Put in more music and DLC and i'm sold. Coretards and haters can rage in their basements, in their row houses and their trendy little apartments. It will sell if they fix the few flaws the first had and sell big. And once again prove that all the nerd rage in the world has little to no impact on the physical game market and can show all developers that the market is more then a bunch self-proclaimed hardcores on the internet. Meaning more and more of them can keep striking out towards the market that matters, those folks who buy games to have fun, not to act as trendy elitist music snobs who only listen to bands with a fanbase under 100 people.
Go for it Shiggy. I'll go preorder it in the morning. #wiimusic
Back when I was a youngster, we used tambourines, triangles, bells, and even maracas for our music education. Now your gonna tell me the rugrats are goin' to be usin' Wii Music?!
@Atomsk88: I am currently operating under the impression that music education has been cut out of many public schools. Is this incorrect?
Let me be clear in stating that I am not advocating nor denouncing Wii Music as a tool for music education. However, is it possible to use it as a stepping stone for children to become interested in actual musical instruments?
@GohanGVO: Take note I'm not being that serious, just displaying the difference of how much technology has become a part of education. Where once kids held actual instruments, kids now could play with one device to make a cornucopia of sounds.
@Rebochan: Yeah, my music education teachers more so introduced us to famous classical songs and different instruments rather than to teach us to play music. It wasn't until 6th grade I actually learned how to read music and play my instrument (trumpet) of choice. #wiimusic
Nintendo only did it in the first place because Miyamoto asked nicely and he's like a little kid to nintendo. They don't want to say no. He could want to make a game about churning butter and they'd go ahead and do it. #wiimusic
That's what a Miyamoto "failure" sells like. I'll bet any of the developers that got laid off in the last six months wished they could have failed like Miyamoto does. #wiimusic
@WhiteMage Says Fix the Promotion System: That little kid asked Nicely for Wii Fit, Sports and Play to be made. Wii Fit has made Nintendo more money alone then every PS3 AAA title released over the system''s lifetime and it -still- selling. To say nothing of Sports.
Okay, let me put in my two cents as a musician and a part-time music educator...
I used to be dead-set against music games like Rock Band and Guitar Hero. I thought they were a waste of time and that kids should be practicing real instruments instead. Yes, I thumbed my nose at the music game genre and then put on my monocle and sipped a cup of Earl Grey.
A few summers ago I worked at a local band/orchestra/guitar retail store to pocket some money to pay for tuition. In the span of 2 1/2 months, I sold over $15,000 in guitars primarily to kids between the ages of 10-15. I'd never quite seen a run on guitars like this before. In my usual banter with customers while they're looking at instruments, I usually ask what's inspired the customer/recipient (in this case, mostly kids) to want to pick up the guitar. Answer in a shocking majority of purchases:
Guitar Hero and Rock Band
Fast forward to last winter where I'm student teaching with an elementary music program. I brought my Wii and a copy of Wii Music in as sort of a treat for kids who behaved well during class. Once every other week or so I'd let them play Wii Music for the last half of class (and every day during lunch when the weather outside was foul I'd have the music room open for them to play as well). A week or so after starting this I get a phone call from a parent that goes something like this:
Parent: Would you happen to know where I can rent a trumpet?
Me: Sure, here's the name of a music store I work for and contract with. Might I ask why you're interested?
Parent: Oh, [Child's name] said he enjoyed that Wii Music game you let him play during lunch so we went and bought a copy for home. He played a lot of the instruments in it and really liked the trumpet, we asked if he'd like to learn to play for real and he jumped at the chance.
I'm not sure if music games can actually teach music (though I think there's possibilities to teach rhythmic feel which is wonderful), but what I am sure of is that these music games have opened up a lot of possibilities for kids who would otherwise be uninterested. As far as I'm concerned, if music games can pull kids into music and perhaps inspire them to pick up real instruments, they are nothing short of successful.
@LaneWinree: Great response! What an amazing story. I know I'm in the same boat with drums on RB. I REALLY want a real set, but don't have the space. Thankfully, I can get the ION drum kit and add a drum brain to fake it.
