Same thing for me... I play guitar, recorder and piano and my piano skills went up a notch after playing guitar hero for a while.
And while I agree that it's a lot more satisfying to play a real instrument it's also a lot LOT of work to get to the satisfying part.
And yes, I sugest that most people should invest time in learning a real instrument because it's a lot of help in many areas, not just music, but saying they should do that INSTEAD of playing Guitar Hero or Rock Band is kind of dumb (sorry prince. I love you but because I love you I'll tell you the truth). Rythm games are really very good entertainment and they will definetly help you in gues what? RYTHM, wich is a really important part of music learning. They are, however, too square and you don't learn what a rich medium and the posibilities actual playing offers you, but the're pretty damn entertaining.
do some research and read how Prince actually works. He's not "normal" in any sense of the word but that's what makes him so damn good at what he does. Some of the best artists are borderline insane or just flatout crazy.
Anyways, I'm not surprised that Prince turned down Activision. Rock Band is a much better game anyways...now where is the N.E.W.S. and Sign of the Times DLC for Rock Band?
Regardless of what you think about these games, I would have to say I lose an ounce of respect for musicians who put their stuff in them. I am a music snob, so that has a lot to do with it. But in general, I would think anyone who thinks of their own music as art would not want to showcase their work in this fashion. It's just not classy. Especially for Prince.
@francoamerica: So based on this line of reasoning the artist behind "Soft and Wet", "Head" and "Little Red Corvette" is classier than The Rolling Stones, Skynyrd, and The Beatles?
Spreading to the masses is pretty much, by definition the opposite of classy, isn't it? Classy being the establishment of class.
That's sort of a sarcastic answer. I would be willing to argue why I think these games water down music, but I think that's just my own opinion and it wouldn't fly very far here. Below is a more artist oriented argument.
It's not like signing a video game contract is the make or break point for a band. I would be devastated though if bands like Pink Floyd or Led Zeppelin ever wound up in video games. These two examples, by the way, are way classier than all of your examples. If you look at a band like Pink Floyd, which actually has some message and philosophy they are trying to convey, signing a contract with a video game company really does compromise their image. Prince doesn't exactly fall in this category, but he definitely markets himself as a sex symbol. And I can easily see where he's coming from saying no to this kind of deal. How did you feel seeing Bob Dylan in a Victoria's Secret commercial? That's different context obviously, but there are certainly similarities between the two scenarios.
What I'm really saying is that I have a lot of respect for any artist that considers how their actions reflect their image. Choosing image over money is classy.
@francoamerica: I can see your point, especially with Floyd, those Cadillac commercials kinda soured me on Zeppelin's image more than if some of their songs ended up in a video game.
I guess I look as it from a different perspective, at least for bands included in RB or GH:WT in the way that it's not so much them selling out for money but image and getting their music out to a new audience (not saying that money's not a decider as well).
Hypothetically, if I was in a famous classic rock band and a huge selling series of games called "Rock Band"
or "Guitar Hero: Legends of Rock" came out I'd like to think that my band would fit in that line up or that my fans would want to get a chance to play my music at home.
Now Aerosmith, Metallica and this impending Beatles thing, those are a little different story, and there's some definite cashing in going on there.
@Valnen: True, but when it comes to cashing in, there's a huge difference between a $60 game with 40+ artists on it and a $60 box set of CDs or a game devoted to just one artist, or a $250 set in the case of the Beatles.
Honestly to get away from all this back and forth, I'd love to see how much some of these bands actually get from being in these games. Is it more profitable to be on the disc or to later appear in DLC? Inquiring minds want to know.
(Be forewarned: I'm a musician. A guitarist, even.)
You know, it's possible to want to play a rhythm game without actually desiring to learn how to play an instrument. Yes, playing music is gratifying. Yes, playing something you wrote yourself is infinitely fulfilling. But, for God's sake, lay off already with the "go out and learn how to play the real thing" nonsense. Those who are so inclined, have and will continue to do just that. The act of playing a guitar is not trivialized by the existence of a plastic guitar peripheral.
@Luke Plunkett: Agreed with 100% While I would love more than anything to have some Prince music on GH/RB, I know that its not likely. Am I angry that Prince won't allow it because of his wish to promote the playing of real instruments? No. As someone who doesn't have enough time in the day to learn a real instrument, I like to relax by playing along with some great tunes on the ol' xbox, but I don't ever try to convince myself that I am playing a real instrument.
Prince can say and do what ever he wants, as he IS one of the few real musicians that still makes money today amidst all the crap produced by 38 people, written by 17, and played by people who should have just stayed with Guitar Hero, and not gone in to real music.
@mythus: I´m kinda divided in this issue. I mean, it is the most rewarding thing to play an instrument. But I´ve been playing since 1991. Way before Guitar Hero came out, so I don´t really feel guilty when I play the plastic one hehehehe. But is it as good as playing real guitar? Hell no.
