Learn real guitar on power gig?

If I got power gig rise of the six string would that let me learn how to play real guitar? Would I need a amp or can you hear the guitar through the tv?

Its gonna be cool if I learned how to play real guitar. All them people who learned the old fasioned way might be mad. Saying stuff like "If your going to learn to play guitar then get a ******* real guitar!"

Ive been waiting on something like this to learn to play real guitar.

It's not hard to play real guitar, so just pick up a real guitar.KHAndAnime

I would just wait until Rock Band 3. It's going to be way better than Power Gig. And you can play along with real guitar, drums, or keyboards.

It comes down to this - you can spend a decent chunk of money on overpriced and very low quality guitars that are compatible with the game - or you can buy a decent guitar and learn at your own pace. I couldn't really imagine anything any more worthless than what these games are proposing. The way the games will be teaching you how to play is no different than if you downloaded tabs online. The only difference is that in the game - it will be a lot harder and you'll be stuck with a crap guitar.KHAndAnime

[QUOTE="KHAndAnime"]It comes down to this - you can spend a decent chunk of money on overpriced and very low quality guitars that are compatible with the game - or you can buy a decent guitar and learn at your own pace. I couldn't really imagine anything any more worthless than what these games are proposing. The way the games will be teaching you how to play is no different than if you downloaded tabs online. The only difference is that in the game - it will be a lot harder and you'll be stuck with a crap guitar.slipknot0129

[QUOTE="slipknot0129"]

[QUOTE="KHAndAnime"]It comes down to this - you can spend a decent chunk of money on overpriced and very low quality guitars that are compatible with the game - or you can buy a decent guitar and learn at your own pace. I couldn't really imagine anything any more worthless than what these games are proposing. The way the games will be teaching you how to play is no different than if you downloaded tabs online. The only difference is that in the game - it will be a lot harder and you'll be stuck with a crap guitar.KHAndAnime

[QUOTE="KHAndAnime"][QUOTE="slipknot0129"]But its only a game so as long as the guitar works,thats all that matters. I could have fun and learn at the same time. Or buy just a guitar then fail without having fun.

slipknot0129

its possible, but those Guitar replicas are 2/3 the size of a regular Guitar. i have been a musician for 20 yearshttp://dreadpirate.dmusic.com/and i could consider those controllers a handicap due to their size... when set next to a full scale guitar they still IMO look little. this game might help get your feet in the door of guitar but you would better be suited by getting a regular scale guitar if you decided to take it steps further.

[QUOTE="slipknot0129"]

[QUOTE="KHAndAnime"] Why does it being a game make it more fun? You can make it a game with tabs as well. It's a lot more fun learning to play songs you like as opposed to songs that the game chooses. Just because it''s a game doesn't mean it won't be more work.KHAndAnime

It will effect your enjoyment of playing guitar. A lot of people will start off on a bad guitar and give up because it's too difficult and it doesn't sound good. Hell, it even happened to me. Playing a decent guitar will make you want to play more. Playing a bad guitar will make you want to play less. Hell, it shouldn't even take you a videogame to convince you to play guitar. If you want to play guitar, literally, you should actually play guitar. KHAndAnime

Are you stuck with the guitar they provide? KHAndAnime

[QUOTE="KHAndAnime"]It will effect your enjoyment of playing guitar. A lot of people will start off on a bad guitar and give up because it's too difficult and it doesn't sound good. Hell, it even happened to me. Playing a decent guitar will make you want to play more. Playing a bad guitar will make you want to play less. Hell, it shouldn't even take you a videogame to convince you to play guitar. If you want to play guitar, literally, you should actually play guitar. slipknot0129

Are these games even recommended for beginners? As far as I've seen, neither of them claim to teach you how to play guitar.

The interface for Rock Band 3's Pro Guitar looks light years better than Power Gig, so if you're going to get one of the two, wait for Rock Band IMO.

If you're really interested in learning the guitar though, I would just get a real guitar now, and get Rock Band 3 when it's released. That way, you've built up some calluses and improved your finger strength/coordination.