Great article, AJ, I can surely admit that [shiryumusic.no.sapo.pt] may have never existed today and for the past 10 years if it wasnt for a mister Tim Wright (CoLD SToRAGE) giving a hand to a certain PSX Music making software named "Music". After the trackers from Commodore Amiga, it was both "Music" and "Fluid" that began making me aware of how to make electronic music ant the rest... is history. I hope more ppl make this jump from "playing around" to making, I can assure, it's an amazing hobby and yes, can even become a carrer! But im really sticking to putting out free music for everyone. =) Have some TRONic on me, AJ.
I feel someone should mention the Music series of games/programmes made by Jester. The first one came out in 1998 and attempted to offer Playstation gamers the opportunity to try out an approximation of the kind of Digital Audio Workstation environment used in the production of virtually all music in this day and age.
That is all.
p.s. I have a picture but for some reason uploading is not working for me today.
I always found that fine line in game design very interesting in terms of games that revolved around actually making music comparted to those that use music to direct your interest.
Personally I think the Dreamcast was the first to pioneer both formats. Rez used music as a companion that accompanied you throughout the game. Although the interactions did not depend on music so to speak, the game became synonymous with beat creation.
Space Channel 5 was one of the first games based solely on music user interface reactions. Simon Says, but much much cooler. I might be wrong here but you could even go as far to say that SC5 was the precursor to the DDR game fad that was so popular at one time.
Wipeout is another that turned a corner in terms of musical involvement. Although it did not use music as a mechanism for gameplay, it was if I recall the first game to publicly market itself based upon what music the game actually contained. The game tailored itself around the electronic music explosion that hit the US and Europe during the mid 90's. At one point Sony showcased the game in trendy nightclubs across the country. The Soundtrack was as big of a hit as the game itself.
I won't venture into what Guitar Hero and the like has achieved or what the latest and greatest is, but it is nice to reflect on how Video games have proven to be an outstanding medium in terms of reaching out to people that would otherwise have no desire to pursue music in other ways.
I had a kid come into work the other day when I was playing the Sonic the Hedgehog 1 soundtrack on the speakers. The kid, around 13, exclaimed how strange the music was.
After explaining that it was video game music, he said "Why don't you play video game music like guitar hero?"
So there we have it, after a brief discussion he believed that all the songs in Guitar Hero was just well, from guitar hero.
@Atomsk88: I think the biggest issue here isn't that he doesn't appreciate video game music, it's that he thinks the music in Guitar Hero, is some sort of an original soundtrack. It boggles the mind.
During Nintendo's interview process, everyone had to sit through an hour long presentation by Iwata, 20 minutes of which were spent on making Miyamoto seem like a deity.
They rattled off what games he has made, how much revenue he has generated, they showed off pictures of him being knighted in France, and all the people who line up to meet him wherever he goes.
This was extremely early on in the interview process, when the company was trying to sell itself to prospective employees, and what I took away from it was, 'One of the benefits of working at Nintendo is that you get to be in the presense of Miyamoto.'
11/17/09
11/16/09
Go for it Shiggy. I'll go preorder it in the morning. #wiimusic
11/16/09
11/16/09
11/16/09
11/16/09
Back when I was a youngster, we used tambourines, triangles, bells, and even maracas for our music education. Now your gonna tell me the rugrats are goin' to be usin' Wii Music?!
*grumblegrumblegrumble* #wiimusic
11/16/09
Let me be clear in stating that I am not advocating nor denouncing Wii Music as a tool for music education. However, is it possible to use it as a stepping stone for children to become interested in actual musical instruments?
(I have never played Wii Music.)
11/16/09
Wii Music is less than worthless for learning how to play instruments.
Imagine Guitar Hero or Rock Band, but without all the "accuracy", "precision", and "simulation" of those games.
Basically- you flail your arms, and the game makes noise. #wiimusic
11/16/09
11/16/09
It's less about teaching them how to play and more to get them interested in music to the point where they seek out actual training. #wiimusic
11/16/09
11/16/09
11/16/09
That's what a Miyamoto "failure" sells like. I'll bet any of the developers that got laid off in the last six months wished they could have failed like Miyamoto does. #wiimusic
11/16/09
Yeah oops. #wiimusic
10/09/09
10/09/09
I used to be dead-set against music games like Rock Band and Guitar Hero. I thought they were a waste of time and that kids should be practicing real instruments instead. Yes, I thumbed my nose at the music game genre and then put on my monocle and sipped a cup of Earl Grey.
