what are your thoughts on guitar hero?

on one hand i could see how it could lead kids to a real guitar but ... on the other i've seen seriously obsessed kids with that game that have stopped playing their guitar to play guitar hero more!!!

tell me your thoughts!!

It's a fun game but I sometimes find it annoying when I can play a song on a real guitar, but on guitar hero I'm just an epic fail!
Still, I get interest from kids wanting to play the real thing - I've not had a phone call or email asking whether I could teach someones son/daughter the guitar hero controller.. always seems to a real guitar with strings and the likes that people want to learn.. hmm

guitar hero is one of the reasons that I got interested in playing guitar. I was really proficient at it much before I picked up a real guitar, and now I try to practice at least 2 hours a day, but lately (past few weeks) I've barely been playing at all . Anyway that's a different story.

bottom line is I think it's great that kids can get into music like that, it somewhat connects them with it, and having "control" (I wish to use that word loosely) over the music is a great way to introduce someone to creating real music.

I think it is good because it introduces music to kids who may have never heard any of it before. I personally don't play it because I'd rather practice real guitar than a video game that I probably won't be playing in a year.

I really like to play guitar hero but i prefer the real thing because i can do so much more with it......

I would like to encurage people to play real guitar instead of a fake plastic one.....

My favourite T-shirt:

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haha where can i get one!

I think this is a good thing! It introduces kids to guitar music (rock , metal and all the quality genres/songs that are featured in guitar hero games)...It introduces them to idea of starting to play the real thing...I'm sure many won't progress to a real guitar (but I don't think they would play anyway even if they never played guitar hero) and I'm also sure that many kids will get inspired to start playing the real thing! I don't think kids that played guitar somewhat seriously would stop practicing in order to get good at guitar hero.Even if they did I'm sure they didn't see the guitar hero as substitute.If they wanted to play sports more they would surly stop playing the guitar anyway.
Its a good thing I guess.

http://www.guitartshirts.com/ for the guitar t-shirts

Its a great addictive game with some good songs, one of my friends is real pro at it and can finger tap, etc in the game! Got into playing the real guitar, so it's all good. Helps with ya timing?

I really like GH, addictive gaming with awesome rocking tracks!, I'm all for this new wave of games and I believe they make many people start playing the real thing.

I think these games are AWESOME.

I'd rather see kids playing this than Grand Theft Auto or Halo.

And it can only lead them to the real thing.

It wont always do that, but if they had any interest anyway it will.

I think playing guitar hero is helpful to your real guitar playing. You really need to have good timing to hit the notes in guitar hero. So by playing guitar hero, you are getting better at rhythm and also syncing your left hand to your right.

It cant hurt, thats for sure.

I like rockband better. I prefer drums to guitar.

It feel like I am doing something more useful.

When I get a song down on drums I try to sing it also.

I agree 100%. Plus, if it leads a kid to pick up a real guitar, then great! If it leads a kid to broaden his scope of music, then great! If it doesn't lead a kid to play real guitar...then like you say...it is better than him playing a game where he is killing people.

It sucks.

I have kids and 2 are teenagers. They spend more time trying to push buttons than plucking strings.
And!!
If they spent as much time on a real guitar they would have learned to play a song or 2, getting them into making real music.

Ive tried to teach them but when they hang out with their friends (who dont have a coach) they would rather play guitar hero.

Its poser. Pretend stuff.

And I dont think it gets anyone into the real thing coz, playing real guitar is much harder and more time intensive.

Did u know slash is an epic fail on guitar hero, even his own riffs!! lol

Guitar is all about making your own music, and being a musician, guitar hero is all about playing a game.

are there people really giving up guitar for the game instead?

Or choosing one or the other.

I'm willing to bet that guitar hero gamers who arent into playing for "real" wouldnt have been into playing for real if the game hadnt been invented.

Its weird, if people would have asked this question 5 years ago: "what if kids spent their game time listening to a wide array of music and simulating rock stars instead of shooting everything and killing hookers?

People would have praised it to no end.

Now its here and some people are complaining.

As games go its by far a better way to go than most others.

Its as close to accomplishing something real as you can get in a game.

But in the end, its a game. And there will always be game haters.

As far as it goes being a game, and not musically inclined or suggest "talented" players; yeah, sure, waste your time away.
But it can never be remotely respected in the same field as music.

I would rather blow away armed opponents who are skilled with a gamepad than pretend to be a real musician with a push button guitar.

I agree with you.

It's a fun game and it introduces kids (and adults as well ) to guitar, and that's definitely a good thing.

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Thats the thing. I'm coming from the standpoint of kids. And I dont want my kids pretending to be blowing people away. I'd rather they pretend to be rock guitarists.

When I was younger it was tennis rackets. We'd hold tennis rackets like guitars. Or just air guitar to our favorite guitar gods.

