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Introducing Classical Guitar Hero

Alex writes "I've just uploaded the video of a piece of classical electronic music I wrote for 2 Guitar Hero controllers and software (which I created). More information about this piece, its software, and the notation involved in playing it is at alexwroten.com/works.asp and alexwroten.com/excuses.html. I just figured people might be interested in finding new ways to use their Guitar Hero mastery ... especially with the hot debate over whether or not it hinders people's musical instruction."

47 of 221 comments (clear)

  1. Robert Fripp Took Thorazine! by Jeremiah+Cornelius · · Score: 2, Informative
    --
    "Flyin' in just a sweet place,
    Never been known to fail..."
    1. Re:Robert Fripp Took Thorazine! by Serenissima · · Score: 5, Informative

      I thought maybe if I skipped ahead, there would be some actual music in that video. Nope!

      --
      Give a man a fire and he'll be warm for a day. But light a man on fire and he'll be warm for the rest of his life.
  2. Holy shit by Gewalt · · Score: 4, Insightful

    what the fuck is this doing on the front page of slashdot?

    --
    Modding Trolls +1 inciteful since 1999
    1. Re:Holy shit by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Uh, I found his remark useful in that it echos my opinion - this is pretty stupid to be on the front page. This is the second dumb youtube video link in as many days, and seems to be the trend here. Criticize and get insulted by some silly AC who got all hot and bothered. :(

    2. Re:Holy shit by chubs730 · · Score: 5, Funny

      Oh, nobody told you about the Digg merger?

  3. Classical 'hero' instruments by Chris+Burke · · Score: 4, Funny

    I'm not sure what nonsense I'm seeing there (in the first six seconds of video before I stopped it; it started to feel too much like RTFA), but it's not what I imagined which was bringing classical music and the associated instruments to Guitar Hero. I could dig that. Think about it, instead of endless rehashes of the same Guitar Hero game, you could have new ones, like: Lyre Hero, Recorder Hero, Viola Hero, and the always impressive Oboe Hero.

    --

    The enemies of Democracy are
    1. Re:Classical 'hero' instruments by fireman+sam · · Score: 2, Funny
      --
      it is only after a long journey that you know the strength of the horse.
    2. Re:Classical 'hero' instruments by morari · · Score: 4, Funny

      Personally, I want Cello Hero and Sitar Hero.

      --
      "He who can destroy a thing, controls a thing." --Paul Atreides, Dune
    3. Re:Classical 'hero' instruments by QRDeNameland · · Score: 2, Funny

      I'm holding out for Bass Clarinet Hero and Theramin Hero.

      --
      Momentarily, the need for the construction of new light will no longer exist.
    4. Re:Classical 'hero' instruments by Chris+Burke · · Score: 4, Funny

      Followed by Skin Flute Hero.

      --

      The enemies of Democracy are
    5. Re:Classical 'hero' instruments by twistedsymphony · · Score: 4, Funny

      Followed by Skin Flute Hero.
      You mean "Rock Band: Groupie Edition"
  4. Sounds like shit by jdc180 · · Score: 4, Funny

    Kinda like abstract art. Throw some shit at a wall and call it a masterpiece.

    1. Re:Sounds like shit by Cornflake917 · · Score: 5, Funny

      especially with the hot debate over whether or not it hinders people's musical instruction. Yup, I think the video has ended that debate.
    2. Re:Sounds like shit by jtroutman · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Nah, the musical instruction debate is still going on, this has killed the musical appreciation debate.

      --
      I stole this sig from a more creative user.
    3. Re:Sounds like shit by somersault · · Score: 2, Insightful

      They could have at least got some decent effects output from those things. And more than 5 notes. I mean there are presumably something like 5^5-1 combinations of button presses (yeah, I don't know the math, here's my fake geek card..)?

