After reading an article in Newsweek by Stephen Levy (2007) concerning the "revolutionary" consequences of the video game entitled Guitar Hero, I started weighing one particular claim that at first, I didn't doubt: The idea goes something like this... The aforementioned video game with which everyone loves to jam can afford the amateur playing the game a sort of "virtual" talent (although that is merely my translation to one of the major tenets of the article). If I am not that far off of what Levy actually is saying, or more accurately, quoting a CEO for Gibson Guitar, the flip side to the glorious reality of all these people being artistically satisfied by not putting the hard work into learning an instrument, I personally feel, are sometimes being cheated. Whereas Yamaha Pianos goes so far as to actually duplicate an acoustic piano's hammer actions in the Disklavier, I am not sure Guitar Hero has the same artistic-ended goal as Yamaha. Who am I to judge? This is a blog and I think it is good to at least bounce the idea around. What do any of you out there think? I can't wait to find out. More importantly, I suppose, is the why you think what you think. I would love to have someone argue for or against Guitar Hero as an artistic tool to create guitar players. Notice I said guitar players, not players of a video game! That is the heart of the issue: Not only is this not "real" music. It is also a great way for the video game to be sold. Who is not seduced by ads such as one that claims you could master an instrument (whatever the instrument is) in just "ten easy lessons"? At least, you are probably seduced until reason sets in. Am I correct or being too sadistic? Let me know. I'm dying to hear from you!
The reason I classify this particular rant as guitar ensembles is not overly complex. It is, however, much more positive than anything I have blogged so far. There are millions of non-guitar players spending hours on Guitar Hero. So, they are playing (oftentimes) the same hits that the person down the street is playing on it and so forth. That has to speak for something. At least people are being brought together in a new technological way who share similar tastes for certain musical numbers. More to the point is a truly delightful experience I had in a particular course while I was working on my undergraduate degree. My professor had the pleasure of inviting a middle school guitar class from a local public high school for our class one day. That was one of the best musical performances I have ever heard! If that strikes you as odd, think of all the different groups I have heard during my lifetime: I traveled to Cincinnati to a live performance of Sarah McLachlan before she was really very well-known in Cincinnati, I have gone to hear the occasional local band - none of which were half as good as Red Wanting Blue, I loved the Perry Como of our generation, known for his "self-titled" Dave concerts (and this one was at Polaris, a venue which had its name changed to the Germain Amphitheater), a riveting concert by Michael Feinstein (since he was probably possessed by the living spirit of Billy Joel the night I saw him), the Canadian Brass, a touring Irish bagpipe group, Nigel Kennedy, a Russian pianist by the name of Alexander Peskanov (who moved the concert grand piano several feet, a result of a rather aggressive style of playing during that performance), the popular piano duo of Ferrante and Teicher, the very relaxed Pearl Jam, and the list goes on and on and on. I had no idea a guitar choir would be so amazing. Am I just a choral fanatic? That is probably not the reason since the thought of a double reed choir does not excite me. To be fair, I have never heard a performance of a double reed choir that excited me which means I am up for the challenge. If there are any superb links to a double reed choir, I would love to change my mind! Please do post a link below no matter what you have as a contribution.
