New games like Guitar Hero are bringing music making to the masses, and Josh Randall, Creative Director of Harmonix (and a CDM reader, to boot) thinks the trend is just getting started. Aside from Guitar Hero, Harmonix has given us Frequency, Amplitude, Karaoke Stage, and they’ve got more games in store, including a Guitar Hero sequel announced at E3. But it’s not just about these games.
The Cybersonica conference, with new musical creations inspired by games (and in the form of games), as well as art installations and interactive performances, suggests that as gaming approaches music making, “serious” music makers are also engaging the ideas of gaming. Josh’s keynote (which I think is actually taking place in London as I write this), will address some of these topics. From the description:
He’ll discuss the role of creative expression within the game space, and how new interfaces and controllers are changing the way we interact with our music and TV’s. Music gaming is bringing more and more people together every day, so what is the social impact of these games? Let’s peer into the future of music gaming, and ponder what might be coming next.
Sounds good to me! If you’re in London, I hope you’re at this keynote and will let us know how it (and the rest of the conference) goes! If not, I hope to check in with Josh soon for some of his thoughts. Oh, and maybe I’ll even be able to sneak a peak at Guitar Hero 2.
Of course, not everyone is going to want to go buy a box, unbox a commercial game, and use it as is. Before Guitar Hero even came out, I suggested some people would want to hack the thing for their own purposes in Max/MSP. Sure enough, quite a few people did (most likely entirely independent of my writing; I won’t take credit for that!), and Cybersonica organizer Chris O’Shea did a great round-up of Guitar Hero hacks while we at Team CDM were busy wrangling with our servers. Go check it out, and if you have a gaming hack of your own, let us know about it! I’m going to hold out for non-guitar controllers, myself, but I love the idea.
More Cybersonica Coverage from CDM
Hey i have a great idea you guys can make a guitar hero carlos santa with his favorite bands i hope you like this idea alright laters
I think that you should make a Christain guitar hero. if you need help i can help give to you some good songs like i mean christain rock songs
Tiffany is right, there's a lot a of good christians songs very interestings to make a christian version of GH. It would probably sell a seriously lot O= Jesus pwns!!
Hi im a big fan go guitarhero and rockband and for the new games i thing you showld put some bands like 311, korn, led zeplen, pink flowed, msi, and mabye green day, andsome rush.
Hi. I have a couple songs that you at least should listen to before you say no.
"Perfect Insanity" by Disturbed
"Psychosocial" by Slipknot
"This War Is Ours" by Escape The Fate
"Two Weeks" by All That Remains
"Twilight Of The Thunder God" by Amon Amarth
"End Of Days" by Bullet For My Valentine
"Seek And Destroy" by Metallica
Also, would you mind putting some Slash's Snakepit and some more Shadows Fall? Thnx.
ok if you really want to bring back rock and roll
then start with the fifties thats pretty much where everything began
[other than swing which started in the thirties and fourties]
the sixties and sevnties are wat started the harmony
eighties and ninties startded upbeat tenchno rap r&b pop ect ect
ok so why dont yall make like a guitar hero timeline
each level you get the next generation you go up
characters can be famous people from that time like elvis or ricky or somebody
and yall can have classic guitar looks and wat not
then the final leven can the 2000's and we can have all these weird lookin alien ppl walkin around
either way do something big other than making ur own brand over and over again
Put some more Iron Maiden, Buckethead songs on there, and also some never before done Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin. It will make the ultimate guitar hero experience!
…Perhaps some Rise Against? my brother will go crazy!
Hey, I'm gonna create a guitar hero movie, will gonna be cool?
From Brazil
ey all song of carlos santana please that be awesome
This idea will make money even after the game has been bought. A different genre of music that everyone can enjoy. This game will never get old. Serious inquiry only.
cool musics ^^ :
son of sorvahr (Aina)
the supernatural anaesthetist (genesis)
so lonley (the police)
bloody well right (supertramp)
money (pink floyd)
eye of the tiger (survivor)
nova era (angra)
kids whit guns (gorillaz)
Solsbury Hill (peter gabriel)
triller (michael jackson)
vertigo (U2)
duel whit banjo (classical guitar)
tube snake boogie (zz-top)
You should look in to making a guitar hero around nekromantix and Rockabilly music. I own almost all your guitar heros and think this be a hit
David