      I tried Guitar Hero for the first time just over a month ago, it's way more fun than it looks :) I've done something like 36/42 of the expert career songs.. some of the solos are just stupid for the more difficult songs. I play guitar as well, and I'd say that Expert difficulty is sometimes more difficult than actually playing the song on a guitar (depending on how used to chords shapes your fingers are, there's obviously a bit more of a learning curve on a real guitar due to there being 6 strings instead of the one "string" you get on guitar hero :p ). Guitar Hero is good for training your rhythm anyway, I'm a self taught drummer as well as a guitarist and you have to have really good rhythm to get through some of the crazy fast strumming sections without dying for example

      --
      which is totally what she said
  5. YouTube comment sums it up by OverlordQ · · Score: 5, Funny
    As much as I'm loathe to approve a YouTube comment as insightful, I believe this sums it up nicely:

    I feel sorry for the crowd. At least I could skip through, see that this sucks, and move on.
    --
    Your hair look like poop, Bob! - Wanker.
    1. Re:YouTube comment sums it up by Spy+der+Mann · · Score: 2, Funny

      I have a shorter summary.

      "My ears, the earplugs do nothing!"

  6. WTF is this shit? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    WTF? seriously, whats does all this shit do on the /. frontpage today. are we transforming into /b/?

  7. Re:To all the "Guitar Heros" out there.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    Just followed your advice. Now I'm down $100 and I got the clap. Thanks.

  8. take note timothy by mzs · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Maybe you do not know how /. used to be like, but very rarely should the person that created the 'article' be the one who submits it. Slashdot should work where 'news for nerds, stuff that matters' is 'discovered' and then posted. There was another recent article (rather video) that made the front page which you accepted and it was of questionable interest as well.

  9. Classical? by Chrisje · · Score: 2, Insightful

    I just watched the *whole* video. And it really really was that bad, I'm afraid. Don't quit your day jobs. Seriously. The score was monotonous as hell, and it sounded like, well, two guitar-on-overdrive-pedals copies. Which is exactly what it was.

    I'm not at all against using the guitar hero controllers as instruments. Shit, people like Kevin Johansen can even make mouth harps sound cool, so why not?

    But calling this drivel "Classical" music is kind of akin to calling Delius a "classical composer".

    1. Re:Classical? by oodaloop · · Score: 2, Funny

      Oh, I don't know. I quite liked it. It was a bit repetitive for the first couple of minutes to be sure, but the climactic crescendo at the four and half minute mark nicely underscored their theme of trying to sound like Nine Inch Nails background music. I found it quite bold and powerful in a scrape-your-teeth-down-the-chalkboard kind of way.

      --
      Tic-Tac-Toe, Global Thermonuclear War, and relationships all have the same winning move.
    2. Re:Classical? by Televiper2000 · · Score: 2, Insightful

      This seems to be a case of focusing too much on the oddities of the instrument and not so much the actual composition. It really comes down to the fact that all they really have is an oddly shaped midi controller with pitiful number of buttons. The only thing that's not a simple button is the whammy bar. Performance wise it looks like they didn't spend enough time practising.

      --
      New! Device Legs: These legs will help your poor OEM installed product escape any hamfistedness it may encounter. Ava
  10. Re:To all the "Guitar Heros" out there.... by geekoid · · Score: 3, Interesting

    It's just a game, jerk wad.

    Yeah, playing guitar hero, having some drinks and some laughs. Who wants that~

    So in short, you suck.

    --
    The Kruger Dunning explains most post on /. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
  11. So will someone stop saying 'hot debate' non stop? by Awptimus+Prime · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Hot debate? I don't think the debate is so hot over whether this helps or hurts one's musical introduction. It's just a simple timing game. Only a few media boobs who like to repeat themselves over and over are the culprits behind your misinterpretation that there is actually a hot debate flaming over such things.

    I play the keyboard and guitar. I don't think it's helped or hurt my playing in either. Just as Quake didn't make me any better or worse at hunting dove with a shotgun, or the countless hours of playing counter strike, my accuracy with my 7.62mm sport rifle never changed. It's a game, that's it. Nothing more, nothing less. The 'real thing' in all cases is completely different.

