Guitar Hero and Rock Band, which emerged later, have both transformed the interactive video game industry, and the learning process for instruments.
I still cannot sing, play the guitar, bass, or drums, but now I have much more respect for those abilities, and it still helped me a bit with my still-mediocre musical ability. The influence it did have on me was that it made me want to try to play these instruments, or collaborate with friends on getting a new high score on a song or making a fictional band on Rock Band.
Of course there were many multiplayer games I played before this, but none seemed as fun and cooperative and competitive as Rock Band. It was a new level of gaming because it brought in some real-world skill.
After having played these games, video games that have more levels of interactivity have become more appealing, and this is evident in the new wave of video game peripherals made by Nintendo (Wii), Microsoft (XBOX Kinect), and Sony (Playstation Move).
Aside from being part of a shift in video gaming, these games have also started to shift learning techniques for certain instruments. Some of my friends who loved these games actually starting trying to play the actual instruments, and soon, there will be games that have actual guitars that can be synced with games that track how well you are playing, and tries to help you improve.
These games have been huge hits, and important catalysts in the changing atmosphere of gaming and music.
There is something that is extremely interesting about making music into a game. I thought was particularly interesting about what you stated was that individuals are now learning to play music, or picking it up because of these games. This just shows the direction our society is moving. I think it is somewhat cool that because of a game that is for pleasure and relaxation that and individual can learn or acquire skills needed to play a complex instrument.
ReplyDeleteHey David,
ReplyDeletelike you, I have no special musical skill. Besides a year of trumpet in 6th grade and some piano lessons when I was 5 or 6, I never really picked up on music. Although I was unable to produce music, it was/is still a major part of my life. That's why I got the same sort of respect for muscians after playing Guitar Hero. Although I never attempting learning to play a real instrument, I listen to music in a completely different way now after playing these games. Instead of listening to just the words, I often find myself picking out the melody each instrument is playing and listening to it, even if it is not the prominent instrument on the track. Without having played Guitar Hero, I don't know if I ever would have done so
David,
ReplyDeleteI think that the incorporation of music into games is something that has created a natural segue into actual music develop. While playing Guitar Hero will definitely not actually result in players actually learning how to play guitar, there are definitely a myriad of different uses and benefits in playing. I know that at a young level, giving kids access to these kinds of games can spark an interest in an instrument that can perhaps lead to a lifetime of musical learning. This definitely shows that strong influences that video games and other sorts of simulations can have on children. Likewise, it is also equally important to consider the effects that violent games such as Call of Duty can have on children, if the effect of simulation is so prevalent.
-Alexander Chen