Guitar Hero....*sigh*

[HardDrive]

Anyone else here take an extremely dim view of the whole Guitar Hero craze?

I mean, god forbid some these young morons actually LEARN HOW TO PLAY A REAL GUITAR. Oh heaven no. That would take commitment. That would take hard work. That would take resolve. And who wants to do that?

Tapping furiously on some plastic doowacky hooked up to your computer is much cooler.

YEAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!! We're all heroes!

.....bunch of lazy narcissistic brats.

[Won]

Today I overherad a debate over why "Guitar Hero" is more difficult than some other guitar game, because it comes with 5 ******* buttons as "frets" instead of 3 on the other one. Wow.

And now they have the game "rock band", I heard it comes complete with a microphone and everything. I'm a drummer and play a bit of guitar too, so whenever people around me talk about these games (hey man did you pass "smoke on the water?") it irritates me to no end. It irritates me because these posers go around talking like they ARE some sort of rock starts just because they can beat the final stage of the game, and even though they apparently think playing the instrument is cool, none of them will pick up a real guitar just because they enjoyed the game so much because, like you said, they are just too lazy for that. I've told them I'll never play the game because I'd rather be playing air guitar on a real thing if I had time to waste; that seems to "offend" these posers quite a bit!

I think it's inevitable that people are coming up with more and more ways to simulate various forms of "reality" (worst example: Wii's "exercise" programs). In those simulated worlds it doesn't take much effort to make you a "hero" and that in turn takes people a step further from reality. It's an easy way out, just like the "Second Life" crap. There are "normal" people like us who are willing to put in real efforts to learn how to do these things, then there are people just opting for the "game" version of it and taking it easy. The problem is, the "normal" kinda people are getting harder and harder to find. This is just the beginning of a technological dystopia in the works if you ask me. It wouldn't surprise me at all if a significant portion of world's population chooses to have their spinal cords tapped and connected to a huge big computer and give up their "natural life" and start fresh in "second life" in the next century or so

[WolfeMacleod]

I have two different views on Guitar Hero. My wife plays it, and isn't too bad.
On one view, I do think that it gets the younger crowd hearing the older music. I can't believe my wife is actually listening to (and "playing") some of the older tunes I listen to. We're very musically different. Extreme opposites.
She's also developing some decent hand-eye coordination...and rhythm. Something she more or less lacks...

I can't play Guitar Hero for squat. My hands want to perform fretting action. But, I imagine that particularly adept "Guitar Heros" would have an easier time learning to play actual guitar through the development of hand-eye coordination, and having a sense for the rhythm of the songs to start with. Although, they might end up with the reverse of my problem...wanting to perform the button pushing movements instead of fretting positions...
I've been thinking of tying it more as a way to develop the communication between my fretting hand and picking hand...something I lack....

[red-beard]

Great Southpark episode on this subject. Stan's dad role out his electric and an amp and starts to play Stairway. The kids just stare at him.

The Southpark guys have a band, DVDA, so I expect that they feel the same way.

[red-beard]

The funniest part of the show is when Stan discovers the video game "Heroin"...

[deathpunk dan]

I've got a guitar hero story.

My favorite local band in high school/college circa 94-98 was a rockabilly act made up of ex punk rockers. They were loud, fast, and absolutely incredible. Supremely talented, went from playing to nobody to packing a 1200 capacity club within 2 years. They busted their butts touring, and sold 100k copies of their debut album (over the span of 3 small labels). Lineup changes, getting sued by Warner Bros (2x!) for their name being 'too similar' to that of a (horrible) WB act, and the grind of 7 yrs relentless touring took its toll and they called it quits in 01.

They were friends of mine, treated everybody and their fans great, all of us 2nd and 3rd tier musicians/bands idolized them whether we admitted it or not, and they were the center of the fairly burgeoning scene in little old Providence RI in the 90s. They deserved a better fate than breaking up still owing lawyers and labels money. They weren't young kids anymore, either.

But, the ex frontman took some courses, got into programming and 3d modeling for gaming, hooked up with another smart guy (another musician and RISD professor)...and ended up working on GH and GH2. He's the voice-over guy on GH2, and one of his old band's tunes even made the game.

So, although I could care less about video games PERIOD, I gotta feel great that fate smiled upon this dude and he's been part ($$$ Viacom bought the company $$$) of something so successful and music finally paid off.

As far as guitars go, I'll stick with my les pauls and old marshall JCM800s. Grown-azz men don't need games.

