Is it considered arrogant and/or rude to chastise someone for bragging about being skilled at guitar hero, when you are proficient at the real guitar? I get especially riled up when people brag about playing "raining blood" on expert when I've known how to play the song for 3 years now, and I kinda want to see if I was making more of an ass out of myself than usual.

No, I hear you completely. I, too, tire of these people who can go off on tangents forever on how stunning they are at Guitar Hero when someone who can ACTUALLY play a song on a guitar is not more than three feet from them.

Perhaps a good way to shut them up would be hand them a NON-Fisher Price guitar and say "Here. Dazzle me."

But to answer your question, no, Franco, you aren't being an ass. You're justifiably irritated. Like thousands of others.

I tried learning to play guitar back in high school, but my fingers are surprisingly retarded.I'm not even all that good at guitar hero once it goes past easy.

Also, no you aren't rude, people who brag about being able to play a hard song with a scaled down plastic guitar controller need rocks thrown at them.

At this stage in the game, it's sorta like having someone whose a champion runner in the Olympics talk shit to somebody who can win at the Special Olympics. Yeah, you're better than them...but in the end you're still picking on a handicap person.

VikingRhetoric:
I tried learning to play guitar back in high school, but my fingers are surprisingly retarded.I'm not even all that good at guitar hero once it goes past easy.

Also, no you aren't rude, people who brag about being able to play a hard song with a scaled down plastic guitar controller need rocks thrown at them.

Sounds like Joey Ramone XD

It's totally cool when someone says they can play Raining Blood on expert and you go, I can play it on a Gibson Flying V.

Personally, I would consider it bad taste to make fun of someone who's good at something that is COMPLETELY different from a real guitar. As a skilled Guitar Hero player myself (and yes, I also play real guitar), I don't believe that GH players consider themselves amazing rockers for being good at a videogame. It would be like making fun of an expert DDR player for not being able to dance in real life. Believe me, he doesn't think that he can.

Real guitarists need to chill out. We know that you guys have dedicated years of your life to being able to play an instrument for real, and we respect that. What you all need to understand is that we are just playing a game. We aren't going to take over the music industry with our colorful button pushing, we're just having fun, and enjoy being good at something, since most of us can't do it for real.

If you do find a Guitar Hero player who thinks that having 1337 skillz at the game automatically means that they are ready to be in a band, feel free to dis the hell out of em.

The Franco:
Is it considered arrogant and/or rude to chastise someone for bragging about being skilled at guitar hero, when you are proficient at the real guitar? I get especially riled up when people brag about playing "raining blood" on expert when I've known how to play the song for 3 years now, and I kinda want to see if I was making more of an ass out of myself than usual.

yes. you are a pillock to get narky with people.
It's a game.
Real guitar is different.
Get a grip.

Guitar Hero and a real guitar are two differant skills. There was a guitarist (can't remember who, though I bet somebody around here will know), who failed his own song. Why? Because they are not the same thing. Being able to play "Raining Blood" on GH is as much as an accomplishment as playing it on a real guitar. Maybe even more so, considering how few people can do it.

What I ask people who think as you do, and what I ask you now is, can you play "Raining Blood" or "Through the Fire and Flames" on expert mode, and do as well as you can on a real guitar?

Being good at Guitar Hero, just like anything, be it videogame, guitar, or even mowing the lawn, is a skill, and having that skill is somthing to be proud of. And in my oppinion, anybody that puts down another person for having a skill that they consider "stupid", is an ignorant, close minded-ass, and will always be an ignorant, close-minded ass. I mean, after all, would you look at somebody who was good at Viva Piņata, and say "Well, thats all fine and dandy, now take this stick and try to impress me with the REAL thing"?

I agree that people saying that talent about this would be annoying to people who do have talent, but to be honest, I've never seen anyone do that. I only do it occasionally to piss my brother off ("oh, you've master Smoke On The Water? C'mere and look at this").

But still, some of the game does come down to natural ability. Like every stealth game will require some brainpower to figure out the way to get through the White House without being strangled by Marines, so too does Guitar Hero require natural rythym and finger dexterity in order to excel at. However, I will agree that people who try to say that they can play a real guitar, having played Guitar Hero, are assholes.

Plus, with Rock Band, people who can do expert on the Vocals or Drums really do deserve the praise.

Indigo_Dingo:

I agree that these people did not put in the time and effort...

