Playing Guitar Hero could make you want to do something besides play video games

Sure, some studies have shown that excessive gaming can lead to less interest in things like studying and doing homework, but it turns out that, pretty unsurprisingly, playing Guitar Hero or Rock Band might actually lead children to want to learn... to rock out on real instruments, anyway. That's right, according to a truly shocking report in The Times of London, roughly half of the 3 to 18 year-olds in the UK have played a music game, and one fifth of them have been motivated by their playing to give a real instrument a try, which has led to 2.5 million new budding Ted Nugents (or Jared Letos) springing up. So it's true, the kids aren't exactly studying, but at least they're doing something that could maybe eventually lead to them standing up or... something. School's out forever, dude.

[Via TechDigest]

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 1st 2008 11:48PM]

I just wanted to say that this applies to me also--- after playing guitar hero for maybe 6 months i decided to give a real guitar a try.
Unfortunately, I realized after a few months of playing guitar I was still about 98458027584x better at guitar hero then a real guitar so I gave up out of frustration.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 1st 2008 11:54PM]

is that jared leto?

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 2nd 2008 1:00AM]

yes it is. He's in a band called 30 Seconds to Mars

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 2nd 2008 7:25AM]

Jared Leto killed my neighbor's dog. True story.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 2nd 2008 12:34PM]

haha from his facial expression it looks like he's playing guitar hero

and yeah, thats him, but he looks different with a beard

[Meekermoloko Posted Dec 1st 2008 11:55PM]

I hope this leads to music again. I miss music.

[brent98 Posted Dec 2nd 2008 12:02AM]

I am not a fan of guitar games, but I recognize their value in this Hip-Hop dominated world, people who didnt previously like rock and metal are getting into it thanks to the popularity of the game, the album sales of Dragonforce skyrocketed after they were featured in GHIII. I am hoping this will inspire a new generation of guitar heroes. It may not bring about the return of 80s hair metal I am wishing for, but hopefully it inspire some people to learn to play. We need more bands like Iron Maiden, Slayer, Megadeth, Judas Priest, and Twisted Sister.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 2nd 2008 10:24PM]

When are they bringing out Sax Hero? Oh - of course - it takes time and dedication to play sax (or trumpet or clarinet). Hell! Imagine that school band with 55 wanna-be guitarists! At least they'd only last 3 weeks before the reality of having to actually practice hit home. Oh no! They're guitar players - they don't ever practice!!! Make that 10 years.

[JosiahCo Posted Dec 2nd 2008 1:18AM]

I played Brain Age for a week, and decided to major get a Phd in mathematics.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 2nd 2008 1:52AM]

dunno. my dad thought i wanted to play the violin when i was young, but he was also way into classical music... by the way i stopped at eight... i hope that doesn't mean i'm just lazy...

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 2nd 2008 3:49AM]

Ok!!...........

[awkward silence]

I hope things work our in the relationship between you and your dad

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 2nd 2008 4:21PM]

Nope, not *just* lazy; you're a quitter too! /jk

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 2nd 2008 2:04AM]

This is just like the case where car-racing video games [played with steering-wheel controllers] apparently help you pass the driving exam with a bit more success.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 2nd 2008 3:22AM]

Expect titles like Homework Hero to start cropping up on store shelves soon.

[Apocalyptic 0n3 Posted Dec 2nd 2008 8:46AM]

Jared Leto over a modern guitar hero such as Adam Jones or Zakk Wylde or John 5 or Jack White? Really? Awesome choice, Engadget.

[Roberini Posted Dec 2nd 2008 9:17AM]

"Monkey See Monkey Do." So I guess my friend wasn't wrong when he said that watching pron made him want to be a pron star. lol...

[GenBanks Posted Dec 2nd 2008 10:10AM]

I wish people could just say 'The Times' instead of having to specify 'of London'. After all, it is the original 'Times' after which came the NY/LA etc Times. It's only all the other 'The (...) Times' newspapers that should need a place reference :p

[Enduro Posted Dec 2nd 2008 12:44PM]

Please. No more Letos.

[GanjaMan Posted Dec 3rd 2008 12:22AM]

I actually started playing electric guitar because of Guitar Hero 3, and it turns out i was a natural, i've been playing for less than a year but i can play more complicated things than friends who have been playing for 3

[albundy Posted Dec 2nd 2008 11:16PM]

are you sure about that? playing a real guitar has a much much much higher learning curve than pressing shinny buttons.