React's Guitar Hero pedals mean you're potentially taking this too seriously

Here's one that needs little explanation: one pedal activates Star Power, the other one fiddles with the whammy bar. That keeps your arms and fingers free to Guitar Hero, and since the React Standalone Pedal is wireless and works with any PS2 guitar, you shouldn't have too much hassle tossing this on to your garishly patterned carpet and proceeding to rock. It's available now for $25.

[Via Joystiq]

[tehcypress @ Jan 31st 2008 9:47AM]

1st post!

[jared @ Jan 31st 2008 10:09AM]

I'm only replying so you get an annoying email saying somebody replied.

[SimonRichards @ Jan 31st 2008 10:46AM]

Me too. Lets keep this going!

[danny @ Jan 31st 2008 10:51AM]

Free Viagra!
Increase your size!!

(now it's officially a spam email)

-D

[Matt O @ Jan 31st 2008 10:58AM]

haha good idea

[michael @ Jan 31st 2008 11:02AM]

Is "1st post" a big deal?

[John B @ Jan 31st 2008 11:08AM]

Michael, it's only a big deal to puerile cretins who keep confusing Slashdot with Engadget.

[Galley @ Jan 31st 2008 11:10AM]

If you were the first man to uh... jump a garbage truck over the Grand Canyon, now that would be a "first" to celebrate. Being first to reply to a blog post is not.

[roach @ Jan 31st 2008 11:29AM]

more emails!

[emailtabs @ Jan 31st 2008 11:29AM]

I'm with these guys.

Its not big its not clever and i've probably done it myself at some point.

.............But will it play doom?............. sorry had to be done!

[Brendan @ Jan 31st 2008 11:34AM]

Do you have "frequent first poster" listed on your resume? Because its a skill you should really be proud of....your parents obviously raised you correctly.

[Joe @ Jan 31st 2008 11:39AM]

Last?

[John @ Jan 31st 2008 11:41AM]

nope

[Joel @ Jan 31st 2008 11:49AM]

Keep it going guys!

[Biornus @ Jan 31st 2008 11:58AM]

Spam, Spam and even more spam, Nigeria, Viagra badabum, badabum.

[Telanis @ Jan 31st 2008 12:55PM]

Do yuo wunt a biger pen15? CLIK HEAR!

Jeepers, man. You'll never get your first with a girl if you're trolling the Internets looking for first posts to make.

[troubletown @ Jan 31st 2008 1:09PM]

I'll hop on the bandwagon as well. :) I, for one, do not fear our new first-posting underlords.

[tehcypress @ Jan 31st 2008 1:21PM]

I don't know what's worse, my "1st post" comment, or all of you wasting your time replying and sending me emails....

[John B @ Jan 31st 2008 1:28PM]

Considering that the whole thing comes down to "cause and effect", I'll let you figure out what the cause of this was. You'll then have your answer as to which was worse.

[SimonRichards @ Jan 31st 2008 1:43PM]

lol, what have I done?! :P

[dimitri_tsaf @ Jan 31st 2008 1:54PM]

"I don't know what's worse, my "1st post" comment, or all of you wasting your time replying and sending me emails...."

I do: your shitty comment is worse

[NHAnimator @ Jan 31st 2008 2:46PM]

Bump.

Oh, sorry, no need. His post was always be first.

[NHAnimator @ Jan 31st 2008 2:47PM]

...or "will" always be first.

Whatever. That's two for the Inbox.

[jared @ Jan 31st 2008 3:41PM]

Damn...I've created a monster. MUAHAHAHA!

[Spydr @ Jan 31st 2008 7:13PM]

congratz on your "1st post" yay.

[DvS @ Jan 31st 2008 9:48AM]

Whammy bar on a pedal...weird.

[Libb @ Jan 31st 2008 9:50AM]

Never heard of a Whammy Pedal?

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/product/DigiTech-Whammy-Pedal-with-MIDI-Control?sku=150171

How do you think Tom Morello got all those wacky sounds out of his guitar? He practically worships the whammy pedal.

[johnzilla @ Jan 31st 2008 11:55AM]

Your comment would be relevant if there was some sort of indication of who Tom Morello is and why we should be impressed that he uses a particular product.

[madgamer @ Jan 31st 2008 12:19PM]

It's the guitarist for Rage Against the Machine, he's in the game this is made for.

[Nick @ Jan 31st 2008 2:33PM]

>>johnzilla

Epic Fail.

[NHAnimator @ Jan 31st 2008 9:53AM]

Could be worse. They could be asking for $30.

[teej @ Jan 31st 2008 12:07PM]

* "if those same people actually picked up that real axe and learned how to IRL jam, they'd could probably be good/great guitarists." - correction

proofreading ftw

[teej @ Jan 31st 2008 12:08PM]

asldkjf i dont know why it put this comment here, sorry

[Joe @ Jan 31st 2008 9:53AM]

As long as you're spending money on useless crap, head over to Guitar Center and spend a few more on a guitar starter kit. It's about time to learn how to play the real instrument for Christ's sake!