Ya, you go ahead and FC all the songs on expert, and then try and tell us how little time and effort went into it. I'm not saying that it is more of an accomplishment to master Guitar Hero rather then a real guitar, but to dismiss that sort of talent entirely, well, see to my above post.

Fixed.

And it was Buckethead who failed Jordan.

The Franco:
Is it considered arrogant and/or rude to chastise someone for bragging about being skilled at guitar hero, when you are proficient at the real guitar? I get especially riled up when people brag about playing "raining blood" on expert when I've known how to play the song for 3 years now, and I kinda want to see if I was making more of an ass out of myself than usual.

It depends on how arrogant the guy was. If he clearly didn't see a difference between real guitar and guitar hero and was talking smack then go ahead and kick his face in. If he was just psyched to be good at a difficult game then you were being an ass.
It helps to use the same analogy with gun games. I suspect that while some ex-soldiers might feel that CS/CoD 4/whatever trivialises war, few would put down a guy who just mentioned that he's really good at FPSes. That'd just be pricky.

qbert4ever:
I mean, after all, would you look at somebody who was good at Viva Piņata, and say "Well, thats all fine and dandy, now take this stick and try to impress me with the REAL thing"?

I have to admit in the end I was a prat, and that's a funny quote. My attitude towards guitar hero is a little biased, it does take time and skill (I suck at it, which I blame on the "Randy Marsh Syndrome"). So maybe in time I will learn to adapt. After all, guitar is super hard to learn. It's expensive and takes a lot of patience. Oh, and did I mention expensive?

The question is, why do you feel that a videogame has to inherently help you in real life?

Does halo give you the idea you might be a space marine? Did splinter cell make you a better spy?

It's a videogame. Not a training exercise, just another game. It's annoying that when a developer decides to spice up a boring and derrivative genre(rhythm based games) with a cool control scheme, everyone rags on it. I play this these games because they're fun and not because I think I might pick up some skills from playing it.

Playing twinkle twinkle little star on a real guitar > raining blood on GH

I play the guitar.

I also play guitar hero.

They're both completely different, but both completely awesome.

When I do well at guitar hero it feels great, but I by no means think that my guitar skill has increased.

I was also not suprised when I couldn't play Monkey Wrench on Expert first time, despite being able to play it on the guitar.

I'll say it again. They're both completely different.

It's like a guy in the army getting pissed about someone who's good at CoD 4.

Edit: oh, and qbert? I think that might've been Gene Simmons.

This thread makes me think of the Guitar Queer-o episode of South Park.

I am a big Guitar Hero fan and i never brag about completing a song or anything like that. It's a game, a bit of fun and that is all it amounts to. I can't play a real guitar for love or money (though believe me I try). My best friend is an extremely good guitarist but would endlessly chastise me for owning Guitar Hero. Though he did end this when I pointed out that I have endless respect for actual musical talent rather than someone pressing 5 buttons in tune. I know expert is hard work but lets see you guys master these songs for real. All respect to guitarists and yes, you should chastise the arrogant GH players for thinking their the mutt's nuts!

As an afterthought, a different friend said Guitar Hero is killing the music industry as young people would rather play the Fisher Price version of Guitar as opposed to the real deal. Am I alone in thinking he is talking out of his backside?

Almightyjoe:

GrimRox:

As an afterthought, a different friend said Guitar Hero is killing the music industry as young people would rather play the Fisher Price version of Guitar as opposed to the real deal. Am I alone in thinking he is talking out of his backside?

see my post above yours, guitar lessons go down, music synth sales go up. Its a documented and somewhat horrifying, somewhat beautiful event

Thats the intuitive end result, which is horribly wrong. Sales of the instant coolness machine and Lessons have actually increased since the 2md one came out.

Almightyjoe:

GrimRox:

As an afterthought, a different friend said Guitar Hero is killing the music industry as young people would rather play the Fisher Price version of Guitar as opposed to the real deal. Am I alone in thinking he is talking out of his backside?

see my post above yours, guitar lessons go down, music synth sales go up. Its a documented and somewhat horrifying, somewhat beautiful event

Documented? Link me, plz. This sounds interesting.
In my own anecdotal evidence I have to say that where once I had no interest even in thinking about guitars now I'm musing over buying one-once I have the obscene amount of money- and learning. Guitar Hero alone can take credit for that.
Well also a friend who plays guitar but only very slightly.

