Legal Niches

Guitar Games Inspire Kids to Try the Real Thing, Says Instructor

By gamepolitics

While some critics maintain that there is very little connection between playing a real guitar and tapping out note combos on Rock Band or Guitar Hero, a Pennsylvania music instructor would disagree.

The Johnstown Tribune-Democrat interviewed guitar teacher Bo Moore, who claims to have seen a 35% increase in new students over the last two years:

A lot of kids have been getting into [guitar lessons] because of games, especially ‘Guitar Hero. Kids who might never have become interested in learning to play the guitar are now coming to us... The game is a completely different concept from playing a real guitar, but it does help with dexterity in their fingers.

Kids are coming to me wanting to learn to play, which is wonderful... It's nice that bands like Foghat, the Steve Miller Band and the Rolling Stones are cool again. Kids come here focused and with a game plan.

For guitar players, it's all about songs like ‘Smoke on the Water' and ‘Sweet Home Alabama...' And what's great about some of those power chords – the garage rock songs – is that they're relatively easy to play. If that inspires a kid to pick up an instrument, I think it's great.

Full post as published by GamePolitics.com on May 11, 2009 (boomark / email).