Now there is something a bit more interactive for those whom are interested.

Thats great I think. All the air guitaring in the world didnt make me want to not pursue real guitar. Maybe if I had a chance to play a game like that back in 1985 I'd have done well at it, gained confidence, and tried real guitar sooner?!?!?!?

In my opinion anything that takes focus away from games involving killing.

There is enough killers in the world. We needn't be training more.

But introducing kids to music? Hell yeah!!! Maybe it'll get the schools to see that cutting all the music programs is a bad idea. THERE IS INTEREST!!!!!!!

I agree. Compared to other violent games that we are bombarded with GH is a positive thing, similar to Super Mario for example. I don't wanna disrespect the people who play violent games - I played a lot of them myself, but I think GH is definitely something that has more meaning to me then those games.
I don't see how GH is comparable to real guitar in any way tho..

I wonder why people who play sports don't bad mouth the people who play John Madden football or Tiger Woods golf?

That's nothing like golf!!!!!! What a waste! Pick up some real clubs poser!!!!

It´s a funny game, but I hate the hype about it. If you concern that it is so much easier. Anyway let´s play the real one with the G-string

LOL at the guitar hero for mac:D

That is a good analogy!

Thanks.

Its a very overlooked analogy in my opinion.

For some reason it seems a good sized chunk of guitar players think that the guitar hero gamers are under the impression that they are gaining real guitar skills.

I have yet to meet any that think that. Its a game. They know its a game. Let them have their fun.

And as games go, you could waste your time on a lot worse.

agreed, it's better to play guitar hero than WOW xD

Well, you can't say something is good because you find something even worse. People don't read anymore, not the classics, do stuff like this instead. It just is real bad. Just because we have more advanced technology today does not make your average person more intelligent than decades past, all statistics and evidence demonstrate it has been the opposite.

And physically also. I know for adults to stay in shape takes efforts, but look at kids today. I live on a college campus and have seen the weight gains over the years as they arrive. Years ago about half the young ladies were knock outs on campus. Now all you think is "why would anyone with a belly like that want to show it off". I think the average kid at 18 weighs 20-25 lbs more than years ago, and it is the same in Europe. Not active, not socializing, playing sports with people. I also think more of them end up lacking social skills, very introverted, afraid of anything outside their little closed social group. Because rather than getting out and socializing, which involves active things, they sit in front of terminals and video games instead.

Here is something, a very old video from 1972. This was Slade, the original GLAM band, very first one. After the first minute they start showing the audience. Look how thin the ladies are, nearly all of them. Now on campus, maybe 1 in 10 is like that. Why is this a good thing, being inactive, a couch potato, rather than an active person, who maybe reads good books instead?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLsw668PVyY

Are you asking me?

I don't think it is a good thing.

Balance in everything is good. Is this like the World of Warcraft assumptions? Anyone who plays Guitar Hero HAS TO PLAY 80 hours a week? Says who?

Enjoying a video game does not a couch potato make.





I'm not sure how you read. But in my experience, reading is one of the LEAST active thing man has yet to come up with. Turn the page, move your eyes back and forth, repeat. Thats not going to lead to a smokin' body.

I have no problem with Guitar Hero, I have it myself and it is a great party game. And it for sure introduces kids to some bands/artists that they would have never heard about I guess, it just doesn't have to do anything with really playing guitar in my opinion. It is a nice game, nothing more, nothing less.

On the subject of GH, I've got to share these with you:

Finally a music simulation game that even I might be able to play:


And a great advert for playing the real thing:

I can understand why some say that Guitar Hero is not like playing real guitar at all... well, simply because it's just a game where you hit some buttons when they show up on the screen

But in some ways I actually do think that it's a lot like real guitar (especially when playing at expert level). You really have to "get in the groove", and I believe that helps you understand rhythms. And you'll also learn better synchronicity between the left and right hand. These "skills" can easily be converted to real guitar playing, in my opinion. Of course you can learn these things with a real guitar as well, but I don't think this game is so bad after all...

Just my 2 cents

I once tried Guitar Hero and found it rather boring. For me it was just pushing buttons and had nothing to do with music.
I was only paying intention to the screen and not the music, actually I didn't see to much relation with pushing the buttons and the music.
Obviously the point of Guitar Hero is to get in the Groove like, M.Lavendell said, but it didn't work for me.
Maybe it would have worked if I hadn't played real guitar. I can not see any downsides of the games either. For me it's just a game and music stays music.

It isn't a good thing, but it feels really good to do nothing and be an inactive couch potato

Unless you are reading a book.

Then somehow you are not a couch potato...

I'm still working on that one. I havent figured it out yet either.

And I'm pretty sure that playing thru even the most easiest of guitar hero songs on EASY burns a helluva lot more calories than reading.