Saskwach:

Almightyjoe:

GrimRox:

As an afterthought, a different friend said Guitar Hero is killing the music industry as young people would rather play the Fisher Price version of Guitar as opposed to the real deal. Am I alone in thinking he is talking out of his backside?

see my post above yours, guitar lessons go down, music synth sales go up. Its a documented and somewhat horrifying, somewhat beautiful event

Documented? Link me, plz. This sounds interesting.
In my own anecdotal evidence I have to say that where once I had no interest even in thinking about guitars now I'm musing over buying one-once I have the obscene amount of money- and learning. Guitar Hero alone can take credit for that.
Well also a friend who plays guitar but only very slightly.

Thats ussually what happens - Guitar Hero gives people a taste of the smell of the hairspray, the roar of the toilet you're throwing up in, turning them onto the real thing.

i reckon it depends on the way someone has meant it. Alot of other ppl have already said this but if they are saying that their good at the game thats fine but when they're comparing the game and the real thing that just makes them look like idiots.

Also with the idea that guitar hero and other such things will get rid of the real life skill, i can't see it doing so. It may stop some ppl/alot of ppl from playing who knows? If it does, at least it may get rid of some of the worse "guitar" players.

i think everyone gets the fact that playing a real guitar is a shit load harder than playing guitar hero, of course it is. Compared to 5 buttons you have six strings and 20 frets (least my acoutsic does, can't be certain about electric).

I know someone who can play hangar 18 on electric, and then someone who can play it on expert on gh 2. Guess who has more of my respect.

But lest we not forget that not everyone can play guitar. Guitar hero is designed for all those people who can't, simulating something they will never have because they simply aren't capable of playing guitar. If he was bragging about the fact he could play raining blood on guitar hero at expert, well done him, it is an achievement. Let them have their moment. The best thing about guitar hero "legends" is that they pick up real guitars and look like you've given them a brain that needs some surgery. I know people can play both, but leave those who can only play guitar hero alone. You've achieved more than them and everyone knows it, all their doing is trying to have a taste of your glory.

When I pick up a Guitar Hero controller and play along with songs that I've already learned on electric - or even not - everything breaks my head. The rhythm of the guitar line you hear, never quite matches up with what they ask you to play. The way the solos are the same 5 buttons as the verse, but faster. The extreme whammy bar-age whenever a note is held for longer than a micronanosecond, irrespective of whether it sounds good.

At first, I thought I was so much better than this stupid game and promptly gave up. But, I was envious of those who could ace Guitar Hero.

The reason is, that Guitar Hero is not a guitar simulator. It's Dance Dance Revolution for your fingers.

And I'm awful at DDR.

I dont think they can be compared, at all. Ive been playing the guitar for about 10 years now and you wouldnt believe how completely shit at guitar hero I am. However, Im not really impressed with people who are good at it, if I put just a fraction of the time and effort Ive put into learning the guitar in to it, Id be awesome.

qbert4ever:
Being able to play "Raining Blood" on GH is as much as an accomplishment as playing it on a real guitar. Maybe even more so, considering how few people can do it.

No way. As McMo0^ said, there are a mere 5 buttons you have on guitar hero, but 6 six strings and 22 frets on an electric guitar, giving a total of 132 notes. When guitar hero features 132 buttons on the fret board at takes other things into consideration such as chords and rhythm, then the two could be compared.

Unless they are puffing up because they won, bragging about being good at a game is stupid. No one cares. Well, unless you are a professional paid gamer.
However, if they are rubbing it in because they beat you, that's OK. Talking smack and reveling in victory is all part of playing against your friends.
Keep in mind that people are proud of their accomplishments no matter how lame we may see them. Also, being a braggart because you can play guitar and they can't makes you an ass.
I can play guitar fairly well. I still don't rub that in my bro's face every time he schools me or destroys my score at GH.

It's really dependent on the situation. Some guy that thinks he's a rock star 'cause he five starred every song on expert is an ass. A guy who is proud that he did it and tells you about it without being a dick.. nothing wrong with that. Hell, if I could beat a single F! song on expert, I would shout it to the world.

Telling people that they should play the real guitar instead of Guitar Hero is like saying they should stop bragging about their skill in Madden or CoD4 and join the real NFL or the real military. In short, these are the things non-gamers say to make gamers feel more like geeks than they already do. So well done there. It's just another form of showing off how much bigger your d*$% is than theirs.

Video games are about escapism, and doing things that you don't normally do. Playing Guitar Hero, as I understand the game, isn't about thinking you can play the guitar, it's just a way for anyone to feel like they can interactively experience music.

- J

qbert4ever:
Guitar Hero and a real guitar are two differant skills. There was a guitarist (can't remember who, though I bet somebody around here will know), who failed his own song. Why? Because they are not the same thing. Being able to play "Raining Blood" on GH is as much as an accomplishment as playing it on a real guitar. Maybe even more so, considering how few people can do it.

Just no. Playing Raining Blood with 5 buttons and a strum button is not the same accomplishment as playing it on a guitar with six strings, 22 frets and no on-screen notation to hold your hand. Playing on expert may be a skill, but playing it on guitar is even more so. You actually make the notes you hear, the vibrato comes from your own fingers, the chugging notes come from your own palm-muting.

I mean, after all, would you look at somebody who was good at Viva Piņata, and say "Well, thats all fine and dandy, now take this stick and try to impress me with the REAL thing"?

I would if that somebody was looking down on real life Pinata's, and was under the delusion that the two are somehow related.

Best thing I can suggest is to watch either of these videos:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=WEL6_SuQCu8&feature=related

http://youtube.com/watch?v=8akmP6Sjv2o

Guitar Hero can give you the illusion of greatness, of being a guitar-god. But you'll never be able to play the songs in the game the way Buckethead and Metallica play their songs with such passion and excitement. That's true guitar heroics right there.

Okay so a few things here..

If you were a pro football player would you pay out someone when they started to brag about how good they are at FIFA07? Just like just because your a pro footballer doesnt mean your good at FIFA.

The same with guitar hero. They way im seeing this is you think less of the person beacuse he can nail Raining Blood. Its a totaly diffrent skill which requires totaly diffrent abilitys. I guess there are a few things that cross over.. Finger dex and timing but thats about it

I'm a bassist, and one of my housemates is a guitarist, we're both fairly accomplished... we both enjoy the hell out of Guitar Hero/Rock Band and can do most songs on Expert (save for that nasty last tier in GH3! Damn you, Raining Blood/Cliffs of Dover!), and our conclusion is that the Guitar Hero "guitar" is a separate instrument entirely, and being good at it has nothing to do with being good at actual instruments save for practiced fret-hand dexterity/strength, maybe. As such, anyone talking down to people who can do well at GH "because it's not a real guitar" has no valid argument. Conversely, anyone who thinks that they would be good at real guitar by virtue of being good at GH is crazy. I can confirm this: I've tried to learn a few lines on the guitar, and my bass-programmed brain does nothing but trip over itself every time... haha...

The Franco:
Is it considered arrogant and/or rude to chastise someone for bragging about being skilled at guitar hero, when you are proficient at the real guitar? I get especially riled up when people brag about playing "raining blood" on expert when I've known how to play the song for 3 years now, and I kinda want to see if I was making more of an ass out of myself than usual.

actually i think it's hilarious to bug guitarists about stuff like that, cause they aren't realizing IT'S A GAME

if you don't understand that, get a freaking grip on yourself, seriously. IT'S A GAME and doesn't make you a musician. yes they are saying they are really good at PLAYING A GAME not PLAYING AN INSTRUMENT

tho for some real funny stuff check out scott ian from anthrax failing at guitar hero on a song he wrote
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DlnP-LJBzUc

by the same token do race car drivers get their panties in a twist by saying how awesome you ran the manaco grand prix? i'll guarantee they don't

same goes for nba players and nfl players with ppl playing nba 2k or the latest madden? no they don't

so honestly if you get your panties in a twist about someone playing a game, get a life

I'd just like to give my two cents and just say that the one thing that annoys me more than anything else related to GH is people who say "You're wasting your life, learn to play a real guitar!"
That's a stupid argument. It's just a fun game, it's fun to play, and I guarantee that the majority of people playing it are well aware that they're not learning to play an actual instrument.
I have Guitar Hero, and I do play it every now again, but I also have an actual guitar- I'm by no means good at it, but I'm about as good as you can expect with only a year's worth of experience- and enjoy playing it. It's really two completely different things- Guitar Hero enables you to play along on a plastic controller to rock songs, and there's nothing wrong with that. The one thing that a guitar can do that GH can not, though, is enable free expression. You can't write music on a Guitar Hero controller.
The point here is that there's no validity to saying that you shouldn't play Guitar Hero because you could play a real guitar instead, although admittedly this thread was about something slightly different.
I believe there was an XKCD on the subject...
Found it.

I think you're right, the guys that brag that they completed Throught the fire and the flames on expert at 98% are fucking insane, really, it's only a casual game, something to play around with your friends or while bored.