Virtual musicianship doesn’t work for me. I mean, if you’re gonna spend the time to learn how to play a game controller shaped like a guitar, why not spend the time with an ACTUAL guitar? Don’t get me wrong. I love multiplayer goodness like any other true gamer. Guitar Hero and Rock Band have their place in hierarchy of engaging, close quarters community play. I’m not addressing the hours of fun to be had playing with or against fellow gamers. I’m just talking about the hours themselves; hours of button mashing trying to get better at the game. There has got to be a way to incorporate actual instrument instruction into this concept – we’re too close to lose this opportunity!
Enter ‘Guitar Rising’ by GameTank, Inc.. Finally, a game company has secretly infiltrated my brain to develop something that works as a rhythm based game AND a learning source. I’ve been thinking about this since before Guitar Hero first came out and I am quite psyched that someone has been able to forge a product like this. It seems to have the same sort of fret ‘note roll’ viewpoint. This is a big deal.
As a seasoned and fairly hardcore gamer as well as a seasoned and fairly hardcore musician, this obviously appeals to both my sense of competition and my sense of performance. On the gaming side, I’ve spent countless of hours (not to mention dollars on the software and hardware) perfecting platform jumping sequences, sniper shot accuracy, rapping with Parappa, slicing through demon hordes – all exciting, immersive and engaging. Heart rate increase, adrenaline, frustration, brain on hyper drive, twitch motor skills – it’s all there. Gaming is exciting and that’s why I love it.
On the musical side, I’ve spent countless hours/months/years learning instruments, techniques and technology, trudging trough book upon book of notation and instruction. For the most part, it’s quite dull. The exciting part of music creation comes when you perfect some sequence of muscle memory or your technique becomes as fluid as the material requires of you. And don’t even get me started about playing live – that is one of the most exhilarating feelings possible in this life, IMO. The learning part though is a lot of hard work and repetition with minor but crucial rewards along the way.
At the end of the day, you are closer to actual greatness; closer to becoming the next Lenny Kravitz instead of Lenny Couldabeen. A real talent and skill set that could translate to a real career, impress a prospective soul mate (won’t get too many real dates saying you’re a Guitar Hero with a fake guitar) and actually be a more productive person in general.
To most peeps under the age of 20 though, there’s just not enough blowing sh## up. ‘C’mon – I have to read books to learn how to play an instrument? WTF?!’
Initially, there probably still won’t be enough blowing sh## up for some, and copious amounts of interactive visual ‘eye-candy’ should definitely be on the agenda for modules or add-ons in the near future. That being said, ‘Guitar Rising’ is finally the piece that bridges the 2 together – the adrenaline incentive of gaming and actual, usable, marketable skills. Although there are also connections between gaming and the medical fields, as well as other simulation training systems, this is one of the first links from gaming to an ‘attainable’ career-path that I can think of. This is just the beginning, and this specific product has yet to be released, but it paves the way for that kick ass future where we game to live. I’m SO on board!
To quote Mr. Kravitz (one of my true guitar heroes) “Are you gonna go my way?”
