Some of you know I write a music industry blog on Chron.com - http://blogs.chron.com/brokenrecord - and I'm working on a story about Guitar Hero and Rock Band for Monday after reading how Aerosmith is finding a new audience through the video games (as if they need a "new" audience). What I'm wondering is if you and/or your kids have discovered music as the result of the game and if you and/or your kids have actually considered or taken up a real instrument (guitar, drums, bass, etc) after playing the game. I'd appreciate any comments you have. If you feel like going on the "record" so to speak, email me at jbalke@tworoadsmedia.com with your comments and your name. Thanks!
After playing guitar hero and rock band, I can say that I am now seriously considering purchasing a real guitar.
There hasn't been a game that has inspired me to take up an instrument, but there has been a ton of music I like and listen to today because I first heard it in a game. Probably because I never listen to the radio (don't have the patience to listen to lots of crap to get to a few good songs). Burnout Paradise is a good current example.
i don't know about you guys, but i'm inspired to go out and shoot people, and then stomp on turtles. i suck at drums.
I am not considering a guitar purchase because I stink at the game, but my kids have discovered some of the songs. It isn't unusual to hear my 3 year old run around the house singing "My Name is Jonas" ( he even named his new gerbil Jonas) and my 7 year old singing the wrong lyrics to Slow Ride (but isn't that the fun of music). They both also like "Welcome to the Jungle". My older son is anticipating me getting Rock Band because he loves to drum (he got a small set for Christmas). My nine-year-old nephew also has GH2 and he is pretty good at it. He got a real guitar for Christmas, and will probably start lessons soon.
<object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/_IofAtnzCcQ&rel=1"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/_IofAtnzCcQ&rel=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object> Remember this game?
I am unsure if it is because of the game or his affinity for music but My son like Guitar Hero and has requested a Guitar and an Amp He is 9 . . will be 10 in March. I know my self. . . if did not like Journey until the Journey video game [was similar to Tron but with Journey Music] Rocket River
A friend of mine in Austin has Guitar Hero. Over New Years my wife and I and a friend and his two kids stayed over to celebrate the new year. Guitar Here was a big hit and now my friends 6 year old son constantly sings "Slow Ride da DOW dow dow Take It Easy da DOW dow dow...." Does that count?
I get the feeling the Houston Press blog is going to make a smarmy comment on your blog since they did a cover story on both games a couple of weeks back.
Carrie Brownstein (Sleater-Kinney's ex-guitarist) wrote an article of her experience playing Rock Band and how it compares to playing in a real band. (not really directly related to your objective but thought it was a nice piece anyways) http://www.slate.com/id/2177432/
I totally want to get a drum set after playing Rock Band for a few weeks. I've always been interested in it, but playing a couple songs on the expert difficulty level has given me the false sense that I may actually be able to do it.
We had a party to celebrate my son getting his Eagle Scout, so the party was a mixture of teenage boys and adults. A couple of hours in we let the kids break out Rock Band, the adults were all fascinated and ended up taking turns and having a great time. Both my boys play guitar already, but the games have increased their interest. I find them playing the songs from the games on their guitars.
I already play real drums, and I didn't take up new music because of rock band, or guitar hero, but... I played several songs on guitar hero that I had heard and never liked before. It isn't so much that I like the songs now, but I appreciate and respect the music a lot more than I did before. As someone who plays in a couple different bands, I thought I listened to individual guitar parts in songs before, but obviously I wasn't REALLY listening. There are certain metal songs that have crazy rhythms and syncopations in their guitar parts that I appreciate now, that I never did before. I appreciate not only that someone plays that, but somebody created that. It has increased my appreciation for musicianship in songs that I don't even particularly like. And now I listen differently to music, even music I don't really like.
My Wife, son, and I all love the game. The boy is always singing School's Out in the shower and Rock and Roll All Night. He seems to be musically inclined anyway, so we will be starting him on guitar/piano lessons soon. Having always been a horn player, I have always wanted to take up the bass guitar.
Mario Paint made me want to compose music and swat flies. I don't know why, but I would spend hours looking for sheet music to put into Mario Paint's beat. <object width="425" height="355"><p...t" width="425" height="355"></embed></object>
Ms. Jackson (Outkast) <object width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/PqV2-18zXLY&rel=1"></param><param name="wmode" value="transparent"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/PqV2-18zXLY&rel=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="355"></embed></object>
My son has definitely grown more interested in music since playing these games. He asked for a Black Sabbath CD, which I was more than happy to provide...but then he also asked for a The Killers CD, which I very much less than happy to provide. I've played several instruments in my past, but none of them regularly anymore. None of those included the drums, though, and I am seriously considering trying the drums out after playing the drum campaign on Rock Band.
