Coffee Talk: The Future of Music Games As Educational Tools
Dhani Harrison, son of the late Beatles lead guitarist George Harrison, recently revealed the goals of his work with Harmonix on Rock Band 3 to the Chicago Tribune. Dhani discusses Thenewno2, his awesomely trippy jam band first featured in previous Rock Band titles, and later his more direct connections with the Rock Band franchise (i.e. his work on The Beatles: Rock Band).
“I’m working on Rock Band 3 and making the controllers more real so people can actually learn how to play music while playing the game,” he confidently claims. “Give me a couple years, it’s going to happen.” More after the break.
Dhani seemingly wants to take music games in a new direction where they truly contribute to musical education. Musicians like Prince have turned down being featured in music games for this very reason: while music games are entertaining, they generally don’t emulate the process in a way that educates or sparks interest in the creation of music.
If done correctly and in a way that is still entertaining, would this be a good direction for music games? Would you want to play an edition of Rock Band that attempted to teach you (in a way that’s somehow fun) how to play an instrument or even train your vocals on your own? In a broader context, how do you feel about the potential of video games as educational tools? Give us your two cents in the comments section.
(Images via ESDMusic and Wonder Wall Web)
I think this goes beyond learning how to play guitar. The possibilities are limitless when it comes to teaching people through video games. I mean I understand that they serve a purpose of escapism, but I really think that we have so many forms of escapism how much more can we escape? We have a social responsibility to one another, to inform, to join together, to make sure that we as people and civilians take things into our own hands. Why not use video games as a medium for that very thing? We can’t keep using entertainment to hide from the world around us. I think we need to use it to it’s fullest potential. We don’t need to be preachy about it, or even super in your face, but traditional teaching methods are failing, and considering game developers are some of the “powers that be”they have a social responsibility now. Maybe if kids/adults were more proactive in reading the news and researching things there wouldn’t be a need to video games to be educational. however games are sometimes the one thing people understand, and why not give useful tools to consumers through a medium they understand and are passionate about?
Hi,
I am such a big fan of music when ever i free i turn on my i pod and listen music from it whole day…
I also searching for music info like lyrics albums singers and much more….
My favorite music types are sad songs , Fast Rock and Roll type songs and some really Hip Hop…
So this article will make me more better in music knowledge and also some kind of fun…..
Thanks for sharing some valuable info…
I think it would be a good idea but also it will get very frustrating for some who can not learn as fast or play as well that is where the fun of the game is thrown away. kids today don;t have the attention span to learn an instrument and especially when they are playing a video game. That’s just my opinion. I myself wouldn’t mind learning the song I was playing it seems fun.