[QUOTE="slipknot0129"]

[QUOTE="KHAndAnime"]It will effect your enjoyment of playing guitar. A lot of people will start off on a bad guitar and give up because it's too difficult and it doesn't sound good. Hell, it even happened to me. Playing a decent guitar will make you want to play more. Playing a bad guitar will make you want to play less. Hell, it shouldn't even take you a videogame to convince you to play guitar. If you want to play guitar, literally, you should actually play guitar. KHAndAnime

Are these games even recommended for beginners? As far as I've seen, neither of them claim to teach you how to play guitar.

Rock Band 3 is claiming to be able to teach you real guitar, read the previews. I've been playing guitar for about 15 years now, and I can honestly say that I will enjoy playing guitar through Rock Band 3 more than playing on my own while sitting there looking at tabs or sheet music. So just because you don't think it could be fun, doesn't mean other people won't. I highly recommend this for anyone wanting to learn basics of guitar playing. Sure it may not teach you proper posture or advanced techniques, i.e. pinch harmonics, but at least it'll get more people interested in wanting to learn, or provide an enjoyable alternative to practicing the real guitar for people who already play.

[QUOTE="KHAndAnime"]

[QUOTE="slipknot0129"]Well if I learned how to play on the power gig guitar or rock band 3 guitarthen I would buy a better guitar. At least I can have fun then if I do good at it then I could buy a better guitar.

ANGERMAX

Are these games even recommended for beginners? As far as I've seen, neither of them claim to teach you how to play guitar.

Rock Band 3 is claiming to be able to teach you real guitar, read the previews. I've been playing guitar for about 15 years now, and I can honestly say that I will enjoy playing guitar through Rock Band 3 more than playing on my own while sitting there looking at tabs or sheet music. So just because you don't think it could be fun, doesn't mean other people won't. I highly recommend this for anyone wanting to learn basics of guitar playing. Sure it may not teach you proper posture or advanced techniques, i.e. pinch harmonics, but at least it'll get more people interested in wanting to learn, or provide an enjoyable alternative to practicing the real guitar for people who already play.

:lol:

I'm saying that these inclusions are better for people who have already played guitar. You have. I don't think I'd have more fun, but I'd definitely like to try it as well.

So think back to when you first started guitar. How long did it take you to learn how to properly play a song in its entirety? If you said it took you less than a few weeks, I'd call you a liar (unless it's a really easy song). You think beginners will have fun struggling for weeks before they can play a whole song?

The inclusion of the feature doesn't make sense - other than to simply make more money. They're trying to sell you a product. Of course they'll tell you it's a good way to learn guitar. They're trying to make money. If they actually believed that Rock Band 3 could teach people guitar, they would try to sell it as software, and not as hardware. As in they would sell plugins that let you use guitars you already own, instead of having to buy theirs.

And the heck would recommend something they haven't even tried yet?

Anyways - if you have a lot of money to burn, and you don't have any motivation to learn guitar on your own (despite it being one of the easiest instruments you can learn), then yes - you should buy Rock Band 3, its poor guitar, and then buy a real guitar.

If you want to make the smart decision - you should buy a real guitar, and possibly buy a few lessons to get you started.

It'll probably be just as hard as trying to learn on your own using tabs and online tutorials. The only way to learn quickly and efficiently is to take lessons. Anyone is going to struggle when they first start out. The fact that you can now learn while playing a great game should make that struggle a bit easier.

It's definitely not going to be for everyone, and I'm sure there'll be people who'll get frustrated and hate it, but those who are committed and put some effort into it will definitely get some enjoyment and education out of this.

It'll probably be just as hard as trying to learn on your own using tabs and online tutorials. The only way to learn quickly and efficiently is to take lessons. Anyone is going to struggle when they first start out. The fact that you can now learn while playing a great game should make that struggle a bit easier.

It's definitely not going to be for everyone, and I'm sure there'll be people who'll get frustrated and hate it, but those who are committed and put some effort into it will definitely get some enjoyment and education out of this.

