It is currently Tue Mar 17, 2020 2:08 am

All times are UTC - 7 hours



Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 27 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2  Next
Go to page 1, 2  Next
Author Message
Post subject: Guitar Hero as an actual learning tool?
Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2008 8:07 am
Offline
Aspiring Musician
Aspiring Musician
User avatar

Joined: Wed Mar 26, 2008 10:22 am
Posts: 354
Location: Clearwater, FL
I know there are a lot of people out there that are probably ready to jump all over me just for the title of this post... but hear me out.

The other day, I printed out the guitar tab for "Slow Ride" by Foghat, turned on my son's guitar hero game... put it on practice mode for "Slow Ride"... and then played my REAL guitar in time with the music from the game. You can turn the speed way down until you get comfortable with the song, and speed it up as you get better.

So maybe "Hero" isn't a total Zero when it comes to really learning to play.

Anyone else try this?

_________________
Well, yes, I am a pirate
A few hundred years too late
The cannons don't thunder
There's nothing to plunder
I'm an under 40 victim of fate
Arriving too late...
Arriving too late...


Top
Profile
Fender Play Winter Sale 2020
Post subject:
Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2008 8:17 am
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Wed May 07, 2008 9:58 pm
Posts: 1348
Location: Motor City
Image


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2008 8:20 am
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Tue Jul 17, 2007 6:11 pm
Posts: 2621
Location: Sunny So Cal
Nope, that was a valiant effort at justifying Guitar Hero and I give you full credit and all respect for it. But I must still totally reject the theory that "dance dance revolution" for the fingers has relevance.

Now let me tell ya, watching a bunch of drunk yahoos play Rockband on a bigscreen TV is HILARITY defined! (a buddy of mine has the full Rockband setup) It's still crap but it's very funny crap. Not one of the guys playing the game was a musician but man they were "living the dream". Much posing, and head banging, and jumping, and falling over, and not anywhere near on beat and oh Lord the guy who wanted to be the vocalist . . . . . .

I Wish I'd gotten it on video. Definate You Tube status. Maybe next weekend :D

_________________
"Life is like eating jalapenos. What you do today may burn your arse tomorrow"
Image


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2008 8:46 am
Offline
Aspiring Musician
Aspiring Musician
User avatar

Joined: Wed Mar 26, 2008 10:22 am
Posts: 354
Location: Clearwater, FL
mthorn00 wrote:
Nope, that was a valiant effort at justifying Guitar Hero and I give you full credit and all respect for it. But I must still totally reject the theory that "dance dance revolution" for the fingers has relevance.


I'm not trying to convince anyone to go out and buy Guitar Hero to become a better player... far from it. The only great thing that came from me buying it is that opened my son's ears to a wider range of music, and it got him to start playing the real thing.

I just thought I'd share a way that I found to use it for something more than a dust collecter. I haven't yet purchased one of those CD trainers, and I found that this allowed me to slow down and play backing tracks for practicing.

_________________
Well, yes, I am a pirate
A few hundred years too late
The cannons don't thunder
There's nothing to plunder
I'm an under 40 victim of fate
Arriving too late...
Arriving too late...


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2008 9:01 am
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Wed May 07, 2008 9:58 pm
Posts: 1348
Location: Motor City
It is, what it is - a video game to fake playing a guitar, or a band.

I've been to parties where someone will have that and expect me to play it. I just loathe even touching the thing myself. Let me listen to that song and I'll play it for real. Let's make THAT a game - who can play it the closest after one listen.

I know it's hugely popular, and everyone loves it (non guitar players), and that's fine. But to me, for me to "play" that, is just the stupidest feeling in the world. Sorry, just my opinion...


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2008 9:06 am
Offline
Aspiring Musician
Aspiring Musician
User avatar

Joined: Wed Mar 26, 2008 10:22 am
Posts: 354
Location: Clearwater, FL
Maybe I wasn't clear before... I'm not saying to use the game controller. That won't teach you anything. Just get the backing tracks playing on the game, and play along with your REAL guitar.

_________________
Well, yes, I am a pirate
A few hundred years too late
The cannons don't thunder
There's nothing to plunder
I'm an under 40 victim of fate
Arriving too late...
Arriving too late...


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2008 9:10 am
Offline
Aspiring Musician
Aspiring Musician

Joined: Sun Apr 06, 2008 8:55 am
Posts: 404
That's a great application for it. There are other tools available too that likewise help. Tascam makes some that are called "guitar trainers", that allow you to slow down the music so you can play along. Boss makes the BR Micro recorder that has the same functionality built into it as a feature. I have the Boss and I use that feature all the time.


