Guitar Hero and the Guitar Hero

So here's another great article to read if you're interested.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/14/arts/music/14beck.html?ref=music

It's about how Jeff Beck won't cave in and join Guitar Hero, which I think is fantastic. My dad plays the guitar, and I think he plays pretty well. We've had conversations before about the best guitar players of all time. (I have a need to categorize things, not a huge shocker). Stevie Ray Vaughn, Jimmy Page, and Eric Clapton usually make the list, (as does John Mayer in recent years despite being a complete tool and scumbag). Along with these greats is usually the less known Jeff Beck. I believe he may have actually replaced Eric Clapton in the Yardbirds, but I'm not positive. I should probably call my dad and check that one out. Anyway, I loved this article because it shows how Jeff Beck will not cower to the commercially successful power that is Guitar Hero. Who needs Guitar Hero when you are a guitar hero?

I have a real disdain for Guitar Hero and Rock Band. To be fair, I have only played it a handful of times and I performed dismally. That being said, I have played a guitar, my often than Guitar Hero and just as dismally, and the two are only similar in the sense that you use you right hand to do one motion and you left hand to do another. I think my biggest qualm with the video game is that it is keeping people who would otherwise try to actually learn to play an instrument from doing so. There are no studies on this but it seems logical that these people have a real interest in creating music with their hands and are now doing it in a superficial way. Also, and I won’t name names, but I have one friend who seems to think that getting a high score on Guitar Hero equates musical prowess. I’m sorry, but it does not. I am also aware that shooting at birds in Duck Hunt is probably nothing like actually shooting a duck, but I don’t think that duck hunt is keeping would be hunters from learning that skill. Even with DJ Hero real DJs will tell you that the game and actually spinning and mixing records are nothing alike.

So kudos Jeff Beck! Stay true to Gibson and Fender!