  12. Re:Answer me this... by geekoid · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Fuck you, and people like you.

    It's a game, it's fun. My son and I have a great time playing it. It's like the game Simon, turned up to 11.

    My son and I were playing a Black Sabbath song. At the end we both spontaneously threw the horns.
    That was fun as hell.

    Nobody playing Guitar Hero thinks they're playing a guitar, no one.

    We have a good time, This should be a ***REAL BIG HINT*** to you.

    Clue, Programming is boring to almost every one, listening to music and playing a game is boring to almost no one.

    Considering real Rock Stars ALSO play and enjoy Guitar Hero, I think They get that it's a game to.

    Guess what? Wii tennis, isn't real tennis either! And GTA IV isn't killing real people.
    Why can everything else be emulated and extracted out onto a game, but not playing an guitar?

    I can play Guitar Hero, AND go to a concert.

    As a bonus, my children and I are now talking about music, and I can engage them in a conversation about guitar rifts on the radio, using Guitar Hero as a point of reference.

    My children are 10 and 7, both know more about music than I did.

    So Guitar Hero: Epic Win
    You: Epic Lose

    --
    The Kruger Dunning explains most post on /. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
  13. That Guy by Arivia · · Score: 4, Funny

    I hope you enjoy being "That Guy".

    --
    The role of the writer is not to say what we can all say, but what we are unable to say. -Anais Nin
    1. Re:That Guy by Digi-John · · Score: 2, Insightful

      "That Guy" being the guy who submits his own crap (youtube videos at that!) to Slashdot? Yeah, I hate That Guy.

      --
      Klingon programs don't timeshare, they battle for supremacy.
  14. BTW, Stop with the youtube shit please. by Awptimus+Prime · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I forgot to mention in my previous message that it's high time /. give up on the hip youtube linkage. Most of us read this shit at work and save the media filled garbage for a setting that allows for lots of bad audio and questionable content on the screen.

    For years, if the boss walks by and sees /. on the screen, it's no big deal. If the boss comes by and sees two guys pressing buttons hardwired into a shitty synth, he won't be thinking I am staying up to date on the latest geek news that is pertinent, such as security articles, the latest drive technology and such.

    But go ahead, if you want to turn this into fark and end up eventually blocked by the nanny proxies, keep at it.

  15. Re:Wow by ZeroExistenZ · · Score: 2, Insightful

    especially after the phrase "I only watched the first 6 seconds of it." Surely you must understand these people don't play guitar hero controllers all of the time

    I've watched 40 seconds of it. (I actually finished to see them get the applause while writing this comment.)
    It gets worse.
    You make it sound that operating "guitar hero controllers" (designed to be easy to use by children. What's the target age of these things?) is like operating an actual instrument.

    Look, I can play a real guitar. I sortof suck at it, but at least I can take pride in the fact I'm so skilled I can make it sound equally sucky.

    Reminds me of this episode of South Park.

    --
    I think we can keep recursing like this until someone returns 1
  16. Re:To all the "Guitar Heros" out there.... by spazdor · · Score: 2, Insightful

    The only difference is that at a concert, you are surrounded by a large crowd of very loud, and smelly teenagers.


    not that I expect this to matter to anyone, but the songs at concerts are played by people with musical instruments. Who invest actual creative time and effort into making the music.

    Well, sometimes.
    --
    DRM: Terminator crops for your mind!
  17. Re:Answer me this... by pete-classic · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I love GTA IV. I don't play Guitar Hero.

    Now, I sort of look down on Guitar Hero, but I'm a live and let live kind of guy.

    But I do want to point out a very real difference between Guitar Hero and most other games. I can't really defend against and alien invasion. I can't really join the mafia. I can't really be a Simpson. I'll probably never fly a jet. But I can do all these things in video games.

    On the other hand, for the price of a current-gen console, a couple of "guitar" controllers, and Guitar Hero I could go out and buy a couple of non-heroic guitars. And in the time some people spend playing that game, I could learn to play one passably. To me, for my money, that's a way better deal.