ANGERMAX

It's not hard trying to learn using tabs or online tutorials. It's easy. If you want to learn guitar, and you can't learn the basics on your own, you're too lazy and you'll probably never learn how to play it. Don't buy some cheap 3/4 scale bad sounding guitar and hope that a game is the only way you can learn. It's just a bad idea altogether.

Download guitar pro, download a tab of a song you like, and buy a guitar. Start the song and try to play along. It'll seem hard, but virtually it's the exact same thing as what the game is doing for you - and you don't have to waste your time on songs you don't want to learn with a bad guitar.

[QUOTE="ANGERMAX"]

It'll probably be just as hard as trying to learn on your own using tabs and online tutorials. The only way to learn quickly and efficiently is to take lessons. Anyone is going to struggle when they first start out. The fact that you can now learn while playing a great game should make that struggle a bit easier.

It's definitely not going to be for everyone, and I'm sure there'll be people who'll get frustrated and hate it, but those who are committed and put some effort into it will definitely get some enjoyment and education out of this.

KHAndAnime

It's not hard trying to learn using tabs or online tutorials. It's easy. If you want to learn guitar, and you can't learn the basics on your own, you're too lazy and you'll probably never learn how to play it. Don't buy some cheap 3/4 scale bad sounding guitar and hope that a game is the only way you can learn. It's just a bad idea altogether.

Download guitar pro, download a tab of a song you like, and buy a guitar. Start the song and try to play along. It'll seem hard, but virtually it's the exact same thing as what the game is doing for you - and you don't have to waste your time on songs you don't want to learn with a bad guitar.

Looks like a full scale Fender Strat to me:

http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/16/rock-band-3-squier-stratocaster-plays-both-real-and-virtual-guit/

Sure, Strats are fairly cheap guitars, but they definitely aren't terrible.

Strats are cheap, but good. Squiers are dirt cheap, and rather poor. And has the Squier even been priced yet? If that cheesy little Mad Catz guitar is $150, the Rock Band 3 Squier will probably be $200+, not including the game itself. You can get a respectable MiM Fender Strat for the price that you'll end up paying for this cheese.

What advantages does it being a game give you anyways? With the guitar controller, you can play all these songs as you sight-read them for the first time. That's why it's fun. When you're playing with a real guitar, you'll sit in practice mode for each song for an hour at least. In the end, it'll be no different from learning it the real way.

Strats are cheap, but good. Squiers are dirt cheap, and rather poor. And has the Squier even been priced yet? If that cheesy little Mad Catz guitar is $150, the Rock Band 3 Squier will probably be $200+, not including the game itself. You can get a respectable MiM Fender Strat for the price that you'll end up paying for this cheese.

What advantages does it being a game give you anyways? With the guitar controller, you can play all these songs as you sight-read them for the first time. That's why it's fun. When you're playing with a real guitar, you'll sit in practice mode for each song for an hour at least. In the end, it'll be no different from learning it the real way.

KHAndAnime

[QUOTE="KHAndAnime"]

[QUOTE="ANGERMAX"]

It'll probably be just as hard as trying to learn on your own using tabs and online tutorials. The only way to learn quickly and efficiently is to take lessons. Anyone is going to struggle when they first start out. The fact that you can now learn while playing a great game should make that struggle a bit easier.

It's definitely not going to be for everyone, and I'm sure there'll be people who'll get frustrated and hate it, but those who are committed and put some effort into it will definitely get some enjoyment and education out of this.

ANGERMAX

It's not hard trying to learn using tabs or online tutorials. It's easy. If you want to learn guitar, and you can't learn the basics on your own, you're too lazy and you'll probably never learn how to play it. Don't buy some cheap 3/4 scale bad sounding guitar and hope that a game is the only way you can learn. It's just a bad idea altogether.

Download guitar pro, download a tab of a song you like, and buy a guitar. Start the song and try to play along. It'll seem hard, but virtually it's the exact same thing as what the game is doing for you - and you don't have to waste your time on songs you don't want to learn with a bad guitar.

