Electro-Harmonix Overdrive pedal just became a Rock Band 2 necessity

The avoirdupois of the world rests on your shoulders as you await the mind-numbing riffs of Painkiller. You wonder how you'll prevent yourself from engaging in overdrive prematurely as your locks bang to and fro. Then you look down and see EHX's Overdrive pedal a stone's throw from your left foot. Exhale.

[Via Boing Boing]

[Jugomugo @ May 28th 2009 4:52PM]

Why do people buy this crap? Go learn a real instrument.

[goo @ May 28th 2009 4:53PM]

give it up dude

[crashcarstar @ May 28th 2009 4:57PM]

Why do people do anything?

[Najakwa @ May 28th 2009 4:58PM]

you sound like an 80 year old. First its those new bands that the kids listen to these days. Then its that danged facebook thats all the rage. Then its that pesky Twitter. Then those damned kids won't get off your lawn. Get Robot Insurance and end it already.

[AVG @ May 28th 2009 4:59PM]

How are you going to impress your WoW guild with a REAL instrument?

[OnlyRoger @ May 28th 2009 5:43PM]

Why play Call of Duty? Go be a real soldier!

Why play Space Invaders? Go be an astronaut!

Why play flisht sims? Go learn to fly a real plane!

Why play any video games? Life is much to serious to have fun, right? *rolls eyes*

[Aguiluz @ May 28th 2009 5:11PM]

Hey Jugomugo, do you know how to play a real instrument? Come on, show us a youtube vid.

[Robert @ May 28th 2009 5:31PM]

While the sensation of playing a real instrument is thrilling, its not the same principle of these new games. The games are just what they are... GAMES. Rhythm and pattern games that just happen to take on the form of instruments. They are not a substitute for real instruments, and people do not view them as such. I have no clue where that argument came from, but its completely false.

[AVG @ May 28th 2009 5:31PM]

"Why play Call of Duty? Go be a real soldier!"
Because you could be shot and die.

"Why play Space Invaders? Go be an astronaut!"
Because that requires an entire shift in your life plans, and also, there are no actual aliens to fight. And if there were, you could be shot and die.

"Why play flisht sims? Go learn to fly a real plane!"
Alright, just see below...

"Why play any video games?"
That's just the thing. You're not playing anything. You're just miming a series of dots on a screen. Call of Duty, Space Invaders, Flight Sims... those you have some control over. You are taking action based on a situation. In most games you can be rewarded by skill. In these "music" games, you are rewarded by straight up MEMORIZATION. It's Simon with a guitar. It's a waste of time. That's why he is encouraging people to learn an instrument. At least that way, all of these wasted hours with Rock Band or Guitar Hero could result in a skill capable of producing something unique. Not just another drone who has memorized the blue and red dots on the screen.

/rant

For now.

[Robert @ May 28th 2009 5:40PM]

@AVG

Thats a fallacy. You are assuming that everyone who plays that game takes it to the extreme level of memorizing songs. The same could be said for every other game in existence. Memorizing the map in Call of Duty, memorizing the sequence of shots in Space Invaders.

I agree with you that people who do memorize the entire game need to get a life, but that doesn't merit the blanket statement you just gave :-/

[AVG @ May 28th 2009 5:51PM]

"Memorizing the map in Call of Duty, memorizing the sequence of shots in Space Invaders."

Those games are not BASED on memorization. To beat RB/GH, you memorize the notes. That's all there is to it! There's no AI, there's nothing to fight against. There is no reward for skill. There are no enemies and there is no goal. The goal is to memorize well enough that you finish. There is an enormous difference between these games and those others. Memorization is the key to victory here. On top of that there is no art to these games. There is an art to other games. Story, gameplay nuances, artistic direction, the soundtracks, and so on. I could ramble about this forever. It's just NOT the same. I mean it doesn't directly effect my life that these games are popular, but I can voice distaste for something, right?

[Will C @ May 28th 2009 6:10PM]

I applaud these games.
Guitar Hero was my inspiration to learn music and how to play Guitar. It took me from just loving songs, to actually loving playing them and loving my instrument. I just bought a Gibson SG after the last year I've spent taking lessons. The game was at the heart of my decision to pick up the instrument. I've added a music minor to my program at college!
Although I rarely play GH or RB anymore, I now play the drums when I do so. I admit that the real guitar and the game controller are awfully different.

[Traken @ May 28th 2009 6:14PM]

@AVG: If it's all about memorization, explain how my roommate beats all but 3 songs on RB/GH on Expert on the first try, usually with with a near perfect score?