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2008 9:56 am
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Fri Nov 02, 2007 10:46 am
Posts: 2369
Location: Bergen,Norway
Ziggy that is a great way of learning i use it a lot myself but i dont have Guitar Hero so don't do it that way, what i do is that i use a program called Audacity (wich is free) where you can import Mp3 files (and other music files) and slow them down without changing the pitch!
Then i gradually speed it up as i get more comfortable and can play it in full speed!!

Audacity can be downloaded here: http://audacity.sourceforge.net/

_________________
It's a mix between Jazz and Funk, it's called "Junk"

Image


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2008 10:00 am
Offline
Roadie
Roadie
User avatar

Joined: Tue Jul 17, 2007 4:59 pm
Posts: 207
Location: Bowling Green, KY
My 11-year old plays it, and is also taking guitar lessons (you can't teach a family member anything on your own).

The value of Guitar Hero is the exposure to some really great classic rock. There are songs that he would never have listened to if I suggested them. In Rock Band or Guitar Hero, they are part of the game.


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2008 10:06 am
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Wed May 07, 2008 9:58 pm
Posts: 1348
Location: Motor City
bluestube wrote:
... what i do is that i use a program called Audacity (wich is free) where you can import Mp3 files (and other music files) and slow them down without changing the pitch!
Then i gradually speed it up as i get more comfortable and can play it in full speed!!

Audacity can be downloaded here: http://audacity.sourceforge.net/


Audacity is a great little program. For this application, and for basic edits to sound bites, quickies, etc. it's great for freeware.


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2008 10:10 am
Offline
Aspiring Musician
Aspiring Musician
User avatar

Joined: Sun Apr 13, 2008 4:05 pm
Posts: 324
Location: I won't know until I get there.
RudyH wrote:
That's a great application for it. There are other tools available too that likewise help. Tascam makes some that are called "guitar trainers", that allow you to slow down the music so you can play along. Boss makes the BR Micro recorder that has the same functionality built into it as a feature. I have the Boss and I use that feature all the time.


But I can see what Zig is saying; if you already have Guitar Hero sitting around the house, you don't necessarily have to go out and spend money of the type of gear you mention. Like you said, Rudy, it's a great suggestion for a toy that many people look down their noses at.

_________________
The movement you need is on your shoulders.

2006 Fender Strat HSS MIM
2006 Yamaha RGX A2
2006 Epiphone Les Paul Custom
2008 Epiphone John Lennon EJ-160E AE
1980 Vantage 600VS
1991 Fender M-80 Chorus
DigiTech GNX3000

http://www.jimmyrhythm.com


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2008 3:18 pm
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Sun Jun 24, 2007 8:08 pm
Posts: 2472
Location: Virginia
No comment, other than I feel statments like this:
Imageare becoming a reality...

_________________
RAMA LAMA FA FA FA


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2008 3:24 pm
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Mon Jul 16, 2007 3:47 pm
Posts: 4294
Location: Somewhere near Seattle
I get what your saying. Sure, any tool that allows you to slow down a song while keeping pitch can be handy in learning

_________________
"is that a real poncho...i mean
Is that a mexican poncho
Or is that a sears poncho?
Hmmm...no foolin ...." FZ


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2008 9:31 pm
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Wed Feb 20, 2008 2:37 pm
Posts: 1811
Location: San Francisco Bay Area
I don't see myself buying guitar hero any time soon.

_________________
"I won't be wronged, I won't be insulted, I won't be laid a hand on. I don't do these things to other people, and I require the same from them."-John Wayne


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Wed Oct 08, 2008 7:21 am
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Sun Sep 16, 2007 7:32 pm
Posts: 1384
Location: uɐʇsıʞɔnuɐɔ 'puɐlʇɐlɟ
We have it. As a party game it's fine sometimes funny and it keeps visiting kids occupied in the basement!
Can't see anything useful from it for real music.

I had initially thought it might work to try to strengthen my pinky.
But find a GripMaster works much better and is go anywhere portable.

_________________
Keep on Truckin, Going full speed ahead down the highway to hades.


Top
Profile
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 27 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2  Next
Go to page 1, 2  Next

All times are UTC - 7 hours

Fender Play Winter Sale 2020

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Google [Bot] and 2 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

Search for:
Jump to: