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Omega GM-1 lets you bring your real drum set to Rock Band
We've already seen some mods for using a real drum set with Rock Band or Guitar Hero, but it looks like Omega Music Technology's new GM-1 system is the first off-the-shelf option, which should no doubt please the less DIY-inclined among us. Available on its own or bundled with a Pearl drum set, the system packs individual sensors that detect each drum hit with "speed and accuracy" and, most importantly for those not playing, support for mesh heads and a dampening system for the cymbals -- of course, if you opt for the drum set package, you'll also get some real drum heads. Omega is even going so far as to promote the system as an ideal way to learn to play the drums and, conversely, says that non-gamer musicians that tried it were able to start playing songs with ease immediately. Hit up the gallery below for a closer look at the complete kit, and look for the basic system to run you $249. %Gallery-84406%
Gambridge Z line MIDI guitars compatible with Rock Band, sort of sound like guitars
There's always someone that will tell you that you can make the Rock Band experience more "realistic," as if there was something more realistic than pressing buttons on a piece of plastic that vaguely resembles a guitar. And believe us, there was no shortage of companies with Guitar Hero / Rock Band controllers at CES -- including Gambridge, whose Z line of dual game / MIDI guitars are full-sized instruments with built in sound modules that also function as game controllers, compatible with all major music video game titles. And, judging by what we saw at the company's booth, their industrial design assures that no one will ever dream of stealing one from you. Pricing and availability to be announced.
You Rock Guitar spotted at CES, we shred on video
Surely you remember the You Rock Guitar from earlier this week. How could you forget, right? Well here on the CES show floor, we had the opportunity to rock out (gently, of course) with the lightweight, multitouch Guitar Hero / Rock Band controller -- which just so happens to be platform agnostic. It's got a plethora of settings and buttons, but it can actually double as a semi-legitimate guitar when plugged into an amp. For a music game peripheral, it's about as real as it gets, though it's hard to say if you're better off dropping 180 bones on this instead of a standard controller and a swanky new Squier. Don't take our word for it, though -- jump on past the break and mash play. %Gallery-82129%
HexoLight brings light shows to your videogame concerts
If there's one thing we're missing when we're jamming "Cool for Cats" on Rock Band, it's a Squeeze-worthy display of lights. That's all about to change, with the introduction of Rock Gear's HexoLight LED-lighting system, a flashing display of lights to the beat of your tunes. If transforming your living room (or bedroom, or dorm room) into a place that even Jools Holland would be proud to step into is high on your list of priorities, the HexoLight -- which boasts an audio sensor to sync up to the beat and is compatible with nearly any stereo source -- is probably something you're going to want to check out. HexoLight is available today for prices starting at $30. Full press release is after the break.
Guitar Hero and Rock Band drums combine for ultimate MIDI kit (video)
We've seen our fair share of Guitar Hero / Rock Band drum kit mods, but without exception, this one is our fav. Tipster (and tinkerer) Jordan has taken the time to wire up a Guitar Hero kit and a Rock Band kit in order to create the most bodacious set of MIDI skins this planet has ever seen. Using a combination of Osculator, JunXion Lite and Logic, he was able to rig up the Rock Band pedal to operate as a high-hat pedal, while reprogramming some of the heads to act as cymbals. We'd bother explaining more, but we'll just point you past the break and advise you to watch (head to 2:20 if you're short on time!). [Thanks, Jordan]
Football Hero mod takes Arduino to the Kasabian-approved big leagues (video)
Some folks say less is more, but we'll bet they never saw Guitar Hero being played by kicking footballs against a giant wall. This epic undertaking will give your plastic axe a major inadequacy complex with its huge wall-mounted piezo vibration sensors and absurdly large fretboard projection. An Arduino acts as the conduit between the contact sensors and a PC running the freeware Frets on Fire. The outcome from such a relatively simple setup is pretty astounding, and you can check it out in the videos past the break, including some behind the scenes footage.
Polk Audio's HitMaster: your own personal Rock Band stage monitor
Sheesh. Just days after Altec Lansing shocked the gaming world with a dedicated stage monitor for Guitar Hero, Rock Band or any other gaming title you'd care to pump through a mini-wedge, Polk Audio has stepped in to do the same. As we witness the beginning of a curious, um, beginning, the HitMaster has stepped things up for anyone else thinking of joining the fray by packing 60 watts of RMS power, a pair of 2.2- x 5.5-inch horns, twin 1-inch tweeters and a booming 6.5-inch subwoofer. The whole cabinet weighs some 13 pounds, and aside from line level inputs and outputs, you'll also find a 1/8-inch jack for connecting iPods and the like. Oh, and did we mention that you can daisy chain these things? Because you can. Look for this one to rock your face off (or something to that effect) in early 2010 for $99.99. [Via Hot Hardware]
Altec Lansing Stage-Gig monitor further enforces faux rock fantasies
And you thought $300 fake guitars were too much? They ain't got nothing -- nothing -- on this. Altec Lansing, the outfit famous for making those tinny speakers slammed into your laptop, has just popped out what could very well be the most hilarious non-KIRF product of the year. The Stage-Gig is modeled after a traditional wedge monitor, complete with the perforated grille, white spray-paint logo and carry handle (for "authentic roadie portability"). Within, you'll find a 6.5-inch driver and a 40-watt amplifier, and the idea here is to plug your console's audio directly in, enabling the Rock Band / Guitar Hero axe-slinger in your life to feel as if they're "playing in a live concert." It'll land next month for $99.95, and despite the fact that we can't stifle our chuckling, we want one in the worst way. And so do you, Dr. Love.[Via Electronista]
Band Hero's revamped drums coming in November bundle, very limited exclusive for Wii
Guitar Hero drummers who wondered whatever happened to that revamped set we spied months ago can finally sleep more soundly at night, although while still probably tapping out "Sweating Bullets" in their dreams. The cats at IGN got some hands-on time with the new gear, and while there's no physical pics to show for it, they do report being happy with the overall design and its smaller, but still capable frame. The peripheral is reportedly due in a Band Hero Super Bundle for Nintendo Wii this November. It's a limited exclusive for the console, meaning the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 packages will include the standard Guitar Hero drums until "sometime later this year." That leaves at most seven weeks of lead time -- not too long, but in the precious time before Christmas, it's probably quite the coup.
CE-Oh no he didn't! Part LXIII: Bobby Kotick says Guitar Hero going plug-and-play, developers kept in state of 'skepticism, pessimism, and fear'
You know those Atari controllers that let you play Atari games without actually having an Atari? That, it seems, is the future of the Guitar Hero franchise, with Activision CEO Bobby Kotick indicating that new titles from the company will be playable "independent of a console." It's perhaps a natural step, as the franchise's developers must surely spend half their time frantically porting games from PS3 to Xbox 360 to Nintendo DS to graphic calculator to... well, you get the picture. Kotick also said some wondrous things that will make those Activision coders slouch even further into their chairs, developers who already were surely fearing for their jobs, indicating that they live within a corporate environment of "skepticism, pessimism, and fear" with the hope of "keeping people focused on the deep depression," and that he wants to take "all the fun out of making video games." So, then, that My Chemical Romance edition of the series should be announced any time now. [Via Joystiq]
Logitech tests the boundaries with overpriced wireless guitar and drums for Wii
You'd never know that we're still pulling out of a recession if you took one glance at the music peripheral market. The Beatles: Rock Band bundle costs more than some game consoles, and Mad Catz is charging $300 for a genuine Fender Stratocaster that controls Rock Band on the Xbox 360. Now, Logitech is joining the whole "rob gamers blind" movement with the introduction of the Wireless Guitar Controller and Wireless Drum Controller for Nintendo's Wii. Both products are licensed for use with Guitar Hero, with the axe boasting a maple neck, rosewood fingerboard and metal frets. Heck, there's even a "noise dampening strum bar and fret buttons," not to mention a touch-sensitive slider on the fretboard. The skins look all too familiar, with a trio of drum pads and a pair of cymbals to go along with the stainless steel kick pedal and its fancy adjustable spring. Naturally, you'll need to snap a Wiimote into each before mashing play, and more importantly, you'll need to empty $199.99 and / or $229.99 (respectively) from your bank account before snagging 'em this October.[Via Joystiq]
Video: Retractable wireless Rock Band / Guitar Hero controller perfect for the five-button shredder on the go
Guitar Hero and Rock Band's plastic axes aren't exactly behemoths in their own right, but if you need something even tinier, little-known game accessories company NEXiLUX looks to have a more portable solution in the works. The video for its mini guitar isn't the clearest, but from we can see, the body is about the same size as the retracted neck, which expands from behind the touch-sensitive pads to reveal the infamous quintet of colored buttons. D-pad, navigation buttons, whammy bar, and pickup selection have all survived the compression, and to make each unit as universal as possible, there's a switch on the bottom for choosing between either Guitar Hero for Wii or Rock Band for Wii, PlayStation 2, and PS3. Both black and white models are seen here, but there's no mention either in-video or on the company's website of price or release date. See it for yourself after the break. [Thanks, Floyd]
Guitar Hero 5 for Wii can stream downloaded songs directly from SD card
In what's hopefully indicative of future trends, the upcoming Guitar Hero 5 for Nintendo Wii has the ability to stream content -- in this case, extra songs -- directly from the SD card. Up until now, everything from the card had to be transferred to 512MB internal memory before use, meaning you'd be pretty limited if making that near-endless set list of premium downloaded tracks. With 32GB of space now at your disposal, it looks like the only limit is your bank account and your predilection to Eagles of Death Metal. So when are we gonna see this trick in other Wii titles, eh Nintendo?
