Has The Internet Really Destroyed Rock Music?

The Internet has taken a bashing lately from old rockers John Mellencamp (nee: John Cougar Mellencamp, nee: John Cougar) and Stevie Nicks (ex-Fleetwood Mac). Both assert the Internet is destroying rock music. Mellencamp thinks the Internet is more dangerous than an atomic bomb and Nicks thinks the online music industry stifles talent.

Neither of these artists really have to use the Internet. Mellencamp and Nicks have already had successful careers that were established under the old music industry regime. The A&R (Artist & Repertoire) person finds the new act either by solicited demo tapes or the chance meeting in a nightclub. The new act is signed to a major label, the promotion machine kicks in, the Great Unwashed gobbles up the product, and voila, a star is born.

While that may have worked twenty years ago, in today's world that does not hold true. It is not necessary to be signed to a major label or to avail oneself of the promotion and distribution that a major label offers. It is possible to build a successful music career from a grassroots or cottage industry base that is entirely online. Independent artists and labels can now have global distribution simply by offering the music for sale at a website such as eMusic or AmieStreet. Perhaps the poster child for a successful music career that is entirely Internet-driven is Jonathan Coulton. Coulton writes geek rock, which is, I think, the best description of his music. He regularly draws a substantial audience to his shows, has a considerable online catalogue for sale, and produces his own DVDs. In addition to the online sales, he sells product at his concerts and has managed to garner considerable interest from online press such as Wired and ArsTechnica.

Mellencamp and Nicks are acting like curmudgeons. All that is missing is for them to yell "Get off my lawn you rotten kids!" As well, their comments are based more on aesthetics, or what they consider "good" rock music, than anything else. Maybe they don't like the new rock acts or the new rock music, but that doesn't mean the Internet is at fault. The Internet is a tool for musicians, plain and simple. No, you don't have to slog it out in the clubs or on the road anymore. Paying your musical dues means something different today. No longer is it the months and years of playing before the awesomeness of signing to a major label, in fact the opposite is true. Bands can be signed with no live experience at all (I'm looking at you Everclear). That doesn't mean they perform well live though, there is something to be said for years in the clubs. But it does mean that the Great Unwashed potentially has access to the music in a manner that dwarfs what the traditional major label paradigm can offer.

There's a whiff of Luddite in what Mellencamp and Nicks have to say too. Plenty of folks over 50 can only and barely check their email, let alone figure out how to upload songs to a website or create a website of their own. Perhaps if Mellencamp and Nicks were starting their careers they might have a different attitude toward the Internet. Given the questionable accounting practices of the major labels, one would think they would welcome a new way to sell and promote their music that is driven by them and not some multinational entertainment conglomerate. I guess it's the "old dog new tricks" adage come to life.

I wish we had the Internet when I was on the road. It used to cost around $4000.00 to record and manufacture a 45. But just because you had a 45 didn't mean you got airplay either. When Killer Tumbleweeds released "When The Rain Comes" as a single, we managed to get airplay in the US, but here in Canada, all we got was criticism about the production values. As if a radio DJ in Peace River would know how much reverb is needed on the voices. Most radio DJs I have met are a "good voice" and that's it. Suffice to say, Killer Tumbleweeds received no airplay in Canada. Thanks for the support.

So, has the Internet destroyed rock music? Hardly. If anything the Internet has diversified rock music. The traditional gatekeepers no longer have control and there is plenty of new and exciting music available. Music hybrids are cropping up, musicians that otherwise would remain in obscurity now have a place to be seen and heard, and global distribution is all but guaranteed. All that is required is an Internet connection and a MySpace account. 

It is harder, however, to separate the wheat from the chaff, but more choices are better than fewer choices. The "old" music industry offered fewer choices, the "new" music industry offers more, and that's a good thing. Mellencamp and Nicks are off-base and showing their age. I mean really. "Pink Houses" and "Don't Stop" only go so far.

While you're at it, check out my MySpace page. Got some tunes posted there.

Learning To Play Guitar With A Video Game: Are Guitar Teachers Obsolete?

In 2005 Activision released the music video game Guitar Hero. The premise was reasonably simple. Digitally carve up a bunch of rock tunes into various sized pieces then use a guitar-shaped controller with coloured buttons to "play" the pieces of the song by timing the controller's button pushing with the appearance of coloured icons on the screen. That's a facile description, but the basics of what's going on.

To play any version of Guitar Hero (there are five so far) no musical ability is required. Push the buttons at the right time and the song plays, and you can pretend to be a rock guitarist. Awesome. Rock on dude, even. But remember it's a video game.

In 2008, Activision's competitor Harmonix upped the ante and released Rock Band, adding vocals and drums and a cool Stratocaster-shaped guitar controller (right). The "Strat" is even branded "Fender" with the authentic Fender logo on the wee plastic headstock. Now it is possible to have guitar, bass, drums, and vocals. Just like a real band. And, ironically, the addition of vocals and drums began to close the gap between simulation and reality. You need a modicum of rhythmic ability to play the drums and you have to sing in tune and know the melody to play (sing) the vocal part, kind of like karaoke. But it's still a video game.

