drums
Latest
Use the Rock Band drums with your PC
This is more of a proof of concept than a practical application, but one ingenious gamer/programmer has decided to configure the Rock Band drum kit to work with your Windows PC. You can follow the relatively simple steps at his blog or download his self-made installer that reportedly does most of the work for you. Right now, though, there's nothing else to do with this pseudo-hack but hit a drum pad and watch it register in a configuration window. We don't expect we'll have to wait long, though, for drum-controlled flash games: platformers, Tetris clones, maybe even a rhythm game (if we're lucky).[Via Engadget]
Nega-review: Rock Band
"If you're looking for another game to whittle away the hours perfecting guitar parts by yourself, Rock Band likely won't live up to your expectations." (2) "Rock Band's singing and guitar campaigns aren't as developed ... as standalone games like SingStar or Guitar Hero." (8) The game "isn't great if you're playing by yourself. ... it's not nearly as compelling going through songs with a single instrument." (3) "There just isn't as big of a sense of accomplishment as you climb the ranks without all the little animations and feedback you got on Guitar Hero 3." (5) Yes, "the Solo Tours lack the animations and story elements of Guitar Hero's solo campaign, which make them slightly less interesting to play by yourself." (8) "Expect more than a few awkward silences if you're by yourself." (3) "Guitar Hero is better if you're playing alone." (5)"The actual online play, honestly, isn't quite as crucial a component as you'd think." (3) "One omission is online cooperative play." (7) "For the full co-op career mode, you have to play offline. That's disappointing." (9) Yup, "you can't do co-op career online - a major disappointment." (1) That's right, "the Band World Tour mode is not available online, and that's a shame." (5) What's more, "you may hear some out-of-sync bleed through the headset ... and the singer's signal won't be transmitted due to lag: the other players will hear the pre-recorded vocal track." (1)
Rock Band playable at PAX
Harmonix will have a booth at this year's PAX convention in Seattle Aug 24-26 where Rock Band will be playable. For those who during E3 didn't have an appointment with EA, get invited to the West Hollywood party or end up in the suite gathering, here's their chance to play with the general populace -- like Chris Furniss of The Weekly Geek Show. Furniss points out, "Sure you could play Harmonix's Guitar Hero-and-every-other-game-ever-killer behind closed doors at this year's E3 ... But it wasn't on the show floor. This just furthers my frustration with companies at this year's E3."Yes, the picture above created by and featuring Furniss does not actually use the Rock Band peripherals and he's using Donkey Kong bongos in place of the drums -- but it's still funny, darn it! Hopefully Harmonix will think ahead and have some plan set up for PAX and the mass of people who will want to play Rock Band. The 20x30 booth they'll have set up may only be for one set, which means PAX attendees will hopefully not experience the Nintendo Wii line of 2006 for their chance at the game. Thankfully, the game is just as fun to watch as it is to play.
Rock Band now available for pre-order
While prices and release dates for Rock Band have been floating for a while now, it looks like things may have finally settled down, with the entire kit now available for pre-order at a couple of retailers. If you're ready to go all out, you can snag a bundle for either the 360 or PS3 that includes the game, guitar, microphone, and drum set for $199, although you'll still have to wait until November 20th to actually get it. The whole lot is also available individually, with the game running $60, the microphone $30, and the drum set $80. Somewhat curiously, the 360 version of the wireless guitar is listed at $80 on both Amazon and GameStop, while the PS3 version only costs $50, although GameStop still says that the prices are "subject to change."Read- Amazon.comRead- Gamestop.com[Thanks, PacoDG]
Rock Band drum image based on fuzzy memories
The latest Game Informer has a feature about Rock Band, with mockups of the controllers. Or, rather, pictures of a microphone and a Fender Stratocaster, and a mockup of the drum kit. The image may or may not resemble the final drum kit, depending on whether or not Harmonix changes the prototype and on whether or not the Game Informer team has learned the secrets of Mega Memory.According to the caption, "This isn't an exact representation of the drum kit -- Harmonix should reveal the final design soon. We crafted this picture from memory based on the time we played with the prototype." It's got everything we need: stuff to hit and stuff to kick.[Via Digg]
Rock Band's microphone, prototype drum set unveiled
Hot on the heels of Rock Band's Stratocaster (which we've now learned will act as the guitar and bass) being unveiled, a scan from Game Informer has blessed us with shots of the game's (apparently) wireless microphone and drum set. The mic, which appears to be standard fare, could potential come bundled with the game, and it is even noted that Harmonix may support "other USB microphones as well." The real standout here, however, is the prototype drum set, which reportedly "won't change much" from the picture you see above. Notably, the game will also include a "real pair of wooden sticks," and those who have fallen head over heels for their current Guitar Hero II controller will appreciate the ability to use it with Rock Band. Click on through to see the page scan in its entirety.
Rock Band's dubious $300 Gamestop price
Gamestop listed prices for EA/MTV/Harmonix mega-title Rock Band's peripherals and we sincerely hope there is an error. Before going any further, please take this info with a brick of salt until we've received official word on pricing from the cluster of companies involved in handling this title. Also, Gamestop's website is notoriously unreliable in early pricing. So, here we go, just prepare yourself: Rock Band - $59.99 (No shock there, Xbox 360 and PS3 both listed) Rock Band drums set - $79.99 (Yikes) Rock Band microphone - $49.99 (Wha?) Rock Band guitar controller - $59.99 (No, get serious now) Rock Band wireless guitar - $79.99 (ARE YOU FRACKIN' ... wait, wait, wireless controller, hmm?) The cost of Rock Band, according to this very early, very dubious, listing would come in at $309.95 wired ($349.95 wireless). Did EA and Harmonix flat-out err in judgement going into the peripheral manufacturing business on their own, or does Gamestop simply need to update their pricing? Turn the insanity up to 11 if this is true. Now, how do we afford our Rock n' Roll lifestyle?Update: Apparently this issue came up a month ago. A representative for Rock Band said at the time, "Let me nip this one in the bud right now. Those are estimated prices and not official in any even remote way. We haven't even decided on prices ultimately, much less announced them." Then why are these "estimated" numbers still floating out there and shouldn't somebody pick up the phone and go tell Gamestop corporate? If these prices are merely "estimates," they're the bad kind of estimation.[Thanks Vlad]
GDC 07: Traxxpad lets you produce music on the go
Eidos has announced a new piece of software from Definitive Software called Traxxpad, which will allow you to mix and use virtual sequencers, drum machines, and keyboards, and export your creations into WAV and MP3 formats. "It's one thing to make a powerful music device, but it is truly impressive to make an application that allows someone unfamiliar with music to make something that sounds professional," said Eidos' marketing manager Kevin Gill to MCV. "That is where Traxxpad excels. This is a piece of software that appeals equally to both aspiring musicians as well as professional music producers."Certainly, the program will have a fairly limited appeal. However, for musicians that must always be composing on the go, Traxxpad may fit the bill.[Via DCEmu]
Music Thing: Messe Oddities
Each week Tom Whitwell of Music Thing highlights the best of the new music gear that's coming out, as well as noteworthy vintage equipment:Human ingenuity has no limits. Walking through the vast halls of the Frankfurt Messe exhibition centre last week, I saw pretty much every musical instrument imaginable, and several things that I’d never imagined seeing… Most kick drums don't rotate, so I'm not sure how the spinning starts on these things, but I guess the lead singer could casually give it a flick round every so often. No, there's no way that attaching a random bit of shiny, pointy aluminium to the front of your drum kit will make it sound better.