Looks like a full scale Fender Strat to me:

http://www.engadget.com/2010/06/16/rock-band-3-squier-stratocaster-plays-both-real-and-virtual-guit/

Sure, Strats are fairly cheap guitars, but they definitely aren't terrible.

I'll share what I posted concerning learning the guitar on these games.

As a guitar player myself, I am very excited about this. Not only does it look like a lot of fun, but I see this as a chance to actually improve my playing; particularly my playing of songs which is something I lack greatly because I prefer to practice fundamentals and play my own music. On the subject of others, I haven't decided. EA has caught a lot of flak over the years for not introducing a real guitar into the game. There are two conclusions I have come to. A lot of these Rock Band players want to make the move from the controller to the real guitar with expectations of being able to play it after mastering the controller. This is just not the case.

The guitar is a fairly difficult instrument to play and is simply, absolutely nothing like the controller. However, this isn't to say that everyone won't be playing it(discluding musicians). My other conclusion is that if the interface for this thing is good enough, I think that we could possibly be seeing more aspiring musicians. We could see more people attempting to take that next step with the real guitar; the same step that you take when you grow that extra finger and begin playing with the orange button; albiet a much larger step. All things considered, the ladder seems most feasible IMO. I think that most will hold that guitar and give it a week or two or three before going back to the controller, just like most people do.

I think that there are a lot of missing variables in my assumptions, but I suppose we'll just have to wait and see. I for one am excited to bring the real guitar to all those cocky expert players.

LikeHaterade

I'd pay 200 bucks for the guitar by itself, and I'd only use it for the game. The purpose of playing the game is the goal of achieving the best possible score, earning achievements, and playing with other friends who may not be interested in learning a real instrument. In addition to learning all these great songs, it'll also be an excellent party game, that's for sure.

I don't want to sound mean or anything but how could you possibly know what's best if you can't actually play? I mean if you don't listen to guys that have been playing for 10-15 years!!...

You're saying "this might have this" or "maybe this is better" when you really have no idea of what you're talking about. I mean, did you want real opinions or did you just want people to agree with you? There is a difference.

It sounds to me like you're just afraid to mess up. Well whether you get this game or not you WILL mess up. You're not going to be a professional in 5 minutes. It will take some time, lots of messing up and practice but in the end it will pay off when you can play all the songs you want. Right now though you seem afraid to fail and that will keep you from learning and having fun regardless of what you choose to do.

I think you're just better off getting the game. That way if you don't want to play guitar you'll at least have a video game out the deal and you can take it back if you really don't like it. Still, you really can't be afraid to mess up because that's going to happen no matter what you do.

I'd pay 200 bucks for the guitar by itself, and I'd only use it for the game. The purpose of playing the game is the goal of achieving the best possible score, earning achievements, and playing with other friends who may not be interested in learning a real instrument. In addition to learning all these great songs, it'll also be an excellent party game, that's for sure.

ANGERMAX

Well said. Many are looking as this as a means to learning the instrument. I personally don't think that strictly learning songs is the best way to learning an instrument. It's as you said, it's still a game. It's just taken up to the next, and final step. I believe that many will get this in hopes of learning the guitar as quickly as they did the controller, but it's just not that simple.

[QUOTE="ANGERMAX"]

I'd pay 200 bucks for the guitar by itself, and I'd only use it for the game. The purpose of playing the game is the goal of achieving the best possible score, earning achievements, and playing with other friends who may not be interested in learning a real instrument. In addition to learning all these great songs, it'll also be an excellent party game, that's for sure.

LikeHaterade

Well said. Many are looking as this as a means to learning the instrument. I personally don't think that strictly learning songs is the best way to learning an instrument. It's as you said, it's still a game. It's just taken up to the next, and final step. I believe that many will get this in hopes of learning the guitar as quickly as they did the controller, but it's just not that simple.