Both Guitar Hero and Rock Band have become wildly popular. At first a lot of big name music acts were not on board with the idea of having their music in a video game, but the popularity and the amount of money that could be made off the music licensing changed their minds in a hurry. Artists like Green Day, Metallica, Aerosmith, and even The Beatles have their music in special editions of the games. Rock Band has an in-game store where you can buy and download tracks. In some cases, entire albums are available. For example, now you can play in its entirety (video game play that is) Rush's Moving Pictures album. Rock Band also features the Rock Band Network where independent artists can submit and upload their songs. The tracks are available for purchase and download into the game. It's a great way for new bands to have their music heard, and the financial rewards are considerable if the song becomes a game "hit."

Now the gap between simulation and reality has been closed even more. Harmonix announced the release of Rock Band 3 and the addition of a MIDI keyboard controller (left). Now you can have guitar, bass, drums, vocals, and keyboards. Just like a real band. Get your drunk friends to heckle you while you play and it will really be like playing in a band, especially if they throw beer bottles at you. But what is most interesting, is the addition of the new Pro mode. In this mode, the keyboard controller becomes more keyboard-like and instead of timing the button pushing, you actually have to push the right key at the right time. Like the drums and vocals, a modicum of talent is needed to pull this one off. Wait a minute, I thought this was a video game.

To go along with the new keyboard controller and Pro mode, Fender (maker of the Stratocaster guitar, the real Stratocaster that is) has developed a hybrid controller. Whereas other guitar controllers are stringless and have coloured buttons, this hybrid controller is a full-sized, fully functional electric guitar. Fender has worked closely with Harmonix since the release of Rock Band, so it is no surprise they would develop an instrument like this. Aside from the odd press release, not much information is presently available about the guitar. The Harmonix Rock Band website says the guitar "uses technology built into the neck and fingerboard of the guitar to track finger positions in real time. The guitar also transmits strum data for the six individual strings, allowing the game to give feedback to players as they make the leap from rhythm game rocking to real world skills. Players can unplug from the fun of Rock Band 3 and plug directly into an amp to rock for real."

I'm guessing here - the neck probably lights up on the fretboard to show where to put your fingers, similiar to the Optek Fretlight guitar. But how close is this to really playing the guitar? Harmonix says "Rock Band Pro is available in all modes of Rock Band 3, and features tutorials and a variety of difficulties, including Easy, meaning that real instrument performance is within reach of any player, no matter their experience level." Easy? Does this mean pluck one note and the entire riff plays? Not much of a gap closer there. In fact that is pretty much what the non-stringed controllers do. I imagine the Hard setting is more realistic. I can't say until I've played the controller.  

What does this mean for people like me? Guitar teachers. Are we going to become obsolete? I don't think so. There are other things besides putting your fingers in the right spot. Pressing hard enough on the strings to make them sound without buzzing is one, picking the right string at the right time is another, switching chords and chord positions is another and not that easy I might add. And let's not forget about tuning. Guitars have to be tuned. Then there's music theory. A daunting subject even with a teacher. You get the idea.

So it seems to me that this new hybrid controller, while attempting to close the gap between simulation and reality, will achieve that goal to a certain extent; however, I don't think it will be for everyone. Most likely a person that can already play, or at least make noise on a guitar, will buy one and use it to actually learn to play better. Fingers can get sore really fast and unless you keep up the practice, the ability goes away equally as fast. 

The learning curve on an instrument is incredibly steep. Satisfaction comes slowly, frustration comes quickly. A teacher can help motivate and work through the inevitable problems of technique. And what about feeling? Playing music is also about imparting some kind of emotion into the music. Having had experience with music video games, or rhythm games as they're called, there is no emotive quality whatsoever. I can't see the addition of a fancy hybrid guitar controller teaching someone about dynamics (there aren't any), expression (again, zippo), or interpretation (you're playing the recorded tracks, interpretation doesn't even enter into the picture). And like I said, you have to practice. Practice is the most important factor when learning an instrument. But practice takes time. Time that can be used for other things like shopping or watching a movie or playing a video game where you kill things and blow stuff up. Learning an instrument takes self-discipline, self-motivation, and a desire to get better. In today's fast-paced, Internet-based, instant-gratification world, time is a valuable commodity and not one that is given up easily.

What about the cost? You can buy an entire student electric guitar package complete with Squier Stratocaster, Fender amplifier, strap, strings, picks, cable, method book, and big cardboard box for around $350.00. The guitar doesn't interface with Rock Band 3 though and doesn't light up. Will the hybrid controller be in the affordable range for the average video game consumer? Hard to say at this point. There is no information on price available. My guess is the guitar will sell for around $200.00, in which case it becomes a cheap electric guitar or an expensive video game controller. Take your pick.