    I'm not trying to persuade you here, but I think this may be why others are. Why simulate something you can actually do?

    -Peter

  18. redundant nomenclatures ftw by spazdor · · Score: 2, Funny

    You know what you call a Guitar Hero player without a girlfriend?
    ...Actually, uh, you just call him a Guitar Hero player.

    --
    DRM: Terminator crops for your mind!
  19. Re:Answer me this... by geekoid · · Score: 4, Insightful

    "Correction, you were playing a timing game to the beat of a Black Sabbath song."

    Yes, I know that. You know that, everyone knows that.

    "Clue number 2 - I program because I enjoy it & because it pays a salary so I can afford to buy CDs, go to concerts to see proper musicians (including Black Sabbath incidentally) and to buy games to play."

    So do I, but I recognize most people would not enjoy it at all; which I am grateful because that keeps my salary higher.

    "Yep. So by your logic you also treat yourself to the occasional bag of cocaine because Keith Richards does?"
    Virtual cocaine would be the proper analogy. However it doesn't matter because you missed my point;which is Nobody thinks it's real guitar.

    "Hey, guess what? You could also play them a Black Sabbath CD and end up doing precisely the same thing. Good isn't it?"

    Not really. Kids are more interested in thing when they are doing something.
    Not that it's a bad thing, but they would probably get bored listening to they CD and wonder off to read.

    "Good luck to them."
    Thank you

    " But your point is what, precisely?"
    You really are obtuse, aren't you?

    My point is that it was another way to get my kids interested in music. Since my son is now interested in playing the guitar, I think it worked.

    "So be it. I personally don't need to turn everything into a competition. Yes, you win, enjoy yourself."
    and you just have to whine about what other people do so you can feel good about yourself.

    --
    The Kruger Dunning explains most post on /. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
  20. Re:Answer me this... by Chris+Burke · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Do you think Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton or Slash play "Linux Kernel Compilation Hero", "Perl Programmer Hero" or "Microsoft Service Pack Hero" in their spare time?

    No.

    And why?

    Because they are ***NOT QUALIFIED*** to do all those wonderful things with operating systems that we Slashdotters are.


    Are you insane, retarded, brain damaged, stupid, or do you just intentionally utter the most idiotic and wrong thing you can possibly think of?

    The reason Eric Clapton doesn't play "Linux Kernel Compilation Hero" is because the game doesn't exist and if it did it would almost certainly suck. If you could actually make such a game that made Linux Kernel Compilation into a simple task that was also somehow also fun, then maybe Eric Clapton wouldn't play it, but some real guitar player somewhere would. Just like some of them play Guitar Hero because it's fun.

    This should be a ***REAL BIG HINT*** to you.

    Yeah, a hint that you're a delusional moron.

    I'm PERFECTLY qualified to play Guitar Hero (not that I ever have, but that's not even the point). Why? Because just like your hypothetical "Perl Programmer Hero" isn't real Perl Programming, Guitar Hero isn't real guitar! It's a game!

    I mean you're clearly suffering from one of two catastrophic mental deficiencies. Either:
    1) You think that plastic guitar is actually comparable to a real guitar, with commensurate skill required.
    or
    2) You think that you should not be able to play a simple game based on an activity unless you are actually an expert at the real activity, and thus would issue the same tard-rant against racing games, war strategy games, FPS games, sports games, and hell basically every game that isn't "Being a Douche on the Internet Hero", the only thing you are actually qualified to do the real version of.

    So which is it?

    So put down the plastic guitar, go back to your computer screen, earn some money and go buy a CD or a concert ticket.

    So, you've never in your life played air guitar to your favorite CD? Never sang along at a concert, despite not having any business being a professional singer?

    Soulless, and stupid. You're quite the prize.

    --

    The enemies of Democracy are
  21. Then don't post it by tknd · · Score: 4, Interesting

    If there is no news, there is no news. Don't post stupid news to ruin the reputation of the site. All this is saying is that they are starting to value site traffic more than site reputation.

