I watched my son perform in a “Battle Of The Bands” last night at a local high school. There were many bands getting to perform 2 or 3 songs each. But after the curtains closed in between acts (to fill the time while a new band was setting up), the show included “Rock Band” competitions! This was the STUPIDEST thing I’ve seen in a while.
The audience and the “performers” acted like complete overzealous douchebags… as if they actually played real instruments. I couldn’t believe it. Is this what our culture has regressed to? A huge ego over FAKING it? But as is the case today, people want to feel like big shots without actually putting in the effort to accomplish a real skill. My son is an accomplished bass player and he thought the whole thing was ridiculous.
And before any of you start bashing me because YOU play that stupid game, think of it this way: Imagine attending an Oly lifting event… and in between lifters there’s a small dude lifting fake hollow weights while his friends cheer like lunatics. Or better yet, imagine if at the Mr Olympia show, between competitors’ posing routines, some non-bodybuilder comes out to pose wearing fake inflatable muscles and acts like the biggest mofo in the show. Pathetic!
Rock band is pretty fun, but a competition at a battle of the bands does seem stupid. As a musician, the one thing that bugs me about the game (mostly on the guitar parts) is that the target notes are not always in perfect sync with the musical part.
When it comes to guitar hero studs, if you can play ‘Through the Fire and the Flames’ on expert, you might as well have actually learned to play the guitar.
When it comes to guitar hero studs, if you can play ‘Through the Fire and the Flames’ on expert, you might as well have actually learned to play the guitar.[/quote]
FTL, and yep. it’s fun. But it gets boring after like 20 minutes. And why not learn an actual skill.
But it is an actual skill…I mean, they could be like…professional gamers or something, making thousands in a tournament in…Korea! Who’s laughing then?!
Why wouldn’t you just play the real thing? Unless the game comes with free beer and strippers, I’m fairly certain playing the actual thing is a lot more fun.
[quote]ericbyrnesjr wrote:
CappedAndPlanIt wrote:
Rock band costs about 150 or so. A real guitar or real drum kit would cost a lot more.
As a social thing, its much easier to say “Hey come play this game” than “Hey lets start from zero and learn instruments and start a band!”
Anyway, considering that most people who play anything aren’t going to get to the “beer and strippers”, whats the difference?
this is true, but kinda misses the point IMO.
rock band is a video game.
forming a band is a huge deal and takes tons of practice, especially if you are just learning how to play an instrument.
huge difference.[/quote]
Whats the point of doing either? To have fun and do something you enjoy.
So as to the question of why someone would play rock band and not learn a real instrument, just look at your post: Learning an instrument takes tons of practice, its a “huge deal” to start a band, etc, etc. Someone who is just starting out with Rockband can just join in and play on easy even if everyone else is skilled. Think that could happen with a band?
Rock band is basically sitting around with friends listening to music and playing a game.
[quote]CappedAndPlanIt wrote:
ericbyrnesjr wrote:
CappedAndPlanIt wrote:
Rock band costs about 150 or so. A real guitar or real drum kit would cost a lot more.
As a social thing, its much easier to say “Hey come play this game” than “Hey lets start from zero and learn instruments and start a band!”
Anyway, considering that most people who play anything aren’t going to get to the “beer and strippers”, whats the difference?
this is true, but kinda misses the point IMO.
rock band is a video game.
forming a band is a huge deal and takes tons of practice, especially if you are just learning how to play an instrument.
huge difference.
Whats the point of doing either? To have fun and do something you enjoy.
So as to the question of why someone would play rock band and not learn a real instrument, just look at your post: Learning an instrument takes tons of practice, its a “huge deal” to start a band, etc, etc. Someone who is just starting out with Rockband can just join in and play on easy even if everyone else is skilled. Think that could happen with a band?
Rock band is basically sitting around with friends listening to music and playing a game. [/quote]
[quote]rrjc5488 wrote:
Guitar hero is way better, and its the original.[/quote]
Agreed 100 percent. I am not challenged as much with Rock Band as I am with Guitar Hero. Plus I am selfish and like to feel like I am getting all the attention, even when I play a video game.
