Music artist who criticise Rock Band and other music games of distracting kids from playing real instruments are taking "a narrow perspective of things", says Harmonix's John Drake.
"I think they're missing the point. I think that they don't understand why it's a phenomenon," Drake told CVG. "From my perspective, anything that gets kids interested in music and gets kids playing music in their house that isn't an MP3 they stole off the internet, is a good thing.
"Anything that's making money for music and making music relevant to kids again is a good thing. I think they think that we prefer people playing plastic guitars over real guitars, and that couldn't be farther from the truth," added Drake.
We would love nothing more than for every kid that buys Beatles: Rock Band in September to immediately ask for a real guitar for Christmas because they're inspired."
its true, after my fling with guitar hero 3 i decided that id try my hand at the real thing and promtly borrowed a guitar from a friend. being a 32 year old male who has played computer games most of his life, i thought my fingers would be like lighting up and down the strings and that within weeks i would be a rock god myself and would eventually be placed in guitar hero 8 or something. it lasted about 4 days and i realised it wasnt to be. some are born for greatness and others are born to strum coloured bits of plastic to other peoples greatness. im am the latter but im sure many kids will be inspired to pick up an axe and set the world ablaze. lets hope so any way if only to get more rock in the charts.
I registered just so I could post on this story. I think Kimil's attitude perfectly sums up what most people expect from playing guitar. Please don't think I'm having a go at you or anything, it just takes years of hard work and dedication to get to a decent standard and to give up after four days because it's "not meant to be" is a poor attitude to have. It's taken me seven years to get to the point where I'm playing gigs locally. I was terrible for ages but I stuck at it, played through the pain and I am so glad I did because for me playing on a stage to an audience is just the best feeling ever. I spend most of my life stacking shelves in a corner shop for £6 an hour but when I'm on stage I come alive. Please don't think I'm singing you out for criticism, you were simply the first person to post the point of view that reflects a lot of people who play Guitar Hero/Rock Band. I'm speaking to everyone who play these games but won't touch a real guitar, not just you. People call them "music" games but it's just pressing the right buttons at the right time. In music there are no "right" buttons, sure there are keys and if you want what you're playing to fit with someone else you'll need to stick to them to a certain extent but there is still so much freedom to express yourself not only with the notes you play but the manner in which you play them. Anyone who thinks they're playing music when they're playing these games is deluding themselves, they are simply playing a game to the music. Sorry for the rant but if people love music, and I mean truly love music, then they should play a real instrument and not a fake one.
Interesting first post, and I understand what you are saying and fair play to you.
However, I think what the creator of the game is saying though that many wouldn’t even think about playing an instrument, but having played the game it might inspire some to take up the real thing and not that they will be become expert overnight having played the game, or not that it’s a first step or anything.
All in all, the game is an extension of playing air guitar with a Tennis racket, not a classical guitarist in the making. Its more for want to be
Id love the Idea of being able to play an instrument, but I know I don’t have the time or patience for that matter.
I still wonder how well Beatles games will do though. Yes they are classic and loved by most, but I still question whether people would want to play a game purely linked to their songs.
I've been playing the guitar since I was 7, i'm 18 now.
I just recently got world tour which was my first GH game. I can easily understand why many musicians believe that its just pressing buttons but i believe it helps people who are not musically talented learn beats and rhythms. Therefore picking up a real guitar. I see no negatives with GH and Rock Band games (except that there too expensive and there's a new one every 3 months)
However, I think what the creator of the game is saying though that many wouldn’t even think about playing an instrument, but having played the game it might inspire some to take up the real thing and not that they will be become expert overnight having played the game, or not that it’s a first step or anything.
All in all, the game is an extension of playing air guitar with a Tennis racket, not a classical guitarist in the making.
Exactly, So many people have the wrong opinion of these games. I'm pretty handy at the games but I'm not stupid enough to think I would be able to play Deep Purple or AC/DC songs on a real guitar after just a few weeks practice. All I know is that I have become far more tempted to pick up a real guitar since I started playing these games.
I hate it when the "music police" come out and start slagging off these games. "learn a real instrument" is the usual cry. It's just a bloody game. I like playing 1vs100 on live but i'm never going to go on the TV show.
I'm 35, and there's nothing i like more than having my mates round and going through rock band, posing, making horn signs with our hands and more importantly, having a laugh. Do we ever think we are playing instruments? Not in the slightest.