Undoubtedly Rock Band 3 will generate interest among certain gamers to actually learn to play an instrument. This is already happening. More music schools are seeing an increase in enrolment for guitar, drum, and vocal lessons as a result of these games. Some gamers want to learn to play the opening riff to "Carry On My Wayward Son" for real, not just pushing the buttons at the right time. In this way, the music video games bring more people into the world of music-making and there are numerous studies showing the benefits of learning to play music. Playing an instrument involves the entire brain. It's good for you. And playing music is a great way to relax.

There won't be a sudden influx of novice guitarists, or keyboardists for that matter, and guitar teachers won't be put out of work once Rock Band 3 is released. In fact, learning to play the guitar using RB3 is not much different than learning with Estoban's guitar method without the hat. But like the other versions in the Rock Band and Guitar Hero franchises RB3 will expose more people to music and might foster an interest in learning to play for real. That's never a bad thing.

And call me, I can help. Remember, it's a video game.

UPDATE: June 16, 2010

The website Engadget has pictures and video of the Squier Stratocaster hybrid controller guitar. Plus pictures of a Fender Mustang controller that features buttons for each string and fret. Both instruments utilize the new Pro setting in RB3. 

The Guitar Is The Thing

There are many famous guitarists in the world. The ones that are most familiar are British and they gained their notoriety during the late 1960s and early 1970s. I'm speaking, of course, of Jimmy Page, Jeff Beck, Richie Blackmore, and Eric Clapton, and let's not forget Jimi Hendrix, not British but gained most of his success while in Britain. If you throw in notable American rock guitarists such as Duane Allman of the Allman Brothers, Aerosmith's Steven Perry, Slash ex of Guns n' Roses, and Stevie Ray Vaughn and the list is a virtual who's who of rock guitar. Their musical accomplishments are well documented, but aside from the famous riffs they have composed and the songs they have written, the one element that defines each of these guitar players is tone.

What is tone? For a rock guitarist it's a kind of Holy Grail. It's a combination of the type of guitar, the model of amplifier, and effects such as distortion, compression, and delay (echo). Every guitarist manipulates some or all of these elements to create an identifiable sound or tone that distinguishes them from other guitarists. The primary factor in a guitarist's tone, though, is the guitar and every model of electric guitar sounds different than the others.

The electric guitar has been around since the 1930s and three models have become the most popular and most prevalent in rock music. Fender's Telecaster and Stratocaster (left) and the Gibson Les Paul (right) have, in a lot of ways, become the de facto instruments for playing rock music. However, the Stratocaster and Les Paul have an edge over the Telecaster, particularly in rock.

The guitarists above are also identified with the model of guitar they play. Beck, Clapton, Blackmore, Hendrix, and Vaughn are known for playing the Stratocaster. Allman, Page, Perry, and Slash are known for playing the Les Paul. Largely because of the fame of these guitarists, other guitarists want to capture the same tone and seek out the same kinds of guitars. As a result, some guitars have become as famous as the guitarists that play them.

Mike Campbell plays guitar with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. A master of musical understatement and purveyor of killer tone, Campbell plays a variety of guitars. He recently purchased a 1959 sunburst Les Paul. He calls it "the classic Jimmy Page, Peter Green, Eric Clapton-era guitar." Campbell is alluding to the tone of this particular type of Les Paul. In fact, the sound of this guitar is so influential that Tom Petty based his newest album Mojo around the sound of it. An entire album based on a guitar's tone. As far as I know, that has never been done before. The album is a testament to the tone of the 1959 Les Paul. A sound found in no other instrument. Campbell says, "There's just something about the harmonic overtones in it when I picked it up and plugged it in, it immediately had that classic British blues sound. It was kind of eerie." So to capture that eerieness, Campbell bought the guitar.

Recently the band Chilliwack had a 40 year reunion. From 1978 to 1982 Brian "Too Loud" Macleod played guitar for the band. As a side project when Chilliwack was not touring, Macleod formed Headpins. Like other well-known guitarists, he was known for his tone and it became an integral part of the sound of both Chilliwack and Headpins. The opening guitar riff in Headpins' "Don't It Make Ya Feel" is Brian's Stratocaster. Sadly he died of cancer in 1992 and the whereabouts of his Stratocaster was unknown for years. The guitar was eventually tracked to Calgary musician Al Barrett, its present owner. Barrett allowed the long-lost Stratocaster to make an appearance on stage during the Chilliwack reunion show as a tribute to Brian Macleod. The next best thing to Brian Macleod actually being there was his guitar. Even though Brian is missed by fans and the band, the tone of his guitar is missed even more.

So the next time you hear "Whole Lotta Love" or "Smoke On The Water" or "Walk This Way" or "Welcome To The Jungle" think about the guitar making that sound. You can't get that sound without it.