Guitar Hero and the Real Thing

[blacksinow]

So, how many of you think that playing guitar hero is as authentic as possible to playing a real guitar?

[ccgr]

I think a game like Rocksmith is better

[blacksinow]

There was a nother authentic rhythm game, but rocksmith has been known to teach people how to PLAY the guitar. That is something that guitar hero will never have.

[ArchAngel]

Yeah, that's definitely cool about Rocksmith, but I heard there's a lag in play which has stopped me from getting the bass version.

I guess I'll just have to actually play the bass instead.

[blacksinow]

There's another game out that isn't rocksmith, but I forget what it is.

[Oblivions_Key]

They are not really similar. Guitar Hero is considerably dumbed down and simplified compared to actual electric or acoustic guitar.
For instance, whenever I played there was only 5 buttons, ill call them notes for simplicities sake.
On my longest scale electric guitar there are 124 notes, not counting harmonics or open strings.
So considering that you have to combine them to make chords etc as well as play individual notes I would say they are really not very similar.
My source is I've been playing guitar for over 4 years now

[blacksinow]

Me and dad always consider it a joke that people would consider them to be similar.

[ArchAngel]

It is; I don't know anybody who thinks they would be anywhere near comparable.

This might because I promptly un-know them as soon as I find out.

[blacksinow]

A friend of mine actually wondered if they were comparable in the slightest. My dad plays guitar as well, his favorite motto "If it ain't mahogony, it ain't got a body." and to this day he still hasn't forgotten that, but neither have I.

[Lennythecomputer]

you know its easier to learn a song on a real guiter then the same song on the hardest difficulty of guitar hero

[TripExistence]

you know its easier to learn a song on a real guiter then the same song on the hardest difficulty of guitar hero

Debatable and highly subjective statement. IIRC, with Guitar Hero, you're worried about pressing six buttons (the five colors and the picking action), through which your one and only job is to match up the "notes" in rhythm on your TV screen. As previously mentioned, there are more than a hundred different notes that obviously, GH doesn't even come close to matching. But it hasn't been mentioned the importance of technique: Pressing a string of button combos may very well be difficult, but playing a sequence of notes, IMO requires a little bit more finesse; there's a lot more variability to be working with.

Then again, I've always been terrible at Guitar Hero, so I'm not really sure what I know.

[Chozon1]

you know its easier to learn a song on a real guiter then the same song on the hardest difficulty of guitar hero

Debatable and highly subjective statement. IIRC, with Guitar Hero, you're worried about pressing six buttons (the five colors and the picking action), through which your one and only job is to match up the "notes" in rhythm on your TV screen. As previously mentioned, there are more than a hundred different notes that obviously, GH doesn't even come close to matching. But it hasn't been mentioned the importance of technique: Pressing a string of button combos may very well be difficult, but playing a sequence of notes, IMO requires a little bit more finesse; there's a lot more variability to be working with.

Then again, I've always been terrible at Guitar Hero, so I'm not really sure what I know.

Really depends on your definition of "learning a song".

For example, I learned Sweet Home Alabama in a day, and could play it fluidly in two. Impressive until I reveal that I "learned" the chord version, which is what...C D G over and over again? That doesn't count.

I'ma agree with you; even on a chorded version of a song, it's harder to learn on a real instrument than GH. Not to mention is hard to injure yourself with a plastic GH guitar, whereas rubbing your fingers over metal strings can have nasty side effects.

At the same time, I never saw the point of "learning" a GH song, since I've never been able to find the buttons on my guitar. Even the electric one.

What get's me is when people start claiming that Rock Band is somehow more realistic than GH. There was a huge debate over it back when they were super popular.

[blacksinow]

If it were easier to learn how to play a complicated song on a real guitar then it is on guitar hero, then anyone could do it. There are too many factors to take into account, such as being musically talented to know that you are using the right notes. On guitar hero, all you have to do is press the right buttons at the right time.

[Esssence]

I'm very curious to see this guitar hero simulation, but if you push buttons versus actually playing, then I'm not sure you would be able to compare unless you actually play guitar in real life, which I do.

I have been playing for years, and write my own music. You can learn to play simple chords in an afternoon and it's fairly easy.

To play well, takes a couple of years at least. Learning to strum and play contemporary music is very difficult. Just a few thoughts.

There is so much involved in technique, rhythm, and just being able to hold the strings down properly so as to avoid twanging.. The physics of guitar playing takes a lot of time.. and compared to pushing a button..well there's really no comparison. It's technique that takes longest and makes the difference between an inexperienced guitarist and real musician.

If you play steel string acoustic, which I do, you also have to develop callouses. I had my fingers on ice packs for a week after switching from classical nylon to steel. Ouch!

So to me, it would be easiest to play a computerized simulation. Off to check out guitar hero!

[ScotchRobbins]

Been playing guitar since I was six years old. It feels natural and melodic. Can't play Guitar Hero to save my life.