Oh wait, he's from the future.... I forgot about that.

[EnergyPigeon @ May 28th 2009 6:24PM]

Dude I agree, a guitar controller's fine, but this is just ridiculous.

[goped79 @ May 28th 2009 8:56PM]

@AVG in guitar hero/rock band you dont need to memorize to be good. It takes skill to be able to hit notes especially at a great speed. I havent played guitar hero in months and when I picked it up again a did terrible, even though I had still remembered everything about the song. Same goes for when I used to play a lot. I would be able to play a song for the first time and do amazingly, even though I didnt "memorize" it. Your theory is false

[WedgeTalon @ May 28th 2009 10:28PM]

@AVG: "You're just miming a series of dots on a screen."

I hate to break it to you, but when you perform REAL music for a REAL audience, all you've done is still just memorize a series of dots (albeit on paper, rather than a screen).

(Trust me, I was bad nerd.)

[OnlyRoger @ May 28th 2009 10:58PM]

AVG - You must be a blast at parties. Will you come to my kids' birthday party and tell them how much everything they like to do sucks?

:)

[kain @ May 29th 2009 12:40AM]

@AVG you are so wrong it is hilarious, when I play in my real band I have to remember every lead line and note I play or sing IN MY HEAD, there is no scrolling bar with all the notes and I don't use sheet music so it all has to be memorized in advance. Yet shockingly after a show people don't come up to us and say that sucked all you did was memorize all the notes and how to play them correctly... When I play RB/GH the notes are all there I don't have to remember anything at all I just have to be quick enough to respond to the stimulus on the screen. It is sad when people who clearly have no clue about something decide they are too good for it. My guess is you can neither play a real instrument nor do well at RB/GH, if only they had a game where you had to come up with terrible arguments, you would destroy that.

[Zorque @ May 29th 2009 1:42AM]

This argument brought to you by the internet, where dumb nerds talk about stupid shit ceaselessly.

[Mr. 14 @ May 29th 2009 1:54AM]

FYI for all the "musicians" out here:

A good musician never plays the same song twice. You might memorize the chords to the song you're playing, or the lyrics to the song you're playing, but learning an instrument is NOT about memorizing songs. Listen to a live recording of Mark Knopfler, and tell me that he merely "memorizes" what parts he has to play or sing. Every single live performance he gives is unique, and THAT is what learning an instrument is really about.

(Note: I'm not denouncing GH/RB as a waste of time; I'm a musician and a gamer and I enjoy both. I do agree with AVG though about SOME people taking the game way too far though).

[aggrazel @ May 29th 2009 1:57PM]

Meh, its quite obvious that the AVG either has never really played RB or GH, or he/she sucks at it. I used to think the games were silly, until I actually played them. I've 5 starred most every song on expert in RB2 and have over 200 songs worth of DLC. That would be a lot of crap to remember if I memorized any of it, but I don't.

[AVG @ May 31st 2009 9:33PM]

"I've 5 starred most every song on expert in RB2 and have over 200 songs worth of DLC."

Holy shit you're awesome.

[ash @ May 28th 2009 4:53PM]

A brilliant way to sell even more peripherals. Is there a Guitar Hero / Rock Band landfill somewhere?

[SOOPERGOOMAN @ May 28th 2009 5:26PM]

Not yet but I'm sure there will be one in 10 years...

[Adam @ May 28th 2009 7:38PM]

Everything is 100% recyclable. ;)

[Smart People Play Tuba @ May 29th 2009 7:11AM]

Still, it's kinda pointless to have to put a cable on a wireless guitar that already has this function built-in . . . and oh yeah, it's $30. Imjustsayin.

[Zetta @ May 28th 2009 4:53PM]

"avoirdupois" is today's word of the day, I guess someone wanted to use it in a sentence.

[ED @ May 28th 2009 6:48PM]

You're right, I knew I'd seen that word very recently!

[Wombat @ May 28th 2009 10:25PM]

I've seen them use the word of the day many other times, too. No better way to learn a word than to use it!

[profeteer @ May 29th 2009 10:57AM]

Haha I love it when I see the word of the day, but I always feel stupid using it.

[Verythrax @ May 28th 2009 4:55PM]

Did I get it right? $30 for a button just to activate the star power?

[SOOPERGOOMAN @ May 28th 2009 5:26PM]

BING BING BING BING BING Correct.

[Hafkie @ May 28th 2009 5:33PM]

The funny thing is, it's just a simple momentary switch! This could be made in 10 minutes with the right tools, under $5. Fuck, if you are like me, you might have all of this laying around your house.

