Fender: Survey Shows Music Games Drive Students To Play Real Instruments

An informal survey conducted last November by Fender and music education organization Little Kids Rock found that games like "Rock Band" and "Guitar Hero" inspire more students towards wanting to play real instruments.

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Today Fender and Little Kids Rock, a non-profit music education organization, announced that an informal survey they conducted in November 2008 revealed that music games like "Rock Band" and "Guitar Hero" actually do inspire students to play real instruments. The survey polled 812 music instructors and said that enrollment in music programs has increased in the past year.

This information corroborates what Harmonix co-founder Alex Rigopulos had stated earlier in an interview with The New York Times.

"It is extremely gratifying and a true realization of Harmonix's vision to see Fender's Little Kids Rock Survey highlight the fact that music games like 'Rock Band' are helping to influence and encourage people to pick up and learn how to play real instruments," Rigopulos said in the press release.

Read the full press release below for the details:

Fender®, Little Kids Rock™ Survey Results Show Positive
music instruction Effects of Music Video Games

Canvass of music educators shows that Rock Band™ and Guitar Hero® video games
help drive students toward playing real instruments

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. (Jan. 15, 2009) – An informal November 2008 survey by Fender and Montclair, N.J.-based non-profit music education organization Little Kids Rock™ shows that the popular Rock Band™ and Guitar Hero® video games may be "instrumental" in helping drive some students toward playing real instruments.

The joint survey informally polled 812 music instructors nationwide who are affiliated with Little Kids Rock™, which provides musical instruments and music instruction to schools and school districts with a high percentage of kids who otherwise would receive little or no in-class music education.

Of the 812 instructors contacted, 517 responded, a showing of roughly 63 percent. Among the instructors surveyed, 94.6 percent of their students were in the 8-13 age group (3.3 percent age 4-7 years, 50 percent age 8-10 years, 44.6 percent age 11-13, 14.1 percent age 14-16, 4.3 percent age 17 and older).

Fender and Little Kids Rock™ conducted the four-question survey in response to the oft-debated question of whether or not games such as Rock Band™ and Guitar Hero® function as gateways for kids to take up real musical instruments; whether they spark or subvert the interest of children in formal music education. Specifically, the questions concerned the perceived effects of the Rock Band™ and Guitar Hero® video games on enrollment in courses for guitar, bass guitar and drum instruction.

The survey questions as posed and the results as phrased seem to indicate that these games may indeed be having positive effects on student interest in and participation in music classes.

"It's not surprising that these results reflect the gamers' true desire to play the real instruments," said Bob Morris, Fender’s director of music education.

To the first question, "In the past year, as a result of Rock Band™ and Guitar Hero®, has enrollment increased, decreased or stayed the same for guitar, bass and drums?" 67.1 percent of the responding instructors indicated that they felt that their guitar program enrollment has increased as a result (with 2.2 responding "decreased" and 30.7 responding "remained the same"); 46 percent felt that their bass program enrollment has increased as a result (with 4.3 responding "decreased" and 49.4 responding "remained the same"), and 52 percent felt that their drum program enrollment has increased as a result (with 4.2 responding "decreased" and 43.6 responding "remained the same").

To the second question, "Do you feel that the Rock Band™ and Guitar Hero® video games have had a positive effect on your music classroom?" 78 percent of responding instructors indicated that they felt that Rock Band™ and Guitar Hero® have indeed had a positive effect.

To the third question, "Have you seen a shift towards students wanting to learn classic guitar-based rock as a result of Rock Band™ and Guitar Hero®?" 88 percent of responding instructors indicated that they felt that the two games have caused such a shift.

To the fourth and final question, "Do you feel that Rock Band™ and Guitar Hero® would help in attracting new students to your classroom?" 95 percent of responding instructors indicated in the affirmative; that they felt the two games would help attract new students.

"We hope to use this information to identify potential products and promotional opportunities that will help transition gamers into musicians," said Clay Lyons, Fender business affairs manager. "While feedback from music dealers is important, lessons indicate a greater commitment to learning an instrument. We also plan to use these results to illustrate to music retailers that an opportunity awaits them. And with over two-thirds of their students under the age of 13, this offers us retail opportunities with entry-level products at mass merchants. As important is the overwhelming buy-in from instructors—95 percent felt that this is and will help their business. Overall a positive indicator that yes, these games are influencing consumers to learn to play instruments."

In response to the survey results, Little Kids Rock™ founder and executive director David Wish said, "Why do people play air guitar? Because they wish they could actually play! It seems pretty obvious that these games increase the interest. However, access to real instruments remains as critical as ever. A child's interest is not enough—that’s why Little Kids Rock brings free instruments and lessons to children in our public schools."

Alex Rigopulos, CEO and co-founder of Harmonix Music Systems, which produces Rock Band™, said, "It is extremely gratifying and a true realization of Harmonix's vision to see Fender's Little Kids Rock Survey™ highlight the fact that music games like Rock Band™ are helping to influence and encourage people to pick up and learn how to play real instruments.

"As a company that is made up of mostly of actual musicians, we take a great deal of pride in the authenticity of the musical experience that we offer through the design and game-play of the Rock Band™ platform," Rigopulos added. "Through our games, we hope to continue to bridge the gap between simulated and real musicianship; hopefully inspiring a whole new generation of musicians."

What say you, music game players? Are you ready to enroll in the School of Rock, too?

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