Out of curiousity...

[Maruso]

I have encountered many a gamer of music games such as Guitar Hero and Rockband. I play guitar, saving for a strat as we speak, and have a question.

Do you think some people would be better off buying a real guitar rather then spend the money they do on Guitar Hero considering you can get a decent set-up for the same price, or shall I be doomed to be nagged by snobbish players that feel their gaming skill compares to my real life experience?

I discussed this with a few laid back employees at GameStop and they thing Guitar Hero and Rockband are great games when you have friends over...and have been drinking excessively. I have played both games, find them an interesting way to kill time, but ultimatley wouldn't sell my half-stack for a super special edition of either of those games. I am not really sure what my question is, I suppose I'm just curious as to what kind of response I am to recieve.

[EvilAerosolCan]

One or the other? I'd say go with the real thing. It's much more satisfying to learn how play a song on a real guitar.

[QforQ]

I think both activities are a lot of fun and I encourage people on both sides of the fence (People that have played Music Games and people that have performed/played music) to give either a try.

I've been in bands before..most of my teenage years were spent in bands as the bassist/singer/song writer. It was freakin' fantastic and I really miss the feeling that you get when you're playing a song that you love or you're jamming with your friends. At a certain point when you're playing you feel one with the music/other people that you're playing with...it's just awesome.

And I really miss that now.

So since I'm not in a band these days one of the closest things to it is playing some Rock Band with friends. Though you're not actually playing music it simulates it pretty nicely and if you're with the right people it can be tons of fun.

I've read some "Holier than thou" type posts lately on various blogs from people that think Guitar Hero/Rock Band is a joke...that people should be playing real music and not simulating it. I think you should just try to have fun..not everyone can afford the setup needed to have a full band and play an instrument and some people just don't have the talent. Do whatever you want, it doesn't matter what others say about it.

I encourage people to take up playing real instruments, though, especially if you enjoy playing one in Rock Band. Lessons are relatively cheap and practicing on your own with various books or along with your favorite songs can turn you in to a pretty good musician. Many of the greatest musicians today/the past all started out just playing to their favorite records

/end ramble

[ReiKoko]

i tried guitar for 8 weeks when i was around 12/13 in school, as part of the mandatory 'taster lessons' and hated it xD but now, i love guitar hero. i'm only mediocre at best at it (play on hard), but even if i were the best guitar hero player in the world, i doubt i'd be able to play a real guitar. i scoff at people who think they're real guitar gods just cos they beat a game, and i also scoff at those who think that people who play guitar hero/rock band are just geeks/no lifers.

as the above poster said, there are those who are gifted with music, and those who aren't. and it doesn't even matter if you can play a real guitar, you can still play a music game for fun and vice versa. both can be just as fun.

now, i can play the keyboard, and if there were ever a keyboard hero (ha not holding my breath xD), i'd snap it up in a heartbeat. after all, it's all just fun and games :3

[Mumbo]

Originally Posted by Maruso

Do you think some people would be better off buying a real guitar rather then spend the money they do on Guitar Hero considering you can get a decent set-up for the same price...

Is this part true? I didn't think you could get a decent set-up for a real guitar for $80 or less.

[EvilAerosolCan]

No, a decent setup will still cost a couple hundred dollars. I'm sure you could buy a guitar and amp from Walmart for about that much, but I wouldn't call it decent.

[QforQ]

If you bought a guitar and amp for that much it won't be worth it. Decent starter packages are probably going to be about 200$ and you'll outgrow that within a year I imagine.

[Maruso]

I was referring to how much some people I know have spent on getting both and all editions of Guitar hero and Rockband. I apologize for not being clear. What I dislike the most about certain faux-guitar players is their association with thinking guitar hero versions of songs are the real versions and scoffing any sort of corrects. I am surrounded by people of this nature.

[tekhedd]

Originally Posted by Maruso

Do you think some people would be better off buying a real guitar rather then spend the money they do on Guitar Hero considering you can get a decent set-up for the same price, or shall I be doomed to be nagged by snobbish players that feel their gaming skill compares to my real life experience?

There are two questions here!

1) Some people would be much better off buying a cheap acoustic guitar and taking some lessons to build technique, then getting an electric. Playing music, even badly, is the most fun you can have outside of sex. (And speaking of which: groupies.)

1a) However, most people would be better off buying Guitar Hero, because they have no dedication or desire to accomplish anything beyond playing the same tired songs they've been hearing for years. Should have called the game "Cover Band" because, in the game, you never create anything original or attempt to accomplish anything beyond copying somebody else's creation note for note.

2) Yes, you are doomed. People believe what they want to believe, and they want to believe that the hundreds of hours they've spent mastering the skill of twitching a paddle as commanded by the computer is comparable in some way to hours of practice and the ability to read music, hear harmonies, and count.

On the other hand, my guitar player likes the game. So what do I know?

[danbarney]

I think people are better off actually learning to play a real instrument than play a game.

Although saying this, I'm too lazy to learn and just stick to Guitar Hero and Rock Band. =P