The Backroads: Music gaming
By Sean Hart
Argus Observer
Friday, July 25, 2008 1:56 PM PDT
I had the pleasure of meeting Ethan Branom this week, a rather popular fellow these days it seems. (You probably know him from his gig on the corner for Quiznos at lunchtime.) He was a nice kid, pretty insightful and quite articulate, which makes my job easier. And he definitely embodies the “Guitar Hero.”
His enthusiasm for music rivals even my own, and it brings up a question I have been milling over in my mind for some time: What are the ramifications of video games such as Guitar Hero and Rock Band that take playing music into the virtual realm?
It is a tough question.
At first (depending on your perspective), you might think children playing video games instead of actual instruments would be a bad thing for music in general. Or, perhaps you think anything that gets kids interested in music ” whether real or virtual ” is at least building interest.
The answer comes down to a simple bottom line: Will the number of children playing real instruments increase or decrease?
Unfortunately, we won’t know for a while, if ever we do. I suppose, in time, we can reflect and either laud or condemn music video games for their role in affecting children. Of course, that doesn’t really help in forming an opinion now.
And what if the number of children playing actual instruments remains unchanged? Shall we simply be indifferent?
A certain benefit of such games is immediately evident: Children are exposed to music. If nothing else, at least one child will hear at least one song they would never have heard if not for a video game, and that alone tips the scales toward the positive argument for virtual music.
Of course, if one child declines the opportunity to pick up a real guitar, we’re back to square one.
I have played Guitar Hero and Rock Band and enjoyed them as brief forms of entertainment. Video games, I can certainly say, have come a long way since the Pac Man arcades and the Atari. (It makes you wonder what video games will be like in five years, but, once again, that doesn’t help with this question.)
As a musician and guitar instructor, I have noticed aspects of real music are incorporated into the game well.
The games do teach rhythm and hand-eye coordination. I can’t really see a downside to children learning to move their fingers where they want them to go while keeping time. With only five buttons on the miniature, virtual guitars used for both Rock Band and Guitar Hero, they’ll be in for a real surprise if they switch over to the six-stringed version, but would that be any worse than never playing any instrument?
The drum set for Rock Band does closely resemble an electronic drum set, and the techniques used to play the virtual cousin are very similar to the real thing, I can say from experience. I think children wishing to drum could learn from these games, but will they take the time (and it takes a lot) to become decent drummers in real life when they can play for thousands of cheering virtual fans on their gaming consoles?
The question of how games will affect the numbers of children playing music will remain unanswered for now, and without knowing that result, I find it very difficult to form an opinion about this virtual music revolution.
So, there you have it. As a musician, guitar teacher and someone who has played Guitar Hero and Rock Band, I don’t know what I think about them. (Did I mention I was a philosophy major?)
I guess I’ll just keep playing my real guitar, and if kids still want to learn, I’ll still try to teach them.
Sean Hart is the lifestyle editor for the Argus Observer. He can be contacted at SeanH@argusobserver.com