Materials
-Momentary switch.
-Small Box
-Mono audio cable 4-6ft with one male end 1/8 inch jack
-Something to weigh it down. (sand, tiny weights, etc)

1. Drill two holes in the box, one for the cable to feed out, and one for the switch.
2. Mount switch.
3. Solder cable to the switch. Run it through cable hole.
4. Assemble, adding the weights on the inside.

Easy.

[Alex @ May 28th 2009 5:41PM]

Yeah, but would that be considered an illegal mod/hack to the game?

[Matt @ May 28th 2009 6:41PM]

Even easier, you can just use the bass pedal from the drumset.

[Hafkie @ May 29th 2009 12:16AM]

It doesn't really alter the game at all. It's a function that was built into the controller for use with a optional pedal (be it a drum pedal, or a kick box). Also, the drum pedal is NOT good for this! The cord is coiled, and the minute you lift your guitar higher than a standard RB drum set, that pedal will go flying into the air. Completely impractical for any player that stands up while playing. Also, the drum pedal has so much give, that it is impractical for squeezing points anyway.

It is just as legal has hard wiring a faulty GH3 Les Paul neck to the body. It doesn't really add features beneficial to the player (Well, hard wiring a Les Paul neck WILL help the player, but it only makes the controller function as it should. No person should have to play with buttons dropping out.). I consider it like lubing the shafts (har har) to the fret buttons to make them smoother, or adding a rubber band to the whammy bar because the internal spring mechanism broke.

[huffthedank @ May 28th 2009 5:00PM]

Common. $30 for a button on the floor?
Im losing respect for EHX.

Learn to play guitar for real its much more fun and at the prices for these games its getting cheaper.

[ash @ May 28th 2009 5:07PM]

I think you can get the actual pedal for around $50 on eBay, heh. If they can get people to pay for a single button for 30 bones... more power to 'em, I guess. I hope the same thought process doesn't filter down to their historically cool pedals.

[Roger Cosseboom @ May 28th 2009 5:11PM]

Yeah, the mini muff is around 50, or you can DIY the circuit from tonepad.com for ~10 bones.

[Chris @ May 28th 2009 5:08PM]

But I hate the RB guitars, I'd only think about getting this if it worked for GH guitars to

[Mike @ May 28th 2009 5:10PM]

This is a serious issue, folks. Premature Activation of a guitarist's overdrive is a serious condition afflicting millions of rockers worldwide. When it goes undiagnosed, it can severely affect a guitarist's ability to play for extended periods of time and adversely affect his confidence. If you experience any of these symptoms, you may suffer from Premature Activation:

-Inability to perform for extended periods of time without activating
-Activating during a break in the action
-Activating before there are any notes to play
-Involuntary body movements such as sneezing causing immediate activation

If you experience some or all of these conditions, you should talk to your doctor about Premature Activation. It's a condition that, thankfully, need not go untreated.

[DYMongoose @ May 28th 2009 5:22PM]

Winner!

[SOOPERGOOMAN @ May 28th 2009 5:28PM]

That's a hit commercial waiting to happen. Make a vid!

[Roger Taulbee @ May 28th 2009 10:08PM]

Yes....I,too, once suffered from PA....and the girls hated it. I guess timing is importantant, then I discovered Expenze.....now I play longer, for a nominal fee, and the girls just love it!!! I don't suffer from Premature Activation any longer, at great Expenze!!!LOL!!

[jonlongbeard @ May 28th 2009 5:13PM]

Yeah, the Big Muff pedal is alright. But if you haven't played it, try their "Holy Grail Reverb" pedal. Tasty!

[intrglctcrevfnk @ May 28th 2009 6:03PM]

I keep my EH BigMuff Pi in the effects loop of my Q-Tron +. It's pretty sick. Envelope with overdrive! The good thing about the effects loop on the Q-Tron+ is that doesn't effect the dynamics of the envelope filter.

Bass player and gadget fanatic here BTW.

[Goatee Man @ May 28th 2009 5:17PM]

Uhm... You know you can just plug a RB foot pedal from the drums into the guitar for the same effect, right? It works the same way.

[Tim @ May 28th 2009 5:19PM]

My ex GF had a big muff.

She wasn't very good at guitar though, so she gave it to me. Stupid thing got replaced with my new Silver Dragon.

[SOOPERGOOMAN @ May 28th 2009 5:27PM]

Vibrator?

[Wes @ May 28th 2009 5:23PM]

One of the best pedal companies out there. Nothing beats the Metal Muff :)