[Rick Lee]

I've never seen it or known anyone who played it. My own version of Guitar Hero was getting a video tape of a Van Halen or Rush concert when I was about 15 or 16, sitting down on the couch with a real guitar and my GK 250ML amp and learning every single note, spending hours and hours on end, practicing, improving, learning. Even then I thought that was cheating because I could see their hands. Before that I had to do everything by ear. Now I can just go to some TAB site, or Youtube or even catch the band live and see how they do stuff. Do people actually think Guitar Hero makes them good at anything?

[jjone20]

No. They think it's fun. At least in my household. Yikes, it's just a game folks. I don't play GH because I don't care much for video games to begin with, but wifey and the kids have a lot of fun with it. Do they think they're really playing? Not unless they became morons last night while I was sleeping. For those that have the discipline and dedication to learn guitar, I think that's a tremendous accomplishment. Vicarious fun is what it is and doesn't automatically make one a poser, or poseur if you prefer.

[IROC]

I play guitar and really have no desire to play Guitar Hero, but I bet there are also forums out there full of guys with racing licenses saying "why in the world are these losers playing Gran Turismo on PS3? Why don't they drive a real race car!".

If guitar hero is fun and gets people into music and maybe even turns them on to learning how to play guitar, I say rock on.

[Rick Lee]

Originally Posted by IROC

I play guitar and really have no desire to play Guitar Hero, but I bet there are also forums out there full of guys with racing licenses saying "why in the world are these losers playing Gran Turismo on PS3? Why don't they drive a real race car!".

If guitar hero is fun and gets people into music and maybe even turns them on to learning how to play guitar, I say rock on.

I dunno about that. The difference in cost for buying a guitar rig and learning and buy Guitar Hero is way, way lower than the difference in cost of playing racecar video games and getting a real racecar.

[stomachmonkey]

Originally Posted by IROC

I play guitar and really have no desire to play Guitar Hero, but I bet there are also forums out there full of guys with racing licenses saying "why in the world are these losers playing Gran Turismo on PS3? Why don't they drive a real race car!".

If guitar hero is fun and gets people into music and maybe even turns them on to learning how to play guitar, I say rock on.

You saved me some typing.

Lighten up folks, it's simply entertainment for the masses.

And if it gets some kid interested in a real instrument so much the better.

[stomachmonkey]

Originally Posted by Rick Lee

I dunno about that. The difference in cost for buying a guitar rig and learning and buy Guitar Hero is way, way lower than the difference in cost of playing racecar video games and getting a real racecar.

Come on Rick, you can find a track or DE to run with any everyday driver.

[rpollock]

It is a game. It is a riot. What is the problem? My kids, my wife, we all have a great time on it. I can't see there is any threat to real guitar players out there.

[CJFusco]

I don't think there is any correlation between GUITAR HERO and actually learning to play the guitar. Kids who are interested in music will learn to play instruments. Kids who want to play a video game will play GUITAR HERO, which is very fun. I don't have any of the new console systems, but my brother has Wii, and it is a blast!

Yeah, what's with all these kids playing SUPER MARIO BROTHERS? Why don't they all just learn to be plumbers already!

[lendaddy]

The corruption of mindless hobbies will be our ultimate downfall

[Overpaid Slacker]

I haven't played it, but given the opportunity, I'd give it a try.

Hey, I mocked a friend mercilessly for playing Tiger Woods on his PS2 -- how can you golf on a video game? Then I spent 8 hours solid playing the damned game at his apt, and on my way home, stopped and bought a PS2 to play it.

I hope that no former SEALS/Delta guys ever overhear my enthusiastic discussions with buddies over tactical takedowns, breach and clear techniques, sniping and infiltration tactics --- that I "learned" from Rainbow Six, Splinter Cell, etc.

It's a game... chillax. You'd rather play a real guitar, go for it. I'd rather play Agusta, drive a Carrera GT and roll with an MP-5SD, Mk. 23 and MTAR into hostile territories. But I don't have the time, resources ... OK, I'll say it, skills ... to do so. So I goof off on a game for a while and get enthusiastic about it.

The South Park episode was great!

JP

[Chocaholic]

I hate it because I didn't invent it. Cant' think of any other reason to even give it a second thought.

[Jared at Pelican Parts]

I saw a kid at best buy play GH on expert level and was floored. I told him to put that thing down and pick up a real guitar.

As for me, I used to sit down with an album and just learn the whole thing by ear. I dont understand why more kids dont do that.

[equality72521]

My 11 year old nephew has it and loves it. Guess what? He now has a real guitar and is taking lessons because he wants to play the real thing. He is also interested in all kinds of music now. 50's>present as a result of playing it. I don't see a problem with it at all as long as he plays in moderation.

[k9handler]

I am for it. FUN....that's all it's meant to be.

At the same time, my oldest is learning Piano, son is learning the Guitar, and my youngest is learning the drums at home and school.