A few summers ago I worked at a local band/orchestra/guitar retail store to pocket some money to pay for tuition. In the span of 2 1/2 months, I sold over $15,000 in guitars primarily to kids between the ages of 10-15. I'd never quite seen a run on guitars like this before. In my usual banter with customers while they're looking at instruments, I usually ask what's inspired the customer/recipient (in this case, mostly kids) to want to pick up the guitar. Answer in a shocking majority of purchases:
Guitar Hero and Rock Band
Fast forward to last winter where I'm student teaching with an elementary music program. I brought my Wii and a copy of Wii Music in as sort of a treat for kids who behaved well during class. Once every other week or so I'd let them play Wii Music for the last half of class (and every day during lunch when the weather outside was foul I'd have the music room open for them to play as well). A week or so after starting this I get a phone call from a parent that goes something like this:
Parent: Would you happen to know where I can rent a trumpet?
Me: Sure, here's the name of a music store I work for and contract with. Might I ask why you're interested?
Parent: Oh, [Child's name] said he enjoyed that Wii Music game you let him play during lunch so we went and bought a copy for home. He played a lot of the instruments in it and really liked the trumpet, we asked if he'd like to learn to play for real and he jumped at the chance.
I'm not sure if music games can actually teach music (though I think there's possibilities to teach rhythmic feel which is wonderful), but what I am sure of is that these music games have opened up a lot of possibilities for kids who would otherwise be uninterested. As far as I'm concerned, if music games can pull kids into music and perhaps inspire them to pick up real instruments, they are nothing short of successful.
10/09/09
10/09/09
Or better yet, in musician terms, a gateway drug.
10/09/09
10/09/09
Perfect for people like me!
10/09/09
Edit: OK, never mind.
10/09/09
10/09/09
That is all.
p.s. I have a picture but for some reason uploading is not working for me today.
10/09/09
10/09/09
Personally I think the Dreamcast was the first to pioneer both formats. Rez used music as a companion that accompanied you throughout the game. Although the interactions did not depend on music so to speak, the game became synonymous with beat creation.
Space Channel 5 was one of the first games based solely on music user interface reactions. Simon Says, but much much cooler. I might be wrong here but you could even go as far to say that SC5 was the precursor to the DDR game fad that was so popular at one time.
Wipeout is another that turned a corner in terms of musical involvement. Although it did not use music as a mechanism for gameplay, it was if I recall the first game to publicly market itself based upon what music the game actually contained. The game tailored itself around the electronic music explosion that hit the US and Europe during the mid 90's. At one point Sony showcased the game in trendy nightclubs across the country. The Soundtrack was as big of a hit as the game itself.
I won't venture into what Guitar Hero and the like has achieved or what the latest and greatest is, but it is nice to reflect on how Video games have proven to be an outstanding medium in terms of reaching out to people that would otherwise have no desire to pursue music in other ways.
*Whistles some Ocarina of Time tunes*
10/09/09
After explaining that it was video game music, he said "Why don't you play video game music like guitar hero?"
So there we have it, after a brief discussion he believed that all the songs in Guitar Hero was just well, from guitar hero.
I wanted to share.
10/09/09
Then I realized that maybe this kid is only new, and he had only played music games so far.
Then I reread the last paragraph, highlighted the "13 age" part, and sighed again.
10/09/09
10/09/09
10/09/09
Isn't that the song Battlestar Galactica wrote to use as a homing beacon? Whos this Jimi Hendrix guy, he must have copied them. :P
10/09/09
10/09/09
however, it's a good alternative for the 95% of the population who won't ever do that.
05/21/09
During Nintendo's interview process, everyone had to sit through an hour long presentation by Iwata, 20 minutes of which were spent on making Miyamoto seem like a deity.
They rattled off what games he has made, how much revenue he has generated, they showed off pictures of him being knighted in France, and all the people who line up to meet him wherever he goes.
This was extremely early on in the interview process, when the company was trying to sell itself to prospective employees, and what I took away from it was, 'One of the benefits of working at Nintendo is that you get to be in the presense of Miyamoto.'