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Harmonix's Alex Rigopulos says that "Rock Band" has encouraged more people to learn how to play real instruments. He also speaks briefly on The Beatles licensing.
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Answering questions for The New York Times' Freakonomics blog, Alex Rigopulos, co-founder of MTV Games-owned developer Harmonix, asserted that "Rock Band"'s singing gameplay helps people become better singers. And though the drums aren't exactly like playing real drums, he's "continually seeing people migrate from 'Rock Band' onto real drums naturally."
As for the guitar, he admits it's "a far more abstracted version of the real thing," but players will still learn basic music skills such as a sense of rhythm. He told The Times:
"We don't see 'Rock Band' as an educational tool for guitar so much as an inspirational tool. Most people who try to learn guitar quit soon after, because their initial experience is just frustratingly difficult. By giving people a taste of what lies on the other side, we're inspiring them to invest themselves in learning the instrument for real. The game isn't a substitute, it's a stimulus. I’ve had many guitar instructors now tell me that their business has heated up over the past couple of years, and most of their new students got motivated by their experience playing 'Rock Band' or 'Guitar Hero.'"
Rigopulos also answers questions about everything from licensing The Beatles for this year's music game ("No small undertaking," he said) to how games are no longer "the province of nerdy boys."
He added, "During the coming years we will continue to try to bridge the gap between simulated musicianship and real musicianship."
Has "Rock Band" or "Guitar Hero" inspired you to pick up a real instrument? If so, how'd that work out for you?
[The "Guitar Hero" Answers Your Questions, via Kotaku]
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