[Rob @ Jan 31st 2008 10:22AM]

I tried saying that before. But, I got flamed plenty. I got replies saying that you could go and shoot everyone on a video game but that's not acceptable in real life. Whatever. Although I think Guitar Hero and Rock Band are ok, it gets a bit boring after a few minutes of pressing the same 5 buttons. I'm not worried though, because I can actually play a real guitar too. So, whatever strum your chords. Again, gamers take offense to people recommending to actually pick up a real instrument. So, I try to stay away from the issue. At least they're using the original recordings and not some silly, and sometimes awful, cover versions. Yes, I'm also aware about The Romantics lawsuit too. So, rock on, whatever your ax of choice.

[Hax Or @ Jan 31st 2008 10:33AM]

It's just a game.

If you are good at Tiger Woods 08, that doesn't mean you can play golf. The whole 'Club Handling' is an important factor.

You can't handle a real axe! LOL. JK

[teej @ Jan 31st 2008 12:00PM]

@Haxor
i'm sure a good percentage of people who play Tiger Woods can't golf, but not if they never try. golf, like most any other sport or playing guitar for example, requires practice or even once attempting before you give up. Guitar Hero is played with such ferocity and competitiveness, and if those same people actually picked up that real axe and learn how to IRL jam. i think that's what frustrates most people who give the ole' "play a real guitar" comment.

i think most of us can agree that, over the years, our society has turned more from an outdoor generation to an indoor. as gaming has become more mainstream and connected (online play), it has appealed to a broader audience. i, being a former gaming addict (lost girlfriend/job, failed school, etc.), am genuinely saddened to see the next generation give something such as Guitar Hero so much time and effort to be extremely good a game that really has no merit in life.

we also need more IRL metal drummers...the good one's are tough to find!

[teej @ Jan 31st 2008 12:16PM]

* "if those same people actually picked up that real axe and learned how to IRL jam, they'd could probably be good/great guitarists." - correction

proofreading ftw

[Dustin @ Jan 31st 2008 10:02AM]

Yeah, this pedal is nice and all, but is it true bypass?

[Dan Davis @ Jan 31st 2008 10:23AM]

Will this eventually work for Rock Band? I am not a very good guitarist, and I ALWAYS miss notes when I tilt for star power. This is marketed right at crappy guitarists like me... Plus the whammy pedal will help a lot, considering I'm a lefty and the whammy bar is high on the guitar for me.

[msoderberg @ Jan 31st 2008 11:11AM]

You're not a guitarist at all.

Would you call yourself an assassin after playing Hitman?

[Dan Davis @ Jan 31st 2008 11:24AM]

No... nor would I call myself a pimp after playing GTA3. Nor would I call myself your Daddy after I effed your Mom.

And for the record, I AM a guitarist. I have been playing a REAL lefty strat for YEARS.

[John B @ Jan 31st 2008 11:40AM]

Dan, I'm right with you on this.

I end up having to wait for a rest or sustain to activate Star Power because I'll miss notes if I don't. I don't know about the PS2 version, but the Wii version will activate Star Power if you can manage to hit the B button (or whichever black button is closest to the strumming bar), but that still often results in a missed note. I wish this pedal was compatible with the Wii version. I'd have ordered it already. :(

Oh and by the way ... my Strat is right next to my TV for when I feel the need to play the real thing.

[NHAnimator @ Jan 31st 2008 2:50PM]

Yeah. I always miss notes as well. Just figured it was because I am almost 40.

[Jaymez @ Jan 31st 2008 10:24AM]

What happened to learning to play a REAL guitar? Fuckin' gaming geeks.

[Hax Or @ Jan 31st 2008 10:34AM]

I think you are on the wrong website.

Noob!

[Jay @ Jan 31st 2008 10:36AM]

I'm sick of hearing people talk about learning to play real guitar.

I don't know about everyone else, but when the first Guitar Hero came out, the only people I knew that had it were people that actually knew how to play guitar. They are the ones that loved it and would tell me all about it. I thought it sounded pretty lame and wasn't sure why it was so cool, until I played it. It's these people that know how to play real instruments that promoted the game to me. Playing it has even caused me to think about learning how to play a real guitar, but I really don't have the time, so picking up Guitar Hero and playing two or three songs will have to do for now.

I bet Guitar Hero has caused more people to pick up a real guitar than anything else. Not everybody has the same mindset as the kids on South Park, and I bet a lot of teens got real guitars and/or lessons for Christmas just because of this game.

[John B @ Jan 31st 2008 11:28AM]

@Jay:

Absolutely! I, too, can play both guitar and keyboard as well as a few woodwind instruments, and I have a blast with "Guitar Hero". IT'S A GAME! It's not reality! Apparently, some people just can't understand that.

Learning to play a guitar to come anywhere close to what is done in the various "Guitar Hero" songs would take years and years of dedicated practice except for those few who are particularly gifted. This is just a fun way of quickly creating the illusion that you're rocking out with a real band.

The imbeciles who are complaining about "play a real guitar" haven't put any time into "Guitar Hero". That much is evident. Playing GH takes a different mindset than playing the real thing. Even Slash said in the video that's included on "Guitar Hero III" that he's humbled by how much kids that are 11 and 12 years old can kick his ass at the game. The fact that people apparently think they're so identical only proves that they're completely ignorant about both topics and therefore should be ignored.

[august @ Jan 31st 2008 11:22AM]

Pretty soon they'll start having "rock band" and guitar hero concerts.

[emailtabs @ Jan 31st 2008 11:33AM]

I'm in!

Not sure who's gonna come along and watch me though!