    To be more specific I don't come here to see "BREAKING: NES Nudity Galore [VIDEO]!!!" It is the same reason why an investor doesn't expect to see scandalous pictures of Britney Spears on the Wall Street Journal.

    Now if Slashdot does want to compete with digg and reddit for the top nerd sensationalist website then fine. People like me will simply stop visiting.

    1. Re:Then don't post it by D+Ninja · · Score: 2, Funny

      I'll still visit. I have to have SOMETHING to do at work. /just kidding //don't fire me ///wait...where am I again?

    2. Re:Then don't post it by Kashgarinn · · Score: 2, Insightful

      "Now if Slashdot does want to compete with digg and reddit for the top nerd sensationalist website then fine. People like me will simply stop visiting."

      No you will bitch and moan and whimper "get off my lawn!" but that's about it, you'll still become bored enough to check what's on slashdot and roast-reply some stupid non-news article.

  22. Re:Wow by bcdm · · Score: 4, Interesting

    It's funny to me how venomous all of these comments are, especially after the phrase "I only watched the first 6 seconds of it." Surely you must understand these people don't play guitar hero controllers all of the time; it's experimental. Obviously in your eyes the experiment failed. Enough said.

    Buh?

    They're performing a concert for the public. It's experimental, yes. It's original, yes. Many people will hate it, yes. But that's NO EXCUSE for not having practiced enough where they didn't play the piece properly. I counted at least five times (over the course of six minutes) where the performers fell out of sync with each other, not in a "post-modern atonal experimental" kind of way, but in a "I-have-no-fucking-clue-how-we're-supposed-to-be-playing-this-section" kind of way.

    There are lots of valid reasons to justify this piece being performed, but there are no valid reasons to justify not playing it properly. If the classical guitarist and violinist can't hack it, then find people with less (but not no) classical training and more Guitar Hero training.

    --
    I can has sig?
  23. Re:I like giving my ideas out: Piano Hero by yermej · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Kind of like this? It used to be called Piano Hero, but Activision got mad. No LEDs on keys, but that wouldn't be free (without a lot of DIY).

  24. Re:Answer me this... by Chris+Burke · · Score: 2, Funny

    Hehe, me too. Nothing clears the head before heading home from work like a good ol' flame.

    --

    The enemies of Democracy are
  25. I hope... by SIGBUS · · Score: 2, Funny

    ...that it has better sales than Sousaphone Hero.

    --
    Oh, no! You have walked into the slavering fangs of a lurking grue!
  26. Re:Answer me this... by iggymanz · · Score: 2, Funny

    Do you think Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton or Slash play "Linux Kernel Compilation Hero"

    there really is such a game for easily entertained simpletons to while away the hours just like the legions of Guitar Heroes, it's called Gentoo.

  27. Learning by Faux_Pseudo · · Score: 3, Insightful

    If guitar hero could teach me to learn to read sheet music and recognize different pitches, notes and keys then I would fork over the money for it.

  28. This, but not GHX? by Techbear1980 · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Why is this on the front page, but not my stuff?? I wrote software to turn a GH controller into an instrument: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W3ohtqvF33c http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkyRRSSKHLU

  29. Guitar rising by LarsWestergren · · Score: 2, Informative

    especially with the hot debate over whether or not it hinders people's musical instruction."

    No matter the outcome of THAT debate, I think no one can dispute that this upcoming game teaches people to play for real. I'm going to get it. :)

    --

    Being bitter is drinking poison and hoping someone else will die

  30. Piano/Keyboard Hero anybody? by joggle · · Score: 2, Interesting

    I'd love to have a Piano Hero where you could hook up a normal, MIDI digital piano or keyboard up to the system and sightread. It would need to be normally scored music on treble and base clef though, otherwise I don't think I'd want to play it. Imagine trying to play on a full 88-key keyboard where all you see is Guitar Hero-style notes dropping from the sky in 88 columns. Umm, no thanks.

    Unfortunately, this would only target aspiring (or actual) musicians so wouldn't sell nearly as well as other games.