Well, and I am pretty sure that reading books has much more benefits than playing guitar hero(expacailly for kids)

This I agree with but there's no harm in doing both

Seems to me it makes kids develop an interest for guitar, and if not great guitar music at least, I don't think it is a bad thing, I played it, it was fun, but I am not really good at it, it is just a game that is all.

Of course there is nothing wrong with playing games, but keep in mind there are plenty of games which are far more challenging(and benefical) then GH, like chess.
For me GH is just a game(did anyone see the South Park episode of GH? )

I don't think anyone would dispute the potential there.

Depending on the book.

Looked at the books for your adults lately?

The original statement regarding books was: don't be a video game couch potato, read books instead.

Which,and I don't think I'm alone here, could be one of the silliest statements I have ever read.

I think it boils down to the definition of a "couch potato"
In reference to one being physically inactive, sitting reading a book isn't a physically strenuous activity but stereotypically a couch potato refers to laziness, in all aspects, so images of one often involve a slob of some sort watching rubbish on TV.
Reading a good book atleast requires some brain activity and use of the imagination but in terms of getting that toned slender look and healthy pumping heart - reading about a healthy lifestyle does not make you healthy

Coach potato has mental and physical aspects, they go hand and hand. Don't separate the mental and physical aspects.

A book was written awhile back, and although now dated (it centered on the TV rather than all the stuff that has been added now to keep the public entertained), but the premise still applies. You can read reviews on Amazon to get the premise. But I think the picture is worth a thousand words. Rather than just a TV, stick video games and internet crap there also. I have none of it, killed my TV 4 years ago. I strongly feel that the more exposure you have to the modern media entertainment culture that we live in, the less you are for it.

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Here is an interesting site, volunteers do the readings. You are what you put into your mind. And it will show in your music. When I see a guy play, I know all about him, I know about all the teachers, not having met one, just by how they play. You expose your intellect when you play. I believe that every person who wants to really be an accomplished musician, should also be very literate, have read the classics. You don't have time for video games. Albert Einstein was an accomplished violinist b.t.w., took it everywhere with him.

He said once "keep things as simple as possible, but no simpler". I apply that to my music.

http://librivox.org/

I hate this statement.

What makes a classic?



My point remains. Reading doesn't remove someone from the couch potato sedentary status. Sit around and push buttons, turn pages, whatever.... A couch potato is a couch potato is a couch potato.

Spending all your free time reading is worse for you than mmorpgs. At least there you have social contact.

Am I knocking reading?

No. Not at all.

I just laugh at people who think its the be all end all answer. You know how much CRAP there is in printed form?

Lots.... But people dont get all uptight about it since there arent pictures. Kids are reading books that should be rated R and they are 14. But since its READING dumbass parents think its all just fine.....

Just cuz its printed doens't make it noble.

What Mr. Siepen said.

Reading is worse for you than mmorpgs? How you come up with that? Social contact?? You pretend to be someone you're not and interact with other people pretending.

I am a reader, I read a couple of books every week, I have done so my entire life. I tried to come up with an explanation on how much more information about the world you get from books that was not the actual intent of the book but it just comes with it but I can't explain what I mean

I am also a gamer. I played Q1 online the same month it was released. I have won the European championship in Quake3 4-man team (in a quite small mod but still) and finished second the year after. It is social but to say I "know" anyone in the game is just not true. I do have one friend from Quake3 after playing 4 years of active Quake. Had I spent that time with real people in a real sport I would have made more friends that that in 4 years I am sure

I am also a MMORPG player. I started in -96 with meridian59, the first "3d" graphic MMORPG. I played EQ from beta3 until release of WoW which I played until we finished BWL back when that was the endgame (2 years or so ago?). I had one year absence from MMORPG's when my first son was born in these 11 years. I have no "friends" left from MMORPG's, once you finished playing they go away, I kept in contact with a few but we have no other similar interests.

What I am trying to say is that from Reading I have a value left. I have learned a lot and since I am a "skilled reader" or whatever you call it I can also learn new things faster and easier. From gaming I have no value left. I have one person I talk to on MSN a lot and the only thing I learned from it is to play that specific game.

There is ofcourse for some people that have problems socializing with people in RL good value in mmorpgs but to say that it is better than reading, I just can't agree.

About guitar hero.. GOOD of course. It is a game that makes you listen to nice music. Listen, not play. If you like it, play it...

EDIT:
There is a value in MMORPG's that I forgot to mention! It's FUN! It's very much fun or I wouldn't have played it for 10-11 years. What I meant is that there is no value left after you stopped playing

Ok kids, let's not fight.

I like GH just for simple reason it's slowly killing off Rap music. Most high school kids now listen to real music, when I graduated it was all about 50 Cent, and Jay-Z. Now THAT stuff is complete crap.

I don't know if it really helps as a guitar player, but I got a lot of business from that game for sure!
Probably 50 per cent of my students started because of the game...