I agree that strictly learning songs is far from the best way of learning an instrument. But what really blows my mind is that the OP doesn't find playing the guitar fun - but he thinks that it's going to automatically be fun if he's looking at a screen and using it as a peripheral. It's truly odd and makes me question if he even wants to actually learn how to play guitar. Playing guitar is fun. If you can't have fun playing guitar by itself...why the hell do you want to learn guitar? What also really irks me is that people find it much different than playing it off Guitar Pro tabs. When in reality, the only difference is that the game has a scoreboard.KHAndAnime

Guitar Pro is fun, but it is a different experience. In Rock Band, you have to beat the previous song to advance, and if you do bad, you will fail the song. In Guitar Pro, it's easy to just give up if something is too hard. It's the urge to complete and master the game at progressively harder difficulties that will motivate people to practice, practice, practice.

And I agree that many, many people will be disappointed when they aren't shredding solos in a matter of weeks. People just have to realize that playing any musical instrument takes time, dedication, and practice. And if you go into the game with the right mindset, it'll be an excellent learning tool.

TC: I say if you're serious about learning the guitar (or any instrument for that matter), go ahead and make the investment. If anything, you'll gain a new respect for people who have dedicated a good portion of their lives learning how to play these instruments well.

On that video its says anyone at any level can have fun on it. They have easy then all the way to expert. I think I will enjoy racking up the highest points I can at whatever level I can play in while playing and getting better on a real guitar. Mainly want it for the fun it can provide.

-Buy a decent guitar from Jackson (Highly recommended,) Ibanez, DBZ/Dean, ect. Don't go bottom of the barrel cheap and don't get one with a tremolo. You'll thank me later. I started out on an Epiphone SG, don't remember the exact model just that it was cherry red and cost 400 bucks. It was a piece of crap later after I went back to it since I got a new guitar. eBay/craigslist is a great way to find used, cheap guitars that are good. I got my Jackson DK2 for only 200 bucks off ebay, it just needed a little set-up (Which I still need to take to a professional to do since it has a fair amount of string buzz. I've just been winging it and figuring it out myself.) Yet it trounces over that SG in every damn way possible. I have no need for a better guitar until the future when I got enough cash saved up for a premium Jackson USA made guitar.

-Buy a cheap Line 6 amp if you don't want to fiddle around with all the knobs and such. You just want to be able to switch from metal to clean sounds fast without hassle. Line 6 is a decent starter amp or a Roland Cube.

-Buy Guitar Pro 5 (Think its GP 6 now.) And for added fun buy the Real Sound Effects (RSE) packs too cause MIDI sounds like crap compared to RSE.

-Go to ultimate-guitar.com and look up Joe Satriani guitar pro tabs (Just so it whips your ass into reality on how hard it can be, or how simple if can be. It did for me.) Focus on getting the main parts of songs down, then try to get solos down later.

-Just play the damn song. It's not all musical notation and all that (Even though it does have it on there.) The damn tabs are numbers and what fret to press on what string. Watch youtube videos of covers or just look for lessons on youtube if you're having trouble with them.

Since this just sounds like something you're only gonna do in your spare time/self enjoyment and not for public/private shows...basically just something to do in your free time, this will work. If you have absolutely no interest of joining a band or any kind of public show/ect, then just using tabs and self teaching yourself is perfectly fine. This is what I'm doing, cause this is just something I do in my spare time when I'm bored. I didn't want to get a teacher for a recreational activity.

The hardest part about learning to play a guitar? PRACTICE. Nothing, absolutely nothing, will help you play better (unless you have one F@$#ed up guitar,) than hours of practice. I'm not saying you need to spend 10+ hours a day practicing, but you can't just pick up a guitar and expect to play Cemetary Gates with only 8 odd hours of practice. Practice is the one thing you will not escape from while learning to play any instrument. It can be tough and confusing, or simple fun and easy.

Playing and practicing on a real guitar, without the help of a video game, is really rewarding. It destroys the whole guitar hero/rock band, and any other "music" game in terms of enjoyability and fun. You don't need the aid of a damn game to learn to play. Depending on the game just hampers your ability and doesn't really do much. You're still just pressing the bright pretty colors.