Does a small kid think he's playing the actual music? No...but he's having a blast and he may be tempted to learn an instrument for real.
And why not call them "music" games. You're corresponding to the music that's playing by pressing the keys on time. Take the music away and you're playing Simon.
I think people should stop being all "NME", looking down at people that enjoy a game, s******ing at the little guitars and getting some holier than thou attitude about the fact it's not a "real" instrument!
It's a game. It's a fantasy. It's escapism. You'll be getting all this crap when DJ hero comes out. "fner....why don't you buy some decks and actually mix some records yourself?!
Because i'm afraid i may end up being a pompous sod such as yourself, that's why!
It's funny....you never get members of the community going on about Time Crisis and saying "well....i don't get it. If you want to blow the heads off people just go and get a real gun!"
It's an interface. Plastic guitar, gun or skateboard....it's something that's used to connect the player to a game.
How many Kids below the age of 30 will want Beatles Rock band though?
I am. As are a lot of people under 20 on the RB forum who just signed up there to find out more about the game.
I can't wait to next week to play B:RB.
As for the article, games like GH and RB have made me want to learn bass, especially RB for some reason. I know I'm not going to be the worlds greatest bass player, but I have a lot of fun learning some of my favourite songs.
I've enjoyed the GH games, and I'm a guitarist. But when I was playing it I always had that sneaking feeling that I'd be better off going into the other room and plugging my amp in!
I've never judged anyone for doing it. It seems thats some people forget that games can be (and IMO the best games are) about escapism and fun.
it's nice to see everyone agreeing on the internet for once. Couple of years ago i didn't really want to play these games because i didn't see the point but i gave it a chance with GH3 and now i love it, yeah i spent £70 to find out i sucked at the game, my fingers didn't want to work independently but i got addicted, got better, brought rock band and have spent possibly £300 on it downloading songs. There have been a number of bands that i found through rock band that i now like and have brought the albums, so like everyone else that plays these games are helping the music indrustry and funding the bands but more to another point the game can be a part of an amazing social event of drunk people all rockin out and head banging to iron maiden and pretending to be playing a gig if they dont have the time to learn for real, or just don't want to learn for real. we've all done it and it's fun!
maybe if they made their games a bit deeper artists wouldnt complain as much. its tantamount to one of they board games where you mash down the coloured plastic things that pop up with a hammer.
they could do better, but that would alienate what makes these games so profitable - the casual gamer.
dj hero is just even worse. no reason they couldnt have had a true working turntable/platter instead of just pressing the corresponding button.
I am a 40 year old male that loves to play these games with my kids and when company comes over. For the critics who say kids don't play this instead of picking up a real instrument are pretty clueless. My 15 year old daughter became REALLY good at GH and drums and guitar in Rock Band. She eventually grew bored and started begged for guitar lessons. So we went to Guitar Center, got her a relatively inexpensive Yamaha Guitar and she has been taking lessons for 3-4 months. In all honesty, she practices 2-3 hours a day, and loves learning new songs from tabs and chords we can find on the internet.
Also, because of these games, my kids rather listen to rock then this (in my humble opinion) awful music coming out as of recent. Before the games they used to just hear a song, but now they actually like songs because the bass line, drums, or a guitar riff.
Ive been playing geetar for about 26 years, lots of gigs under my belt, and a few classical recitals too. I got guitar hero and enjoyed it as a game. the only downside is I wasnt good enough to keep the tracks going. my real guitar skills didint help me one bit, much to my disapointment. Its a genius game, no doubt about it. but there is no similarities whatsoever with real playing. But perhaps someone could get a taste for trying out a real guitar.
How many Kids below the age of 30 will want Beatles Rock band though?
Not many I wouldnt have thought.
I think you are way off the mark here, The Beatles are just as popular now amongst students as they ever have been.. which is most likely what the game is counting on. One trip to Liverpool and you will see students from all over the world getting in on the Beatles. I don't know anyone who doesn't like The Beatles to some degree in my friendship group, and I'm early twenties.
I don't play much these days but I used to be a very good guitar player, and I love Rock Band.
It's awesome fun playing with family and friends, so what if it's not the real thing? It's just another way to enjoy music. It also help with timing and co-ordination in my view and I think the drums in particular are quite close to the real thing. My son is only 8 and his musical ear has definitely been turned on since playing Rock Band which is a good thing in my view.
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