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For those of you living in a cave, Guitar Hero is a popular series of music video games published by RedOctane and Activision. The series is notable for its use of a guitar-shaped contoller to simulate the playing of rock music, represented on-screen by colored notes that correspond to fret buttons on the controller. The games support both individual play, as well as cooperative and competitive modes for two players.

Is this the death of the guitar as we know it..?? There is quite a bit of debate, I can tell you, within the music community on this issue. Many of my sales reps have asked my take on this cultural shift. So, let me take some time and add my rant to the mix, so to speak.

When I was just entering puberty (that would be around the age of 12), I was quite taken with the music of the day. Starting with Buddy Holly and Chuck Berry and moving a few years later into the Beatles and the Stones, the music and lyrics moved me. To that end, I wanted to be like them and so, had to have a guitar, since that was the common thread. My first guitar was a horrendous instrument of pain that just plain hurt to play. The strings were so high off the neck that I wondered to myself  "How could anyone learn this thing, much less be good at it..?" But, being a kid and quite stupid, I kept at it. Later, I graduated to a Harmony 12 string, which was like a slice of Heaven compared to the 1st one. Even a 12 tuned to regular tuning played like a dream to me at that point.

Fast forward to the new Millenium. Kids are no different today. They all want to be Rock stars at some point. Many, like me in the old days, want a guitar.  So, some individual somewhere, one day says.."You know, we can make these kids Rock stars...they won't really need to learn anything to hard, it will be like a game, they can stand in front of the TV and pretend their little hearts away and guess what..? We'll make a TON of money to boot...!"

Bottom line..? Most aspiring guitarists give up early on. It is work to learn the guitar. Maybe not as much physical work as it was for me, but definitely a challenge none the less.  Memorization, practice, memorization, practice...etc, etc. So, all Hail Guitar Hero. Just follow along.  Is it going to kill the real guitar..?? I don't think so, and here's why.

1) Guitar Hero will never get you the girls. Sure, it might be cool, but a real guitar is romantic. A real guitar shows skill and determination. A real guitar is an INSTRUMENT, not a collection of electronic do dads wired together that, face it, a robot could operate.

2) Guitar Hero will never duplicate the experience of real, human created music.  In other words, Guitar Hero has no soul. Music comes from the soul and the heart. You need a human with an instrument for that.

3) Guitar Hero cannot replicate a real Band.  A Band is a collection of personalities each with a unique individual talent that come together as a unit and through work and practice MAKE MUSIC.  Each time a Band, or an individual, for that matter, play ....they do it a little differently.  There is an excitement that comes from live, human music that cannot be packed in a box.

4) Guitar Hero needs the power outlet and a TV...an acoustic guitar goes where you go, nothing else but some talent required.  From Woody Guthrie to Bob Dylan to Dave Matthews, one man, one guitar, indivisible, under God.

It may be fun, it may be the next big thing, it may be making the artists and the company a ton of money, but guess what..?  You want to be a Rock star, Guitar Hero won't do it for you.  The little percentage of those that get that real guitar and stick with it, learn the craft and carry it with them the rest of their lives are the real winners.

So, hats off to the real players.  For those about to Rock, I salute you.  Uncle Willie