Guitar Hero 5 axe takes an evolutionary step forward

We've already noted drum alterations and turntable possibilities for Guitar Hero 5, so lets complete the set with some info on the new axe. The first major change is an utterly unnecessary but all the same appreciated white pick guard, which is paired up with a moody red paintjob for the body. Internal signaling has gone digital to minimize latency, while the strum bar has been tweaked for the sake of reliability. Ease of use has also been addressed through the addition of colored dots to the neck of the guitar and slight reliefs on the top, middle, and bottom fret buttons to allow full sensory awareness of the pseudo-guitar at all times. Eager rockers can get it alongside their annual copy of Guitar Hero this September.

[thisisit @ Jul 14th 2009 7:46AM]

*YAWN*
just play the real guitar. bleh.

[ChrisH @ Jul 14th 2009 7:53AM]

*YAWN*

Go join the Army instead of playing Call of Duty, then you also can't post the same comment everyone posts about Guitar Hero.

[SewerShark @ Jul 14th 2009 7:58AM]

*YAWN*
Just get a real life. Lack of sex makes you cranky.

[Jon @ Jul 14th 2009 8:07AM]

*Yawn*

real guitar was so 1970

[j_g_puff @ Jul 14th 2009 8:13AM]

It's ironic that 'Guitar Hero' is exactly what you don't become when you buy this box set.

[SONYEDDIE @ Jul 14th 2009 8:22AM]

lol thisisit made his account private after being pwned with the " Go join the Army instead of playing Call of Duty, then you also can't post the same comment everyone posts about Guitar Hero. "

ChrisH +1 ^_^

[thisisit @ Jul 14th 2009 9:08AM]

@ChrisH,
well u wont need much effort to start on playing a real guitar.
plus who knows myb u can be a REAL rock star, but yeah at least u need to start somewhere (like, learn to play a REAL guitar first).

toy guitars are only for little kids, just like the toy guns meant for.

@Jon,
wow, so this Guitar Hero 5 is so 2009!!!!





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[Goatee Man @ Jul 14th 2009 9:22AM]

@thisisit,

You know that a good number of people who play these games also play the real instruments in question, right? I can do guitar, bass, and drums (along with mandolin, fiddle, banjo, flute, recorder, and I don't even know what else -- though music games haven't evolved to *that* stage quite yet), but I still love rocking a fake plastic instrument now and then. Music's about transposing when you just can't put it in words, and it feels satisfying to do so -- if some people get that same satisfaction pretending to be rockstars and banging on some plastic drums for a few hours, what's the harm? It's fantasy, dude. What's next, you shouldn't read books but instead go out and reenact the situations in them? I shudder to think of the consequences.

Judging by your apparent hostility on the subject, I'd go so far as to say that you yourself do not actually play an instrument and are instead just looking for a reason to moan. Were you a true musician, you'd understand the concept of letting it all be.

[OneLove @ Jul 14th 2009 9:31AM]

I don't see an axe. Engadget fail! :)

[ilovethewaggle @ Jul 14th 2009 9:35AM]

@goat man,
"..drums (along with mandolin, fiddle, banjo, flute, recorder, and I don't even know what else -- though music games haven't evolved to *that* stage quite yet..."

Apparently you havent experienced Wii Music, which is only slightly less interesting as actually playing all those instruments you just mentioned.

[Dirk Belligerent @ Jul 14th 2009 10:10AM]

I am a musician (i.e. I can play REAL guitar) and when my g/f (indie label owner w/no musical ability) and I visit our friends (who are a techno duo), we get drunk and play Rock Band and just have a blast. We all know how to create music and express ourselves, but it's fun to cut loose and "play" songs outside of our fields of expertise or musical abilities. (e.g. Dragonforce) When we see crybabies like thisissh*t filling their diapers about "learn to play real guitar," we know what miserable twits they are. Go collect Pokemons, mon.

