping track of progress.
I can imagine all the GH/Rockband fanboys having massive blisters, torn fingertips and carpal tunnel syndrome from attempting things that are way past their ability. But seeing past that, this is an excellent step in the right direction.
Finally we may see games that are based around learning complex things. Its been 20-25 years since the advent of computer games, and we've seriously undervalued this form of entertainment for learning.
hmmmm I'd take issue with the 'REAL GUITAR' in the headline....i'm sure you wont hear Activision/Harmonix talking about it as a real guitar. Looks a LONG way off http://www.starrlabs.com/products/ztars/baby-z
Besides that it looks fun.
But I've always found the 'music' games a bit lacking in actual teaching content - maybe this will be a start...
The rock band range promised drumming tuition in its press - something that has be criticised for claiming, and not really delivering. (The drumming instructions are torture to sit through!)
Lets hope they increase the quality of the tuition!
A similar thing that bugs me is SingStar should incorporate some singing exercises not just the repetition of recorded tracks.
From what I saw and heard in those vids on youtube, the guy was playing a real guitar. There will be a guitar with buttons all the way up the neck instead of strings, but you'd still have to pick the strings properly. Time will tell I guess, it will be a shame if its not a real guitar, but then I suppose it'd be a medium step from GH to reality.
Hmmm.. a $150 MIDI guitar?
Assuming it is an actual guitar with a working standard MIDI output, I might buy that just as an instrument.
I wrapped a newspaper ’round my head
So I looked like I was deep
Why not just go for reality and buy and learn to play a proper guitar? I'm all for technological advances, but I just don't see what the appeal is in an almost-guitar for a budding guitar player. kids as young as 3 or 4 learn to play guitar, it's hardly such an impossible task that we need these 'gateways'.
Having a full band who already know the songs you want to play is reason enough.
The people on this board already play guitar, so thats a moot point really.
I'm with Scrybe I guess I don't understand the logic. For pure entertainment it's great fun but it you are seriously wanting to learn to play why wouldn't you just use the real thing. At the end of the day this is not going to replace or cut down the time you will actually need to practice on a real guitar in order to be able to play. So just cut to the chase and use a real guitar right from the start.
If you want to play with the band then play along to the CD.
Do football players, baseball players, basketball players or race car drivers learn their skills playing video games? I don't know of any so why would guitar be any different.
"It's all about stickin it to the man!"
It's a long way to the top if you want to rock n roll!
Well each to their own I guess. One major point with these games is that you can have the full band minus the part you want to play on... instand backing track.
Yea if that's what you like go for it I'm not putting down video games at all I like them too but what I don't understand is your logic on how doing anything but the real thing is going to make you better than actually practicing with the real thing. I don't think that will happen and if anything make you relearn some things when you actually play a real guitar.
None of your examples of the possibilities (like playing scales) need a video game to practice. So what happens when you go play without the game and there are no blinking lights then what? To me this would do the opposite actually take longer to get good rather than to reduce the time. All you introduce is some interim solution like flashing lights to replace what you should be doing in the first place.
I get the impression you are looking for an easy "fun" way to learn guitar and if that's the case I think you are kidding yourself.
As for having a backing track there are plenty around you can grab for free. And if if someone puts out scales or whatever to practice with does that necassarily make this a good method to learn from?
"It's all about stickin it to the man!"
It's a long way to the top if you want to rock n roll!
Well each to their own I guess. One major point with these games is that you can have the full band minus the part you want to play on... instand backing track.
Buy a backing track.
Start a band.
Buy band-in-a-box or similar.
Still don't get the supposed USP of using a videogame to do it, beyond maybe some flashy graphics and maybe some guy doing a cheesey voiceover at the end of a tune, like "Way to go rockgod!!" in which case, I'm sure if you bung your guitar tutor an extra couple of bob per week, I'm sure he can do the voiceover for you. And I'm young! And I like videogames!
Sorry, but I don't get this at all. It is in a similar vein to other simulators, but at least they have some kind of a point - you can't afford flying lessons in a real plane or there's no local airspace, so you go with a simulator for a while, or you love to skateboard, but it's raining heavily so you play Tony Hawk Pro Skater that evening instead, but guitar?!? what's gonna happen? you want to play guitar but can't be bothered moving the three metres it takes to reach your guitar so you play guitarhero instead?!? hmmmm.....
oh, and +1 to everything cnev said above.
So what happens when you go play without the game and there are no blinking lights then what?
Say you're playing a scale, yes you can play with a metronome and yes the game brings very little extra to the table if your in that mindset. But the little it does bring can be a lot to someone else. Its acting like a visual metronome for a start, it'll score you on your accuracy and timing. How many times have you played a song through and screwed up in a small and different way each time? This will highlight it.
Anyway, I can see the argument "Pickup a real guitar", and I have done. I play at least 12 hours a week for the last two years and haven't picked up GH or Rockband for as much time. However I had a GH/Rockband night two nights ago and its was great fun. I really don't care about what others think, if I find something I can use to further my dexterity/timing/enthusiasm then I'll use it.
It also includes a small 24 key keyboard, but I guess thats pointless in many peoples eyes... How about learning from games in general? If you could learn in a gaming environment then I assure you the goal will be reached several times faster than without. If this was applied to general schooling, or speciality subjects, it would be a god send to students everywhere.
How about we stop training surgeons and pilots on simulators?
I think the arguments against this are pretty weak, but I only posted to inform people, not to argue the pros and cons. I'm just happy the world is moving into a more integrated IT situation.