-Buy a decent guitar from Jackson (Highly recommended,) Ibanez, DBZ/Dean, ect. Don't go bottom of the barrel cheap and don't get one with a tremolo. You'll thank me later. I started out on an Epiphone SG, don't remember the exact model just that it was cherry red and cost 400 bucks. It was a piece of crap later after I went back to it since I got a new guitar. eBay/craigslist is a great way to find used, cheap guitars that are good. I got my Jackson DK2 for only 200 bucks off ebay, it just needed a little set-up (Which I still need to take to a professional to do since it has a fair amount of string buzz. I've just been winging it and figuring it out myself.) Yet it trounces over that SG in every damn way possible. I have no need for a better guitar until the future when I got enough cash saved up for a premium Jackson USA made guitar.

-Buy a cheap Line 6 amp if you don't want to fiddle around with all the knobs and such. You just want to be able to switch from metal to clean sounds fast without hassle. Line 6 is a decent starter amp or a Roland Cube.

-Buy Guitar Pro 5 (Think its GP 6 now.) And for added fun buy the Real Sound Effects (RSE) packs too cause MIDI sounds like crap compared to RSE.

-Go to ultimate-guitar.com and look up Joe Satriani guitar pro tabs (Just so it whips your ass into reality on how hard it can be, or how simple if can be. It did for me.) Focus on getting the main parts of songs down, then try to get solos down later.

-Just play the damn song. It's not all musical notation and all that (Even though it does have it on there.) The damn tabs are numbers and what fret to press on what string. Watch youtube videos of covers or just look for lessons on youtube if you're having trouble with them.

Since this just sounds like something you're only gonna do in your spare time/self enjoyment and not for public/private shows...basically just something to do in your free time, this will work. If you have absolutely no interest of joining a band or any kind of public show/ect, then just using tabs and self teaching yourself is perfectly fine. This is what I'm doing, cause this is just something I do in my spare time when I'm bored. I didn't want to get a teacher for a recreational activity.

The hardest part about learning to play a guitar? PRACTICE. Nothing, absolutely nothing, will help you play better (unless you have one F@$#ed up guitar,) than hours of practice. I'm not saying you need to spend 10+ hours a day practicing, but you can't just pick up a guitar and expect to play Cemetary Gates with only 8 odd hours of practice. Practice is the one thing you will not escape from while learning to play any instrument. It can be tough and confusing, or simple fun and easy.

Playing and practicing on a real guitar, without the help of a video game, is really rewarding. It destroys the whole guitar hero/rock band, and any other "music" game in terms of enjoyability and fun. You don't need the aid of a damn game to learn to play. Depending on the game just hampers your ability and doesn't really do much. You're still just pressing the bright pretty colors.

ChubbyGuy40

Atleast with rock band 3 I can find friends on xbox live with simular skill as me and compare how we progress and help each other. Play against people of my skill. Im sure theres gonna be people of my skill to play against.

Theres probably a detailed tutorial on each song on how to do the things you need to do. I would work on the easy ones at first.

I was gonna buy halo reach and a few other games but instead im gonna buy rock band 3 with the real guitar controller.

Besides their coming out with necks that you can replace on areal guitar so you can play rock band 3 I think.

[QUOTE="ChubbyGuy40"]

-Buy a decent guitar from Jackson (Highly recommended,) Ibanez, DBZ/Dean, ect. Don't go bottom of the barrel cheap and don't get one with a tremolo. You'll thank me later. I started out on an Epiphone SG, don't remember the exact model just that it was cherry red and cost 400 bucks. It was a piece of crap later after I went back to it since I got a new guitar. eBay/craigslist is a great way to find used, cheap guitars that are good. I got my Jackson DK2 for only 200 bucks off ebay, it just needed a little set-up (Which I still need to take to a professional to do since it has a fair amount of string buzz. I've just been winging it and figuring it out myself.) Yet it trounces over that SG in every damn way possible. I have no need for a better guitar until the future when I got enough cash saved up for a premium Jackson USA made guitar.