OpenChord allows actual guitars to play Guitar Hero, sound atrocious
You've heard that saying "so close, yet so far away," right? This, folks, is why that very quote exists. The obviously brilliant team over at OpenChord has designed a system that enables an honest-to-goodness guitar to sync up with Nintendo's Wii in order to play Guitar Hero. You simply plug the Wiimote into the axe and use the bona fide strings and frets in place of those plastic buttons you're so used to using. The only problem? Guitar Hero wasn't designed for use with six strings and 22 to 24 frets, and man, does it show. Hop on past the break to have a listen, and yes, your dreams of actually taking advantage of this will be shattered. Bet on it.[Via Joystiq]
Band Hero's Nintendo DS Lite peripherals get pictured
Holding out for the family-friendly Band Hero on your Nintendo DS Lite? That wait just got a lot tougher. In a move obviously made to tease those already leaning towards purchasing the title when it hits shelves later this year, Activision has pushed out a smattering of renders that show a drum kit covering (ahem, Drum Grip™), guitar fretboard and even a pick to strum the touchscreen. Not much to go on, sure, but it's definitely good for keeping our attention while the dog days of summer drag on. The full, brief announcement is after the break.[Via Joystiq]
Guitar Hero 5 drum kit is faux real
Aaand it's out, the first official shot of Guitar Hero 5's redesigned drum kit thus confirming the pic and presumably, the specs we received last week. While no additional details are listed, this rig stands in stark, simplistic contrast to the overbearing GH kit launched by Logitech yesterday and will certainly cost less (much less) than $229. One more shot after the break while we wait for official pricing and specs in the run-up to the September launch.[Thanks, Juan]
Logitech ups its skins game with the Guitar Hero Wireless Drum Controller
Have your World Tour drums lost their bounce, or the ability to register each hit of your sweet, smooth licks? You're not alone our rhythmically majestic friend, and Logi's here to bring your groove back, introducing the pretend drum kit with the no-nonsense name: Wireless Drum Controller. It's a Sony-only affair at the moment, using a dongle to connect to the PS2 or PS3 sans-tether, and some high-quality components to deliver a good feel without the annoying "whack whack whack" cacophony when you're unleashing your inner Animal. Each pad and cymbal is individually adjustable and the whole kit folds completely flat, just like that treadmill you bought last January, tucked under your bed, and promptly forgot about. It costs almost as much, too: $229, or about $60 more than you can get the entire Band Kit for. Nobody ever said rockin' was cheap, baby, and if you have the funds these should be rolling into domestic stores in the next few weeks -- Euro drummers will need to wait a month.[Via Welt Online]
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.
Guitar Hero 5's drums getting a Rock Band makeover?
Looks like that bulky Guitar Hero World Tour drumset might be getting itself an extreme makeover in time for the launch of Guitar Hero 5. According to our source, the blurred render above is the newest plastic percussion peripheral, and while functionality remains the same, it's moved the control console to the forefront, given the cymbals a more well-rounded existence, and done away with some of that body, particularly on the top and on the stand -- all in a all, a much more Rock Band look, if we do say so ourselves. The back of the unit contains three mini ports -- two for kick pedals, and one ever mysterious black mini jack. Yeah, Rock Band's drums have that mysterious unused port, too, and who knows what nefarious needs either will serve. What's suspicious is that it's two months before GH5's release and we still haven't seen this officially, whereas the previous set was ceremoniously unveiled almost six months prior to GHWT's launch -- not that we wouldn't put it past Activision to keep it under lock and key for now, but why not let its newfound beauty shine?
Logitech debuts wireless Guitar Hero controller for Xbox 360
Third-party wireless guitar controllers for the Xbox 360 have been disappointingly hard to come by to date, but Logitech has now come to the rescue with a new Guitar Hero-licensed controller that's similar to its PS3 and PS2 offerings, with the exception of being orange, and Xbox 360-compatible. Otherwise, you can expect the same wood neck, rosewood fingerboard, and metal frets as before, along with a touch-sensitive slider on the neck, strum bar and fret buttons that are "virtually silent," and a promised range of 30 feet. Unfortunately, the guitar also packs the same hefty $199 price tag as its PS3 counterpart, but if that's not too big a deterrent, you can look forward to picking up one of these up in August. Head on past the break for a quick video overview.
