Hammond Music

Posts Tagged ‘gaming’

With the future release of Band Hero on its way to the DS the real question to ask is are all of these games getting too much or is there actually a demand for them?

Well when it was announced that Guitar Hero was on its way to the DS there was actually a bit of excitement as it was the first time that a game like this had made its way onto a hand held console. This game actually came with a lot of problems.

The big problem with all of this is that the controller attachment for the console has not been designed very well so it actually hurts to play after a while. Although no one has gone out and proved for a fact that this game will actually damage the hands when you are playing it, if you were to actually play this game for a long period of time the hands really do start to get in a lot of pain. Other problems like not being able to pick a favorite guitar like the Gibson les Paul Custom

When the drum add on came into the game it started to get slightly better as you didnt always have to go around hurting yourself when you played the game, however the add on wasnt needed as you could just use the screen.

With the new update of Band Hero there is still no way at all that you can play it on the DSi, sure you can play the drums but it is the guitar that people are interested in? Well it’s the same old same old really with the ability to sing too which is going to please everyone on the bus I’m sure.

How long is it before they start to introduce silly things like DJ equipment and a bass guitar amp.

That’s right, forget Guitar Hero and Rock Band as this is a game in which using a plastic guitar is not needed at all. There are no skills in the guitar instrument and not large spaces needed for this one. So what game is it?

Brutal legend of course, the game world is actually set around the classic rock covers and the main character is voiced by the very funny Jack Black. By no means is this a game for the children, it comes with a 18 certificate plastered upon it however you do have an option to play without the swearing. Not sure why anyone would do this, then again perhaps if you are playing it in front of children without the swearing it may actually be an acceptable game.

of course an 18 certificate isnt just about the swearing, there is a lot of violence in this game and however fun it may be, do not let your kids play it. The multiplayer element of the game is a lot different to what you would normally expect. This part of the game is more about thinking about your strategy as you have to spawn an army of follwers and send them off to fight.

The weapons in the game include a gigantic battle axe and one of those awesome looking guitars that you see in classic rock. It is not really based on one of those Bass Guitars or Electric Guitars but is a combination of all things rock.

As well as Jack Black there are many other stars that have been cast for this game that include Tim Curry, Lita Ford and the legendary Ozzy Osbourne. This game really does have a brilliant and gripping storyline that contains many funny moments.

With DJ Hero close to release what are its chances against its own company?? Not very likely. There are several reasons for this and they are as followed.

Guitar Hero has a very successful back log of games that seem to out sell the past instalment every time a new increase to the franchise is released. On a internet poll it has shown that far more people are interested in a rock game over a DJ game. However with the release of Band Hero the pop market of songs is also going to be thrown out there so the company are actually competing against themselves in three different ways in under 4 months.

However it is certain that DJ Hero is going to be unique. The game itself is going to be at around £90 and comes with a DJ turntable controller that will let you mix and scratch your way through over one hundred songs ranging from 80s all the way to Motown and Rock. There are many artists already confirmed

50 cent
The Aranbee Pop Symphony Orchestra
Dizzee Rascal
Gwen Stefani
David Bowie
Gorillaz

However like the Guitar Hero games it is recommended that if you are actually already a DJ that you do not go and trade in your DJ Speakers and DJ Software for this game in the same way trading in your musical instruments for Guitar Hero was not a good idea.

However the game itself looks like it could be a big success to the people who are interested in being a DJ but cannot afford to take the time and money to take it up as a full time job. Just like playing the guitar, being a DJ takes a lot of time and effort to do and this is just in place for people to have a bit of fun with in the holiday season and beyond.

With more and more Guitar Hero games coming out with the recent release of number five has it stopped people from being free to learn an actual musical instruments?

Guitar Hero five has done very well for itself so far and could be set to top the records for the biggest selling one of the franchise yet. But what is the appeal of these games and why do people play them rather than take the time to learn the real instruments?

The timing it takes to learn a real instrument is a big reason why this game has been a success. The time it takes to learn an instrument is also key to the reason it has become a success. People lead busy lives and although playing Guitar Hero on expert takes a lot of time, you can just get home and jump into a couple of songs rather than spending hours to learn.

Guitar Hero itself was a huge success before MTV had even thought about Rock Band? By this stage Guitar Hero has already had more than three games out in that sector of the market.. Guitar Hero itself was a huge success before EA had even thought about Rock Band. If you are playing a real guitar then you are either very good or cannot play. With all of this in mind what is the big appeal? Playing Guitar Hero itself is a lot easier than learning how to play an instrument; you can set the difficulty level from beginner all the way up to expert so there is a skill level for everyone. However if you are playing a real guitar you are either good or bad.

It is not really cheaper in the long run as you are constantly paying out cash for the new games and instruments and what with the new DJ Hero as well as Band Hero on the way, is the company just taking the success for granted?

Surely DJ hero is not going to persuade people to turn off their {DJ lights} and trade in those DJ headphones just to play the game at all. Only time will tell.