[thisisit @ Jul 14th 2009 10:55AM]

wow, so many mechanical turks in here.
so sad.








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[Xenhas @ Jul 15th 2009 12:01AM]

I'm sorry. What was that? I was having too much FUN playing my VIDEO GAME.

[Chris @ Jul 15th 2009 12:13AM]

I don't see what the problem is. Music Games are Games first. What I guess you don't understand is that not everyone actually wants to be a musician, but these games make all that air guitar, air drums, sing-along that everyone does when they hear their favorite songs, into something more personally rewarding: actual interaction without the effort.

On another note, these games also open up huge interests into different music. Me and my brother used to play Guitar Hero 1-2 and our musical interests were shifted quite greatly. Its a win for entertainment, which is what Music and Games is all about first.

[JayLip @ Jul 14th 2009 7:53AM]

... thisisit ... ok. And instead of playing GTA, how bout u go out and rob/steal/kill. Be a man and do the REAL thing instead of wasting time with this video game nonsense.

[ilikespie @ Jul 14th 2009 8:17AM]

i second this!

[FAP FAP FAP @ Jul 14th 2009 8:36AM]

you first.

[lawyer bird @ Jul 14th 2009 11:44AM]

guys, don't feed the troll. he's just bitter because all he plays is metal so the girls don't like him, so in a desperate attempt to redeem himself he turned to guitar hero, only to find out he sucked at it.

[ahha @ Jul 18th 2009 3:24PM]

...

[Drew Green @ Jul 14th 2009 7:59AM]

IDK about anyone else, but I WON'T be buying any more GH guitars. I've already got plenty of guitar controllers from previous games... 4 to be exact.

[Kurian @ Jul 14th 2009 8:04AM]

Lol you bought more after the first one.

[Michael Witt @ Jul 14th 2009 9:08AM]

You do know that you can get the game separate from the controller, right?

[allislost @ Jul 14th 2009 9:25AM]

@Michael Witt

NOW he knows,

[strider_mt2k @ Jul 14th 2009 8:13AM]

So this one's got a new hat!

[Carl @ Jul 14th 2009 8:22AM]

Hmm.....looks like I might actually buy one now.

[Martin @ Jul 14th 2009 8:23AM]

I'll give it a shot in the store to see what it's like, but more than likely I'll stick with my GH3 Les Paul

[Nash @ Jul 14th 2009 2:44PM]

...what?

[macgregger @ Jul 14th 2009 8:38AM]

a musician who cannot spell "snare" properly? and you're a drummer? utterly shocking...

[thisisit @ Jul 14th 2009 11:14AM]

and wow, the original comment has been disappeared.

i'm looking straight at you Engadget.

[shanoboy @ Jul 14th 2009 8:46AM]

Wow, so much work for a fake guitar.

[Ranger Rick @ Jul 14th 2009 8:54AM]

WOWZA!

[Shenanigans @ Jul 14th 2009 9:09AM]

Looks cool. If I didn't already own the WT guitar and planned on picking up the Lennon guitar with Beatles Rock Band, I wouldn't mind picking up this one.

And for reference, I play real guitars too. It's kinda fun to play them in video games too because some of the stuff I wouldn't normally take an interest in playing.

[DinnyHoon @ Jul 14th 2009 9:41AM]

And posting entirely useless comments on a gadget blog that talk about the inanimate subject of the article being 'gay' is just really cool and manly.

[Verythrax @ Jul 14th 2009 10:37AM]

Well, if it's just that, I'm happy getting the WT box for a discount price ;)

[thisisit @ Jul 14th 2009 10:58AM]

but, at least he is right bout two things.
Guitar Hero is pretentious, Guitar Hero is lame.
and this also applies to any other GH-equivalent games suited for rock-wannabes (e.g. RockBand)






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[Croooow @ Jul 14th 2009 11:02AM]

To address the people who say "Well why don't you just _____ instead of playing ____" as a retort to why don't you just play a real guitar. The argument does not work if it's something dangerous:

People play games like GTA or Call of Duty because they don't want to really go out and hurt/kill people. They just want to play a game.

