The time is right, it seems, for the next evolution in music games. Rock Band 3, in particular, looks set to innovate a great deal with its addition of keyboards and Pro Mode. But there’s another game that’s been quietly getting its act together backstage. Another game which professes to offer players the opportunity to actually learn a real instrument. That game? Power Gig: Rise of the SixString.
In this newly-revealed video, audio director Mashi Hasu talks players through “Chording Mode”. The idea behind this mode is that it gets players learning how to play guitar in a realistic manner. Many who teach themselves guitar learn how to play their favorite songs using two-finger power chords. This mode challenges players to match up not only fret colors but string numbers, too. Hasu suggests that if people play this mode enough, they’ll be able to knock out a recognisable appoximation of the song in question. Whether that’s entirely true or not remains to be seen, but it’s certainly a bold goal for the developers.
Interactive entertainment is a great way to get people involved in making music. Many young gamers who picked up a copy of Rock Band have found themselves inspired to take up the study of a real instrument. With games such as Power Gig and Rock Band 3 offering an experience closer than ever to “the real thing”, the possibility of these games being a self-teaching aid is very real.
“But why bother?” some ask. “Why not just learn a real instrument?”
The simple answer is that to many people, especially children and teens, studying is a less attractive option than play. If the study of an instrument can be made to feel like play, then they’re more likely to stick with it. The element of competition that comes with online play and leaderboards is also a powerful motivational tool. This explains, in part, the appeal of the variety of exercise “games” that have come to market over the last few years. So why not apply it to music games too?
It’s a potentially risky move, of course. If the fact that playing these games using real instruments proves too challenging, many may consider them inaccessible. The Power Chord mode here in Power Gig aims to provide a good balance between forgiving gameplay and a realstic guitarist experience.
Assuming these games do prove successful, what could be next? Might there be a branching out into other genres of music? Are we likely to see Fiddle Master, featuring a selection of Irish folk music hits? Or Piano Virtuoso, featuring a full 88-key plastic piano and a selection of hits from Bach, Beethoven and the boys? It’s certainly an interesting possibility to consider. And if it works, then it has the potential to change the way music is learned and taught.
Power Gig: Rise of the SixString is due out in the fall of this year.