The real truth behind it is that now bands will actually go up and approach MTV as well as Activision to be in the games Guitar Hero and Rock Band but there was a time in which they had to go around begging bands to allow them to use the songs in the games. This is more so for Guitar Hero when they were looking to release the first game as artists did not feel comfortable handing over master recordings to a company on the outside. Although some of the bands did actually allow for some covers to be done for the game. They had absolutely no idea that the game would become the success it did even with the cover versions. But then came the almost inevitable number two and bands started to let them use master recordings so by the time three was on its way out bands were approaching Activision? What had happened to make this happen??

Well the truth behind it is that because bands were appearing in a game that millions of gamers were now playing they were receiving more publicity and more record sales. However there are still a few bands out there that refuse to be in the game saying that playing the real thing is better and some are still not wanting to give up master recordings. Led Zeppelin are one of the biggest rock bands of all time and are the main band refusing to be in Rock Band or Guitar Hero as they are uneasy with handing over recordings to complete strangers. Of course they could always do what the Sex Pistols did and just rerecord it which is what happened when they found out the original tapes were missing.

Nothing can beat original, real guitars so why not pick up one of those electro acoustic guitars or perhaps even an ultra cool electric guitars and get learning in the right way.

It is true to say that nearly everyone loves a bit of a sing song every now and again. It doesn’t matter if you can sing or not, singing is a great way to boost a mood.

Singing has been raised through the roof over the past five years or so through television shows such as Britain/America’s got talent as well as American Idol and the X-Factor. These shows have encouraged many to go in and audition with the chance of becoming a huge star themselves. The most successful of all of these seems to have been Kelly Clarkson but it is also true to say that without these shows these singers would almost certainly still be unheard of today.

Of course many people will enjoy having a sing along with just themselves but many also love to sing with their friends too. So if you think you are actually half decent at singing why not buy one of those microphones, start singing and get ready to do something about it! There are many brands out there like Shure and AKG that are perfect for experienced or inexperienced singers and with the right sound system you could really get started.

{Trying out for one of these shows could actually put you where you want to be}? It’s tough to get a break if you can actually sing but if you really can chances are you will at least get through to the first round which is very useful as record companies will have front row seats to your performance. It never hurts to give it a go and if you really beliee you have the skills to become a professional singer then there should be no reason at all why you cannot do something about it,.

Of course the alternative is simply buying Lips for the Xbox 360 or Sony’s equivalent of Singstar if you would rather simply enjoy a sing along to your favourite songs.

If it is rock music you are interested in and have never played a instrument or Rock Band then it is safe to say it is well worth a try. Although in comparison is it is nothing to a real instrument it is certainly worth having a go as it is a laugh with a few friends. Let's be honest here, the whole point of the game is to have fun.

Although Rock Band can be enjoyed alone it is a lot better when you have a coulple of players bashing out some serious rock along with you. Another benefit to the game is you can choose your would be favourite instrument whether that is guitar, drums, bass as well as one of those fancy microphones being thrown in too. Of course there is also the benefit that the game can be played online with friends or if they are not online can be played with anyone in the world which is is great if you feel like rocking out at 3 in the morning.

Of course it is all fun and games but it is true that you should never rule out playing a real instrument. Although it really is not easy, quick and is almost certainly going to take lot of patience and training the outcome will be much beter than using a fake guitar to bash out a couple of songs on game. If its singing you are into then an AKG microphone or even a Akai drum sequencer could be what you are after.

There is no age limit in which you can have lessons to learn how to play an instrument. Of course Rock Band cannot be compared to the real thing and the company are not trying to say this, they just want everyone to have the chance to hammer out their favourite rock songs which of course is certainly nothing to moan about at all. Next time you’re playing Rock Band, Guitar Hero or any other of the music games have a long hard think and consider actually learning to play.

It is of course true that you can buy DJ software for use in the home nowadays. There are various things for beginners like EJ as well as things for the more experienced DJ as well.

The only real problem with this is that they tend to be pretty expensive so the question is, are the expensive price tags worth it? But of course if you have always wanted to be a DJ then it comes without saying that the technology is worth the money.

Native Instruments TRAKTOR SCRATCH PRO is one of the major brands to look at. What comes with this package is a comprehensive library of ready to scratch sounds so the limits are endless. Over 700 MB of sounds recorded in 24 bit / 96 kHz audio quality as well as including lots of sounds for solo scratching as well as sound FX, tunes for juggling, loops and more. The pricing for this is quite steep at around £500 but you do get a lot for the money.

Of course if you cannot afford this or are not that interested in being a DJ but always wanted to have a go at it then Activision are releasing a gaming equivalent of DJ equipment this fall. With the success of World Tour they have taken the art of being a DJ into their hands and by the looks of it so far it is shaping up very nicely indeed. It is set to include all the major artists around at the moment and of course the most famous from the past. Another benefit to this is that the current guitar controller is going to be compatible.

So if you are interested in being a DJ whether it is real serious Disco Jockeying you are into or even the gaming partner there is something out there for you, of course there is always the M-audio out there as well to help with those drum beats.