-Buy a cheap Line 6 amp if you don't want to fiddle around with all the knobs and such. You just want to be able to switch from metal to clean sounds fast without hassle. Line 6 is a decent starter amp or a Roland Cube.

-Buy Guitar Pro 5 (Think its GP 6 now.) And for added fun buy the Real Sound Effects (RSE) packs too cause MIDI sounds like crap compared to RSE.

-Go to ultimate-guitar.com and look up Joe Satriani guitar pro tabs (Just so it whips your ass into reality on how hard it can be, or how simple if can be. It did for me.) Focus on getting the main parts of songs down, then try to get solos down later.

-Just play the damn song. It's not all musical notation and all that (Even though it does have it on there.) The damn tabs are numbers and what fret to press on what string. Watch youtube videos of covers or just look for lessons on youtube if you're having trouble with them.

Since this just sounds like something you're only gonna do in your spare time/self enjoyment and not for public/private shows...basically just something to do in your free time, this will work. If you have absolutely no interest of joining a band or any kind of public show/ect, then just using tabs and self teaching yourself is perfectly fine. This is what I'm doing, cause this is just something I do in my spare time when I'm bored. I didn't want to get a teacher for a recreational activity.

The hardest part about learning to play a guitar? PRACTICE. Nothing, absolutely nothing, will help you play better (unless you have one F@$#ed up guitar,) than hours of practice. I'm not saying you need to spend 10+ hours a day practicing, but you can't just pick up a guitar and expect to play Cemetary Gates with only 8 odd hours of practice. Practice is the one thing you will not escape from while learning to play any instrument. It can be tough and confusing, or simple fun and easy.

Playing and practicing on a real guitar, without the help of a video game, is really rewarding. It destroys the whole guitar hero/rock band, and any other "music" game in terms of enjoyability and fun. You don't need the aid of a damn game to learn to play. Depending on the game just hampers your ability and doesn't really do much. You're still just pressing the bright pretty colors.

slipknot0129

I don't see how not being able to beat any of the game's songs for weeks will be rewarding.

[QUOTE="slipknot0129"]

[QUOTE="ChubbyGuy40"]

-Buy a decent guitar from Jackson (Highly recommended,) Ibanez, DBZ/Dean, ect. Don't go bottom of the barrel cheap and don't get one with a tremolo. You'll thank me later. I started out on an Epiphone SG, don't remember the exact model just that it was cherry red and cost 400 bucks. It was a piece of crap later after I went back to it since I got a new guitar. eBay/craigslist is a great way to find used, cheap guitars that are good. I got my Jackson DK2 for only 200 bucks off ebay, it just needed a little set-up (Which I still need to take to a professional to do since it has a fair amount of string buzz. I've just been winging it and figuring it out myself.) Yet it trounces over that SG in every damn way possible. I have no need for a better guitar until the future when I got enough cash saved up for a premium Jackson USA made guitar.

-Buy a cheap Line 6 amp if you don't want to fiddle around with all the knobs and such. You just want to be able to switch from metal to clean sounds fast without hassle. Line 6 is a decent starter amp or a Roland Cube.

-Buy Guitar Pro 5 (Think its GP 6 now.) And for added fun buy the Real Sound Effects (RSE) packs too cause MIDI sounds like crap compared to RSE.

-Go to ultimate-guitar.com and look up Joe Satriani guitar pro tabs (Just so it whips your ass into reality on how hard it can be, or how simple if can be. It did for me.) Focus on getting the main parts of songs down, then try to get solos down later.

-Just play the damn song. It's not all musical notation and all that (Even though it does have it on there.) The damn tabs are numbers and what fret to press on what string. Watch youtube videos of covers or just look for lessons on youtube if you're having trouble with them.

Since this just sounds like something you're only gonna do in your spare time/self enjoyment and not for public/private shows...basically just something to do in your free time, this will work. If you have absolutely no interest of joining a band or any kind of public show/ect, then just using tabs and self teaching yourself is perfectly fine. This is what I'm doing, cause this is just something I do in my spare time when I'm bored. I didn't want to get a teacher for a recreational activity.

