I’m sitting here watching my wife and her sisters absolutely rock out to the Motley Crue stalwart “Shout at the Devil.” It’s not resonating from the stereo or somebody’s iPod. It’s not inducing any awesome air guitar riffs, or fake mosh pits. No, this is completely derived from Guitar Hero. I don’t know whether to be happy that my wife and in-laws are enjoying such kick ass music, or to be angry that this goofy (yet extremely fun) game is making people think they can play music.
To help explain my quandary, I’ll pose a question. Is this guy, extremely talented, or just a nerdy gamer? As a musician and a purist, I vote for the latter. It must be stated that I am an absolute music snob, so take that as you will.
Back to my quandary… I see so many people, especially college kids, rockin’ out to Shadows Fall, Rage Against the Machine, and (ughh) Kiss. I love hard rock and am enjoying this quasi resurgence. (It would have been nice when I was the dude with the In Flames shirt walking around my college campus). But is this taking away from people ACTUALLY PLAYING music?
When I was a freshman and sophmore in college, I lived on an all-male floor in the dorm. There were a few of us who brought our guitars and would play more than study… a lot more. Within the first few months a number of my floormates were clamoring to be taught, or had procured there own disheveled guitar. By winter you could walk around the halls and hear guitar from all over the place. Most of it sucked, but it was seriously fantastic.
Now? Well, I haven’t lived in a dorm for over 5 years, but from speaking with my wife’s younger sister it seems that Guitar Hero has taken over. It’s ridiculously popular. Are the budding musicians being pushed out by a guitar with five buttons (vs. the traditional six string, 21-24 frets rock machine)? Is this just another piece of an already virtufied world?
Meh, I don’t know. I think I’m going to go get outplayed by my 18 year old sister in law (who’s never touched a real guitar) on Sweet Child O’ Mine (a song I once spent a full two days learning on a REAL guitar).
1 johnny // Dec 23, 2007 at 12:38 PM
i can understand your point.
my hope is that a similar game will come out which utilizes a real guitar…you can see the appeal of playing a game, and many people want to learn to play guitar who aren’t sufficiently motivated to buy one, take lessons, etc. imagine if one could play an extremely fun game and learn to play a real instrument at the same time!
which begs the question - does the ‘rock band’ version correlate to learning actual drum-playing? i haven’t played it so i don’t know.
2 Shaze // Dec 23, 2007 at 01:13 PM
I laughed when I saw South Park take this exact same stance on Guitar Hero a month or two ago.
But as a dedicated musician of 15 years, and as you’ve so brilliantly illustrated using your family. This game is getting people IN to music; hell at the worst they’re finally listening to good talented musicians. AT BEST though, they might learn some rhythm and syncopation, and maybe pick up a REAL instrument.
I’d say all your pride is doing, is making you look conceited. I don’t play music with elitist people who can’t relax and teach now and again; or just have fun playing and making mistakes.
3 AD // Dec 23, 2007 at 01:38 PM
http://xkcd.com/359/
4 Mike W // Dec 23, 2007 at 02:39 PM
Hey Shaze -
Totally agree with your 2nd paragraph (and I didn’t know about the South Park episode… I’ll be looking for that).
I understand now how I may come off conceited but that was absolutely not my point. It was always one of my favorite things to play with people just learning, or to teach them. This was totally based on Guitar Hero and the notion of playing music via video game. If this turns people on to music, then it is truly doing a good thing. (I think that was my first point), but if it’s replacing the urge to try a real instrument, then that’s bad.
5 Mike's 18 year old sister in law // Dec 23, 2007 at 10:43 PM
After playing guitar hero, I actually asked Mike to teach me how to play guitar. I may be in the minority of guitar hero enthusiasts, but it definitely made me more interested in learning how to play the actual instrument.
Oh, and for the record, he did get outplayed in Sweet Child O’ Mine :)
6 Mike's 22 year old sister in law // Dec 23, 2007 at 10:46 PM
I did not get the chance to play sweet child o’ mine against Mike, but, if I had, I guarantee he would have been out played!
7 Andrew // Dec 24, 2007 at 01:31 AM
Ha, mike sucks. Even his sister-in-laws are e-berating him.
I agree, though…this seems to be creating a whole new music-obsession in some people, but could take away from some actual drive to learn the guitar.
To be honest, I’ve been guilty of overly-enjoying Guitar Hero III. I’d never played any GH until we got a big TV and a Wii at my office, but soon after caught myself anticipating little colored discs flying at my face when I heard “Rock You Like a Hurricane” on the radio.
But, the game has also started conversations about getting together with a few other actual musicians in my office for a little garage rock on the weekends…we’ll see if that actually happens or not…
8 OzarkBard // Dec 25, 2007 at 04:36 AM
I view the GH series as yet another example of the downfall of true rock… if the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame can induct Madonna and rap artists, why the heck not GH?!
Every internet post concerning the pro/con GH arguement has the main point that the usual GH player recognizes it’s just a game, and in no form or fashion is fooled into thinking they have genuine musical talent.
However…
For the last 20 years, I’ve been the quiet guy with the guitar in my social circles; feeding off the relative praise and admiration that accompanies countless hours of playing in front of small social groups. But for the past couple of years (and getting more so as time goes on), it seems every-friggin-body I know that has bought that damned game wants me to sit there and watch them finger-slap a few buttons, and then look to me for approval that they “rock”. Now, I’m not outwardly rude to them like I am being here; in fact, I always just smile and nod my head, biting my tongue as true friends do. But with all the arguements online stating that the majority of GH players DO NOT confuse this game with actual playing? BS! I’ve just experienced this situation too many times to believe it a coincidence… or a rarity of odds that the only GH players I know are all in the small confused minority. Everyone likes to have their ego stroked, which was a major reason why I starting playing guitar in the first place. But believing that the majority of GH players are not confusing this game with real musical talent? That dog just won’t hunt…