And Prince is really a god of music, he plays more than 27 instruments so he knows what he´s talking about. :D
Go pick up a football and play in the NFL, it's oh so very rewarding. Fly a spaceship around the galaxy, it's so rewarding. Shoot aliens and drive tanks, it's so rewarding.
Or perhaps these are all escape, fantasy, and entertainment.
04/30/09
EVA!!!!
And that's without even talking about his performance of "Gett Off" at the MTV Music Awards all of those years ago...
04/30/09
And while I agree that it's a lot more satisfying to play a real instrument it's also a lot LOT of work to get to the satisfying part.
And yes, I sugest that most people should invest time in learning a real instrument because it's a lot of help in many areas, not just music, but saying they should do that INSTEAD of playing Guitar Hero or Rock Band is kind of dumb (sorry prince. I love you but because I love you I'll tell you the truth). Rythm games are really very good entertainment and they will definetly help you in gues what? RYTHM, wich is a really important part of music learning. They are, however, too square and you don't learn what a rich medium and the posibilities actual playing offers you, but the're pretty damn entertaining.
04/30/09
Anyways, I'm not surprised that Prince turned down Activision. Rock Band is a much better game anyways...now where is the N.E.W.S. and Sign of the Times DLC for Rock Band?
04/30/09
No really, watch An Evening with Kevin Smith and you'll never think of Prince the same way again. Or maybe you will. Who am I to say?
Watch the God damn movie already.
04/30/09
04/30/09
Booo to me.
X.X
04/30/09
I totally understand and respect what he is saying.
And I don't want to get fussy over semantics, but Luke....come on....'perhaps the greatest living American.'
PERHAPS????????
04/30/09
04/30/09
Ok, if you say so...
04/30/09
Spreading to the masses is pretty much, by definition the opposite of classy, isn't it? Classy being the establishment of class.
That's sort of a sarcastic answer. I would be willing to argue why I think these games water down music, but I think that's just my own opinion and it wouldn't fly very far here. Below is a more artist oriented argument.
@liquidnumb:
I do play music.
@Cygnus_Mal:
It's not like signing a video game contract is the make or break point for a band. I would be devastated though if bands like Pink Floyd or Led Zeppelin ever wound up in video games. These two examples, by the way, are way classier than all of your examples. If you look at a band like Pink Floyd, which actually has some message and philosophy they are trying to convey, signing a contract with a video game company really does compromise their image. Prince doesn't exactly fall in this category, but he definitely markets himself as a sex symbol. And I can easily see where he's coming from saying no to this kind of deal. How did you feel seeing Bob Dylan in a Victoria's Secret commercial? That's different context obviously, but there are certainly similarities between the two scenarios.
What I'm really saying is that I have a lot of respect for any artist that considers how their actions reflect their image. Choosing image over money is classy.
04/30/09
I guess I look as it from a different perspective, at least for bands included in RB or GH:WT in the way that it's not so much them selling out for money but image and getting their music out to a new audience (not saying that money's not a decider as well).
Hypothetically, if I was in a famous classic rock band and a huge selling series of games called "Rock Band"
or "Guitar Hero: Legends of Rock" came out I'd like to think that my band would fit in that line up or that my fans would want to get a chance to play my music at home.
Now Aerosmith, Metallica and this impending Beatles thing, those are a little different story, and there's some definite cashing in going on there.
04/30/09
One could argue selling your music at all is "cashing in".
04/30/09
Honestly to get away from all this back and forth, I'd love to see how much some of these bands actually get from being in these games. Is it more profitable to be on the disc or to later appear in DLC? Inquiring minds want to know.
04/30/09
04/30/09
You know, it's possible to want to play a rhythm game without actually desiring to learn how to play an instrument. Yes, playing music is gratifying. Yes, playing something you wrote yourself is infinitely fulfilling. But, for God's sake, lay off already with the "go out and learn how to play the real thing" nonsense. Those who are so inclined, have and will continue to do just that. The act of playing a guitar is not trivialized by the existence of a plastic guitar peripheral.
04/30/09
04/30/09
04/30/09
04/30/09
04/30/09
Prince can say and do what ever he wants, as he IS one of the few real musicians that still makes money today amidst all the crap produced by 38 people, written by 17, and played by people who should have just stayed with Guitar Hero, and not gone in to real music.
04/30/09
04/30/09
And Prince is really a god of music, he plays more than 27 instruments so he knows what he´s talking about. :D
04/30/09
Go pick up a football and play in the NFL, it's oh so very rewarding. Fly a spaceship around the galaxy, it's so rewarding. Shoot aliens and drive tanks, it's so rewarding.
Or perhaps these are all escape, fantasy, and entertainment.