Before you reply, know that I am not against GH or Rock Band, They are fun games that people really enjoy, and that is the point of any game.I am just saying there is a valid reason not to go out and steal a car if you are a fan of GTA, I don't think that is a good argument.

[stephen v2 @ Jul 14th 2009 2:56PM]

GH is Pavlovian conspiracy to train millions to respond to colored light sequences without thinking. You will be activated soon. Consider yourself warned.

[Agent .25i @ Jul 14th 2009 11:29AM]

Was it the killing immigrates thing?

Anyway. GH is for the biggest of losers.
The ones saying "Go join the Army instead of playing Call of Duty". You just cant go out and buy a gun and start mowing down the neighbors... (is that OK Engadget moderators??? I can kill my neighbors, but not the slanty eyed mofo from down the street, right?)
You can, however pick up a real guitar and learn to play. Might even get you laid at some little HS party. GH will never, ever get you laid. Unless your a homo, like ChrisH; then you just have sex with the rest of your "band" mates.

[parapeople.webs @ Jul 14th 2009 11:46AM]

So you must play it a lot, hmm?
It's spelled "immigrants," jerk.
And joining the Army isn't about killing your neighbors. Do you see soldiers on your street everyday, shooting down people that cross their path? My stepdad was in the Army for 27 years, and all of our neighbors are still alive.
Why would you even give the effort to read this article if you don't care about it?
Please answer my questions (unless you are incapable of doing so), because I really am curious.

[Agent .25i @ Jul 14th 2009 11:57AM]

I blame my haste, and spell check for the misspelling of immigrants.

At no point did I say I joined the Army.
I clearly said, "go out and buy a gun", not enlist in the forces, train, and use the firearm issued to you, to go kill your neighbors.
I was quoting ChrisH about joining the army. Perhaps the quotation marks weren't clear to you.
The going out and buying a gun to kill the neighbors, was the closest, and easiest comparison to, the guy who plays GH going out, and buying a real guitar and using it for it's intended purpose.

Hope your curiosity has been satisfied.
I have a question now for you. What gives you the impression I don't care?

p.s. Congratulations to your Father.

[thisisit @ Jul 14th 2009 12:06PM]

@parapeople.webs.

sorry sir u got it wrong. i read his previous post because i'm referring to it for my post above.
by "killing the neighbors" he is actually referring to Croooow's post on GTA, while as for "joining the

army" he is referring to ChrisH argument on Call Of Duty.

and then u got mixed up and u simply mix both arguments while straying from what he is actually saying (and

also the posts referred).

[parapeople.webs @ Jul 14th 2009 11:30AM]

So you must play it a lot, hmm?

[Beanie @ Jul 14th 2009 11:51AM]

Wow, just what I need, more plastic instruments.

[Otsego_Undead @ Jul 14th 2009 11:53AM]

Can I assume PS3 owners are still stuck with a lameass usb dongle?

[Winner @ Jul 14th 2009 12:07PM]

lies. all lies.
guitar hero is the only reason i GOT laid. it was more of a showdown actually and i won. i put on the show, and she went down..

ps - thisisit, cute avatar ;)

[onewordanthem @ Jul 14th 2009 12:50PM]

This belongs in the crapgadget section.

[onewordanthem @ Jul 14th 2009 12:54PM]

....except for the fact that this will sell a bajillion copies.

[Nate DiDonato @ Jul 14th 2009 1:02PM]

and I think thisisit's real problem is he/she/it didn't invent Guitar Hero first.

[thisisit @ Jul 18th 2009 3:31PM]

how u know that? impressive!

/s

[penetrode @ Jul 14th 2009 10:42PM]

another franchise beaten to death by activision