The hardest part about learning to play a guitar? PRACTICE. Nothing, absolutely nothing, will help you play better (unless you have one F@$#ed up guitar,) than hours of practice. I'm not saying you need to spend 10+ hours a day practicing, but you can't just pick up a guitar and expect to play Cemetary Gates with only 8 odd hours of practice. Practice is the one thing you will not escape from while learning to play any instrument. It can be tough and confusing, or simple fun and easy.

Playing and practicing on a real guitar, without the help of a video game, is really rewarding. It destroys the whole guitar hero/rock band, and any other "music" game in terms of enjoyability and fun. You don't need the aid of a damn game to learn to play. Depending on the game just hampers your ability and doesn't really do much. You're still just pressing the bright pretty colors.

KHAndAnime

I don't see how not being able to beat any of the game's songs for weeks will be rewarding.

You hear the crowd going crazy for you during the song.

slipknot0129

:lol:

It shouldn't take too long to see a difference in play on Easy Mode though. :P

Exactly what I'm talking about Chubbyguy. These new generations of kids are scaring me with their mentalities. KHAndAnime

Which is exactly what your parents, and your parent's parents (so on and so forth) were saying about the generations following them :lol:

Chubby has it down, absolutely. Buy a decent guitar with a reasonablly low action and a small amp. Find some tabs (or Guitar Pro 6).

There are thousands of quick, "how to start playing guitar" videos on youtube. Some of them are quite good. I'm also a big fan of the about.com guitar lessons.

Learn 6th string and 5th string power chords. Learn the names of the notes on the 5th and 6th strings. Play along with all your favorite hits. :)

Myself, I'd recommend starting off with something good but simple ... "The Breeders" come to mind.

These games could if done properly make learning songs more fun for beginners and advanced players depending on how realistic the guitars are. Even with the best tabbing programs such as guitarpro the instruments and voice do not sound real. If you could learn the song with "moving tabs" showing notes and rhythm and have the accompanying instruments and voice sound real it could be a big improvement over playing along with current tab programs.

It's a neat idea, but there are people out there who are just incapable of so much as holding a guitar correctly.

These games could if done properly make learning songs more fun for beginners and advanced players depending on how realistic the guitars are. Even with the best tabbing programs such as guitarpro the instruments and voice do not sound real. If you could learn the song with "moving tabs" showing notes and rhythm and have the accompanying instruments and voice sound real it could be a big improvement over playing along with current tab programs.

coopteamplayer

[QUOTE="coopteamplayer"]

These games could if done properly make learning songs more fun for beginners and advanced players depending on how realistic the guitars are. Even with the best tabbing programs such as guitarpro the instruments and voice do not sound real. If you could learn the song with "moving tabs" showing notes and rhythm and have the accompanying instruments and voice sound real it could be a big improvement over playing along with current tab programs.

KHAndAnime

Uh, the real songs have the guitar in them already. With this you could mute the guitar and you could fill in. Not saying a real quitar isn't better just saying there is potential here to take learning songs with tabs to another level.

[QUOTE="KHAndAnime"][QUOTE="coopteamplayer"]

These games could if done properly make learning songs more fun for beginners and advanced players depending on how realistic the guitars are. Even with the best tabbing programs such as guitarpro the instruments and voice do not sound real. If you could learn the song with "moving tabs" showing notes and rhythm and have the accompanying instruments and voice sound real it could be a big improvement over playing along with current tab programs.

coopteamplayer

Uh, the real songs have the guitar in them already. With this you could mute the guitar and you could fill in. Not saying a real quitar isn't better just saying there is potential here to take learning songs with tabs to another level.

Why does it matter that the real songs have the guitar in them already? And did you know you can download thousands songs with the guitar track specifically removed? Pure lazyness.

And by the way, Power Gig doesn't teach anything above power chords - so you can scratch that game off the list already.