BLOG: The death of the rock band
Are video games killing music?
The MusicRadar Team, Wed 20 Feb 2008, 12:10 pm UTC
With four-piece guitar bands seemingly everywhere you look these days – I think I might have seen at least a couple lurking on the train I caught to work this morning – now might seem like a strange time to be predicting that their existence could soon be under threat. However, I am starting to wonder if the rise of the ‘musical video game’ could stymie the potential of the rock stars of the future.
We’re always being told that children now have a much wider choice of leisure activities than ever before, but that’s only because it’s true. However, while the choice used to be whether to pick up a guitar or play a video game, titles such as Guitar Hero mean that kids can now do both at the same time. Or at least they think they can.
Don’t get me wrong: I love a bit of Singstar and I can see the attraction of being able to pick up a plastic axe and sound (something) like a rock god within minutes, but if the youth of today (and here was me thinking I’d never use that phrase) are getting their musical kicks from a PlayStation or Xbox, are they really going to bother to pick up a real instrument?
It’s not that teenagers don’t have the dedication to put in the hours of practice – some of the Guitar Heros I know could have become accomplished players for real had they invested their video game time into learning a ‘proper instrument’– simply that they might feel that they no longer need to.
Maybe I’ve got this wrong, but I worry that being a virtual virtuoso could prove to be more than enough for most kids, and if they’re spending their time in front of the TV, they won’t be out there forming bands and shaping the music we’ll all be listening to in years to come.
By Ben Rogerson
User comments (10)
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I don't think that it is going to prevent great musicians at all but I'll say one thing loud and clear.
GUITAR HERO CAN SUCK MY BIG ONE....
I hate the game and always will. If I wanted to play a song and fail at it i'd rather keep what dignity I have and fail on a real guitar and not some little s****y plastic guitar with nicely coloured buttons. -
I don't think games like Guitar Hero will prevent those with the real creative energy to become musicians from becoming them. That creativity will need an outlet and as far as I'm aware - admittedly having never played it - GH isn't it.
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Hello Ben,
Yes, I do agree with you actually. I wonder if Slash would have become as good as he is if he'd have had Guitar Hero as a distraction? When I was a lad, a game called Paper Boy was all the rage. mind you that didn't stop me from becoming really good at delivering newspapers! -
It's an interesting argument. On one hand it introduces gamers to guitars, but on the other hand it could (potentially) take people who are already playing guitars away. It is a lot easier to pick and play some classic songs on GH than to learn it on a guitar.
I don't think that it will be too harmful as people who are serious about playing a guitar will do so regardless of whether they can play a game instead. Take Singstar for example, would people who had a genuine interest in singing play this instead of taking lessons and performing live? I wouldn't have thought so. I love GH and it has actually tempted me to get a guitar and learn to play it 'for real', I don't think I would have done if I hadn't of played GH. -
rabbitrabbit:
I'm not saying that music-led video games are a fundamentally bad thing, or that they're in any way corruptive. All I'm suggesting is that, if kids are spending their time playing Guitar Hero, they're going to have less time - and possibly be less inclined - to pick up a real instrument.
Wouldn't you agree? -
I personally know 2 people who are taking up guitar after playing Guitar Hero so its not all bad, and Guitar Rising should help a little too!
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Hopefully Guitar Rising might change this, although I personally know 2 people who are now going to take up guitar after playing guitar hero so its not all bad.
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It's kinda weird for me to say this, since I'm only 15 years old myself, but I think that video games do kill off the interest in music (and I'm a gamer myself).
I know several people that own several (!) electric guitars, but hardly play them just because they're playing Guiter Hero or Rock Band all the time. I'm not saying these games are bad, but they definately do draw attention away from "the real deal". -
Personally I think these video games have gotten teenagers more interested in playing music. I know I have spoken to some people who, after playing Guitar Hero, are interested in learning to play a guitar and are willing to put in the time.
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Don't blame it on the sunshine, don't blame it on the moonlight, don't blame it on the good times, blame it on the video game...
First violence, now the decline of decent bands. What next, repetitive strain injury? lol
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