One of my sisters recently asked me if I was interested in Guitar Hero III (fishing for x-mas ideas?) and my reply was jokingly "Why would I want a fake guitar when I own a real one?" (see avatar)
Learning a real instrument can be very frustrating (as well I know) but with enough practice and patience it can be extremely enjoyable and potentially profitable.

If anyone here is interested in learning the guitar and/or bass, Guitar Pro 5 is an excellent tool to get you started.

Link: http://www.guitar-pro.com/en/index.php
Tabs for GP: http://www.tablatures.tk/

 As long as nobody brings whiskey to band practice.

Its a game.

If you want to play soccer/football/drive cars/shoot people why don't you get a soccerball/football/drive a car/play paintball?

Because playing the games is easier and can be just as enjoyable.

That's why I stopped playing Tetris! Now I only have two fingers (bricks and dynamite.....you don't need the details). Don't be like me. Play the video game, and have fun.

 You sir, win.

Wait a second....I should operate on real people instead of playing Trauma Center?

Brilliant!!!! My roomie is asleep....perfect.

 No, but if you were operating on a doll with a bunch of tiny plastic scalpels, people might think you're silly.

I know what you are saying, getting a bunch of people together to pretend to be a band does seem a bit silly, but the idea is to have fun/laugh and enjoy yourselves, not to get famous.

Guitar Hero is great, but a whole band is to me, too far.

There are a few reasons why you'd do this instead of be in a real rock band..


#1. The price. Rock band is $170 for a mic, guitar and drums.

Knowing from experience (I gig about 2/3 times a week), the price of the 3 said instruments is:

Microphone: $50 + some sort of amp system (easily $500 for mixer, power amp, and a easy, cheezy 50w speaker)

Guitar: $500 (cheap strat or LP) + $400 amp (a decent 50 watter)

Drums: $700 (some sort of alright Ludwig or knock-off Pearl)


#2. Time it takes to learn said instruments (any sort of basic rock band profiencency is around 1 year for basic skills)....If not more. That's if you learn on your own. Lessons are $20/hr, and can take upto 50 lessons to get profiecent. That's another $1k there.

So in the end, if your just "casually" wanting to do something fun, Rock Band is your way to do it. Everyone wants to imitate their favorite star. Thats why Madden, PES, Fifa, NBA Live, and other sports games are so popular - we want to be a sports god. Likewise, we now want to have plastic guitars to imitate our favorite guitar and drum gods.

I youth pastor at a church. We have dozens of kids that want to play games like Guitar Hero because their very, very simple (guitar for dummies) because they want the satisfaction of doing something meaningful and 'neat' like play a guitar....Without the dedication.

Now in my case, I think the drumming for Rock Band might not be too bad. It'd be a much easier way to practice with the 4 pads + bass drum, since it's in such a small-er area.