Wednesday, October 31, 2007

Is there any value to playing Guitar Hero while learning guitar?

My husband just got his copy of Guitar Hero: Legends of Rock yesterday. He also picked up the wireless guitar peripheral, in the hopes that we’d rock out together. After all, Guitar Hero was first a purchase for me last year for my birthday. But, after he pwned me on “Carry on My Wayward Son,” in battle mode, I kinda lost my taste for it for a while. Besides, I was learning real guitar now, and had less time for the game.

I have been wondering lately, though: does Guitar Hero help you learn guitar at all?

I found this salon.com article that says, yes—to a limited extent.

I’ve already got pretty good rhythm, so the game didn’t really develop that skill. But it is rather useful to stretch my fingers out. I am cursed with fat sausage fingers and the inability to do the “Live Long and Prosper” sign. I need all the help I can get when it comes to flexibility. I’ll never be the next Gene Simmons, but I’ll be a passable guitar player, eventually.

Guitar Hero has also gotten a lot of people interested in learning real, actual guitar. Not me, for I’ve been wanting to learn to play for several years now, but a good friend of mine definitely got into guitar after Guitar Hero.

The article leaves out one beneficial aspect for people who play both Guitar Hero and guitar. When you’re struggling with scales or learning a song, you can go straight to Guitar Hero, and pwn a song. Perhaps the same song you are trying to learn on guitar. It’s cathartic, and good for the ego…

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

CP.

Good Question. I think there is value in GH.

Forget Fretlight, a good product, for a minute and just consider GH.

1. It helps with your timing for learning strums.
2. It builds finger dexterity.
3. A cheaper way to go than Fretlight. ALthough Fretlight is a much better product for learning.
4. GH is fun and gets one interested and can keep one interested in learnig to play. You get gratification in little time.

In a way, its kind of like asking "Is there any value to playing MS Flight Simulator while learning to fly?" Some flight instructors will tell you...YES!...but don't play FS while you are actually flying the plane! ;)

FLJ

Carrie P said...

Good analogy. Thanks for the comment!

Something, Something Productions. said...

Ha!

I just brought up this very idea in the email I just sent you, I swear I wrote the email before reading this entry.

--Reggie